Maya Reviews

Finding myself alone but with an exceptional reason to celebrate recently while in the city I decided that I would treat myself to a margarita and lunch. A 3 second google search quickly informed me I was a mere 150 feet from "the best" margaritas in all of NYC so I made a bee-line directly to Maya- which was somewhat busy for lunch on this particular Wednesday- where I grabbed a chair at the bar and inquired with the bartender which of the many margaritas on the drink menu had earned the "Best in NYC" designation- he immediately responded that it was the "Mayan"~ of course. Perhaps it was my elated mood or the excellent service I received throughout my lunch experience there from Eduardo the bartender but the margarita on the rocks with a distinct "red" salted rim providing a nice "bang" finish with each sip and made with both Tamarind & citrus juices was quite possibly the absolute BEST Margarita I've enjoyed to date! It was certainly the most unique and unusual and tasted phenomenally exquisite. After that major "win" of a suggestion from Eduardo I asked him to please choose my lunch items from the offerings on their $19 price-fixe 3 course lunch menu- he definitely did not disappoint. The Mexicana Salad was more food then it appeared to be with chopped napa cabbage & shredded chicken along with with black beans, roasted corn & pico de gallo all piled high on a fresh tostada and topped with an avocado vinaigrette- it was a wonderful combination of textures and bursting with big and bold exceptionally fresh flavors. This was followed by an amazingly flavorful achiote marinated skirt steak with chile pulla sauce and for dessert I thoroughly enjoyed a lovely creamy and decadent obviously from scratch flan. Truly one of the best- if not "the" best Mexican meal I've ever experienced. This was due not only to the strong culinary talent in the kitchen and the well crafted and planned menu creations but also in no small part a result of an exceptionally hospitality minded and authentic- sincere bartender that didn't shirk from serving food as so many do these days hidden behind their bars, but he truly embraced it engaging me in a sincerely friendly and caring conversation and making recommendations that I never would have chosen if left to order on my own- yet I LOVED ALL OF IT, & I've been literally a walking commercial for the place ever since that day- spreading e word especially about the generous "Happy Hour" with extended hours every day and allowing one to enjoy the regularly $13 each award winning Mayan Margarita for a mere $6 each and small plate apps for 2 for $6 and each "Taco Tuesday" receive all of this PLUS $2 tacos~ an amazing deal and honestly one of the best service experiences I've ever had with a bartender any time any where. Thanks Eduardo- you ROCK my brothah!

The hostess was awful, but the service and food were great. Make sure when you call that the hostess actually has entered the correct information. She had not taken our reservation correctly and when we showed up for the bottomless brunch, she made us feel as though we were at fault. Power hungry hostess not a great start, but once seated the meal was excellent and the Bottomless brunch there is not to be missed.

This brunch utilizes a tapas format which makes it very favorable to tasting a lot of dishes. The food was pretty good...lots of variety and something for everyone's tastes. The unlimited Margaritas or Mimosas make for a fun party atmosphere.

I like to think that I'm an expert on Mexican food as I used to live in Dallas. However my very European mrs has never 'got it'. Maya managed to please us all with its kind of nouveau, Mexican, fusion, lite.. The old favs such as quesadilla's, enchiladas etc are all there but don't seem to be as stodgy ( which I personally like) So: try the shrimp quesadilla, chicken tacos, chicken enchiladas.. it's all excellent and mrs friendly! The margarita's are great too! $270 for 3 including copious margs is a lot but what price can you put on Mexican we all love.

We've eaten here several times over the years. Our last visit was a disappointment. The service is good, the atmosphere nice but the food was a letdown. Small portions, dry chicken, and bland guacamole. The people drinking seemed to be having a good time. Way too expensive for the portions.

Loved our bottomless boozy brunch here! Delicious small plates, great mimosas, and friendly service. Really enjoyed ourselves and would go back again in a heartbeat!

Maya's food is very good. Margaritas are fresh & are not made from a mix. Guacamole is fresh & good also. They offer a wide variety of selections from traditional Mexican to upscale fish, beef, pork & chicken dishes. Order one of their cazuelas ("casserole" in Spanish). My husband out-ordered me & got the Slow Roasted Pork Cazuela. Cazuelas are served with warm tortillas for rolling the carne (meat) like a taco. Delicious!

Stopped in with colleagues for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers. Although it was after 5 PM the staff was wholly preoccupied with pre dinner preparations and service was woefully inattentive. The drinks were pretty good , the nachos were just okay, but the service was virtually nonexistent. While the happy hour prices are very reasonable, Maya is “not our cup of tequila.” The pretty good drinks and low prices do not compensate for the inattentive service and mediocre food. If we were still in college, and on strict budgets, we may go to Maya for cheap happy hour eats and drinks…. otherwise, walk on by.

Genuine food, great flavours. It's not the cheapest by a far shot, and we end up going for special occasions, but always leave feeling that it was entirely worth it.

Great Mexican restaurant, great food, great service. As a vegeterian, i had many choices. We enjoyed the food and the restaurant. Very pleasant experience.

My wife, daughter and I had brunch at Maya and thoroughly enjoyed it. Weekend brunches have become a highlight of our trips to NYC. Many restaurants offer great deals on bottomless brunches. These usually consist of a choice of a menu item and then unlimited (hence the bottomless designation) drinks for a specified duration. Maya's specializes in tapas (small plates). Hence, the brunch is a price fixe arrangement. They do insist on the premise that if one person wants the price fixe/bottomless arrangement, then all at the table must participate. Once we experienced the arrangement, it was easy to understand the reason behind this policy. The price was about $45 per person. This is certainly not out of range of other, comparable establishments. Once compared with the selection and the quality served at Maya, it's evident that it's a bargain at this price. For one comparison, most brunches we've had set a 90-minute limit for the party. Maya's limit was 2 hours (30 minutes more than what we were used to). Another difference is that with the tapas/small plates, we were able to sample virtually all of the wide variety of dishes and settle on our favorites. There was no limit on how many plates we ordered and they brought enough with each plate for each person at the table to get a good taste of the dish. The quality of the food was excellent. Everything was fresh and very flavorful. While it is a Mexican/southwest cuisine, I do not recall any dish that was too hot for my wife or daughter to enjoy. I enjoy spicy foods and often what fits my taste can be too spicy for them. This did not seem to be an issue. Another plus was the variety of drinks offered in the bottomless selection. The routine brunch drinks at most bottomless brunches are Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Maya has two different Bloodys (one vodka and one tequila based). They also have several varieties of mimosas and a sangria/champagne drink that my wife and daughter thoroughly enjoyed. The atmosphere is lively. We arrived at opening on Saturday (we obtained a reservation through Open Table. I recommend getting a reservation as it was quite busy and full). The dining area filled quickly. There were a number of large parties, so it appears that with some preparation, this can be accommodated. Finally, the service was great. Our server, Roberto, stayed on top of our needs throughout our time and was helpful with our selections. We couldn't have asked for more attentive or friendlier service. All in all, it was a delight. I highly recommend it to anyone. As mentioned, make sure and obtain reservations if at all possible. I'd love to return to Maya for any occasion and will recommend it highly to all my friends.

The best attention, delicious food, excellent margaritas the best atmosphere. Last Thursday we were fortunate to have an unforgettable experience in Maya. Everything to perfection, from the Welcome, the explanation of the Menu, excellent entries, delicious guacamole, tacos at the point, the diverse menu, we were a group of 8 people. The delicious and diverse margaritas, Thanks to Joey Ortiz for their attention and details they had, also for the person who attended us a Venezuelan woman with great attitude, attentive and excellent person. I will return to Maya on my next visit to New York.

The new Mexican food movement is rapidly developing. Maya is an excellent example of what to expect. The bar seems to be a hangout for young Mexican-Americans professionals. The drinks are interesting takes on old standards and very tasty. But it’s the food that really counts. I had shrimp in a chipotle sauce, two things I adore. The key is to let the full chipotle flavor come through without smothering the shrimp flavor. The chef hit the balance perfectly. The other issue is to keep the shrimp soft, yet firm. Direct hit here, too. Service was excellent and the atmosphere pleasant. No loud mariachi music. Worth you’re while on all counts.

