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Category: Wine Bars
Neighborhoods: Inwood, Washington HeightsDyckman St-200th St (A)
Dyckman St (1)
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Love, love, love Mamajuana! Went for dinner, was not expecting much. Beautiful interior with soft lighting- perfect for a date with someone special. The drinks were out of this world yummy, and the food - heavenly! I got the tapas appetizer and it was delicious. I got samples of many different features off the menu. The sangria is to die for.
This restaurant is definitely worth coming uptown for.
I came back to Mamajuana because I realized it wouldn't be fair to judge the establishment after a single sub-sub-par brunch. So what did I do? I went there again with a friend for dinner! Hurray! And I was pleasantly surprised.
We were the first people to walk in. Awkward. It was 5:30 and they had just opened the doors, but we were in the neighborhood (eh... I live there, so I guess I'm always in the neighborhood) and hungry so we stepped in.
I do love the interior of this place; the lighting makes me think it wouldn't be a bad choice for a date, and the decor isn't gaudy or inauthentic.
We scoured the menu and got a few appetizers (chorizo con queso was tasty) and enjoyed them, though we weren't blown away. Same thing happened with our entrees. Nothing out of this world, but definitely a solid showing. It was tasty and filling and not overpriced.
I'd like to come back to test the waters once again (for dinner or lunch... I still hate you, Mamajuana brunch), and on Mondays they have two for the price of one drink specials (per person). So if you're in the habit of getting schwasted the first day of returning to work after a weekend (AKA you really hate your job and need some sort of desperate escape on the cheap) this may very well be the place for you.
All-in-all it was really a-ok. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there, but I wouldn't avoid it either.
"Having Expectations Is The Easiest Way To Be Disappointed"
The first time I ate at Mamajuana I was…
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I would take the public transit 2 hour long ride to get to this place.
Yeah, I said it.
I am damn hard to please, but this place certainly deserved the 5 stars. Their sangria is damn tasty, food is outstanding, and their service is wonderful.
That, and stepping into that place makes you feel like you walked into Spain.
My first venture into this wonderful establishment was all thanks to my friend Chris, who wanted to celebrate. Just a stone's throw from the Dykman 200 St. train station on the A line, the place wasn't crowded when we first got there.
The garlic shrimp appetizer was insanely good. My friend and I ended up sopping the rest of the sauce with bread. The seafood empanada was also very good, well stuffed and wonderfully seasoned.
My main course was the mamajuana paella, outside of the fact it was beautifully arranged, was absolutely marvelous! They did not skimp in any of the seafood, and the broth in which they cooked the entire dish was absolutely perfect.
The desert was certainly interesting, a banana tres leches. Second I hear "tres leches", I go straight for that. Granted, it wasn't as sopping as I like my tres leches to be, however, it was certainly a wonderully fragrant and delicious finish to an outstanding meal.
And the service was outstanding. They take great care of their customers, and it has ensured that I will certainly return.
Granted, for a full three course meal plus alcohol, you'll be expected to drop at least $100, but for a once in a while venture, this is certainly a spot you must come to, even if it is all the way up in Inwood.
The coconut crusted fish and rice was perfect. It was so good, we ate everything and didn't leave any leftovers even though the portion large. The Mamajuana mojito is also a wonderful drink and was prepared very well. Just one sneaks up on you and has you feeling real good. Yucca fries were plentiful and marvelous. The live music was also very entertaining. I would love to come here more often and with maybe another couple to really have good times with.
I finally had brunch for the first time at Mamajuana's a month ago for a birthday brunch. It has a buffet style brunch with an omelet bar and a variety of selection.
I had an omelet with chorizo in it, but the old school brunch faire also made appearance, eggs benedict, bacon, french toast, as well as beef, chicken and beans and rice.
If you ever need a brunch fix with a bit of flair, come up to beyond the heights.
