If you only had one day to eat in Tucson, AZ, Mi Nidito would be the one restaurant you would need to have at the very top of your list. The restaurant is colorful, filled with Mexican folk art and a long menu of delicious and comforting Mexican food. This legendary foodie landmark has been a part of the local community since 1952 – and for good reason! They’ve been featured on Man vs. Food and have even been graced by a sitting President of the United States.
It has a cozy atmosphere with friendly service, making you feel right at home. Our waitress was more than happy to reminisce about her more than 30-year career at “My Little Nest,” making us feel like we were there for some of the most exciting moments in this unique restaurant’s 68-year history.
The President’s Visit
When you walk in the door, you’re met with a wall of famous faces. Mi Nidito has had its share of notable guests including Enrique Iglesias, Madeline Albright, Willie Nelson, Kurt Russell, and more. But it’s clear that the visit that made the most lasting impact was by then-President Bill Clinton. In fact, his table and his exact order have been memorialized to this day.
A birria taco, a bean tostada, a Chile Relleno, a chicken enchilada, a beef tamale, a side of beans, rice, a tortilla, and two slices of a cheese crisp. That’s the laundry list of everything President Bill Clinton ate when he sat down in this Tucson institution. Over 20 years later, the kitchen still remembers his visit, having the iconic plate as a popular menu item.
On this trip to Mi Nidito, I finally convinced my boyfriends sister to share the plate with me so I could give it a try. The two of us did not get far, but the few bites we had before succumbing to fullness were delicious. Every bit of the plate is covered in flavorful sauces and gooey, melted cheese. As we laughed and ate, we wondered aloud if Bill Clinton really could have finished all of this food.
The taco was hands down my favorite part, and the chicken enchilada seems to be a local favorite. Fresh tortillas stuffed with juicy chicken, smothered in red enchilada sauce, and more cheese than any human needs – it lives up to the hype. And in case you were wondering, yes, President Clinton did finish his entire plate according to our waitress who was there on that very day!
Cheese Crisps
Before my first trip to Tucson, I had no idea what a cheese crisp was. Where I grew up in New Jersey, even at our Mexican restaurants, we had nothing like it. As a New Jerseyan, I would like to describe it using the likeness of a pizza. A crisp, thin tortilla is covered in cheese and sometimes other toppings like dried beef and green chiles then cut into triangle slices. It’s simple, but really delicious, as most things are when they’re covered in cheese! I love that the bottom is a crunchy tortilla, which adds a nice texture to the soft, melted cheese. It’s delicious and so difficult not to eat the whole thing before your main entree makes it to the table!
Tucson Local Favorites
The President’s Plate is amazing, but you need a superhuman appetite, or a whole family to share it with! I love it and think it’s fun to try because it has a little bit of everything Mi Nidito is famous for, all on one plate. As someone who loves to explore cities through food, I think it’s so fun when locations offer something like this, so in one visit, you can get a bit of all they have to offer.
Another favorite is the chicken enchiladas. Before my first trip when I was still in the planning phases, I asked every local I could their favorite dish and many of them picked this dish!
My boyfriend has been going here since he was a kid, and he has a unique favorite that is even more delicious than it sounds. He orders a birria burrito – yes, the social media craze, birria – enchilada style! What this means is that they take a huge, giant burrito filled with birria meat, then cover the entire thing in red enchilada sauce and smother it in cheese. It’s over the top rich and when we order it I always feel like we are in the known on this delicious dish!
Regardless of what you order, this restaurant is on every Tucson local’s list of places you’ve gotta eat while you’re in town. Whether it’s your first visit to the city or your 100th, you’ll enjoy a meal at Mi Nidito!
Want to know more about Mi Nidito? Watch the video of my experience below:
A trip to Tucson
Looking for more information on this one-of-a-kind city? Check out my Arizona Adventure from my first trip to Tucson!
Hungry for more? Check out my Tasty Tuesday on my favorite dish at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts in Orlando, FL!
