Mexicana Mama

(212) 924-4119

525 Hudson St (nr. Charles St.)
New York, NY 10014 40.734 -74.0064

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown

NYMAG.COM/LISTINGS/RESTAURANT…

Hours:

Tue-Sun: 12pm-11pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

Cash

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Food Delivery, Dine At The Bar

Cuisine:

Mexican

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Mexicana Mama

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The space is tiny, with a counter against one wall and a row of tables against the other. The ensuing bottlenecks and cramped feeling, sadly, detract from what is otherwise a lovely experience. The decor is casual and festive, but most of the visual interest lies in the open kitchen, which takes up half the room. A maneuver past the grill is required to get to the bathroom. – – The Food – Density of taste is key here. Every dish reveals several richly layered flavors, each distinct but complementary. Tender grilled meats, a variety of chiles, tart…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
It's a squeeze to get in, and they don't take reservations, so be prepared to wait at all but the most offpeak hours.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Extremely small, it doesn't have much room to be creative in the kitchen or provide comfortable dine-in seating.”
  2. “Amazing food, cozy atmosphere and aaaaaamazing salsa.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “And I love the guacomole, the marguaritas, the salads, the fish, and it's a treat when they have that Baked apple dessert special.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “yummy drinks-- but small portions that cost too much!”
food quality
94.70999717712402% positive
  1. “The meat specials are consistently juicy and flavorful and the portions are generous across the menu.”
  2. “My chicken special was tasty after scraping the poblano chile sauce that was zestily poured over it, obliterating all the other flavors initially described by our waitress.”
  3. “Worth paying the slightly high price (but certainly far less than Radio Mexico who also serve great Mexican food).”
  4. “tacos were not flavorful at ALL.”
  5. “The food and service were great.”
  6. “My girlfriend and I have tried several of the top rated Mexican restaurants in NYC and Mexciana Mama clearly has the best tasting food as well as the most reasonable prices(we have since been to MM dozens of times).”
  7. “agree with other members, the food is good.”
  8. “That's just one example of the unique traditional Mexican flavors that the delicious menu boasts.”
  9. “About 2 yrs after moving from L.A. I was still searching this city for decent Mexican food.”
  10. “LOVE the food here.”
  11. “And I love the guacomole, the marguaritas, the salads, the fish, and it's a treat when they have that Baked apple dessert special.”
  12. “It did feature fresh grilled veggies in it, but just really didn't have a lot of flavor--a big disappointment for mole lovers.”
  13. “The BEST salsa in NYC.”
  14. “yummy drinks-- but small portions that cost too much!”
  15. “The chile relleno had very fresh ingredients, but it was nothing special.”
  16. “But the other food looks equally as brilliant.”
  17. “The salsa was great!”
  18. “love mexican food and this place is the best!”
  19. “This place is consistently delicious!”
  20. “The chicken didn't have any of the very unique flavor of mole.”
  21. “The food is great, the salsa is awesome, even the guacamole is great (but I still have a problem paying +$8 for a bowl of guac when its only $2 in Tx).”
  22. “The food here is pretty good overall and the service was great- but the space is SO cramped.”
  23. “Specials are great and the mole sauce is the best I've had in a while.”
  24. “The food was great.”
  25. “The food and the service have always been outstanding.”
  26. “The chicken mole quesadillas are the best!”
  27. “While I liked my chicken mole burrito enough-- it was nothing to write home about.”
  28. “Fantastic food with some delightful creativty.”
  29. “I'm a regular and have never had a bad meal.”
  30. “This hole in the wall in the west village prides itself in the best guacomole in town and the best mexican by far, well, if you enjoy very spicy food in small portions, and want to sit on uncomfortable seats, it is the place for you!”
  31. “Good food, poor service”
  32. “The food was too spicy to taste, it seemed good, the margaritas were good too!”
  33. “The menu is very good, but the best dishes are the specials.”
  34. “The salsa is extraordinary and they make the best mole I have ever tasted.”
  35. “The mole sauce was FANTASTIC - very sweet.”
  36. “Although the tiny space is crowded and hot (you will be dining with strangers) the food is exceptional and a great value.”
  37. “that the waiting is horrific but the food is great.”
  38. “this is a great little place for a great meal.”
  39. “the chicken breast dishes were well prepared, and the rib-eye skewer special was great (after being sent back once for a little more cooking.)”
