Elite Event: The Best Of Cantina Laredo

Beautiful meal in a beautiful setting served by a dedicated staff. We were escorted to the private party room (which is free of charge to any parties) where we were quickly introduced to the manager/​cook and waitstaff — both of whom have been with Cantina since it opened. As every dish was described it was clear that they take pride in quality and freshness. From table side guac to handmade salsa with fire roasted peppers it is clear that the food is all made to order except for items they marinated overnight.
They’ve perfected the art of making ‘mexican’ food which is usually a heavy gut busting cuisine into a flavorful art. The ahi tuna tacos were garnished with pickled onions and the carne asada was dressed in wonderful spices vs globs of cheese.
I highly recommend the food and the atmosphere is great. Also a nice evening on the patio with fire cannot be beat. Upscale food but still a casual environment, come here with friends and family to relax and have a delicious meal.

Cantina Laredo is amazing at Unilocal Elite events! Not only is the food absolutely delicious but the service can’t be beat! For the first course I selected the Ahi Tuna Tacos. Let me tell you that there was no shortage in food. The tacos could easily be split between three people or eaten as an entrée. They were outstanding in both flavor and texture of the perfectly cooked Ahi tuna. For the second round I selected the Mango Salad with Honey Vinaigrette. I cannot wait to return to Cantina to get my hands on some more of this dressing. It was unlike any dressing I had had before and very tasty! For my entrée I had the Camaron Asada. There was hardly any room left in my stomach by this point but I couldn’t help inhaling this delicious dish. The flavor of the pepper and steak were absolutely perfect together. For dessert I chose the Mexican Brownie with a scoop of ice cream and a buttery caramel sauce. I can’t stop thinking about the delicious combination. It was presented beautifully. Cantina Laredo has always been one of my Omaha favorites but this event took them above and beyond!

I must say I was blown away by this event! While I didn’t necessarily have any hard feelings towards Cantina Laredo before, I didn’t really have any strong positive ones either. Now, however, I am IN LOVE. I have posted pictures of all my food and noticed that most everyone gave a play-​by-​play of every meal so I don’t think I’ll repeat that. What I want to point out the most is that I had no idea that everything was made from scratch, daily, in house. I’ve learned now that I need to bring a notebook and pen to Elite events! I was so taken aback by the hospitality and the detailed information provided by the manager and head chef… I really wish I had taken notes. I had to have leaned over and whispered about how impressed I was in to my husband’s ear at least 4 times. The effort and detail that they put in to each and every ingredient, meal, and drink was mind-​blowing. I truly had absolutely no idea that Cantina was so legit. My husband and I have vowed to return regularly for happy hour and spread the word. Thank you for the wonderful experience!

I have to start off by saying this was not my first event @ Cantina Laredo. I came last year for an awesome 4 course and 4 drink meal that was really over the top. Chef Israel and Marcus are always so generous when it comes to Unilocal.Our server Lindy (I hope that’s right) was on top of her game as well. The fire roasted salsa and fresh corn chips are a great ice breaker. the top shelf Guac was really good and made tableside. That is a plus and was new to me. The salad with Jicama was really tasty. The dressing was a bit too much honey, though. I would totally cut it with some Agave syrup. Still very tasty. My enchilada de Avocado was really good. I was not expecting corn tortillas, but they hit the spot. I had no room for the Flan and was a bit sad that I had not chosen the sizzlin’ brownie. A hot plate with a brownie a la mode, drenched around it was a syrup that caramelized right before your eyes. Really cool and tasty.
Marcus, Chef Israel, Lindy. thank you for the wonderful time. Will, Unilocalomaha… Thank you for the good vibes and conversation. It was cool meeting new Unilocalers and watching this thing grow. See you next time.

A wonderful time from start to finish.
I chose the ahi tuna tacos to start. Super crispy shells and a really nice spicy sauce. There was even enough guacamole to scoop up with some of the chips that came with our salsas. Not a huge tuna fan but these tacos were done nicely.
We tried their casa rita which was yummy. Loved that it wasn’t super sugary or syrupy. Even though it was on the rocks my second one seemed stronger the longer it sat there.
Next was their chicken tortilla soup. Nice sized chicken shreds and I enjoyed the slice of avocado. LOVED that the tortilla strips didn’t immediately get soggy. It was surprisingly a bit spicy, didn’t expect it to taste so much like tomato soup though.
My entrée was the Camaron Poblano Asada. Basically a chili relleno stuffed with shrimp, monterey jack and spinach, then wrapped with steak. I ordered mine without mushrooms and loved every bit. The chimichurri sauce wasn’t overpowering, the steak was done well and the filling was cheesy, gooey, goodness.
To end I picked the Mexican brownie. This thing was huge and come with ice cream on a hot plate filled with brandy butter sauce. Smelled delicious but wasn’t entirely practical– the sauce ended up a bit «burnt» after a few minutes of cool down.
Wonderful time. Thank you to everyone at Cantina and Will for putting on the event and all the new Elite members I got to meet. Tons of great conversations about food, social media and local events/​happenings.

