Maria Maria

The taco Tuesday special is disgusting, the meat tastes like it came out of a can and did not cone with any toppings other than lettuce. I would suggest ordering off the regular menu. The corn and chips were delicious

Not suprised at all that they closed — Let’s hope BJ’s does better in this location because all the past restaurants have bombed and shut down!

Kind of bummed to learn that this place just closed. I really liked this place for lunch and was disappointed that they got rid of their lunch specials.
Anyways, bummer that they are closed. This place had really good quality food.

Pros:
— The place is beautiful. Bar area is open and spacious.
Cons:
— The food was tasteless!
— Service providers were almost rude and had attitude problems for sure!
— Our waitress was serving to WAY TOO many tables at ones, so we had to wait 25 minutes to order drinks and appetizers. You don’t want to hear how long we waited for the entrees.
Over all not a pleasant experience AT ALL!!!
Never going back ever again!

We headed to Maria Maria for a bite to eat since we were in the area and I had a daily deal that was near expiration.
We ordered the following to share…
*Rolled Duck Tacos (filled with braised duck with a roasted tomato habanero cream sauce, onions, cilantro, & sesame seeds). These were more like enchiladas since they were soft and covered in sauce. These were really good! The sauce was flavorful and reminded me of pipian (a type of mole) and the tacos were filled with a lot of juicy shredded duck. The only problem is you only get 3 tacos since it’s an appetizer.
*Ceviche (Talapia with mangos, red onions, jicama, scallions, cilantro, avocado & mango sauce). This came highly recommended by our waiter, but I wouldn’t recommend it. All I could taste of the ceviche was the dried cilantro it was covered in.
*Tequila Shrimp Skillet: This was served with a side of pinto beans which really was the best part of this dish. They were flavored well with onion, tomato and a little bacon. The skillet was a bed of Spanish rice drowned in oil and topped with shrimp covered in cheese. I wouldn’t recommend ordering this either.
*Tortilla soup: This is basically a large bowl of tomato soup, which was okay.
I also ordered the Guava Sparkler (sparkling wine, guava purée, & Cointreau) which was a nice refreshing cocktail. The BF ordered the Tangerine Mohito which was okay.
I do like the remodel of the place compared to how it looked when it was prego. I really love their outside patio which is dog friendly BTW. Service was overall okay, since for some reason we were sat way in the back in the corner even though the place was empty. Our waiter would disappear for long periods just when we needed him for things like ordering or getting the check.
This place is part of a small chain inspired by Carlos Santana. So the BF asked me, «So you think Santana eats this food?» I responded with, «I don’t think so!»

I was so excited to try this place out after I got a discounted gift card worth $ 50 for only $ 25 from be my guest on Fox news. so I went on a Sunday night like at 6ish with no reservation and there was a wait of 20 minutes. It was fine, I just went to the bar while waiting for my table. The restaurant was pretty empty so the wait was only because they were understaffed. So at the bar there was happy hour and I got a house margarita, nothing fancy just pomegranate ($ 5).
The bar area was pretty spacious with not only the actual bar to sit at, but high tops and what looked like couches by the wall. There was also paintings on the walls that looked great (A+ on the décor).
We got called for our table after about 30 minutes and the nice hostess led us up the little steps to a tiny 2 seat table (I hate these tables because I love lots of space for my food. but I didn’t wanna wait any longer for another table so I decided not to say anything).
Shortly after the server came and took our order. happy hour prices do not go on here, only at the bar, so drinks were $ 10!!! Excuse me if I sound cheap, but oh my god, they are NOT worth that price! They are just regular ol’ cocktails!
So anyway, I got the carnitas plate that came with tortillas ($ 17.95), my bf got the chile relleno carnitas ($ 17.95), and we both got the guacamole with chips ($ 8.95).
Carnitas– they were honestly not the best. I definitely expected more for that price.
They were a little on the dry side and lacked some flavor. but with the salsa and tortillas, they manged to be edible.
chile relleno carnitas– carnitas themselves tasted just like that ^ and the chile was okay.
The beans and rice were also just okay, nothing great. Im personally not a fan of black beans and those are the ones that came with both dishes.
The guac– now this was sadly the best plate of the night. and this wasn’t even that great. I could really taste the lime in there.
The service was good but this place is definitely just hype and not worth the price. but ehhh, now at least I can say I tried it.

My second visit to Maria Maria — love the ambiance at night. Nice place to wind down and have a red sangria.
Service is great. Great for large groups or for a romantic date.