  40. “not very strong on amenities, however, i love the idea that you can get a great meal for a reasonable price in one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city.”
  41. “Coming across Mexicana Mama made me realize I had no clue about what was decent Mexican food.”
  42. “So what if the food was decent who can enjoy their meal when the staff tries to take your plate a million times before your even finished?”
  43. “The variety of sauces on each plate makes for consistently tasty combinations, and the salsas are dynamite!”
  44. “anyone who cannot tolerate waits, small places or good food PLEASE STAY UPTOWN.”
  45. “Amazing food, cozy atmosphere and aaaaaamazing salsa.”
  46. “This place offers excellent food from a limited menu.”
  47. “The margaritas were very fresh, but quite tart, and aren't very potent.”
  48. “The food was great, but almost everyone I interacted with at this restaurant was rude.”
  49. “I've never had a soup, chicken, or fish of the day I didn't really enjoy and the margaritas are really yummy.”
  50. “Sometimes the great taste of the food makes me weepy for my grandmother.”
  51. “The food is good, but not good enough to support such rude service.”
  52. “This is one of the best authentic Mexican places in the city and it is worth the wait!”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Everything on the menu is awesome.”
  2. “The menu is very good, but the best dishes are the specials.”
  3. “This place offers excellent food from a limited menu.”
  4. “The variety of sauces on each plate makes for consistently tasty combinations, and the salsas are dynamite!”
  5. “That's just one example of the unique traditional Mexican flavors that the delicious menu boasts.”
  6. “The meat specials are consistently juicy and flavorful and the portions are generous across the menu.”
overall
87.5% positive
  1. “this is a great little place for a great meal.”
  2. “This hole in the wall in the west village prides itself in the best guacomole in town and the best mexican by far, well, if you enjoy very spicy food in small portions, and want to sit on uncomfortable seats, it is the place for you!”
service
90.27999877929688% positive
  1. “Well worth the tight squeeze, and the service has always been attentive and friendly.”
  2. “So what if the food was decent who can enjoy their meal when the staff tries to take your plate a million times before your even finished?”
  3. “The food here is pretty good overall and the service was great- but the space is SO cramped.”
  4. “My chicken special was tasty after scraping the poblano chile sauce that was zestily poured over it, obliterating all the other flavors initially described by our waitress.”
  5. “Their specials and salsas are wonderful and the care taken with presentation, service, and exceptional quality of ingredients is wonderful.”
  6. “Good food, poor service”
  7. “will definitely not be returning the so so mexican fare is not worth enduring the cramped space and the "delightful" staff.”
  8. “The food and service were great.”
  9. “The food is good, but not good enough to support such rude service.”
  10. “staff was pleasant and cute.”
  11. “The food was great, but almost everyone I interacted with at this restaurant was rude.”
  12. “The food and the service have always been outstanding.”
value
97.7299976348877% positive
  1. “Worth paying the slightly high price (but certainly far less than Radio Mexico who also serve great Mexican food).”
  2. “This hole in the wall in the west village prides itself in the best guacomole in town and the best mexican by far, well, if you enjoy very spicy food in small portions, and want to sit on uncomfortable seats, it is the place for you!”
  3. “My girlfriend and I have tried several of the top rated Mexican restaurants in NYC and Mexciana Mama clearly has the best tasting food as well as the most reasonable prices(we have since been to MM dozens of times).”
  4. “Well worth the tight squeeze, and the service has always been attentive and friendly.”
  5. “yummy drinks-- but small portions that cost too much!”
  6. “Although the tiny space is crowded and hot (you will be dining with strangers) the food is exceptional and a great value.”
  7. “not very strong on amenities, however, i love the idea that you can get a great meal for a reasonable price in one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city.”
  8. “The meat specials are consistently juicy and flavorful and the portions are generous across the menu.”
  9. “will definitely not be returning the so so mexican fare is not worth enduring the cramped space and the "delightful" staff.”
  10. “If you want to spend money to eat in a hurry while they hover over you, then you will love this place.”
  11. “This is one of the best authentic Mexican places in the city and it is worth the wait!”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/23/10

New Favorite

by bhood02

I stumbled upon Mexicana Mama a few weeks ago and boy am I glad I did! The decor is cute and fun and the staff was really helpful.

