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    Maria's Mexican Kitchen

    3.9 (362 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Maria's Mexican Kitchen Photos

    Business Info

    MARIA'S MEXICAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Maria's Mexican Kitchen

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    Enchiladas Rancheros
    Ray M.

    Simply put.... Extremely good. Went in the AM. Quick, friendly, prompt service. Chose the enchiladas rancheros. The plate is amazing. Beans perfect. Rice perfect. Enchiladas with shredded chicken is tasty. Quaint restaurant thats worth the experience. And the sodas are great!

    9/23/24 Mexican food for dinner
    Jennifer W.

    9/23/24 Feeling a little under the weather & wanted some soup... Visiting my cousin & her husband in Riverside & she says this is their go to Mexican food joint. I wanted to really like this place but perhaps Hubby & i have had better options for Mexican food in other places. The staff are friendly & attentive, they get 5 stars for this but the food fell short. The fresh salsa & warm tortilla chips are a welcome treat as complimentary appetizers. We ordered combos, Pollo Azteca (chicken breasts marinated in salsa & broiled) for me & carnitas for Hubby. My cousin ordered impossible tacos. My cousin suggested the combo instead of just ordering the albondigas soup so I opted for the Pollo Azteca. Fortunately I ordered this to try both. The albondigas was a bit bland & I didn't see any rice cooked into meatball at all, that was disappointing. I would've preferred this soup to be piping hot. Our food arrived shortly & the plates are piping hot, which I highly appreciated. When i cut into the chicken, I had expected it to be tender since it is submerged in a sauce yet it was tough to cut using a butter knife. Additionally, I was not expecting the chicken the spicy so when I bit into it, I started coughing & had to spit it out. Already not feeling well, I decided to just eat the rice & beans that it is paired with. The rice & beans were pretty good but I have definitely have had better elsewhere. Hubby's carnitas were also dry (my apologies but i almost choked on the dry meat). As I mentioned, I really wanted to really like this local favorite, it's hidden in a strip mall where Dollar Tree & Stater Bros. are also located. Parking is shared.

    Yummm

    Very nice spot! Food is great. One of the best pozole places for me! The bowl is so full of pork you can make small burritos from it! lol. This is the spot if you want a great bowl of pozole!

    Incredible service & delicious food! Our service couldn't have been better super attentive & friendly. Went above & beyond. Forever one of our favorite spots!

    Strawberry Margarita (wine-based) & chips and salsa
    Vanessa P.

    Came in for a quick hire to eat. The server was nice, the food was eh and the margaritas are wine-based. Salsa a little watery.

    Huevos Rancheros
    Geovanna N.

    What a great experience! Our server was amazing from beginning to end. I have not had such a great experience with a server in a long time! She even offered us our drinks to go :) 10/10 just for the service. We were greeted with chips and salsa and WOW. The chips were perfectly salted and hot and paired with a perfectly made spicy salsa that had us thinking if we even wanted food lol We ran through two baskets and two salsas! 10/10!! The Toro omelette was filled with sausage, topped with bacon and paired with crispy potatoes. I added some Cholula sauce and 10/10! I was also given an option of French toast or pancakes which was a nice sweet treat. The Huevos Rancheros were paired with some homemade tasting rice and beans. They were made perfectly! 10/10 Where the food could use some improvement is the French toast tasted too much like egg and personally I prefer mine well done and crispy. The huevos rancheros were topped with a sauce that tasted from a can. Overall, the service was amazing, the vibe is very chill with some great music going, and price was perfect. If you're in the area please stop by! A new go-to for my family, 9/10!!

    El Toro burrito and #10 (cheese enchiladas).

    Nom-nom! We've been coming to Maria's for 16 years and it's always consistent and always delicious! The servers are very attentive and friendly too. This is our go to for Mexican food.

    Tamale and Enchilada plate
    Rosa V.

    Food: Food was delicious . This place never disappoints. It's a tiny place located in the Woodcrest Plaza . Service: Service is always great. I have been coming here for over year after a friend brought me here for dinner. It's just perfect for a low key meal and great service. How I get there: I take Van Buren towards the 91 turn right on Washington and it's right there .

    Agave wine margarita.

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    3 months ago

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    2 days ago

    Delicious food !! Cilia is the best!! Always amazing service. The restaurant is cute.

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    29 days ago

    My husband and I love to come here and, we have been coming for many, many years! The food is great and the service is EXCEPTIONAL!!

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Great food and staff ! Make you feel like family ! Very causal and play music while your eating

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    Delicious food and friendly service. Very comfortable atmosphere and the prices are very reasonable. This is my kind of restaurant.