We're baffled by all the positive reviews for this restaurant. We've had some wonderful meals in NYC, but this restaurant was just ok. Not bad at all, just nothing special. Maybe it's that we're used to terrific Mexican food in California.

Came here for lunch with a friend. There was no issue getting a seat as the restaurant was fairly empty on a Tues afternoon. The hostess was really friendly and a great sense of humor. I had the chicken mole poblano as I'm in the search for some great mole. The food was decent and I'm sure consistent but it didn't have a real in depth flavor, wasn't really sweet, and the viscosity wasn't there. The spiciness was there and I could taste a little bit of the cinnamon but there was a little bitterness to it. Not sure if that was from the chocolate but it just wasn't balanced. The place looks great for after work happy hour but the food I had was decent. I wouldn't mind coming back here again to try other dishes but I think their focus might be in their alcohol.

Nice ambiance, good margaritas, good tacos (the chicken amazingly was by far the best). Fun place to spend a Happy Hour with some snacks

Went here for lunch on a weekday. It was rather empty. The service is good and the wait staff polite and non-intrusive. They kept the water glasses full. The food is fair, nothing exceptional.

If you're like me and have a big adventurous appetite then this is a great spot. I went with a few friends for brunch and had a bit of everything on the menu from which I'd recommend any of the tacos, tamal, and pan dulce. Service is attentive and drinks bottomless so this is definitely a good place to go with a big group of friends.

We really enjoyed our experience at Maya! From the food, drinks to the awesome service! All you have to do is sit and relax and you are served a very tasty brunch with so many different flavours to enjoy! We really enjoyed the Mimosas as well! Highly recommend!

I thoroughly enjoyed Maya. The food was delicious and excellent service. Another of my New York favorite eateries.

I give it 3/5. Top dishes: tortilla soup, ear of corn and guacamole. The dishes that offset the previous: queso fundido (good taste but did not travel well, ok, my fault but my argument is that they should’ve advised me against it), tacos al pastor where far from good, stay away from those. And the most terrible dish was the Michelada... total disappointment. They do not know how to prepare it or even the correct nomenclature (ie Michelada Cubana). Overall, I would come back, stick to the good dishes and order beer out of the bottle.

This place has AMAZING margaritas and tapas during happy hour. Great place to meet friends! Always Lively! The only downside, had dinner once, found a hair in our meal (I know this happens), let the manager know., he offered us a new dish. I didn't want a new one (lost my appetite)...it was not taken off of our bill. We will go back to this restaurant.

Very good restaurant with menu that offers a good range of dishes from the well known Mexican dishes to chef's specials that are quite different from what may be expected. The food is really great, well presented and very tasty. It has a bar in the entrance area is separated from the main restaurant which is a plus. The dining area is neat, tastefully decorated with a very pleasant atmosphere. The service was prompt, polite and attentive. A well patronized restaurant with great food at reasonable prices.

Met some friends for fringe and dinner. I really liked the vibe in the bar area, but I thought the food was ok - didn't really have a lot of flavor or punch. It was just kind of bland. I still meet folks for drinks.

Went here for a birthday brunch and I have to say I loved it ! Their brunch is unlimited mimosas and different fingers foods for about 4 hours at a good price. They kept bringing out so many different foods I couldn't keep up lol. They made sure ya champagne glass was always full and the service was great.

We ate here on one night of a 10 day trip to Manhattan, food was excellent and the place was packed out which is always a good sign of a good restaurant, but the lighting could have been lower and the noise from all the clients was so loud due to no soft furnishings to absorb the sound, which was bouncing from walls to ceilings at a high decibel. The cheapest bottle of wine was 45 dollars which is ok if you are rich or celebrating something special but I have got wine in other restaurants with a better ambiance and wine lists a bit cheaper. I would say for a family celebration this would be OK but not for a romantic meal for two.

We went to Maya unexpectedly for an early dinner. First of all, the place is too darkly lit reminding me of a night club rather than a restaurant. Immediately guacamole that was too highly spiced was put on our table. Since we hadn't been there before we thought that it was complimentary. Not so - it was a mistake and should have been served to another table. My dish of Fajitas made with skirt steak was fine but not outstanding. The onions and peppers sauteed with the beef were a nice touch but the accompaniments were disappointing as well as not generous. Would we return ? I doubt it.

I've been to Maya a handful of times and it is officially one of those "In the back pocket" restaurants. What I mean by that is this is a place that when you know you need a place to be a fail safe, an emergency savior, a great time, an always reliable, a bail a friend out because they need a great place to go, a last meal before you leave the country, etc etc, Maya should always be kept in your back pocket. It starts from the top down and Corrina (The manager) delivers the best service I've ever experienced in a restaurant. It's rare when you're able to compliment the hostess, servers, and manager all at once every time you visit a restaurant but that's exactly what you get here. Because of the service and what Corrina and her staff deliver this will be a restaurant I always visit. Moving on from that, usually there are two sides of the coin with a restaurant. The service and the food. Those who frequent restaurants will pay for great food even if there is average service or pay for great service even if the food is average. Maya doesn't have to worry about this at all because they offer both great service and great food. Being a Mexican restaurant, there's usually two thoughts. Are you going to get tacos, burritos, and chips and salsa, or are you going to get chile rellenos, mole, and mexican street corn. Maya provides the latter as an authentic Mexican restaurant and not a Tex Mex place. There are a number of different guacamole types to try and I recommend all of them, especially the tuna. I'll be displaying a bunch of pictures to see how good the food looks and they are accurate visual descriptions of how they taste. I've had such a variety of dishes that the best thing for me to do for those reading this is to let you know what I don't recommend getting solely because everything else was just fantastic. I wasn't a fan of the Mahi Mahi. Other than that, please try everything else because you won't be disappointed. For those of you who drink and like spice in your drinks, please have one of the Mercado and Pepino Margarita's and if you want to know which one out of the two have both. Those happen to be may favorite but it isn't a stretch to say all of the drinks (Except this drink designed like Key Lime Pie that Corrina said would be taken off the menu) are phenomenal. And don't you dare skip dessert. The Mexican donuts must be had but there's also a chocolate tres leches that takes the traditional tres leches up about 2 notches. All and all I rate this restaurant a 9.6 out of 10. The only reason it isn't a 10 is because there's a restaurant in the Maldives that is underwater that I have to reserve the 10 for :-) Thank you Maya!!!

Really good mexican food. The restaurant decor is very nice. My only complain is that it was a bit noisy, but hey that's normal for a full big restaurant. I ate the chicken enchiladas and the portion was good. The guacamole was definitely a star and I totally recommend the sangria...really well balanced and tasty.

The service and food were amazing . Drinks were also great. Will return. We had a reservation for 7 on Saturday and was immediately seated

Great meal all around. The bar is loud but the restaurant is nice. We sat on A wonderful round table. We were initially seated elsewhere. We asked to move and the manager immediately moved us. The food was flavorful and delicious. Paola was an excellent server. I loved the shrimp and lobster entree. The raspberry sorbet was the best I ever had

Tried this Mexican restaurant because a friend said it was the best Mexican food he has had in the city. Yes its very good but my all time favorite is Rosa Mexicano in the east side.

Since two of our party of four live overseas in a place where Mexican food in not available, we booked here in the hopes of giving them a good welcome home dinner. Suffice it to say that this place is the Cracker Barrel of Mexican restaurants, because it serves under seasoned inauthentic food made from really average ingredients. The servers are constantly pushing to get you to order more drinks, and the upsell is tiring and obvious. This dining room has no atmosphere either, so walk on by if you really know and like Mexican cooking.

Was a slow start at first (we had a 2pm reservation and the place was busy). We sipped on our water wondering why they weren't mimosas. However, after they brought the drinks over, they were pretty good about refilling, especially when the place started to clear out. We also tried the tequila Fresca which was pretty strong, should have started with that from the get go. It was my friend's birthday so our server brought us complimentary glasses of champagne and at the very end, tequila shots. You can say we were well taken care of on the alcohol front. As for the food, it was pretty good. One thing was that when our server took our orders, he didn't write anything down. We probably didn't get a plate or 2 of what we ordered. But have no fear! This was unlimited drinks AND FOOD so we had the opportunity to reorder. He did start bringing over random dishes of food to "spice things up." Can't say we ate everything. The place was cute and not too loud. I will be back.

Excellent Mexican good. Fajitas chicken very good but a little pricey. Great service and nice outdoor seating.

We had dinner on Saturday 15th a party of 7. Everything was above our expectation, especially the service provided and quality of food Cucumber Margaritas are amazing!! As well as Chiles rellenos Congratulations to Maya staff

The restaurant layout is nice with several semi-private spaces. The food is good and not too expensive.

....other than the mojito I cannot say this place is worth a visit. The food is Mexican fusion the taste is bland the menu is confused the restaurant seems to be trying too hard. The only good thing is the food presentation more effort should be put into the actual food rather than the presentation. Oh and over priced too which is reflected in the fact the evening we were there more people were at the bar then seated in the restaurant.

We have been going to Maya for fifteen years, but hadn't been there is a while. We have verify few choices for Mexican in Connecticut so going to Maya was a treat. We had smoked Brisket Taco, Chicken Enchilada, and a filet mignon dish. All were quite good. We also had interesting, fun drinks. It all hit the spot for us. Maya is good for after work driinks and it was loud. As the night wore on the crowd subsided nd serious Mexican eaters took over.

I generally won't hold a restaurant accountable for one bad server, but we commented the service wasn't bad, it was nonexistent. Very disappointing.

Our party had a wide selection of dishes, and were satisfied but no more. Tacos al pastor were very dry and not made with the right cut of pork. Guacamole lacked zing. Huitlacoche was bland, could have been anything. And so on. The bar section appears to be an active singles place, making the entire restaurant very noisy. However, the service was cheerful, the specialty margaritas interesting, and the desserts were fine.

We happened to stop by here one night for dinner and I'm glad we did. We started with cocktails including margaritas which were a little different than what we have come to expect, but very good. At the suggestion of our server, we ordered the tampiquena and the slow roasted pork carnitas. Both dishes were beautiful to look at and the flavors were incredible. The prices were reasonable, but not cheap. We would love to go back some time to try their bottomless brunch.

The place is welcoming and the staff are attentive and pleasant. We had the pork carnitas and salmon. Both dishes were delicious. Loved the cucumber and passion fruit margaritas. Price is reasonable.

Went there with family last Sunday . I had the steak tempiquena which was very good. Like the ambiance and the service. Not the best Mexican food that I’ve ever had but very good and reasonable prices for NYC. The bottom line? We would go back there again!

We came here with a large group for brunch and we were very pleased. Everyone at the table must opt for the all you eat/drink but it is worth it. They started bringing out food and everything was very good. Our drinks were never empty for more than 2 minutes. We got so much we actually had to tell them to stop bringing food because we were full. Great place and I would go back. Make a reservation it gets crowded.

We went here for dinner at 7 PM on the Sunday night after Christmas and it was not at all crowded. The decor was pleasant enough. I ordered the rubbed salmon and my son ordered the steak, medium rare. . About ten minutes later, our waiter told me they were out of salmon. I selected a chicken dish with fried plantains and another vegetable instead. My son's steak came in medium well. They agreed and made him another done correctly. My wife ordered another fish, mahi -mahi which was OK. Our overall impression was that the food and service were OK: the service would have been rated higher if our waiter had taken a little more time to chat and help us make selections. We did not feel the food was special enough to justify the prices and we would probably try another place next time.

This restaurant offers an updated version of Mexican food. Its the first Mexican restaurant I've left not completely stuffed .I ordered the lobster and shrimp and it was just that - no rice, no side, just the seafood with a bunch of inedible cilantro thrown over. The tamarind margarita is also overrated but the guacamole and chips are great as is the flan and service.

Food menu was a little different from what II expected,but nonetheless was a good choice. Portion size a little big, but great overall.

I have passed this restaurant for many years but have never eaten here. I stopped I. For lunch today. I was greeted warmly by staff and led to a table. The restaurant had only three other tables that wer occupied. Decor was simple but nice,y furnished. Maya has a prix fix lunch menu for $20.00 which ncludes appetizer entree and dessert. There are other selections aka carte if you choose to. I was not very hungry so I just ordered guacamole which I requested it mild. The guacamole could have Been a little more spicy but it still was tasty. Wait staff was attentive . I will go back to Maya another time either for lunch or dinner.

In NYC for a business trip and wanted a great brunch spot for our only "free" day. Maya was the perfect spot!! Their unlimited brunch small plates and cock

I have been to this restaurant a few times and now make it my first stop for dinner when visiting NY. You will not be dissapointed. The service and the food are outstanding. This is not your standard Mexican fare by any means.

If you are looking for tacos and other Mexican food you can go to Maya. Maya has tacos, guacamole, tamales, and most of it is GF. They also have more upscale Mexican options. When we went to Maya it was very hot we told the server and it was fixed right away. If you do go to Maya, I hope you like it.

I have been to Maya several times now, including two happy hours on their "Taco Tuesday" night and then this past weekend I celebrated my 30th birthday with a group of girlfriends at Maya's bottomless brunch. The brunch is such a great deal and was a really fun experience! Although not a party brunch (which I wasn't looking for), they play good music and it's a very festive atmosphere. We saw many large groups celebrating birthdays and bachelorettes. For $45 (plus tax & tip), you get unlimited food and drinks for two hours. Since there were 9 of us, we asked them to just bring us everything and they were happy to do so - telling us we can reorder anything we like. SO MUCH FOOD - and it was all SO good! Some of the standouts for our group were the Maya Benedict (my personal favorite), the empanadas, the chicken tacos and the chicken enchiladas. Oh, and the Maya hot dog was surprisingly good too! I'm sorry I do not remember our water's name, but he was very attentive and quick to bring out new drinks and food upon request. I've experienced unlimited brunches before where the wait staff is not so quick to bring out refills, especially when the place is as packed and busy as Maya was, but that was not the case here. We definitely got our money's worth in those 2 hours :) The drinks were also very good, strong and not watered down at all, and I love that they have so many options included with the bottomless deal. I stuck with the Maya Mimosa (with blood orange and passion fruit purees) and my friends tried out the bloody Mary, the sparkling sangria and the rest of the mimosa flavors. We loved them all! Corinna, the manager, was extremely helpful in planning the brunch with me as I had some special requests, including a personalized birthday menu. Everything went smoothly and I had a great birthday celebration. I will definitely be back for more happy hours and more brunches.

This was recommended to us by a New Yorker. As Texans we were a little hesitant to spend a NYC dining experience at a mexican restaurant---we were wrong! Service was excellent especially since we were in a time crunch before the theatre. Very creative dishes with superb margaritas! Would recommend to anyone.

Noise was a little overbearing and while the food was good - I had the Carnitas, I wasn't blown away. My friends enjoyed their tacos more than my dish. Margarita was great. There are better places you could go.

Grab a seat at the bar - but first make a table reservation because the weekends are hot - and enjoy the locals. With unlimited Margarita's and the bottomless brunch, this is the best place to be for the weekend. You'll meet your neighbors. Great place for a first date or group celebration. Vibe is happy and smiling.

My wife does her research even if its just a bite to eat after going to see a movie. Tonight was not different. Made a reservation for 7:30 PM, got there early and was seated immediately; the place had more drinkers than eaters. Had a very knowledagle waitress and for the first time learned the ins and outs of the difference between Mexican and TexMex food. The drinks were passable nothing terribly special. It was the food that was very ordinary in taste (not presentation). The Guacamole ($15) was almost tastless, Suckling Pig Tacos ($16) was ok --nothing to write home about,Salmon mole ($28) was dull.

Maya, a Richard Sandoval restaurant, is located on the upper east side and is best known for their bottomless brunch. While this trendy spot offers dishes that are small in portion (which doesn't matter if you are participating in the bottomless brunch) - the quality of food is amazing - as are the drinks. Try the Maya or Pepino Margaritas. Also a great place for big groups and Happy Hours!

Attentive service too. Everything was great except very noisy. It is a really lively and fun atmosphere -hard to hear tho if you are going in order to have a Talk, happy or not.But nice banquettes for 4 or so _ a good place to go w friends or co-workers to enjoy yourselves. Paola our waitress was terrific and the men assisting w water, drinks the same. Very alert and cohesive team.

