Mama Mexico

Even though NYC is NOT known for great Mexican cuisine, this place has some of the worst Mexican food in the city. On top of that, you would be pressed to find Mexican cuisine that was more overpriced. There are MUCH better Mexican restaurants in Queens, but if you don't feel like making the trek, and/or you're just determined to give away money, you might be better off going to Dos Caminos. The food & service are much better.

Pros: Decor

Cons: VERY poor service, overpriced, and barely average food.

Posted 10/31/09

The food here is good and the place in my neighborhood, so I've been a few times. It's never been great service, but this last time was really over the top. First of all, it took us 35 minutes to get a menu and drink orders in after we were seated. Then, after several mistakes (the appetizer never came so we had to cancel it, they brought me the wrong drink twice, etc), we finally had our meal.

When the bill came, we found out that the tried to charge us for the appetizer they forgot to bring out!!! When we asked them about it, the waiter was rude and acted annoyed that we were asking him to correct the bill- guess they try to trick a lot of people, so look at your bill carefully folks.

Finally, after all that, and after ordering over a $100 worth of food for two people (2 rounds drinks, dinner, dessert, coffee), we were sitting there drinking our coffee and the hostess came up to us and said, "Do you guys mind moving to another table if you're going to linger here? I need to move you to make room for another party" WTF????

It will be a LONG time before I go back here - I'm a mex food lover and there are so many other more courteous places with better mex food to go to - try maz mescal, arriba arriba, or ta cocina.

Pros: food is decent

Cons: Ridiculously bad service, rude hostess, language barriers

Posted 10/18/09

After sitting at our table for 30 mins. waiting for someone to at least take our drink order, it was only after I asked the hostess for a waiter (this was after we had asked one of the other waiters to get our waiter) did we see our waiter. When our drinks arrived one was wrong, it took an other 30 mins. to get that drink. We were really looking forward to desert but, we were ignored again. No one come during our meal to see if we wanted more drinks or even water. We asked for a manager who lamely apologized and sent us three shots of tequila (which we had no desire for) we then got the check. In hind sight we should have left without paying the check, no one would have noticed!

Pros: really good food

Cons: Service is horrible

Posted 05/23/09

I made a reservation for cinco de mayo a month ago, I called the day before to confirm. It was confirmed. I called again the day of to say our party was going to be smaller. No problem. I got my confirmation e-mail at 5PM that day. When we got there, they didn't have our name on their list, but I showed them the confirmation e-mail, the host told me he'd seat me in a few minutes, nothing. I asked again, they said a few more minutes. Turns out, the 6:30pm parties had not been seated yet, nor had any of the 7:00m reservations. They weren't seating anyone, but kept on taking more and more reservations. Then they told us they weren't honoring any reservation today. I realize cinco de mayo is a busy night, which is the reason why I made a reservation a month ahead of time. Your restaurant is poorly managed and the attitude of your staff is discourteous and unaccommodating at best. You wasted our time and I will make sure to let everyone know what a horrible experience I had at Mama Mexico.

Pros: none

Cons: They wouldn't honor our reservation

Posted 05/05/09

i waited an hour but as soon as the food touched my lips i was in heaven.
i recommend anyone and everyone to go there!!!!

Pros: best food and drinks in town

Cons: not enough seating

Posted 03/23/09

As we were seated for lunch our server asked if we'd like some guacamole. Of course! Little did we know that we had just been bamboozled for a $13 condiment. I had the super beef burro and my partner enjoyed the tortillas mexicanas--both of which were delicious. The sopapillas for dessert were OK with a shot of espresso. Total? $60. AND NO DRINKS. At best the cuisine was 4 star (we saw nothing particularly out of the ordinary albeit tasty). Service was great but price could stand a restructuring.

Pros: Guacamole

Cons: Price

Posted 03/13/09

My friend and I went to Mama Mexico awhile ago.
we stopped in just to have some drinks and have some appz.
The place is very nice and the drinks are verry diff and good.
we had two appz both were good.
I will have to stop here for dinner soon.

Posted 02/16/09

I got to give credit where credit is due. The is good food. It is expensive for mexican food to me, but GOOD. I am from San Diego, and I find it extremely hard to find good mexican food. Tex Mex is not my thing, and I am not suggesting that this is Tex Mex, but this is the closest to a Southern Cali/Baja Mexico mexican resturant you can find in NYC. It's on the high end, so the presentation and all of the foo foo la la stuff is what makes it expensive, but good to see. I will go back. The Mango Margarita is good. The Guacamole is fresh and made on the spot, and the salsa is just right. Now if you are from Southern California, it is not the taco shop food or prices, but you will know when you get the food. The Mariachi Band was cute.... Oh, the only flaw is that it is not spacious, but this is typical NYC for you. Two entree's and two drinks with tip and tax = $109.00. Good date spot