I love everthing about this place, the atomosphere is great, the drinks are strong, wait staff know there stuff and the food OMG! By the way if you are a fan of the swine, try the pork shoulder you can eat off of it for like 3 days I kid you not. I have told at least 10 people about this place and not one has come back with anything bad to say.
i loved loved loved the dim lighting, the food is amazing
the crowd and atmosphere is eclectic!
the staff was very friendly
I'm dying to go again! and try the drinks next time
Agree with one of the yelpers below me who said that if you don't feel like leaving the hood to grab a bite but wanna feel like a balla, it's just the right place to go - quite elite for Inwood.
The decor is wonderful, pan-Spaniard...
I don't really agree with those who said that the food is Dominican - it's as Dominican as it's Boriqua then, because Mamajuana proclaim themselves as a fusion of Taino and Spanish cuisines...
The food we had was ok - we had a steak with garlic (really? haven't noticed the flavor) fries.
I think it's filthy pricey for an ok food: prepare to shell out...
Despite the aforementioned price factor vs recession, looks like they are doing good according to the number of the patrons attending on a weekday. Another Mamajuana opened in FL as well - great news.
P.S. MTV's VJ Sway was dining there on the night we went, so you never know who you'd encounter, even in Dyckman... :)
Who still offers unlimited mimosas in this economy?
Mamajuana!
What brought me to Mamajuana was none other than my own gluttony. I hear all you can eat brunch with all you can chug mimosas, and I get weak in the knees. The mimosas were good, but the brunch fare is where it's at. Incredible!
Here are my best, sober, recollections from that meal:
- Pan-fried House Potatoes spruced up with carrots, onions, and red peppers. It was the perfect pairing for the bacon, sausage, and omelet's.
- Mangu: mashed plantains. This was good. Next time I'll have to pair this up with the proper side, steak, roasted chicken, bacon, etc...
- Bacon: the bacon was crispy and available at all times.
- Sausage: it was Good! Filling and tasty; perfect breakfast meat.
- Steak: I expected lean & dry steaks. And, was surprised with tender and flavorful steaks. A bite of the steak, a bit of the omelet.., paired soo well together (steak & eggs). FYI, if you love meat, you can turn this into an AYCE Steak meal ( & AYCD ) for $18.
- Eggs Benedict: Unsung superstar of all the brunch items. They bring out a fresh piping-hot tray of Eggs Benedict, and the whole lot disappears in less than a minute. I managed to grab one with my swift claws (I neglected a few grandmas in line, but whatevs..). This was my first (ever) Eggs Benedict. It was very good.
- Roasted Chicken: ...for breakfast?, roasted chicken? I love chicken, and I'm hungry.., I'm not complaining. The chicken drumsticks were incredible, fall-off-the bone tender with great sauce in accompaniment. I went back for a few drumsticks.
- Fresh Fruit Salad: I like watermelon. It was a smorgasbord fruit salad, and I only picked out the ripest pieces of watermelon for my dessert plate. Yeah, I'm a bastid. It was refreshing though, sweet and refreshing. And?.., I'll do it again next time!
My favorite item on their brunch is the Omelet (station).
I love breakfast food, and I love eggs. The made-to-order omelet's here are great. I ordered one with chorizo, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and mozzarella. Then I promptly returned for another omelet (asparagus, mushrooms, chorizo, tomatoes). The omelet's here are good, and they pair well with the other buffet offerings. I enjoyed my omelet with a side of house potatoes, bacon, maple syrup-drizzled sausage, and steak.
There were other items that I didn't get the chance to try. There was French Toast (which one of my party members complimented), pancakes, rice, beans, croissants, muffins, and fresh fruit.
Mamajuana's had kick-ass tilapia, yucca fries and the DP loved his chicken. So much so that he ate everything and literally wiped his plate clean. During our mutual shoveling of food, we had a long overdue conversation, and it was good. Something about good food and good company that makes it easier to just let it all come out.
As were the yucca fries I mentioned earlier - they were so good that I took them home with me afterwards.
