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Mama Mexico
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
2672 Broadway(between 101st St & 102nd St)
New York, NY 10025
Neighborhood: Manhattan Valley
(212) 864-2323
- Nearest Transit:
-
103 St (1)
96 St (1, 2, 3)
Cathedral Pkwy (1)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 1 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Matt K. said: "Honestly, this place can be very hit or miss. I stick with General Tso's chicken and sometimes the chicken is perfectly cooked with the right amount of crunch and tenderness. Other times the skin is falling off and the chicken is just…" read more »
177 reviews for Mama Mexico
Review Highlights
"They have a mariachi band on the weekends."
(in 48 reviews)
"The margaritas were PERFECTOS Y DELICIOSOS."
(in 38 reviews)
"We shared some sampler platters and the delicious guac."
(in 37 reviews)
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177 reviews in English
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Review from Francie W.
New York, NY
1/13/2012
Their doors have been closed, and the chairs put up, for at least the last few days. No sign on the door. Has anyone heard anything?
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Review from Alana A.
Manhattan, NY
11/5/2011
I joined yelp just now JUST to write a negative review for this restaurant so others can avoid experiencing what my boyfriend and I experienced today. I have not read the other reviews so my apologies in advance if I am just repeating what others have already said, but if that's the case, that should be your hint to avoid this spot!!!!
My boyfriend and I went out in our neighborhood to enjoy a Saturday afternoon lunch. After strolling for a few blocks and deciding not to go to our usual go-to spots (first bad decision) and, after my boyfriend mentioned he was starving and in the mood for a burrito, we decided to give Mama Mexico a try (second bad decision). First of all, upon entering, before we even sat down and had a chance to take off our coats and sunglasses, the waiter was pressuring us to order the "special" margarita. When I respectfully declined, he insisted I get the mojito. When I told him no again, he would not give up. Mind you, it was before 2:00 in the afternoon. I am all for a drink with lunch but when I am overwhelmed by someone who is pressuring me to buy something, my tendency is to say no just to get them out of my face. My boyfriend, on the other hand, has trouble saying no so he said yes to what turned out to be a $15 mojito and guacamole for two before we were even served water (third bad decision).
Our moods were dampened, and it just continued to get worse. The tortilla soup was bland and the tamales (which are typically one of my favorite foods) were INEDIBLE. My food was not hot and tasted like a frozen meal that had been heated in the microwave (for not long enough!!). My boyfriend got an $18 seafood burrito and ate 3/4 of it because he was really hungry but said it wasn't good (and he's the least critical person when it comes to food whom I know). When they cleared my plate, no one bothered to ask why I didn't eat about 90% of my plate or why I chose not to take it to go. THERE IS NOTHING "AUTHENTICALLY" MEXICAN ABOUT THIS PLACE AT ALL.
The worst part of all is the check came out to $60 ($72 after my boyfriend generously left a 20% tip). I know it's NYC, but that is just blasphemous for a disgusting lunch on the uws for two.
I hate to get picky (like I said, I have never written a bad review for an NYC restaurant before and I've lived here for eight years now), but the decor is tacky and the crowd was horrible as well.
Needless to say, a poor restaurant choice on our part and we will not be returning EVER. -
Review from Laura C.
New York, NY
9/15/2011
The stars are for service. Or should I say lack thereof. On a quiet Saturday afternoon when there are only 4 other tables seated it should not take 10 minutes to give us water. Also it's not the classiest move to bus the table and change the cloth while we're still sitting there drinking our water and waiting for the check.
As for the food it was merely acceptable. I make better guacamole at home. And "medium" does not mean one bite of seedless jalapeño on every 5th bite.
Completely overpriced for a run of the mill Mexican joint. I won't be returning. -
Review from Tony M.
Baltimore, MD
Updated - 1/29/2012
I am happy to say THIS PLACE IS FINALLY CLOSED.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/18/2011
And in conclusion....
This place is terrible unless you are on a date. Even then it is overpriced.… Read more »
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Review from me t.
