Good tacos and quick service , more salsa options would be better but overall decent for the area

Loved the food here! The vibe was fun, including the casual atmosphere and great music. We ordered these tacos: - Al pastor (great) - Tinga de pollo (great) - Calabaza (good) - Hongos y betabeles (good) - Barbacoa (average) We also had an order of tostada chips with jalapeño rojo salsa, which was delish. Most of the food we had was spicy, which we loved but won't be for everyone, so maybe ask which options are pretty mild! read more

A great taco place and delicious margaritas! I ordered a Chile Relleno, chorizo and pollo verde taco. All delicious! Chile relleno was my favorite. I wish I could have tried the shrimp taco but I'll try that next time. Great place!! read more

Mazunte Centro - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wonderful! Sorry I didn't take a photo: taco's fault! Like every legit taco place, this place has got the meats down (though they could have a bit more variety). Where they truly excel is the pickled veggies on top: these were amazing. Definitely makes the taco feel less like Delicious Meat on a Disk of Grain and more like A Nice Thing I Prepared For You to Eat and Instagram. I also found myself suspicious of the fact that the tacos were served pre-salsa-ed (you don't trust us!?), but actually even this was done perfectly. Now that I reflect on it, I do wish that many tacos in my past were pre-salsa-ed as it is difficult for the patron to place the salsa perfectly into each nook of the taco once it is Fully Prepared. Went on a weeknight: very quiet, mellow. Service was fast. read more

If you come here thinking: 'how cool Mazunte got a second location downtown', you will be severely disappointed, as I was. Do not expect this to be like the original Mazunte at Madison Rd. and perhaps you will enjoy it more. You can skip my lengthy review, but beware that this is like a take away supermarket, where you take everything from a refrigerated case, a plastic tub of cold guac, a bag of old chips, a tub of salsa, a plastic bottle with a drink, everything is charged seprately. They bring the warmed up tacos to you if you opted to dine in. It's kinda like getting food from a deli in Kroger. Here are the reasons I did not like it. Very very different from any Mexican place I've been to and I am not happy that the Management called it Mazunte. I expected a Mazunte experience and I find it very confusing. Branding it as Mex Express would be more appropriate and less disappointing. More details: Upon entering I was pleasantly surprised to see gorgeous bold colors, wall art and super cool furniture. But as soon as I got to the counter, I was kind of lost and could not understand how the ordering works. They mainly have tacos, which is fine, but the varieties I am familiar with from original Mazunte were not there, replaced with strange sounding combinations like beets and mushrooms or beef toungue. Uhhh A very nice and helpful Manager came over and explained that the menu differs and there are no quesadillas, but they do offer a giant tortilla with toppings which is like a pizza. Well, not what I came for. Strike one. So I proceeded to the cashier and ordered 3 tacos, guac, which normally comes with chips (no brainer), but here you need to order them separately, each salsa is a $1. I also ordered Horchata. I went to my table and waited for the food, but then realized I need to take it from the fridge case behind me. Strike two. So I took a plastic tub of cold guac, a plastic bag of stacked fried old tortillas and a bottle of overly ridiculously sweet Horchata. No basket for chips, no plates, just eating from a plastic bag. Disappointing. Then came the tacos. I wanted chicken, but it only comes with hot salsa, so I was offered to have just chicken by itself, no veggies, no toppings, no thanks. So I had carnitas and eggplant or zucchini. The tortillas for the tacos were soggy, as if they sat in the warmer all day long. For this reason, they tasted as reheated microwave food. Strike 3. I did not enjoy my food and the experience. I think there are many people like me, coming to expect the real Mazunte, and then realizing that this place is only warming up the food that had been premade elsewhere. In my opinion the owners shot themselves in the foot by not coming up with a separate brand and hurting the original name of Mazunte. I would love this place to better itself and change. Good luck. read more

