Maya Mexican Cuisine & Cantina

Been eating here for many years. It is the only sit down Mexican in town with a full bar. The food is great and consistent, service is friendly, and the atmosphere fun. The restaurant is always clean and parking is easy. I love the salsa and their Margaritas are excellent. Our kids love that the kid's menu includes a small ice cream sundae for dessert!

Best ground beef enchiladas in Santa Cruz County. I thing they are the only ones serving them.

I had ground beef enchiladas, rice and beans. I practically liked the plate. The guacamole was excellent and made fresh so it didn't have that extra lime taste that most have because it was served right away. My cousin has been coming here for 20 plus years but it was my first time. I do not live close, but if I did I would most likely be here once a week. It's about 60 miles from where I live.😔Yum Yum Yum

Love this place. The food is perfect. I can order anything here and bam! the best Mexican food in town. The people are excellent and efficient in service. Very clean. Every time I go, there aren't many people, so there are plenty of choices for seating. Its location is odd, but it's a hidden crown jewel.

We love Maya Mexican Restaurant. We enjoy having many Birthday celebrations here. We often reserve a table in the back bar area. Great staff, great family feel! I recommend Maya 💯

we came here on a Sunday afternoon around 2pm service was great drinks were great. I'm surprised we didn't have to wait for a table. if this restaurant was in east bay it would have been completely full. came in as two families with four kids between us and everything was perfect. if we're headed to Santa Cruz again we're definitely stopping by

Wonderful restaurant with fantastic service.I stopped here today and got the two items dinner with refried beans and rice.Teo choices were chicken enchilada and pork tamale.Very delicious. I also accidentally knocked my food onto the floor as I was preparing to dish the rest of my food into the to go container The waitress was so awesome she put in another chicken enchilada for me This is a wonderful place

Had a quick bite that was delicious. The staff was prompt, courteous, and accommodating. The food was prepared to order and had the authentic taste I prefer. I enjoyed the salsa, a chili relleno, skirt steak, and enchilada. Wish I had time to try the amazing looking assortment of Margaritas.

Great Mexican food is hard to find. This is one of the best I have had in a long time. Tasty and Hot. The only minus was the Margaritas. Not bad enough to make it a 4 start review. The food is that good.

Great tasting food and excellent service!

Just great food. Had 12 fam and all loved it.

James Wheeler

Great tasting food and excellent service!

John Love

Just great food. Had 12 fam and all loved it.

Elizabeth Ignizio

Wonderful restaurant with fantastic service.I stopped here today and got the two items dinner with refried beans and rice.Teo choices were chicken enchilada and pork tamale.Very delicious. I also accidentally knocked my food onto the floor as I was preparing to dish the rest of my food into the to go container The waitress was so awesome she put in another chicken enchilada for me This is a wonderful place

David Sullivan

Had a quick bite that was delicious. The staff was prompt, courteous, and accommodating. The food was prepared to order and had the authentic taste I prefer. I enjoyed the salsa, a chili relleno, skirt steak, and enchilada. Wish I had time to try the amazing looking assortment of Margaritas.

James Miller

Great Mexican food is hard to find. This is one of the best I have had in a long time. Tasty and Hot. The only minus was the Margaritas. Not bad enough to make it a 4 start review. The food is that good.

I loved this place!!!! The bartender's were awesome, the drinks they made were awesome, and the music and atmosphere was super chill. Highly recommend coming here!!!!

Maya's never disappoints. Excellent food, no matter what we've had. Complex flavors, amazingly varied menu, fresh, hot, and just-right portions. I love the salsa; great flavor and a nice mild burn. I would not categorize Maya's as particularly "authentic;" it's Americanized just enough to cater to the area clientele. The lemon drop is not to be missed, even though the margaritas are on point and there's a tequila bar with over 100 tequilas. Service is friendly, prompt, and on the ball. Atmosphere is pleasant: not tacqueria, not elegant, but quite nice. We were comfortable and we sat and chatted for awhile. I would consider Maya's to be on the pricey side (be prepared), but when the food is good, it's worth it. We've been going to Maya's for years, and for years to come.

