Pieno-Lleno in Southend-on-Sea

Friendly, warm and attentive staff. Fabulous tasty and competitively priced food. First time visiting and will definitely be back!

What a great meal! We thoroughly enjoyed our crispy taco's and quesadilla, such a terrific atmosphere and happy staff. It was our first visit but is now top of our favourite restaurants!

Large varied menu, sort of mixed between Mexican and Italian, so loads of choice. The waitress was very kind and attentive. Food came quickly and large portions. Decor is cool. Loved the place, not keen on the area, but once inside you could be anywhere.

Really great place. The food was fantastic and it was quick to be served. We'd rung for a very last minute table on a Friday night and they could accommodate us which was fab. We had nachos and chimichangas for mains. Lovely cocktails too - great choice of margaritas!

This place is absolutely delicious, it’s the best Mexican food I have ever had and their beef tacos… yummy! Brilliant and would certainly highly recommend!

The food here is absolutely delicious.

Recently opened Upminster restaurant, and we’re very pleased in our ‘take a chance’ meal. We passed earlier in the afternoon and saw that the restaurant had opened. We returned a little later for a late afternoon, early evening meal and were very pleased we did. We chose starters of calamari, tequila-spiced prawns and hot ‘n spicy mushrooms. The staff said the spicy mushrooms were ‘spicy’, but you never know. Okay, we agree, these spicy mushrooms were spicy. Not so much that it burns the tastebuds from your tongue so you cannot taste anything else, but you know you have eaten spicy food. The mains we chose were the Cajun chicken burger served in flatbread with Mexican (paprika) seasoned fries and the chicken enchilada served with Mexican beans, salsa and guacamole. Wow, just wow. Really fresh and flavourful. The calamari coating was light and coked to perfection. The tequila-spiced prawns servers in a Mexican seasoned tomato sauce were lovely. The portion sizes of the mains were good with the enchilada being packed with the chicken and vegetables. Restaurant location: great. Parking nearby, good bus links and 100m from Upminster station. Restaurant decoration: excellent hand-painted Dia de los muertos murals and sombrero lamdshades. Atmosphere: warm and welcoming. Staff: happy and personable. Cleanliness: very clean and fresh-smelling. Food presentation: excellent, numerous Mexican coloured plates and bowls. Food taste: lovely. Full of flavour and clearly cooked fresh to order. Well-seasoned and not overly salted. Portion sizes: typical starters but large mains. Cocktails: Pina colada was great, but the Alabama Slammer was a great choice!! Cost: £££. Slightly more than a burger bar, but cheaper than a Chinese or Indian meal: similar to an Italian restaurant. We really enjoyed the meal, so much so that we booked our next visit before leaving! Great restaurant, staff, atmosphere and location. 👍🏼👍🏼

So disappointed starters overpriced and main course that was inedible to eat as all veggies were BURNT TO THE SKILLET wanted to complain but because it was friends birthday I didn’t want to make a fuss all 5 of us were the same we won’t be coming back

Fair price and fantastic dishes. The tacos and cocktail I ordered are just perfect. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to my friends if any of them ever wants to go to Southend.

Amazing Mexican restaurant. Mentioned that we were gluten free and got given a separate menu to ensure we know what was available. The food was out of this world, the drinks were gorgeous and the bill was really reasonable!

This is one of our favourite restaurants. We always try and find a reason to come here. The food is always amazing, we always get the jalapeño bullets and flaming mushrooms to share. The only thing I could want is more but then I wouldn't have room for the rest of the delicious food. The tacos are always filled and seasoned beautifully. The cocktails are always well made and taste great! The staff are wonderful, super accommodating and help make the experience far better. For anyone who wants amazing Mexican food, we can't recommend Pieno-Lieno enough!

Had a brilliant evening. Food was delicious. Despite being busy, staff were very attentive. Would highly recommend.

