Mazunte

A little disappointed with this place. The style of this place is: order at the counter, then find a place to sit. I’ve never had a problem with this format, but it doesn’t work well at Mazunte, simply because they are too busy. First, you are not allowed to sit down until after you order. I understand the logic, it’s just a bit peculiar that it’s actually a rule. Second, after we ordered, there was nowhere to sit. We had to wait about 10 minutes for another table to leave. The staff does not assist you at all in the process of finding a seat. I think the restaurant might be better off switching to a classic «be seated and then order» type of format. I’m not sure if they have a to-​go option (like Chipotle); it was not offered to us.
The food was okay. I ordered the steak, chicken, and chorizo tacos, and my boyfriend ordered the beer battered fish tacos with a side of queso. The steak and chicken tacos immediately fell apart when I picked them up ! I had to eat them with a fork. The tortillas they use are very weak. My boyfriend loved his fish tacos!
My biggest problem was with their «chips.» I hesitate to call them chips, because they’re whole tortillas that have been fried and placed in a paper basket. You must break them apart yourself. Not a problem, just different. My only problem with the chips is that they’re SUPER greasy. It’s almost as if they don’t get drained, so they retain an incredible amount of oil. After leaving Mazunte, I felt sick to my stomach. I imagine it was because of the amount of grease I ingested with the chips. The queso was pretty decent. Nothing good or bad to say about it!
Overall, this place isn’t bad, but I probably wouldn’t go back.

So good. Tons of flavor. My favorite was the pork tacos. The guacamole is perfect and fresh. I just wish it was bigger!!! It’s so good and the word is getting out. Happy for them but sad for me. Best taco place in Cincinnati!

I absolutely love this place! Just thinking of coming here makes my mouth salivate for the chorizo. Just the right amount of spice and flavor and paired with the most complimentary toppings. My favorite is the tacos dorados (chicken) and the memilitas or tostadas with chorizo. You get a ton of food for the price and can always eat and have leftovers if you want to continue the flavorful experience the next day :)
There is always a line but it typically moves fast and most of the time they try to help facilitate the wait and space for tables. (But if you’re not into waiting just do take out… Definitely worth the wait). The grilled corn is also an amazing appetizer/​side if you go when in season. It’s their style of street corn. The chips they use for the salsa bar are homemade and delicious. They’re greasy but totally worth the calories. And as you’d expect from all Mexican restaurants, they’re margaritas are refreshing and totally worth a try. My friends and I enjoy coming here whenever we can for some authentic flavors.

Margaritas are yummy not too sweet and pack a nice punch. Fish tacos to die for, love the fresh chips and salsa to top it all off, great place for lunch with friends.

Love this place! The food is great and once you order it comes out quickly, even though it typically looks crowded I’ve never had a problem getting a table, my only wishes are that they would stay open later on weekends and move to a bigger location to accommodate their growing business! I highly recommend coming here!

Mazunte? More like MazunTASTY!
Sorry, I tried.
For real, though. this place is officially my favorite Mexican restaurant in town. Their food is delicious, I love the entire vibe and décor going on throughout, everyone is so nice, and their drinks are the bomb. If margaritas and sangria aren’t your thing, get the horchata or the jamaica tea (hibiscus tea)… SO. GOOD. The tacos are super flavorful and fresh and come in orders of 3, reasonably priced. The skirt steak tacos are where it’s at. but I also love the Pazole, which is a Mexican beef stew. SO. FREAKING. GOOD. Their fried tortilla chips & salsa bar also must be had.
If you haven’t been here yet, please do so soon. This place is great for bringing friends and for warm weather; they’ve got a decent sized patio that’s also dog-​friendly.

Tacos are incredible, prices are great, people are extremely helpful. But seating is limited, as are the hours and it’s pretty pointless to attempt getting a second beer due to their Chipotle-​like line system.
BUT THE FOOD IS AMAZING, and worth the the small headaches. They have a separate chip station as well with some stellar sauces.

