XYZ

We had reservations for 5:30 and were seated promptly. The service was good and the place filled up quickly for multiple seatings for the night. Our favorite serving was the appetizer with lobster, shrimp and octopus served in an ice cream cloak glass and seasoned with avocado. Yumm!!! We ended up ordering a second one. The mole was good and not like the sweat mole you find at other Mexican restaurants. The pork dishes were to die for. We would defiantly come back again.

Muy fabulosa! Friends who visited here back in June said we MUST go. So, we did and are super impressed. Chorizo is great! Salsa is great! Every dish we had was great. Margaritas kept pouring and were great! Hate to expose such an amazing place but they deserve it. We giggled at all the people hugging the owner telling her ‘see ya’ next summer’. Clearly a place we need to visit again and again!

yes, the owner/​mgr is funky and kind of kooky but she was more than genuine the night we called. everyone in town was booked due to a festival, but she said if we wanted an outside table she could seat us. of course we wanted an outside table. there is the issue of bugs and they have a sprayer back there and put a little organic bug spray on the table. nice touch. the service was spot on, nice young woman from eastern Europe, very knowledgeable and brought out our (very famous) margaritas right away, took our order and the appetizer (crab dip and tortillas — yum) came quick enough. they do not give you chips. in central mexico, corn chips and salsa are not traditional, but bread and sauce is. so no chips (which we knew from visiting Oaxaca). the pork dishes are strong, deeply flavored and the touches of crema, avocado and salsa even it all out. the black beans could be better (we are used to Cuban black beans) and the chilis rellanos were excellent. no room for dessert. a small salad came with the dinner but be aware, this is just fresh farm lettuce served with some lime, pepper and oil. nothing to write home about but just a palate refresher. all in all, we really enjoyed the meal (perhaps due to the margaritas)!!! it’s a different night after eating lobster!

XYZ has excellent authentic Mexican food. Although I am from North Carolina, I ate there for a second time for a family celebration. The staff were helpful and friendly, and a good time was had by all.

By far one of the best meals we have had anywhere! It was good, authentic and delicious. It was better then mexican food that we had in Mexico. We tried something from all 3 courses. The staff was very helpful, prompt and courteous. Each course arrived very quickly. I highly recommend trying XYZ. We went on a Tuesday evening and it was steady busy. I highly recommend reservations.

Waited all season to go because of questionable write-​ups — and now after having dinner was disappointed! Bread instead of chips, PLAIN salad — lettuce alone! No tomatoes or queso for tortillas! And all being way overpriced!

This place is definitely odd the been path but worth a trip if you’re looking for something different to eat… delicious, authentic Mexican recipes. It’s not your standard Mexican joint… in selection or price. All the entrees are $ 25/​plate which is kind of pricey, until you realize how tastes it is. There s a nice lite grassy area our son enjoyed running around in while we sipped our margaritas. Worth a trip if your on MDI for more than a night or two.

Totally over rated. Way too expensive for whet it is. Just because the manager lady dresses eccentrically she thinks her food doesn’t stink, but it does.

Don’t let the pompous reviewers scare u off. We nearly cancelled our reservations based on the scary reviews and were sooo happy we didn’t. This is authentic Mexican food. Chile Rellanos are excellent. Salsa verde is delicious. Orange chicken was also very good. Tortillas. Yum. Real margaritas are offered and carry a punch (don’t overdo it)!!! We tried both and couldn’t decide which we liked more. We had to order two more to help us decide.
We sat inside and it was absolutely lovely. The doors and windows were wide open and let in a refreshing breeze.
One reviewer cited the mosquitos as a problem. Hey it’s Maine, u shouldn’t be tooling around without bug spray.
Even tho i was prepared for a two-​headed monster to greet us at the door, the owner was nothing but welcoming and the waitstaff was fine.
Go and enjoy.

When I ask locals for a recommendation off the beaten path I mean to say a place that not many people know about. The locals I spoke to instead sent me to this restaurant off a long dirt road with unassuming signs (thank god for GPS). Plus, everybody knew about this place.
The food is authentic mexican. After the meal we received a story from the wife owner about the history of the place which includes some of the art and menu options. The establishment is a converted house with a great atmosphere and a garden to fawn over. I loved it and I thank Unilocal for the reviews.
As you look at the other reviews for this place you will see the two polls of likes and dislikes. This could easily have been a 1 star if I wasn’t in the mood for authentic mexican (no tacos served here) and ready to pay a heavy price. We were smart by trying to make reservations and I recommend the same to anyone reading this blog who is in a similar culinary mood.