First time visiting this spot with some friends for Brunch. "Bottomless Brunch" for $45 dollars all you can eat and drink from noon until 4:30pm on Sunday's only. The portions are med size, but can fill you up instantly. Place is big to fit a party of two to a dozen. Great staff, great meal, clean, amazing drinks especially the Guava Mimosa and Maya Margarita. I will be visiting again Maya Restaurant. Highly recommend if you're a fan of Mexican food.

Bottomless brunch.... great food, excellent service and a lot of fun for a family get together!! We have also been there for dinner several times and always enjoy it!

All the ingredients were very fresh & the food was traditional yet inventive. Very well prepared. Excellent margaritas as well. The service was excellent also. 👍🏼👍🏼

Very nice place, good bar, good food. A little on the expensive side. Nice atmosphere, somewhat trendy. I live right near this place so will be back most likely. I wouldn't say go too far out of your way to go here, but if you are in the area, worth a stop in. The margaritas were really good, little pricey. Service was great.

The guacamole was tasty and I really liked my chicken enchiladas! My spouse didn't think much of us appetizer quesadilla, but loved the smooth corn soup. We were back in a corner table, but the place was packed and it was really too loud for much conversation. If I went again, I'd choose a different day of the week or lunchtime.

We didn’t book anything in advance for last night so looked on open table. We arrived at 9.45 and they accommodated us nicely. Food was excellent. The fresh tortilla chips were the highlight and it was reasonably priced. Can imagine that on a weekend it would be buzzing but it was empty as late on a Monday. Would recommend this place. Authentic Mexican.

Wonderful Mexican Dinner at MAYA MODERN MEXICAN RESTAURANT Delicious Mexican specialties and more. Lovely ambience and great service.

Although Mexican is not my favorite cuisine overall, Maya was a pleasant surprise & all-around excellent choice in terms of food & service. Loved the arugula salad, steak fajitas & Mexican donuts for dessert, & would definitely come back here.

Excellent service. Good Mexican food. We were 5 persons at the table and everyone was happy and was enjoying the food. I recommend this place.

Great neighborhood place to go for awesome margaritas and somewhat upscale Mexican food, which is excellent. Go during Happy Hour (check website for daily specials) for the best deals and drink and food.

In the mood for a good tequila and botanas? This is a great place to visit. Their staff is very attentive, the place is nice and the food is good.

Stopped for late lunch, wasn't crowded, service good. Presentation of food was beautiful ....and this counts! The tastes were more mild than I expected from Mexican, but very flavorful and complex in an understated way. My Husband & I don't do spicy and there was a lot to choose from. Menu looks traditional but flavors aren't. If you like spice I'm sure you can request it. We didn't drink except coffee which was rich and wonderful. The bill for 2 of us was $35. Not bad for the quality of food. Liked the atmosphere too. Table close (like they are in NY) but you could still seat yourself without pulling out the table.

Unlimited Tapas and Mimosas & Margaritas - sat & sun enJOY a relaxed atmosphere and a wide variety of food and drinks the Mango Mimosa and Traditional Margarita along with the ceviche, the Huitlacoche & Wild Mushroom Enchiladas & Eggs Albanil/Scrambled eggs / chicharron / black beans /salsa verde / crema fresca are my favs

Long time fan, but under newish management it has steadily fallen from grace. Not bad, fine in fact. But, it used to be truly great and it is merely acceptable, and pricey for the current quality level. Sadly, will not return unless someone else is paying.

The restaurant ambiance is nice. We had our order take out and it was not good and very expensive for art deco mex. Staff was friendly and helpful.

This is my second time at Maya and the two experiences were both alike and different. The first time was at about 6:00 pm on a weeknight and the bar scene was hopping and more than flowing over into the restaurant, almost a madhouse. Tonight was a Sunday evening at 7:30 and it was almost empty. The waiter was a bit hard to get ahold of and the food came out rather slowly for such an empty evening. The basic guacamole (they have a bacon and a crab version) was quite average and the wine list is adequate. Tequila selection is very good and the cocktail menu varied but my drink was nothing special. The fish tacos are good and there is a tofu taco entree which is a bonus for vegans who don't have to rely on a veggie burrito or enchilada which as it turns out is not offered anyway. I think the tofu taco is a nice upgrade. Rice is well done but the beans are watery and nothing special. For NY this is a fairly good place as there are several items on the menu that are a bit out of the ordinary but quality doesn't rise above the average. You won't be disappointed but neither will you rave.

I might have made up the term "modern" but it reflects the fact that is no traditional American Mexican restaurant. The food was fresh and flavorful. We enjoyed the crab and shrimp enchilada as well as the steak tacos. Three of us split the chocolate dessert that was yummy too.

Was waiting for my granddaughter to finish b'day party across the street. Decided to check out this place. Was greatly surprised!!! Great tequila bar. Had tapas and margaritas. Both great. Sorry I did have time to stay for the dinner menu. Looked great.

Three of us had dinner at Maya on a Thursday evening. The atmosphere was great with a young and vibrant crowd (some may call this place “noisy” but I prefer “energetic”). The cocktails and the guacamole are great reasons to come here but we were all disappointed in the food (3 stars at best), especially the main courses. My fajitas committed the unpardonable sin of being bland.

Great food and drink. You may find it a bit loud but that's because everyone is having such a good time!

Because everyone needs a bottomless brunch on a sunday. Holler Back yo! For $39 -you get all you can drink: Margaritas, Bloody Mary (vodka or tequila), Mimosas (Mango, Lychee, Orange). Unlimited small plates. Maya chopped salad --hey you need something green, nice and fresh Tacos --pork, lamb -these guys are tiny, tiny, ok, nothing bomb Chicken Enchilada --awesome! great flavor Mahi Mahi --nice flavor, 2 nice small pieces of fish Corn on the cob --covered in cheese and spices --this was good, but tasted a bit welted down Eggs Albanil --OMG amazing Huevos Rancheros --awesome Maya Benedict --ok, nice carnitas, the english muffin was a bit soggy Chicken Tamal --a bit dry Ceviche rojo --awesome Service: was very Slow, this place has a 2 hour time limit on lunch, and yes most brunch/lunches take that long. So don't go here if you want a quick brunch. The food came out really fast and then we waited for like 30 minutes for the second round of tapas. the bartenders look overworked and were running around like crazy. Overall: This spot had great food, and awesome special deal. Would be a great spot for a party, or a group of friends. You def need to walk around the block after coming here.

A good though a bit pricey Mexican spot on the upper east side which is not your first neighborhood choice for the food anyhow. Nice service, tasty dishes. Nothing special good food so to speak.

You have to come here for Brunch on the weekend! Reservation not needed early (but make one just in case). Tapas style bottomless definitely a hit. Food was super fresh and tasty. Good for large groups. Don’t miss the Mexican donuts!!

Great Mexican food with a fantastic list of margarita's. Base menus with consent changes always giving you a new choice. Guacamole and chips always great

This was close to a medical conference at MSK so we chose this but....very loud, hard to talk and the service was indifferent at best. Food was "OK"...just not a good impression and I would not run back.

We like good Mexican food. Maya's is good, not great, but good. It's real signature, however, is as one of the liveliest - and loudest - places I've ever been during happy hour time. On a recent Friday night, the sound level was somewhere in the thermonuclear range. When we were there a table of young women, recently liberated from their jobs as in TGIF, were shouting at each other - how else to be heard - a couple of tables away, which made things even worse. We gave up, ate fast, and left for the blissful "silence" of traffic on 1st Avenue. If that's your scene, check this place out.

I have been to Maya on several occasion over the years, as I have a family member who lives nearby. The food is consistently delicious and so are the drinks. The happy hour is a great deal and the dinner is reasonably priced. The bar can get a little loud and crowded, but hey, if you want a little more peace then pay up and sit at a proper table with the full dinner menu. The one flaw I have experienced more than once is that the busboys will try to take your plate away before you you are finished, or take one guests plate while everyone else is still eating. This is a grating service failure. The actual waiters and waitresses are fantastic but they need to train their busboys. Since I've seen his happen repeatedly while there with parties of 4 to 6, it may be that management encourages this to try to open up tables, but it is an amateur service mistake. The good food and overall good service outweigh this one faux pas though.

In the midst of the push and shove of the Big Apple, this restaurant was a retreat. The Staff were available and attentive throughout our simple meal. We ordered off the appetizer menu - not too hungry - and it was just delicious. Try the shrimp burritos. The presentation is the best! And it doesn't overshadow the quality.

As a native Californian, I love a good plate of Mexican food. And I don't mean fancy Mexican where the word "mole" pops up with worrying frequency. I a plate of mean rice, beans, tamales, carne asada which then gets covered with a flap of melted cheese. THAT is Mexican food. But in NYC, one must make compromises. We went to Maya since it promised warm cozy chic decor with "upscale authentic" food, as I'd describe it. The decor lived up to expectations--gorgeously carved wooden chairs and fixers, warm heady lighting, fawning staff--but the food did not. The brisket tacos were essentially a salt lick wrapped in a tortilla--the next day I couldn't get my engagement ring on--that had not one ounce of another flavor. And the zucchini flower quesadilla was in fact 4 deep fried empanadas that were too greasy/flavorless to finish. The tuna tar tar guacamole was delish, but at $18, not worth it. The portion was VERY small (maybe a cup of guac) and only featured 1 oz of tuna. Would not have been a good order for a group. Overall, Maya put more thought into the ambiance than crafting flavorful food, which is a disappointment. A lower price point and you wouldn't care, but we spent $60 on 3 items--no entrees, no cocktails. Surprisingly, I DO recommend this restaurant, but ONLY for a first date--if it's going well, the lackluster food is a great excuse to "get outta here" and if it's a dud of a date, plenty of authentic Mexican decor to comment awkwardly on. But seriously Maya, a few cheese flaps wouldn't kill you. Think about it.

$39 for all you can eat and drink for brunch! The service was quick and the food (small tasting plates) was wonderful. You're allowed unlimited beverages, too. This was a lot of fun and a terrific value.

This was my first time at Maya and probably not my last. I went for a friend’s birthday and we opted for the bottomless brunch which is two hours of eating and drinking. The pre-fixe menu was pretty vast. Every dish we ordered was great, but my favorites were the Maya Benedict (a twist on the classic eggs benedict) and Pan dulce which is similar to French toast just with Nutella and it seemed dulce de leche spread and bananas. The drink selection was also pretty good with a variety of mimosas .margaritas and sangrias. The place is loud and the music was very clubbish, so if you’re looking for a quiet spot this is not for you. Overall I would strongly recommend this for those looking for a good boozy brunch and food spot in the city. This place gets packed so make sure you have a reservation.

Brunch is great at Maya but your two hour max time slot will have you looking for your waitress who takes her time with the bottomless drinks and food. Food is wonderful but it comes out in spirts. With our group of 14 we were served family style and she brought everything on the menu. Enjoyd the quality of food very much. It is so loud that my ears were ringing once outside. They pack you in. Great experience overall. Cost $65 for unlimited food and drink including tax and tip. Good nyc resto.

I’ve been here a couple of times with both family and colleagues. It’s always consistently great! The food is mouth watering and tasty and the service is both super friendly and recommendations always good! Beware the guacamole...it rocks...and you can’t stop eating it!

The food was really good! And the Margaritas were the best I have ever tasted. So on that side - go there! But, there were SO much noise. I cannot remember having ever been to a restaurant with that amount of noise. At the end we almost gave up talking to each other.

I am reviewing the "Bottomless Margarita Brunch" specifically here. This is one of the most amazing brunch deals in New York based on quality to cost ratio. As stated by others: although Mexican food and high end / quality may not be synonymous with each other, This place sets the mark. Richard Sandoval does it again with this "happening spot" on 1st avenue. We went on Sunday at 1pm and it was a scene. The noise levels high, the energy equal and the Malay is fantastic. There are far too many quiet conversation restaurants anyway. Lets start with the deal...all you can eat small plates, all you can drink margaritas and a 2 hours time limit which is not strictly enforced (and would hard to survive from a consumption stand point). The Guacamole which is of the best you will ever find is not included. The margaritas are stiff and the staff is exemplar. Our water was Arturo and he was the best. We NEVER waited for anything. Be aware: If you order 10 plates at once...You will get 10 plates at once. In about 5-6 minutes. This actually works very well. The food: Enchiladas in Wild Mushroom and Chicken were extremely flavorful. Tacos Carnitas and Barbacoa was superb. Squash Blossom Quesadillas were also very good. The Guacamole comes traditional, Bacon and Tuna Tartar ( The Tartar is Sandoval all the way with chunks of sushi grade tuna and Spicy mayo) this is a must try, bucket list Guacamole!! For desert please try the Mexican French toast (trust me its not what your expecting) as it is truly desert not a breakfast item here. I recommend this desert accompanied by the 1927 sherry and your DONE. It took our table of three 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the task. we had 2 guacamoles' and 9 small plates along with countless drinks. The service, food quality and people watching factor here will entertain any diner. Do yourself a favor...grab some friends and have a ball. You will be a hero. PS, If anyone makes it to the Pork Belly sliders...please let me know as I had to tap out. Thanks To Richard Sandoval...You've done it again.

Maya is one of Richard Sandoval's newer restaurants, and as a former DC resident, Richard Sandoval flavors are near and dear to my heart. For some reason, Mexican is hard to find in the city, and I was happy to stumble upon this place while researching Mexican food in the city. The service at all Sandoval restaurants are always excellent, especially the hosts at the front. Whoever does their hiring definitely knows what they are doing. They were incredibly professional, pointed us to seats at the bar to wait for our table, and even got the bartender's attention to come serve us next. After we were seated we were greeted almost immediately with chips and salsa. The salsa was smokey and not too salty with just enough chunkiness to not have that "salsa water" finish to it that drips all over the table. I got the chicken tinga tacos because it has been so long since I have tasted good shredded chicken. It did not disappoint! The crema fresca on top was a great touch, but I had to have more so I requested it with our awesome waiter and it was out in no time. The tinga itself was kind of watery, so there was definitely a lot of liquid falling from the taco and it was a messy feat, but I did not mind at that point, I was just happy to finally have some decent Mexican food in the city! The decor was classic Sandoval. Big colors and lights highlight all the bottles at the bar. This place was an overall great time, I will be back to try more of the menu regularly.

Guacamole was perfect with consistency and flavor (medium traditional). The Garnacha wine was enjoyable as was my entree, chicken mole poblano. The raspberry sorbet tasted homemade. However, I cannot tell enough people about the calabaza soup!! Best I've ever had. Service was amazing, not rushed, but not left waiting either.

Great brunch menu with unlimited tapas & drinks for two hours. There is plenty to choose from for everyone and for all dietary restrictions. My friends and I tried a number of different dishes to the point where we we stuffed. Staff was very attentive, and we never had to wait around to order more food.

I went here with my friend for a happy hour one weekday. They have a large selection of drinks and small dishes. Margaritas are way too sweet so for the 2nd round I decided to stick with beer. Food was alright but left things to be desired

The bar scene here is great with large crowdThe restaurant however is lacking The portions are small unless you go for the chef specials Three tacos are like an appetizer and not a meal Service is average with no real effort to describe the menu

Best Mexican i've had...everything i tasted was delicious and different. Price point is very reasonable. Service is good. Would a million percent recommend and go again. The guacamole is addictive and you literally cannot stop!!!!!!!

Stopped here for happy hour and was pleasantly surprised. Well made drinks - strawberry and mango magaritas. Very good guacamole, squash quesadilla and queso fundido. Bartender was friendly and talented. I will definitely return when I’m in the area.

This is serious Mexican food, not just chips and tacos. My friend and I both had different offerings of Chile relleno. Basically stuffed peppers but with wonderful, creative and varied ingredients. Delicious. There was a lively bar scene on Saturday. The food served in the bar area is also good but not as extensive as the dining room menu. My personal issue is that there is no draft beer nor a varied choice of bottled beer. All but one beer offering is Mexican. The one that was not Mexican was sold out. I think that should tell them something. Is Dos Equis Amber on draft too much to ask for?

We went to brunch and enjoyed every minute of our two hour reservation. Unlimited food and drink and they just bring everything on the menu to the table over for the table to share. You can ask for more of a specific thing as well. We couldn’t keep eating after the first hour so we continued to try the different mimosa offerings - strawberry, mango, guava. And the bloodies were good too! I would definitely go here again next time I’m in the city

We celebrated a Birthday there The service and the food were out of this world. The Drinks were even better. This is the second time I have been there. Quality food is what you get. I had the hanger steak special which was cooked to my specifications. The Guacamole and chips were fresh and my Chicken taco appetizer was so good. I would highly recommend Maya to eat!

The restaurant was pretty noisy but the food and service excellent. We ate some traditional Mexican fare and enjoyed every bite.

Had dinner here and the food was absolutely delicious. We ordered mild guacamole as an appetizer. For dinner, we had pork carnitas and chicken tacos, with a side of plantains and Mexican Corn. I have one thing to say....don't miss the Mexican Corn, nor the plantains. Every single bite at this place will leave you reeling! Don't miss!!

We were very disappointed in Maya. It was amazingly busy and loud. The margaritas were below average and the corn soup was a treat. The brisket tacos were almost devoid of meat. The rice and beans were totally undistinguished. We would not return.

It's a great place for Mexican food. Good food Great ambience Staff is courteous Good music Must try their Guacamole

First time visit to this upper East-side Mexican restaurant. The menu selections include a dish of three small artisanal soft tacos, the fillings which change as the chef decides. Each was perfectly filling and ideal for sharing. On this night the tacos were a delicious mahimahi (fish.). Our second entree idea for sharing was a dish of three mushroom enchiladas (the tortilla was corn, green-colored.) Again, a delight on the palate. Dinner began with fresh guacamole and chips, and ended with a chocolate tres leches. Service was gracious and attentive.

We went to boozy brunch (they don't really call it that, but that's what it is) at Maya at high noon on blizzard day, Jan. 23. The cooks and wait staff showed up and so did we with our party of four. There were numerous large tables of young people also brunching. We all ordered the "bottomless" brunch, which means you get as much upscale Mexican food (small plates) and alcohol (typically margaritas) as you can ingest within 2 hours. The plates we ordered didn't necessarily arrive as ordered, but Maya's staff essentially and enthusiastically brought us one of everything on the menu and kept pouring the margaritas. (South of the border style -- not too sweet). The food was really very very good, nouvelle yet classic Mexican, so even without the blizzard and the numerous margaritas, it would be a great place for food alone. A toast to Maya and its staff for giving us a great time in the middle of the blizzard.

Good and fun Mexican restaurant, with a big food selection, and Bar. The fajitas, the carnitas and the queso fundido are fabulous, and of course the tequila!

This institution in my neighborhood underwent a transformation a few years ago: expanded, new tequila bar, improved menu. All these changes refreshed the place which had a great menu but needed some updating. I approve! The new menu has easy to share portions (for example 3 lovely fish tacos in a cute little holder). The drinks are always interesting from classic margaritas to fruity ones with all different types of tequilas. The manager Santiago Pesantez, was very helpful, seating a bunch of Moms at tables just for apps and drinks.

On a night like Hallowen and where everything is dark and full of witches, in Maya, they also have a beautifully decorated, beautiful and singular place without being overloaded. The service with the waitress was a real pleasure and very professional recommending part of the menu both food and drinks. I decided to order some nachos with medium spicy guacamole and some rib tacos which were not only perfect made but with a flavor and texture very difficult to compare with those that I have eaten previously. To drink a Mezcalita to the shepherd, who was certainly able to surprise me again pleasantly and satisfactorily. A place highly recommended for both quality, service and price, I will definitely return. CONGRATULATIONS!

Always pass this place and see people drinking pretty drinks and having a blast. Finally got to go, sat in the lounge chairs by the open windows... frozen margs were tasty and a good deal for happy hour. The tapas were good too - they are indeed tiny though! Two of us ordered 3 tapas and guac and it was good enough to fill us up. They have a full menu if you'd like, just ask. Would recommend this place - trendy upscale Mexican fare.

I came with a group of 6 for the bottomless brunch. Surprisingly the place looked pretty empty the time we were there. Our waiter was great, he topped up our drinks just about every time we took more than 2 sips. The food also kept coming, but it wasn't rave worthy. My favorite was the carnita tacos and the side of bacon. The plates are pretty small, but it's bottomless so you can get as much as you want to make up for that. I would say it's a bit expensive for what's offered, but the service is great.

The food was only ok. Not very flavorful, spicy or tasty. The service was decent but we also went on a slow night so they were able to pay attention to us.

Friday evening for dinner, two of us, we made a reservation (and had to delay it by half an hour) - all good through the Open Restaurant app, and we were welcomed warmly. There is a bar area at the front, which makes that part of the restaurant a bit noisy, and the surfaces are all very hard, which also means the sound bounces and is amplified. So, a buzzy vibrant atmosphere, which can be a bit noisy. BUT the food was spectacularly good. We started with a spicy mojito and a margarita, accompanied by some traditional guacamole (excellent); then moved on to a glass of wine each (quite a good selection of wines by the glass, as well as bottles if you're up to that), alongside our shared main meals - fish tacos (really good), and chicken enchilada (also great). There were many other attractive options, and I would described the style as 'nuovo mexicano'. The service was very good, with regular water top-ups. We finished by sharing a very flan. A great meal, and we'll be back.

I was hesitant about a bottomless brunch with unlimited plates. I assumed that the food would be mass produced and pushed out in droves. I STAND CORRECTED. This place is fantastic! The food was great, hot and cooked to perfection each time. The drinks were tasty and plentiful. Our server was on point and never once seemed annoyed or overwhelmed. Cannot wait to return!

I like to try new places and find the lower avenues on the Upper East side have some cool places. I would consider Maya a place to seek out. The guacamole with bacon was fantastic, I would recommend the Chile Relleno and the slow roasted pork carnitas. Overall the food is good and the service attentive enough when you need. The bar was kicking at 6pm on a Thursday night. Highly recommended.

Maya is a good place for dinner, but great for happy hour. Food is good, drinks are excellent, staff is pretty friendly. It can get a bit warm inside the restaurant during the summer though.

Don't be shy. Order anything and everything! We did! We really enjoyed our brunch and the service is fantastic. I also recommend the drinks option because all the drinks are fantastic and superb.

Over the past 3 years we have had 3 weekend brunches at Zengo and loved our experience each time (albeit at a higher price on each visit). Yesterday our family of 4 tried its sister restaurant, Maya, for its Sunday brunch. The experience was fantastic and probably better than Zengo because the Mexican themed menu and drinks were more to our liking. The standout items were the salmon with sweet potato puree, the lamb tacos and the short rib empanadas. And the hibiscus margarita was to die for! Service was attentive and cheerful!

I held a graduation dinner at Maya. Our group was 16 people. Our table was beautifully prepared and the service was excellent. The food was equally excellent and all of my family and guests raved about their meal. There wasn't any complaints. I would definitely return on my next visit to NYC.

Was pleasantly surprised by this place. Had no idea what to expect from a Mexican style brunch but the incredible food was non-stop as were the bottomless breakfast cocktails. Quite expensive but worth every cent. I would definitely come back here and recommend to anyone looking for something different and off the NYC tourist scene!

Not sure if my Mexican food palette has changed but disappointed. Found food choices blah. Found bland. Won’t go back

Overall quality of food good, nothing incredibly special but good. Guacamole that is supposed to be spicy, isn't really spicy, love the chips they serve with it. Fish Tacos could be tastier and drinks seem a bit watered down. Would still go back as a decent place to hang with friends but it is a bit too loud.

The service and food for Sunday brunch were excellent. We tried pretty much everything on the menu and everything was extremely tasty. Unfortunately a few drawbacks earned it a lower rating than the food or service deserved. Not sure if it's typical or not, but it became so loud in the restaurant that I could not hear my friend sitting directly across from me. There was not one group to blame but the overall acoustics were so poor that it was a cacophony and got to the point that we had to leave in order to continue to enjoy our afternoon. Additionally, guacamole wasn't included and so we added it and were disappointed. It was a small serving of average guac and was very expensive for what it was.

We came here on a Friday night, we didn't have a reservation but were seated straight away. The service was fantastic and the guacamole and tortilla soup was absolutely delicious! It was quite loud in the restaurant but it was a Friday night so we enjoyed the lively atmosphere!

Maya is a mere deception with dark exterior setup with the completely different exterior. Maya has cleverly strategised the optimum clientele with a ‘happy hour’ segregated area which is always buzzing to a more relaxed set up Inside with a fine dining set up. A vibrant place and prompt service .

Traveling the Southwest has exposed me to some very different types of Mexican food. Was not expecting much, but my wife though I would enjoy Maya. The wine pour was generous and the setting comfortable. What was a surprise was the food, which was not bathed in cheese. Carnitas: Some of the finest in the country and by far the best in NYC. Surf & Turf: The right mix of pork, beef, and shrimp with a very tasty and tangy sauce. Also, I really liked how the food was presented. Elegant and simple.

Parking is complicated in this area but on sunday the chances of parking are better. They have bottomless drinks and small plates for brunch. That is super cool in my opinion. However keep in mind that the 2 hour bottomless starts at the reservation time, soooo u waste time arriving, getting seated and the time the waiter takes to come take orders and such, so we didn't start drinking for the 11 minutes.... soooo is not truly 2 hours. The decor is nice and rustic. Seems like they are running out of space tough. It is all very cramped . None the less nice tables and legit decor. As this is a all you can eat and drink, they just keep bringing small plates with menu items and you can ask for extra or repeats as you go. CORN ON THE COB-cant mess this one up, so good,with cheese yummm, u could not have enough of those. CHICKEN TAMAL- pretty good and not spicy, it is good to try but not an impressive item. VEGETABLE EMPANADA- thisbe is deep fried with vegetables stuffed in, the empanadas are pretty nice, with to eat an extra batch PLANTAINS- nice and sweet, they come with cilantro and sour cream on top, pretty amazing. CHICKEN ENCHILADA- The tomatillo sauce is legit! Spice to perfection but I wish they had cheese instead of the chicken. CHILAQUILES- with a pouched egg and red sauce, black beans, the perfect amount of spicy these were by far the best dish I had here. Pretty awesome. PORK TAQUITOS- this is the first time ever I could say I can feel and taste the SMOKE flavor in a piece of meat, they nailed it! I would just add some sour cream and this would be heaven. HUEVOS RANCHEROS- I was not really that impressed, it was kind of cold when it came to the table and the sauce was a bit bland. DESSERT- they provided a cute little platter of something I think it was French toasts with Nutella and banana as well as some pastries, that was a delicious finish. Give it up to these waitresses and waiters and the entire staff, I have no idea how they keep up with this brunch service that is plate by plate rather than a huge buffet, I also give it to the owners cause this style of service keeps their staff employed. I am very impressed. HOWEVER, overall this is a very busy and because if it, the food quality was a bit on the colder and blend side, the service was ok and I could understand that it would not be perfect as they were very busy, I wish they had more staff since their service style is very complex. I would not come back here only cause I am not impressed with the food.

This is a large, bustling place with music. The Atlantic cod tacos were quite tasty. They could have been a little bigger. I will go back to try other dishes.

We heard Maya was a terrific Mexican restaurant in NYC so we gave it a try. The service was great and the food top notch. But the ambiance is so bad I'm not sure I'll return - Unless I'm just interested in a quick drink at the bar. The place was vibrant but way too noisy for dinner. We had three people at a four top and had to scream the entire time. We finally gave up and ate in silence. Management needs to soften the place up somehow to help the acoustics. Eating in a tin can is no fun despite the quality of the food and drink.

Maya is one of my go to spots when I have a friend visiting NYC! With such an expansive happy hour, and great food specials you know that you will get great hospitality at Maya. The brunch that they have is one of the best in NYC in my opinion, only $45 gets you unlimited food and unlimited drinks for 2 hours! We did this brunch on New Years Day and it was such a good time. As a vegetarian as well, there were tons of options for me! Maya is a must :)

We came here with about 20 of us for a birthday. The waiters brought out various small plates of food and kept them coming instead of having us each individually order. It worked out well, and we could ask for more of what we liked. The salmon was amazing!!! Highly recommend trying it. The waiter kept the drinks coming and they were STRONG! Nothing was watered down. Truly a great experience.

You get a cozy feeling when you go to this restaurant. The lighting was nice and soft. Service was excellent and found the staff to be extremely attentive. I was having a business dinner and was happy that it wasn't loud. We ordered the guacamole to start. I had the spicy margarita which wasn't my favourite although was recommended by the waiter who knew I liked spicy anything, but it just had a weird taste. I would recommend the regular margarita which was fantastic. For mains my colleague got the lobster and shrimp with a light salad on top with avocado. Which I actually wish I had gotten, as the flat bread with shrimp wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The flatbread was so hard I gave up on trying to eat it. Other then that had a great evening and would definitely go back.

We chose Maya because my wife had been there over 10 years ago and she said it was memorable. Well, that hasn't changed. We had a great meal starting with outstanding skinny margaritas and tasty guacamole. They were having a tamale festival so we ordered a sampler as an appetizer (highly recommended!). We each got a different entree: 2 steak dishes, a pork dish and a seafood dish. Everyone was raving about how good their choice was. Our server Paula was perfect. Her recommendations were on target and she took great care of us. Some have complained about the noise level but we were seated at a corner table and were not bothered by noise at all. We will return on our next NYC trip.

Getting good Mexican food in NYC is a challenge. Maya's food is good, but the noise level takes away some of the enjoyment.

Well my this place is NYC in its purest form beautiful young women at the bar and teasing the young city guys all well dressed and looking pure New York. The building is pure nyc drama a neon non windowed cube. Inside changes to a contemporary intimate area, food was adult and spicy tasty and surprising great cocktails and drinks. If you want shiny beautiful slick nyc do go......We loved it.

After a bad experience in a restaurant in Times Square, we called in here for a drink, this is an amazing place, a hidden gem, you don’t need to go into the Centre of Manhattan for a great Mexican experience, the best cocktails I have ever had,and the staff are full of fun and so helpful, great menu, great service, we will be back🙂

Maya is a popular restaurant, no matter what you go for. While we went for NYC Restaurant Week, the restaurant was packed by 7 pm. The food was served at a wonderful pacing, we never went without water, and I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the meal (save the appetizer, which tasted mostly of the black bean puree with truffle oil and was a bit difficult to eat). Maya is definitely great choice for a nice meal any time of day - I would love to come back another time.

Good margaritas served liberally when opting for the set lunch, however the food is less exciting, Mexican tapas but all a bit ho hum, without the really spicy flavours that make Mexican appealing. Service is hit and miss, and can be a bit surly. The music is too loud, but I was told by the Maitre D that that is to create a buzz and get people excited. Probably just as well as the food doesn`t.

Have been a few times for happy hour, but went for brunch just recently. I totally recommend it, great price. On the weekend you pay a fixed amount and you can eat and drink for two hours, we tried everything on the menu. I didn't drink much, but my partner did. I was a bit hungover. The food was really good, tasted like home. I definitely recommend it.

What a great find!!! Nice atmosphere, nice people, great food! The salmon excellent, the tuna good. The flan wonderful! Nice to have a good upscale restaurant in the neighborhood! Nicely priced also. The lunch express is an excellent deal

I go to brunch often enough to know a good value and great time The unlimited small plates to accompany unlimited margaritas was the best idea for my birthday brunch. Food was excellent but even more the staff was outstanding...they handled my 25 person party with grace and ease Thank you Maya!!

Portions were very small. A $24 mole shrimp special had 4 not very large shrimps. Service and Ambiance were good.

