I'm usually a little hesitant about going out for Mexican food because I cook a lot of it at home, so I'm harder to impress... But I'm glad we chose Ay Mi Pa for my friend's graduation celebration. We came around 6-7 PM on a Saturday and surprisingly there wasn't much of a dinner rush yet. The place is huge with lively music and definitely gives more bar/club vibes as the night goes on. The aguachile was really good and flavorful. We also tried the espresso martini, which was a little too bitter for me. I ordered the Spicy Soltera and they accidentally brought me a different drink first. They let me keep that one and still brought out the correct drink, which was nice of them. And wow... definitely one of the spiciest drinks I've ever had. But I can't really complain when "spicy" is literally in the name. We chose the Jefe Skillet. It's massive and could easily feed three people. All the meats were really flavorful, the guacamole was great, and even the complimentary chips and salsa were good. The rice and beans were pretty average, but everything else made up for it. Overall, great food, huge portions, and a really fun atmosphere for a celebration. 8.5/10 read more

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Stopped in for brunch on a Sunday and the place quickly began to fill up with groups celebrating birthdays. Very spacious location, decor has you feeling like you're in Cancun, really good setup. Music is BLASTING, there's a Dj and large screen playing music videos and the music selection when I was there was on point! 5/5 for the vibes! We started off with a mimosa, standard drunk so nothing out of this world about it. Chips and salsa were brought out for the table and both were really good! Chips were warm and made in-house so they were perfect. Salsa was a pico de gallo finely chopped. For my main course I ordered the huevos rancheros and that was a 3/5. Overall flavor was good I will say but the dish was a little cold upon the first bite. Loaded with sour cream and salsa, it was a little too much. The dish came with asada (steak) inside and the meat was really chewy and only a few pieces of it. I was too thrown off by the food being slightly cold but otherwise, it wasn't terrible. Very modern take on Mexican food. Service was quick and our waiter, Jose was super nice! No complaints there whatsoever. This place is definitely more for the vibe itself. Good spot to grab some appetizers or a quick small bite, or just drinks themselves. Overall, 3.8 stars from me! read more

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Honestly I had no expectations.. often overhyped restaurants are not very good, but this was a very pleasant surprise! We came to celebrate my sisters birthday and it was perfect! The ambiance was everything - elegant yet fun; the staff was very professional. The food was truly the surprise because it was DELICIOUS! The birria tacos were so good, the mini elotes had me wishing for more! The "el jefe" plate was sooo good! It was more than enough for my husband and I. The carne asada was very juicy! My only qualm is that our waiter didn't check in on us more than once, but aside from water we didn't need much! I'll definitely be back! read more

First timer! I was not ready for the vibes hahah it was like a mix of middle-tier restaurant (food roughly $20-$140), a full bar, a DJ, and low key table service (sparklers + lit up sign). The food was great! The wet burrito was delicious, the birria tacos were great, and the octopus was divine. If you get overstimulated I would advise to sit on the patio portion of the restaurant (away from DJ and lights). Be prepared to pay some money (octopus roughly $40) the service was great too! The servers were promptly, helpful, kind, and tended to our needs. read more

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We came here for my sisters birthday in August for Saturday brunch. I'll start by saying our servers were very nice and kept the mimosas coming. It was 4 of us. Two meals came out good. The other two: salmon had no flavor and overcooked, sent it back to be remade and it was undercooked. The chicken and waffles, chicken was burnt. I got the steak and my other sister got the enchiladas, those were both good! Now to the manager saying the AC on when it was burning up in that restaurant. I was sweating as soon as I got there. Went into the bathroom it was ice cold, soon as I went back into the restaurant it was disgustingly hot. Obviously they are cutting down on the usage or the AC was broke cuz there was no way it was on. read more

They really get these stars for their service. Our server David was soooo dope! He was on top of it. He gave honest recommendations on food and drops, was prompt, never let a glass go empty and played along with our shenanigans. Shout out David. The ambiance was cool too.. nice brunch vibe with a cool DJ. Drinks were good Food Honestly not well seasoned and the guacamole tasted like it was store bought. It was cool but the prices are a little high for food that mediocre. I would come back, and try something different read more