Where to start… a great chile relleno… great place to meet with fam and friends… totally lovely atmosphere giving a “home away from home” feel… skinny marg was perfect. Not too sweet. Just perfect for a New Year’s Day! Highly recommend Maya when you want to have a fun time with loved ones with a great meal.

Sam Mitchell

The service is gop notch and the fajitas are amazing!

Natalie Denike

Where to start… a great chile relleno… great place to meet with fam and friends… totally lovely atmosphere giving a “home away from home” feel… skinny marg was perfect. Not too sweet. Just perfect for a New Year’s Day! Highly recommend Maya when you want to have a fun time with loved ones with a great meal.

Anastasia Liikala

I loved this place!!!! The bartender's were awesome, the drinks they made were awesome, and the music and atmosphere was super chill. Highly recommend coming here!!!!

Julie Stewart

Maya's never disappoints. Excellent food, no matter what we've had. Complex flavors, amazingly varied menu, fresh, hot, and just-right portions. I love the salsa; great flavor and a nice mild burn. I would not categorize Maya's as particularly "authentic;" it's Americanized just enough to cater to the area clientele. The lemon drop is not to be missed, even though the margaritas are on point and there's a tequila bar with over 100 tequilas. Service is friendly, prompt, and on the ball. Atmosphere is pleasant: not tacqueria, not elegant, but quite nice. We were comfortable and we sat and chatted for awhile. I would consider Maya's to be on the pricey side (be prepared), but when the food is good, it's worth it. We've been going to Maya's for years, and for years to come.

Bill K

Delicious authentic Mexican food with a laid back atmosphere & plenty of menu options to choose from. They have a nice staff that are quick & attentive. Been going here for years

Chad Hedstrom

we came here on a Sunday afternoon around 2pm service was great drinks were great. I'm surprised we didn't have to wait for a table. if this restaurant was in east bay it would have been completely full. came in as two families with four kids between us and everything was perfect. if we're headed to Santa Cruz again we're definitely stopping by

If you are a tequila afficianado, this is the right place. At least a hundred different bottles of tequila to try. Ricardo and Jesus are real nice bar tenders and owners. Enjoy a nice margarita and lunch or dinner. Please drink responsibly

The fajitas taste delicious but the beef was a little tough. Service was friendly and efficient. The selection of mezcal and tequila is great! Ask the staff for a recommendation but don't forget to set a budget as they have some truly top shelf stuff - with a price to match.

Food was hot and enjoyed a pitcher of margaritas. Good for standard sit down Mexican food. I enjoyed their enchiladas. Usually I order off the app menu and it's more than enough. Today I went with a full entree and I had enough leftovers for dinner.

First I want to apologize that we showed up 45mins before closing. The food was incredibly delicious, but slightly pricey. One of the key characteristics of this place is their margaritas, and unfortunately did not get to try one. One of the disappointing things is that their fajitas for 1 person is a little over $19 but for 2 people it is $30...not a bad deal...except you get 5 tortillas...not 6 but 5...they brought me 2 more tortillas at the price of $1.75. However, like I said the food was pretty good👍.

Pretty good Mexican food. Great service!

I went to Maya Mexican Restaurant for dinner & drinks on a Friday night. Totally packed. The food was good - it met my expectations based on the overall impression I had prior to going there. I ordered the combination fajitas and shared a pitcher of the house margaritas. The fajitas were good, the ingredients were fresh and cooked just right. The beef and shrimp were better than the chicken. The guacamole, rice, and beans were quite good. By contrast, I didn’t care for the margaritas. Go with a frozen margarita rather than the traditional. There were plenty of servers, but service was slow. Given the number of guests, I didn’t really get worked up about it.