I'm not sure where to start, other than, this may have been one of the worst dining experiences that I've had in many, many years. We went here because we heard that Maya had the best Mexican food in NYC and the best Margaritas... and was a hip place to go. Unfortunately we picked Friday night at 7:00 to go here. We entered... and the bar on the right was blaring music like a NYC disco as the crowd yelled to be heard... and the two groups on the left were yelling at each other, so they could communicate with each other. We were seated directly behind one of the groups on the left with only a half wall barrier between us. Then behind us was a large group who were loudly (to be heard over the music and yelling) celebrating I have never been in a restaurant that took 'vibrant' to this level. The service is first class as Roberto was our server and took wonderful care of us the entire night. We started with La Prima white Herradura margis. which were the third best I've ever had (behind mine and Maria's in Santa Fe)... and some medium guac, which smooth and heated with some extra seranos... a nice touch. The chips were standard. OK - what I really came for were the smoked octopus tacos and that's what I ordered with a side of rice and beans. My wife went for the mushroom and mexi-corn tacos with avocado sauce. I love octopus and have had it in many places in the U S and Europe... and prepared many ways, but never smoked. The three tacos were delivered in a taco holder plate with what looked like store bought cookie cutter tortillas... which had some charred pieces of octopus sticking out with some pickled(?) onions and fried chick peas also. And there was some devilishly hot cream sauce on the side. I bite into the first taco and connect with 3 inch super charred tentacle that is kinda rubbery and can't be bitten through. So I had to hand pick from the taco shell into my mouth. And the additional pieces in this taco were equally rubbery, which I ate with a fork as I did the other two tacos. The not so charred pieces had to have been heavily brined as the octopus was unnaturally salty. Pure disappointment here. But... the beans and the rice were excellent. My wife's enchiladas were really good and had just the right seasoning to let the sweetness of the corn and the earthiness of the mushrooms blend. We washed our entrees down with a second round of Margis. By now we were beat to death with the vibes of the scene and sought our dessert somewhere in the peace and quiet of 1st Avenue's Friday night traffic. IF we were looking for a hip, chic bar scene, we'd go here. But, unfortunately we were looking for a dining experience. And I'm not sure whether the noise affected my taste buds or whether the octopus was really just ordinary.

This place earns as high as a '3' rating for 3 reasons only: its hostess, without whom we'd still be waiting for wait staff to so much as bring water, let alone take a drink order; an amazing spicy margarita, and finally, its pleasant attractive atmosphere. Other than that? The food was okay, in a bland way. The kitchen was out of all the seafood it claimed to have for its chili relleno appetizer (but no one said anything), and also doesn't really know what 'lump meat' crab is (that's not what was in my enchilada). Several desserts & even a beer were largely sold out, and by far and away our worst complaint? The waiter. He was surly, abrupt, inattentive, overcharged us and was clearly having a bad night. While I hate to see anyone have a bad night, we were there on a rare night out in Manhattan. We will not be back.

The food was great, service, was just okay. I was disappointed as I sat at the window and no-one asked me how my meal was, if I wanted another drink or anything. Had to walk up to the wait staff and ask for my bill.

Lunch options offered range of excellent choices. Each course was superb in presentation, proportion, and taste. Staff attentive and friendly. Recommend unequivocally.

I stayed overnight in NYC and found Maya. We went for dinner and drinks on a Sunday. Happy hour starts at 5 on Sunday and lasts all night. They have excellent drinks on their happy hour menu. I highly suggest the Maya Margarita. It is excellent. We had a couple of drinks at the bar and then sat for dinner. The food was excellent as was the chocolate tres leches dessert. I liked it so much that I returned the next day for drinks and tapas at the bar. Try the chicken tinga tacos. Great food, great service at the table and the bar. Prices are reasonable. I don't understand why it is listed as $$$. Highly recommended.

Our family of four adults decided to drop in for a quick dinner. Seeing yelp reviews- we didn't expect a super meal. Boy!!!! Were we wrong!!! Service was great! And the food was succulent and super flavorful! Staff was courteous and brought our food in a timely fashion. We ordered four different tacos- servings were three tacos but they gave us four tacos per order for just a minuscule extra charge. Shrimps, chicken, beef, and fish. Each set of tacos was better then the first! Very very tasty food! Devoured pretty fast 😜 Also ordered fresh guacamole - crunchy chips and delicious guac. Enjoyed this spot will be going back for sure!

My family has been to Maya before but not with two recent editions. We had a table for six in perhaps the noisiest part of the restaurant.with a constant stream of wait staff traveling back and forth. The saving was the fine Mexican food. Everyone at our table, old and young, like the appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We had two steak dishes. Both were interesting and flavorful. This dinner was a birthday dinner so the staff came out with a dessert and candle and sang Happy Birthday, whihc was happening at other places around the restaurant. I wodl continue to recommend maya for fine Mexican food. Interestingly, we discovered Maya on September 9, 2011 in San Francisco and learned then that they were opening a New York branch. Of course, two days later we had a much different memory of our San Francisco trip.

Very convenient for people who work around the hospitals and laboratories in the area. Staff is polite and attentive. Great vibe and ambiance.

We went to Maya for brunch to celebrate my son’s 21st Birthday. It was fantastic. Food was good and so as bottomless margaritas! Our server Carlos was very good and attentive. Food kept on coming until we said “not to bring anymore!” Lol

The all-you-can eat brunch is an incredible deal for unlimited food and drinks. The staff is great (although the music is a bit loud) and the location in the upper east side is convenient. I would highly recommend the fish tacos!

Loved this place! Margaritas were fabulous as was the guacamole, freshly made tortilla chips and fish tacos. Our waitress was great also. Would thoroughly recommend. Great value also!

After having eaten twice at Pampano which apparently belongs to the same owner, we had high expectations. The place was horribly noisy (loud music and loud people trying to talk above the music). The waitress was very rude, she did not explain the set price system, she disappeared without a word when we asked her to return in 5 minutes to decide if we wanted guacamole or not. We had to ask for it twice, to 2 different persons. Having paid for a fixed-price meal, we only received 2 small dishes, we were not asked if we wanted something else. The worst was yet to come. When my daughter asked if dessert was included, we were told there was only one choice of dessert, not fantastic: the waitress changed the plates but LEFT THE DIRTY CUTLERY from our meal for dessert. When we took knives and forks from an empty table, another waitress said we couldn't do that. I can't believe the level of bad service and mediocre food for good money.

Very cool place to meet up and have really good margaritas made from scratch. Guacamole was delicious. Tastes as good as my moms.

I would give this restaurant a 3.5, but rounded up out of generosity. The restaurant had a good ambience, but was too loud to carry on a conversation with the person across from me. It was like they had chosen a location with really good acoustics which is great for a concert, not so much for conversation in a restaurant. The traditional guacamole was good, not amazing. It needed a little more lime and salt. My husband got the shredded chicken enchilada. It was average tasting, not great, not terrible. It served it's purpose of providing nutrients. The Lobster shrimp yucatan, however was insanely delicious! It was just the right blend of spice, flavor, savor, and sweet.

Maya (modern Mexican) is a fantastic restaurant. Excellent quality food. Nice tequila selection too. I wish I have one back here in Rochester

Stopped in on a Saturday for a late lunch and the restaurant was very busy. We did get a table for 2 without reservations. Ordered chicken enchiladas and they were delicious. The bottomless brunch was going on when we were there (which looks like a fantastic value at $49.00 per person which includes drinks) so I was concerned that perhaps that was our only choice. However, the waiter informed us that we could order a la carte off of the brunch menu, which we did, as we only wanted a light meal. I had eaten at this restaurant one year ago for dinner and remembered it being very good, which is why we went back. It is a very, very lively crowd and the noise level is elevated. Although it is very busy, the servers are quick on their feet and work hard so the meal is timely!

Just over-priced for what you get. The food tasted nice but our entrees and sides just seemed very unsubstantial for the cost eg $9 for half a cob of corn. After spending a $100 we went home and needed to eat at home. Even for a fancy Mexican in 2024 that’s a bit disappointing. Service was fine but nothing out of the ordinary.

Went here with 6 friends for brunch one Saturday at 2 pm. Next time we will get there no later than 1 pm as we had to wait for a table the place was so packed. Once we sat down the drinks and food kept coming. Brunch is an amazing value $39.00 for all you can drink and eat plus tip. The food was amazing and the drinks were satisfying..

Just as a fellow reviewer said: it is just another ok Mexican Restaurant. The Margarita's were not up to standards, the tacos brought barely four or five small pieces of meat (boiled, and exactly the same meat offered in other selections such as Huarache) no sauce no nothing, tamale was small and awful! (I am sure it had been frozen for the longest time, it tasted stale - and they were hosting and Annual Tamale festival, imagine!). The only two good things we tried were the Guacamole with chicharron and the queso fundido with chorizo. Waiters were nice, service was within standards but the place was a bit noise. Again...just another ok Mexican Restaurant...