2/F, Club House, Shanghai Grand Plaza, 568 Julu Lu,Jing An,near Shaanxi Nan Lu
巨鹿路568号四方新城俱乐部2楼,静安区,近陕西南路
Open Mon-Fri 5pm-12am, Sat-Sun 11am-12am
Price Y200-Y299
Accepts International Credit Cards
Revel in the fresh, healthy and delicious Mexi-Cali comida at the 2009 and 2010 CW Reader's Choice Restaurant of the Year. The restaurant is a little more upscale than most others in its category, but the fare here has some authentic flavor. Make sure you try the blackened wonton fish tacos.
Avoid driving there, the apartment complex parking was terrible (dirty, smelly and angry security guards). The food was great. A few minor misses here and there but overall a wonderful concept carried by good execution and service. Try the shrimp crab cake and argentino beef There brunch is also a good deal. Visit my food blog for pictures and a full review: http://fattoro.com/2012/02/14/maya-a-must-try/
Absolutely LOVE the tacos at Maya. They are the real deal, bursting with flavor and texture! I think I could eat a dozen! The main courses we've had were a little boring but who cares when you've got the tacos and sangria? I've now tried all the tacos, and particularly like the lime-beef. Never had a problem with service, and the atmosphere is cozy and friendly. Mi Tierra and Cantina Agave don't even come close.
Excellent creative & tasty food. From starters to desserts. Attentive and sweet service : one of the best in Shanghai. Nothing else to say , a must-go venue.
Delicious brunch and very friendly service! If there is a mistake they are very apologetic and helpful!
Compliments to Maya on having high quality and creative Mexican food. I am impressed with this restaurant. I think it was a risky concept to do since it is not a common method of Mexican food. Most Mexican food goes in the cheap quality direction probably because Americans look at Mexicans as poor and cheap. But Maya has succeeded in proving otherwise. This shows that Mexican food can also be high quality, not just food for drunk people. Bravo!
Another restaurant within a residential/office area! This food adventure I have embarked is so amazing! Let's dissect this eaterie and see what we can find within... Food/drinks: (+2) -drinks: mango margharita.. this is a nice ladies drink. Although a little on the sweet side so try to drink slowly and not get too full from it. -appetizers: scallop ceviche, blacken fish taco and duck quesadillas..all good. all delish. all nicely presented. -mains: orange glazed pork ribs, american beef... i forget if i was eating an entree 'cause i felt that the pork had brought me straight to desset. the sauce was waaay too sweet and way to thick to have made me want to take another bite... perhaps i could get a bowl of rice for this? lol. Ambience: (+0.5) Its moderately lit with a deep ash red surrounding. Perhaps I was expecting it to be either extremely casual like Chevy's back in the States or something on the fine-dining side... this place seems a little confused which side it wants to play...but to their advantage i guess it could embrace both crowds. Service: (+0.5) Sorry... but I'm not a big fan of waitresses coming to me and pointing out every single item on the menu and telling me its very popular when i ask for recommendations.. even if it were true, i would like to have some sort of help during my process of elimination. Price: (+1) I can live with the bill I was given. haha. and will be happy to pay for it again since i am happy with the food i was given. Recommendations: I would go again for their fish tacos and duck quesadillas for sure.
Brunch today (Sunday ) was Devine. The menu was built on ala carte a nice change from the over produced, long sitting food that most places prepare hours or days in advance. The wait staff was very well trained, and were able to contol the dinning room with elegance . Te all you can drink margarita option was nice, and well kept a eye on, never needed to raise a hand , the servic ewas there and paying attention. First time there , for brunch and will defiantly return, staff and food were good, the dessert sampler was excellent , and the ice creams , and combinations paired well. So I definitely think all should visit this little hideaway, as I do say hide away as it is nestled in amongst a apartment complex, so keep your eyes peeled, or you pass by it .
