La Bamba Burrito Express

NO NO NO. I’ve been there twice, one of those times I almost died from food poisoning. It’s a weird concept and dynamic in that restaurant. They’ve got a table that’s supposed to be a steam table everything is pre cooked and sitting in tepid water. So if you get a burrito with unseasoned boiled meat or some type of canned vegetables all of it’s too soggy. It’s kind of expensive. The food is so bad it’s funny. These poor people if they don’t know better somebody needs to teach them. It’s not going to be me I hope they close down. I would say it is in the top five of the all time worst restaurant experiences in my life

Love love love la bamba! One of my favorite spots in Swannanoa– I describe it as a subway-​style for burritos! Good food good prices!

I have been here a few times and have only had their Burritos. I had no complaints at all and the service was quick each time…

If you want cheap California-​style Mexican food (build your own burritos, nachos, tacos) in Swanannoa, check this place out. Being that there really isn’t a wide selection of these types of restaurants in the Swannanowhere, this is where one would go if they didn’t want to drive all the way out to Asheville for Moe’s or Chipotle.
It’s changed a lot since the first time I’ve been. The first time, if I would’ve came on here to review I would’ve given maybe 2 stars. The meats weren’t great, the tortillas were not fresh, etc. Now, I’m not sure if they’ve changed hands at one point, but their selection is pretty great for this town. Also, the lady staff is really nice (haven’t met the cook, but I’m sure he’s nice, too)
Their tacos last time I had them are sub par, but cheap on Tuesdays! $ 2 each. My go to is nachos, though. Best bang for your buck, for sure. I stack my nacho mountain high of ingredients, always around $ 8 before tip. Plus, it’s super fast and convenient especially for my work lunch breaks.

I got so sick after eating here. I had a veggie plate, so you’d think it would be safe. The pico on the salsa bar was fermented, didn’t find that out til halfway through the meal. Never going back.

Not bad for Swannanoa, given that your only other choices are the Ingles «café» or Burger King, I would say this is the best restaurant that I’ve visited in Swannanoa :-) Salsa’s that we tried were meh, the carne burrito was decent. The steak was too moist, it was scooped on my meal out of a tub of water so that probably had something to do with it. DD enjoyed her quesidilla, it wasn’t too crispy which is just the way she likes it. We’d go back here again but would try something different the next time.

Tasteless, old ingredients. Imagine a burrito from a 24 hour gas station. That’s La Bamba’s.

quick burrito fix,
easy on the wallet but,
harsh on the toilet.

I’m giving this place four stars because it is seriously one of the most overlooked and under-​rated restaurants in the East Asheville area. Its neglect is probably due to the fact that it is a new business, and also that it is located in Swannanoa, also known as «swannanowhere». Set up like one of those build-​your-​own burrito type eateries, they have a great assortment of tacos, burritos, nachos and other standard Mexican foods. They also have delicious house-​made juices. For dessert I recommend their fried plantains with sour cream. If you’re ever craving tacos and passing through the area, you won’t be disappointed.