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When I made plans to meet a friend at Mazunte Centro for lunch on October 4, I was not aware that it was National Taco Day. What a coincidence. As soon as we crossed the threshold, the attendant, sitting behind a counter halfway into the room, was saying something to us. "What? This is a large, cavernous room filled with hard surfaces. I can't hear you!" Ten seconds later when we arrived at the counter, the attendant repeated what she had been saying---we had entered the wrong way; we should have walked AROUND the partition to the left... I'm going to digress to state that good design should not have to be explained. Despite our poor entry, we were given menus -- three dense, overwhelming columns of choices. Where's Edward Tufte when you need him? The attendant saw my consternation and tried to help, but when she relayed that the Oakley restaurant's menu was based on Oaxcan cuisine whereas this menu is based on another, inland cuisine of Mexico . . . I swoon into a PBS typhoon with Rick Steves and Rick Bayless. Too much information! I quickly order 3 of the top 4 types of 13(!) tacos listed--Al Pastor, Barbacoa, and Camarones ($10), Esquites ($5.50), Frijoles (3.50), and Rice ($2), but when I motioned to hand her my credit card, she tells me I have to pay in the back. I'm not going to digress again about good, intuitive design. On the way to the cashier, I selected Mexican Coke ($3), Guacamole ($4.50), and Salsa Verde ($1) from a self-serve display, described as the imperative "grab yourself" on the menu. Here's the silver lining -- the food was tasty. Here's the hitch -- total the prices that I've listed above, add my friend's tacos ($10), and $5 that I left as a tip, even though we were instructed to bus our own table by the hovering attendant...$40 for a tasty lunch. For the sake of my 401k and my sense of design, I will have to reserve Mazunte Centro for special occasions; thank goodness National Taco Day occurs only once a year. read more

Found this place on Yelp and the prices looked attractive enough to make me walk from my hotel to this place. Upon arriving I was asked if I was picking up or placing an order. I placed an order for three tacos: Al Pastor, Chicken en salsa verde and Barbacoa. The first two were pretty awesome, barbacoa was good just not as good as the pastor and chicken en salsa verde. I loved the ability to mix and match which allowed me to try 3 different kinds of tacos. Only downfall was the inability to eat your tacos there at the restaurant...not inside dining at all. So weird cause the other place down the street "NADA" allowed indoor and outside seating with social distancing observed of course. Manager or owner may want to consider allowing of inside seating but with social distance measures, you'll get more revenue. read more

Mazunte Centro - Al pastor, Chicken en Salsa Verde and Barbacoa tacos - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was there for lunch on a Tuesday at 11:45. The line was operating efficiently. The ordering process was explained and it seemed to work well. The food was served relatively quickly, probably within five minutes of placing the order. I had two tostadas, carnitas and barbacoa. The carnitas was good but not amazing, a bit bland. The barbacoa was wonderful, perfect mix of flavors. I shelled out the $2.50 for chips and salsa. It was probably worth it but I won't do it every time. Overall high quality of food. The price is relatively high and the physical space is cramped and dark. One particularly peculiar thing is they gave the water cooler perched up high on a shelf. I'm curious how someone changes it but from a user perspective I couldn't see how full my cup was and spilled it. I will likely go again but order online and eat somewhere more pleasant. read more

This is a cute spot for a casual date. The decor is trendy and interesting with murals on the walls. I ordered what was basically a Mexican panini sandwich with the pork. It had good flavor and was just a little bit spicy. I liked it and would order again. The portion was good because I wasn't terribly hungry. It's a little pricey for what you get but that's OTR for you so I expected it going in. Service was great and the food was both prompt and hot. read more

Mazunte Centro - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was out downtown with a couple of friends for dinner, and we decided to try this place out completely on a whim. I'm always down for tacos, so I figured why not. When we walked in we were a little confused about where we order and if we seated ourselves. Eventually we found a QR code to scan for the menu and figured out where to order. I ordered three tacos: the al pastor, barbacoa, and pollo verde. My husband got the Birria tacos, and we also got the queso! Everything was pretty good, but I will say my tortilla shells were a little too soggy and falling apart. My husband had a very similar complaint. Other than that, my husband requested no cilantro and they honored that. We love that! They also get bonus points for having glass coke!! read more

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Dropped by with my wife. We had the three tacos. I had 2 shrimp and slow cooked beef. Very delicious and just the right size with the perfect taste. My wife had the shrimp, pastor, and beef. Additionally we both got a side of rice & beans. Both had a unique delicious taste. Would come again for sure. Oh and don't forget to try the Mango Margarita. The service was very nice and helpful. And really enjoyed the ambiance. Nice and clean restaurant. read more