The ambiance and food was great. I had the tacos and Pozole soup both were flavorful.

Wowza. My husband and I dropped in for dinner last night, and we were both incredibly impressed.
The line was quick, so we scrambled to decide what to order, because everything sounded delicious.
We both settled on fish tacos, shared queso, and the chips/​salsa bar.
While I plan on making this place a staple in my rotation of restaurants, I really want to find the «magic» time where they aren’t busy (if that exists) because it was pretty overwhelming seeing how packed they were, and tables were scarce.
It’s definitely not the place to go if you want a romantic night out, but if you want fast, affordable, and fresh noms, I’d say it should be at the top of your list.
The food came within 10 minutes, which was actually kind of sad, because we didn’t get to savor the salsa bar. (Dammit)
My only regret? Not getting a margarita or sangria. It’s a self-​serve station, and I didn’t trust myself to follow their «honor system» of only going up once.
We’ll be back, though. Oh, yes, we’ll be back.

I read up before we moved back to Ohio, and so I couldn’t wait to eat here. Met a friend on a Thursday after the lunch rush. You order at the counter, take a seat, and they bring your food. The chips we got were just whole fried tortillas (and very greasy – not drained). The salsas from the bar were like heaven, though. So daggone hot and savory. I ordered tostadas, one chicken and one chorizo. Chicken was good, though very salty. Chorizo was so loaded and greasy that I couldn’t eat much of it. A little chorizo goes a very long way. All the fixings on the tostada were good, and fresh. I ordered two chicken tamales to go, with mole sauce. That mole sauce was freaking amazing. The tamales had very little chicken, but were tasty. So overall, I would go back if I were in the area, especially for the salsas and mole. But I wouldn’t make a special trip.

One of my favorite restaurants in Cincy. Came tonight for a girls night and wasn’t let down. We got to sit outside on their awesome patio and enjoy sangrias! We went at 6pm and got a table quickly. Ordering wasn’t too bad (definitely my most Unfavorite part of the process considering you have to wait in line) but we got our food within 15 minutes so it was great! Perfect sunny start to our summer.
I ordered the veggie tostadas and man do they never let me down. So crunchy-​healthy-​filling– and flavorful! They load on the zucchini/​beans/​rice/​lettuce/​onion among others. The flavor is jam packed I’m telling you! And that’s without the meat!
If you go– always get the chips and dips. The quest is to die for and so is their guac. You really can’t go wrong here! And their tortillas are handmade in house so their chips are hot of the press. So delicious. My mouth is watering again just thinking about it! I can’t wait to come here again and again this summer.

After coming back to Mazunte many times to try everything on their menu, I think I have to lower my rating to 4 stars. Is it just me, or does everything on the menu taste the same? They use the same red and green salsas on almost everything, and the meats are the same but in different formats. So every time I go there I feel like I’m eating the same thing (not that that’s really all that bad because I like what I’m eating!).
I still really like their steak tacos and their grilled corn when it’s served. The rest of their tacos are nothing to write home about. The enchiladas and the empanadas are also pretty good. The guac is very tasty, and I like the salsa bar. I don’t think their margaritas or sangria are very good, so I stick with beer, which they have lots of local options of, including Rhinegeist and Madtree. This place is usually a crowd-​pleaser so I like to bring friends here when we don’t know where to go. The biggest issue is the size of the restaurant… They’re so small and the wait for tables and food is a little ridiculous. I definitely would not recommend for groups larger than 4 people. They have outdoor seating which helps when weather permits, but it can get overly packed in the winter. Closed on Sundays.

I was pleased to see on my visit to Mazunte today that they now have little signs for each table’s order so that the correct food is delivered to your table. This place is great, I love the salsa bar and all the food. I always stop here when I’m driving through Cincinnati!

