Mi Nidito Restaurant

When Mi Nidito opened in 1952, it was a tiny building with four tables and room for 12 people. Today it is a 4,200-square-foot restaurant on South 4th Avenue in Tucson with a capacity of about 90, built up bit by bit as the family bought surrounding lots and added rooms. The name means "my little nest."

How a tortilla plan became a restaurant

Ernesto Lopez wanted to open a tortilla factory. His wife wanted a restaurant. The restaurant won, and the Lopez family still runs it more than seven decades later, serving generations of local families who have made the place part of their routines.

The President's Plate

In 1999 the Secret Service called to say President Bill Clinton would be stopping by shortly, leaving the staff about twenty minutes to prepare. The kitchen assembled an impromptu sampler of its best-loved dishes, and that plate stayed on the menu as the President's Plate.

Everyday ordering

The menu offers appetizers, soups, combination plates and a la carte items of Mexican dishes. A popular order is Combination No. 7, built around juicy shredded beef birria with corn or flour tortillas, rice and beans.

Common Questions

What are the hours?
The restaurant has been closed Monday and Tuesday, open 11 AM to 10:30 PM Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 AM to 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. Call (520) 622-5081 to confirm.

What is the President's Plate?
A signature sampler of favorite dishes, created when President Bill Clinton visited in 1999.

Who owns Mi Nidito?
The Lopez family, which founded it in 1952.

What does the name mean?
"My little nest" in Spanish.

What should I order first?
The President's Plate or a combination plate such as No. 7 with birria.