Tia Nita's Cantina - SONOITA

Saw a Malignus Youth concert there last Saturday. Awesome venue/bar/restaurant. Pizza was amazing, Staff and owner were very cool. The care that they showed for their regulars during the event was above and beyond. Would definitely go again and take my wife just to eat and chill out.

Ended up here because it was late and everything else was closed. They stayed open late for us and other late arrivals which I really appreciate. The food was excellent and there were decent vegetarian options. It was bar food but a real cut above typical bar food. Bar tender was overwhelmed and struggling but she was doing the best she could and was genuinely friendly. They have a decent selection of local wines. A bunch of weirdos in Trump shirts kind of ruined the vibe a little bit,

Spent 5 months in the area last year while away from home and I can’t even begin to describe this place…Anita has built this place and turned it into a community; pizza and wings are incredible, the drinks are good, and the conversation with patrons is second to none in the area. Enough to make me want to fly to Sonoita just to drop in.Down to earth, unpretentious, and home. Drop in if you can…. Have pizza, eat wings, drink Bacanora, enjoy coversation, and pet dogs.

Overall, this place earned a 2-star review. But I feel the need to ‘balance the scales’ of clearly undeserved 5-star ratings.The scene: I arrived at 5:00, and there were only 5 patrons (three people at the bar and a couple at one of the tables). Upon arrival I was greeted by a large German Shepherd. Yes, you read that correctly . . . a dog. Apparently, Santa Cruz County has extremely lax food safety regulations. Max the Dog has free range access to the entire establishment. He’s adorable, but I prefer my food dog-hair free.It seems to me that this place is a bar posing as a restaurant; here mainly to service local patrons. I ordered a 10-inch pizza and 6-piece chicken wings; both were soggy. The pizza was (just barely) edible, but I had to send the wings back to the kitchen (with absolutely no concern from the cook or any of the staff).The silver-haired barkeep spent the majority of the time I was there chatting with the same couple at the bar. If she has so much free time maybe it would be good to provide table service. Or at the very least, walk around and ask patrons how they are enjoying their experience. She was there to collect a paycheck, and little more (except perhaps needing to be somewhere on a Saturday night).It’s abundantly clear to me that the owner hasn’t spent many Saturday nights (or any other night) at their establishment. If they have, they are counting on their alcohol license to keep the place open.All said, I would recommend this place if you’re passing through Sonoita and need someplace to drink. Otherwise, I would save your money and wait for something better. You won’t have to search very far.

Best bar I’ve been into in a long time! Traveled from Indiana, had so much fun with everyone. Prices were very reasonable! Felt like I was apart of the family! Food was fantastic also!