This place never changes in the service or food always feel like you are family and food is great. Never been disappointed Excellent. 👌

From the moment I stepped into Pieno-Lleno, I was captivated by the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere that makes this place truly special. This restaurant is a gem for anyone seeking authentic Mexican cuisine. The menu is a delightful journey through the tastes of Mexico, offering a wide variety of dishes that cater to all palates. Each dish I tried was bursting with flavor, perfectly seasoned and presented with care. It's evident that the chefs here are passionate about their craft, bringing the essence of Mexican cuisine to life with every plate. What made my dining experience even more enjoyable was the exceptional service. The staff was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable, creating a warm and inviting environment. A special mention must go to our waitress, whose enthusiasm and expertise in recommending dishes made our meal even more enjoyable. She was the epitome of excellent service, always there with a smile and quick to ensure our dining experience was nothing short of perfect. The ambiance of Pieno-Lleno adds to its charm. The decor is tasteful and authentic, contributing to an atmosphere that is both relaxing and lively. It's a great spot for any occasion, whether a casual dinner, a special celebration, or a cozy meal with friends or family. Pieno-Lleno is more than just a restaurant; it's a culinary experience that takes you straight to the heart of Mexico. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food, fantastic service, and a delightful atmosphere. I'll definitely be returning!

We visited on a Sunday late afternoon as a treat to my lady. She has visited here before as part of work's dinner and had sung it's praises. I haven't had a great deal of Mexican food previously so was cautiously optimistic. It was quiet when we arrived, to be greeted by a bright & characterful interior. We were promptly seated to a booth near the bar and made our choices. Virgin Passionfruit Mojito Diet Coke Grande Nachos Pulled Pork Burrito Bowl Chicken Chimichanga A thoroughly enjoyable meal with an array of flavours & textures. I have never had a Chimichanga before and was pleasantly surprised. I describe it like a dried Yorkshire pudding folded up and stuffed with ingredients. Black beans & rice served beneath were a delicious accompaniment. My lady was very complimentary of her Burrito Bowl and took some home in a box to be enjoyed at work next day. Lots of nodding, smiling & satisfied noises throughout the meal. A enjoyable experience with fun decoration & ambient Mexican music overhead. Sombrero & rope lighting was a nice touch along with the tile wall near the bar.

Always packed. Good food and friendly service.

Awesome food, gorgeous service. The staff is very polite and kind. Highly recommended.

Great place and good value for money food is fabulous

we tried to dine here on NYE dinner. the staff are kind to check for available seats even if they are fully booked. they accommodate us and gave enough time to savour our meals. food was excellent in taste, presentation, and serving portion. i will definitely recommend this place. of course i would like to come back to try their other dishes.

This amazing restaurant has truly set the bar high for culinary excellence. From the first bite to the last, every dish is a harmonious blend of fresh ingredients and traditional flavors. The vibrant colors of the decor mirror the lively spirit of Mexico, creating an atmosphere that feels both festive and inviting. With attentive super kind service and a great menu, this restaurant is easily the best in town! Will 100% visit again soon!

Amazing decor service food and drinks !

Service was excellent and the food was great

This is the second time I’ve eaten inside the restaurant and I’ve also ordered it one time to be delivered. It’s been amazing all three times! Wait staff are kind and helpful and make sure to keep checking you’re okay. Definitely a favourite of mine

Dined in for a friends birthday and would absolutely go back! Staff were super friendly, food was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was really fun, great music!

We came here for our Granddaughers birthdays. The food was very good and large portions. Quite a varied menu. A big thank you to our server Tanya who's service was exceptional. Will definitely be going back

We love this place. Finding an independent Mexican restaurant anywhere is hard enough. Whenever we visit we make a special trip to come here. Staff are lovely and I always get the quesadillas. It’s very small which adds to its charm. In summer They have a lovely outside area that you get a view of the sea.