My family had a wonderful dining experience… we were told to sit near the bar and experience the bartender making the margaritas, as he works very quickly, with intense attention to each detail. The drinks were incredible, fresh, and flavorful. Our dinners were scrumptious as well. We enjoyed the jovial atmosphere, and attention by the wait staff, which all made for a memorable experience. I want another XYZ margarita soon !!

It was my friend’s birthday so eight of us went to XYZ for a good meal and some margaritas to celebrate. We had a reservation. The meal was good. Not sure if it was $ 25/​entrée good but it was good. (For some perspective: The Mexican Restaurant in Hancock is authentic and good as well at about ¼ the price.)
When it came time for the check, the waitress had went ahead and put it all on one bill. We asked if she minded separating it out and she said that she would have liked to know that ahead of time. I am used to people automatically splitting up checks when you are in a group so it hadn’t occurred to any of us to ask special. We were clearly a group of friends (some of whom had had multiple margaritas) so the last thing we wanted to do was math. We were given a pen to figure it out ourselves (which we asked for since she was clear that we had to deal with this). I thought maybe this all in one check was to put some automatic gratuity in there but it wasn’t added in. Hmmm.
So on the check we wrote our names and the totals for each of the credit cards. (Nicole=$ 35, etc.) «So your names match the credit cards?» she seemed annoyed but we weren’t sure how else to do it. Half an hour later, we got our cards back. The waitress apologized, saying it was confusing. I think the separate checks would have made it less so. It was sad that this interaction sort of spoiled the end of the meal.
But if you like homemade tortillas (which were delicious) and don’t mind managing your own dining experience a bit, go for it. And to be honest, I feel snobby writing this until I think of one of my friends at the table who was a waitress for years saying ‘It’s hard to watch someone do this badly.“
I’d give XYZ another shot though, I’m just sad my first experience was just so-​so since I’ve been wanting to try this place for years.

«Authentic to the Mexican Interior» indeed!
Look it’s not the cheapest place ever, but that’s ok.
I wouldn’t bring your kids, unless your children have a sense of adventure.
The queso fundido was not «a blob of chorizo with a sprinke of cheese» as JN. N. claims. It was «terrific» as Dan S claims!
My wife enjoyed the Avacado soup, and as a group of 6, nobody had any complaints.
Yes it’s loud.(or it was the night we went). Yes the Owner/​Manager and any waitress/​waiter will answer your questions.
I had the pork shoulder. One of my sister’s asked for Corn Tortillas instead of wheat and they gave them to her.
I’m not a hater, I would just caution you that this might not be for everyone and it is not tex-​mex. But if you go knowing those things, I think you’ll enjoy a break from the Lobster scene.

This place rocks! I had a feeling when they explained how they change the Mole often that good things were going to happen. The night we were there, it was a tangy, slightly sour incarnation.
We enjoyed everything we tried. The Queso Fundido was terrific — they make their own chorizo — and pleasingly greasy. The Conchinita was wonderful. The food was relatively simple — letting fresh flavors and ingredient combinations be the star.
This restaurant is a real find — Mount Desert Island is full of seafood and American places, with few ‘ethnic’ eateries to try. To find one sophisticated enough to acknowledge the areas of Mexico they are inspired by is awesome.
We found the folks friendly, the food compelling and had a great time. A keeper.
[I contemplated arguing with the low reviews and wondering if they might indicate folks that aren’t familiar with Mexican food. Too much sauce in a Mole dish? Blasphemy! Suffice it to say, I disagree with those reviews.}

My husband claims that is was the worst meal he has ever had at this price range, but I would bump it up from one star to 1.5 if I could.
Even though we arrived late in the evening without a reservation, the owner offered us seats at the bar, and the service we had was very good, but it seems our service was better than others’. The sangria was tasty, and the ambience was very warm and welcoming.
The food, on the other hand, was another story. I ordered the mole dish, and my husband ordered the peanut sauce dish mentioned in some of the other reviews. Both entrees came with a salad, and were served with flour tortillas and salsas. First came the salads, which were nothing more than about 6 leaves of baby greens on a plate. Ok, if this was some sort of minimalist cuisine, that might be fine, but seeing as it’s still tomato season, how about a tomato?
Our food came promptly, but the chicken (thighs for both dishes, and fatty ones at that) was buried in more sauce than needed, and the peanut sauce dish was so spicy my husband could not eat it. My mole was good, so we swapped, but the combination of fatty chicken and fatty peanut sauce was too much for me. There was nothing resembling a vegetable on the plate, and the entrees were all priced at $ 24. For a single chicken thigh!
Given the inconsistency of the place, I can’t recommend it.

