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Tortilla Press
Rating Details »
703 Haddon Ave
Collingswood, NJ 08108
(856) 869-3345
Collingswood, NJ 08108
(856) 869-3345
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
28 reviews for Tortilla Press
Tortilla Press is a BYO and I am very thankful that they did not charge for chilling beverages. The food was a little too slow for my taste. I rate their service as good, but it would have been great if they showed their faces more often. I was just glad that I came to this place when I needed to actually kill sometime before our movie that night. The guacamole is great as john m.'s review had stated. I ordered "Our Award Winning Chipotle Peanut BBQ Pork Platter" and my friend ordered the Rainbow Shrimp. I was satisfied with my dish.
I have to disagree with john m's review on Tortilla Press because I pretty sure that Mexican influenced cuisine does not have Mexican Pizza. A Mexican Pizza sounds like an appeasement for Americans (http://en.wikipedia.or...). There many other cuisines that get converted for American tastes and understanding that if you did not offer the nachos or the quesadillas that the masses would not come here.
If you go, remember the following:
good ambiance, prepare for a long dinner date, food is par and not the best you will ever have, make sure you order the guacamole, remember to order something that does not appear to be on the menu of Taco Bell because I agree with john m, you are probably better off going to Taco Bell.
I had a delicious lunch with friends at Tortilla Press and definitely plan on going back.
The chips & salsa were quickly devoured by the four of us, then we asked for more.. the salsa was especially fresh and tasty.
I had the ceviche salad and would highly recommend it: think fresh chunks of seafood, a nicely herbed dressing, over veggies & greens. Perfect for a crisp summer lunch.
We were also big fans of the sweet potato fries. I'd go back to Tortilla Press just to order those as a side.
During my entire meal yesterday, all I could think of was "I hope I didn't give this place a good review on Yelp last time." Upon review, it appears I ate a two-star meal that I bumped up to three based on it being a BYO. No such generosity this time--Tortilla Press is a high-one/low-two for me & I am not sure I will return.
The girl and I stopped by for Sunday brunch and from the first moment, we wished we hadn't. Let me recount the reasons why my return patronage at this establishment is in doubt:
- We waited several minutes before anyone even acknowledged our presence. We were told the hostess would seat us in a minute. Five minutes later, the hostess walked right past us to a group that had just walked in and seated them instead. A few minutes after that, the hostess remembered us and found us a table. N.B. it was slightly crowded but maybe 75% of the tables were open.
- Upon being seated, it took another long wait, ten minutes or so, before our waitress brought us menus. Then, she came back a minute later to get our order. Give us some time to decide, please.
- When the food arrived, it was much worse than I remembered. I recalled it being mediocre but at least meeting minimum standards of edibility. Well, when they call Tortilla Press "fusion" they should make it clear what they mean is a fusion of Chili's and T.G.I.Friday's. The chicken fajitas had an indescribable flavor--not because it was so good, but rather, because I would not describe it as food. The chorizo-and-potato hash with eggs and spicy Hollandaise sauce was likewise pretty bad; mere flecks of chorizo, too much salt, overcooked eggs and the Hollandaise tasted like 1000 island dressing.
So, yeah, not the best dining experience in regards to both the service and the food itself. I stop short of calling it terrible--I have eaten one or two pretty okay dishes here--but it should probably be avoided in favor of much better Mexican cuisine in the vicinity.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/19/2009
This is a decent place to get Mexican-ish (I refuse to call anything 'fusion') food in the area; I… Read more »
Dear "Amanda W"
All that about the chef being a big supporter of local farmers is all well and good. But Tortilla Press does not consistently deliver. When my hairperson knows that some days are better than others because one chef is cooking rather than another, that's telling you something. Make it consistent and above all else make it taste good. That's my message and I'm sticking to it. I'd gladly go back again if I wasn't getting something mediocre tasting.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/26/2009
I gave this place a shot tonight since I've been trying to go to all the places on Haddon Ave.
I… Read more »
Having lived in New Mexico for several years, I'm a Mexican food aficionado. Now I live in South Jersey, and Tortilla Press is the place I go to satisfy my cravings for delicious "south of the border" cuisine. The service, food, and atmosphere are all top-notch -- my meals have all been exceptionally good. The chef puts his own unique twist on traditional Mexican dishes, and the results have been, without exception, delights to the palate. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
I've been to this place a couple times now, and today I had lunch here. It's the best Mexican place in the area hands down. The only thing they're missing is margaritas.
Why you ask ?