New York, NY
8/9/2011
I have never gotten such a feeling at ANY other restaurant that they are just looking for any way to rip you off they can think of.
First, they handed me a menu of all specials, NONE of which had prices. When you point this out to a waiter, they are obviously trained to say that there ARE prices on the regular menu (which they had not yet given us).
After seeing how overpriced the items on on the regular menu were, we decided not to cross examine the waiter about the price of the specials. Ordering from the regular menu, we had some mediocre, standard Tex-Mex fast food level food. The one thing that stands out in memory is that they charged THREE BUCKS for a side of sour cream we asked for. There was no mention of this charge on the menu or from the waiter when we ordered it.
You are practically guaranteed to leave feeling angry. I generally post reviews of things only when I like a business, but I feel in this case like I'm performing a public service. -
Review from Christina C.
Manhattan, NY
7/17/2011
We went to lunch here on a Sunday. The restaurant was not busy, maybe ten tables were sitting. The service was sub-par at best except for the one busser who actually seemed to care about his job and was more attentive to us than our server.
The guacamole was good, but that is it. I ordered the fajita wrap that came with curly fries. The fries were a greasy mess congealed together, and the wrap tasted like a fast food cheeseburger. Ew. My friend ordered Huevos Rancheros. The server never asked her how she wanted her eggs and they came back barely sunny side up and looked raw. Underneath that was a pool of grease, with a dollop of dry, pathetic look rice and a spoonful of black beans. We both got through about half of our meal, and just started to wish we hadn't eaten any of it.
We asked for napkins right away as our table wasn't set properly, and the server ignored the request. We ended up having to get up and take napkins from an empty table.
After we finished, our plates sat there for 10 minutes before anyone paid us any attention. We asked for the check immediately upon seeing someone (who was not our server) and it took another 5 minutes for our server to return with dessert menus. We again told her we just wanted our check, and then she brought it a few minutes later, and put it on the table saying "here you go." That's all she said to us. We had to grab her to keep her from running away from the table...we already had our cards out ready to give to her and she still tried to leave.
As someone who works in the service industry, I almost NEVER leave less than 20% tip, even if things go awry as long as the server is trying to do his or her job. This server could not have cared less. She got 15%. -
Review from Joy D.
New York, NY
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
You know, I really used to actively harbor hatred in my heart for Mama Mexico. In the past I had the same experience as many of you Yelpers out there -- overpriced, underwhelming, inattentive, deceptive, and SKETCH. So a couple weeks ago when a dear friend invited us to celebrate a birthday, I almost gagged... but in honor of my friend I sucked it up and happily agreed to celebrate with him at the Mama.
And to my surprise, it was actually not bad! Service was better than usual: We were given menus right away, I never saw the bottom of my water glass, the waiter was attentive (although we had busboys buzzing around as well, so we didn't want for anything for very long), and the food was pretty good, for the most part -- although my Carne Asada was not great. Undercooked, tough, and a little gummy. By that point I had had so much guacamole & chips, though, I didn't bother sending it back.
The menu was reduced, rewritten, and repriced; and the prices SEEM to be much more reasonable. I don't think it's permanent, though -- seemed to be a summer menu type of situation.
So... still not great mexican, but so far it's the only game in the area... at least until that new place opens a few blocks north. And much better than it used to be. Let's hope it lasts. -
Review from Julie B.
New York, NY
5/20/2011
Went here for my first outing in my new neighborhood and was sorely disappointed. I had passed by it earlier in the day and was intrigued because it seemed to have lovely seating in an enclosed sidewalk cafe.
I decided bring my friend and her boyfriend last night and am sad to say that this place is a joke. The first thing I noticed was the tacky decor and music, but eh, I went with it hoping that it also meant it wouldn't be too expensive. My friend had to change seats because the glass roof was leaking right on her head. The prices are ridiculous! Many of the entrees where between $20 and $30 dollars and didn't look like anything special.
I ordered the vegetarian nachos but what I got was NOT vegetarian. It had both beef and chicken in it so they definitely brought me the wrong thing. Luckily, I'm not a vegetarian and didn't want to ruin my friend's dinner so I ate it without complaint. It was Okay but not especially flavorful and not worth the $15.