Great food, lovely atmosphere and amazing service

What a fabulous restaurant. Incredibly delicious food, lovely and friendly staff. Loved the decor and artwork on the wall.

Never lets us down! This was our 5th or 6th visit, we keep saying “they must have an off day here and there”…. Not any time we’ve been here, the staff are perfect on every way & this is definitely not chef’s first rodeo 👏 Cannot fault the place, 7/8 full on a Sunday for good reasons. Top darts.

Great place with really nice food.

This one is a hidden gem! Food is amazing and the staff are so friendly. You’re bound to enjoy your meal here!

2 of us squashed on a tiny table next to the toilet with the door open & shutting the whole time. Really disappointed this visit, pizza was burnt to a crisp underneath when asked if food was OK at the end I said obviously not as I had only eaten the pizza topping as I couldn't get staffs attention & we was so hungry after 40 minutes wait for food I just ate the topping. The waitress gave us the bill looked at the burnt to a crisp pizza base & just shrugged. Won't return 1/10

Really good food, good service, good atmosphere. Separate vegan menu. I tried the Mexican spring rolls (ve), mexican burger (ve) and vegan churros.

9 of us for a 60th. Amazing food, amazing service enough said!!!

Loved our meal here! Fresh tasting food, great cocktails and lovely staff! Our favourites are the pulled pork chimichangas and tacos but everything here looks amazing! Our favourite Mexican in the area would highly recommend

Great food and cocktails. Little local gem. Well worth a visit

They are always welcoming and their food is TOP quality. They make you feel special

A real fun place with a cantina vibe. Not warm and romantic but fun and quirky, with a social feel. A little noisy but adds to the atmosphere. Booking recommended as it gets busy very quickly. All tacos and tortillas we tried were excellent, and really tasty.

Absolutely fantastic experience - 10/10! We had booked in advance and this is definitely a must as the place was soon full - even for a weekday! This is an immediate good sign! We were for the sharing starter which had a mix of just about everything - wings, spring rolls (not what you think, had a Mexican twist and these were my favourite!), nachos, tostadas, and a garlicky flat bread! All was delicious and perfectly cooked. I had the crispy tacos for main, opting for the combo - 2 beef and 2 prawn. Nicely presented, very tasty and filling! Messy to eat but I loved it! My parents went for the Mexican paella and my stolen spoonful was deliciously spiced! Dulce de leche churros to finish the meal nicely! Lots of cocktails to choose from - went for a margarita which had a pineapple twist. My only complaint was the sugar rim rather than a salty rim! The staff were impeccable, very friendly and attentive. The place is nicely decorated and the music wasn't too loud so conversation could flow! Definitely a place I am now recommending and will be coming back to try more of the menu!

This is hands down the best mexican restaurant I've ever visited. The servers were really friendly and helped us with recommending dishes and cocktails. We ended up having the sea bass and the quesadilla with beef. While I wasn't expecting non-mexican cuisine to be as good in a Mexican restaurant, both dishes were exquisite! Portions were average and I remember the sea bass was £16 while the quesadilla was a bit less. Overall, a great experience, too bad I'm more than 100 miles away or I'd visit very often.

Very nice food, friendly staff ….

What a fantastic restaurant, nicely themed, friendly staff and the food was absolutely lovely!

Lovely place with wonderful food and it’s affordable

Been eating here for years, never had a bad meal. In fact I think it's possibly got better and better - takeaway here alot especially the pasta. And the portions are generous too

Absolutely phenomenal food. Thoroughly recommend Pieno-LLeno to anybody who likes good food and good service.

Lovely mexican resturaunt. Food was great.staff were friendly and helpful.would happily go back for more

Very nice place and the vegan selection is very tasty. Recommended.

Best Mexican restaurant in Essex.

What a great, great place. found this place recommended on Trip Advisor whilst on holiday, so we walked from our hotel about 20 mins away. It was a Thurs night, about 19.40hrs.The place was busy but they found us a table quickly and every was superb, the dining (Such great food) The staff, and good beer. If you want huge overflowing plates then this is not for you. If you wish perfect portions of superb food then you have found your delight.

