We haven't been here in a while. I ordered a Mad Mex burrito with chicken. The meat was so hard and dried out that I had to send it back. The replacement burrito with taco meat wasn't much better. The rice was dry and the flavor bland. There was something about the texture that made me think it had been in a warmer a few days too long. This used to be one of our favorite places for Mexican cuisine. The decor is still great, but until their standards make a comeback we will find our Mexican fix somewhere else.
(2)
Mashel R.
2 words chicken wings! If you can believe Mexican place has the best chicken wings then you're definitely thinking about Mad Mex! What a fantastic surprise to find this out. You see my husband does not like Mexican fusion or Tex Mex at all. Now all I have to do is remind him of those wings and he takes me to Mad Mex with a smile on his face. Love!
(5)
Colin M.
If there is one thing I could fault Mad Mex for, it's consistency. However, if I had to pick the most consistent restaurant in their chain that infrequent, this is the one. I've never had problems with the food at this spot, and typically go with an enchilada or wing salad. Their lime cilantro dressing is fantastic, and something we try to replicate at home on a regular basis. I love when they have their $5 22 ounce beer specials running with a partner brewery. You can almost always get an IPA at a great price. I steer clear of their margaritas these days unless the rare occasion I'm here during Happy Hour or late night - but these have been proven to be tried and true.
(4)
Gabriel G.
The taste of the food was good. The atmosphere was loud and cramped. We ordered chips and guac to start (great crunch!) and both ordered veggie enchiladas. The tortillas were more placed on the filling instead of wrapped around, and the sauce was scarce. But, again, it tasted pretty good. I wouldn't come again unless I had to.
(3)
Beant G.
Between this location and the Shadyside one, Mad Mex is to me the most reliable and safe choice for modern, not-so-authentic Mexican food. If you go in with that expectation, it meets if not exceeds what you want. This location is nicely situated along the McKnight commercial corridor, which makes it a good spot for a casual lunch or dinner that would appeal to most people. Ambience: I'm a fan of their odd artwork and dim lighting but this one (like the Oakland site) starts to feel a bit claustrophobic and dingy. Otherwise, it's well suited for a casual visit for a date or small group. Drinks: Always a fan of their beer selection- reasonably priced and a good variety. A+ there. Plus I've had a few of their cocktails (recommend the Jalapeño margarita for my fellow spice lovers). And of course the happy hour and late night specials make the big azz margaritas cheap for those who are ready to get wild in the burbs. Food: Eclectic and very untraditional. I've always gone for the burritos and never had a bad experience there. My personal favorite is the turkey chili burrito. Like I referred to earlier, it's hardly Mexican but the flavor profile is on point and the blue jalapeño cornbread is my favorite. Unlike some other Mexican restaurants, you don't get free chips here which is a shame. Still, their guacamole is good if you're willing to fork up the extra cost. Service: It was a little slow once but I consider that an outlier. Otherwise I haven't had any issues here.
(4)
Kathryn F.
LOUD LOUD LOUD .... tables are on top of each other not much privacy. Food is good. I like the shrimp & mushroom queso. Don't ask for a mojito because they don't serve it.
First time there, kinda disappointed. We started with the beef nachos grande, they were good! I had the black bean soup too, which was just eh. Then we had shrimp super mad mex enchiladas, which weren't even rolled, they're kinda just a layered mess on the dish, and we're very bland in general. We also had the barbacoa burrito, which was HUGE, in size and disappointment. It tasted like pot roast, not barbacoa. The staff was very friendly, our server Abby was great! Very polite and good at managing multiple tables, Never had an empty glass! And the decor is cool. I might try it again
(3)
William P.
Rachel is the bomb . Com. I love this place. Sean is the best always looking out gor folks. Live the summer with open air seating. Beer selection is always top notch. Service is superior. So I'll keep coming back for more.
(5)
Sheila B.
Good food, good drinks, fun vibe. Love their San Francisco wings! The perfect balance of some spicy heat with some sweetness. Better yet, they're 50% off during Happy Hour weekdays from 4:30P-6:30P. Oh and also they're Big Azz Margaritas (yes, that's their legit name) are only $7 during Happy Hour as well. They are delicious, but STRONG, so make sure you have a ride home. Their carnitas burrito features wonderfully seasoned pulled pork, Mexican rice, cheese, wrapped up in a delicious, soft tortilla served with blue cornbread. It's my regular order. It's HUGE so either split it with a lucky friend, or even better, bring it home for leftovers. The next day reheated it is even better! Love this location because on a nice day, they will open the garage windows and you'll get to feel the breeze while you eat your yummy food. It is right on McKnight Road, so don't mind the engines and exhaust. At times, this place can be a little inconsistent and can get crazy busy causing the kitchen to get backed up, but the overall theme is good grub in a hipster Mexican environment.
(3)
Linda W.
A Mad Mex McKnight Road Black Friday list of lunchtime Do's and Don'ts. DO search high and low for the hostess after waiting (forever) without being seated. Or even noticed. DO try to find a server to seat you. Upon finding no server on the floor... DO look for the bartender for assistance. No bartender behind the bar? DO Seat yourself. DO order the Bloody Mary, it IS brunch/lunch time. What? No Bloody Mary mix? DO order fish tacos. Unless, of course, you want them for lunch. According to our (eventual) server, "They don't start thawing the fish until 1:00." Silly us...the menu didn't make note of the necessary extra time needed to order a menu item! DON'T give up on this spot...just don't attempt it on Black Friday. Maybe the staff was out still snagging bargains on fresh instead of frozen fish or Bloody Mary mix. One can only hope.
(3)
Cait V.
For the most part it's delicious. I've had a couple things that I wasn't a fan of, but that could just be my personal taste preference. All I know is that the best part of the year is GOBBLERITO time! This is the one time of the year we are guaranteed to give Mad Mex a visit. Also, the Long Island Ice Teas are a must! You can definitely taste the alcohol, I hate places that try and substitute a bunch of sours in lieu of booze. The atmosphere is pretty awesome too, I would call it Mexicano Industrial. A great place to go with friends or for a date night!
(4)
Benjamin F.
Burritos hit close to home. In fact, I was an identical twin to a burrito, we were born minutes apart - I was nursed, he was eaten (nursed first). Ingredient-wise, the custom portabello with vegan sour cream and cheese was safe to say top ten. A minor flaw prevents the fifth star - clearly aesthetics are my priority - uh clearest I can put this - the burrito is SQUARE. I understand the gratification about nursing with both hands then ripping its head off with your teeth - in fact how I treat most infants - Max you're not proving anything with the knife and fork - thankfully I have enormous hands (llladies). "Burrito" in Spanish means "Little Donkey" however more accurate is a "burrisimo" - "enormous donkey." Wrap it up Mad Mex! The two-handed burrito stays!
(4)
Keith H.
They really pack people into the dining room here so don't expect to have any privacy to your conversations, the only thing making it so not everyone can hear you talk is that, like every other Mad Mex in town, this place is ALWAYS RIDICULOUSLY LOUD. I don't know what it is about this chain that they can be as busy as any other restaurant and be three times the din. The burritos are consistently tasty, the nachos are unbelievably Brobdingnagian, the beer selection is always varied and delicious. I am sad I have yet to get to try any of the Thanksgiving faire, hopefully I will rectify this in November. I will say that their margaritas are generally pretty good but calling them "Big Azz" seems a bit inaccurate as I have definitely had bigger margaritas and compared to many of the items that they serve, the margaritas size isn't that impressive. If you are looking to go out and have a few drinks, I highly recommend this place. If you are looking for a place to chill for a bit, the tight quarters of the dining room and high volume might make you want to consider other places.
(4)
Maggie W.
My husband and I went to lunch here for the first time yesterday. I am new to Pittsburgh in the past six months, so have slowly been making my way through the vegan-friendly restaurants. We had some shopping to do at Ross Park, so decided to check out Mad Mex for lunch. Both my husband and I are vegan, and we were pleased to see so many vegan-friendly options, including Daiya cheese and Tofutti sour cream. Usually, I bring the Tofutti in my purse, so having it as an option on the menu for no extra charge was awesome!! I ordered the Mad Mex Enchilada with tofu. It was very good. Lots of Daiya cheese (probably more than I prefer), but I did find that the tofu was a little bland. I added hot sauce. My husband ordered the Super Mad Mex Burrito with the spicy chick peas and spinach. It was also very good. Portion sizes were very large, he brought half of his home. He also had a black cherry margarita, it was very good as well. The service here was hit or miss. Even though it was not busy, we had a to wait for a hostess to seat us. Our waitress was very helpful and answered our questions about the varieties of burritos. Also, it was a bit loud. The decor was cool, though.
(4)
Elizabeth M.
Tofu tacos!!! I think they call them herbivore tacos or something like that. Either way I can't get enough. Crispy fried tofu, sprouts, cilantro, tomato, and an amazing sauce!!!! Guacamole and sour cream on the side. I wish my stomach was an endless pit because I'd eat these tacos until the end of time. You get three tacos with an order and it's more than enough. I never have room to finish the heaping pile of beans and rice they give you as sides. While here, I also had the salsa. It was thick and flavorful. Very fresh. It's kind of hard to scoop out of the little cup it's served in, but I'm also a little more messy than your average individual so that might just be a problem I have. The chips are bountiful and of course the salsa is always gone before the chips, but that's a problem I can live with.
(5)
Amy C.
It is a birthday tradition. For the last three years me and my bff have gone to lunch for our birthday celebration. Our birthdays are a week apart so it only makes sense. We went for lunch again this year and, of course, we were happy campers! We both got the tofu tacos with soft shells. Their tofu is da' bomb! They get it right. It's so good! They have it marinated in a citrus soy concoction that is so flipping good! The rice is tasty. My friend got a salad as her side and was delighted with it. We got their chips and salsa and guacamole... yummy for our tummies! Our waiter was fabulous and we had a wonderful, relaxing lunch.
(5)
Vegas K.
Delish as always! It's been a few years (moved out of state) and it was still great! Love all the healthy and veg options like tofu sour cream! Lunch portion huge with shrimp burrito and salad (cilantro dressing was awesome!) Waitress so sweet and attentive!
(4)
Stephen W.
I would give this place zero stars if I could. Taco Bell gets closer to authentic Mexican than this place! The first time I went, I ordered a chimichanga... what I got some kind of mutant burrito with what I would describe as a soupy marinara on top of it. I asked if maybe there had been some kind of mix up and had ended up with an obese enchilada by mistake, and the waitress just rolled her eyes and said "you ordered a chimichanga. You got a chimichanga." Then promptly she promptly hurried away. Second trip I got roped into was worse. After parking two lots down (their lot is appallingly small), we walked in to put our name down for a table. This might be a good time to address how cramped the layout is... there is practically no space for waiting parties to sit, and eating in a booth is like picnicking in a capsule hotel. If there were a fire there during dinner hours, there's no chance you're getting out of there alive. Regardless, we were forced to wait in our cars (it was snowing) for a text notification for our table. After an hour and a half of waiting, we went elsewhere. The text, incidentally, never came. Even their takeout service is pretty rotten... It took me a full 25 minutes to get the attention of a bartender on my final attempt to eat their food, and by that time my meal was cold. No burrito is worth that kind of hassle. So full recap- horrible food, horrible service, cramped, dangerous layout, and even terrible bar staff. If someone were to bulldoze this restaurant tomorrow, I would have a parade in the bulldozer operator's honor. Zero stars.
(1)
Michaela R.
I love there salsa and chips ! And their Quesadillas are good! The service is good . They make a really good Strawberry Margarita!
(5)
Mila W.
This place can get really busy during dinner time no matter what day of the week. The food for the most part is good and I say for the most part because we've been disappointed a few times. When there's been an issue they've taken care of it. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(4)
Matthew M.
Great restaurant with a really good happy hour (margarita special and half price wings); but go early as it gets busy. Only thing that is strange is their wings almost have a curry flavor as they obviously put cumin in the sauce. They are good but would be better without it. Large portions.
I have heard from numerous people that I needed to try this place. Wish I hadn't! Granted, I lived in Houston for 9 years so I know good and great mex and texmex! I thought the menu looked great as they had lots of veggie options! I had a hard time choosing. We got some sips to start. The ships were definitely not fresh made. First offense! I've had better chips from a a bag at the food store! The black bean dip we got was the best thing we tried all night. It was fresher tasting and spicy. The other salsa, tomatillo salsa and a pineapple salsa, were very meh! Dinner (which took more than 30 minutes after we ordered!) was also Meh! I got a veggie enchilada. The sauce was very ordinary, I could have made better at home. To compensate they loaded it with cheese which is the worst! The onions on my plate were barely warm and NOT cooked through. Nothing like biting into a raw onion on your first bite. Yuck! Glad I tried it, but not really!
(2)
Brian B.
Good food, good service, good beer. What more can u ask for. I had a mad mex burrito, wife had he fajitas. Kids split a quesadilla. Food was good and quick service was nice, didn't have to wait and she was accommodating. Good experience. Will go back again.
(5)
Nancy L.
Loved the atmosphere here; it was a great place to catch up with friends who preferred a quieter setting than bars. Service was friendly and quick, food was alright (hence the average rating). This is more like a California Mex place rather than Tex Mex, but food was still okay. My friends seemed to have enjoyed the burritos, frajitas, corn on cob, fried tofu, and wraps. I ordered the Chopper Salad and loved their lime and cilantro dressing. Overall, portions are generous, food is okay, prices are reasonable (a little over $100 for the 6 of us) and we had a pretty good time hanging out.
All of my friends have raved on and on about Mad Mex for years and how amazing everything is there. So I finally got the chance to give it a try about a week or so ago. All of my girlfriends were going on and on about how amazing the burritos were and how there wasnt a bad thing to eat there. I have eaten at my fair share of Mexican restaurants and upon walking into the place I have to say I expected better with all the hype. As an appetizer we got tortilla chips with guac, salsa and queso. The guac was really tasty, but the salsa was just tomatoes with some seasoning and had no "sauce" consistency whatsoever. It was more like a bruschetta topping than a salsa. The queso was also not great and had taco meat in it that left a weird kind of aftertaste. Really not impressed. I ordered the fish tacos. When my plate arrived it looked good enough. The fish was fairly moist and the slaw/ aioli that topped it was also full of flavor and really tasty (but what mayo based sauce isnt...kind of hard not to mess this up). I'm a firm believer that you can easily judge a Mexican restaurant on their rice and beans, and I was thoroughly disappointed in both. The black beans were virtually flavorless and some of them were even crunchy and undercooked...pretty disgusting. The rice was also flavorless and I felt like I was just eating a boxed mix that didn't have any taste at all and lacked salt. Overall my dinner was extremely disappointing. I think I was most upset with the service. Mad Mex is one of those places where the waitress will offer you choices of things to up-charge your bill, and where every little condiment will cost you .50. If you want sour cream with your burrito, salsa, pico etc. that will be extra. The waitress asked every person at our table if they wanted sour cream or salsa "with that". Every time someone said yes, she up-charged their bill. As for me, I ordered the FISH TACOS which are 12.50. Upon telling her what I wanted to order she asked me if I wanted them "grilled or fried". I told her grilled. Once I got my bill, I noticed that she had charged for me the Mahi Mahi tacos which were about 15.00 WHICH I DID NOT ORDER. I really disliked the way she charged me for something I did not order based on PREPARATION and furthermore, gave me a choice of grilled or fried knowing that she would up-charge me to another menu item. Overall I was pretty damn annoyed that I ended up spending 20.00 on something that I did not order that was only half decent. Probably wont be going back there and if I do, I might give the burritos a try as they looked pretty good, but also pretty dry. Not sure if I would bother ever paying a waitress there, I think take out would be better. Do yourself a favor and visit another place to get your Mexican fix, I know I will.
(2)
Sarah L.
This place has the best margaritas!! The food is decent and on level with El Campesino. They have some interesting combinations here like the hamburger burrito and the sausage nachos. These taste better during happy hour when the margaritas are flowing. The happy hour here is second to none and is probably the real reason I come here so much!
(4)
Renee G.
Hippie Burrito good as usual! What made tonight's visit extra awesome was Kara our waitress. I didn't want a whole dessert--just a taste of something. She brought me a small sampling of their brownie "on her". Gotta love that kind of service! We will be back! Kara rocks :)
(5)
Carolyn I.
We received a free burrito coupon and had to go to McKnight road anyway, so I thought, why not. Now I remember. For the third time in a row, the bathrooms were more disgusting than a portapotty at a music festival. Not a great start. We ordered black bean dip, a steak burrito, and the new barbacoa burrito, and drinks. The black bean dip was actually good, and the steak burrito was fine. The "salsa" that comes with the burritos could literally be formed into a ball and thrown like a snowball. I am pretty sure it is just stewed tomatoes some how compressed. What I got instead of a barbacoa was a burrito of unrecognizable meat. I'm pretty sure it was harvested from a rubber chicken. It was not the color of beef, or the texture of any meat at all. They never did determine what it was. I said it tasted liker rubber and they said it must be the carnitas. If they had one light bulb in the dining area, that may have helped me to figure out what it was. The manager came over after I sent it back and offered to bring the menu so that I could choose something else, but I couldn't get that nasty taste out of my mouth. Also, I don't find it enjoyable to eat in shifts, and if I'm going to consume that many calories, I'm going to enjoy them. I finished the bean dip instead. Then the waitress came back, saw my empty sangria glass and my boyfriend's empty beer, offered him another beer, and went to go get it. I was never offered another drink of any kind, and I had not been rude or anything. I was in a pretty good mood when I got there. I have to say that they play good music, but it was so loud that we couldn't really talk, so I just had to sit there with no conversation and try to rinse that taste out of my mouth with a glass of water. They are now dead to me. I won't even use a free burrito coupon ever again.
(1)
Dabney G.
I've never been overly impressed by the food or drinks (especially for the price), but I enjoy the atmosphere.
(3)
Mary G.
The food is always amazing, but I had really slow service while there at lunch time. They didn't seem to be overwhelmingly busy, but just getting a glass of water took ten minutes...and I was sitting at the bar!
(2)
Ashley M.
What has happened here?! I used to live in Pitt and this was my regular place to eat. I'm in town visiting and met up with friends here last night. We waited an hour and a half for our food. 2 burritos and 2 quesadillas. Our drinks were coming out 20 mins at a time. The waiter was pretty slow and would walk past us at least 10 times without filling drinks or checking on us. We were very close to leaving. When asking our waiter about the long wait he said that they had to get completely different kitchen staff as a huge fight broke out in the kitchen earlier this week and 'fists were thrown' and that the 'kitchen was sinking'. The table next to us who got there relatively at the same time got the manager visiting their table almost every 20 mins. They got a round of drinks on the house for the wait. Manager never visited our table... The waiter did get us free chips that we all filled up on before our food even got there. It was a huge disappointment, sad to see what it has become... GET IT TOGETHER!!! PROFESSIONALISM!!
(2)
Melissa U.
Checked out the North Hills location last night as we just moved over to this area of the burgh. I have to say that overall I was impressed! We started with the pickadippa, which is a trio of dips. We picked the black bean dip, guac, and original salsa. Two people at our table were self proclaimed "bean haters" and absolutely loved the black bean dip. The guac was delicious with a nice lemon kick. I see a lot of reviews complaining about the "bagged chips", but I thought for a chain restaurant they were better then your typical chip. I ordered the Kristy's Big Sister Red Velvet Burrito. It was amaaaazing. I like my food hot and it came out right from the kitchen and was perfectly steaming when I broke in. The burrito had rice, black beans, nicely sized and well cooked pieces of chicken, zucchini and spinach. I loved it and would definitely order it again. It was also huge and I could have made two meals out of it. The other people at my table ordered wings (which he loved), quesadillas (which he said were good but nothing special), and the spicy mad mex burrito bowl (which she loved). They also had good happy hour specials, even on a Friday that they gave you at the table and not just the bar. The service is also excellent! I will certainly be going back here soon!
(4)
Tracy H.
I love Mad Mex. Not only is the food excellent, but you can grab a high quality draft micro brew! The selection is good. The chips and salsa are out of this world and its conveniently located near shopping and its not too far from my house :-)
(4)
Tegan K.
First off, calling this "Mexican food" is a joke. Their chimichangas don't even come with queso blanco... they come with some kind of red sauce. Their tofu dish is heavy and practically inedible, the margaritas taste like dish soap and you have to chew your way through them (ew), and the service is slow, rude, and 75% of the time incorrect. On top of that, finding parking is nearly impossible and the restaurant itself has to be a major fire safety hazard; you're uncomfortably packed in - the last time I was there I could barely scoot my chair out to leave, and I'm a rather tiny person. The only time I go here anymore is for the Gobbleritos because I am admittedly a sucker for all things seasonal. I went in last night, gave them my number so they could text me when a table was ready, and they said it would be maybe 20 minutes, half an hour at most. I waited 45 minutes and double checked with them and verified my number, they said it wouldn't be much longer. Once I hit an hour of wait time I went elsewhere for dinner. Fun fact: they NEVER texted me for a table at all. Never again Mad Mex, never again.
(1)
Denicia T.
Mixed experience. They have a decent draft list, but it is disappointing that their margaritas are premixed out of a machine. I had fish tacos and the other person at my table had a shrimp, mushroom, and spinach quesadilla. The chips and salsa were disappointing, but the entrees were better. The service was quick initially, but we had difficulty getting our drinks refilled. Overall there is better Mexican available in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Jennifer D.
I'm probably going to get punched on some street somewhere for this, but I'll say it: I don't like Mad Mex. Is there a Yelp Witness Protection Program? I used to frequent the Oakland location, because of discounts and peer pressure, and I've tried most of the menu and find none of it terribly exciting. It had, however, been years, so when my husband and I needed dinner on Friday, we thought we'd try the North Hills location. Who knows; maybe I had been wrong all these years? Alas, no. The adventure as it unfolded: I called in our to go order: One pickadippa, which is now $12 for carryout and comes with 8oz containers of each dip, for which we chose original salsa, cheese dip, and guacamole; one steak quesadilla; one chicken chimi. The woman who took my order was polite and thorough and said the food would be ready in 20-25 minutes. My long-suffering husband hopped in the car and headed over, and wound up parking 4 stores down on McKnight, as apparently their parking lot was like the mall at Christmas. I'd assumed it would be easy since we're in the north 'burbs and there are parking lots, but my bad. The thing that really makes me want to leave a one star review this time is that, once he got into the restaurant, he approached the hostess stand and said he was there to pick up an order. The hostess just said "You'll have to fight your way to the bar," which, thanks for the help! The bar was swarming with people and he stood there for several minutes to no avail when finally a server there to pick up a drink order assisted him. It took almost an hour for him to return with our dinner, of which solidly 30 of those minutes were spent in the restaurant. So, part of the lesson is: Don't decide on Mad Mex for quick takeout on a Friday at 6pm, apparently. At any rate, he did return eventually, and I eagerly tucked in to the grub. Unfortunately, it seems my memory was right. Everything was just sort of meh at best. The salsa had nearly no flavor except for a slight kick; the tomatoes were rubbery and mealy. The cheese dip tasted more like canned cheese soup, and the guacamole was redolent of... citric acid? It didn't taste fresh at all and stayed green for almost 10 hours. (I left plenty in the container to check.) The husband reported that the steak in his quesadilla didn't have much flavor, and that it primarily tasted of onions and peppers. My chimichanga tasted alright, since, you know, fried tortilla, but the chicken itself was no great shakes. The red pepper sauce (served in a small dressing cup) had a great flavor, and was the highlight of the meal for me. The rice was bland, and the black beans so flavorless I almost cried. I love black beans. If you want good black beans, go to Chicken Latino. Just a PSA. So yeah. Nearly $40 and some trouble later, neither of us was happy with our meal. I don't get it, folks. Someone clue me in on what, exactly, is actually GOOD at Mad Mex. Or is it just all those Big Azz Margaritas you're drinking?
(2)
Scott L.
Wow... This place is awesome. Food was amazing. Staff was great and margaritas were spot on. I would recommend this place to people I hate just cause NO ONE should pass this place!! Viva la Mad Mex.
(5)
Jason F.
I ate here last Thursday with my girlfriend for dinner. The inside of the restaurant is like most of the Mad Mex restaurants with some interesting Mexican decor. We arrived at around 7:30 on a Tuesday evening and the place was packed. We were seated immediately although it was in a back corner and out hostess asked our server if it was ok and he said no. Obviously not the best way to start out a meal. While we were waiting for our server to come over we decided to look at the drinks menu. They had a nice selection of beers but it seemed to be quite pricey and so we ultimately decided to pass. We did decide to start off our meal with the pickadippa appetizer though since we were not sure how quickly our food was going to be served. This appetizer lets you pick three different salsa/dips to go with your basket of tortilla chips and we choose the XX cheese sauce, hummus and guacamole. All of the dips were really good with the XX cheese sauce being my favorite as the Dos Equis was noticeable and paired nicely with cheese. My only complaint is that you only get one basket of chips with this appetizer as we had more than enough dip left even after taking generous portions with our chips. For my entree I decided to go with my standard Mad Mex burrito which is the Wing-O-Rita with insane buffalo sauce and blue cheese. It came out as a large burrito stuffed with rice, beans, buffalo sauce and chicken with sides of blue cheese dressing and salsa. As expected, it was good but very hot and the blue cheese was nice in helping to cool down my mouth. My girlfriend ended up getting her standard Mad Mex burrito, the Carnitas, and really enjoyed it. It was large enough that she ended up taking half of it home. The bottom line for me is that I will definitely head back here in the future. Their food is always good and they have a nice selection of beers which makes this a great place to visit.
(3)
Val M.
Love the atmosphere, margaritas, and food!!! The margaritas are to die for, but are pretty expensive unless you get them on special. They have a small bar which is nice but they also have plenty of tables and I have never waited! Love it!
(5)
Scott G.
Not good at all. The chimi sauce had an odd taste. The lumpy texture seemed like it was out of a can. The margherita had no flavor. I think the chimi itself was frozen. Just bad all around. And I paid $3 for chips out of a bag. Server was great though.
(1)
Becky G.
Excellent selection of IPAs! Salsa & guacamole is always fresh! The spice level varies by the ingredients and whose making it! Love the wings & the burritos! McKnight road location is my favorite! The staff is top notch! Super friendly & know their beer! Sit at the bar or bar area and soak in the atmosphere & their friendly banter. Love the manager, Shawn!!!
(5)
Marguerite M.
I love most of the Mad Mex locations that I've tried. I think this is my 2nd favorite, next to Oakland... or this one might be tied with Monroeville. This is closer to my house... but Monroeville has an outside bar & patio. I loved their Horny Toad Margarita, which unfortunately is no longer on the menu. But if you get an old timer, they'll still make it for you. The closest thing to the Horny Toad is the Ultimate. If you like a wicked sour margarita, this is the one for you. I'm not a fan of the big azz margaritas that are popular there, they're just too sweet for me. The red sangria rocks!! There's always and awesome selection of drafts and bottled beers too. I like this location because it's really small and really dark. I know that's not a plus for lots of people, but I like it. I love the Insane San Francisco Wings with Blue Cheese. We always order them well done. Insane is the highest on their heat scale, the heat level isn't consistent, but it's usually pretty hot. The blue cheese is a perfect balance to the garlicy San Francisco sauce. My husband almost always gets the Chicken Chimichanga, its generously stuffed with tasty chicken, it's always nice and crispy. I love most of the quesadillas and fajitas... but I think my favorite entree is the Dance Marathon Enchiladas. I love the garlicy portabello mushrooms and spicy spinach. The tortilla soup is thick and creamy and so good. The casa salad is awesome with the Lime Cilantro dressing. A garlicy spicy creamy pesto-type dressing that is also great to add as a dipping sauce for quesadillas and taquitos. The salad is a simple combination of leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onions, blue cheese crumbles, green pepitas... the crunchy pepitas with the salty, tangy blue cheese topped with lime cilantro dressing... YUM!!!! One of my favorite places to eat.
(5)
Rachel C.
Taco, Burrito, what's comin outta that speedo! I had to use a Saturday Night Live cheerleaders reference! How can this place not be fun with names like the Dance Marathon burrito?! Which has got to be my favorite burrito with lots and lots of juicy amazing portabella mushrooms! And for those of you who like to think you're going healthy by choosing the salad (but probably won't be with the heap o' sour cream mixed in) their taco salad with lime cilantro dressing is beyond delish! This may be old folklore but I heard once that their big azz margarita's have like 5 shots of tequila in them. After you drink one, you may believe it! I love that they have specials on the margarita's for Happy Hour and after 10 PM. Who doesn't like a deal on alcohol? The reason I choose to write about this location is because I enjoy this one and Greentree over the Oakland one. I feel like I'm practically sitting on top of the person next to me at the Oakland one. I know that makes me sound old and lame because I'm no longer a college student but I enjoy some personal space at times! The ambiance at all of them are great because they have a hip Mexican theme. Who doesn't like hanging chili lights? The best part are the servers shirts, practice safe mex! I support that!
(5)
Julia C.
Take out is a total pain here. Hungry customer needs to get an annoyed bartenders attention to get food, this after trying to find parking because they don't have curbside parking or pick up. Burritos are always yummy but not worth the extra charges for sour and guac only to be served in tiny plastic containers. This location is so so.
(2)
Sara C.
I don't know why I keep letting my friends convince me to go here....Their drinks are expensive (unless you go for happy hour), it's loud, there's almost always a significant wait for a table (even if the restaurant seems half empty) - once the hostess tried to sit seven people at a table for four. On top of that, the food is some bastardized version of American Tex Mex that's not even that good. There were a few dishes I found acceptable, but for the most part they all seemed bland and I couldn't differentiate one taste from another. The last two times I went, I left feeling rather ill so I can safely say that I won't be dining at Mad Mex again anytime in the near future.
(3)
Dave L.
Good eats and good drink. Appreciate the varieties of margaritas. I recommend the grand marnier floater: they make a "cup" of a half a lime, fold it inward, and fill it with grand mariner. They float it on top of your drink. It's nice and smooth and sloshes around the drink gracefully. The quesadillas are not thin and wimpy, instead big and chunky with nice hunks of chicken. They stay open late and that includes the kitchen. The waiter that night said they don't do mojitos...what? Ya gotta full bar ack there bro!
(3)
Julie J.
My fave Mexican in Pittsburgh. Lots of healthy options and huge portions i highly recommend the blue cornbread it is simply amazing i have tried almost everything on the menu and there have never been a time that i was disappointed, it is not your standard mexican restaurant but they sure know how to do what they do....
(5)
Katie M.
Things I miss most about living away from my beloved hometown: Family, Pittsburgh itself, discernible seasons, Kennywood...and Mad Mex. Fact: I crave Mad Mex, and it's always one of the first (and frequent) stops I make when I am home. Of course it's not "authentic" Mexican -- it doesn't pretend to be -- but what it is is DELICIOUS. I always order the Mad Mex enchilada, but I also love the Wing-o-Rito burrito with insane sauce -- both with chicken, which is outstanding. The original salsa is fresh with a slight kick to it, and the dips that come with the Pickadippa are excellent as well; we always go for the fire-roasted tomato chipotle, the black bean (so rich and good!) and the original. The tortilla soup is the best I have ever had; when I'm sick, it's one of the only things that sounds even remotely appealing (I would have it FedExed if I could). It's hearty and spiced without being heavy -- pure goodness in a bowl, and my ultimate comfort food. Oh, and the drinks -- the margaritas are so good, but be warned: they can be strong. Even the Little Butt margaritas pack a (heel-teetering) punch, and forget the Big Azz happy hour special if you have to drive afterward -- even if it is only a $1 more and a better value. McKnight has always been my favorite location -- it's less crowded and much less noisy than Oakland, and I like open-air side of the restaurant when the weather is nice. However, I did visit the new Shadyside location (obviously) after it opened, and it is really nice, too.
(5)
Matt D.
In short: Decent food - not too expensive - nice atmosphere too. All around a decent place to go on a weeknight when you get that (American) Mexican food craving. I've ordered the burritos and the enchiladas in the past, and both are good - though I prefer the enchiladas. As I hinted at above, the food is definitely an Americanized version of Mexican food - but let's face it, what Mexican restaurant isn't? The service has always been good here. Even when a line starts to form out the door, my waiter/waitress has always payed plenty of attention to my table. The drink menu is long too, so that's a plus if you're looking to come here on a weekend night (or a weeknight if that's your style).
(3)
Keri K.
My fave out of all the Mad Mex locations is this one in Shadyside. It's the newest and the most fun. There is always a crowd here but I've never had much of a wait. In any case I make my way to the bar and grab a drink...I love the colorful art work on the walls. I noticed there is an upstairs here? Never been up there so not sure what the scene is or if it's just additional tables. The open garage style windows are a huge plus giving the place an airy feel and a perfect people watching spot! As far as the food goes, well I have my order down! It goes like this: #1 'rita on the rocks, original flavor, salted rim #2 "picka dippa" - selection of 3 different dips with at least 8 to choice from, comes with chips #3 split meal with dinner companion (usually an enchilada meal) The prices here are fair. Not crazy about the fact that chips and salsa are extra. The chips and salsa are good though. That is how i truly judge mexican food....
(4)
Adam C.
I come to the various Mad Mex's when I can't really think of a place to go and there happens to be one nearby. Is that a good or bad sign? Probably a little of both. The point is I never find myself dying to come here, but whenever I end up at one it's never the worst night of my life. The McKnight Rd. version features above average service and pretty good parking. The trump card for MM is the beer selection. It's shockingly good. From the drafts, bottles, to frequent specials, only the most intolerable beer geek could possibly be disappointed here. I find the margaritas here too sweet and I hold the undying conviction that both blended margaritas and flavored margaritas are a joke (and of course there is Satan incarnate, the blended + flavored margarita). It seems the best people can say about them is that they're very large. As to the food, my only recommendation is to keep it simple. Guac, bean dip, and the like are hard to mess up and therefore safe choices. The times I've ventured out a bit into the entrees have been less successful, but I can't write off the whole menu since I've only tried a couple things. Just know that whatever you're ordering might not be what you think it is, so ask questions. Case in point: taquitos here means flour tortilla roll-ups that aren't baked in any fashion. So rely on the friendly server and you'll be ok.
(3)
Eliza R.
Mad Mex is another favorite Pittsburgh restaurant of mine, even though I don't live in da 'Burgh anymore! This McKnight location is actually my favorite of all the locations, simply because it's a little more relaxed than the others, especially Atwood (which is so small and packed with college kids). Mad Mex offers up a lot of creative and different food options (combinations you won't find at any other Tex-Mex place) and has an extensive selection of beer and yummy margaritas. Most importantly, they have a great sense of humor about everything!
(4)
Brian C.
This place is good. It has good margarita deals late night and for happy hour. I like the burritos and the Pickadippa. I don't like the fajitas. It had a citrus flavor to it. I will be back.
(4)
Beth K.
While this isn't the best "mexican" food in the city, I would recommend this Mad Mex for the following reasons: 1. It is one of the few bright lights of hope in the dark soullessness that is McKnight Road. It will hands down beat any previously frozen salty disaster you order at Red Lobster, Chili's, Olive Garden, etc. 2. This Mad Mex stands out from others in that the service is OUTSTANDING (although I rarely have bad experiences at any of them). The waiters and bartenders are extremely pleasant, especially the waiter we had this particular night (8/1/11), named Justin. He went out of his way to be courteous and went above and beyond to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. 3. The seating/atmosphere is nice. Even when crowded you can hear your dinner mates. If you have to wait for a table there is usually room near or at the bar. 4. The beer selection is always fantastic and they usually have a few specials running. This time we each got Bell's Oberon, our summer favorite. This particular occasion we got the chips and salsa, I got the Wing-o-rito with San Fran/Wild, and my fiance got a special, Corn and Chicken burrito. The food is always consistently good, but never mind-blowing. I would recommend the Wing-o-rito or the Carnitas burrito. Overall experience at this Mad Mex is always positive and I'm sure I'll be back again!
(4)
Elizabeth L.
This was my first time at any MadMex restaurant. It was fairly busy when we walked in and the hostess asked me for my name and number and said I would get a text when it's our turn. However, she wouldn't tell me how long the wait would be till I asked which was 15-20 minutes. My mother and I went to go sit at the bar as we waited to be seated. 45 minutes later I went to go ask the hostess how much longer it would be and she rudely told me they had texted me half an hour ago. Turns out she got my phone number wrong which is an honest mistake but considering I was sitting 10 feet away there was no excuse. Food however was delicious except for the steak. I'll definitely be back but probably to a different location.
(3)
Guy B.
Being a southern California native, my taste buds have learned to acquire a certain amount of flavor when it comes to Mexican food and boy does this place nail it! Iv had the steak mad mex burrito at least 20 times already, every time its just a good as before. I am very pleased with the quality of both the food and the service. Always top notch! And did I mention they have blue moon on tap!? This place has def become one of my favorite spots in pittsburgh!
(5)
Rebecca S.
Bartenders here are fantastic! Friendly, fast, and great at making margaritas! They also know a lot about beer in case you have any questions. The food is also very, very good. Not traditional Mexican. Very creative menu with lots of vegetarian options.
(5)
Amy R.
We were there on opening day and have been going back ever since. I'd say they are on par with the Oakland Mad Mex but much bigger and thus less impossible to get a seat during happy hour. The Jersey Fries appetizer are rather tasty - get BOTH the cheese and the ranch dip. Dip first in cheese then ranch. Delish! San Fran wings are my favorite flavor, and the margaritas are always quite good: I'm glad I live within walking distance. The only thing I've had that I don't like is the spinach/mushroom quesadilla, but I think I was just trying to go with something that seemed healthier but really shoulda just gone with something cheesy covered in sour cream and ran it off later.
(4)
Kelly H.
Took the whole family after a busy day of Black Friday shopping. Had something for everyone - even the vegetarians amongst us. Delicious food, huge portions, fast service, fabulous beer list, great cocktails. We ate, drank, and were all very satisfied! We'll be back!
(5)
Stacie M.
Mad mex is the best place to grab dinner under ten bucks in town.
(5)
Bobby C.
Mad-Mex does not serve Southern Fried Catfish, but they do have Tex Mex.
(4)
Doug G.
This is a great place to take a date if you don't want to see or speak to them. The lights are extremely dim and the music incredibly too loud. The food is average at best. The service, like at all Mad Mex's, leaves much to be desired.
(1)
Andrew H.
Good quality for the prices and another consistent option within the BIG restaurant group. The location on McKnight Road is unassuming from the outside but offers your stereotypical Mexican decor and seating on the inside. On good weather days, they open the garage-style windows on the one side of the restaurant. Away from the windows, the lighting is too dark for me, especially since it's not a fine dining restaurant. Service is adequate. The lunch specials are available until 4pm on weekdays. I had the burrito combo with grilled chicken breast paired with the house salad and lime-ciliantro vinaigrette for $8.50. The vinaigrette was pleasantly acidic - I imagine it is a house made concoction. The big square burrito is stuffed with rice, black beans, and grilled chicken breast. Regular ingredients but everything is done well and presented nicely.
(3)
Zach G.
This location is just ok. We were seated promptly - although at one of the smallest tables for two I've ever seen. When we asked to move to an open booth our waitress responded with a "yeah, go for it." The restaurant was very dark - to the point where we overheard other customers mentioning it in conversation. My wife and I were barely able to read our menus. The general atmosphere was very loud and crowded. Service started very slow. It took a while before they took our drink order and even longer to get them. Everything sped up from there and our food came out promptly. The food itself was ok - nothing special. The Spicy Mad Mex Burrito was spicy enough for my tastes and my wife enjoyed her quesadilla. Overall - this Mad Mex location will feed you if you need to go there and have no other ideas for dinner. I probably won't be stopping back in myself.
(2)
Sara C.
Update: Upgraded to three stars. Went back with a friend (rather reluctantly) and had a great time. They changed the menu, raised the price of the dish $1 and added rice and beans. Thank you! Though I'm still miffed about the horrible treatment last year. After 10+ years of being a fan, one night was enough to keep me from ever coming back. They revamped my favorite menu item and didn't explain on the menu that it no longer came with rice and beans. I kinda like rice and beans, and the meal is pretty small without them. The menu traditionally mentions if one item in a category is different than the rest, i.e. everything has rice and beans except this dish, but not with this dish. Imagine my surprise when my dish arrived with no rice or beans. So they wanted me to pay $11 for three small chicken tacos. When I complained, the waitress immediately called over the manager who condescendingly read me the dish description from the menu, as if I couldn't read. When I expressed surprise and disappointment in the new dish, and mentioned how the menu usually says if something does or doesn't come with sides, she threw up her hands and basically said I needed to contact corporate to complain. My best friend had to chase her down later to get my uneaten meal taken off the bill - this wasn't offered, and in fact, the manager claimed she couldn't do so. The waitress never refilled my drink brought over from waiting at the bar, and she never refilled our chip basket. I contacted corporate and received a short reply that someone would get back to me....which never happened. The food may be good, but the service isn't worth it. And don't get me started on how they jack up the music so loud after 5pm that you need to scream to talk to the person seated across the table from you. Never. Again.
(3)
Lexy S.
Tofu tacos to die for!! Wish they had one in Hilton head.
(5)
Matt C.
Hardly authentic but very consistent, this every-so-slightly overpriced and ever-expanding Pittsburgh favorite provides a wide variety of highly Americanized Mexican food (except in the case of the wings, where they weren't even trying to pretend to be Mexican). Sporting a decent bar and reliable appetizers and entrees, Mad Mex certainly has its place...or in this case, places.
(3)
Kate W.
We've been going here for years and the staff are always so great. Food is good, too--the burritos, but also the mahi mahi salad.
(4)
Joe T.
I have been a Mad Mex fan since going to school at PITT in the 90's. For our family this is one of our go-to places. Great value for your money. I really love everything about it. I like the fact that it is in the North Hills but is still able to keep that college feel even if us adults are pretending for the night. I love the fish tacos, Mahi-mahi Fajitas and the Chimichanga that is rolled, licked and flash fried! Oh ya, their margaritas are potent, so be careful. The food isn't Mexican per say, but a fusion of trendy dishes with Tex Mex and some oddities thrown in for kicks. Vegans, you will find lots to eat here. Be sure to ask for the cilantro dressing for your taco meals! Its fun food, served by hipster kids, fun bar, great atmosphere for families or groups of friends! The wait can be long, but hit the bar before hand. If with the family, get there by 4:30... Oh ya, beer. The beer selection is tops!
(4)
Peter P.
Sweet jesus, that was tragic. OK, on the plus side: excellent service! The place was packed, and the staff was very responsive. ..and that's where the good stuff ends. Chicken mole enchiladas consisted of pieces of chicken and in between two corn tortillas - doused with a mix of what can only be described as chili (canned?) with some chocolate flavoring - buried in cheese. My partner had the fish tacos: billed as tilapia, but tasted more like catfish. The shredded cabbage was actually cole slaw; a chipotle mayo sauce as a topping. I know this isn't Cali - so I'm not expecting any miracles, but this would be barely passable in any city. Maybe we should have had a few margaritas first.......dulling the senses could have helped.....
(1)
Dan P.
Quite possibly the most normal of the Mexes. I thought they turned over a new leaf until the girl who was covered in tattoos came out of the back. Food is ok. Service is pretentious. What you would expect from these guys after all these years. Still a great beer selection. Overall I come to drink. If you can ignore the servers like they do you everything is fine.
(3)
Olivia D.
I go here ALL the time and get the same thing.... Honey BBQ Chipotle Chicken Wrap -wheat wrap -tofusour cream (healthier and good texture!) -side salad with vegan ranch)dressing is spicy-tastes nothign like ranch but SO good!
(5)
Anna Marie M.
For fake Mexican food, this place is great! If you're in the mood for interesting burritos and delicious margaritas, Mad Mex is truly the place to go. I mean really, where else can you get Thanksgiving dinner wrapped in a burrito? The downside? its noisy, its a tiny building, and its busy. If you can look past those three, you're gonna get a great meal!
(4)
Michelle K.
Food was delicious, server was attentive without being pushy. Fabulous lunch, will be a definite return for me soon.
(4)
chris and rebecca k.
2.5 stars if I could do that. Would have been 3.5 stars for the food initially, but the environment and lack of plating knocks down a star. We got an appetizer trio with the guacamole, nacho cheese (spicy), and a salsa, served with a basket of chips. Then we also ordered shrimp and chicken fajitas, and the chipotle honey wings (cheaper during happy hour). The food was decent initially, but we realized how they put absolutely no effort into plating after i took pictures with flash of our food. It's way too dark to see your food clearly when you eat it. We actually struggled to read our menus by candlelight. The guac wasn't as fresh as it is at chipotle. It turned out to be on the brown side (see pictures). The chips didn't taste housemade. Hubby and I really enjoyed the flavor of the chipotle honey sauce on the wings. The fajita was brought out on a sizzling pan with extra toppings and the tortilla separately. However, we didn't like how the back of our booth was the same surface as a bar area. We had this weird fear that the guy with drinks behind us might accidentally drop his drink or food on us. Also, the volume of the music being played kept getting cranked up louder and louder, so we had to yell to hear each other. The tables are a bit too close for comfort. And to top it off, I never got a single water refill. Overall, it's a very crowded, dark, and loud place. And when you ask for containers for leftovers... Somehow the math works out where 3 containers need 2 lids. I think we 'll stick with chipotle next time. It seems absurd that some families would bring their babies and kids here. It's not really a family friendly place, more like a bar that serves food. The bar area was definitely packed by the time hubby and I finished our dinner and were ready to leave. We didn't try any of the drinks... So can't say anything about that...
(3)
Diana A.
Seriously, the people that eat here are basically the worst people that live on this earth. Basically, people think it ups their "cool" status 1) The margaritas are so "big azz" and disgusting - cheap tequila and tastes AWFUL. If you every drank a real one, you would know. 2) I would rather starve then eat a single tortilla chip. THEY SERVE CHICKEN WINGS FOR GODS SAKE. Go to Emilanos, it is up the street. They serve amazing margaritas and authentic Mexican Food.
(1)
Margaret M.
Great Mad Mex! Love the food! The Managers and wait staff are very good. The atmoshpere is always alive. Fun place to go with or without kids. Don't forget the awesome beer selection!
(4)
oldman n.
Good food and great beer selection. My only complaint is that there is nothing on the menu that doesn't burn a hole in my stomach. Acid reflux folks beware! :)
(4)
Kim M.
Location - must be accessed from McKnight Road going south, look for a heavily modified Burger Hut building. Atmosphere - dark, loud music (if you are by a speaker), heavy bar crowd that seems to be regulars, unique, quasi-mexican, funky murals, metal cutouts between booths. For more light sit by the garage doors that open in warm weather. A larger group (8?) can enjoy the circular booths set up 1 step from main dining area. Service - very attractive and stylish wait staff does not smile. Okay, not true, we got one smile when the check was served. Otherwise service is very good (just not friendly) with a quick recommendation for a similar draft when one just ran out and super fast food service. Not sure whether friendly service is related to having children with me or not, maybe there would have been more smiles if I had eye-candy with me instead of a tutu-wearing preschooler? Anyway this doesn't change the food ... Food - you can see the menu on the website. Not quite Mexican, not quite California or Tex Mex - maybe Pittsburgh Mex? Great burritoes in the style of Chipotle or Qdoba but with excellent options like Chickpea Chili and Pork BBQ. Yummy. Extremely veg and vegan friendly options that are tasty and stars on the menu instead of an afterthought. (Over the last 4-5 years I've had a couple misses - tasteless tofu tacos, gritty salad, stale chips for example but these seem to have been resolved in the last couple years, so maybe new management or chef.) Kid's menu also shines - for 4.95: celery/carrots with ranch, rice, corn, pico/lettuce, drink (choc milk, etc), and choice of about 8 entrees which may be a large quesadilla (w or w/o chicken/steak) or single taco with chunks of grilled chicken and cheese or chicken nuggets. I enjoyed the boneless wings (not half price during happy hour though) which are like chicken tenders maybe floured and flash fried then coated in wing sauce. You do pay for chips and salsa which tastes better than some - don't feel obligated to order them. I bring out-of-town Mex loving friends unless they have better Mexican available to them and as long as they aren't expecting the typical Mex chain (refried, rice, greasy cheese covered - go to Le Patron for a good version) or authentic corn tortilla tacos they should be very happy. Beer - deserves own category, just the 25 interesting drafts all half price during happy hour make this a worthwhile destination.
(4)
Lauren H.
You know you've been living in Pittsburgh for awhile when you can debate the merits of various Mad Mex locations. Yes, the Oakland Mad Mex may be more convenient for the college set (and with 19 reviews, certainly more popular with Yelpers), but the North Hills location is by far my favorite. First of all, it's larger than the Oakland Mad Mex and even on a Friday night, it wasn't too crowded and my three friends and I were seated within 15 minutes. Authentic Mexican is hard to come by in the pseudo Midwest, but for a chain, Mad Mex is surprisingly good. The main draw, the Big Azz Margarita, is famed for a reason -- they're positively sublime (I recommend the mango). Food-wise, you definitely get bang for you buck: the burritos are enormous, the quesadillas are overstuffed, the chips and salsa plentiful. I could do without the thumping Eurotrashy house music, but after one margarita, I'm too focused on my delightful buzz to care.
(4)
Jamie B.
I don't go to Mad Mex that often, first there is really no need to have it so dark in there in the daytime and if they sit you my the open window things you can see your food and also your bothered by flies that land on your food. I went for my BD burrito, and normally if you order it from the lunch menu with the salad that is ok, I did that and when I got the bill I saw my waiter the slowest waiter on earth charged me $4.25 for a salad. It would have been nice if he would have told me when I was ordering and showing him the lunch menu that he would have to charge extra for the salad. I would have said forget it, they must make $3.50 on their salads, it is some romaine and mine had so many brown nasty pieces on it, 2-3 grape tomatoes, a rare blue cheese crumble and 2 pieces of onion. That is no way a $4.25 salad. I had to wait forever for a drink refill and to try to get a spoon for my child's rice. The other waiters were checking on their guest and refilling but Matt didn't seem to care. I can't really say the food is that great either, the slaw tastes like dirty dish water is on it, the blue corn bread is pretty bland and under cooked, the chips and salsa are pretty sucky for a place called Mad Mex. Your better off going somewhere else.
(2)
Krissy M.
This tex mex den of goodness on McHell road may be the only reason to head towards the overly developed strip of malls and car dealerships. When i head back home, I always check in for a beer and some really great food. Don't bother with the Don Pablo's restaurant on top of the hill, head straight to Mad Mex.
(4)
Beth B.
Even though I haven't been to Mad Mex in a couple of years, I think the food here is delish. They even decorate with cute little cacti. Their margaritas are fabulous too... strong and tasty! The service has always been fast and friendly. It's a bit dark but has very cool decorations. I especially love the (painted) bullet holes in the restroom... I hope they're still in there. Each time I visit the 'Burgh, I always try to fit in a visit to Mad Mex.
(5)
Andrew E.
Big Azz! Yes, you know it!!! The margaritas here a devastatingly tasty and you can't go wrong with 22oz of frozen strawberry (or raspberry, mango, kiwi, original etc) from 10-12pm or the happy hours after a day in the office. I have been going to mad mex for years. I am a huge fan of the lunch specials (burritos) and find their tortilla soup really good. I would not classify Mad Mex as 'authentic' mexican (check out the place Carnegie for that) but mad mex is near and dear to my heart with some truly tasty choices. Another yelper comment about the different locations which is very true. The Oakland Mex (near University of PGH) is small and crowed, this one is usually laid back with a nice draft selection. The one out in Robinson Twp has a great draft selection and probably the biggest of all. Try the carnitas burrito or the fajitas (my go-to choices).
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Late Night Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Barry S.
We haven't been here in a while. I ordered a Mad Mex burrito with chicken. The meat was so hard and dried out that I had to send it back. The replacement burrito with taco meat wasn't much better. The rice was dry and the flavor bland. There was something about the texture that made me think it had been in a warmer a few days too long. This used to be one of our favorite places for Mexican cuisine. The decor is still great, but until their standards make a comeback we will find our Mexican fix somewhere else.
(2)Mashel R.
2 words chicken wings! If you can believe Mexican place has the best chicken wings then you're definitely thinking about Mad Mex! What a fantastic surprise to find this out. You see my husband does not like Mexican fusion or Tex Mex at all. Now all I have to do is remind him of those wings and he takes me to Mad Mex with a smile on his face. Love!
(5)Colin M.
If there is one thing I could fault Mad Mex for, it's consistency. However, if I had to pick the most consistent restaurant in their chain that infrequent, this is the one. I've never had problems with the food at this spot, and typically go with an enchilada or wing salad. Their lime cilantro dressing is fantastic, and something we try to replicate at home on a regular basis. I love when they have their $5 22 ounce beer specials running with a partner brewery. You can almost always get an IPA at a great price. I steer clear of their margaritas these days unless the rare occasion I'm here during Happy Hour or late night - but these have been proven to be tried and true.
(4)Gabriel G.
The taste of the food was good. The atmosphere was loud and cramped. We ordered chips and guac to start (great crunch!) and both ordered veggie enchiladas. The tortillas were more placed on the filling instead of wrapped around, and the sauce was scarce. But, again, it tasted pretty good. I wouldn't come again unless I had to.
(3)Beant G.
Between this location and the Shadyside one, Mad Mex is to me the most reliable and safe choice for modern, not-so-authentic Mexican food. If you go in with that expectation, it meets if not exceeds what you want. This location is nicely situated along the McKnight commercial corridor, which makes it a good spot for a casual lunch or dinner that would appeal to most people. Ambience: I'm a fan of their odd artwork and dim lighting but this one (like the Oakland site) starts to feel a bit claustrophobic and dingy. Otherwise, it's well suited for a casual visit for a date or small group. Drinks: Always a fan of their beer selection- reasonably priced and a good variety. A+ there. Plus I've had a few of their cocktails (recommend the Jalapeño margarita for my fellow spice lovers). And of course the happy hour and late night specials make the big azz margaritas cheap for those who are ready to get wild in the burbs. Food: Eclectic and very untraditional. I've always gone for the burritos and never had a bad experience there. My personal favorite is the turkey chili burrito. Like I referred to earlier, it's hardly Mexican but the flavor profile is on point and the blue jalapeño cornbread is my favorite. Unlike some other Mexican restaurants, you don't get free chips here which is a shame. Still, their guacamole is good if you're willing to fork up the extra cost. Service: It was a little slow once but I consider that an outlier. Otherwise I haven't had any issues here.
(4)Kathryn F.
LOUD LOUD LOUD .... tables are on top of each other not much privacy. Food is good. I like the shrimp & mushroom queso. Don't ask for a mojito because they don't serve it.
(2)shea c.
While in Pittsburgh we were in search for a good place to get a quick lunch. Since I'm gluten free I generally go for Mexican which is generally the safest bet. I had a large grilled chicken salad (lunch menu) and it was amazing! My fiancé and I also split the guacamole which is the main reason for this long review. It was hands down the best guac I have ever had!! Their house margaritas were ok, but I was impressed that they make them with natural ingredients instead of the usual syrup restaurants put in their house Margs. That being said he got the burrito and was less than impressed. Actually calling it the "worst burrito" he's ever had. If we're back in town I'll push to go back here! Maybe he should have tried something else...
(4)Ashlee S.
First time there, kinda disappointed. We started with the beef nachos grande, they were good! I had the black bean soup too, which was just eh. Then we had shrimp super mad mex enchiladas, which weren't even rolled, they're kinda just a layered mess on the dish, and we're very bland in general. We also had the barbacoa burrito, which was HUGE, in size and disappointment. It tasted like pot roast, not barbacoa. The staff was very friendly, our server Abby was great! Very polite and good at managing multiple tables, Never had an empty glass! And the decor is cool. I might try it again
(3)William P.
Rachel is the bomb . Com. I love this place. Sean is the best always looking out gor folks. Live the summer with open air seating. Beer selection is always top notch. Service is superior. So I'll keep coming back for more.
(5)Sheila B.
Good food, good drinks, fun vibe. Love their San Francisco wings! The perfect balance of some spicy heat with some sweetness. