Mamita Cocina

Megan Gordon

My family of 5 (kids ages 6, 9, and 11) just finished eating here and had the best experience! The food and service were top notch, I would like to personally acknowledge their manager Elmer - he went above and beyond! We will definitely be coming back!!

Angelo Salvador

Reservation is available. Nice Mexican restaurant atmosphere. Margaritas are amazing and it served in a big bowl! Fast service! Ample of parking but felt tight.

Willard Davis

The Elote, grilled corn dish, prepared by Mamita’s Chef from Yucatán, is out or this world, and served in a large, boat-shaped dish. We also shared the baked Sea Bass meal, and chicken enchiladas. So tender and tasty!! I have to mention the boathouse dish of guacamole, lots of avocado chunks to plunder with their crispy chips, then double dip into their snazzy, not too spicy, salsa. The squash and peppers were cooked to a “T’” in a sweet sauce also.

Bob Gordon

Visiting my aunt and she selected this wonderful taste of Mexico hot spot. Jumping on Taco Tuesday. We dined outdoors beside a tree sporting white holiday lights. Festive ambiance. Started with bottomless chips and salsa. Added some fresh guacamole. The wait staff was very accommodating My aunt turns out to be a bit demanding. For instance when the Horchata arrived she immediately snapped,”that’s too much ice.” The expediter said no problem and was back in a jiffy with a drink with very little ice. My aunt kept these folks on their toes and they delivered excellent accommodating service. I had an excellent salad dish (with two colors of beets). I added the chicken breast. Very nice combination. For dessert we shared the Flan. My aunt said it was supposed to have a little jiggle to it. Alas, no jiggle but all the same we each devoured our half ( separate plates of course!). Highly recommend

Melissa Cure

The food, drinks, and service were all exceptional here! We had the chili relleno and the cheese enchiladas with green sauce both delicious! The elote was so good as well!!

Claudia Aguirre

The food is very tasty but the service is amazing come and try fresh tortillas the best fajitas and salsa and wacamole I love it.the only down fall is that of you have food left over they don't pack it for you or put it in bags

Kiara B.

People are so annoying! We almost didn’t come here after seeing it wasn’t highly rated, but so thankful we did!! This place is awesome! We are foodies and were starving after a long hike in Novato so we decided to give it a shot. The patio is awesome. The service was wonderful from the hostess, busser and server. The cocktails were delicious and way different than your average Mexican bar menu. We had 3 different types of tacos and all were delicious. This is now our new favorite Mexican restaurant in Marin. We will be back with friends asap! Thank you

Adam

My wife and I came here a bit concerned about the four star rating. We travel around the world and are big time foodies and have high standards for food and cocktails. We came with mediocre expectations (brought our dog on the patio) on a Saturday afternoon for the first time and agreed we had excellent service, some of our favorite cocktails and amazing tacos, chips, and guacamole for a great price. Being local, we will DEFINITELY be back soon!

Dane Reeves

I hosted my company Christmas party there. Omar and his staff were wonderful, the back patio was beautiful and the food was great (but the margaritas were better). Highly recommended this place for any occasion.

Marisa Hoke Fazi

We expected this to be yet another overpriced trendy Mexican joint replacing the overpriced place that had been there before (but was beaten out by the new restaurant up the street with excellent food at a good value). Mamita knocked our socks off from the addictive salsa and delicious chips through the most succulent and well portioned short rib chili mole Res de Coloradito we ever had to the rich thick tortilla soup with masa and plenty of vegetables. The fresh accoutrements and black beans were simple and delicious. Good coffee and freshly fried cinnamon and sugar covered churros were fine by themselves but came with both caramel and chocolate sauces for dipping. Value-wise, it's on par with most of the other places nowadays for the liquor. The entrees were all reasonably priced, and a good value because of the excellent quality and large portions. The 2 tacos for $14 and no sides is something I will skip. The ambience is clean light and comfortable - California desert theme. The service was competent and friendly. It seems the Crave team (The former restaurant and they're all here now) learned from that failed experience and got everything right with Mamita. We were completely satisfied, much to our surprise, and we'll be back.

Had a fantastic experience here. About 70 per person and that's with a couple appetizers, drinks, and dessert. Food was fantastic and the drinks were fun. Service was attentive. Atmosphere was interesting, a little campy but we enjoyed that ☺️ Overall great value for money, a good date spot if you're both up for the camp or a nice spot with friends. Had an infant with us and they were very kid friendly too. Honestly nothing bad to say about it.

Our favorite Mexican food in Marin. Great service. Fresh, quality ingredients. Delicious food in large quantities. Always a great experience.