The food is always fresh. The chef/owner Mark Smith really puts a lot of effort into making his menu both original and authentically Mexican. Today I tried the famous pulled pork sandwich. It really did live up to all the hype. This is one of the places that makes Collingswood the restaurant town of South Jersey.
BTW... now they even have a takeout menu
I love being able to look at a menu at home and deciding upon what I'm going to eat.
The food is very affordable. The portions are large enough, so an appetizer can serve as your entire meal if you eat light. The restaurant as a whole is just so versatile. Whether you want a semi-romantic dinner out or a quick bite to eat. The menu can provide you the items to make Mexican night a true pleasure.
5 stars for Tortilla Press
We were seated and presented with some tortilla chips seasoned with cinnamon sugar and what appeared to be a sweet canella cream cheese dip. This was very good and didn't survive long on our table.
We ordered the ceviche and guacamole to share, I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, and a glass of fresh squeezed OJ. My standard Diet Coke was there as well. The waitress tried to talk me into the dressed ceviche and seemed surprised I wasn't interested, I guess a lot of diners switch to the more 'jazzy' version. The plain was good before, so that's where I wanted to stay.
The guacamole was tasty and the avocados some of the freshest we'd tasted in a while, with just a light spice from the jalapenos. The portion size was perfect for two people and overall this was good, especially at $6.50, but not up to El Vez's, which still wins our best Guacamole. We'd liked to have had a bit more citrus in this or at least a lime or two on the side as an option.
The ceviche was a very generous potion and just as delicious as last time. If we have it again and it's still this good it's going to get Marco's Guarantee. The addition of a few strips of avocado to the presentation was a delicious bonus.
The huevos rancheros arrived and I was cautioned about a hot plate. BMK's order came on a 'very hot plate'. I'm always biased about hot plates. To me, unless it's hot because the fajitas need to sizzle it's hot because the kitchen had it on hold, and my slightly overcooked eggs confirmed it for me. This dish was good but when the highlight is the deep fried tortilla strips and not the actual dish itself, enough is said. BMK reported that his meal was good but nothing special.
One item that had me concerned was the orange juice, which, although tasty, was billed at $3 versus the $2 advertised price. Yes, it's only a buck, but correct the price on the menu so there's no confusion.
Overall this place is good and we're going to go back one more time to check the ceviche again. The food is very tasty and the portions large, all for a reasonable price.
There seems to be an issue with the kitchen getting the dishes together at the same time and then out to the tables without either backing into the appetizer or requiring a reheat, which we hope will resolve.
Eh, maybe I was imagining things when I said this place had improved. I've returned twice since my previous review, and was disappointed both times. The enchiladas seem to have reverted to their previous blandness, and the tortilla chips were greasy, mushy, and clumped together. Not very appetizing, to say the least.
Not only that, but my server failed to bring me silverware on both visits, even after the entree arrived. I had to ask someone else to get utensils. And I'm still waiting for someone to bring me a napkin. That's a pretty egregious oversight when you're as messy an eater as I am.
I'm not planning on coming back any time soon. For the prices Tortilla Press charges, they're far too inconsistent. It's not worth taking a chance when you're guaranteed a good meal and dining experience for cheaper elsewhere.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/31/2009
I've only had one menu item here (cheese enchiladas), so my experience is admittedly limited. I… Read more »
how it is possible that i lived in collingswood for 2 years and never reviewed tortilla press?!?
anyways, this place is frustrating because it's almost so good, and just falls short. i will say that their scallops entree is pretty yummy, but most of their food is bland or dry or just uninteresting.
i like the atmosphere, especially when they open the big window-walls. and the price is reasonable.
service was always pretty good, and i love the byob drink arrangement.
but the food needs a good swift kick in the flavor pants.
I haven't eaten at The Tortilla Press in about a year but used to dine there frequently with my family as we enjoyed the ambience of the guitar player. The food wasn't much to write about but the music was world class. Who was the musician and where does he play?
So I took my GF here last Friday for her b-day. She had been here a few times in the past, but it was my first. We brought our own tequila and enjoyed it with one of their strawberry margaritas with the chips and fresh salsa that they give you when you sit down. I was excited because the atmosphere seemed great and the tastes(so far) were fantastic!!!
We then ordered the guacamole... pretty darn yummy. Not too pricey either... seemed fresh and a good sized portion for the price. I wasn't too hungry at this point so I just got the Mexican Pizza. My GF got the Onion and Cheese Enchilada. Wow... I couldn't believe how disappointed I was with my food. I would have been happier getting a Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell. I was shocked... the flavors weren't there and it just seemed slopped together. I could have made the same thing at home with my EZ-Bake Oven. That's a little harsh I guess, but I was just expecting something a bit more from a place that does so well.
