Hola! Tacos & Cantina Review and Menu (2025 Update)

MSC is quickly producing ships with a ton of dining options. Hola! Tacos & Cantina is MSC Cruises’ lively, family-friendly take on a Mexican street food restaurant and one of the most fun dining spots onboard. Located on newer ships like MSC Seashore, Seaside EVO, and World America, Hola! brings a burst of color, flavor, and energy. With an updated 2025 menu featuring an all-you-can-eat taco option, fresh salsas, and handcrafted margaritas, it’s the perfect stop for lunch, dinner, or late-night bites.

A Fiesta at Sea

Hola! feels like a beachside cantina with a cruise-ship polish. You can sit at the bar for margaritas, grab a table for tacos, or just pop in for guacamole and chips. The vibe is energetic but relaxed, and it’s one of the most approachable specialty restaurants onboard. It’s the perfect “no reservations” meal where everyone leaves smiling

The 2025 Hola! Tacos & Cantina Menu

MSC’s 2025 menu offers a variety of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and dips, plus an all-you-can-eat option included in the dining experience package, making it one of the best specialty dining values onboard.

Homemade Salsas & Chips

The meal starts with a sampler of freshly made salsas and tortilla chips. All are made in-house daily and served family-style.
Habanero Fuego, Jalapeño Verde, Salsa Taquera, Creamy Poblano, Roja de Arbol, Roasted Molcajete, Smoked Chipotle, Black Bean Salsa, Pico de Gallo.

Tip: Ask for the “Muddle Your Own Guacamole” — they bring the ingredients and you mash it tableside to your liking.

Soups, Salads & Starters

Tortilla Soup with lime cream, cilantro, and your choice of chicken or beef
Queso Fundido with chorizo and scallions
El Chapo Dip with refried beans and cheese
Tijuana Salad with lettuce, black beans, avocado, corn, and chipotle dressing
Guacamole served with chips

Street-Style Tacos (Soft Corn Tortillas)

Served family-style for sharing.
Chipotle Carnitas – slow-roasted pulled pork with black bean salsa and cilantro
Al Pastor – marinated pork with pineapple and onions
Barbacoa – ancho-chili beef with chipotle and red cabbage slaw
Carne Asada – tequila-chili marinated steak with guacamole and cotija cheese
Ancho Tinga – shredded chicken with poblano and pico de gallo
Chili Pescado – fried fish with guacamole and red cabbage slaw
Chili Con Carne – spiced ground beef in a crunchy yellow corn tortilla with crema, avocado, and cheddar
The Carne Asada and Al Pastor tacos are consistent crowd favorites, perfectly seasoned and full of flavor.

Enchiladas & Burritos

Enchiladas – two stuffed corn tortillas smothered in salsa verde or spiced mole sauce, topped with melted Oaxaca cheese and pico de gallo
Burritos – flour tortillas filled with Mexican rice, black bean salsa, cheddar, and lime cream, served with guacamole and pico de gallo (Chicken, Beef, or Pork options available)

Quesadillas & Nachos

Flour Quesadillas filled with cheese, guacamole, lime cream, pico de gallo, and Tajín spice (add chicken or veggies)
Loaded Nachos with Oaxaca and cheddar cheese, black beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and guacamole (add chicken or chili beef)

Tamales

Steamed masa stuffed with chipotle pulled pork or chicken and served in corn husks, a nod to traditional Mesoamerican cuisine.

Desserts

Hola!’s “Pastelería” serves a rotating mix of Latin desserts and their signature ice cream tacos.
Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding), Mexican Flan, Tres Leches Cake, Dulce de Leche, and Ice Cream Taco with your choice of ice cream and toppings.

Drinks and Cantina Cocktails

Hola!’s beverage menu is almost as big as its food menu, featuring margaritas, mezcals, and signature cocktails.
Top picks include the Hola Classic Margarita, Mangorita, Passionrita, Strawberrita, and Pineapplerita.
Unique options like the Cervezarita, Chelada, and spiked Don Pedro milkshakes round out the bar menu.
Hola! also offers tequila and mezcal flights featuring top brands like Patrón, Casamigos, and Fortaleza, with tasting notes explaining the differences between Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo.
All drinks are available by the glass or in a one-liter pitcher for sharing — perfect for a group fiesta.

Our Hola! Tacos & Cantina Review

Hola! Tacos is one of MSC’s most enjoyable specialty dining venues. The tacos are flavorful and authentic enough to satisfy both casual and adventurous eaters, and the all-you-can-eat format makes it feel like a real value. The Carnitas and Carne Asada are standouts, the queso dip is addictive, and the desserts end things on a perfect note.

We used Hola! as part of our dining package, but honestly, it felt like a waste. The all-you-can-eat option is only $20 per person, and nobody in our party even ordered that much food. While it’s a fun spot, using a full dining package reservation here just doesn’t make sense given the price point. Next time we’ll just order à la carte and enjoy it as a way to mix up a lunch on a sea day.

Our Verdict: Excellent casual dining experience — fresh, fun, and affordable. Highly recommended for families, groups, or anyone looking for a lighthearted, flavorful meal at sea.

Value and Packages

Hola! Tacos is one of the most affordable specialty dining options onboard, but it’s not the best use of a dining package. If you have a package, save it for Butcher’s Cut or Kaito Teppanyaki instead. The all-you-can-eat option at Hola! is worth doing only if you’re really hungry; otherwise, order à la carte. It’s a great choice for a casual lunch or lighter dinner that feels different from the main dining room.

How to Book

You can purchase a dinner through your MSC account, app, or the specialty dining desk once onboard. However, you will need to book onboard or walk in. Hola! typically opens for lunch and stays open late into the evening. We’ve never seen the restaurant full, so walking in should be a possibility most times.

Final Thoughts

Hola! Tacos & Cantina is a crowd-pleaser — lively, flavorful, and a true standout for casual dining. With freshly made tacos, house salsas, and handcrafted margaritas, it’s a guaranteed good time for everyone onboard.

Bottom line: Hola! Tacos is MSC’s most fun specialty restaurant. Come hungry, grab some tacos and tequila and let the fiesta begin.