The final nail in Mama Mexico's coffin came at the end, when the waitress couldn't even wait until we were gone to start pulling the paper off our table and resetting. I worked as a waitress for years in H.S. and college and I would NEVER do that. They weren't even busy. So long Mama Mexico! -
Review from Ari A.
New York, NY
8/10/2011
after skimming the other reviewers I notice a trend.
We too were asked if we would like fresh guacamole for 2 before ordering. I was smart enough to ask the price first, $11, and we opted no, but free chips and salsa were served. The menu took an awful long time to come to us, but unlike others we did not receive a special list while waiting on the regular menu.
I think my friend and I were both happy with our orders, fajita and burrito. The fajita more so than the burrito, was over priced.
The real overpriced kicker are the margaritas. On their drink menu they only show the price for frozen margs ( i bet on the rocks would have been much cheaper, but no way to know until you ask). I ordered the guava marg at $12. Very disappointed to see my margarita come in the same glass as the water, no salt/sugar brim, about 12 oz, and not flavored. (luckily she realized without me saying it was not flavored and we were charged only $10/marg)
I had to ask for hot sauce for my burrito, and i got a green dip in a bowl. Fine and dandy, but got any other options? It tasted like cilantro- which I do not like....
probably won't go here again, not as bad as everyone else says.
Makes up for it with the mariachi band, who doesn't ask for tips! -
Review from Aixa F.
Whitestone, NY
9/28/2011
The place looks great and the mariachi band makes it fun, but the food and drinks are very expensive and you get somewhat small portions. We've been there three times. The first time we loved it, but the next couple of times we felt it want worth the money.
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Review from Terry M.
Manhattan, NY
2/26/2011
I've been here several times before and each time the quality of the experience seems to get worse. Went last night with a large group after work. Ordered a few pitchers of Margaritas and Sangrias, which were delicious. We shared some sampler platters and the delicious guac. The food is just average, I split the steak fajitas with a friend. The$600 bill was simply shocking! Completely overpriced and definitely not worth it. We had a great time, but that was because of the company and not the restaurant.
Nutshell:
1.Over priced
2. OK food
3. Noisy
I say pass on Mama and find a different spot. -
Review from Christian P.
Manhattan, NY
12/28/2011
I briefly stopped by for a dinner party being held here and had some of the guacamole. I found it to be pretty good. Then I had a burrito for take-out. When I got home, I felt like I made love to that burrito!! lol. It was delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I'm not a fan of Mexican cuisine.
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Review from Juanita H.
Bronx, NY
2/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was alright. The burrito I ordered wad huge.
They charge $11 for Guacamole which I think is a little ridiculous but hey what can you do.
The service is bad; sorry. Once you order forget about any attention and my goodness the sever didn't even wait until people were gone to check the tips on the table which I thought was tacky.
They assumed I was cheap because I asked for water but people need to realize that some people don't want to guzzle down soda or other nonsense. Especially if you came to eat and enjoy your food.
I'd rather get a "to-go" order next time. -
Review from Luis W.
Elmhurst, NY
2/26/2011
Incredibly horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible!
The wine used for sangria is probably cheaper than that for cooking!, disgusting margaritas made with soap-tasting sour mix, mediocre 18$ burrito, and a guacamole made with lemons! because as we were told limes are "crazy expensive." seriously??? so is your guacamole I would say.
I used to be a fan of this place for years, but after the 45$ pitcher of margarita (that they down sized) during their disingenuous happy hour, I felt cheated, a very unpleasant after taste for a group that is not cheap by all means!. -
Review from Steve M.
New York, NY
12/18/2011
Awesome, just awesome....Did I mention awesome?
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Review from Jon G.
CA
10/18/2011
Decent food, incredibly fast service and very very noisy.
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Review from Celia S.
New York, NY
12/18/2010
Very overpriced. Food was fine. Staff was totally disorganized.
Guacamole was WAY OVERPRICED, but was very good. A fun atmosphere... didn't have any alcohol so can't vouch for that.