Ay Mi Pa - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Bomb drinks and modern Mexican cuisine. Food is a bit pricey still but has improved a lot since last coming here around 3 years ago. The tacos, aguachiles and poke nachos were bomb, although the poke nachos could've been more stacked with their chip to protein/toppings ratio. The guacamole with chicharron was really good! Best thing about this spot is probably the vibes and drinks because it's lit! read more

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First impressions definitely count, and I was impressed right away by the ambiance, vibe, music, colors, and design. We came here to have brunch and it was R&B theme. Walking in, it certainly felt like a day club. We were seated near the bar and could see the DJ and screens. Music was poppin and people were celebrating. I wonder what this place is like at night? I am sure it will be a blast. Time to order a michelada! We were hungry and ordered: The fajita skillet, A la cart quesabirria taco Eggs and classic pancakes The ssizzling fajitas were a carne asada and chicken combo, plenty for 2, with several sides. The quesabirria was amazing, melts in your mouth, and the pancakes were unfortunately, slightly burnt . Our server, Stephanie was outstanding! She was prompt and accommodating to our many requests. Thanks again! The only reason I am giving 4 starts were the seats. I would describe as sunk patio seats instead of upright dinning seats, so table top seemed higher causing unusual way to eat as you had to lean forward every bite. Otherwise, we will be back for a fun night! read more

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It went from bad to worse. I've been here twice. And this was the second time. It went from bad to worse REAL quick. This place has hype. And that's all it is. It's riverside. Not many "high end" places if you can even call it that to be had. They label themselves as such and it's far from it. Entrance as a wannabe red carpet feeling. Not kidding there's actually a red carpet at the door it's super tacky. I was greeted right away. And was shown to my seat right away. Started off decent per usual. I was a party of 8. And had a birthday girl they knew was here as well. Ready paying customers. As a business you'd think that's something to be grateful for, but that's NOT how the staff felt and they will be more clear going into this. First a two dozen oysters were ordered. ALL sent back. Extremely watery and fishy. THEY WERE BAD. Your establishment is going to get someone sick! BEWARE. Since we were hungry we thought ok.... It can't be THAT bad maybe they'll get something else right. So we thought... chilaquiles aguachiles Steak Pomegranate martini ( urgent care could be involved ) Chilaquiles came and the steak with it? Looked like beef jerky. Driest and old at least 4 days old steak I've ever seen. DO NOT GET THE STEAK ON ANYTHING. Aguachiles? Actually pretty good. I can't hate on it. This they got right. We had it with green sauce. Pomegranate martini? Questionable fruit used. Questionable alcohol used. Resulting in one of our attendees having alcohol poisoning. But let's get into things before this all happened also. Waitress took the orders. Never came back to check in waters or anything. Straight up disappeared. Eventually the MANAGER had to come by and help our table. Agreed that the steak would be something not even she would eat. And that it was completely unacceptable. Plate was returned. Brought back with me steak still the same plate of everything else ( that's fine ) But the steak was still old, maybe a little better and extremely overly salted. Also the birthday girl ordered pancakes. And that arrived after EVERYONE else's food. Completely unacceptable. Prices are completely outrageous considering the quality. This place is all for hype and social media. Sold to people who don't know any better on how food is actually suppose to be prepared, made and displayed. And that's not talking bad about the customers. This place is just a scam. One of those restaurants that attracts photos and hype. But doesn't live up to it at all. With that said? Highly recommend DO NOT GO. This place needs to step it up. Any restaurant that is family owned and an owner isn't present will degrade quickly. There's a reason the restaurant business is considered one of the worst to be involved in. This place displays that. Go at your own risk. read more

Ay Mi Pa - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

4 stars because the cook who ran our food was honestly sweet and funny ! The host or guy who served us water was very much attentive but our server for a slow coming from another server on a slow night ... definitely made the experience uncomfortable having to ask for things 2x every time :( if we had cash on hand the two mentioned would've received a tip ! read more