The story behind the restaurant intrigued us as we look to move to Mexico in a few years. The food was delicious and the most authentic we have found. My husband got the Pollo Verde Tostadas, I got the Pozole Verde and we split a Barbacoa Torta. The Pozole was so hot I burnt my tongue but the flavor was soo good and spicy. On a cold day needing to warm ones bones this would be better than regular chicken soup. The Torta was far our favorite. This is kinda a hole in the wall small place but worth a try. We made a special trip but I am sure this is a neighborhood favorite. read more

So great to have Mazunte downtown. Menu is slightly different. Missed some of my regular taco choices but some great ones here too. Like the tostadas better at the Taqueria location. Missed the fun salsa station too but let me tell you I'd forego either to get this downtown. I'll be a regular for sure read more

Mazunte Centro - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Stopped in on a Friday before the lunch rush and the lady at the front wasn't very pleasant or patient with the fact we were super familiar with the menu. Our $6 chips and salsa came with stale chips. My tostadas were also stale. They were piled high with cabbage and lettuce with a small amount of meat. Far from our experience at the other one on Madison road. We've only been there once but the service/ food quality blew this locations out of the water. I did not know our plates didn't come with Mexican rice so I was bummed to find that out. . All of that being said skip this location for the one on Madison road! read more

Mazunte Centro - Tostadas - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I had passed by Mazunte Centro several times and finally decided to give it a "lunchtime" try. To put it simply, I was "refreshingly" amazed about...well, everything! Mazunte Centro looks like a tiny storefront restaurant, so I didn't think much of it, until I walked inside. The place had such a great "Outdoor night time celebration" decor with string lights, neon signs and beautiful, rustic tables. There are SEVERAL varieties of salsas on display, in addition to hot sauces. The woman behind the counter was very friendly, answered my questions and even made recommendations for what to try. I ordered 3 Tacos (Babacoa - (beef), Camarones - (shrimp) and Pollo Verde - (chicken in Salsa Verde) -- respectively. The tacos were extremely fresh, vibrant and delicious. I could taste all the flavors which meshed perfectly with the soft taco shell. I really enjoyed the entire experience of Mazunte Centro from start to finish. The only thing I would warn anyone about, is portion size. The tacos were a bit on the small side, so if you have a hefty appetite, you may want to order an additional item. All in all, I would highly recommend Mazunte Centro for anyone who enjoys vibrant, lively and fresh tasting food. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Excellent! Hidden gem. Will be back when we return. The Barbacoa tacos wer excellent.

I'm still thinking about these tacos. We came in right before heading to the Contemporary Art Museum down the street for a quick bite. You order at the register at the back of the store and can choose if you'd like to eat-in at their tables on the side or take your order to go. We each got their three mixed tacos option and chose the camarones, al pastor, and chorizo tacos. The flavor of each taco was strong and savory, with a nice spicy sauce on the al pastor. There are self-serve water cups and bins for utensils on the side, too. All-in-all, a great no-frills joint for a quick meal. Would definitely come back if I lived in the area. read more

Mazunte Centro - Art on the walls - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Authentic tacos. Delish. Ordered the al pastor and barbacoa with the queso fundido. The queso was fresh unlike other places where it tastes like it came out of a bag. read more

I ordered 3 Pollo Verde tacos with beans for $8.50 and they were delicious. Very nice soft corn tortillas with wonderful chicken with tomatillo sauce. The black beans were very finely puréed and also delicious. I asked about desert but they have none. So instead I got two Shrimp tacos for $4.00. They were fantastic although a little harder to eat as the shrimp were whole and good sized. Definitely check out this gem of a restaurant on Main Street. read more

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Excellent food, service, environment!!! Our new favorite spot in Cincy! Tacos are an excellent choice. Queso is delicious

I'm between a 3 and a 4 star on this one. Service was friendly and helpful. The menu is kind of confusing, and it's not very clear what toppings come on your tacos. What I ended up with is in no way what I was expecting based on the description. I got the chorizo and it was chorizo with what seemed like a nacho cheese sauce on it, and was very runny. The tacos tasted excellent and I was very happy with the flavors and presentation. The reason I wouldn't recommend them or go there again is the size. $13 for 3 tacos that are at most 2 bites a piece is pretty ridiculous and not something I would waste money on again. That was my lunch, and it felt more like a snack or appetizer before you actually get your food. read more