Either way, Mexican food is not NYC's forte, and don't expect anything better from Mama Mexico.
Mexican food should not be this pricey. Period. -
Review from Peter K.
Jackson Heights, NY
2/26/2011 1 photo
What's happening to this place?? I first visited Mama back in 2001 when, it seemed, the restaurant was at its peak. The atmosphere was festive, the food was full of flavors and taste, and (although pricey) the drinks were worth it. I made it a point to return to the 102nd Street location multiple times over the years and always preferred it over the midtown location. My visit this week corroborated rumors that this restaurant was going down hill.
The only two things that have lasted the test of time in this restaurant are the freshly made guacamole and the steep prices. The quality of food and the warmth of the staff is no longer apparent.
The food: meh. What used to be perfectly crisp with moist and flavorful pulled chicken has now become a stiff and dry version of the chimichanga. The sauce drizzled on top was no where near enough and the chicken tasted like it was cooked an hour before i arrived and microwaved after I placed my order. The fajitas smelled great as they came out of the open kitchen but were completely lacking in flavor and moisture.
The beverages are produced with such low quality alcohol that I had to stop drinking. It is a better deal for a table to order individual beverages at $10 each than get a pitcher that serve a mere 4 full glasses for $45! (And yes this was the "happy hour price.") It also didn't help that the staff kept badgering me to refill my half empty glass and purchase another pitcher of margarita. I'd rather go to Calle Ocho for brunch and get my unlimited sangria with purchase of a $20 entree.
This brings me to the service... almost as attentive as it used to be but completely D R Y. The staff is professional and work very hard but come across as mere automatons who are more focused on making a few quick bucks than demonstrating pride in the product they serve or actually being genuinely concerned with ensuring that their customers are having a wonderful experience. I almost felt like I was in an overpriced Applebees - with a half of a mariachi band following patrons - to indirectly annoy them out - in order to make space for new victims. The managers (who are dressed in suits) pour tequila down the throats of their patrons - no longer because it's fun to - but because they feel obligated to.
BTW: my party was by no means "cheap" or "restrictive" with our ordering. We averaged about $60 per person. Honestly, it was an upset. Worse, it was a Friday evening; Prime Time for restaurants to demonstrate what they are truly capable of to their patrons. Sadly, my party will not be returning. Restaurants are supposed to impress their patrons and not rely on the hype it generated in during its past. There are too many other choices around this area that perform soo much better: Rosa Mexicano, The Taco Truck on 96th St.. even Chipotle on 110th!
I truly hope this place turns around because it used to be top notch. This night was a pure tragedy. -
Review from B S.
New York, NY
12/5/2011
The margarita ripoff as detailed by many others is pretty classless. When we asked our waitress why she didn't mention the price, she told us, in halting English, that she was instructed not to tell people how much they cost.
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Review from Teresa F.
New York, NY
4/11/2011
Good guac, salsa, and chips. I had steak tacos and the tacos were soggy. It came with rice and beans and a small salad. i could've gotten the same meal, better taste, bigger portions, at any restaurant in elmhurst, for a much lower price.
Entrees are $$ priced, but everything else should be rated at least $$$. -
Review from Kent P.
10/24/2010
Food = Meh.
Price = It's Mexican, so it was too expensive for beans and rice.
Service = We didn't get along very well. -
Review from COURT P.
New York, NY
1/30/2011
Friendly but very average Mexican food experience. Waiter was overwhelmed, never asked how our food was. Got MY order wrong too.
Partner was violently ill overnight. -
Review from Jason G.
2/25/2011
I loved this place. They make guacamole in front of your eyes: they bring out a shit ton of avocados, garlic, onion, etc... and just mix it for you. w00t. No sour cream bullshit, either! My guacamole better not have any sour cream.
I got dessert here. It was incredible. It was some kind of Mexican crepe, with an amazing fudge sauce, and ice cream. I wish I could remember what it was called. Something crepas. It was mindblowing.
Very impressive selection of Tequila, but I'm not a connoisseur, so I can't comment on that. -
Review from Christopher H.