Ay Mi Pa - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Ay Mi Pa ended up being one of my unexpected FAVORITES on this trip ...I liked it so much I went three times in two weeks! Visit #1 - Saturday Night: Wow. Total Miami nightclub energy. Live DJ, loud music, flashing lights, and a super fun crowd. It was popping! Dinner was delicious and the cocktails were on point -definitely a spot to go if you want a vibe. Visit #2 - Weekday Happy Hour: Complete 180 from Saturday. It was basically empty... like four people total. No DJ, no energy, quiet. But you know what? The happy hour birria tacos were AMAZING. Honestly worth the visit even without the party vibe. Visit #3 - Weekend Brunch-ish: More of a family-friendly atmosphere. No club vibes this time, just a chill, busy brunch scene. Good food again and solid service. Crazy that all three visits felt like totally different restaurants, but honestly? I'd go back in a heartbeat. Great food, great drinks, and depending on when you go- you can choose the vibe you want! read more

Ay Mi Pa - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Went looking for a really good and authentic Mexican restaurant. Ended up reading the life story of the owner who put more thought into their Prologue than the menu and the executions of the food. Sure owners. Reserve the 4 front spots for you and just say a big EFF you to your customers eh? Sorry if you're resorted to parking around the back where it smells like piss and decomposing meat. Great start to a meal huh? But you keep those 4 spots, I'm sure your empty restaurant needs it. Now-why in gods name are your chefs serving RAW shrimp that isn't even marinated/cooked in citrus juices?! First step in any ceviches or aguachile. Have your chefs go to Gonzales market and learn the right way. Also, such a small little piece of pulpo for $40?! Get off your pretentious High horse and come down here with the other Hispanics and you tell me what's going on. Don't list Birria in an "upper scale" restaurant and have it be BEEF! That's barbacoa my friends. GOAT for birria. Go visit Jalisco and learn how to Get it right. "MR. I immigrated here and I'm bringing the culture", no you're not. Try again. Your short rib tacos were really good and your chipotle salsa the guys in the back made was amazing. Pero No tuve bueno. read more

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I had a very disappointing experience at Ay mi pa mainly because of the service. There were only three of us, and we had to wait approximately 30 minutes after arriving before we received any attention. When we asked to move to another table, we initially did not receive any help. The waitress who was supposed to be serving us was practically never present, and when we tried to ask for assistance, the way she communicated with us was quite uncomfortable, telling us that we needed to speak directly with the host. Eventually, Luis another employee at the restaurant, who was not our waiter and whose main responsibility was helping with the tables, was the person who actually helped us. He was able to move us to another table, brought us the bottle service and water service, brought us lemons, helped us serve everything, and was attentive to us throughout most of the experience. In fact, we thought he was our waiter because he was the only person who was actually taking care of our table, which is why we decided to give him a tip directly. The waitress Daisy appeared practically at the end, when we were already finishing, and when we asked for the check, we noticed that we were being charged a gratuity for the service. We explained that we did not feel that this charge was fair given the service we had received. However, the manager Adriana told us that it was mandatory, even though there were only three of us and the waitress had practically not served our table at all. I completely understand that a restaurant can get busy and that mistakes can happen with the service. What I found disappointing was that, instead of trying to resolve the situation, we were made to feel that we had to pay for a service that, from our experience, we had practically not received. I hope the restaurant can take this experience as an opportunity to improve its customer service and communication among its staff. The food can be good, but the service is also a very important part of the overall experience. read more

I forgot my servers name awwwe so sorry because he was awesome friendly outgoing funny and always kept my glass full. The food was delicious but the mixologist out did the chef in my opinion Jayden???? I think he said his name was. Best martinis ever made in my life as of right now. Thanks for the best valentine day I've had in a long time. read more

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Shrimp tacos were excellent! Plump whole shrimp in a beer batter with pico and lettuce on top. The beans and rice were average. White rice was more of a pilaf. My date ordered the chicharron ribeye plate. Average portions for slightly above average price. Drink menu was phenomenal. The heart straws are chefs kiss! Service was a tad slow. It wasn't too busy yet for a Saturday night either. Ambiance is a little "chaotic". They have a DJ late nights, but even at 5:30 the background music was very loud. It is less of a casual place and more fun and upbeat. It would be a GREAT place to celebrate something. read more

Ay Mi Pa - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Wanna-be high end place. "Wait is 40 minutes BUT your table is not guaranteed... " Yeah, neither is me eating at this trash ass restaurant. read more

