We stopped in here for an early dinner after getting settled into our room. The Doctor is in town attending an IEEE conference, and Masa & Agave is the restaurant located inside the hotel. I had read a few reviews beforehand mentioning that the lighting and atmosphere were supposedly too dark, but honestly, that wasn't our experience at all. I don't know if they may have adjusted the lighting since some of those reviews were posted, but we found the ambiance comfortable, warm, and fitting for a relaxed dinner after traveling. It felt more upscale and intimate than overly dim, and we had no trouble reading the menu or enjoying the atmosphere. We decided to sit at the bar since we usually enjoy the atmosphere there when seats are available. As we were walking into Masa & Agave, a gentleman named Anthony introduced himself after noticing me stopping to take a photo of the restaurant. He had stepped out from the kitchen area to see if we needed anything, which was a very welcoming touch right from the start. We explained that we were just looking around to get an idea of the restaurant's size since there would likely be quite a few engineers in town attending the IEEE conference and dining there throughout the week. Anthony asked if we wanted a table, and when we mentioned that we planned to sit at the bar, he let us know he would be right there because he was actually the bartender. Anthony was extremely pleasant, personable, and attentive throughout our visit while taking our drink and food orders. There was also another gentleman working behind the bar with longer hair, and he was equally friendly and attentive. Together, they created a very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere that made us feel comfortable immediately. When our food arrived, we were both very happy with our selections. I started with the Tuna Ceviche at Masa & Agave, which included chile de árbol, red onion, cilantro, and corn tortilla chips. This was an excellent starter and easily one of the highlights of the meal for me. The tuna was prepared beautifully and tasted incredibly fresh, with a bright citrus flavor that really stood out without overpowering the dish. The corn tortilla chips had just the right amount of salt, which paired perfectly with the ceviche. I also loved that the tuna was served on top of a bed of guacamole, which added a smooth and creamy balance to the acidity of the citrus. Everything worked together very nicely and made for a flavorful and refreshing appetizer. For my entrée, I ordered the Tampiqueña at Masa & Agave. The dish featured a 10 oz. guajillo-marinated skirt steak served with black beans, achiote rice, poblano rajas, and a queso ranchero enchilada. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal, and the portion size was generous enough that I was able to eat half for dinner and save the rest for lunch the next day. Anthony mentioned that the chef could prepare the steak to my preferred temperature, but he recommended ordering it medium, which I did--and it turned out absolutely delicious. The steak was flavorful, tender, and cooked perfectly. I'm also a much bigger fan of whole beans than refried beans, so I was really happy to see black beans included with the dish. They were excellent and paired very well with the rice, which was also very flavorful. Honestly, my only complaint about the entire plate was that the queso ranchero enchilada was too small because it was that good. I definitely could have eaten a much larger portion of it. The Doctor ordered the Beef Birria, which featured chile pasilla-braised short rib, beef consommé, queso Chihuahua, pico de gallo, and crema. I tried a small bite of it myself, and while it was definitely flavorful and well prepared, for me it simply couldn't compete with how much I enjoyed that skirt steak. That being said, The Doctor clearly loved his meal because he cleaned his plate completely. The rich flavors and tender beef were obviously a hit for him. Since we'll be staying here through the end of the week for the IEEE conference, I'll most likely end up having several more meals here simply because of the convenience alone--it's literally just an elevator ride down from our room. Thankfully, based on this first experience, that sounds like a pretty easy decision to make. read more

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Amazing atmosphere. We felt welcomed as soon as we stepped in the door and were seated. We enjoyed a few cocktails, including the spicy mezcal paloma and the masa michelada. We started dinner with chips and salsa, which was not included. The salsas were very flavorful, but the green salsa beat the red salsa in taste. For our entrees, we had the enchiladas suizas and the grilled shrimp tacos. The enchiladas were some of the best i've had, they were flavorful and filling! The shrimp tacos were also enjoyed. We capped the night off with an order of churros, which were so decadent and delicious! Overall, very good experience here. Would absolutely return! read more

The specialty cocktails were great! The bartender was extremely knowledgeable on the different cocktails on the menu, and the presentation made the ordering an enjoyable experience. The food was good as well, but there was one issue that ruined the experience for me - there were gnats... One gnat wouldn't have been an issue, but there were multiple gnats flying around the bar area where we were dining and specifically around the bottles and cocktail syrups that were kept out. While this isn't a deal breaker for me to recommend Masa & Agave since the actual food and drinks were good, I can't give it a 4 or 5 star rating because of cleanness. read more

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This is a really dark restaurant. The quesadilla was a decent size and the rice and beans side was far larger than it appeared at first. Waiter was amazing and the space buzzed with activity in the dimly lit dining room. read more

Masa & Agave - Quesadilla chicken - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Cute interior. It is attached to the Westin hotel downtown. The service was very quick and server was nice. Good was pretty decent! The chips were warm & salty, green salsa was very spicy, guacamole was good, and we really enjoyed the drinks we had as well. read more

Masa & Agave - Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

This place was Crazy busy, and I am so Glad we made reservations. It was an absolute madhouse of people and even at 5pm early reservations. We had to flag down people to wait on us after 27 minutes. Everyone around us wondering why no servers and could not find anyone to help us for a long time. Sunny finally walked by and we asked her for help and she took our order even though we were not her section. We only had an hour before concert so we were in a rush. But she took care of us. Tacos were ok but experience wasn't great overall due to lack of servers and any assistance. Margaritas were watery and lacking any tequila. read more

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We only ate here because we were staying at the Westin and the weather is trash in downtown Cleveland in the winter obviously so we didn't want to leave. Food was good but definitely pricey. Birria quesadilla with street corn was good. Kids sliders are sweet with onions and were not a hit. You would have thought they would have told us or mentioned something since we had children. My daughter had a bowl of fruit and it was good size, made her happy so that's fine with me $5. Chips and salsa $6 were okay. Boyfriend had a great passion fruit marg and the short ribs, very generous portions for sure. Pretty place, very classy in appearance and nice service. Overall $96 was our bill not terrible but keep in mind 2 adult meals, 1 side of corn, 1 kids menu meal a bowl of fruit salsa and chips and a marg, no other drinks. read more

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The salsa has a really good kick of heat which I like. I tried the chicken quesadilla and it was good too although a bit dry. The restaurant is spacious and clean and service was great (thanks Kate!). I also tried the bunelos sundae and found it odd that it came with chocolate ice cream and not vanilla- but oh well! read more

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We enjoyed ourselves at this restaurant! The Ambiance: Chill vibe..intimate lighting. Definitely a place worth going to for a date night with your favorite person or drinks with the ladies. The food: we started with the Queso Fundido. It wasn't my favorite. The texture wasn't what we were used to. It was like a pan with cheese that had been melted. No creamy spreadable or dip type cheese. The chorizo was on it, didn't add anything to it. I had the tacos. Carne Asada and it was good. My sister had the Alambre de Pollo and that was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The Tamarindo margarita was good with the habanero salt! The Service: Food came out at a good speed. Our server Madison was kind and on top of it all. Which supported my desire to visit again. read more

Stopped after the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a drink and ended up with the most delightful nachos. As well. Tradition margaritas were great, but there are A LOT of options. The nachos were so good I had to write this review! Not your normal messy stack of chips, cheese and other stuff.... No, no, no! Very well put together levels of quarter crisp tortillas with layers of cheese, excellent pico and other yums stacked so, so nicely! Service was fantastic, great and attentive bar tenders! Vibe was nice and relaxed. Definite to visit again. read more

Quick service, friendly wait staff, making a reservation is a plus if you are not staying in the hotel. The menu is simple but everything was very fresh. The salsa verde is hot, and I love heat, but it packs a punch if you are not expecting it. And yes, it's a Mexican restaurant I shouldn't order the fries, but the fries were skinny hot and super crispy...loved it. read more

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This restaurant is located inside The Westin which is convenient for hotel guest. One day we got drinks and the second day we got dinner. The prices are high compared to others in the area. It's giving LA prices. We ordered three tacos for $20 but the menu does not state the tacos have to be the same flavor which sucks because you find out when ordering. The carne asada and esquite was good. My passionfruit margarita had to be remade but it was also good. The customer service was great and attentive. It's a cute and stylish atmosphere. I can definitely see myself hanging out at the bar on game day if I was a local. read more

Ambiance and service top tier I really loved my drinks too! Next to the Westin hotel a perfect star for the night. Thanks for an enjoyable evening read more

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Pretty good drinks and food, kinda expensive for what you get but the service was very good

Unfortunately, this was a very disappointing dining experience. The food lacked flavor across the board. The rice and beans were oddly served in a separate dish that was partially filled with water or some other liquid, which was unappetizing. The carne asada was extremely tough and chewy. Ironically, the best part of the meal was the Pepsi. The service and seating made the experience even more uncomfortable. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty except for a few people at the bar. Despite there being 18-20 empty tables, we were seated in the very back corner - which was absolutely fine. Within the next 15 minutes, four additional couples were seated immediately next to us--even though the rest of the dining room remained vacant and the tables were very close together. It felt unnecessarily cramped and awkward. Even the couple seated beside us remarked on how strange it was. read more

Absolutely loved this place. Stopped in for a drink and immediately felt I was in Rocky Point Mexico. Service was amazing! Will be back when I come to Cleveland again! Loved the atmosphere read more

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Great atmosphere, delicious fresh foods served hot, great bar selection, especially the tequilas and most enjoyable, a wonderful staff! Dean, Zach, Kelly and Emma made our dinner memorable and a lot of fun. They were personable and attentive. Highly recommend!! Kipp and Jackie Brown (from Chillicothe) read more

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I rarely leave low star reviews, and I wasn't going to post this, but our experience tonight was not good. The food was actually good!! The service was horrendous. There were only 3 of us and our drinks came out at different times. I waited 30 minutes for my margarita. Our food also came out at different times. And they brought us the wrong food twice. And the wrong checks. Whenever we asked about drinks or food- the server was extremely defensive. He never apologized. He was even chatting it up with another table (we assume he knew them as he was looking at things on their phones) while we watched one of our beers sitting at the bar waiting to be brought to our table. I understand bad nights- but this was clearly bad service and the server didn't seem to care at all. read more

Masa & Agave - Enchiladas Suizas - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Great service and food. Carne Asada was absolutely excellent. They have an impressive selection of bourbons and other liquors. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Very classy and relaxed atmosphere. read more

Good, fresh & hot. Will deliver to room, recommend getting guacamole as well as pico & margarita read more

Masa & Agave - Enchiladas Suizas - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Don't get me wrong. Delicious food. But expect to experience what can be only described as intolerable wait times for a server to even acknowledge you. Everyone seems to be rushing around and nothing gets done. It's all rather bizarre. But the food. Yum. Once it arrives. Oh and that second round of drinks. Good luck. read more

Long waits for mid food. The food was extremely okay, nothing special, but for the price, it's a bit outrageous. We had a later reservation and the place was mostly empty, but the wait times were thru the roof. All that being said, I cannot recommend this place at all. Tons of other Mexican restaurants in Cleveland that put this place to shame for a much more reasonable cost. read more

Cute interior. Same poor management. Choose 2 tacos from a list of maybe 5. What isn't printed on the menu is they have to be the same two tacos. Are they premade in the back? Brought the 'managers' attention and he said it's a known complaint. It's not like the menus haven't been printed and laminated at Kinkos. Just from sitting waiting for the food, I've watch 3 people walk out not ordering anything. This place 'might' survive a few months. Save your $ and walk next door to the Winking Lizard read more

Masa & Agave - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Service was great, bartender for the lunch crowd on a Friday afternoon was spectacular! I didn't catch her name, not mailed the order and about 4 others without writing smithing down and training another guy on how to make the perfect drink! Would definitely be here again! It was busy but everyone was friendly and held their composure! read more

Masa & Agave - Chips and dip .. Verde was amazing and the salsa was on point! - Mexican Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

As if Cleveland really needed another restaurant with the word "agave" in it. What a shame Urban Farmer closed because this replacement concept was such a disappointment. 3 tiny tacos on what seemed like 6 inch, limp tortillas for $18 is robbery. Especially when places like Barrio exist (trust me - go to barrio for much better tacos for half the price). We also got the salsas for an app, and the bowls were more like a ramekin (again, go to barrio for FREE salsa). The green salsa tasted like soap. The space is nice for a hotel restaurant, but service and food quality was lacking. Will not be back. read more