Brooklyn, NY
5/29/2011
I cannot emphasize how HORRIBLE this place is. The wait staff is extremely UNPROFESSIONAL and DECEPTIVE. A buddy of mine and I sat down, and before handing us our menus, the waitress asked if we would like "fresh guacamole". I say "yes", assuming the guac is priced around $3-ish, like any other mexican restaurant. Come to find out, the guac is $11 FREAKIN DOLLARS! The avocados used in it were OLD, making the guac look YELLOW. The wait staff is programmed to called it "Fresh Guacamole", which gets a little annoying after they repeat it like 4 or 5 times. We get the idea, the mediocre quality quac is FRESH, too bad it sucks and is overpriced. Oh yeah, the picture in the menu of what they claim is the serving of "Fresh Guacamole" completely misrepresents what you'll really get, but the $11 price tag is accurate! It's also strangely convenient that they don't have a cocktail menu that lists prices.
I had to remind our server (3 different servers at any time) twice for our second round of drinks, which she then brought out and were warm. The worst part is that she PRIORITIZED SERVICE TO OTHER TABLES that had obvious "date" type of couples, where its assumed the paying member of the date would tip better than a typical couple.
They skimp on simple things, like rice and beans. My friend got an iced tea that cost $3 EACH (yup, no free refills here) and were loaded with ice. Business must be bad for this place if they try to cheat you at any given moment and skimp on simple things like freakin' rice and beans.
They rush to sit everybody in the window area so it looks busy from the outside, but the entire dining room area was empty. When I complained to the manager about the service, he apologized and then used the excuse that they were extremely busy. I said "no you're not, the entire dining room was empty", and he just stared at me and didn't know what to say.
DO NOT EAT AT MAMA MEXICO EVER UNLESS IS YOU LIKE POOR SERVICE AND OVERPRICED MEDIOCRE QUALITY TEX-MEX!!! -
Review from Luis G.
Bronx, NY
12/3/2010
Before we begin, if you go here between the months of oct-feb you must ask for a seat in the back away from the door.. and when i mean away from the door i mean really far away from the door... the place has some sort of suction/low pressure thing going on and when ppl open the door the entire place freezes.
Now with the food...i had some chimichangas and they were good, not the best ive had but still good... i must say though the guacamole is really good and they make it right in front of you so you know its fresh- none of that stale old refrigerated avocado stuff here.
I would give it 3 stars but the mariachi band and the large selection of imported mexican beers and good service brings it up to 4 stars -
Review from Sonia C.
New York, NY
9/10/2010
3.75 Stars.
I hardly come this far west...this is very west for me. But, having said that...I really enjoyed my experience at Mama Mexixo U.W.S. I've been a fan of it's sister in Midtown East but I liked the overall feel of this one better. It's more low-key, cuter ambience with good service & great food. The Mariachi Band playing at each table was lovely.
We ordered the mango magarita pitcher & it was yummy. So refreshing & the right amount of alcohol if I may add. The guac was a tad bit too spicy & I have had better...but it was good nevertheless. & the food (main course) was great. Loved it. :-) -
Review from E S.
Manhattan, NY
11/25/2011
It's obvious that many people like this restaurant, but I'm not among them. There's much better Mexican food in New York, although the guacamole here is very fresh. This is the place to go if you like cheesy mariachi bands and Americanized Mexican food. This is also the place to go if you don't want to hear what your friends are talking about because it's that loud... all the time.
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Review from Alexandra L.
Manhattan, NY
12/7/2010
We went there only because we had a 50% from Living social. It didn't prevent us from leaving a lot of money there.
They charged us $8 for water though we were totally fine with tap. Music and service are very annoying and importunate. The waiters are not very friendly or helpful.
Food is merely OK, but too expensive for such quality. Taqueria y Fonda very close by has much better taste and incomparably cheaper.
If you end up going there ask for a table away from the glass windows and doors, it's very cold. -
Review from Evan H.