Another great Mayan experience last night - food was delicious and the service outstanding. Dessert was too good to be true. Nice addition of tequilas, too. This place always delivers, but things have gotten noisy and overbearing in the dining room. One solution: Maybe you could have guests - especially those in large groups - cue at the entrance before they go wandering into the restaurant and herding around seated tables, blaring loudly into their mobile phones as they wait for their tables to be readied. Please control the idiots - like the one last night who, mere seconds after having been seated with his group of 10, was frantically snapping his fingers like castanets, in order to get the attention of wait staff. Manager, take charge!
LOVE THE FOOD LOVE THE MARGARITA LOVE THE ATMOSPHERE LOVE THE SERVICE THIS IS THE BEST IN SHANGHAI
Althogh I wouldn't consider this an authentic Mexican establishment, the menu offers a Mexican gourmet flair, which yo have been missing in China. I consider this restaurant - Mexican Noveau Cuisine. A wonderful place to go with a group for a fun night out!
Now we're talking! So many Shanghai restaurants don't live up to the hype but this one did. What great food, some really interesting modernizations of Mexican food in a cool atmosphere. It's encouraging that a restaurant tucked into a little residential alley can still do well, and it's a testament to their great food. My only complaint was the service -- SLOW! Was a busy night but come on... get some service training and this could be the perfect place.
Amazing margaritas and Sangria - great service - beautiful atmosphere. Not the best Mexican food I have had, but quite good. I would recommend going and checking this place out. I will definitely be back to try some other items on the menu...
Wonderful veggie options. All of the dishes were delicious and beautifully plated. The roasted vegetable and mushroom and onion tacos were flavorful starters and the garlic jalapeno quesadilla had a nice warm kick. The cumin-scented lentils over rice was a solid veggie main, though a bit heavy. The pumpkin and goat's cheese chili relleno was my favorite: warm and gooey and covered with walnuts and pomegranate seeds (and not spicy at all, despite what the menu says). The drinks were also very yummy. The ambiance was low-key and not pretentious, and the service was probably the best I've had in Shanghai.
Two visits and two 5-star reviews. The service is as friendly, helpful and responsive (on both visits, reminding us to order another round of margaritas before happy hour ended) as just any we've experienced in Shanghai. The food is both base Mexi and modern twist. The result is a huge - even exotic - improvement on what often passes for even authentic Mexi. Maya is one of our "go to" eateries. Great value, and we always leave sated and with a smile. We'll keep coming.
Best Mexican food in Shanghai. Cantina Agave doesn't even come close (because the food there really isn't good). The restaurant is very nice as well, and they of course have your typical drinks. The Hustler Lounge across from the entrance is actually a cool spot to shoot some pool and have drinks after dinner. But, it is a little pricey for Mexican food IMO, so 4 stars instead of 5.
Ordered the chicken taco salad through Sherpas tonight and was extremely disappointed at the portion given the price. Further I could only find trace amounts of the smoked chicken, avocado, mango and queso fresco that came on the salad. At the price charged I was expecting an entree sized salad and this was far from it. No value for money on this menu item, not sure if this is a delivery issue or not but I won't be ordering again to find out.
we had a great tapas style dinner of appetizers, ceviches and tacos with copious cocktails, dessert and coffee for US$60 per head. will definitely be back
Hands down best Mexican cuisine in Shanghai. Not only that - some of the best *food* in Shanghai. Awesome margaritas, guacamole to die for and a spicy roast steak/potato dish that will haunt your (good) dreams. Wait staff can be a little harried at times, but it's to be expected in hopping eatery. Worth every mao.
Always liked it, always will.
Thought the portions for the price were a bit off, but the music, atmosphere and general liveliness of the place made up for it. Took a date there and it got me laid, so..........thanks Maya.
The special ambience and elegant environment is a good place for business activities and casual parties.
I really like the place. The food is great. really worth the price.
For anyone who wants to have a real Mexican food, they have to go to Mexico ...Otherwise what MAYA offered is really special and unique and pretty close to the real Mexican food - it's much much better than eating chinese food in Mexico ... LOL
maya's food is good for sure but it is a pity i can't find the real mexican food there, my favorite traditional taco....