What a great night! The general manager Marcus really made this event special! From the start with a Casa Rita which was perfectly made, and homemade chips and guacamole, it was clear to me that this was gonna be a good night! Holy guacamole… that stuff is good… made tableside so you can enjoy watching it being made before you enjoy eating it!
The tortilla soup was good. I loved the fresh avocado strip and the tortilla strips in it. It was a bit filling so I can’t say that I finished it all.
My entrée was the Casa Asada. The steak was marinated with fresh spices and super tender. They cooked it just right… looked just a temp or two above medium rare. I was already seriously stuffed by the time my entrée arrived, so I was able to enjoy it a second time for lunch the next day. What a treat!
The dessert was a Sizzling Mexican Brownie. Oh wow… just the smell of them being flamed in brandy butter sauce made me pretty excited to taste it. How lucky… the brownies even had nuts in them. It was delicious… piping hot with vanilla ice cream on top. What a way to top off an awesome meal!
Cantina Laredo is sure to give you an experience you won’t forget. The service, food and the obvious caring of all that served us really shined through.
Thanks Marcus for a wonderful evening, and thanks Will who continues to shine as our Unilocal Community Manager!!!

Now this was a great event!
Will, Isreael, and Marcus were fabulous in creating a perfect evening. Things started right on time. We had a great little private room all to ourselves. Great Swag table in the corner and warm fresh chips and salsa all ready to go on the tables for us. It was great hearing from Chef and the GM about the night and each of the dishes and a little bit on the behind the scenes. Our server Lindee was on it! And with such a large group everything went great. Loved the Appetizers. I had the ceviche and was super impressed with the flavors and fresh taste and texture of the seafood. I for sure need to come back for some more. The soup/​salad was great, but the main course was fabulous. I chose the Poblano dish. The Steak was cooked perfect as well as tender and very flavorful. The Poblano was perfect finished crisp and had great flavor with hot warm savory cheese and shrimp in the middle… YUMMM
The ending was the flan for me and omg was it great. I had no room left in me but still ate the whole desert. I forgot a picture I think also
I really enjoyed this event. Will is the man and Cantina Laredo did a great job showcasing some of the skills they have. I am looking forward to going back…

This event was simply amazing and only continued to deepen my adoration for Unilocal!Cantina Laredo did a phenomenal shop on the food & service. The explanations of everything on the menu made my wife and I only want to come back after learning that everything is made in house (not just lip serviced like other places in town). Lastly, the company was quite good as well, we meet some new people, learned some new things and shared a great time all around.

I cannot sing the praises loud enough for my love of Cantina’s food or their amazing staff.
The event started with great company and stiff drinks. For me I was given lemonade since I don’t like the hard stuff. Then we got the first course; I chose the guacamole. We got to watch our fantastic server make it table side just like if you came here normally. It was great, needed a little salt, but yummy. Pro tip: mix their hot salsa with the guacamole for the best combination ever. Speaking of, it was endless ships and salsa the whole time. This might have been my downfall in the end.
The second course was a choice between a mango salad or a chicken tortilla soup. I picked the soup and honestly it just wasn’t my thing. It reminded me of a tomato soup, which I really dislike. Without hesitation the waitress asked if I’d like I salad, which I got without he mangoes. The salad was so yummy. Their honey dressing was very flavorful and I can’t wait to try to recreate it at home.
Third (main) course for me was a little different. I have mushroom allergies so already ½ the choices were off the table. I dislike artichokes, and spinach so that narrowed the choices more. It was down to the carne asada which I wasn’t too happy about. I decided just to ask if they’d do my favorite dish: beef fajitas. Marcus, the general manager, really does spoil me when I come there and without hesitation said yes. So I got beef fajitas with flour tortillas instead of corn. I’ve had this a handful of times here before but let me tell you guys. This was the best beef fajitas I’ve had here OR anywhere else. It came out on a screaming hot plate, which was just fun to play with. Everything was perfectly cooked and blessedly mushroom free. I’m only sad I could only eat like 10% of it before I boxed it up to take home. Those chips were my downfall in the long run, I’m tellin ya.
Forth course (oh god I might explode) was a Mexican brownie. Now, I didn’t realize this came with ice cream or butter brandy sauce! Holy crap! The room was filled with buttery yummy smells and they assembled the dessert table side. Hot plate, brownie, brandy sauce and topped with ice cream. In the bottom you got this caramel creation that was just, wow. The brownie in itself was the size of a meal. Marcus even put a sparkler in mine since I told him it was my birthday the day before. Everyone even wished me happy birthday and to be honest It was hard holding back the tears. My «yelp family» is just far too awesome!
In the end I’m in a food coma and had to drag myself home, just barely. I’ve got enough food to last the entire day tomorrow and I feel so grateful to spend time with such an awesome group of folks at the fantastic place that is Cantina Laredo. Marcus will take care of you every time, I promise you that. Our server was amazing, the food was fresh and delicious, & the place was squeaky clean.

Most excellent presentation of their favorite foods, and Margaritas. Great staff and nice intimate party room. The evening started off with chips and homemade tomato roasted salsa, which had a unique flavor and consistency that you knew was specially made.
I chose for my appetizer the (3) Ahi Tuna Tacos, which could have been my meal in itself. I love Ahi Tuna and this did nothing to disappoint. The tuna melts in your mouth alongside a generous amount of guacamole (I had so much that I had to get more chips to clear my plate) a side of onions with a seasoning that complimented the tuna.
Next came out the tomato based Chicken Tortilla soup, with just the right amount of spices to wake up and tease your palate, ribbons of colorful tortilla strips and a slice of guacamole. Again the serving was plentiful and very rich which made it go a long way.
For my Entreè I chose the Camaron Poblano Asada, a delightful combination of Poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, mushrooms and onions surrounded by a well seasoned steak, a bed of rice and vegetables. By now I am already in a food coma, and I fail to adequately describe the experience, so I get this boxed for tomorrow, because dessert us soon to follow.
And out came a traditional Mexican Flan, no frills, just like you expect for an encore. I am not a big dessert eater, so I was surprised how quickly this disappeared.
All in all a wonderful evening of food and conversation organized by Will! Thanks for the memory…