Novina and raoul have very good customer service. Accommodating. Friendly to approachable and made sure my baby was fed. Thank you so much for your lovely service

Lovely little restaurant, went on a Thursday, glad we booked at it was packed. The waitresses were very friendly and food was amazing! Only slight critiques- it was so busy all you could hear was people talking, you couldn't hear the music until alot of people cleared out. Also the area isn't great, a few shady characters, especially as there isn't parking and had to walk a little while. But will defo visit again. Honeycomb cheesecake was 10/10!

1st visit certainly will not be the last..food was delish...service excellent and friendly Decor quirky and authentic to the taco If you get a chance then don't miss it..

Excellent Mexican in Southend. Really superb food, would return regularly in a heartbeat!

A little on the noisy side but overall great atmosphere. Parking is tricky as it's side street parking only. Staff are very friendly and the food is well presented, tasty and good portion sizes.

Brilliant. What more can I say.

Really nice good and a great waitress who had great humour and made for a fun evening for us guys on a group meal

4th visit, no drop in food or service quality, consistently the best restaurant in Southend. Everything was perfect as always and the restaurant runs like a well oiled machine.

We have just had an awful experience with this restaurant which is a real shame because we have ordered a few takeaways with them before and eaten in the restaurant and always been impressed…until now. It’s very hard when a restaurant treats you so badly, to want to ever go back. We ordered a takeaway and it arrived with two items missing, one of the items being a main dish. I rang them and they basically said not their problem, we put everything in the bag so the delivery driver must have stolen it. Ok, I can understand that may have happened. But they point blank refused to help us or replace any missing food and pretty much said not our problem, contact Uber eats for a refund. Leaving us with half our meal which we then had to share. 1 main between two adults. So mad about it all. How unhelpful and shows no empathy or good will towards customers. Sad to say they have lost a couple of customers and I would urge anyone else to proceed with caution.

What a gem. Great food and service really enjoyed. Had a coffee margarita delicious 😋

Went Thursday night for my Fiancée birthday and can't put in to words how amazing the food and service was was a great end to a lovely holiday away definitely be back again

The only reason for the three star atmosphere is because we were the only ones in on a Friday lunch for a while... One other table did come in but to be honest it didn't make a difference. The food is excellent. The Cajun mushroom burrito bowl was amazing and the vegetarian sharing starter was great (that and a side would probably have been enough).

Amazing. Food was very tasty. Up to the mark.

Always busy and for very good reason!

Had a delicious meal. The crispy tacos were amazing. Lovely cocktails too. Staff were chatty,helpful and attentive. Defo recommend. Defo coming back soon!

Mexican food at its finest and warm and friendly service

Went to this restaurant last night to celebrate my friends birthday First time here and it won't be the last Food,service and atmosphere great

Amazing mexican food, we had the fajitas & tacos which were sublime ! The staff were very friendly. And service was fast.

Absolutely love this place ! The decor, the staff, the menu, the cocktails - faultless ! It’s my go to spot for great food, the warmest welcome and always a wonderful time ! Thank you all x

Excellent service, very friendly staff, excellent food.

Such a hidden gem in Southend! They have really delicious authentic Mexican food. Really enjoyed the variety they had.

For someone who doesn't eat dessert the Banana Calzone was rather tasty!!! All the food was good, as was the friendly service from not only our server but all the staff we spoke to. I will 100% be a returning customer. I might ask for a bit more spice next time I have the chilli though!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️😁

Vegan food options were great. The food was so delicious! Enjoyed the cocktail menu too :). Can't wait to come back

Booked a family meal for a 50th birthday on a recommendation from a friend. The meal, the staff, the atmosphere were fabulous. We had a wonderful evening. We were a party of 10 and the restaurant was very busy, but the food still arrived in...