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Shanghai despite the slightly overpriced menu and minuscule portions. Service is great and atmosphere perfect. Some of my favs are; blackend american beef, orange glazed pork ribs, wonton fish tacos & duck quesadillas. The cerviches are all quite nice as well ....but super tiny. Best drink: Espresso martini
I refer to hibeverly's comments. Where on earth do you eat a full meal in SH for $1? What kind of food do you eat? Wait, don't answer that. I don't really want to know!! My husband and I frequent Maya and we always enjoy ourselves there. The food is delicious and prices are very reasonable - not high at all, not by international standards. the portions are also quite large and service very good.
It is a nice restaurant, i been there few times, service sometimes is good others just ok, the food is tasty, not original mexican food, more like fusion food, mexican-fusion, not the real mexican taste but the do a good job. The protions are small so it is hard to get full with 200 rmb not including drinks, but if you go there you should be expecting to expend at least 250 to 350 for person including drinks. just for lunch or dinner.
Still Delicioso New chef Sean Jorgensen maintains MAYA quality We checked on MAYA, Shanghai’s premier gourmet Mexican restaurant, to see how new chef Sean Jorgensen was settling in. Jorgensen, who replaced Brad Turley in the kitchen, told us that he’s planning to keep customer favorites while adding some new touches, including an array of enchiladas. He plans to expand the menu’s reach to include dishes inspired by all types of Latin America cuisine. Our interest piqued, we started our meal with the legendary passion fruit margarita (¥65), which was mouth-smackingly tart and bursting with the fruit’s sweet and sour essence. MAYA’s scallop ceviche (¥75) was fruity and spicy with its medley of mangos, chilies and tender scallop chunks. While tasty and fresh, the flavors were more mild, deviating from the tangy, acidic ceviche we’ve grown to love. However, the flavor combination in the blackened wonton fish tacos (¥50) blew us away. We savored every bite of the fiery fish, creamy guacamole and crunchy shells. For mains, the MAYA Casserola (¥145), a stew of baked prawns, chorizo and chicken, did wonders in abating the chilly winter weather. The tomato-based dish was served in a stone bowl and covered with delicate quesadilla crusts and a dollop of cream. The chorizo-wrapped sea bass (¥130) disoriented our palate with its barrage of flavors. The fish, doused with a light mango and sour orange salsa, complemented the rich, almost heavy taste of the coconut sweet potato base, although the slivers of chorizo wrapping got lost in the duel. The sea bass itself was firm, meaty and very filling. MAYA’s impeccable service, quality of the food (and the slightly high prices) have not changed. -- Kellie Schmitt
Love this place. BEST SERVICE IN SHANGHAI! Don't listen to people who call this expensive. I've been to many way more expensive and far worse in this city.
recommanded by my US friend, and tried it last sunday, all i could say is fabulous.
Maya is expensive. But it's expected, since they're a tapas place, and from our experience, tapas is always expensive around the world. The prices are up around Australian prices, which I consider **extremely expensive** in Shanghai (where $1 can get you a full meal). It's very evidently catered only for expats, because virtually every face in there was a foreign face. The good news was that all the staff spoke fluent English and the menu was also in English, though I did wish they had photos of all the dishes because it's Mexican-style tapas and I have very little knowledge of Mexican food (aside from good 'ol tacos and the like). I found most of the dishes very tasty, thoughtfully presented, and came out swiftly (I LOVE this in a restaurant). The portion sizes were **miniscule**, considering the price, so we weren't very full at the end of the meal, yet still spent a pretty penny. It's a shame, because if it was 30% cheaper, we would re-visit for sure. PHOTOS HERE: http://beverly.livejournal.com/771187.html
One of my favorite restaurant in town. Food really kicks ass. The tequila selection is one of the best in Shanghai.
The churros are irresistable. Beautifully crispy on the outside, yet delicate and fluffy inside. The 3 dips: strawberry, cream and chocolate are great.