This place is one of my absolute favorites. The only reason for having 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the seating and how absolutely packed it can get, so maybe it’s more like 4.5.
I have to mention that as someone who must eat gluten free (celiac), this is one of my favorite places to dine safely. There’s very little (if anything) with gluten, so I have almost no worry about ever being served the wrong thing or something that has been contaminated. When they had a tent at Bunbury last year, I ate there multiple times because I knew it wold be safe for me. Plus, it’s really good, so I would have eaten there anyway!
Besides all that, the flavors in every dish are remarkable. Nothing bland here! Even if you aren’t a fan of spicy food, there’s still plenty of items packed with flavor. I love the variety of salsas they offer, the unique and authentic menu, homemade horchata, variety of local beers, sangria and margaritas all on offer (along with soda and water of course). Definitely check this place out if you haven’t been. SO GOOD! We’ll keep coming back time and again for the great food and good service.

I bookmarked Mazunte on Unilocal several months ago and was looking forward to the opportunity to visit. Since we were in Norwood this afternoon, the timing was perfect.
What I liked most:
1) The pork enchiladas: Paul ordered them, so I only had a small bite, but they were very good.
2) The salsa picante: It had a nice kick to it.
3) Friendly service: The guy who took our order explained where to get the chips, which is evidently a major cause of confusion based on other reviews.
4) The diverse crowd: Self-​explanatory.
What I liked least:
1) The salsa verde: It tasted only of lime.
2) The overly loud music: It’s was difficult to hear and be heard.
What was okay:
1) The blue corn quesadilla with chorizo: It would have been much better with less crema. The crema overpowered everything else, including the chorizo.
2) The guacamole: It was fine but nothing to write home about. It doesn’t even come close to Bakersfield’s guacamole.
If I could do half stars, my rating would be 3.5. The food is good, but certainly not the best Mexican in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Mazunte reminds me of some of the places I encountered in Oregon. It’s very common to find restaurants set up like this out there: order at the counter, take a number/​plaque, get your own chips/​salsa/​drink, camp out at a table until the food comes out, bus your own trash afterward.
This place is in an unassuming strip mall with bare bones décor. Cinder block walls and concrete floor are unpainted. Tables and chairs are knocked together from scrap lumber. Homemade art work adorns the walls. A patio outside about doubles the 50 or so seat capacity inside.
The place was hopping mid-​afternoon on a Saturday, so much so that the patio was mostly full despite it being cloudy and 60 degrees. DLW got a luscious chicken soup with tortilla chips on the side, while I took a mixed taco plate. Fillings were pretty generous in all three: fish, beef and carnitas. everything was piping hot and already sauced, but I added salsa for added moisture and flavor. Carnitas was my favorite of the three. They offer fountain drinks and Mexican sodas, but why get those when there’s sangria and agua fresca in self-​serve stations?
The one thing that keeps me from throwing that fifth star at this place is that it seems pricey, almost $ 30 for two lunches. Even so we’ll certainly come back.

My sister and I stopped in around 6 pm for dinner on Friday. We didn’t know it was a a order at the counter and seat yourself kind of deal. When we first walked in, I couldn’t imagine how it worked. It was so busy and the idea of seating myself was terrifying. What if we got our food but there wasn’t a seat? Luckily, they had a «seater» who wrote down the size of your party, seated you when a spot was open, and then informed the kitchen that they could prepare your food. It works but it leaves a lot of people standing around staring at you while you eat. And you have juggled your cups and salsa containers while you wait for a stop.
I ordered the Mixed Tacos: two steak and one shredded pork (no avocado salsa). My sister ordered the Mixed Tacos: one steak, one pork, one chicken. We also ordered the salsa bar and a side of Mexican rice.
We waited 15 minutes probably. When we were seated our food came out in waves. Disappointingly my steak tacos were very sloppy and wet. They had soaked the corn tortilla already and fell apart when I picked them up. The goat cheese is VERY strong. I probably wouldn’t get the steak tacos again — I liked the pork better. My sister agreed.
We tried all of the salsas — LOVED the verdi and the roasted tomato. They taste really fresh and clean. But the chips… oh, the chips are SO GREASY. I read this in other reviews and hoped it was just a bad batch. I am sad to report that all of the chips were still greasy. And a few were chewy (under cooked). I think they need to cook them in smaller batches or something. Maybe the oil isn’t hot enough. Someone at Mazunte needs to address this though. Do they know? Do they care?
Price — eh. The tacos are pretty standard and $ 9 is expected but it’s not a deal. The side of rice was $ 1.75 and way over priced. I didn’t go for a margarita because I think $ 6 for a plastic cup from a giant bucket is a bit much. Would love to try the corn on the cob but not in season right now.
Do yourself a favor. Do not bring a large group of people here for dinner on the weekend. It’s just not a good idea.