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    6 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    The food is amazing Service is great every time, a very well kept clean dining area authentic Mexican food the beans and rice is delicious

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    3 years ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Hidden gem for sure! This place has the best chicken tortilla soup I've ever had and even my picky toddler enjoys it surprisingly.

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Great food and easy ordering over the phone and pick up. The chilaquiles are bomb! They open early on the weekend too, which is a plus!

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    I love the food, atmosphere is nice. The restaurant has been here for decades and it's nice to have a place like that around.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    This is a great little gem in the woodcrest area and great food and service. Very affordable.

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    1 year ago

    Great food and since I've moved here I made it there 3 times in 1 month.5 stars for me! have

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    7 months ago

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    Page 1 of 10

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    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar

    (2k reviews)

    $$

    Ancho's is one of those places I honestly don't know if it's considered a hidden gem or not, but…read moreafter living in Riverside for the past 3-4 years, I can't believe I've never been here until now. I found out about it through my cousin, who's a UCR alum, and I'm really glad I finally got to try it. The staff were super nice and attentive, constantly coming by our table to check if we needed more water, tortillas, or anything else we might want. Even with how busy it was, they still made sure everyone was taken care of, which I really appreciated. The restaurant was packed, and it actually surprised me because I don't usually see that many people at restaurants in Riverside. The energy inside felt lively but still comfortable. One of my favorite parts was the fresh tortillas. They come out hot and fresh from the oven, and you can literally watch them being made right in front of you, which made it even better. And the best part is they're free. We ordered the carne fajitas and chile relleno. The fajitas were incredible, the meat was juicy, tender, and packed with flavor, with that perfect smoky sear that comes from being cooked fresh on a hot skillet. Everything came out sizzling and stayed flavorful with every bite. The chile relleno was also really good, with a nice balance of savory and slightly creamy filling that paired well with the sauce. It was actually my first time trying fajitas, and I can confidently say I'll be ordering them again the next time I come back. I definitely plan on returning while I'm still at UCR to make up for all the years I didn't know this place existed.

    I was brought here by a friend & colleague of mine whose whole family loves Anchos as it was his…read morefather's favorite restaurant. My first thought upon seeing the exterior and entering was, "OK, definitely old school", and I was right... Anchos has been around for an amazing 37 years and counting! The large open space is nice 'n brightly lit, yet somehow not too much so. As our hostess walked us to our table, we passed an enclosed tortilla-making machine where the freshest of the fresh tortillas seemed to be popping off the whirling dervish like Mexican hot cakes (which... yeah, duh). After ordering, we were quickly served a huge container of them-- so fresh, one could barely hold these 1000 degree piping hot discs. It was demonstrated to me that the classic way to enjoy the tortillas was to spread a little butter which melts almost instantaneously due to the sun-like hotness of the vessel, a quick dash of salt, and a dollop of their super freshly made mesquite-roasted tomato salsa makes for a yummy appetizer. While that was delicious, for me, the true test of a tortilla is to try it plain first. And boy, did it deliver! The style is slightly more risen than traditional, but tasty none-the-less, and I would soon find out why its actually the perfect tortilla for our main entrées-- the CARNE mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas! Now I am always dubious when a restaurant calls out that one of their items is "FAMOUS" and actually prints it right on the menu, but in this case I truly get it. These thick juicy slices of mesquite grilled skirt steak are mind-glowingly muy delicioso, and YES, they are plump indeed. We ordered medium-rare, and they came out to perfection! Years ago, I wrote the steak fajitas at the Rio Grande restaurant in Boulder, CO had "the absolutely unequivocal best steak fajitas I have ever tasted in my life!", and I tell you, these really put that statement to the test. If I'm being honest, the steak itself at Anchos is truly on another level. It's not that it's the best "fajita steak" I've ever had, it's possibly the best "steak steak" I've ever had. OK, that's probably an overstatement, but it's not too far off. While I still think the accoutrements of the Rio Grande fajitas (mainly their phenomenal grilled peppers & onions) are standouts, the carne asada here at Anchos is nothing short of amazing! And those tortillas... yup, the slightly extra thickness holds up well when you fill it with with the extra thick cut carne asada, and their tasty arroz con frijoles, onions & peppers. Mi plato was WAY too much food, and I happily ate every single bite :-) All-in-all, Anchos still delivers after almost 4 decades of serving the Riverside community, and I hope it's around for decades to come because as I looked around, not only were my friends enjoying Anchos, but everyone in the restaurant seemed to be beaming with the excitement of the great food & service from this wonderful family gem.

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Chicken flautas

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside

    (1k reviews)

    $$

    I wish I had pictures to show what my wife and I ordered for dinner and drinks. Meli, our waitress,…read morewas great. She was kind enough to change tables after we ordered our food. The sun was shining on my face. I don't know who came over to our table to recommend a tequila for our flight. Dame Mas was a very good choice. My wife is more of a tequila drinker than I am. I did hog up the Dame Mas to myself. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere for a relaxing dinner. I recommend ordering the bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab meat; it's the best. We loved the food and the drinks. I also recommend the Black Widow, a very good drink to end our dinner date.

    We celebrated my grandma's 80th bday here. My uncle rented out the outdoors patio & small room…read moreadjacent to it from 1pm-4:30pm for an affordable price with deposit paid in advance to reserve. The owner, Santiago, allowed us to come a half hour beforehand to decorate & we came in, not knowing what to expect. Upon our arrival, the birthday cake was promptly whisked away to the kitchen, we found Santiago PERSONALLY on his hands & knees fixing the electrical cords for us, our servers introduced themselves & graciously helped us rearrange the set-up to accommodate the band we brought in. Then helped us rearrange the layout yet again once we realized the band needed to be next to the electrical outlets. I was embarrassed to even ask so I started doing it myself but they jumped right in without being asked. If I'm being honest, usually I'm not a fan of buffet meals, so I wasn't expecting much. But everything served was SO delicious! The fajitas were my favorite dish, not only flavorful but also nice & moist. Not only that, but they refilled the food for us as it ran out. They brought out to-go boxes for the leftovers, & best believe my family took home every last bite! The lime margarita tower was SO yummy but also hella dangerous because it was strong!! Other restaurants will give you watered down drinks but El Patron doesn't play. We were only planning on one but it was so good, we couldn't resist getting another. From start to finish, the servers (Leslie and Cecilia) were on POINT. Their service went above & beyond expectations-- continuously checking on us, refilling drinks/food, taking photos, etc. Not only that, but also, when my young autistic nephew unfortunately got sick, they were so incredibly compassionate about it & helped clean up the mess right away. I was absolutely blown away by the attention to detail & quality of care. As my grandma is getting older, we are especially cherishing these final years with her. We spent thousands overall (venue, music, photographer, special mass, etc) but every last cent was worth seeing her happy with all of her loved ones. After many months of planning, I was super nervous about something going wrong but I can honestly say that core memories were made. Thank you to Santiago, Leslie & Cecilia for your hospitality, good food & work ethic-- it truly meant so much for our family unit.

    Tio's Tacos - I'm not sure how to convey on how bad the food is.  This is Enchiladas !!!!!

    Tio's Tacos

    (1.7k reviews)

    $$

    I've read up on reviews saying some of the food is bad, etc SO I did my research on what multiple…read morereviews say tasted GREAT! Their Mojarra for one, is amazing with some corn tortillas, beans and rice, and lettuce. The lime garlicky sauce on that one, is what I've been dreaming of. It was THE star of the show. And we also got their wet supreme burrito mojado, with the mole sauce all over it Also tried their agua fresca, loved the cucumber and lime flavor! Great size for two to share, and we had a blast just eating and enjoying the sights laid out to see. Their pickled onions got a spicy kick to it! I loved the added crunch instead of just having the typical hot salsa. Service was great, with the waiters and waitresses checking in on us every now and then, and I liked that we pay first then eat, so we just leave after we're done! Excellent experience as the weather was perfect too, the outdoor seating has some mosquitoes but be sure to go when it's not molting hot outside! After food we got to go on a photo spree and it was wonderful.

    I got the vegan tacos with potatoes and even though there were only two it was loaded with toppings…read moreand salsa. Really good and a decent price. I do wish there was a vegan protein thrown in like black beans or soyrizo or something to make it more filling but I'm glad there was a vegan option on the menu. There is a salsa bar that can help add to your meal like spicy pickled carrots, cucumbers, salsa and pickled onions. My favorite part of this place is the art decor. They're all made from materials that were bound to go in the trash, most notably cans that they open for cooking. So you'll see lids and the other material from cans beautifully molded into these structures. It may seem random but I found lots of humor and play thrown into the craftsmanship of it all. Some pieces are like playing I Spy. It was funner to see than a lot of museums I've gone to actually. It's truly just packed with art. I even got to meet one of the artists as he was working on something. He was really friendly. There's a few of them who work on them together and I learned they've been doing this since the 90's! How cool. It's so nice to see all the things they've come up with to create. Go check it out! Definitely a date worthy spot too. My bf and I had a lot of fun walking around seeing what they created.

    Maria's Mexican Kitchen - mexican - Updated May 2026

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