As for my GF's dish... it wasn't that great either. It had an ok presentation, but tasted just as bland as my dish. My GF, seemed to really like it though. When she asked me how I liked the food, I just smiled and said that I loved the Guac and the margaritas(which I did).
On the plus side, the décor of the place was pretty nice. Our waiter was really nice and joked quite a bit with us. He did a great job at reading us and knowing what he could say and what he shouldn't(if that makes any sense). Luckily, the meal wasn't too expensive, but I would rather go to the Mexican Food Factory next time.
BTW... this restaurant probably has the most bland food I've tasted in quite a while. Pass...
I was back again last Friday with a "buy one dinner, get one free" birthday postcard in hand. I brought my sister since she had never been. We started out with the guacamole, which was good but would have been better with a little jalapeno or something to give it a kick. The pico and black bean salsa that comes standard with dinner was tasty as usual.
By the time the entrees rolled out, we were each two deep with Corona Light and feeling a little full from all the chips, salsa and guac. We found a way to soldier on and really enjoyed our meals. Mine was a shrimp and scallop burrito with a side of grilled veggies, and Kate's was the chicken fajita plate, which she ate less than half of before giving up. Everything was really, really good. Service was consistent throughout our stay and the manager was pretty entertaining and even let us keep his bottle opener on our table. Tortilla Press, you get another star this time!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/7/2008
I want to love this place. There are definitely things I love about it~ the guacamole, the black… Read more »
This restaurant did not live up to the hype. At all.
I don't know how anyone could possibly screw up guacamole, but they managed to do that... and my dinner was quite bland and I left unsatisfied. It's hard to really disappoint me when it comes to anything Mexican, but Tortilla Press was able to do so.
Tortilla Press is fine. If you want something other than Italian, they have some Southwest-inspired food. Be prepared to wait, because Tortilla Press is popular. They've even opened another location.
It's a nice dining room, the guitar music on select evenings is great (Go Dave!), and you can bring your own tequila since Collingswood is a dry town. But as a big fan of Mexican food, the food has fallen short for me, since I much prefer to eat messy tacos at a dive in South Philly. But I give them points for trying to do something different in an area where different is not always a hit.
My wife and I took some friends here for dinner last night...as has become customary for us to do so. Everytime we go, we try different things and always find it to be tasty and a great environment. Last night our table had the Peanut BBQ Pork, sweet potato burrito, and fish tacos...all were great. Many friends ask to go back to Tortilla Press when they return to town. Plus, I love the BYO alchoholic beverages....keeps the bill very reasonable!
2.5 stars
we went here to celebrate my friends birthday, but this is my 2nd time coming. its a quaint date place, or a relaxing "after a long week" place.
we ordered a round of apps and food. apps: mussels, guacamole, and ceviche. they were good and the table ate them fast! main courses: 6-7 different courses. shared some...i had the seafood burrito...honestly, i thought my scallop was undercooked and had the fishy smell...my friend said it was "done" but it was enough to give that dish bad marks.
its a BYOB so that also makes this a nice place to save some money...but the bad part, Collingswood and Haddonfield cops are CRAZY strict!!! so beware when you leave, the police station is just across the street! LOL...
I've dined here on several occasions, since I love Mexican and it's close. I've enjoyed a couple brunches and the burritos to-go, but dining in gets worse every time. This past dinner not only was the soup cold, the burrito made with processed ground beef, and the wrong ice cream brought out after clearly sitting for too long, but the service was horrendous. I can overlook the lack of pint glasses for our BYO beers and the failure to offer to open them, but I cannot forgive our server for never checking to see if our food was alright, not once during 4 courses. Waters were not refilled, plates from early courses were not cleared, the server forgot my dessert order twice and checked back both times as if it were the first dessert offer, then when it finally came out (all courses took an unreasonably long time for a near-empty restaurant) the ice cream was melted and the wrong flavor. I will not be back, and would advise any friends to avoid this place.
I wanted to give this place 2 1/2 stars - because I think it's hit or miss. Alas - one of the menu items bumped me to the 3 star rating.
I was looking for a Sunday brunch spot to go to as I was visiting from out of town (and meeting other out of towners there.) I wasn't that impressed. Certain things were great - the decor was festive (and was a nice contrast to the rainy day outside) and the neighborhood has ample (free parking.)
We did wait a long time for our waitress to approach our table. We ordered the guacamole (made to order at the bar - was just so-so) - which took forever to arrive from the kitchen. We also got the ceviche appetizer. For pre-marinated fish in acid - what TOOK THIS SO LONG?!
One dining companion got the char-grilled shrimp with mango salsa and cilantro vinaigrette - and I think she won with best entree. The fire steak burrito lacked any spice (said two of my companions) - and my chicken wrap didn't have much dressing at all - making it seem dry. The food was OK --- salsa and ceviche were the best overall.
Our service was totally spotty from the initial hostess - who looked at me strangely when I asked for a "quieter" table if possible since one of my companions has trouble hearing. She plopped us in the middle of the dining room. To the waitress - who had been crying between coming to and from our table (her eyes were completely indicative of this.) I feel bad she was having a bad day - or so it seemed. She was pleasant, but not attentive enough. (I left with a carry out bag and no extra dressing for my sandwich as requested.... 3 times.)
Oh - they have no liquor license apparently. Wouldn't you make mention of that when someone orders a margarita without looking at the menu? (this happened - and my companion didn't say a word about the lack of alcohol - maybe he didn't notice? but my sister told me this about the restaurant after the fact.)
I would truthfully go back if the service was better and we could eat off the full menu (I think the brunch menu we got was abbreviated since there was an art festival going on in the street that day.) I think they might have just had an off day. (i hope).
Mexican, at a good price, freshly prepared, nice atmosphere, nice ambiance. No frills, no need for any. Make sure to fill out the survey in the menu and provide info with your birthday as they will mail you a coupon for a free entre. Bone us.
i would prefer to give this place 4 1/2 stars, because they are a unique, shining star in collingswood dining.
i've always been incredibly satisfied with the taste of every dish i've tried, and if you are vegetarian, please ASK for their seperate menu! they always have many great options among fish, meat, and veggie dishes.
i've noticed that there are complaints about the restaurant not serving alcohol. and, as someone who has worked in a collingswood restaurant, i have found that very few people know that collingswood is a dry town. people, please stop complaining about the restaurants not serving...it's town policy!!! plus, treat this as a good situation! you can bring any alcohol you want, and at tortilla press, feel free to add your own tequila to the mixed drinks.
my only small complaint about this beautiful restaurant is that i have never had too much food served. i suppose that we become accustomed to most restaurants giving you enough to have left-overs, but at tortilla press, their portions are always pretty standard. i suppose this really is a blessing in disguise!
also, they do not take reservations if you have less than 5 people in your party, but you CAN call ahead to have a name put on the list. unless you visit here during prime weekend hours (6-8), you probably won't have to wait at all.
Not overly impressed. 3 small pieces of a quesadilla cost $6 and 3 chicken flauntas cost $5. Nothing special with the quesadilla ; it was chicken, cheese, and avocado. The flauntas where bland, including the sauce they put on top of it. The tostadas where good, but again nothing special. Beans, cheese, tomato, sour cream....you could really do it at home faster.
There are many other resturants in Collingswood.....and I will be trying them out in the future instead of returning here.
I love this place.
The salsa was fabulous, I knew I was in for a great meal.
We ordered a few appatizers and entrees and we all shared.
Everything was great. The next week I went back with some more friends and had just as great a meal.
I am going to bring my husband back!
BYOB. I reccomend a reservation just in case.
* * * * *
We used to enjoy Tortilla Press. We recently went there for lunch. We found it very underwhelming. The guacamole is still good but my wife makes it better. Nothing had spice or zest. It seems that they have gone the route of americanizing the flavors of mexican food. It was bland. We had to pour hot sauce on our food just for some flavor. I never use and shouldn't have to use hot sauce at a mexican restaurant for everything. I also dislike the sweet chips they offer in the beginning. It just doesn't work. How about some spicy salsa with tortilla chips. Let's put the Mexican back in the food at Tortilla Press.
When I first heard about Tortilla Press I was excited. It's a BYO tequilla place. You bring the booze - they provide the margarita mix and salted glasses. This was reason enough to go there.
The food was mediocre at best. I ordered a vegetarian burrito with sweet potato, which is unusual.....it was alright, not fantastic.
Everyone I went there with felt the same. It was okay, but nothing special.
The prices are a little high for burrito dishes and the staff is less than pleasant. I've been there three times and I've had three different waitresses that were all rather unpleasant.