HOLY TACO. I visited this place this past Saturday at 1:30PM with my boyfriend thinking we would beat the lunch crowd, but the place was PACKED. This was the second indication that this place is heaven on earth — the first being the awesome Unilocal reviews! I have been craving a good, authentic Mexican restaurant that would hit every spicy, cheesy, and flavorful food desires a person can contain, and finally found a worthy candidate in Mazunte.
Since my boyfriend and I also planned on eating dinner earlier that night, we settled to split the Mixed Tacos + the Chips and Salsa bar + a Margarita once we got the chance to order. Our tacos were chicken, pork, and steak, and we tasted three out of the four salsas (skipping the Pico de Gallo). The chicken taco, our favorite, was DELICIOUS. I cannot emphasize enough how flavorful and well put together this taco was. Everything just melts in your mouth, with the perfect blend of meat, salsa, cheese, cilantro, guacamole, etc. Both the steak and pork tacos provided the same, wholly divine experience.
The chips are hand toasted to a golden, flaky perfection, and while somewhat greasy, are the perfect side item to the tacos and sweet margarita. Truthfully, Mazunte is the only place you need to visit to find the greatest, authentic Mexican food ever (or at least in the Cincinnati)!

Can we please talk about the enchiladas?
.
Last night I experienced what can only be described as nirvana: a transcendent state both visually, and physically appealing. These enchiladas were an out of body experience. I kept looking down at myself thinking, there is no way that what I am experiencing could be real and I did not want it to end…
Well folks, it was. And it was an EXPLOSION of deliciousness. Each bite after the next offered something new. A new taste, a new texture, a deeper flavor. A freaking magic carpet ride for your mouth.
I got the green pork verde enchiladas topped with Mexican cheese, crema, fresh spinach, pickled red onions and queso fresco.
They offer chicken or pork, I asked the woman behind the counter which she preferred and she recommended the pork. It was succulent and bursting with flavor.
They also offer red or «coloradito» sauce.
The enchiladas were insane, but I must add that Mazunte is one of the few places that I can count on one hand where you can go and order anything on the menu and every. single. dish. Is mind blowing.
Get there. Get there now.

This was the second visit to Mazunte. The first, was during a Unilocal event, where we were able to eat and drink until our hearts were content. That was when they first opened, over a year ago.
I love the concept. You you walk in, the salsa bar is at the first, there a lady hand makes the tortillas. There is a few salsas and even a pico de gallo to chose from. My favorite was the pico… yum, my mouth is watering now, just thinking about it.
I like the fast casual like atmosphere. You order at the front and then they bring out your order to you. I ordered the combination tacos. My choices were, one fried fish, one grilled, and one pulled pork. I loved them all, but in true fatty fashion, the grilled fish was my least favorite. The sauces and toppings that the meat was topped with, varied.
The self serve, honor system margarita bar seemed to be a hit. There were a bunch of people standing around the bar top area. If I lived in the area, I could see this place being a spot that I would frequent.
Why didn’t I give 5 stars? The chips that they gave, after I paid the extra $$ were way too greasy. The first batch of chips were a bit crumbly, so I went back and asked for fresher chips. The lady acted a bit rude about it. I’m not sure if it was an all you can eat set up, but I assume by her reaction that it may not be.