Pros: Mango Margarita, food

Cons: Space is limited

Posted 11/02/08

My husband and I were craving Mexican the other night and so i was reading reviews on Citysearch. We decidied to try Mama Mexico and now it is our #1 Mexcican restaurant in NYC. It was amazing...starting with the guacemole they made fresh at our table. My husband salmon with salsa and he loved it, but im a fajitas connosieur and i ordered the steak fajitas. They were honestly the best staek fajitas Ive ever had,. The meat was seasoned to perfection and it was like i was eating filet mignon fajitas. My husband and i both Mexican food fanatics and we will definitely be coming here to get our fix weekly! And you should also try there beautiful cocktails--margaritas a pretty and tasty!

Pros: Unbeatable fajitas--unbeatable Mexican food--Gorgeous

Posted 10/07/08

Mama Mexico is gorgeous and delicious!! My girlfriend and I went to eat here the other night and we couldnt get over how beautiful the restaurant was!! The colors were very bright and happy and festive atmosphere immediately put you in a good mood. My friend order a margarita, which was also beautiful and colorful. We ordered the fresh-made guacemole, which was prepared table-side, and it was out-of-this-world!! For an entree, I ordered fajitas with steak, shrimp and chicken and they were truly delicious. My friend ordered a special and she was thrilled with it. We were thoroughly impressed with Mama Mexico and could not stop talking about how much we enjoyed the food!!

Pros: atmosphere, food, service

Posted 08/21/08

I came to mama mexico for dinner last night with a friend and fell in love with the place. Such a pretty place ! We started with a couple of drinks-- I went for the rainbow frozen margarita and it was so good and STRONG! Then I had this stuffed chicken dish over mashed potato with spinach and it was absolutely delicious. This has to be the best Mexican place in NY. The only thing is that it's a little pricey for a Mexican joint but I guess you pay for the decor and service.

Pros: beautiful place and delicious food

Cons: a little expensive

Posted 08/19/08

I have been here a hundred times, and each time I go, the food and service is just as good as the last time! If you want to try a new kind of mexican restaurant in the city, this is the place to go. The seafood here is really good.

Pros: good food, good service

Cons: a little expensive

Posted 01/18/08

This is by far the worst experience I have had in NY. I went there with a party of 6 and when the bill arrived we noted charges for wine bottles , drinks and entrees we had not ordered, amounting to $100 overcharged. sometimes mistakes occur because the customer changed their minds and the waiter forgot to delete the order. I am NOT talking about this kind of mistake. It was very very diliberate due to large party! When we asked the waiter he just shrugged it off and said "oh iIwill take that off" . No apologies or explainations were offered. we then talked to the manager and we received an equally nonchalant response-as if this was quite normal for this place and the only difference was we just happend to check our bill. BEWARE!!!

Pros: ambiance but extremely loud

Cons: bad food, small servings and theft

Posted 07/24/07

Save your money and go to Benny's Burritos! it was $90 for two people!!! the guacamole is the only decent thing in this dump!

Pros: guacamole

Cons: everything else

Posted 05/31/07

I had a very different experience from the previous reviewer. We went to Mama Mexico for lunch, and it was delicious!! All the dishes had beautiful plating, and the sauces on each were incredibly flavorful. The decor is adorable - very neon/Mexican. They have outdoor seating in the back, which was enclosed while we were there (it was raining) but was still like you were outside from all the glass. The bathrooms are small but well-designed. We had a really great time and will be back for sure.

Pros: Delicious food, great interior

Cons: Not great service

Posted 04/04/07

Went to Mama Mexico last night. We were 5 people. I made the mistake of ordering a burrito in a Mexican restaurant. It was the worst burrito I ever tasted. It was mushy and the ingredients were inferior. I've had better burritos at Pax. My son said his shrimp dish was tasteless. And people who had the fish said it was like cardboard. In addition, Beware....They tacked on a 20% tip for 5 people. Like most New Yorkers, I eat out a lot, but I have never been forced to pay a 20% gratiuity for 5 people. It is usually 18% for 6 or more. The service was good, but not exceptional. I would not have left a 20% tip unless forced to do so. Which is probably why they do it. I won't be back to Mama Mexico.

Pros: Great Guacamole

Cons: Bad Food, Adequate Service

Posted 01/30/07

I love this restaurant! We had a party of 20 people, and the staff more than accomodated us. The sangria was amazing and really strong. I also had the coconut mojitos, and I loved them! I'd recommend making reservations though, the restaurant is not big, and there always seemed to be a line of people waiting for a table. Definitely not the restaurant to go to if you want a quiet dinner, it's loud and fun, and a great place to go to before you head out!