Next time I find myself in Inwood, I'm coming back!
You are ok MamaJuana. Your pizza is delicious (especially the next day), and I was pleased with your wine selection. However, I have some qualms about my experience:
1) The Ceviche was alright. However, I'm fairly certain that you put about 1/3 of the types of fish into the dish that you claim on the menu. The majority of my fish was Calamari. Don't get me wrong, I love calamari, I just dislike false advertising. If you aren't always able to supply your customers with what is listed on the menu, you should let us know when we order it. It also took a good 25 minutes for the Ceviche to be served, that being only a few minutes before the entrees came out.
2) When the meal was over, and it came time to pay our check, my date and I were waiting another 25 minutes just to get your attention so that we could leave. And when we asked for our check, you repeatedly tried to sell us dessert. We are not interested in your dessert thank you.
Otherwise, your food was good and I am interested in experiencing the Sangria and Brunch some day soon.
Ive been to this spot once, I took the GF on payroll at the time...Ill say this, at first the bit of overcrowding (it was on a Saturday) kind of threw me off because i dont really like to eat a good meal in a noisy and cramped place, but as I sat down and looked around I noticed that the place is not the mess it seems to be, everything is pretty organized and thers nobody stepping on your shoes, on top of that when that food came out and I tasted it, man I forgot about anything that maybe I thought could be wrong, I had a churrasco and the woman had some crab meat stuffed jalapenos, everything was perfect in my humble opinion..
the spot might seem pricey for its location but the quality of food and service definitely make up for it.
This place has better food than most in the area. The service is ok. The first time my boyfriend and I ate here our server was very attentive. Later when we came in for drinks we were completely ignored. With that being said it does seem to be pretty popular since every time I pass it coming home it is crowed.
my husband and I went here after hearing rave reviews for our wedding anniversary. my husband said after eating the food, "only death will be the remedy for the disgusting food served at mamajuana." lol. he's a bit dramatic..
my husband ordered the churrasco, i had some and it tasted good a bit dry and verrrry chewy, it was quite a workout eating it. Cafe Cortadito is way better. I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly however I was a little scared when the waiter asked me how I wanted it cooked.. the potatoes or whatever it was served with tasted like nothing- i can't compare it to anything because it didn't taste like anything.
I didn't want to give up hope so we tried the tres leche for dessert. boy was that a mistake, it was like sponge cake, it was stale and the ice cream that they topped it with tasted like it had been sitting in the freezer for way too long that it was not creamy no longer rather had the texture of icycles.
I told my husband maybe it was because we went on a Monday evening and there wasn't much people there.. regardless.. we will not be going there again, unfortunately, very disappointed.
regarding service, our waiter was negligent but kind.
I've only lived in this neighborhood for almost 4 years and I'm JUST getting around to checking out Mamajuana. Shameful, I know.
I'd heard good things about it, so a random stop on a Sunday evening was the thing to do for me and the BF. The food was very well prepared and flavorful. It's what I call "elite" Dominican food. There is a heavier focus on seafood items (there's only one beef dish and one lamb). The ceviche is very refreshing, with a slight sweetness that was welcome. The crab cakes are just okay; they could use more of their avocado aioli. The churrasco is marinated and seared, producing a wonderful flavor.
The food overall was very very good. The place itself looks like that modern mix with rustic qualities...rather on the darker side of ambient. It can get quite loud and crazy around the bar, but its pretty spacious. GET THE SANGRIA. That thing is hella tasty.
For the neighborhood, it's on the higher end of pricey. $30 sangria pitchers (but they're big pitchers), app averages between $10 and $15, entrees in the $18+ range. Our bill for 2 ended up around $115.
I would go back for sure.
On a warm Tuesday night, D and I decided to try a new spot, a bit out of the way, but it was always busy when we passed by.
The place on a Tuesday, was poppin (live music), we were promptly seated after being given the once over by the the other guests seated outside.
