Gone way downhill. The bathroom was beyond smelly and messy. The kitchen, visible when I walked out the bathroom and was so bad that we decided to leave even before ordering drinks. I can't get over how dirty the whole restaurant was. I went when they opened and was taking my teen out for a special day. Was really looking forward to it. read more

- Chips and salsa (so yummy) - Appetizer sampler (okay) - Shrimp diablo pasta (so good) - Carne Asada wet burrito (so good) - Coconut flan (good) but needs more coconut flavor Service was very good. Waiter was attentive. Never needed to wave him down. He made eye contact all the time which was refreshing. Interior is nicely decorated and they seem to have different themes for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. read more

Just got back from the best meal we've had in a very long time! The food here is fresh and clean, did not leave feeling heavy like most Mexican restaurants. Service was beyond awesome. We had Monica and Giovanni as our servers and they were so friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend. read more

While heading to a new-to-me movie theater in Pasadena, I figured I'd grab a bite somewhere nearby--no plan, just vibes. That's when I spotted Anaya's Mexican Restaurant. What drew me in? A sandwich board sign out front advertising lunch specials. It worked. I walked in around 11:40 a.m., only to find out that the lunch specials don't start until noon. No problem--I grabbed a seat, munched on complimentary chips and green salsa, and passed the time on my phone. The chips were fresh, and the salsa had a nice tangy kick--simple but satisfying. With a little time to spare, I decided to try their signature margarita. Good move. It was strong, well-balanced, and definitely not one of those overly sweet pre-mix types. A proper margarita. Once noon hit, I went with the chicken enchiladas with red sauce, skipping the refried beans in favor of just rice. (I'm not a refried bean person, and that's okay.) The rice was perfectly cooked--fluffy, with every grain holding its own--and the enchiladas were generously stuffed with shredded chicken. One note of caution: the red sauce is delicious, but messy. If you're like me and didn't think to ask for an extra napkin, you might leave with a souvenir or two--in my case, a few red stains. One napkin for the lap, one for the fingers next time. Bottom line: Anaya's is a solid neighborhood find--great lunch spot with strong margaritas, flavorful enchiladas, and a welcoming, relaxed vibe. Just keep an eye on the clock if you're after a lunch deal and maybe wear a dark shirt if you're going for the red sauce. read more

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Pros: service was great. Cons: Extremely underwhelming for the price. Tasted like a mediocre Mexican chain restaurant. Much fresher and better-tasting food for less at La Cabanita, Salsa and Beer. read more

This review is for their Sunday brunch buffet. What a great deal! A chill and relaxed atmosphere (would like the music a little quieter but it's not a big deal). The service was amazing, we were frequently checked on for refills or if there was anything special we wanted to order. The star is the huge selection of food they have, from barbacoa to chicken mole to salmon. They have mini enchiladas, aguachile, and two different kinds of ceviche. Pozole and menudo with all the fixings available as well. The dessert bar had fresh and crispy churros and a whole chocolate fountain. All of it tasted fresh. You could also order your own omelette or chilaquiles made to order. Agua fresca and cafe de olla were included. Can't say enough good things about this place, glad we stopped in! read more

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This place has an awesome, affordable Sunday brunch. Definitely a standout, with great options like chili rellano, chilaquiles and ceviche. The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing, and the staff are very helpful and accommodating. Definitely recommend! read more

My family brought my mom here for Mother's Day and everything was delicious. They have great portions, a number of different food selections and a good drink selection as well. Recommend: -Sample platter -Salmon Plate -Molcajete -Fish tacos -Enchiladas Our server was very kind and attentive to our table. The space itself is beautiful, lots of seating and cozy vibe inside. An added plus is they have parking in the back of their building! Overall great experience. read more

Decided to try Anayas after a friend's recommendation. Plenty of street parking and a lot behind. The place was jumping but it was happy hour, but they were able to seat us right away. Super friendly staff, lots of checks with the table for drinks, water,chips etc. Green salsa and very good tortilla chips on the table while getting drink orders, so great service. Got the sampler to try out all the apps, all tasty especially the taquitos. The enchilada del mar was also very good. Overall, will return to check out the rest of the menu. 5 stars read more