I would go back, but I don't think anyone will go with me.
I'd recommend The Mexican Food Factory on Rt. 70 over this place any day.
My favorite restaurant in town. Obviously BYOB since its in Collingswood, bring some tequila so they can make you some margaritas or a six pack of Coronas. The sweet potato burrito is my favorite dish on the menu, but everything I have tried is pretty amazing. Gets kind of crowded at peak hours but if you make a reservation you should be cool. Also, has a cool side section with large open doors that makes you feel like you are eating outside.
Terrible, terrible, terrible.
By all accounts, Tortilla Press is trying to set itself apart as the restaurant with the longest waits, worst service, and blandest food. After calling ahead at 6 pm on a Saturday evening, we were told that they did not take reservations, but that "it's not that busy." "You can put your name on the waiting list right now and "it should take no longer than 20-25 minutes to be seated from now." Our party of four arrived promptly at 6:30 pm, and we were told that it now would be no more than a 30-45 minute wait. There were at least 15 patrons meandering outside (there is no waiting area inside the restaurant) and we should have taken that as a bad sign. "Why don't you leave me your cell phone number and I'll call you right when your table is ready," suggested the flustered hostess.
To kill time, we walked up and down Haddon Avenue noting the restaurants where we would've been seated right away and trying to convince ourselves that our meal would be worth the wait. Upon returning to Tortilla Press, the same (but increasingly ruffled and dismissive) hostess told us that [she] "was so, so sorry but [we'd] have to wait at least another 15-20 minutes. It's REALLY busy tonight and we didn't do a good job estimating how long it would take." Seeing that we'd already wasted 45 minutes, we figured that another 15-20 minutes wouldn't be the end of the world. After those 20 minutes were up, we checked in again with Ms. Unempathetic who told us that "You guys are next on the list and we're just waiting to clear a table for you. But we're going to send over a free guacamole once you're seated for being so very patient."
As we were finally being seated at 8 pm (in total, a 90 minute wait from the time we arrived), I asked to speak with the manager whom the hostess promised to send over. Our server told us that she'd been instructed to give us a free appetizer because "[you'd] patiently waited for an hour and a half." The manager finally came by 5-10 minutes after we'd been seated and brought with her two appetizers (ceviche) that we hadn't ordered and informed us that they were on the house. She swung by only long enough to apologize - apparently, she felt that by gracing us with her presence and wishing us a great dinner, she was off the hook from discussing our 90 minute wait. As we placed our order with our server for the aforementioned complimentary appetizer, she informed us that "because [they] had already given us two appetizers, [we] weren't entitled to a free appetizer." When we explained that we were given appetizers that we hadn't even ordered, she skeptically expressed that it was unlikely that we would get this third appetizer. By this point, the manager was probably as exasperated with us as we were with them but this appetizer didn't appear on the bill.
Despite our hope that our entrees would redeem our wait, we were sorely disappointed. The chicken mole was as dry as another grilled beef dish was flavorless. Jumping in a scalding vat of refried beans would have been more pleasant than this dining experience. People who enjoy coming here must have very dull taste buds and/or nothing at all to do with their lives other than wait for a table. Talk about an over-rated restaurant.
Very good food, though not traditional Mexican (which is a plus for me but may be a negative for others). I like that they have some unique entrees. Like many old storehouses converted to restaurants, there isn't a lot of space so the tables are scrunched together. I would give a higher score if I didn't feel like I was having dinner with everyone around me.
I was less than impressed with Tortilla Press. A co-worker and I stopped in for lunch, as we were working in the area that day. The restaurant is nicely decorated and there are plenty of tables to accommodate a crowd. We both ordered the La Prenza Burrito Plate - mine with sauteed veggies and black beans, and his with chicken. Both burritos were stuffed with the above mentioned choices, cheese, and rice, and a side of a spring mix salad. I asked if I could sub something other than salad, as I didn't think a spring mix would best compliment my burrito. She was hesitant, and replied, "well, our menu is Mexican influenced." OK, whatever, just give me some freakin beans or something on the side, lady! UGH. We waited WAY TOO LONG for two burritos at lunch time, but I will say, the burritos were rather tasty. Overall, over-priced, non-authentic Mexican food, with subpar service. Honestly, if you're into non-authentic burritos with fresh ingredients - go to Baja Fresh and pay half the price. Oh, and how could I forget - the chips and salsa that are standard at any Mexican restaurant, are NOT standard with lunch here. That's right, no free chips and salsa, instead there's a $4 charge. INSANE.