Here's what we ordered:
Appetizer: Marudos Relleno con.... Plantains stuffed with cod $10
Mains: Steak Frites $22
Vegetarian Paella
Drink: White Sangria $7
We were very surprised at the Plantains, it was soooo good. I would go back there just for that dish alone. it was a whole plantain split in the middle and shredded cod mixed with a tomato and cheese based sauce stuffed and baked. It had just the right mixture of salty sweet, with excellent texture.
The steak was pretty standard, but it was a very generous size for skirt steak. The fries were sub-par.
The paella was very good. The vegetables that were used were diced ad not overcooked and the rice was not overcooked, like paella has a tendency to be.
Over all the entire experience was enjoyable, but beware, it's not a quiet place. Oh but i did get to see through a night vision lens from a fireman that was checking a gas leak in the restaurant.
I have only been here on Sundays for brunch and quite frankly I don't know why I don't see you guys there. All you can eat for less than $20!? What?! Seriously!!
What do they have? The normal breakfast foods complete with a dude who makes you an omelette. Then the magic really begins, they have mangu. For those of you who weren't lucky enough to grow up Dominican then you may not know what it is so I shall enlighten you. It's mashed boiled green plantains with butter and other stuff to make it wonderful. With some pickled red onions. Hmmm-mmm-mmm! I [heart] Mangu and so should you!
LOVED this place! The decor is gorgeous -- a cross between Kittichai and Spice Market. Atmosphere is sexy and bustling -- Mamajuana's was in full swing when we arrived for an 8pm Friday reservation. We split a pizza or "coca" to start (spicy cheese, avocados, yum). We also tried the tasty sangria, with hints of cinnamon. For the plata fuerte or main course, my hub had the skirt steak with garlic fries (great and large portion) and I had two tapas for myself: crab cakes and garlic shrimp. Both meals hit the spot.
They have a dessert chef who cooks out in the open ala Bennihannas. Not exaggerating -- he had the flame going three feet high at some points! This display succeeded in persuading us to split dessert crepes, filled with chocolate, sauteed bananas / strawberries, and topped with hot caramel and some liqueur (couldn't see what kind) and ice cream...I'm drooling just thinking about this decadence! And we had to try the restaurant's namesake shots, supposedly containing elixir qualities.
Given that we did the works, the evening wasn't cheap (bill was around $100 for two). But we had lots of food for that price and an overall fantastic experience, with the exception of our somewhat absentee waitress. But even she was nice enough to humor me and decipher my so-so Spanish, so I won't complain much.
HIGHLY recommended if you're willing to come up this way -- muy, muy bien! :-)
Another solid four star review here. We came for dinner but wound up feeling more like we were at a party with everyone getting their groove on and the whole place buzzing. The sangria was waaay too sweet for me but the margarita/salt/rocks was heaven. The food can be truly delicious though there are a few misses on the menu. Tapas standouts are octopus, chorizo and crabcakes. Ay-yi-yi! Oh, and the banana dessert? That shit is b-a-n-a-n-a-s! Mmm!
I have to agree with the Yelper who was not having the table in the corner near the bathroom/kitchen. That table sucks. The manager should really consider not having a table there at all. We sat nearby and took some serious pity on the poor people sitting there. If the hostess tries to make you sit at it, run away.
There is a dearth of quality dining options in Inwood but Mamajuana fills a void. Killer sangria, great apps, the puerquito is to die for (but split it with someone). The decor is tasteful, reminiscent of an ancient wine cellar and the outdoor dining is enormous and a great place to sit and soak in the neighborhood. Too bad the bathroom didn't have soap or papertowels or it would have gotten 5 stars here.
Domincan food might not be my thing. Let me say that up front.
We had a nice enough time. The place was very loud. The decor is fine (Carribean chic?). I found it a little overpriced. But my main objection was the food. Very salty for my palate. Again, I'm going easy because this was my first experience with Domincan food and it might not be my thing. I also didn't see that it stood out from most of the Cuban food I've had (and Cuban is definitely not my thing). I realize that to some this will be blasphemous but, if you see my reviews, you'll see a lot of Greek.
