As a native Californian who ate Mexican on a daily basis in the Mission district of San Francisco. I was searching for anything close to authentic Mexican in Berlin for nearly a decade. After many letdowns and disappointments I was directed to Santa Maria. The service is less then spectacular, our waitress gave us 1 menu for 3 people. Informing us that the place was too busy to give out anymore (with only 3 other tables occupied). Lighting on the outside tables in the evening seems to be "optional", making us to resort to using our cell phones to actually read the menu. That aside... The food was plausible as authentic Mexican or even Cali-Mex. The Carne Asada taco's were grossly overpriced for what is received. 3 small tacos that would not fill the stomach of a small pigeon. For EUR5 euro, they were not worth the time nor taste. They got the onions and basic mix right, but leaving out vital herbs and spices that left the food tasting bland and too "Gringo" if you catch my drift. Because my hunger was not satisfied I decided to give the chorizo huevos a try. My experience only was more disappointing. A sub-style sandwich plate drifted towards my table. Thinking there surely must be a mistake I was surprised to see it land on my table in front of me. First things first... If the menus says "Huevos" there certainly was none that I could see or taste. It reminded me of a American cultural treat from the 90's called "Manwich" (remember those?). Well that is what it was, a "Manwich sandwich", with a few onions. It was anything "but" chorizo huevos! It had a waxy aftertaste which is clearly a fail on preparation of the chorizo after cooking it. It contained no eggs and it was so saturated with salt additives; I felt my blood pressure rise with every bite. I wont even go into what else was ordered but nothing was anything close to spectacular. Final review: I would give Santa Maria 2 of 5 stars. Neither star is for the food. 1 is for a clean bathroom and the other is for good location. read more

FOOD POISONING! I ate the nacho plate and got brutal stomach ache and threw up three times that night! And I have never ever in my entire life gotten sick from food before. read more

Great Mexican Food. Especially the pork burrito. Have tried a lot of their menu and must say, best in town. Very unique sauces and flavors. Chips are great. Guacamole is always fresh. Beans are mushy. Quesadillas are fabulous. Authentic soft tacos. Lunch special including soup/ salad and beer/ soft drink Or come on taco Tuesday (1€ a piece) read more

I came here with absolutely no expectations because I didn't want to be disappointed since I have had a fair share of delicious tacos in San Diego and Tijuana. But, this place exceeded my expectations. For the price, and the quality, this place is definitely worth checking out especially on Taco Tuesday. read more

I've heard it's one of the best Mexican restaurants in Berlin and I don't know what this fuss is about. First of all, place is really, really crowded - be prepared for waiting in a line or going somewhere else. What was really annoying, that from the moment we were seated, we've had problems with talking to our waitress. She was too busy - I guess they could hire some more staff. Anyway, we've got our menus and the first question is what do we want to drink, maybe some happy hours Margarita for 4e? Well, why not, good Margarita is simply good and Santa Maria Margarita is worth recommending. We've ordered burrito and some tacos - carnitas. Maybe I expected something more and that's why I was so disappointed, but burrito was tasteless. Black beans, which I absolutely love, completely dominated the whole dish, making it really, uhm, well, black beans covered with tortilla. I should have ordered it with some cheese and creme fraiche probably, but hey, you need to pay extra for them! IMHO, two basic things that should appear in burrito, were missing and I didn't want to pay extra for them, sorry. It's like going for a pizza and paying extra for mozzarella in it. Anyway, burrito was big and it filled my stomach with black beans, so I didn't have to eat for few hours. Carnitas were rather small, maybe for not-that-hungry-lady or as a snack. Not bad, but meat was again tasteless. Maybe they just don't know how to spice up not spicy meals? We didn't try anything with "Watch out, it's spicy!" sign, maybe Santa Maria chefs are better in mouth burning positions, I don't know. Anyway, green salsa is really tasty and it makes Santa Maria food edible. For a big plus is a grungy atmosphere with fantastic paintings on walls. If you're not really hungry and you're eager to wait - you'll like those vibes. Food is rather mediocre, but if you don't expect much, you can leave Santa Maria with full stomach and a smile in your face. After few Margaritas of course. read more