Boo. They changed their menu and the food has taken a total nose dive.
I came here with a group of co workers in April. I had ordered the steak and pinapple tacos and an order of the shrimp cheviche served in halved avocados. I had shared these with a coworker and it was so amazing, we ordered another round of the same items.
I came in again just a few days ago, and their menu had changed a few days prior to that. I was excited to see that my beloved ceviche and tacos were still on the menu! I ordered and waited in anticipation for my food to arrive.
The ceviche was not the same. It was served in a giant martini glass, with shredded lettuce occupying the bottom half of the glass. The ceviche was made from fish, and lacked acidity, salt, and therefore taste. No spicy kick to it, served with avocados.
My adobado steak and pineapple tacos arrived next. I took a giant bite hoping that my tastebuds would be avenged. The steak was practically burned. The meat had a charcoal taste and I left the remainder of my tacos on the plate. I left Maria Maria hungry and headed home for some taco bell.

Mexican cuisine… the service was great and the food was delicious. I had the Tortilla soup which was really tomato soup with tortilla soup ingredients and the suiza enchiladas which were also some type of hybrid meal because the sauce on them was more like red curry.
I came here with Shannon who had been here previously, before they changed their menu. She had ordered the ceviche which looks nothing like the ceviche they used to serve, in avocados.
All in all I liked their version of the dishes. I can’t say I’d like to go back because honestly I’d much rather go to El Torito and have something a little closer to traditional «Mexican» food.
«This Guy» says «It is what it is» while shrugging shoulders.

Pretty disappointing. I get excited when a new restaurant or bar opens up in Mission Valley, especially one close to my home. I’ve been to Maria Maria a few times. The first time was to grab some Margaritas before heading to a nearby cinema. I was impressed by the variety of Margaritas on the menu, though they were pretty pricey for the more interesting ones. The second time, I went for happy hour to catch up with friends and we stayed for a long time. The food was pretty good. I liked how little kids would get up and dance to the cover band in the bar area.
What really killed this place for me was the Cinco De Mayo celebration. We arrived, impressed by the setup… as there was a band inside and one outside, with bars set up in the courtyard. The place was crowded, but not totally packed… no reason for the service to be as bad as it was. First, they advertised their house margarita as a $ 7 special which was dumb because it was a Thursday and on Thursdays they advertise half-​off margaritas… and their «special» that night was their cheapest margarita at full price! Well, all of their other fancier margaritas were full price as well… so we obviously had a pricey bar tab that night. Anyway, we snagged a table in the bar so we could hear the cover band and grab a bite to eat with those margaritas. Even though we saw people busing the tables all around us, we sat with some other people’s trash on our table for at least 15 minutes with dry cups and empty stomachs trying to flag someone down… and like I said… the place was not that packed. Finally, my boyfriend went up to the hostess stand, where they agreed to send someone to clean our table, but said we had to order from the bar as there were no servers coming to the bar that day… seriously??? The last time, we ordered our whole meal from a server in the bar.
Well, order from the bar we did… just some chips, salsa, tortillas and ceviche. It tasted OK, but my poor boyfriend woke up with some serious stomach pains the next day… that will likely be our last time there!

This is the second time i’ve been here and I really love the food. The service is excellent– our waiter was attentive and refilled our glasses, chips, anything we needed. Since it was a Friday, they have a live band playing some mainstream music with a few familiar oldies. Maybe I was hungry, but everything tasted so wonderful-​from the chips/​salsa, to my ceviche and bacon covered shrimp.