6/20/2010
Just yesterday I moved in across the street to Mama Mexico and it didn't take long for me try the restaurant. My fiancee had lived near by, so she had been there before, but my parents and I had not. Being Father's Day, it was a good thing we arrived early as people started arriving in droves, nearly filling the restaurant by 5:45 on a Sunday.
For starters, the decor inside is very charming and with large open skylights in the front, the restaurant is filled with light. The waiters were all friendly and quickly arrived to take our drink orders. On another day, I'll taste a margarita or sangria, but not today.
The entrees here are similar to those you may see at other restaurants, but with a different twist. My fiancee ordered chimichangas, which are vegetarian, and rather than getting one huge deep fried chimi filled up with veggies, you get 3 smaller pieces that are all baked. You don't feel like you are eating a bucket of oil in every bite.
I ordered shrimp that was accompanied topped with a slightly spicy red sauce with capers, olives and spinach, refried beans, avocado and rice. The sauce was mild, but I didn't mind as the flavors from the capers and olives was salty, but not over salty. The shrimp were large and tender, perfectly cooked. The portions, like many mexican restaurants are large, but not huge. You can eat your portion and not feel like you are going to explode.
The chips and salsa that come at the start of the meal need to be mentioned. I found the spicy salsa to be chunky and very good, but the chips leave a little to be desired. They are a bit thicker than some places and were not my favorite. I suppose the guacamole they make at your table could have spiced them up a bit -- something else for another visit.
Overall, I found the service to be quite friendly, attentive and helpful. IF you just want enchiladas, you can get that, but they have a lot of different dishes that you don't normally see at mediocre Americanized Tex-Mex restaurants. This place will definitely be a staple, especially for the $12 lunch specials.Listed in: The Upper Upper West Side (aka…
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Review from Monique M.
Bronx, NY
9/5/2011
You have to love Mexican food to have the desire to go there. It is a full scale restaurant. Makes no sense going just for drinks. They do have a live Mariachi band, that's a plus! Other than that, I do not recommend.
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Review from Zach W.
10/3/2010
The only reason I gave this place ANY stars is that
1. The food was pretty good, not bad at all actually
2. The atmosphere is really cool if you're sitting inn the all glass area.
Those are the only positives about this place. We had the WORST SERVICE I've ever experienced anywhere in NYC. Our waiter "Roberto" ( I think) was nice enough but did everything wrong, took FOREVER to take our order, forgot to bring the drinks we ordered altogether (i had to ask some other waiter since he didn't check on us at all durning the meal). Oh yea, we also ordered the guacamole they make at your table (sounds awesome I know) we never got that.
To top it all off when it was time for our check (we had to ask someone else to get it for us because Roberto was nowhere to be found) Roberto refused to take more than one credit card from us. Now this actually wouldn't bother me at all normally, we were just a table of two and splitting checks is annoying for a server, but this guy had to know that he was doing a PISS POOR job of serving us and refusing to split our check (with little to no explanation other than "I'm too busy"). next time I'm craving Mexican i'm going to blockheads.
Roberto, you suck. -
Review from Heidi S.
Manhattan, NY
6/6/2011
This place is a total joke. The food is so-so and the staff is massively rude. Once you ask for water they totally write you off and the waiter never appears again. My water finally came after my food arrived and the diet coke i ordered was $3 for 3 ounces of coke and a glass filled with ice. The $11 guacamole is the biggest rip off ever and they dropped it off at our table after the entree arrived with no chips.
I felt extremely rushed as the bill appeared before we were done eating the the table was cleaned and paper changed before I even signed the credit card slip. DO NOT EAT HERE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!! -
Review from Ghost R.
Bronx, NY
6/17/2010
This place is the shizznitt!!
I have family that lives a few blocks away from here and this is where we go sometimes so we can get together and spend some quality time.
They have a mariachi band on the weekends! : ) Good spot for a date!
I have no complaints. -
Review from Christopher M.
New York, NY
9/30/2010
I was not excited to go here. It seemed far too kitschy and touristy for my taste. But I am so glad my friends dragged me along with them!!!