Came for my birthday and had the time of my life! Mckenna, our server went above and beyond to make sure our experience was more than anything we could have asked for. She truly made sure that our party had fun, excellent service and we were for sure taken care of. We had tacos, tons of drinks, ceviche and endless chips, salsa and guac. The food was delicious and the drinks were amazing as well. This place deserves all of the hype for fun experiences! They really have the right perfect ambiance to make every occasion (even just a Friday night with friends) magical. Riverside needs a gem like this. I love it! We will definitely be back and make sure to ask for McKenna! read more

Ay Mi Pa - Gorge! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

This was the first dinner of 2026 and it was absolutely delicious everything from our drinks to food to service was top-notch. Looking forward to coming back again. read more

Ay Mi Pa - First drink of 2026 bottoms up - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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What a hidden gem in the IE! You would never know. But now you do. Behind the Tyler mall off Magnolia Ave, next to the Yard House. From the outside, it's another corner restaurant. But when you walk in and turn right. You walk into a tranquil TULUM Mexican resort. No really, the decor is pretty cool. as a party of 3. We were sat immediately at 9:30pm for a late dinner after a long day. We had some cold beers and shots of casa amigos. For starters, we enjoyed a wonderful and flavorful tuna poke nachos. Then to the entrees. The agua chile steak! Mmmm. Taste good as it sounds! . 2 's UP. The shrimp Diablo! Wow. Full of flavors and explosions in your mouth. Wrap it around some corn tortillas and viola! Delicious! To the Octopus !! Perfectly seared. Wonderfully cooked. Nice all around texture and yummy down to the stomach. Cap off our sides with rice and beans and nice crispy French fries ! We are FULL!! Few more shots of tequila and beers ... awesome service! Awesome vibes! Feels like you're in a Mexican Riviera resort dining experience. If you're looking for some Mexican fusion with wonderful atmosphere. Try this place out. It will not disappoint you. stars read more

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Last week was the first time trying this place with a friend and had a really good experience. The place was packed so we ate outside in the covered patio. The service was great and the tacos were fantastic! They even had a DJ there that Saturday night. Definitely a great vibe and good food. read more

A group of us went to celebrate a co-workers birthday. First time there and my experience wasn't bad. Ambiance was fun. The DJ was playing old school. People were dancing and having a good time. The banda started playing about 10:30 pm. My plate was good. I ordered it no beans extra rice. I wish it would have had more meat but the meat was super tender. I'd definitely go back. read more

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This place was fun and great. We celebrated my sis in laws birthday there and she enjoyed it so much. We had a party of 7 and it was so much fun. Food was tasty and made fresh, drinks were solid. Service was great. Our waiter checked in on us often, refilled drinks, and provided great customer service. Thank you for a fun and memorable night. read more

Ay Mi Pa - Jefe plate that was shared between two ppl - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Everything from The hostess to the service and music was beyond amazing R & B Brunch DJ was off the hook !!!! Best of all Jesus took care of us welcomed us Ladies as it was our first time and it won't be our last !!! Thank you Jesus !!!!! read more

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I was so excited to try this place. The food was cold, when I told the waitress about it. She said she was going to tell her manager she took forever to come back and said the manager took the corn off . I didn't want to argue so I just payed it was only $18 dollars. Although she seemed nice in my face I feel she was rude by taking that long and not bringing the manager to our table. The good part was the bar was full so they must have good drinks! lol The restaurant is beautiful but their service and food doesn't match! read more

I have tried to go here two times. This time I made a reservation. There was no one at the hostess area. All the workers were standing in the back talking to each other. Finally after about 10 minutes I walked over and asked a worker if someone could seat us. The whole restaurant was empty. Finally a lady came to the front and asked if we had a reservation. I said yes. Then she said we will call you to be seated. I was like WHAT?????!!!!! The whole restaurant is empty what are you waiting for ???? After that I just went to Yard House next door. read more