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I came here for taco Tuesday and it was perfect. 5 tacos for $15, nice bar seating, friendly atmosphere. And did I mention 5 tacos for $15? Can't be beat! read more

We decided to give this place a try based on the reviews I saw online so it made reservations on my birthday Friday and rolled into the location about 5 PM. It was dead, but it's still early. So we sat down and looked over the menu. We were the only family in this one room. We sat for a few before we got service. I think the manager came over and took our order. My family ordered food and I got a margarita. The drink was delicious. We ordered a sampler platter and it was good. Next the food came and it was just ok. Not awful but nothing great at all. Just okay. My family ordered the beef enchiladas in my wife ordered the cheese enchiladas. My daughter said the beef enchiladas were pretty good and I tried it. It was fair. The cheese enchiladas tasted weird and had some type of sweet and odd tasting sauce. They were not that good. I ordered the tiger shrimp enchiladas and they were OK. The food was average. We were the only family in this whole section. The service was just poor. I had to keep sending my son-in-law to wave down a waiter to get us more water or to get me a second drink and the place was not busy. They were just hanging out by the bar. I will not be back. My impression was not that good not worth the drive and the food is not worth it overall they got about a 2.8 out of five just not that good not worth recommending. read more

Anayas - Tiger shrimp Enchiladas Del Mar - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Foods gone downhill, overpriced & dry, never going back, buss boy tried taking our empty plates across the table while we were all still sitting there instead of waiting for us to leave which we we're getting ready to! Ridiculous & just plain rude, along with the hostess, never going back. Waiter was the only thing decent read more

Came here for their happy hour and thoroughly enjoy their food and beers. It was a hot day and my thirst was quenched. Come and support this business!!! The staff were friendly and helpful too. read more

Anayas - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great food! Wet chicken burrito - YUM. Add the side green salsa for a good kick. It's a nice fat burrito for about $21. Steak plate - delish. Peppered chicken - too sweet! I had trouble eating it so picked at my friend's steak plate. I would come back. read more

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Food inflation, tip inflation. A week ago on Friday 8/16, my wife and I craved Mexican food. I love the chicken mole and my wife loves grilled fish tacos at Anayas. We looked at the menu and saw their lunch specials are Monday-Thursday. We are here on Friday. No senior or AAA discount. We paid full dinner prices for lunch. The food was good. I enjoyed my chicken mole. My wife enjoyed her fish tacos. When I got the bill, I was shocked. The bill I expected. What shocked me was the "suggested tip" at 20%. The service was not great with one person working as host and server for the front end of the restaurant. That's outrageous to expect patrons to spend $70 for lunch. It will be a long time before we go back. They have lost our business. DJ's rating: 2.10/5.00 Would we come back? No. read more

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Really great, authentic Mexican food everything tasted fresh and homemade. The staff was incredibly friendly and made the experience even better. Will definitely be back! read more

The first time my boyfriend and I tried this, we loved it immediately. All the dishes are so flavorful and the staff was super friendly. This is our go to spot when we want a nice meal! read more

Wow, Anayas had us all impressed! My family and I made last minute reservations for Sunday brunch to celebrate two birthdays. We called the same morning around 10am and got reservations for 1pm for 12. Service was great. Our waitress was on top of everything and was very attentive. I wish I got her name to give her credit. As for the food, this is authentic Mexican food! The Sunday buffet had so many options. My favorite was the agua Chiles, posole, and the barbacoa. You can also order omelettes, chilaquiles, and waffles that are made fresh in the kitchen upon request. These are included in the buffet. We ordered all three and they were so flavorful! The green chilaquiles were my favorite. I 100% recommend the margarita! Perfect balance of alcohol and not too sweet. The live music gave the place such a nice atmosphere and wasn't too loud/overwhelming. We will definitely be back to Anayas! read more

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Beef flautas were 10/10! Margs were strong & so good!!! A little pricey but worth it!

Where to start. We arrived at 10 am. Stood by the door a few minutes while they decided to sit us. Waitress did not seem happy to see customers. They had a buffet going on so we stayed. Got a mimosa and an agua the agua was really good. A few reasons I will point out, being why they got a 1 start from me. Service is horrible, young lady does not want to be here. Good is below average. We didn't have drinks for a while young lady was polishing silverware eight infringed of us and could not turn around to see we did not have drinks. Lastly price is over prices . We paid $100.20 for 2 of us. Not many options for food. Very basic. We have the girl $105.00 and she asked if we needed change . We said yes because I was not going to leave her a tip. She took it came back and asked again if we wanted to break the $5. Again I said yes. Rolled her eyes and I've had enough so we left. Coming from a service industry back ground for years I can say she should not be a waitress. Tho is not the first time she waits on us and it's not good. I don't think I'll be coming back. Service is very important and she made the entire expensive even worst. read more

Anayas - Brunch time . Mimosa and lemon cucumber water - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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After shopping at a local bookstore yesterday, my husband and I stopped in to grab a bite to eat. From the outside we weren't sure exactly what to expect. The inside is spacious and clean, and although there were only two of us there, the hostess was kind enough to give us a booth. The menu is quite large, making it easy to find something for everyone. I ordered a salad, my husband got a quesadilla. The salad had strawberries, goat cheese, pecans, and a guava dressing over mescaline greens and baby spinach. The portion was truly amazing, and while I couldn't finish the entire salad, it wasn't for lack of trying. The dressing enhanced the fresh fruit and everything in the salad was in the perfect portions. My husband also lived his quesadilla and we both left full and excited to try the rest of the menu. How excited? We just got takeout from this restaurant tonight. So yummy, great service and surprisingly affordable with large portions. read more

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Swung by Anayas for the first time last week and had a great first experience! I was greeted right away by a friendly hostess that set the tone. Got a table right away and some chips and salsa to start. I ordered the shredded beef flautas and was really happy with the meal! The flautas were perfectly fried, beef was tasty, and I loved the side of fresh guacamole! I was served by a nice gentlemen wearing a suit that was also taking care of the bar. And his service was a great as his suit. Top notch! read more

Anayas - Flautas - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Food was delicious, great happy hour! Attentive service, beautiful restaurant. Good for large groups as well which is not easily identifiable from the posted photos. read more

The ambiance and the food is very good but the service was slow. It was a Saturday night but it was frustrating not to get updates from the server. I believe it was the bartender who was our server. read more

This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant this far. I love the decor inside, the service I'm always treated like family and the food OMG bomb dot com. Make your way out to Pasadena and try the best Mexican food everrrrrrrr. read more

Anayas - Shrimp salad and nachos - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Come here nearly every two week and can't imagine this restaurant not being part of our routine! We love the staff and David truly a gem and a major highlight to our visits. The food is incredible, the ambiance is very relaxed both inside and out. I can't recommend this place enough (and I recommend it every chance I get) read more

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I first tried Anayas over a year ago, while on a first date. My girlfriend and I still think back fondly of our experience there. The atmosphere both inside and outside of the restaurant was very nice, great for a first date. The food was alright, nothing exciting but "safe" for a first date. The Pollo Con Mango was ok, but didn't really taste of mango. And it's for that reason that I haven't been inspired to return. But recently, I decided to give Anayas a second try. On my second visit, I ordered El Mexicano Burrito, a grilled angus steak burrito with refried beans, fresh onions, and cilantro, topped with mozzarella cheese and salsa. The quality of the ingredients was great but the burrito was just ok. The salsa was pleasantly acidic but unfortunately not spicy. The cheese and beans were creamy and helped cut the acidity of the salsa that topped the burrito. Together, the flavors were all very pleasant, I just wish there was a little more spice. Overall, I'd come back but probably try a different dish. read more