Basic food with nice flavor, arrived quickly, good prices, parking can be difficult.

Marx Moley

I went to Maya Mexican Restaurant for dinner & drinks on a Friday night. Totally packed. The food was good - it met my expectations based on the overall impression I had prior to going there. I ordered the combination fajitas and shared a pitcher of the house margaritas. The fajitas were good, the ingredients were fresh and cooked just right. The beef and shrimp were better than the chicken. The guacamole, rice, and beans were quite good. By contrast, I didn’t care for the margaritas. Go with a frozen margarita rather than the traditional. There were plenty of servers, but service was slow. Given the number of guests, I didn’t really get worked up about it.

Rob Haworth

Basic food with nice flavor, arrived quickly, good prices, parking can be difficult.

Friendly staff and cute place, if only it was busier than 3 tables on a Saturday night. Our dinner (beef burrito and shrimp burrito) was average. I might try one more time given it’s a local, family-run place.

Food is okay but not spectacular. The service has lacked for the three times we have dined here as a family. The server usually does not come back until it's time for the bill. Always need to flag someone down to get refills or order another drink. For that reason we will not come back. There are better order at the counter types of restaurants.

Went there for the first time after living locally for over 20 years. Had a feeling it would be average and it was. Positive: ambience, beer on tap and their rancho beans. Chips were good but the salsa was average. I ordered the carnitas which was tasty but the rancho beans that came with it were the star. Excellent. Corn tortillas were average. My husband ordered the chili relleno/beef enchilada combo. The relleno didn't have a traditional batter and was too cheesy. He wasn't impressed with the enchilada.

donna lohrmann

Went there for the first time after living locally for over 20 years. Had a feeling it would be average and it was. Positive: ambience, beer on tap and their rancho beans. Chips were good but the salsa was average. I ordered the carnitas which was tasty but the rancho beans that came with it were the star. Excellent. Corn tortillas were average. My husband ordered the chili relleno/beef enchilada combo. The relleno didn't have a traditional batter and was too cheesy. He wasn't impressed with the enchilada.

The food is decent, standard mexican cuisine, combo plates, traditional plates, etc. I passed on the mole for lack of flavor and the chili Colorado was also a bit bland. Pitcher of margaritas went a long way, approx 6 for $40+, which was a good deal. Service was good, polite, quickly seated and quickly served. Chips and salsa initially free, but additional cost for 2nd basket or additional salsa, $3 and $1 respectively. Not a fan of the practice, gotta be a better way to make up that cost.

I had the tortilla soup and it was not good. Not chili pepper, no tomatoes , more like veggie soup.

Jonathan Wildman

The food is decent, standard mexican cuisine, combo plates, traditional plates, etc. I passed on the mole for lack of flavor and the chili Colorado was also a bit bland. Pitcher of margaritas went a long way, approx 6 for $40+, which was a good deal. Service was good, polite, quickly seated and quickly served. Chips and salsa initially free, but additional cost for 2nd basket or additional salsa, $3 and $1 respectively. Not a fan of the practice, gotta be a better way to make up that cost.

Those people that gave this place 5 stars don't know how Mexican food should taste. I've lived in Scotts Valley for over 30 years. Been to Maya several times with friends and family in the hopes that it somehow got better. It did not. Chips are usually day old stale/recycled. Food is bland and unappealing. Drinks are over priced. Do yourself a favor and drive 10 more minutes to downtown SC and hit up El Palomar. The restaurant has excellent food. The bar has awesome drinks (jalepeno Margaritas are superb)! And the taco bar is the best I've ever had! Skip Maya unless you want plain tasting old food.

If you love good Mexican food, then you might want to find another spot. Their food is unbelievably bland, and I've tried several dishes. It's just not good Mexican food. You'd be better off just going to a taqueria, and it would be much easier on your wallet. Nice staff, full bar, and terrible food.