We had the paella. It was salty. Lots of rice. Lots of starch in general, come to think of it. But, I tried it. So, there's that
Great crowd and food. Nice for larger groups. Order the steak and rice :)
When I lived in the Heights, that whole stretch of Dyckman west of Broadway, where Mamajuana is, was pretty much just a way to get onto the West Side highway. Now, there's a couple really nice restaurants, and a very cool Irish bar as well in case you're ready for a dive after elegant Mamajuana.
I had the pizza with chorizo and sweet platano. I loved the juxtaposition of flavors. Very inventive. And I finally got my yuca fries, which were very good. For the appetizer, we got the steak on skewers with a cheese fondue, which was pretty good, but the cheese could have been a tad richer. The paella was delicious, but it is really enough for two people, depending on how hungry. This is a good place for everyone in your party to get a different entree and sample amongst each other. The sangria was the best I've ever tasted! Yes, I should have had some mamajuana, but based on facts I learned later on about it, I'm glad I didn't touch it. Let's just say, I was not in the right company for one of its effects, and for the other, my fists of fury were not ready to come out yet.
The service was great and the food came out quickly. The decor is elegant, very Spanish colonial, right down to the big, wooden doors at the entrance. Overall, a really nice experience, and a welcome change to that part of the Heights. I've been hearing about a bunch of great, new restaurants in this area. I guess the gentrification is really creeping up there, but now that I've tried a couple of these places, I'm not so sure it's a bad thing.
By the way, I think the dress code here is slightly above casual. Everyone was looking so damn good!
Deep into the 'Heights', my hubby and I searched for a great restaurant that could possibly stylish, but still attracted the locals. This was our first weekend in this zip code after moving from the Lincoln Center area, and we were definitely new babes in the (In)wood. I was warned that this might by difficult.
Yes, gentrification had already hit this historically Dominican neighborhood years ago, I wasn't looking for a Starbuck's. I wanted to know where the local set would actually go when they wanted a great night out. I seemed to have found it here at Mamajuana. The decor was chic, with a wall of cymbidium orchids along the wall at the bar. Huge pitchers of sangria, mojitos and their signature 'mamajuana' drink, (a secret concoction of herbs, sweetness and rum, reported to contain aphrodisiac qualities).
Food was thoroughly good, whether it was the crab cakes, the Spanish pizza, the steak or sides like manchego mashed potatoes.
The host, Mitchell was extremely personable, with all the qualities an upscale host should be. I was most happy to find that this seemed to be the nightspot that the sexy and stylish younger set AND wizened older locals joined to enjoy themselves, while being friendly and welcoming to my gringo husband and myself.
Note, if you are travelling way up here, this place is right off the Dyckman street stop on the A train. (Express, so it's an easy trip!)
2nd Note, if you are more senior in years, or your ears are hyper-sensitive, you might want to visit earlier in the evening rather than later.
We went through a phase this summer where we had dinner at Mamajuana ever couple of weeks, it seems, and each time was a treat. They have a nice selection of Dominican-American fusion. Moderately expensive. Make sure you get a selection of appetizers -- the plantains stuffed with cod are particularly good.
Also, they make our favorite Mojito, the Mamajuana Mojito, which is mixed with tamarind pureed. Not too sweet and go down very nicely.
The lamb was really well done (but there could have been just more of it and was overpriced, hence one star off) and the berry mojito and creme brulee were great. Decent ambience sitting outside with a nice weather, proper table cloths and such.
AMAZING food. I had the salmon and it was to DIE for...such a delicious melange of flavors I would never have expected. The sangria, too, was yummy. The decor is gorgeous, and the flamenco band and dancer definitely added to an already exotic atmosphere.