The service was very attentive and friendly. They were very accommodating with our child who has additional needs. Food came quickly and was delicious. Really tasty and authentic. We would recommend 100%. Thank you for a lovely experience.

Excellent place. Food great. 20 quid buys a decent main and a beer. Makes the Rosslyn look like Joe's cafe

Taste food, nice presentation and the portuguese guy who serve us was really polite 10/10. Definitely we will be back.

Been here a few times now and it's now a firm favourite! Food is always great. Staff are always very friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!!

Great Mexican. Delicious food and nice atmosphere. Real gem in Southend. First time eating in but have had a few deliveries before and always lovely.

Food is very good. Service can be slow when it's busy but food outweighs the slight delay.

Absolutely incredible restaurant . This is a complete hidden gem. The staff are so so welcoming , I was their for lunch on Friday, beautiful decor , the food was so fresh and was packed with so much flavor, I cannot recommend this place enough. We cant wait to get back and try some more of their fantastic dishes. Thanks a million guys. Dan and Family. xxx

Food and service are always 10/10 here, never ever disappoints

We always have a great time whenever we visit Pieno Lleno. Unfortunately it is located in a not so nice area, but don't let that put you off. Once you are inside, you forget about the area you're in. The staff are always super friendly and the place is decorated very well. They have a great selection of tasty foods, including some great vegan options.

Everything very good. It’s the best taco when I have ever eaten. Thank you!

This place is undoubtedly a hidden gem. Firstly, the staff are incredibly lovely, attentive and all-round wonderful people. Always smiling, cheery and happy to help. The decor is super - it’s bright and fun, it’s got kitsch and quirk. They’ve done a great job there. The food is delicious and clearly made with love and attention to detail - all too often you find Mexican / South American restaurants that just throw the meals together, but not Pieno-Lleno! Each dish was delicious and I’m definitely coming back for more! (Vegan and gluten free is widely available too!) cocktails and drink selection excellent as well!

My first Mexican food experience here in UK- excellent food with generous portions! Price was reasonable and staff was very friendly (and there were no service charges!)

Everything was amazing. Nice service, great food and lovely staff. Definitely we will be back.

Fabulous food and staff . Visited twice in 2 days we were that impressed. Had great atmosphere and was busy on a Wednesday and Thursday night which shows how popular it was. Highly recommend!

Really nice friendly staff. Food was tasty and filling. Reasonably good prices.

Really tasty food and great service will be returning

Visiting Southend I went here for dinner. Amazing food - enchiladas and hot sauce. Best mexican in a very long time!

Amazing place excellent service delicious food nice atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Pyszne jedzenie, fajna obsługa

First time I ate here tonight, and the food was exceptional, the staff were amazing and could not have been more attentive if they tried, and it was effortless for them. Quite literally the best food I've had the pleasure of eating full stop, everything cooked to perfection I cannot recommend this place enough, feel like I've died and gone to food heaven in the best possible way 🥰

It's the second time I've been to this restaurant, and both visits have been amazing! We had pre booked, upon arrival we were promptly greeted by a friendly waitress who let us select the table we would like to sit at. Not long after sitting,...

This is my second time at the restaurant, originally had a burrito, which was extremely hot, too many chilli’s, and had a virgin mojito, which had much too many mint leaves. Returned tonight, and ordered the tacos, when they arrived, they had been terribly burned,...

Honestly I can’t recommend this place enough to friends and family. Been wanting to come here for the longest time ever. It really had lived up to its standards. Will happily say this would be me and my partners new spot!

Excellent place for quality food and service. Can't wait to go back 😁

Book ahead as they get full! Luckily the weather was good enough to sit outside. The tacos were amazing.

Great tacos!!🌮 Really nice staff.

Delicious food, including sea bass, salmon and sides! amazing service too, bit far away from the seafront but at a certain hours is also a plus!