This place is beyond awesomely kitsch. The food is actually quite good! And I still remember the awesomeness of their freshly made guac! And when the tipsy manager/owner comes around with the tequila bottle, you best tip your head back for your free shot(s)!!!
You gotta be in the right mentality for this place (and have some time on your hands to compensate for the somewhat slow service). But if you are, it's quite fun :-) -
Review from Steve M.
Manhattan, NY
9/20/2010
Mama needs to lower her prices. Disappointing!
Food was mediocre. Nice decor but slow service. Our waiter was friendly but told us a very long story of how he lost all his money in the stock market. Custom-made guacamole is a plus. However, their prices absolutely do not reflect the food served. When ordering drinks, make sure to tell your waiter that you do not need top grade tequila for your margherita. They push premium "sipping" tequilas for all drinks including frozen margheritas. What a waste! The mariachis were a nice accompaniment but I think their cover charge is hidden in the meal prices. -
Review from Melissa V.
Manhattan, NY
7/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ceviche was amazing here! I was pleasantly surprised, but other things weren't that great. The fajitas didn't have as much flavor as we hoped for and the chicken salad was great with presentation in a tortilla shell, but still a bit bland. Pina coladas were on point and the servers were very attentive at least! I'll go back for the ceviche and I love the 15% off yelp offer I found by accident when checking in here!!
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Review from Frank W.
New York, NY
10/21/2007
Some people don't like to have fun. Others don't like to pay a bit more to have that fun. This is not the place for them.
If you are in the mood to socialize, drink margaritas or mojitos, listen to the mariachi band and feel a lively vibe you will have a great time. If you're a nerd like me you might also get a kick out of the Mexican history timeline on the menu.
I think seafood is the best choice here, as it dominates the listing of specials and often gets top billing in the listings of tacos, burritos, etc. My Chilean seabass came with calamaris, mussels, and whatever else got caught in the dragnet. It was delicious and came in a great tequila based sauce. My pineapple mojito was also tasty and merited a refill. We all loved the table side guacamole. It came with more cilantro and onions and was much tastier than the stuff I had the time I went to Rosa Mexicano. My guests and I would've been content to have one big bowl of it apiece.
The one item that was only pretty good was one of my friend's chicken enchiladas. Not bad, though. The bill was large but not a soul-killer at 40 bucks a person including some drinks and tip.
I left feeling happy that Mama Mexico lived up to the months of anticipation that built up as I heard the muffled sounds of the mariachi band and the loud conversations walking past on Broadway every night. I always thought this was a place to bring a group when feeling festive, so that's why I'd waited so long to stop by, but I think that was a mistake because Mama Mexico can be a feast for the senses that might just change your mood for the better. -
Review from Bora K.
7/26/2007
What could I possibly say to fully illustrate to my fellow yelpers, about my unhappy and slightly strange dining experience at this restaurant?
The restaurant was nearly half empty when we arrived but for some reason we were seated in a tight spot right next to the bar. When I mean right next to the bar, I mean the top of the bar was literally inches away from the side of my friend's head. And to depict even more clearly how close we were, when the bartender turned on the blender to mix some margaritas, our entire table was pelted with chunks of ice. Seriously.
So we requested a table change. And like I mentioned before, the restaurant was about half empty but they kept ignoring us. Finally, I flagged down our server and asked why we couldn't just move to the next table over and she hurriedly told me there was nothing she could do until the person who worked the front decided to move us. She went on to explain that if she moved us without his consent, and then she silently drew her finger across her neck. Apparently they have a very strict hierarchy at this place...
Finally we were moved and as soon as we sat down I learned the meaning of "hard sell." Our waitress was practically screaming at us to order the daily special cocktail. None of us wanted Tequila so we ordered a pitcher of Sangria Bianco but you could tell the waitress was slightly upset that we didn't take up her suggestion.
We ordered the guacamole with our chips and it was pretty tasty till I found a HAIR in it! What is it with me and hair in my food.. It happens pretty often. We should have left when I found the hair but we didn't..