/​sings
«MA-​RI-​A .MA-​RI-​AAAAA.»
My work farewell luncheon ! /​tear
I don’t know if Carlos Santana really had much of an influence on this place! From the front exterior to the interior and even straight to the restrooms, I was diggin’ Maria’s’ style. It was quite inviting as if I just entered someone’s humble abode !
You can’t miss the bar since it is right near the entrance. You immediately notice the warm and rich color tones throughout ! High-​vaulted ceilings, a touch of western feel with dark wooden touches, and a mix of modern contemporary mexican flair ! /​insert imagination here
Is this what they call Mexican fusion ambiance ?! This ain’t no El Torito that’s for sure. No rainbow BRIGHT colors or crazy art pieces, pinatas, or wild décor hanging from the ceiling. It’s more low key and dare I say ‘high-​end sophisticated.’ I admit, I was pretty impressed.
Our waiter was quick to seat us. Long rectangular tables with booth-​type seats on one side and chairs on the other. Great for a large group and I love booth seats. Extra cushion for the booty never hurt. :)
I couldn’t help but notice the intricate details. Candles scattered along a barricade, vine-​like wall. Wow. I kinda wanted to climb it. I can also see myself having a romantical dinner here ! Dim lighting and an intimate setting. Yup. It has that potential.
Our waiter was very enthusiastic throughout the service. He mentioned the best time to come is on Tuesday nights where HH and karaōke are poppin’ ! I might have to come back just for that !
I was craving SANGRIA, but opted for iced tea instead. I know, but I was driving. The menu isn’t too extensive and it has plenty of versatility when it comes to mexican fushion with a tad of flair ! Nothing too outrageous and everyone was pretty confident in what to order.
Complimentary chips and salsa were immediately served and instantly devoured by our group of 7. Ooh ! Free refills too ! Almost to the point that some were already quite full from it alone. The green salsa verde was a strange concoction. Someone mentioned it having a ‘grassy’ taste with a bit of KICK ! Wha? HOT GRASS ??? Ha ! Interesting flavor. Anywho. I like my ‘greens.‘
Quick service. We all ordered from the lunch special. Choose any of the pre-​selected entrees with a choice of salad or soup for an additional $ 2. Not bad.
Downside? Not much selection for vegetarians/​vegans (That’s me!)
Upside ??? They are willing to accomodate and opt out and/​or substitute certain ingredients from your order. YAY ! My waiter was kind enough to personally ask the chef and they were more than happy to. He also mentioned that they can alter any of the dishes upon request. SCORE ! I
I also had the side of mixed green salad. It had a nice tangy, citrus vinaigrette with avocado (one slice though), carrots, and a few tiny pieces of fruit, which I could not distinguish. It was good nonetheless. I liked how it wasn’t doused with so much’ dressing. Light and FULL of flavor ! Nomilicious !
The Chile Relleno was superb ! Ancho chiles stuffed with roasted poblanos and zucchini, red onions and potatoes served with roasted tomato chipotle sauce. Bold FLAVORS and I can tell they love to spice up their dishes ! I enjoyed the added heat !
Wish there was some live music in the background, but considering it was lunchtime, I guess the PARTY doesn’t happen until the later hours !
‘Maria Maria’…I like the catchy song, but overall it was just A-​Ok. I am willing to give it another chance though. That sangria is still calling my name. =O

Loved it!
Everything that I put into my mouth was YUMMY!!!
The green salsa is HOT but good!
My mushroom and peppers enchilada was so uniquely good.
The beef and pineapple taco I tasted off my friends plate made a few of us pause because of it’s intensely wonderful flavor.
Even my side garden salad was a amazing with it’s lemony yummo dressing…
And dessert. I didn’t want dessert, but so glad our friend made us share… mousse with a kick… ginger bite and everything nice.
Try it!
Once we get our warm San Diego nights back, I will be back with my friends to try out the fire pit!

I wanted to get Mexican food that isn’t just say… a taco shop! This town has enough taco shops, I wanted good food, with some attempt at presentation. I’m not sure if this is a chain, I’m sure this is not the only one, but besides that, the food was good as well as the presentation that isn’t pretentious enough to charge outrages prices.
I’m giving this five stars because the food and customer service was stellar. I went during happy hour, the bartender hooked me up with some sangria to try, good stuff. Good happy hour food menu, mostly just appetizers, and a couple entrée’s. The décor was modern, playing some good tunes, of course I don’t think a restaurant marketed by Los would play boring music. They have live music on weekends. Cool place, good food/​customer service.

Spacious patio and dining/​bar areas, but the service was lacking this evening.
There was only one bartender working this evening who not only served the alcohol for the bar itself, but for everyone else out in the dining spaces. I thought by sitting at the bar that I would get a better and speedy service, but it was just him doing the job, so the average wait time was about 10 minutes for a drink… and it wasn’t even a packed nite. It’s not his fault that management failed to provide more servers. The bartender also mentioned that it was his first time working during half off mojitos nite. Good call… management!
He was very apologetic since he was running behind on his services and he honestly did his best, but that didn’t correct the issue for a busy MNF game and half off on mojitos night. The lack of help only exacerbated as piles and piles of empty plates surrounded me at the bar area. The bar was sticky too.
But other than that, its a great venue for music with their indoor stage and the patio can be setup for big events… ie such as the SDAFF opening nite. (it was a better experience on that evening) Not so much on this random Monday nite.
I tried their chicharonnes tacos… ahhh how cute… it almost looks like a real street taco. being petite and all.
Tangerine mojito — very refreshing, the mints,\ doesn’t overpower the tangerine flavor.
At one point I overheard the bartender ask the manager lady if they had any more tangerines in the back. Her response «No, just use oranges… they ain’t gonna tell the difference. ha»
And I was like woh! Thats cool they try to deceive people. —- That’s me being sarcastic btw… tsk tsk to the manager lady.
TANGERINES ==/​== ORANGES
Anyhoo, it’s still a decent place for happy hour… the bartender extended a little for me since he was running behind. so I’ll give him that credit. Not sure if I would come back now, now that I know the shady business the manager lady represents.