This was my first time here and came for a birthday celebration. Our server was very attentive and checked in on us multiple times. The drinks were strong and I ended up getting an alcoholic drink that was actually called "Bitch Please". The drink was strong and sweet. The ahi nachos were the best thing out of everything that was ordered. The tuna pieces were huge! I also got the California burrito which was about $22 and it was smaller the standard size of a typical California burrito. The rest of the table got the empanadas and the shrimp tacos. The restaurant had a DJ playing throwback music which I liked but the music was really loud where it was hard to have a conversation with the table. read more

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Amazing service and a great atmosphere. The food is always delicious, and Daniel Bedolla truly stands out he's excellent at guiding you through the menu, whether you're in the mood for something sweet or savory. I highly recommend asking for his suggestions. I find myself coming here every chance I get. If I lived closer, I'd probably end my workdays here grabbing a bite, enjoying good music, and sipping on a cold brew or my favorite, the El Jefe. I feel lucky to have found this spot. They also offer brunch and fun Banda nights, which makes it even better. read more

Ay Mi Pa - Not to mention ADA Service Animal friendly are welcome in the patio Area. - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

i think on maps it said it was closing at 11 on sunday (the sunday before memorial day) but they actually closed at 10. the hostess was really nice though and tried contacting us prior letting us know the kitchen would be closing soon, but it was okay since we only came for drinks. however, the drinks were strong AF LOL. we got a marg flight of strawberry, mango, and lime. The strawberry one was the only better tasting one imo. it was hard for us to finish our drinks. I swear on the menu it said it was $40 but it ended up being $50 ? We really didnt check the breakdown since the restaurant was closing and we just paid and left the inside is cute tho! read more

Ay Mi Pa - strawberry margarita - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Stopped here for lunch and wait time was about 15 mins to be seated. The staff were very friendly and made several trips to check on us. We decided to order different plates to try as many things as we could. We order chicken/shrimp/ beef enchiladas which were $24, they were packed with meat and had really good flavors. We also ordered the Birria tacos which were $18 they also packed with meat and the consomé (broth that's served with birria tacos) was very flavorful. The street corn was $7 it was a perfect balance of spicy and cheese definitely recommend. The ceviche was $20 and also very flavorful and the sauces they use just mixed so well. Overall very enjoyable and delicious but only issue we had was that when we first got to the restaurant they had not turned on the ac and it was very warm inside. Took about 45 mins to cool off. read more

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Vibe was great! Music and great energy. Service was not great. Slow to take orders, slow to get food and drinks, slow to pay check. There were a lot of birthday celebrations so maybe that was it but we were for 3 hours with soooo much down time. The drinks are cute and tasty. Food is good and not too crazy out of the traditional Mexican norm. read more

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Such a great vibe and outstanding service! The food and drinks are amazing. They have a whole fried fish that reminds me of being on vacation in Mexico!!! The bartender Susset made my visit extra special just by simply smiling and engaging in conversation. Customer service is EVERYTHING read more

Ive been meaning to try this place. It is right next to Yard House near the AMC next to the Tyler mall. I came for my birthday dinner with my family around 4pm on last Friday. Prior to this, I had made a reservation over the phone since I saw they did not have website. Ay Mi Pa should get on that. I checked in with the host and let her know I had a reservation. She took us to our table in the middle of the restaurant. It seemed very luxurious and high end. Music was loud, but not too loud. I was surprised, since from the outside, it doesn't seem like much. The restaurant had several people inside, either drinking or at the bar. Our waitress gave us our waters, chips and salsa, and the menus. She was very friendly, polite, and was bilingual. She let us know the types of drinks we could order and what dishes were popular. I ordered a strawberry agua fresca and the shrimp enchiladas. The drink was very sweet and came with Tajín around the rim and a strawberry. My mom and brother got the salmon and my stepdad got the squid. After maybe almost half an hour, dinner was served. My shrimp enchiladas were great! They were two and came with rice and beans. Every dish we ordered came with that as well. I ordered the cucumber agua fresca afterward which came with pieces of cucumber in the water. After we were done, the waitress came with a piece of chocolate cake with ice cream and a sparkler. It was unexpected! It was on the house. My whole family enjoyed it. I definitely need to come back to try their brunch! Thanks for the meal! read more