So our waitress came back to tell us about the daily specials and take our orders. She was literally reading off index cards. She really was, she had them in her hands and she referred back to them when she couldn't remember something. Now I'm not one to make fun of people's accents. My parents are immigrants and I live in California, plus I used to teach ESL so I'm pretty comfortable with any accent but seriously, I had no idea what our waitress was saying. The only words I could make out of her long description were beans, tortillas, and sauce.
By the way, what sort of Mexican restaurant doesn't have Carnitas on their menu? The only thing I wanted was Carnitas but they didn't have it and due to the whole seating fiasco and hair in my guacamole I was in a complete funk and therefore uncharacteristically ordered chicken fajitas. Sizzling platter and all.
My chicken fajitas had strips of zucchini it in which I didn't quite like. Plus, the rice was an unappetizing shade of bright orange. It reminded me of those plastic jack-o-lanterns kids carry when they go trick or treating. My friend's burrito did not look good but he ate it all and said it was fine. However, this same friend lives off of Hungry Man frozen dinners so I'm somewhat dubious of his opinion when it comes to food. My other friend left more than half of her Chicken Poblano dish on her plate. She did not ask for a doggie bag. There was only one person who seemed to like their food but I don't remember what he ordered and didn't ask to try it.
The sangria was so strong it made my head spin after a few sips. Extra liquor is never a bad thing but somehow in this case it was. It didn't taste at all like wine but straight alcohol. Blech.
They had this mariachi band that was working the room, going from table to table and asking for requests. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to tip them if they did play a request so chose not to request at all. They weren't that good any way.
Overall, really really bad experience. -
Review from Jose H.
New York, NY
1/5/2007 10 Check-ins Here
This is a fun place to go to on a slow night... Don't try to go on a holiday or weekend unless you enjoy bumping elbows with the people at the nearby tables... My dad took me out for my birthday to this place. It was a lot of fun. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and courteous. The guac, of course, was fresh and and not too oniony. I hate guac that doesn't taste like guac. Anyways, the food is always hot and flavorful. They have great cooks. Me and my dad threw back a few margaritas like the girly drink drunks we are and called it a night.
People like to complain about the mariachi band but those guys know TONS of songs, even the folk songs of different south american countries and the singer can WAIL. I got misty eyed when he sang some mexican folk song about being homesick. Those rancheras always get me.
My only complaint about this place, on busy nights, is how you cannot put down your water glass for more than 10 seconds without someone running(!) over to fill it back up. Its like they are being graded on glasses half empty or something. Sometimes you don't even get to put the glass back down on the table. I chalk that up to overzealous management though. They should know its obnoxious. Aside from that, this place is awesome.Listed in: Places I Went
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Review from Jeff K.
Austin, TX
2/10/2007
I have a thing for Mariachi bands. I like them best on the subway, but I also enjoy them in other situations. That, along with my love of Mole sauce, Guacamole, and Margaritas made Mama Mexico my choice for my birthday dinner.
We were seated in the very back corner, away from everything. I asked our waiter if it would be possible if we could move to an open table (just up the side-alley we were shoved in), so we could see (and hear) the band. I even mentioned it was my birthday. He asked 'What's the difference?" and claimed that he would get the band to play close to us. Didn't happen.
We ordered drinks the same time we ordered our food . Our waiter came back 15 minutes later and asked "hey, do you guys want something to drink?". I said "We already ordered drinks from you." He scurried off to fetch them, only to come back 5 minutes later to ask what we ordered. Our food came, we began eating, and then someone else brought us our drinks. No apology, no nothing. Unreal, this guy.
For the price, the food was pretty average. I'm pretty sure the "spicy" guacamole got screwed up, because although it was tasty, it certainly wasn't spicy.
By the end of the meal, I was determined that I was not walking out of this restaurant paying full price. When someone came out to change our paper-table-cover (you know, to prepare for the next customer) it was for certain this had really been our worst service experience in a long, long time.
We ended up getting our Margaritas ($18) free, but not on the restaurant. It was clear that this server took it out of his tips, since he didn't change the bill. Still, after all this, no apology. And even after getting a discount, I still feel ripped off.
I doubt we'll go back. Sorry, Mama.
