By: Nadia Abdulahi
If you’re a night owl, then Tin Lizzy’s Cantina is the place for you! The statewide hours of operation are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday. For the “serious” night owls, Tin Lizzy’s is open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays,.
The Kennesaw location opened on August 25, 2014. Since then, “It’s been fantastic,” said Ellie Lovein, one of the managers at Tin Lizzy’s. “We’ve been really busy.” I visited on a Sunday night and people were still arriving at 8, 9 and even 10 p.m.
What I like about Tin Lizzy’s is the interior and exterior design concept and architecture. Inside, dark wood tables and bar stools are at almost every table. Every location has outdoor seating and live music Thursday through Sunday night.
Tin Lizzy’s created the term “FlexMex.” According to Tin Lizzy’s site, FlexMex originated in 2005. There are three definitions, but to make it more concise, I’ll just include the synonyms, which are “cross-cultural, taqueria Americana, and awesome”.
For the appetizer, I chose to try the spring rolls. It was a short debate between “The Hot Mess,” (a skillet filled with tater tots, cheese, pork, bacon-cilantro coleslaw, and BBQ sauce) and the “Southwest Spring Rolls.” The spring rolls were great! I also tried the “Three Amigos” dipping sauce special, which contains salsa, guacamole, and cheese.
For the main meal, one of the waitresses informed me that the Southern Comfort skillet is one of the most popular dishes. Lovein also shared that the Southern Comfort skillet is very unique. “All of our tacos are popular too,” Lovein said. So, I decided to try two tacos: The Southern Comfort and Chop Chop Shrimp.
The Southern Comfort, which is a 2012 Taco Contest Winner, includes fried pickles, grilled chicken, goat cheese, grilled onion, and BBQ sauce. This taco is great for those (like me) who like fried pickles. The Chop Chop Shrimp is “Asian inspired” with grilled shrimp with Asian coleslaw, toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro and onions.
Most of the menu items are served in tins (hence, the namesake Tin Lizzy’s). I thought that this is a unique way to serve food!
“It’s a really fun environment and atmosphere,” Lovein said. “Our food and drinks are great! But we’re mostly known for our fun environment. And you guys should come check us out!” Indeed, this is a restaurant that’s truly something new to try in Kennesaw.
Lastly, I also like that Tin Lizzy’s is a proud sponsor of nine charities, according to the restaurant’s website. The list includes the Rally Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Loving Arms Cancer Outreach, and more!
Tin Lizzy’s is located at 5470 George Busbee Pkwy. It is in between the Embassy Suites and The Village at Town Park apartment complex. To find out more about Tin Lizzy’s, please visit http://www.tinlizzyscantina.com.