My girlfriend and I went last weekend, and the experience is great. We had a chicken burrito, the chicken is moist and tender, and the fish taco - the high light of the night. Fish taco is the first time for me, and we loved it!! Drinks are great too. Final bill was a bit over 350, not too bad.
By far one of the best restaurants in Shanghai. Service was fantastic. We did get their after 8:30, but I heard if you go around normal dinning hours, it can get quite full. The food was excellent. The price is reasonable for the quality of food, I thought the portions were a bit small. Everything we had asked for (sour cream, salsa, etc etc) they had... which is really nice considering most other places charge you or give you milky sour cream. Will definitely be coming back! I will check out the other 3 restaurants that the company first.
Hola Maya, I went there the appetizers were delicious - Chicken Burrito... However the waiters were not nice... We were a table of ten for a friend birthday, the biggest table of the room. We got to enjoy book and we wanted to get the 2 free margaritas, they say no only one per table, we were 10 and not 2 on the table with 2 coupons... So anyway, they are a little stupid but the food is good, main course are a bit expensive!!!
Hola, But it's hot here. Obviously you are in the MAYA. Painting which are helping you to believe that you are somewhere between tampico and an antique city in the mexican jungle, and the food which is not so expensive and touch your deepest food lovers feelings. Believe it's hot and it's getting hotter in MAYA. The French Critic
The guacamole is a sure bet, though it tasted better at my 1st visit. The chips can certainly come in a bigger portion. The cumin dip is particularly good and interesting. The tacos are very consistent and the fish taco is very good. The blackened beef in pan is amazingly tasty. It is done just right (med) and there is a barrage of flavours assaulting my taste buds. The baby potatoes are delicious too and there is an interesting twist of spicy and sourish taste. I don't like the presentation as it looks too sparse; a big pan with 5-6 slices of meat with a bunch of baby potatoes scattered around, floating in olive oil. Maybe an earthen or terracoata pot is more interesting. The chili chocolate lava cake is like your regular fondant. The chili can be more aggressive and sharper as it would be balanced by the richness of the lava. The condensed milk ice cream taste more like a caramel ice cream.... The service is excellent and the prices are reasonable for the quality of food. Good job!
You will not get better food in China. Don't listen to anyone who complains about price... I think the prices are very reasonable given the amazing food. Best restaurant in town for mine. I've never had better guacamole.
Maya is that kind of places that you really want to go more and more, but well to be serious the wallet doesn't aloud that now. The Ceviches are absolutely amazing, really fresh and tasty, the tacos are really good too, also we loved them with the wine in promotion an Argentinean Sauvingnon Blanc fresh and crispy and for a really good price(55 RMB by glass). For the main course we tried the Roast Chicken and the Cerdo in Adobo, amazing flavours and tasty textures, we again went for the red wine in promotion and Argentinean Pinot Noir, smoky and really well done Pinot noir, perfect paring for food and wines, all suggested by the staff of the restaurant. Well done guys keep doing like that I will try to convince my wallet to go there more frecuently. After that we
Thanks for your nice comment Jeremy, just to let you know that we do have kids menu, not a lot of choices but we do have what kids would like...
I really liked what they did to the place. It is a upscale mexican place and yet quite casual. The service staff are friendly and the Filipina managers are professional. The guacamole is smooth, rich and full of avocado. This is a must order! The salsa and chips are a good starter to go with the guacamole but the portions are too small. The tacos are generously sized and the fish taco is great. The meat tacos are average. The prices are high but the 1-for-1 drinks are a welcome. No kids food though. Not sure why this place is Restaurant of the Year...
Excellent Ambience and the food is just beyond expectation!!! We ordered several entrees and just dipped around, but every dish beat the one before! And the dessert was divine. A great restaurant for a party or a date! It was truly excellent!
WORTH IT ! It's one of the most expensive place I've been to in this city (for 330 RMB / person, who said I was rich ?) but I think it's definitely value for money. Service is outstanding with efficient, attentive, smiling people able to give you good pieces of advice. One of the best ceviches I've ever had, and a great sea bass.
Essentially overpriced but ok food, definitely not as good as some state. At this price, the food should blow you away. Instead, the bill did! Had just a drink each and bill was nearly CNY 300 per person and we weren't even very full. Service was very good however.
Excellent food. This is real Mexican food, not the Tex-Mex that is burritos and enchiladas. They do it well. Though pretty expensive.
This place rocks. Maya once again proves the Shanghai adage. It's not location, location, location. It's food, food, food...of course with good service and pleasant ambiance.
Solid food, definitely nice for taking guests, dates, etc, but for quick Mexican food, Cantina Agave kills it. With that said, Maya makes more gourmet Mexican with some fusion elements, while Agave feels more like an upscale Chipotle (Americans, holla). I ate here with one other person for around RMB200, but we also drank water. Drinks would push even a simple meal to the RMB300 level...I probably wouldn't eat here again now that Agave opened unless someone else took care of the bill.
#Where You Eat **Name:** Anthony Zhao **Profession:** Restaurateur, Food TV Host, Food Stylist I used to be a professional chef and I'm really passionate about food and restaurants. A restaurant doesn't have to be fancy but the cuisine must attract me. I love **MAYA's** fish tacos with their beautiful guacamole and crispy taco shells, and their steak with baby potatoes. I am really impressed with the new Park Hyatt's [**Dining Room**](http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/fusion/has/dining-room/). The view is jaw-dropping and the cooking is meticulous. I love their house-smoked salmon and the Aussie lamb--it's so tender it melts in your mouth. The new [**Kebabs on the Grille**](http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/indian/has/kebabson-the-grille/) is the best Indian I've had in Shanghai. The yogurt sauce, tandoori chicken and garlic naan are must-tries! As for traditional Chinese, [**Hong Rui Xing**](http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/shanghai/has/hong-rui-xing-shanghai-stadium/) is my favorite. Their most famous dish is the delicious Tianmu Lake Hualian Fish Head soup. Served in a giant basin, it's enough for a crowd. The asparagus with crab leg meat is also outstanding.
Have been to Maya several times since they opened, and I think it's the best Mexican joint in Shanghai. The team, led by chef Brad and Maitre'd Leo, is top notch. My favorites are the tacos, jalapeno quesadillas, and the Bananas Foster for dessert. The margaritas also good and stiff also, but a pitcher will set you back RMB 300.
On a really lousy wet shanghai night we were looking forward to trying Maya as everybody has raved about it. The food didn't let us down at all, but the place in chaos. They had seriously overbooked - stacking diners up around the bar which the manager admitted he'd told the hostess not to do. Such a shame, it spoilt our dinner, but I'd like to try it again when it wasn't so heaving. Perhaps they should be a little bit less greedy and let the kitchen speak for itself?
absolutely amazing - the Chili Rellono is really unique and delicious with pumpkin filling. The gaspacho is fresh with a bite. I had the Mayan cassarole - with prawns, chicken, sausage....topped with a cheese quesidilla - spicy and intense. The sea bass was lovely .... I go on and on - we will be back soon - good service, nice decor...we loved it!
Best Mexican I have had in town..... but still lacking. Good selection of tequila with healthily poured shots. Of the 4 dished I samples only one was "good". Over priced for what it is but I will go back (but just not often) due to no other options in Shanghai.
The first night I dropped by here was a few weeks ago and they were test driving the appetizers / bar menu which included tacos which were absolutely delicious. They looked exactly like my friend's mother used to make back home, but stepped up a notch with some fresh herbs and gourmet cheeses. Be warned, you could just eat these all night. The potato skins are also delicious. I know, sounds basic, but you'll have to trust me on this one. I also really enjoyed the blend of flavors in the scallop ceviche, very original with mango, chilis, cilantro and a bit of mint I think ... really nice. This is a place that has definitely captured the "I want to try that too" mantra and is sure to bring people back again and again.
absolutely outstanding! Never had anything close to this in China.