Amazing Mexican and amazing margaritas. Happy hour is a fabulous deal and my very Mexican friend approved of its authenticity (relative to other European attempts at Mexican). Outdoor seating makes for a nice environment and while service was pretty poor, the food and environment made up for it. read more

Awesome really legit Mexican place (coming from a Cali girl). I had a classic margarita and the shrimp ceviche and guacamole. We were shocked and so super surprised to find a place like this in Berlin. Was bumpin on a Sunday night so I think locals like it too. read more

Nice place, nice margaritas. Food-wise, the quesadilla was quite good, but the burritos and tacos would be much better if they weren't so oily... read more

Respectable Mexico-city street food style tacos (the full-price menu) when you just need your North American fix. Chill service and you should be OK in Deutsch, English, o Español. Nice vibe. I don't eat burritos or quesadillas but they have them if you like Tex-Mex... read more

Best mexican in Berlin that I've had. Great margartias, good guac even.

Nice place. Nice location. The food was ok but it isnt a real mexican food, its like a fusion food...

My friends and I came almost every Tuesday for Taco Tuesdays! The tacos are really good and I highly recommend the chicken tacos :D Make sure you go around 6:30pm or else you might not be able to find a seat. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, but when it's cold, everyone is fighting to get inside. read more

My worst mexican dish that I ever eat... no taste, no salt, no spice, but expensive... It used to be a good place though

Overall, Santa Maria can satisfy those urgent and spontaneous cravings for Mexican food in Berlin. Unlike some other Mexican restaurants here, the owners/cooks seem to have a basic understanding of the flavors that make up Mexican dishes (lime, salsas, pico, cilantro, cheeses). But, as with many Mexican places that exist in Berlin most of these essential flavors come at an extra cost to the meal. Perhaps the cost of importing some of the ingredients to Germany forces them to do so. However for me, a Mexican meal is not complete without the obligatory flavors of fresh salsa, a nice jalapeño or two, and, most essential, cheese. Having to order all the little essentials as extras just feels wrong, somehow. Otherwise, the salsas are fresh (although not very spicy), Pico de Gallo is gut, and the cheese and guacamole were tasty and pretty authentic. read more

Went here with a group of five and had dinner and some margharitas. It was not special and over-all satisfying. Service a little slow and they had problems getting the orders right. However, the food and drinks were still good value for money. read more

What happens when a well-loved local taco mini-empire gets too big for its britches and runs out of ideas? Well, here you go: Santa Maria. The food - well, it's better than most of the budget offerings on Oranienstrasse, but it doesn't compare favorably to either of the other Marias. Flavors lean more to the bland, and portions are fairly erratic (three tacos here are an unexciting appetizer posing as a main, whereas other plates seem to have piled it on). It tastes like the work of an efficient commercial kitchen optimized to move lots of product, without spending too much on flavor; cilantro and chili peppers are costlier here than in the US, and it shows. On the plus side, the product is cheap. Service - I wonder if they share staff with Möbel Olfe. Everyone looks attractively scruffy, delivers the goods quickly enough with a general air of indifference and a twist of sarcasm. If it weren't for the tequila, I'd say they should cut their losses and run a drive-thru. Atmosphere - not bad. Airy dining room, nicely lit, inoffensively trendy with yuppie accents of light green and stainless steel contrasting with the Portland aesthetic of the staff. It's definitely tooled for fast-food - not an inviting place to linger - but still one of the better places on Oranienstrasse to drop in for a quick bite. Overall - a decent alternative to McDonalds and kebabs, especially for late-night grub or a cheapish snack on Taco Tuesday. Take dinner plans - or cravings for flavorful Mexican food - somewhere else. read more