The one complaint I have is that it always seems to be overcrowded and the layout of the place is not conducive to efficient seating. There are too few tables for a lot of hungry guests, so I had to wait an hour for a table. You should definitely go and expect a phenomenal meal, but be prepared for a long wait.
I love this place! Yea its a bit of a pain to get up to Dyckman but it's worth it. One of my friends goes there often and has run into Jose Reyes, Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz a couple of times.
Chilling in the bar if you are just there for drinks or area waiting for a table is great. Lots of lovely ladies to help time pass.
Their garlic shrimp app was PERFECT. Not over cooked at all, great flavor.
Jamon Serrano w truffle oil pizza was quite possibly the best non-pizzeria pizza I've ever had in my life. And trust me, I'm a fat fuck that loves his pizza.
Churrasco was a miss IMO. If you want churrasco leave it for the argentinos to make it. It wasnt bad flavor wise, but it was a bit too chewy. The side of mashed potatoes were off the hook.
Service has always been great, although once they were out of the rioja and tempranillo. The owner/manager? came by and apologized. He offered his suggestion of another wine and when the bill came I was charged for the $48 03 rioja as opposed to the '99 rioja $72 that we had. Unexpected nicety
Table wait? Not much of a problem - cada vez que que voy alla, apenas entro le pico el ojo a la muchacha y le hablo en espanol.
Yo: "Cuanto hay que esperar para una mesa?"
Ella: "de media a una hora"
.....3 sangiras y 15-20minutos despues la mesa esta lista mmmuuujajajajaja! So if you don't know, now you know ;)
As far as price goes, it really depends how much you drink
Dinner for 2 came out to roughly 170 w tip:
6 glasses of sangria
1 bottle of wine
Camarones
Jamon pizza
Churrasco
2 Desserts
The food was really good and the prices were good.
I loved the Sangria... and if you're not in the mood for a big dinner make sure to get the tapas sampler. For 35$ you get 5 or 6 tapas samples and 4 slices of pizza... perfect for 2 who are not that much hungry.
Like other yelpers said before me - do not sit at the table next to the bathroom. It was the only table left inside (for a reason) and so we went to sit outside.
One last thing - better work on your Spanish before you visit... but definitely worth the visit...
From what I understand, Mamajuana is a packed nightclub on weekends. I know nothing about Friday and Saturday, but at 7:00 pm on a Wednesday night, however, it's busy but not overly so.
The Spousal Unit ordered the puerquito, described on the menu as roasted pork served with pickled onions and field pea rice, for $25.00. Our waiter said: "Erm, it's a lot of food. A lot."
The rest of us said "Don't worry; he'll take care of it."
"Okay," our waiter warned, "I'm just letting you know."
Out came a whole roasted pork shoulder. You read that right: an entire pork shoulder, bone-in.
8-[ ]
With a little help from a fork, the pork fell off the bone into its own juices, smothered with the pickled onions. About a quart of the field pea rice was served on the side. Incredible.
The ceviche was incredible, too, as were the plantains stuffed with baccalau (salt cod). The raisin bread pudding was like the best cupcake you've ever had in your life, sitting on a delicious vanilla custard sauce and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, with a dollop of whipped cream and a few slices of strawberry for garnish.
A ding-ding for noise: sometimes you have to work to be heard by your dining companions, which always annoys me. And because it's a nightclub, the drink prices are a little steep. But then, that's probably why their food prices are so reasonable.
I've lived in Heights for most of my life, and like everything else in New York, the gentrification is crawling everywhere. In this case, it's the Latino gentrification. Nestled across from Fort Tryon Park, Mamajuana Cafe has a Spanish rustic feel. The service is good and they are quite attentive.
I recommend any of the seafood dishes there or their interesting combinations of pizza. And as the namesake, make sure to have a shot of mamajuana (a Dominican spiced rum).
Mamajuana has got to be one of the best Dominican restaurants in the city. It's an upscale place with large, delicious portions and a distinct classiness that I wasn't expecting.