This place is great. Taco Tuesday 1/2 off all tacos. Owner is super personable. Would recommend the tacos el pastor, with chips and queso/guacamole on the side. read more

Mazunte Centro - Al pastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Overpriced and too little food. Despite Getting 3 tacos for $12 I would think that I'd be able to get a meal that would fill me up; though the taco tasted great, I was hungry only a couple hours later! I'm a pretty small woman and don't eat much but it's sucks that I get so little in a taco :( read more

Service was good and quick. The margaritas were delicious - we got one regular and one mango - and the tortas were amazing! Vegetarian approved with plenty of vegetarian options. read more

great birria tacos and great atmosphere, def a must try if looking for authentic Latin food!

Food is really really good and serviced is great, but DONT ORDER ONLINE!!!! The prices are different then in person. Tacos are 2.50 more on the online price. I lost some money I could have gotten tacos for so just figured I'd post this read more

This review is based on a pick-up order, and since you can't get to-go margs, it seems hardly fair that I'm writing the review (I've had the margs at the original location and they are DELISH). Three tacos for $10 plus my favorite verde salsa in the city? GAME ON. I ate: CAMARONES (SHRIMP)(GF) avocado salsa, salsa de tamarindo CHILE RELLENO (ROASTED JALAPEÑO STUFFED W/ GOAT CHEESE & QUESO OAXACA)(GF) (V) avocado salsa, salsa fresca POLLO VERDE (CHICKEN IN SALSA VERDE)(GF) red jalapeño salsa, salsa amarilla TOSTADA CHIPS(GF) (V) SALSA VERDE (GF) (V) Without the burden of a doubt, The Chile Relleno was my favorite taco. The stuffed jalapeño was delicious and delivered the perfect kick. It's definitely better to eat in the restaurant, if possible (the taco shells don't transport well). I haven't dined in the restaurant, but I've heard that this location is much different in terms of vibes + offerings than its original, I'm excited to find a reason to come here for lunch. As a long-time Mazunte fan, I'm stoked that there's another location offering up some delicuous tacos! read more

I'd consider Mazunte Centro "fast casual" vs. "fast food." Nope, it's not as quick as your local Taco Bell, but it's worth the wait. Grab a (strong and delicious) margarita and some (amazing) chips and (kick ass) salsa, kick back and enjoy the colorful, eccentric decor while you wait. That wait is worth it. I'm a bit of a tortilla snob, and just like the Madisonville location, these are top notch, as are the excellent protein/veggie options. In typical Mazunte style, it's a mix of bright flavors, fresh ingredients, a varied menu, and food that is prepared with care. It's a great downtown addition. Get there. read more

This place is incredible! We were visiting from Chicago for a wedding and had some time to kill with lunch. Randomly found this place on Google Maps since it was a close walk from the hotel. Coming from a city with plenty of excellent Mexican food, we were tempering our expectations, but Mazunte Centro absolutely exceeded all of them! The menu is solid and has plenty of options. The staff was so incredibly nice and patient while we placed a very large order for two. They took time to answer our questions and offer suggestions. The vibes, music, and restaurant decor was awesome. Very reasonably priced. They have beer and homemade margaritas. The margaritas were delish, but get the ones in the can. The bottled margaritas tasted off and a little different than the cans. Maybe it was just that batch? ‍ Also, get a side of rice!! I was disappointed by the look of it when it arrived, but the taste was an incredible, garlicky surprise. Queso fundido was a little runny but still very good! Their chips are also the tostadas so you break them apart. Salsa trio is a must order; all three salsas are delish!! Everyone was very pleased with their taco selections. Absolutely no complaints!! Give this place some business. read more

Mazunte Centro - Barbacoa taco, camarones taco, chicken tinga taco, Salsa Bar & Chips*, 6oz Queso Fundido* Mexican Rice* - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Mexico City version of Mazunte and it's awesome! They use one tortilla and it holds together unlike at the suburban one. Better menu too with the star tacos being lengua + hongos+beets. read more