Pros: Drinks, Food

Cons: -

Posted 11/18/06

I felt so ripped off by this place I had to write a review. Our meal came out cold (by cold I mean the cheese in my enchilada was still shredded). Our other dish was poor quality dried chicken breast with a subpar sauce. Our service was HORRIBLE- which was surprising because the place was empty. We waited for everything and our waiter rolled his eyes everytime we asked for anything....even water refills or soda refills...which they charged us $2 per soda refill. For the price you pay at this place it is worth the extra $5 to GO ACCROSS THE STREET to PAMPANO....which is AMAZING and food fresh and the quality you would expect for the price.... or accross the street to DOS CAMINOS...where at least the guac they make at the table is worth $13.

Cons: Horrible Service Horible Food

Posted 09/22/06

It is Cinco de Mayo every night at Mama Mexico!! Mama offers the best of everything from a mariachi band that actively engages the entire restaurant to frozen margaritas that make you kiss manana goodbye! I have referred many people to this restaurant and everyone LOVES it! Sure the service at times can be slow but once you enter this Mexican oasis and taste their drinks and guacamole...you won't want to leave!

Pros: Mariachi band, Amazing drinks

Cons: service

Posted 07/10/06

Have been a few times for lunch and do not plan on going back. Prices are way too expensive for mediocre food at best, excpet for the guacamole, which is VERY good. I don't know about dinner, but at lunch time it is very crowded. The waiters knocked over my purse 3 times and spilled water on the table 3 times as well. We also waited a good half hour for our meals. However, the ambiance is awesome. A little cheesy, but if you let that go, you feel like you are in Mexico.

Pros: ambiance, decor

Cons: food, price, service

Posted 05/04/06

The people writing good reviews for this place must be getting paid. Apparently making a reservation for 2 for 7p.m. is too much to ask for so we waited for 1/2 hour. Then we were seated at this somewhat isolated table and were thankful because every other table seemed cramped. Oh, but that didn't last long. We were asked to move ourselves (with our drinks and chips) to a another table because the one we were at was "reserved". At this point we were totally disgusted and cramped. The tables are so close together you have no choice but to strike up a conversation with the strangers next to you. We complained to the manager and he offered to move us (nope, no discount). We order the special (seafood stuffed red snapper) and aseafood rice dish, which were nothing special. I would never send anyone to this place.

Pros: None

Cons: Horrible service, Rude manager, Over crowded

Posted 04/06/06

I agree with the other poster who wrote about the service: the waiter challenged every single dish we ordered with a special (I've never had a more money hungry waiter) and after waiting 20 minutes for the check we had to call the manager over; who was unapologetic. Food was ok; but overpriced and the drinks and deserts are severely overpriced; $10 for 1 scoop of sorbet. Sorry Mama; never again!!

Cons: Deplorable service, Overcrowded seating, Deplorable Service

Posted 02/10/06

My friend and I went here for dinner the other week and had a great time! Yea the mariachi band at first was a tad annoying, but after a few margaritas, I thought I was in Mexico in no time! I was very pleased with my food and so was my friend, I'd go back definitely! Service was prompt also!

Posted 11/13/05

Two good friends and I just enjoyed a very enjoyable meal at Mama Mexico. We are all food aficionados and were pleasantly surprised with the great service, the great food, and the best guacamole we've ever tasted. Even more exciting, was the fact they made the guacamole fresh to order right at the table. The sangria was also very pleasant and the decor was quite festive.

Posted 07/17/05

Not only was the waiter rude and inattentive, the clearer spilled food on both myself and my girlfriend. I was with a group of 4 and we decided to split 2 fajita orders between the 4 of us. They only brought out 6 tortillas, 1 of which was taken away because they cleared the table too quickly, and then charged us $2.50 for 3 more tortillas. THEN they wanted to charge us $5 for salsa because we had gone through 3 of their SHALLOW bowls. All in all the worst experience I've had at a restaurant. Don't believe the ratings.

Posted 06/22/05

I went to Mama Mexico for a friend's surprise birthday party, and although the atmosphere was festive, I can say that the food was below average at best. Mama Mexico is crowded; a mariachi band ensures that the noise level is always high to almost intolerable, and the lights that change color every few minutes became more than a slight nuisance. The hostess would not seat us until our entire party was there (only two people were missing out of the 15 of us!). The service was above average; our waitress was kind and helpful. My chimichangas were both dry and not very tasty; my boyfriend's seafood dish was relatively average. Other than the guacamole, I would say there's not much reason to go back.

Posted 06/21/05

I'm not sure there is tequila in the margaritas here. What I was served was a terribly sweet icey artificially fruit flavored frozen something. It was terrible. We sat at the bar and after 4 other parties arrived, the staff brought out chips and salsa - serving us last. Terrible drinks, terrible food.