I had a lot of questions about the menu, because I don't like anything super spicy, but the waitress very patiently helped me navigate the menu. I ordered guacamole and chips which was so fresh, and the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas were cheesy and delicious and the portion was very big, so I even had leftovers. I also ordered a ginger margarita that was so amazing I had a 2nd one for dessert!

I will definitely go back to Mexicana Mama soon! It seems like a great little spot for a fast lunch or a fun dinner with a friend. The space is really small so I probably wouldn't go with too large a group.

1 Star Rating: Poor

06/14/08

DONT DO IT! WASTE OF MONEY! SHOE BOX BAD FOOD!!!!

by victorianyc

IM A MEXICAN GIRL FROM TEXAS AND THIS PLACE WAS SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY!!!

MY BOYFRIEND AND I SPENT $120.00 AND LEFT FELLING FULL OF CHIPS BECAUSE OUR PLATES WERE SO SMALL WE FILLED UP ON CHIPS! I DONT KNOW WHAT PART OF MEXICO THEY GET THE RECIPES FROM BUT MEXICAN RICE SHOULD NOT BE HARD!!! IT WAS WAY TO CRAMPED I HATE PEOPLES BUTTS BY MY PLATE OF HARD RICE WHEN TRYING TO SCOOT BUY TO SIT!!! OVER ALL IT WAS OVER RATED & WAY OVER PRICED!!! BETTER FOOD AT TACO BELL!!!LOL THE OWNER SHOULD TAKE A TRIP TO MEXICO BETTER YET INVITE REAL MEXICANS TO EAT AT THERE SHOE BOX AND GET THERE REVIEWS!!! 2 THUMBS WAY DOWN!!

  • Pros: THE ROACHEES HAVE FOOD TO EAT OFF THE FLOOR!
  • Cons: THE ROACHEES WONT FIT IN THE PLACE!LOL
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/19/08

My favorite!

by jcplaywright

I LOVE the food here. The Cheese Chili Rellenos is amazing! And I love the guacomole, the marguaritas, the salads, the fish, and it's a treat when they have that Baked apple dessert special. The service, the ambience, it's always really friendly and neighborly.

  • Pros: Yum!
  • Cons: Crowded - go early (or late) and best with just 2 to be seated
3 Star Rating: Average

11/28/07

Way to average for the amount of subway transfers

by kalmnyc

This "very" west village Mexican eatery, has the charm but the food doesn't back it up.

We started with the guacamole, which was pretty good--though it lacked the at table preparation that is in style right now. The margaritas were very fresh, but quite tart, and aren't very potent.

For the main course, we had chile relleno and the chicken mole burrito. The chicken didn't have any of the very unique flavor of mole. It did feature fresh grilled veggies in it, but just really didn't have a lot of flavor--a big disappointment for mole lovers. The chile relleno had very fresh ingredients, but it was nothing special.

Overall, Mexicana Mama was very forgettable--just another Mexican restaurant that doesn't seem to find much inspiration in classic dishes.

  • Pros: Not crowded on a Wednesday Night
  • Cons: Too many other good places nearby
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/29/07

SMALL and EXPENSIVE

by maddeline

The food here is pretty good overall and the service was great- but the space is SO cramped.. and the bathroom is scary.

yummy drinks-- but small portions that cost too much!

  • Pros: Drinks
  • Cons: Space

The Details on Mexicana Mama

Place Categories:

  • great mexican food
  • love little place
  • very fresh their margaritas
  • great service
  • great meat specials
  • great aaaaaamazing salsa
  • great guacamole
  • great meal
  • delightful staff
  • most reasonable price
  • bad food
  • delicious menu
  • authentic mexican places
  • attentive well
  • fantastic mole sauce
  • love guacomole
  • great reasonable mexiacn
  • great value
  • best margs
  • enjoyed everyone
  • best chicken mole quesadillas
  • always enjoyed burritos
  • very fresh ingredients
  • tasty chicken special
  • happy songs

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

New York

Advertisement

Lists In Manhattan

Recent Reviews In Manhattan

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Curry Dream

66 W. 39th St, New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Libation

137 Ludlow St., New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Blackstones Pub & Restaurant

245 E 55th St, New York, NY

1 Star Rating: Poor

Garage Restaurant and Cafe

99 7th Avenue South, New York, NY

Advertisement