Yum! Yum! Yum! Some of the best authentic Mexican and margaritas I’ve ever had — no sour mix here, all of the margaritas contain tequila, orange liqueur and lime. The hostess/​manager was very friendly and accommodating, doing her best to fit us in on a very busy night.

Obviously, one earlier reviewer had a bad experience at XYZ before having an opportunity to taste the food. That’s too bad: XYZ has been around so long because of the food’s quality and the pleasant, efficient service.
I’ve never had the rude experience a couple of the other reviewers write of. Certainly, I’ve never seen such behavior by the owners. It’s possible, of course, that an employee was so rude, and that reflects poorly on management for its training failure. (Fair warning disclosure: I’ve been going to XYZ for so long that the owners know me and have become casual acquaintances, even though I live five states away.)
Getting a table at any superior restaurant on Mt. Desert Island in peak season does usually require a reservaiton. XYZ is no exception. You might see empty seats if you stop by when they first open, but if they say they can’t accommodate you, that’s because they have reservations to fill them. And during peak season, most folks dine later, beginning at 7 or 7:30 p.m. or so, to take advantage of being outdoors. So If you show up at 6:45 and it seems empty, odds are it will fill up in half an hour. So if a restaurant is fully booked beginning at 7:15, they aren’t going to seat a walk-​in at 6:45.
Should you visit XYZ (and you should, you should), try whatever on the menu appeals to you. But if you feel adventurous, and it’s available, try one of the tongue (lengua) dishes, which they usually serve as a main course as braised slices, though sometimes it’s an appetizer, served cold and with a paté-​like texture and taste. Should fresh blueberry sorbet be available, go for it. Oh, they also make killer margaritas from fresh limes. Have a designated driver.

I’ve eaten at both their new location and their old location. The margarita’s are great, the food is good, the service was very attentive. No chips and salsa here… just good mexican food. Call for a reservation, they are booked up most of the time. Not sure about the negative review… the manager/​hostess has been pleasant and helpful each time we visited.

XYZ has some of the best mexican food you will ever eat. It is very authentic, so don’t expect nachos or anything else topped with lots of orange cheese.
The manager is very involved in the business, she greets you at the door and makes all the desserts. Make sure you have a reservation, this place fills up very fast. We got there at 5:30 and by 6 they were turning people away. You can tell most of the people who go there are locals, they are very familiar with the owner and most order the special.
The salsas were served with bread, which was something I have never seen before. That, along with the white rice, must be part of the regional cuisine. The chipotle salsa was good, but the verde was perfect.
I had the chicken mole, which was wonderful. I also tried the rellenos and the special (a chicken and peanut dish) and both were great. Nothing here is too spicy, but entrees are served with a habanero sauce on the side to up your heat if you so desire. If you have never had authentic mexican before, it is a wonderful new experience. Even my grandmother loved her braised rib.
The fresh tortillas were sooooo good, I would have been happy to just eat those for dinner.
Out of the desserts, I liked the tres leches the best.

After a wonderful day exploring Acadia we were starving! We had, temporarily, had our fill of seafood and lobster and decided to try a Mexican restaurant that had had such wonderful reviews. It’s a good drive down winding roads (thankfully our GPS helped out) and we pulled into their parking lot at 6:45pm. I popped in to get us a table while my two companions were grabbing a sweater.
The restaurant had about 5 empty tables and 3 seats at the bar, but the rest were filled with people. It smelled GREAT!
I was asked if I had a reservation. I told the waitress no and she nicely asked if I could wait a moment for the manager.
The Manager came over and asked if I had a reservation. I said no. She snapped back «then don’t waste my time.»
Um. What?
I asked if we could perhaps wait at the bar until a table opened.
«No.»
I looked around to see if I was under dressed in my jeans and cashmere… nope. No one was fancily dressed. My thought was next interrupted with «and good luck getting a seat anywhere tonight if you didn’t make a reservation.»
Amazing how one person in a restaurant can make the entire facility look so poorly. As good as the food smelled, I will not ever go back there to try again — none of my money will be put towards that rude woman’s paycheck.
We left, gladly, and went back into town where we had a LOVELY dinner at Sips Café (see the review here on Unilocal too!)
NOTE: None of their advertisements or reviews in books listed the importance of a reservation.