Every meal I've had there, (while somewhat pricey) has been more food than I could eat in a sitting - and I've always been happy to bring some home.
The place can definitely get packed (especially on Flamenco nights), and you may have to wait to get a table (it's worth it).
They've got some deals on food and Sangria if you're there before 7pm, and the staff is always attentive.
I like this spot, its a great place to go and get a good meal, some drinks, and feel like a Don for spending so much money and still being in the hood. I wish the place was bigger, it definitely can handle the influx of customers. Won't go there on a weekend, but its a nice spot to go to on a Monday-Wednesday for dinner. The food is very good, the drinks are great, and the service is on point. As for being a regular, not happening.
Minus one star for slow service and weren't all that attentive. Our waitress was nice so if I could i'd have a half star. Food and drinks were great, it can get a bit pricey but it's well worth it. It's Dominican food at its best with a lot of flavor and elegance. I had the salmon and mashed platanos in some kind of sauce it was all great, I inhaled that plate! My friend had the bacalao (cod fish) in a sweetened plantain which was really really good as well, kinda wished I ordered that ( next time), drinks are good we had the sangria, although one of my friends had a mojito (which was recommended by the waitress) and she didn't like it much. All in all a good time had by everyone. Gets pretty packed on the weekends though so get ready for a bit of a wait, and it gets a little bit rowdy, which isn't a problem for me ;-)
Been there a few times, food is really good and so are the drinks (let's not talk prices, bc I'll get all fired up)
I felt a bit strange walking around in jeans, I felt like I didn't belong there. But, oh well...
Staff is attentive (and good-looking)
Would definitely keep going!
Brunch on the weekends is quite a spread; they only offer the buffet. I think it was $20 per person for standard brunch fare AND Dominican fare. Downside is we got charged extra for OJ when opting out of the mimosa as a part of the buffet. They had reasonable service and I loved the live, Gypsy King-like music.
The mood for the evening was set with the ultra snooty attitude of the lady behind the bar. She could have obviously cared less whether we were there or not. On top of that: $14 for a cocktail in Inwood???? Seriously, that's almost even steep for midtown. This aside, the place does have an energy about it. The decor is nice except for a few cheap touches.
I ordered the Seafood Paella which had my mouth watering... until it arrived. The "half lobster" was really a half lobster tail that I could not gnaw through with my molars had I tried. It was rubbery enough that i had to take it OUT of my mouth (always a proud moment) and attempt to cut it with a knife. Not only that, many of the ingredients were not fresh... the scallops tiny and clearly out of a can, the peas and red peppers... out of a can. Let's put it this way: the dish wasn't hideous, but it certainly wasn't worth the $28 price tag.
On the other hand, my dinner partner had the sirloin steak which was quite tasty. His manchego mash tatoe's were clearly made much earlier in the day and had been sitting for quite some time.
Food C-
Cocktails C
Service C
Ambiance B
This restuarant is around the corner from my boyfriends house and Friday and Saturday nights always looks packed to capacity.
We decided to go in and try it out. We had the pizza which was ok, the desserrt was the best thing we had there a warm bread pudding and ice crem, and the drinks were average. Overall the dining experience was bad because it was so loud. The only positive was that the restuarant was large and spacious so we didn't feel crowded at our table.
Great food selections and quality. This place has a nice atmosphere, good decor and great drinks. All around a nice hang-out. It's loud and crowded. Their roast pork feeds 2 to 3 people alone!
Yup, been wanting to try Mamajuana Cafe for quite a while. Got together here with my current and one of my ex-beaus. It was lots of fun, nice atmosphere and good food. I found it a bit pricey, but I'm kinda poor. It would be great for a special occasion. The Yelper-recommended sampler platter was superb, and the paella, though not a very big portion, was chock full of seafoody goodness interspersed with a few chorizo chunks for some savory.
Neighborhood: Washington Heights
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Inwood
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Washington Heights
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Washington Heights
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Inwood
Category: Restaurants
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