Mazunte Centro - Beet+mushroom , lengua, shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Slow slow slow slowww. It's not crowded just me and it took 20 mins for 2 tacos. Tacos are ok but the meat was way over cooked and I almost choked. I was struggling and walking around coughed so hard and loud to clear it and no one helped me. Bad health safety training for the staff! I left my other taco and walked out for water in my car. Cashier was unprofessional. Waitstaff were at social hour with each other. $1 for sauces when the other location is free! That's just dumb. Not cool. Don't bother going to this location. It's like night and day from Oakley :( read more

cool staff, quick service, and absolutely delicious food. If you're a fan of the original location you'll like the fact that this place has other Taco options, different types of sandwiches, and a full liquor license. I don't drink, but it's great to have the option and availability downtown for good affordable food.I got myself a chicken torta and it was gigantic, it could have easily been two meals, but I was pretty hungry so I just made it a single one and had some delicious bread for later. My girlfriend got three tacos, a mixed variety and was happy with every single one of them. The al pastor beef barbacoa, and chorizo with potato were all fantastic. about the only thing that's disappointing when comparing it to the original is that they don't do any of the super great homemade tortilla chips and salsa in a bottomless serving, but they still have great chips and salsa available if you want to buy them by the pack. Lastly the space is really awesome and all the recycled materials make it look and feel unique read more

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This was a great addition to the downtown Main Street area! It's interesting that they have a largely different menu from the other locations. The menu seems to have some very nice items, but damn is it hard to understand. It seems like the staff knows this too because they're always quick to jump on and try to explain it to you. I wish they would make it more clear and simple! They have a nice option of salsas at the salsa bar. The Tortas are so good. I got the one that's goat cheese stuffed in a jalapeño and it blew my mind! It also had a nice burn which I appreciate because most restaurant usually don't make things hot enough. Definitely worth checking out! read more

We were there for lunch and service was quick. I had the pork taco and the avocado salsa was just the right touch. Also had the white queso fundido which was amazing. Fried cheese! And both of the salsas were great with it. Flavorful without being overwhelming. My friend had the Pozole soup and said it was like"a party" with all the flavors & textures. read more

Mazunte Centro - White queso fundido - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Friendly staff! Casual dining. Great food. Fast service And super cool atmosphere! Enjoyed our first experience!

This was the first visit for my friend and I. We had seen reviews on the Chowdown Cincinnati site. Wish I had taken pictures however we gobbled everything down quickly. I just wanted to give props to the 2 folks who were working. 1 cooking and 1 taking orders and serving. We arrived at 11:45 and the chef had time to give us some tips and we were very pleased. After that the restaurant got extremely busy for lunch and they both handled things flawlessly with a smile on their faces. It wasn't just restaurant orders but also carry out and doordash. They rocked it. read more

This is dumb good. I've always been a fan of Mazunte but honestly, when given the option it's not something that I felt I needed to drive to get/a destination for me. I work downtown so decided to finally give Mazunte Centro a shot and ordered through the Ritual app. I expected it to be good based off of my previous experience with the original location. Decided to get a Spit Roasted Pork (assuming that was Al Pastor) torta. It's a bit pricier than I typically pay for a torta at other places so was tentative initially. Got back and it was SO good. Loved the fresh veggies (rajas), etc. on it. Smaller than I'm typically used to but the quality was great. I will 100% head here again and this would be a destination for me vs. the original which is not. Looking at the other reviews, maybe that's how it tends to shake out where you prefer one location's food aesthetic versus the other? Either way, I may head to La Mexicana to get my taco fix but I'd 100% come here to get a torta. Can't wait to try the tlayudas! read more

I love this place and the original Mazunte on Madison. The food is great, authentic Mexican fare and the people are top shelf.

The downtown location of this place is awesome and super walkable. We got the guacamole and chips (which come separate) and the quac was great! The tacos were also incredible and tasted very fresh. Would come again read more

Mazunte Centro - Mexican Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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One and done: ordered pick up on line and showed up at suggested time to a locked door; finally got in when other diners departed and went to counter. Advised them that door was locked: "that is by design as we have too many online orders". So how is anyone that ordered online supposed to get their stuff? There was an order (partially) ready and the server was overwhelmed trying to determine whether it was my order. After about 15 minutes waiting, they threw in another item (same guy handling register also aiding in food prep - no gloves) and declared victory. Got home to some nice cold food and realized we had been shorted our chips and guac for which we paid $6 + (undeserved) tip. Terrible experience and will never go back. read more