My belief that everything happens for a reason was underscored the day Julius & I were leaving a rather disappointing dining experience at All-​American Grill. We happened to stumble across Maria Maria, musician Carlos Santana’s eclectic Mexican restaurant, purely by accident as we drove out of the Hazard Center in Mission Valley. Maria Maria looked so festive and fun that we decided to go there during happy hour with friends that Friday.
The restaurant is expansive, with a nice outdoor patio and a dining area inside complete with a bar and stage. It was also very tastefully decorated with fine art– not a paper mache parrot or beer bottle chandelier in sight! Our waiter was really friendly and attentive, but pretty deaf. Granted, there was music blaring in the background, but whenever he repeated our order back to us, we’d look at each other like, WTF? Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?
I started the evening with a Maria Maria margarita, and my girlfriend ordered a Sangria. The libations were so delicious it was scary– we knew we were going to be in for it! The complimentary chips and three kinds of salsas kept magically appearing on the table, which kept my appetite at bay. So I opted to share a yummy dish with my sister-​in-​law — a very untraditional chile relleno. It wasn’t smothered in cheese or sauce, I would describe it as «naked». As the drinks kept flowing, and conversations got rowdier (tequila tends to do that!), I sampled everyone else’s dinners. My brother-​in-​law ordered a melt-​in-​your-​mouth short rib dish with a rich mole sauce. My girlfriends ordered variations of seafood salsas nicely presented in hollowed avocados. The menu is definitely a step up from an El Torito’s or On the Border, for a reasonable price.
Our party of six were seated right in front of the stage, and later on that evening, we were treated to a solo entertainer with an empty tip jar in front of him. I kept hinting at everyone to give the poor guy a tip, but he never seemed to impress! I recommend sitting inside the lounge area if you want to enjoy the festive ambience, but if you prefer more intimacy and conversations that you can actually hear, try the outdoor patio. I think that’s where Julius & I will head to next time.

Nice job taking the site from a boring, overpriced Italian joint that nobody went to, to a buzzing Nouveau Mexican restaurant with an interesting menu.
As some people have mentioned, the décor is pretty cool. The restaurant has a large outdoor patio with big firepits that should be our go-​to happy hour location for the summer. There’s lots of room and a few of the pits are so large they can accommodate a big party.
The margaritas are REALLY good. No crappy mix here, they use real agave nectar and fresh orange and lime juice for their mix.
The free chips and salsa come with 3 different dips with super cool ingredients that I can’t pronounce let alone spell them in a review. (some sort of crazy chilis)
The food was good… didn’t blow me away but it is different and innovative and to be fair I need to come back and try more items. Everything was fresh and well cooked.
They have happy hour specials daily and I believe all day Thursdays margaritas are $ 2 off!

First time here and will definitely be back again in the near future. The décor has a warm contemporary feel and plenty of space between the tables & bar.
This is Mexican food with a fine dining twist. The food was delicious as well as good to look at. Even at it’s busiest hour, there was no pressure to pay up and clear out.
Waiting for my order, we were served warm tortilla chips to snack on with a choice of pico de gallo, chipotle (smokey salsa) and salsa verde (green salsa)…
I ordered the Grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos: grilled marinated Mahi-​Mahi, shredded lettuce and cabbage, pico de gallo, chipotle cream sauce. I love a grilled fish taco and there are few places here that make them. the fish portions were just right. perfectly marinated, not at all fishy or over seasoned.
Don’t forget to try a margarita or two, they offer All Day Happy Hour (all day– at the bar only) & ½ price margaritas on Thursday from 4 p.m. til close (live music in the evening)!
Jessica, our server was great & had suggested the Margarita Sangria, made with El Jimador Tequila and their signature sangria. I’ve been to few Spanish themed restaurants and this by far was the best cocktail I had in a long time.
Topped the night with their Old-​fashioned caramel flan served with mixed berry compote and coffee.
Next time I’m thinking of taking the girls here & try more cocktails outside by the fire-​pits, not forgetting the chips and salsa of course!
If you are on a tight budget, want a light bite or just want to sample what this place has to offer. I suggest you pop in for their Lunch Time Specials!