The food here is absolutely wonderful, and the ambiance is truly one of the best. We’ve traveled to Oaxaca, and this restaurant genuinely rivals some of the best meals we had there. The sauces are sophisticated and beautifully balanced. The butter lettuce salad is crisp, fresh, and perfectly palate-cleansing. The homemade chips are completely addictive, and the mole is rich, complex, and unforgettable. The enchiladas are outstanding — flavorful, perfectly prepared, and deeply satisfying. The fish dishes are just as impressive: fresh, expertly cooked, and thoughtfully paired with vibrant accompaniments. A fantastic dining experience from start to finish — we can’t wait to come back!

Andy Maus

First visit, sat on the patio and really enjoyed it! The food and drinks were excellent, great ambiance, and our server was very attentive. Will definitely go back.

Calvin Scherle

Had a fantastic experience here. About 70 per person and that's with a couple appetizers, drinks, and dessert. Food was fantastic and the drinks were fun. Service was attentive. Atmosphere was interesting, a little campy but we enjoyed that ☺️ Overall great value for money, a good date spot if you're both up for the camp or a nice spot with friends. Had an infant with us and they were very kid friendly too. Honestly nothing bad to say about it.

On a weekend drive through Novato, we stopped for lunch and chose Mamita. We have visited Novato many times, so I was surprised I hadn’t heard of Mamita before. I found out it opened just three or four years ago. The owners, Shah Bahreyni, Peter Paul, and chef Bernardo Robles, started Mamita to highlight the flavors of Oaxaca and Puebla. They focus on fresh, local ingredients, grill prime meats over oak wood, import spices from Oaxaca, and make their own corn masa. The restaurant also has a bar with a variety of tequila and mezcal. Its casual atmosphere has made it popular in Novato. Mamita has many positive reviews for its tasty dishes, and we decided to try the Chicken Enchiladas. First, we shared an Elote, which is wood-grilled sweet corn topped with Queso Fresco, lime, and Chipotle Aioli. We also had Queso Fundido con Chorizo, a traditional dish with melted cheese and chorizo sausage. Both appetizers were excellent. When the Chicken Enchiladas arrived, they were flavorful, but I had already filled up on the appetizers, so I could only eat one of the three on the plate, and my partner could only manage one as well. The service was excellent, and we left wanting to come back again. return.

The place is nice! Great ambiance and theme. The food was delicious... really great options all throughout the menu The chips and salsa were delicious!! Super tasty salsa with freshly made tortillas chips. I was only disappointed that their aguas frescas (Jamaica or Horchata) did not have the same level of love as their food did... the drinks were artificial flavored powder type.. not like homemade Horchata, or fresh jamaica. Told the waiter I couldn't drink them, but I still got charged for them on my bill. Overall, good food, good atmosphere.

Afshin Afshar-Ghasemlou

On a weekend drive through Novato, we stopped for lunch and chose Mamita. We have visited Novato many times, so I was surprised I hadn’t heard of Mamita before. I found out it opened just three or four years ago. The owners, Shah Bahreyni, Peter Paul, and chef Bernardo Robles, started Mamita to highlight the flavors of Oaxaca and Puebla. They focus on fresh, local ingredients, grill prime meats over oak wood, import spices from Oaxaca, and make their own corn masa. The restaurant also has a bar with a variety of tequila and mezcal. Its casual atmosphere has made it popular in Novato. Mamita has many positive reviews for its tasty dishes, and we decided to try the Chicken Enchiladas. First, we shared an Elote, which is wood-grilled sweet corn topped with Queso Fresco, lime, and Chipotle Aioli. We also had Queso Fundido con Chorizo, a traditional dish with melted cheese and chorizo sausage. Both appetizers were excellent. When the Chicken Enchiladas arrived, they were flavorful, but I had already filled up on the appetizers, so I could only eat one of the three on the plate, and my partner could only manage one as well. The service was excellent, and we left wanting to come back again. return.

Carlos Arturo Monsalve

The place is nice! Great ambiance and theme. The food was delicious... really great options all throughout the menu The chips and salsa were delicious!! Super tasty salsa with freshly made tortillas chips. I was only disappointed that their aguas frescas (Jamaica or Horchata) did not have the same level of love as their food did... the drinks were artificial flavored powder type.. not like homemade Horchata, or fresh jamaica. Told the waiter I couldn't drink them, but I still got charged for them on my bill. Overall, good food, good atmosphere.

Great menu, great setting, a place that under different ownership and themes, had served up some truly memorable experiences. But starting from the chips, standard fare at any Mexican themed restaurants, it went downhill. We had trouble ordering drinks, pico de gallo in place of the runny too-hot sauce. We realized how important it is to have the waitstaff understand, something you can take for granted at high end venues. But several times, those waiting on us had to duck behind the curtain and ask for a translation. Asking for guacamole was out of the question. I found the experience at Mamita more taxing than relaxing. In all fairness, I should know more Spanish and I’m sure I’ll go back after a few Duo Lingo lessons. Best of all is the margarita flight. Three medium sized margeritas, each can be selected from the margarita menu. They have tequila cart with top-shelf tequilas, so you know they are real. Get the margarita flight. Whatever you order after that will not matter.