If the trend of Kreuzberg Mexican dining has led you to this place, GOOD LUCK. While the food might be a stone's throw closer to authentic than most black bean eateries, the service-- particularly from one female on the night of 12 October--is an olympic step in the wrong direction. Two diners next to us were served the bill before they even got their drinks, laughing that it must have taken a trip to Cancun to get the Margarita mix. 45 minutes after ordering the drinks, they asked if they could at least have the Happy Hour price, since Happy Hour had long been in session since they had ordered. A flat out NO, but at least the guests were allowed to lick the salt rimmed glasses before paying for them. It's Berlin. We don't mind the wait. In fact, part of the city's charm is that you're not hustled out the door Mannahatta style. But you know what? When you sign on for the serving staff, your problems are not the customers' problems. Save the assholicism for therapy. read more

Came here with a group of about 7 for Taco Tuesday. We ended up sitting outside since it's such a small place -- capacity is maybe 30 tops? Take that estimate with many grains of salt. It's got a slightly false (I feel slightly bad about that descriptor but I stand by it), clean, chalkboard-lettering neo-hipster feel to it -- the same vibe as the Markthalle Neun Street Food Thursdays, if that makes any sense. That being said, service was friendly, and the soft tacos were absolutely delicious albeit small and few for the price. (Tip: apparently, 1 EUR tequila shots are part of the Tuesday night special, but they're Sauza -- i.e., vile, at least as I was told -- and miniscule. So like.) read more

I likey and I'm from Texas. There are not many places over here that can make a decent Margarita. I also find it a bit irritating that you must pay extra for cheese on tacos. Aside from that and perhaps the occasional chicken skin in the tacos, its pretty good. read more

I had the vegan burrito with the works and it was great. The service is kind and the place looks cool with nice music. Great atmosphere.

Soo touristic, but soo fun! Such a great atmosphere in the summer! Always crowded but it's worth the wait. On tuesdays they have a taco tuesday offer: 1€ for a taco! Pretty amazing! read more

this is the newest venture of the "Maria Bonita" team, who have manage to expand to 3 locations after opening less than a year ago. after being disappointed with their 2nd location, i'm happy to report that Santa Maria brings the goods. they focus on hearty street foods like Tortas and Chilaquiles, neither of which i have ever seen in berlin. both were delicious! there's also a very nice atmosphere inside, high ceilings and a rustic but still urban decor. EDIT: they unfortunately took Tortas off the menu some time ago. i am mainly only here to meet friends every one in a while on 'taco tuesdays', but i feel their quality has gone downhill enough to not bother going otherwise. read more

Super friendly and great tasting food! When we arrived we were told there would be half an hour wait but I was assured it would be worth it, and I'm so glad I waited!! Had nachos and guacamole to start. The guac was perfect and chunky! For main I had a pork burrito which was HUGE! I'm used to spending £5 on a reasonable sized burrito, but this one really was supersized! Only complaint was the cheese was a little to salty for my liking. There was a great amount of filling in the burrito though, and they did not skimp on the guacamole like most Mexican restaurants I've been to! Then there was the cocktails! A fantastic margarita! Recommend visiting here! read more

We came on a whim and were very surprised. Our expectations were low because we were not sure how good the Mexican in Berlin would be (shame on us). read more

Overpriced Mexican food. 3.5€ for a tiny portion of guacamole! Small portions. They bring out free salsa at the beginning of the meal but no tortilla chips to go along with it... Who does that??! read more

Santa Maria - Spinach quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - Berlin, BE

Very delicious burritos with red and green salsa. Definitely get "all in" with guacamole and sour cream included. I had "verdura" so can't say much about the meat but my veggie burrito was amazing. read more

The place seems to get really packed, but for good reason. I went with some friends during a trip to Berlin, and we sat at a bench that was placed back to back with another table, but that's pretty common throughout Europe. I had a burrito with pork and I also ate off my cousins plate who got a chicken quesidilla. Unlike a lot of American taquerias, the food wasn't greasy at all but everything was amazing! read more

They used to have really good barbacoa tacos, but replaced them with some kind of bland, spicy pork taco. The place is usually quite full, so you may have trouble getting a good seat. Margaritas are nice and strong, but quite pricey. The chips were stale and the guacamole was 90% tomatoes and onions. Overall it's an OK place for sating your craving for Mexican food abroad. read more