My brother called me and asked me to join him in trying out his place. It’s supposed to be inspired or co-​owned with Carlos Santana, so we thought trendy, cool. We got exactly that! It is a trendy, cool place, friendly atmosphere~
Here are the pro’s and Con’s (hence 3 ‘s)
Drinks 1 good to look @ & super yummy
Service 1 Very attentive
Appetizer & Atmosphere 1 Sooo good (baked cheese) the place is super cute! it has a great outdoor area with fire area, lounge, great for some late night drinks.
Main course — 1 (surf & turf) the steak sucked! It had a lot of fat, extra chewy (like freezer burn) looked nice but not so great. I didn’t eat it. I also asked for it well done and it was just charred on the outside and red on the inside.
— 1 Chips were served before the meal and although the 3 salsa’s were pretty good the chips themselves were stale like left out to long. they should be done fresh! it takes 2 minutes to put in frier. Items on menu are a little overpriced, you can get most of this food at a local taco shop.
Overall I would come to this place again, not my favorite choice but a pretty OK one.

Amazing. Period. I walked over on a whim, curious what had replaced the debunked Pregos only to find the best new restaurant I’ve experienced in San Diego. Parking wasn’t an issue as I walked, though even if I hadn’t the valets seemed quite helpful. Walking in the courtyard relieved some very comfortable outdoor dining, not to packed, more outdoor lounge-​ish almost on par with Lei but closer to Bing’s patio. Maybe 8 or 12 tables, very chill, comfortable was the reoccurring theme I kept running into while searching for a description. The dark brown/​black furniture stands out nicely against the white washed walls of the restaurant and patio walls perforated with wrought iron accented window boxes.
Luckily I had a reservation as those ahead of me were relegated to the lounge (which is actually a really nice roomy area with a live musician). Reservation at 5:30 pretty much indicating it’s a fairly hopping place, no? Walking past the hostess to the formal dining room I was immediately struck by how open, quiet, comfortable, and genuinely restrained the design is. The color palate is very mellow, punctuated at even intervals by murals and photos of murals and interrupted by the most intriguing wrought-​iron trees supporting subtle lights acting as room dividers. Very nice. The seating was, as you’d expect in a comfortable environment, comfortable: D.
Our waiter was almost immediately at our table, I started with the Maria margarita, and began to decimate the plentiful chips and most delicious mild smoked salsa (one of three very varied options they delivered to the table).
Another waiter took our order, equally as professional and intent as the first, I selected the crab and shrimp enchiladas. At this point I’m very impressed with the experience. The salsa’s better than I’ve had really at any mexican restaurant in sd — the smoked mild option just so darn unique, the margarita almost totaled in a matter of a few minutes — so adroitly mixed, the service professional, warm, and the most attentive I’ve ever had at a restaurant this reasonably priced… and so ad-​hoc the way any of the wait staff addresses your concerns, and the environment, open, comfortable, lively but not loud, really the perfect experience all around.
Dinner arrived and I hafta say I was very impressed. Portions are perfect, presentation is beyond what I’ve ever seen at a Mexican restaurant, and the taste… oh the taste! The enchiladas tasted supremely of shrimp, crab and tinges of the pumpkin nuances from the sauce around the plate. Note the lack of rice or been filler. Nothing but pure, concise, fresh taste. Remarkable really. By this point I’d moved on to another margarita who’s name escapes me at this moment though it was likewise perfectly prepared.
For dessert I ordered the mouse (fantastic) and sampled the lime pie (also fantastic, lime not overwhelming, texture fantastic).
The dinner ended up totaling a hair over $ 100 for three entrees, six drinks and two desserts. Given the quality of service, stunningly competent staff, wonderfully comfortable ambiance, and truly outstanding food I cannot help but insist everyone check this place out. No longer will you be relegated to Poncies or Gringos… plus this place is even more chill and upscale than the latter… I’ve not been this pleasantly surprised by a new place since… ever in SD… such an open delightful floor-​plan too: D