Cons: poor service, bad drinks

Posted 06/16/05

What a disappointment! I had heard that this place was great, but the service was atrocious. Although there were tons of open tables, the waiter wanted to seat us right on top of the only other party there. Then, we discovered that not ordering guacamole for your table is tantamount to asking the wait staff to roll their eyes at you and then ignore you during your entire meal (I had to eventually go to the front of the restaurant to ask for our check). And the food didn't make up for the bad service. Boring, sub-par, and overpriced. We'll never go back!

Pros: Flowers on tables

Cons: Terrible service, Blah food

Posted 02/11/05

Well. Well. Went for my 21st bday dinner with four of my friends. Loved it. Best mexican food you can get on the east coast. Real south western style. Little crowded. Great in the summer. Make guacomole at your table to your specifications...THE BEST. I highly recommend this place.

Posted 01/27/05

LOVE this place, sooooo good. Yummy food, entertaining atmosphere. It is tight quarters but where in NYC isn't. It is def. worth it. I took my family and they made us laugh and gave us free Pinapple infused shots of tequila at the end of the meal. And the tableside prepared guacamole was pure heaven!!!!!!!! I want to go back immediately!

Posted 11/29/04

If you want good food, fresh guacamole at a reasonable price, this is the place to go. This is not a 'date spot' because the seating can be cramped and the tables are too small, but, it is definitely a great place to go and meet friends. I had the filet mignon fajita and it was fabulous. The meat was perfectly prepared and went great with the tequila martini I had. Yum yum!

Pros: Polite Service, Good Portions, Reasonable Prices

Posted 09/09/04

Move over MAYA....

MAMA MEXICO is the best Mexican restaurant now.

You can pick any thing on the menu and not go wrong....
Food is tasty, portions are good, and the staff is great.

Trust me you will not be dissappointed.

Posted 07/21/04

The place is very nice, great decor but if you want real mexican food, then this is not the place for you. Overly priced entrees, not the best taste. Went once and will definitely not go again. You'll find better places in NYC, so skip this one.

Pros: Service, Ambiance

Cons: , Expensive

Posted 03/14/04

I recently went to Mama Mexico for a birthday and had an awful time. Their menu is incredibly overpriced and their service is fair. Besides the price, here are some other annoyances: bleaching the floors during the dinner and automatically charging you 20% gratuity on your credit card without your knowledge. Buyer beware. Taco Bell serves better food.

Pros: Great Sangria, Fair Service

Cons: Expensive, Automatic-Gratuity, Bleach Smell

Posted 01/20/04

Four of us stopped in for a few drinks before reservations at another establishment. We sat at the bar and had some of the best service. There were a great many tequilas to choose from, and they were very willing to make me a margarita the way I like it. They also had a pineapple infused tequila, it was amazing! We'll definitely go back and try some dinner if their bar staff is any indication of the whole.

Pros: Drinks

Posted 01/11/04

If you do not expect much from your dining experience, but enjoy - or do not mind - paying a hefty tab for what ever is placed in front of you, please go to Mama Mexico. This IS Tex-Mex, and would not be worth compliment at half the price. If you order Margaritas get it frozen; In the event there is little or low grade alcohol, at least you will get 'brain freeze.' I do not mind paying for quality. I ordered the $17.00 enchiladas (3 w/rice,beans)not concerned about the price, but for god-sakes make some effort. There is better. Alot better!

Cons: over-priced, low-quality, over-rated

Posted 12/08/03

Took a long time to get seated even with reservations. Not the best date place since it is very loud and table are super close together. But the food was delicious and the service excellent. Great place to go for a b-day or other group occasion.

Pros: food, service, fun atmosphere

Cons: tables to close

Posted 12/03/03

Wonderful fresh and innovative mexican food. Order teh guacamole and watch them prepare it table side. Brightly lit and lots of fun, it is good place after work, with friends.

Posted 09/29/03

I've bemoaned for years the lack of good mexican food in New York - not TexMex, but good solid, authentic Mexican fare. Then I was introduced to Mama Mexico and fell in love! I've been to both the 49th street location (stylish, great for a date) and the Broadway one (more family style, homey) and, while the atmosphere is noticeably different, the service and the food is identical. Fresh guacamole made right at your table, to your specifications; excellent sangria, fantastic food! You will not be disappointed, or go home hungry - and please don't skip dessert! I don't what I enjoyed more - the dulce de kahlua, the banana burritos, or the creme brulee!

Pros: Food, Great for Dates, Live Music

Cons: none

Posted 09/09/03

What a night, great food and margaritas on the rear patio surrounded by lots of plants, flowers and twinking lights. Super guacamole made right at the table. Seafood specials that definitely don't look like upscale Taco Bell, this is real Mexican cuisine!

Posted 09/08/03