Great happy hour €4 Margarita's, just make sure you ask first if happy hour has began to avoid being incorrectly charged full price as we were. The Puerco Especial crispy pork burrito however will change your life. Delicious!! read more

cant believe this establishment is from the same owners as Maria Peligro and whats its name on danziger....anyhow, food not as good here for some reason, (maybe its the "kitchen" which is set up like a ice cream stand and the food and ingredients are just sitting out) been there plenty of times during different hours. night staff are horrible! RUDE guy with glasses at the bar obviously felt that folding his newspaper was a higher priority then answering our questions of where we can sit, and the waitresses raised their voices when we once asked if we could order. horrible service, SLIGHTLY better in the day when its empty . food is smaller in portions and worst in quality than their other chains. too bad. could have been a good place for me to get my mexican fix. the tortas are horrible. but Maria Peligro is just on skalitzer and the super cool staff and better portions, quality and options! read more

This place is pretty tasty! It's got a cool vibe and there is this one chick who works there that is so cute she wears these funny little hats and has a piercing she is super hot but the food is pretty good too! I like their weird "mexican" sandwiches which are really just normal sandwiches but they are good. read more

Berlin: Santa Maria in Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg (a bit like the Berlin Brixton) is just one of the 3 Maria restaurants (Maria Bonita and the smaller Maria Peligro) serving delicious and wonderfully fresh Mexican street food. In a chilled-out ambience and friendly service (not to be taken for granted in Berlin!), enjoy their delicious tacos, burritos and quesidillas my personal favourite is the Puerco Especial, a crispy pork burrito extraordinaire (Monikasays.com) read more

Really decent Mexican on Oranienstr. in Kreuzberg, much better than anything I've experienced in London. The staff were friendly, service was a little slow, but it was a busy Thuesday night. Margheritas were fresh and tasty, menu had a good amount of veggie options, including 2 different burritos. I'll be back. read more

I went back and tried the shrimp tacos, and things were a bit better than the first disaster of a visit. Thus, we're up to three stars, including the bonus star for actually sourcing decent ingredients in Germany. Still, those homesick for real taquerias should head to Ta Cabrón. read more

Went here for lunch on a Monday, and was extremely satisfied! They have a lunch special that includes a beer, guac or salad, and your choice of tacos, burritos, or quesadilla for 8/10/11 euro... not bad! I got the carnitas tacos and they were delicious! (Though I must warn, the carnitas meat does have a lot of fat attached to it, as it's supposed to, and it does make it melt-in-your-mouth good, but it still prohibited me from eating it all) read more

The wailing moan from West Coast expats in Berlin has been answered again with yet another taco shop in Kreuzberg. A bit pricier at 5EUR for 3 tacos, but the carne asada is on the money, as is the habañero salsa. Also on the unique side is they have pickled carrots, slightly sweet for my taste, but certainly better than none. Salsa roja has good flavor, but the tomatillo salsa was lacking. I'm looking forward to trying one of my alltime faves chiliquilis, so they will see my hungry mug again soon. read more

Three stars because the iced tea with mint & lime was super delicious. Fairly nice, trendy/alternative ambience, great location, hits the spot for anyone craving Mexican food, but a little on the high side, price-wise. The servers were indifferent, but decently quick compared to other Berlin joints. Food was on the salty side, but the tomatillo salsa was delicious, as were the grilled vegetables. Lots of options for those who don't eat meat. read more

I went to Santa Maria and the beef burrito I ordered was extremely fatty with lumps of gristle in it. The waitress said she would exchange it, but then a guy from the bar said either I would have to pay for it or he would exchange it for tacos. When I declined he said I would have to leave the restaurant immediately. bad service. Bad food and a shitty attitude. He also threw out my 2 friends who were completely uninvolved. Thanks to the waitress who was super friendly and clearly embarrassed by her manager's behaviour. read more

The Chorizo option has been removed from the Lunch menu. That sucks. Please bring it back. Otherwise great place.

Expensive and forgettable. Staff often rude. There are so many great places in Kreuzberg these days that I have no idea why anyone still bothers eating here. read more