Las Palmitas

This place is now downtown next to Honeys. It’s legit Mexican food!!! The real deal. I highly recommend the pollo al ajo and the ceviche!

After two years of and being disappointed by «authentic» mexican restaurants in Montana, I’ve finally discovered this jewel! La Palmita’s is the absolute best comparable mexican food to the much more southern mexican I grew up with. The customer service is wonderful as well, our waiter joked around with my husband and I and was super chill. We’ll be returning for sure! Thanks for ending our search for seriously great food.

Over all the food is really good. The steak & carnitas meat are pretty fatty & chewy but the pollo & picadillo is tender & delicious. The biggest problem is if you are coming in from out of town just to come & eat there (which we do) always remember to call ahead. We have come twice now & they were closed. Very disappointing. We brought the whole family up to celebrate birthdays & they were closed. Just remember to call!

Excellent, authentic Mexican food! Had the burrito verde and fajita burrito — both great, but the fajita was truly epic. Short on ambiance and charm, but with food this good who cares? Will be my favorite take out from this point on.

LOVE THIS PLACE!
Having been spoiled by living in a farming area of NW Washington and also in Texas, we love really good, authentic Mexican food. I like spicy food. We love flavor!
I have left many-​a-​Mexican restaurant in Montana disappointed and nearly in tears. It was so depressing that any good Mexican food we would ever have in Montana would have to be home made. Mas Tacos is good, but if you love tacos from a truck or shack, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Until the following criteria were met, my Mexicano withdrawal depression would remain:
1. Great salsa
2. Tacos with fresh cilantro, nicely cooked proteins, perfect corn tortillas, and some heat!
3. Mexican music playing while I eat
4. Staff speak Spanish to each other
5. (optional) I don’t usually trust a fancy looking restaurant for good Mexican food, but this isn’t always true
Right before a basketball game, my husband and I felt brave, so we popped into Las Palmitas on the main street in Red Lodge. It wasn’t in a bus, and from the outside, I could only assume it would be a trendy restaurant inside because, hey, it’s in the heart of the main street in Red Lodge.
We stepped into the restaurant and were so pleased! It was like a hole in the wall with broken down seats and funky décor, with art by Frida and Diego all over the walls, flags, and tacky beer ads. Latino music was playing, and a Latino stood behind the counter, waiting for us to order. Call me old school, but this place showed a lot of promise for some freaking amazing Mexican Food!
The service was fantastic — the gentleman behind the counter was helpful, and we ordered our «usual» — tacos. We had the asada and pastor. They were inexpensive and DELICIOUS! So very good. Simple tacos with perfectly cooked and seasoned meat, shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, lime, and the salsa packed heat and was tasty. The tortillas were awesome, too. We even splurged and had a Mexican Coke. Perfection.
We were back the next day.
If we could stop in every day for tacos, we absolutely would.
PS: No, there were no chips and salsa. But, I paid a couple bucks for another taco and got over that really quick.

This review is for the Red Lodge MT restaurant of the same name, NOT the famous TACO BUS which is as of this writing, in Powell WY … the bus is fantastic, the RL joint is average. it’s a sit-​down, order at the counter, eat off of paper plates with plasticware and NO CHIPS AND SALSA! What? Really? The sign says «authentic» out front but they don’t do chips … salsa comes in little tablespoon sized plastic togo containers. Way overpriced and not necessarily worth it. If I’m spending $ 25 for dinner for two, I’d prefer to have service, real plates and silverware, and yeah, a few chips while I’m waiting. If they reduced the price tag on this sit down fare, upped the rundown seating area and added a bit of friendly service rather than getting in a Subway sandwich line to order, I’d not be so harsh.

What a nice surprise to find such tasty Mexican food in Red Lodge. Being a vegetarian, my options were few in number, but the first round of tacos were so good I had to go back for a whole veggie burrito. The décor of the place is a cross between American diner and Mexican food truck.
I would have liked to get chips and salsa, but they didn’t have that. Also, their beans have lard in them (you can request to have no beans in your meal).
I was very impressed overall with the meal. I would come here again if I was in the area.

The bus has moved to Powell WY but Las Palmitas is in a small building in town. I had a smothered Burrito and my wife had a Enchilada and Taco plate. The service is very friendly and the food was excellent.

Best Mexican in Montana. Not super healthy, but so worth every bite. House made corn tortillas! Neither my boyfriend nor I are MT natives and this was the first time we really enjoyed Mexican food in MT. And pretty well priced for what they serve. Go!

My new favorite place in RL. I spend my time between California and Montana and I’m always on the look out for good Mexican food… which could be hard to find In this state. Las Palmitas is legitimate Mexican food and it is good. My favorite is the el pastor enchiladas and the salsa is to die for… The only bummer is they just moved into their new building and don’t have beer yet.

Nice food truck-​actually a BUS. They have more options than regular Mexican food trucks.
Tasty but there were flies outside the bus. I know that it is merely a food truck and they have no control of what’s going on outside, but this might be a concern.

Holy smokes… this is the mecca of Mexican food, it truly doesn’t get much better than this. I have yet to have better tacos anywhere else, and have tried a multitude of 4 – 5 star Unilocal locations since I have eaten here. I spent the summer of 2012 in Red Lodge and this was our go to place. I am dying to go back, and may stop in Red Lodge next time I am out west just to get some of these tacos.

Holy crow! I saw that the reviews were positive, but when we ate there, I couldn’t shove the food in my face fast enough. Totally fast, delicious, and with a side of amazing. You won’t be sorry you came!

Fresh food good flavor. Nice people.

Wow
This is an experience. Found through Unilocal (THANKS!!) — this small food truck (bus) in Red Lodge, MT was a welcome sight. I had just crossed the mountain, a harrowing trip with hairpin turns and views that were amazing, but very far down, and was so happy to stop for a bite.
Located in a bus, you walk in and to the end, where there is a grill and food area. There were two men working the day I was there, acted like owners, but I did not ask, both Mexican I think. I had three tacos, the small kind, one chicken, one steak and one pork (not to be confused with one bourbon, one scotch, one beer), covering all bases. I actually ordered two first, then after I ate those and realized how good they were, and how small, I got a third. Each of those is 1.50.
The rest of the menu is typical Mexican, and while it all looked and smelled great, I stuck with the tacos. There were burritoes, tacos, and more, plate meals for all as well, which include beans and the like. The guys were super friendly to me.
They have both indoor and outdoor seating here as well. I went outside, it was nice weather, but others stayed inside, with the AC.
While I can’t say I would come to Montana just to visit this bus again, I can say that if I’m ever in Montana again, I would make it a point to try to get here.

Mexican food in Montana? Yep, and it is outstanding!
And it’s a cute little place too. You hop inside an old bus and place your order. You can eat inside as there are seats on both sides or you can enjoy the outdoors at one of many picnic tables.
I bet you could even order in Spanish :)

This place is legit. Best food you will ever eat from a bus.
— Carnitas are flavored well with a slight crisp to the edges.
— Hot sauce is fantastic.
— honestly, everything tasted authentic Mexican (flavorful beans and rice, meats are flavored with great juices that soak into your tortillas, etc).
We liked the one in Red Lodge so much that we also ate at the one in West Yellowstone. Apparently they are all run by members of the same family who are using traditional Mexican recipies.

Mexican food on the bus just like on the south Texas border really atuntinic food try polio de ajojo.

This is the best Mexican food I have tasted, everything is fresh and awesome. Portions are ample the carrot veg is unbelievable and the rice melts in your mouth. Very fast, exceptionally clean and in a town where prices are very high this bus is a breath of fresh air, you can actually afford to dine out. 10 stars (if you had them). Also let me point out these folks are open from 9:00 am till 10:00 pm 7 days a week they want and deserve the business.

This taco bus was recently opened by the same family that owns the bus in Dillon, MT, and is similarly fantastic (see my review of Fiesta Mexicana). This is real-​deal Northern Mexican street food in a converted school bus. Tacos al pastor and carnitas are superb.