Anayas - El Mexicano Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Ordered to go the shrimp quesadilla and it was legit! The rice, beans, and chips were also very good which is always a good indicator of the food. read more

Anayas - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

My GodSon wanted to announce his engagement to a few people and decided he was going to do it here. I was one of chosen few to partake in this momentous time in his life. I wouldn't have missed it for the universe. Located in Pasadena, I already knew parking was going to be a challenge, so I planned accordingly. Turns out, that wasn't the hurdle to overcome, but more so the accident that caused all that traffic on the 110! Luckily, we still made it on time. We were a party of 20+ people so by the time Hubbers and I got there, there were already apps on the tables. One of them was the sampler platter which was a good blend of everything. I only got to try one taquito and one flauta, which were both delicious. They were generous with the comp'd chips and salsa. The chips are definitely made fresh! What I liked best was the tableside fresh made guac. I love that they ask how much of the ingredients you want mixed in, so it really is made to your taste right before your eyes. It was a lot of apps that went around (at least for me) so I decided to get the shrimp tostada salad as a main course. My mistake was putting in the order as a shrimp tostada instead of saying shrimp tostada salad. It arrived as a shrimp ceviche tostada instead, which is what I didn't want at all. It was too late at this point, and it really was my error. But I made the best of the situation and shared it with my party. I had a few bites. The shrimp was very fresh and each bite was seasoned well. The only thing I didn't like was that I felt it was doused with too much lime. Nothing the crispy tostada and avocado couldn't taper down. FOOD: 4. SERVICE: 4. The servers really hustled and accommodated every need our party had. VALUE: 3.5. More than fair, I would say, even more so for the location. PARKING: Street and paid parking lots. It's Pasadena, so plan accordingly. Hubbers and I lucked out by finding a street spot around the corner. OVERALL: 3.75. It's a really beautiful and well-laid out restaurant. I really liked the open space and high ceilings. It didn't feel cramped at all. Above average first run. Should there be another app, still going for that shrimp tostada salad! read more

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1st time here. Was not liking it at all. At 1st the gentleman at the front seat it us quickly that was good. Place was dark, not enough light to read the menu. I had to look at the menu with my phone light. Food was ok and food was expensive service to my standards was not good at all. I had better food for cheaper price. The restroom smelled horrific like if there was a decomposing body mixed with ammonia. The waitress asked if she should bring my change back. I dis like for anyone to ask me should I bring u your change. I'm not going to reward a bad service. read more

I was originally attracted to this place by the decor, so I stopped by for drinks and ended up having dinner, too. I really enjoyed the variety of music playing in the background by a live DJ/ live singer who was actually really good! The ambiance is relaxed and casual. The serving staff and bartenders were friendly and attentive from beginning to end. The bar has a nice selection of spirits, and plenty of food options for lent Friday, which were not bad either. We got salsa and chips (really liked the salsa), and we ordered the table side prepared guac, asada plate, and salmon plate (which was interesting, sweet/ smoky/ spicy sauce). Everything tasted good, but I would probably try something different next time. Finding parking can be a little hectic, but there's some front street parking and also pay-per- space parking around the back. read more

Anayas - Interior decor - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My boyfriend and I finally made our way into Anayas after walking by so many times. It's always a lively spot, with live music on the weekends. We opted for a seat at the bar, since we were stopping in for a couple of TGIF drinks. We were treated to chips and salsa verde to snack on while we sipped. The spicy margarita was flavorful and not too spicy, a bit salty though (not sure if it was just this one!). My boyfriend raves about the mezcal used the door de campo. We hope to be back soon to try more specialty cocktails! read more

Anayas - Cocktail menu - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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After a long shopping trip, we were looking for a place for margaritas and happened to find Anayas. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, great ambiance and friendly as well as knowledgeable staff. We had arrived when it was happy hour !! which was great. Ordered a couple of Margarita pitchers, well made, potent ! and definitely quenched our thirst . We shared chicken flautas , fried chicken taquitos , chicken & fish tacos - all were delicious, tasteful and well prepared. The house salsa as well as hot salsa with freshly prepared chips were also great. read more