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This was our second time visiting this location. It has a lot of potential so I reserved making a review until giving it a second chance. Maybe I'm old, but this place is so loud. This is definitely not what you want if you're having a romantic night out or try to catch up with friends. Both times we went, it was unreasonably cold so much so that I sat there with my coat on the whole time. The inside decor is simply beautiful, and you feel as though you could be transported somewhere not in the IE. The service on the other hand, is super hit and miss. The first time we went, they brought the hubs all of his sauces. The second time, we were pretty much forgotten and it took so long just to get refills on drinks and appetizers. I kid you not when I say it took almost 40 minutes for our sushi appetizer to come out I mean it's sushi, it's raw. Additionally, that was the smallest sushi roll I ever had. The salmon was sliced so thin on top it was see-through. With the price tag of $22 it is a hard pass, definitely not worth it. The food was so slow coming out that we decided to pass on dessert. I mean, who wants to spend another 20 minutes waiting on dessert to come out? The first time I went I had the birria tacos. They were soggy and bad. Even the kid at the next table left his untouched. This time, I decided to get a classic burrito. It was good quality, but the sauce on top tasted like plain tomato sauce. It was weird. My husband like the flavor of his dish, but felt the amount was not worth the cost. Also, he felt the fish was a little fishy smelling. With so much Mexican food around, it's hard to find a reason to return. read more

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Had a reservation made way in advance, and received a call that now there is a minimum of $800 to spend for my party of 8 because of the World Cup. I have been to this restaurant plenty of times, so receiving this call was upsetting. Telling me I have to spend a certain amount AFTER making my reservation is not okay. Companies like this are so greedy, especially in this economy. I would not recommend this place. read more

This place is gouging people and running their business like a club. In order to enjoy the bar or dinner on a night they have live music. They have a prerequisite of $40 pp or a $200 minimum for a table. GTFOH. GREED IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. Ill take my business elsewhere. To an establishment who appreciates their customers. read more

The decor and atmosphere is very lively and when they have a band come in and perform everyone loves it and dances! I got the chicken enchiladas! It's my second time ordering and this meal was delicious! It has the right amount of everything 10/10. I also got a side of the esquite and it was really good, only thing I would say is that it was a bit watery. It tasted exactly how I used to eat them. There was hot Cheetos on top as well and that was my first time trying it like that! 9/10. Im not too sure of the dish name my husband ordered, but the meat was cooked to perfection! It was really good! 10/10 We also got the beach drink to try and it was pretty good. Sweet and strong alc flavors, vacation drink Thank you! read more

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Ay Mi Pa is a trendy, upscale Mexican steakhouse with easy access and a stunning ambiance--lush decor, warm lighting, and the kind of vibe that makes you want to linger. We arrived expecting to be seated, but after some time passed with no follow-up, we ended up grabbing a couple of seats at the bar. I ordered their signature cocktail, "The Purse," and it definitely lived up to the hype--refreshing, light, with hints of Aperol and rosé, served over lots of ice. For food, we shared the Botana Ay Mi Pa, a sampler platter that included esquites, birria tacos, shrimp empanadas, and guacamole with chicharrón. Everything was tasty... until we found a hair in the dish . Thankfully, the bartender handled it promptly and replaced the food without hesitation. Then, as if on cue, a fly took a dive into my fiancé's beer. Again, our bartender came through and swapped it out right away. Service overall was friendly and attentive, though clearly stretched thin--it was a packed Saturday afternoon. The food is solid, a little pricey for what it is, and the space can feel a bit congested. Still, the atmosphere makes up for a lot. I'd consider coming back--hopefully with fewer "surprises" next time. read more

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Love the food the drinks the music the vibe!!!!! Don't skip this place you gotta try. Service was great too!!! read more

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If you're looking for aesthetic and good drinks this is a good spot. However the food is hit or miss. Some food is average. The quesadillas and tacos I strongly recommend but as for the enchiladas I would not order again. Servers do a great job at being attentive and prompt. read more

Restaurant was literally empty but service was still horrible. Got the usual chips and salsa and asked for spicy salsa but our waiter was just walking in and out of the kitchen looking completely clueless. While we ordered food the waiter completely disregarded my mom who also had to order. Ended up cancelling the food and going elsewhere due to poor service. Good ambience doesn't always equal good food! Low budget Javier's takes Riverside. read more