Nice place to meet friends. Good food. Update Pricing for certain items has actually become ridiculous for their food items. I really feel bad to even say such a thing. I know everything is more expensive now but a Tostata Grande for 15 with beef was mostly lettuce a shame. And if you wanted a other selection of meat add 6 bucks. I loved the place for years (22). It's a popular place but not a bargain. Sorry for the rant. Just one person's thoughts. 🌮🇲🇽🌮

Waitress was friendly and nice. Margarita (cadalac) was bland and had a bug in it. My taco salad w chicken was ok . Chicken had no seasoning and was bland. I also found a long black hair in my salad. Neither items were discounted from bill. Waitress offered another dish but I was almost finished w the salad. My husband ordered tacos asada. He said they were not flavorful and his marg was meh.

Lisa Worthington

Waitress was friendly and nice. Margarita (cadalac) was bland and had a bug in it. My taco salad w chicken was ok . Chicken had no seasoning and was bland. I also found a long black hair in my salad. Neither items were discounted from bill. Waitress offered another dish but I was almost finished w the salad. My husband ordered tacos asada. He said they were not flavorful and his marg was meh.

The worst mexican food I have had in California. I ordered a beef chimichunga with rice and beans for a dinner plate. The rice and beans were run of the mill, extra basic. It tasted like Knorr "red rice" bouillon seasoning. They did remake a main course for me with ground beef instead and it was even more disgusting than the chunks of beef in verde sauce. There was 2 uneaten chimichungas made by them for me. They charged us for a the full dinner for the rice and beans I ate, but whatever. They did their job. Most of us didn't finish their plate. My California born, out of state friend said that it was "a little bit better than the mexican food in Iowa but not much" and "my food wasn't great." She hadn't eaten all day and didn't even make it half way through her burrito. It was that blah. Our server was nice. That counts for something. She checked in on us only once after the food was delivered. At the end of the meal a buser finally came around to fill my water glass. There was some tables but the place wasn't packed. Gratuity was already added to our bill when we got it. We had a table of 8. I didn't notice that mentioned anywhere on the menu but I didn't read the whole thing. I only looked at the plate options. I got to spend time with friends that are like family and that's what counts. Now that I am back home I will eat again. Those chimichungas were truly inedible IMO. I'm half mexican, so I might know what mexican food is supposed to taste like.

Service was great. Food not so much. I got a super burrito. It was huge and I thought it was going to be awesome. I added steak for the upcharge and the steak was mostly flavorless except for the fact it had been burned. So didn't love it.

You’d think that when you buy 25$ nachos, they’d actually follow the instructions to not put sour cream. update: the asada (which cost 8 dollars extra) was rubbery and flavorless.

We have been going to this restaurant for almost 20 years now, and over the years the food and service has declined. Our most recent visit was very disappointing. The food was just okay and not even that warm, even though when they bring it to your table they say "hot plate, hot plate", but its barely even warm. On this visit we had some food leftover, so we asked for some to go containers. They charged us .50cents for each container, how low can you get. Its beyond me when an establishment wants to charge .50cents for a to go container. This place is obviously family owned and I would love to support it, but I can no longer do so. Unless they change their business practices, we wont be going back. There is another restaurant in aptos, which I wont mention the name, their service is AMAZING! They even give you a side of jalapenos and dont charge you for it, where Maya will charge you $2. Oh, and this other place doesnt charge for to go containers, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!! I would avoid Maya at all costs and go give your money to other establishments that deserve it.

Went for a birthday dinner and was hugely disappointed. Wasn't many people there maybe 3tables at most. We ordered calamari, literal rubber texture. Had the tostadas weren't bad but didn't mention jalapeños on the menu so had to pick them out or vomit on the floor. Personal issue not theirs. Got a chimi with beef, it was crock pot chucks of roast beef. Also got the del Mar and it had the plastic left on the cheese slice. Unfortunately thee BEST thing about the restaurant was the salsa .. if you like super spicy and fresh chips. Staff walked by all customers that were staring waiting for menus or bills. For a new comer this is definitely NOT AUTHENTIC. nor is some of even able to be eaten. Worse 80 I've ever spent

Hands down one of the worst over priced places I have ever been to. The chips & salsa not good. Got the guacamole pretty good. I had the carnitas plate and my wife had the Car Asada plate. The carnitas came out looked great big large chunks, cooked just right. The plate garnish was wilted, no rice just beans. For the price this plate is very over priced. The Car Asada over cooked, plate came with rice and beans. Overall experience is not good. I would not waste your time eating here.

I paid $15 for two cheese quesadillas, which would be fine if it weren’t single tortilla quesadillas made with the Mexican cheese mix from Costco. These are the same quesadillas I made as depression meals when I was a broke college student

Stacy Shurtliff

Went for a birthday dinner and was hugely disappointed. Wasn't many people there maybe 3tables at most. We ordered calamari, literal rubber texture. Had the tostadas weren't bad but didn't mention jalapeños on the menu so had to pick them out or vomit on the floor. Personal issue not theirs. Got a chimi with beef, it was crock pot chucks of roast beef. Also got the del Mar and it had the plastic left on the cheese slice. Unfortunately thee BEST thing about the restaurant was the salsa .. if you like super spicy and fresh chips. Staff walked by all customers that were staring waiting for menus or bills. For a new comer this is definitely NOT AUTHENTIC. nor is some of even able to be eaten. Worse 80 I've ever spent

douglas jones

Hands down one of the worst over priced places I have ever been to. The chips & salsa not good. Got the guacamole pretty good. I had the carnitas plate and my wife had the Car Asada plate. The carnitas came out looked great big large chunks, cooked just right. The plate garnish was wilted, no rice just beans. For the price this plate is very over priced. The Car Asada over cooked, plate came with rice and beans. Overall experience is not good. I would not waste your time eating here.

Katie M

I paid $15 for two cheese quesadillas, which would be fine if it weren’t single tortilla quesadillas made with the Mexican cheese mix from Costco. These are the same quesadillas I made as depression meals when I was a broke college student

Food has gone down hill since they started trying to save costs. The also charge for chips now - seriously! They have great chips and salsa, I used to go there just for those but now they charge for every refill.

Their prices on the menu are misleading. Our server came back with inflated prices on the check and when asked she said the menu is for cash prices… really when we asked at the time of order she didn’t uttered anything. No business to people who try to cheat the customer like that, and they 3.5% for credit card use. Also, one time free small basket of chips and salsa per table, you pay after that unlike most Mexican restaurant you go to. Go somewhere else, if you want feel welcomed as a customer, and don’t want to deal with their staff attitude.

Let me say this if your lucky enough to try the chips they suck not real Mexican chip style then the salsa sucked not even spicy it's just the start the food over priced the staff tryed but they could not handle a crowd of 40+ others in a restaurant so either hire more help because it's the weekend and Valentine's Day of all days work smarter not harder anyways food came out they forgot an order I ask for three items they brought out 2 I was surprised how bland the food was totally not Mexican food you can get better quality food at El polo loco or chipotle and that's saying something 😂 anyway the last of it I was going to pay for my portion they didn't ask if we wanted a split ticket they did it as a group it's horrible they blamed me said I'm making it harder having to split the ticket since she didn't wanna do the work she was trying also demand a $12 tip when the service was crappy they forgot a meal they didn't ask if it was a group or split ticket at the end of the day it was by far the worst experience ever not coming back will hope whoever reads this understands how poor this service is please don't waste your time and doesn't waste there time. Thank you for reading appreciate your time. Unlike this place.

Jonathan Pflueger

Food has gone down hill since they started trying to save costs. The also charge for chips now - seriously! They have great chips and salsa, I used to go there just for those but now they charge for every refill.