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Made reservations on a week night and it wasn't busy so didn't even need one. We were sat right away and were helped shortly after. We ordered the asada burrito, asada taco plate, and the chicken flautas. Food took a little long to come, for it not to be that busy, and our server was caught up talking to the manager when we needed a couple of refills for our drinks, so that was a little disheartening but for the most part, she was ok. To me, the asado taco plate was just OK. The Asada wasn't very flavorful at all especially how expensive the plate was. I would've definitely liked a less bland Asada. My husband said he liked his Asada burrito and my dad was neutral about the chicken flautas. Overall just OK Mexican food for me. Definitely overpriced for the taste so I'm not sure that I would be back but was nice to try something new. read more

Just polished off a menu item here listed as " salmon negro zarandeado". Delicious grilled salmon with sweet spicy peppercorn sauce. Nice spicy temperature effect after a few bites. Came with grilled veggies, rice and bread. I originally walked into Anaya's after catching one of their drink specials on a placard outside. $7 margaritas with a choice between a traditional mix or with grapefruit. At that price I ordered one of each. Each drink came garnished with dehydrated blood oranges,( nice to nibble on between sips)chile powder and Tajin. I sat at the bar and loved the mix of polished of the polished cement bar counter, antique brick abd overhead iron work holding the cocktail glasses. The interior ambiance is quite an eyefull...appealing. A mix if old traditional and contemporary. Impressive variety of mescals and tequilas. read more

Maybe good for a date night but service is "eh", price is "eh". Service: Bad It was at the end of the Friday night -- Some bad things- (-) Forgetting water after we requested it to be filled (she only took the bottle away and never came back with it so we had to ask someone else) (-) offering "chips and guac" when we sat down after learning at bill time this is a way to tack on a $13 charge for a 12 oz. of guac that you can probably buy for half the price elsewhere. Also, other reviews have mentioned recently (last 30 days)-- how others had guac mixed at their table side and asked how many/ what ingredients to use. We didn't get this service. It was already winding down so maybe the service was just lacking... Food wasn't bad but overpriced. Honestly the service was what ruined the experience. Their sales tactics to just "offer" things but then charge you doesn't seem standard, but maybe it is a Pasadena thing or a Mexican restaurant in Pasadena thing to pull this. Better restaurants don't need to advertise their food once you sit down or trick you. Their price transparency is lacking. I bet you will get a different response if you ask "can I start you off with chips and guac for $12.95" instead of "can I start you off with chips and guac"? Will not return. read more

Service: excellent thanks Monica M.! Ambiance: great conversations all around and music Food: guac was fresh and I got the shrimp which was okay but the sauce was salty. Overall it was great and will recommend. read more

Anayas - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

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If you're looking for gourmet Mexican food with incredible drinks and flavors, this is the place to come. The staff was so kind and attentive throughout our meal and the food was some of the best Mexican food I've had in the area. My favorite by far was definitely the tortilla soup but if you love mole the enchiladas were great as well. read more

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Delicious food and excellent service. The place was well kept and clean. The live music was an excellent bonus. We will be back. read more

Anayas - Yummy margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

We stopped in for lunch today during our visit to the Pasadena Art Walk. We were given a flyer at the art walk and were told certain businesses had promotional coupons going on. Anaya's had one for a free agua Fresca or margarita "with the flyer or sticker" that was stated on the flyer. Our waitress told us we needed both the flyer and sticker. I further questioned this at the host table and was again told "yeah the manager wants people to have both sticker and flyer." I didn't see any stickers handed out at the Art Walk. Needless to say the service was also very slow and at one point a homeless man walked thru the patio yelling racial slurs. The food was REALLY good, one of the best Pozole I've had...maybe it was an off day or just poor communication on the drink coupon. read more

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