Same place as Crave but with Mexican food. Seemed like the same staff. They were good and attentive, as before. Food was ok but not any better than the place around the corner or any of the other places in the area but with a higher price tag. I got the $14 tacos (pic) against my wife's advice, but wanted to try. Should have listened. They were ok, after I added guacamole and cheese, but left me hungry. Her enchiladas were good, but drowned in sauce. The rice was tasteless and the refried beans were eh... We got the sopes for an app and they were bland.

Roopinder Tara

Great menu, great setting, a place that under different ownership and themes, had served up some truly memorable experiences. But starting from the chips, standard fare at any Mexican themed restaurants, it went downhill. We had trouble ordering drinks, pico de gallo in place of the runny too-hot sauce. We realized how important it is to have the waitstaff understand, something you can take for granted at high end venues. But several times, those waiting on us had to duck behind the curtain and ask for a translation. Asking for guacamole was out of the question. I found the experience at Mamita more taxing than relaxing. In all fairness, I should know more Spanish and I’m sure I’ll go back after a few Duo Lingo lessons. Best of all is the margarita flight. Three medium sized margeritas, each can be selected from the margarita menu. They have tequila cart with top-shelf tequilas, so you know they are real. Get the margarita flight. Whatever you order after that will not matter.

Rick Libbey

Same place as Crave but with Mexican food. Seemed like the same staff. They were good and attentive, as before. Food was ok but not any better than the place around the corner or any of the other places in the area but with a higher price tag. I got the $14 tacos (pic) against my wife's advice, but wanted to try. Should have listened. They were ok, after I added guacamole and cheese, but left me hungry. Her enchiladas were good, but drowned in sauce. The rice was tasteless and the refried beans were eh... We got the sopes for an app and they were bland.

We decided to try this place and: the chips and salsa are excellent. Really good. We were excited for the tacos we ordered (they charge 7.50 for each extra taco, the dish itself comes with 2 tacos so we ordered $45 worth of extra tacos)… they were bland. No taste, no flavor. I ordered more limes and salsa verde and they charged us for that. Never heard of a Mexican restaurant that did that. Anyway, won’t be coming back. Food wasn’t great and the only thing memorable were the chips and salsa. Place is cute tho.

Chips and atmosphere were amazing. Fish tacos were decent. Al pastor and birria tacos lacked flavor. They charged for limes and again for extra salsa which was surprising. They shouldn't have done that or at least warned.

Danny Margolis

Chips and atmosphere were amazing. Fish tacos were decent. Al pastor and birria tacos lacked flavor. They charged for limes and again for extra salsa which was surprising. They shouldn't have done that or at least warned.

Cara Rappaport

We decided to try this place and: the chips and salsa are excellent. Really good. We were excited for the tacos we ordered (they charge 7.50 for each extra taco, the dish itself comes with 2 tacos so we ordered $45 worth of extra tacos)… they were bland. No taste, no flavor. I ordered more limes and salsa verde and they charged us for that. Never heard of a Mexican restaurant that did that. Anyway, won’t be coming back. Food wasn’t great and the only thing memorable were the chips and salsa. Place is cute tho.

I was there yesterday 4/6/25 with my family, around 3:11pm we spent almost $400 for our lunch. Our server was Jorge R, older man around his 40’s 50’s years old. When we got there he was nice, then toward the end he was very rude and was rushing us to pay the bill. He was not nice at all, we were very unhappy with his attitude at end. We went to the Maira at 340 Ignacio Blvd, Novato,CA 94949 I just hope the manager on the owner will talk to Jorge, it was not professional the way he handled.

Paula Melo

I was there yesterday 4/6/25 with my family, around 3:11pm we spent almost $400 for our lunch. Our server was Jorge R, older man around his 40’s 50’s years old. When we got there he was nice, then toward the end he was very rude and was rushing us to pay the bill. He was not nice at all, we were very unhappy with his attitude at end. We went to the Maira at 340 Ignacio Blvd, Novato,CA 94949 I just hope the manager on the owner will talk to Jorge, it was not professional the way he handled.

Debra Bandel

The waiter recommended the fish tacos $20 for two tacos and rice and beans were an extra $3.50 Very small amount of fish in the tacos Not very much taste to the food My husband ordered an omelette The waiter did not speak English very well I asked him what came with the omelette and he said nothing So we ordered extra rice and beans To go with your omelette and then it came with potatoes For that amount of money, it’s nice to have someone honest Who communicates well The atmosphere is nice My friends ordered quesadillas off the child’s menu. They were only six And they really enjoyed them But for the most part, it seems very overpriced Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant that charges An extra $3.50 for rice and beans $2.50 for tortillas