We were staying at the Westin and came here for dinner. We asked if we would sit in the bar area BUT we sat there so long that I asked the hostess if there was a waiter. The waiter was very good but it seemed like he was being spread thin. We ordered chicken wings and guacamole as well as a drink to start. The wings were just barely done but we were famished so we ate the chicken. It took a long time for the waiter to come back and over 30 minutes to get our drinks, so we went ahead and seated ourselves at the bar. Our bartender was excellent and was trying her best to get our food but it took forever to come. We overheard the manager tell them to forget about the food and to just focus on the drinks. Our bartender had to go get our tacos and they came out barely warm and soggy on the bottom. Needless to say, I'd never come back here. read more

Stupid. Told us to come back in an hour which we did then they told us they're no longer serving food. Skip.

Probably the most weirdly hostile and awful service I've ever experienced in my near 40 years on this planet. Come here if youre into egregiously overpaying for mediocre food and being treated like garbage. If this place is still open in 6 months it's only because there are literally no other options within a 10 block radius. read more

Great atmosphere, amazing cocktails, authentic cuisine! Best agave selection in downtown!

Food was good, but overpriced. And took 45 minutes to get two orders of 2 tacos each. Wife requested no cheese/no cilantro. Server said not a problem. Her tacos came with cheese and cilantro. We noticed a few people asking for their food to go because it took so long. Better options nearby. read more

Emma is delightful & I appreciated her hospitality while simply putting in a to-go order. Plus she gave me a few tourist tips for places to see & do along side her co-workers --lovely spot! read more

First, the margarita was very good with a decent amount of tequila. Next, I had the guacamole with chips. The guac was fresh but could have taken a little more spice. I ordered the enchiladas with a side of rice and beans. The enchiladas were very good and quite tasty as were the beans. The rice was a bit dry and I've had better. Finally, the churros were very good and filled with melted chocolate center (VERY hot!). The service was good but it wasn't crowded. The decor is Mexican folk and gives the room a nice feel without being tacky. A DJ played some jazz background music and I really enjoyed it. read more

Seriously, the food's amazing, service is top-notch, and the vibe is super fun. Plus, it's easy to get to and their drink menu is fantastic. Definitely check it out! read more

Loved the margaritas and birria tacos. Cool atmosphere. Service was great from hosts to servers

Great service for lunch yesterday! Chips and salsa hit the spot and the quesadillas are delicious! Large portion! Def would consider sharing next time. read more

Great margaritas! Amazing guacamole! Really good Al Pastor tacos. We will definitely be back.

My family and I just visited Masa & Agave today and had an amazing experience. The restaurant is a new addition to Westin Hotel in downtown Cleveland. The ambiance of the restaurant is inviting, cozy and a great place to meet friends, family or have a small get together. The lighting and decor is so beautifully done. The best part was the service. Our server Brian, who we later found out is the restaurant manager, did such an excellent job of answering our questions regarding drinks and making recommendations based on our questions. The bartender did a great job making the drinks. We got an appetizer of chips and guacamole. Hands down the guacamole was the best I have ever had and my family agreed. It was so fresh tasting! I highly recommend that you give Masa & Agave a try. You will not be disappointed. read more

Very good margaritas, excellent tacos. Very solid over, would be top of my list next time I'm in town

Lunch review. Drinks and service were actually great. No issue there. The vibe is good, the mural is pretty great. But the food came up short. Specifically, the tacos - the mainstay feature of this restaurant - are served with factory made corn tortillas which never hit the hot side of a comal. If this place wants to succeed (hopefully it wants to succeed), make your own tortillas. Even a basic bish can press a tortilla with store-bought masa. If you want to take it all the way and nixtamilze your own masa, damn let's go!!! But the tortilla is the engine. Give it some love. read more

Food was fresh and delicious. Slight problem with delay in the main course coming from the kitchen, but we were taken care of to our surprise and were very satisfied with the cocktails, appetizers and entrees. Definitely recommend. read more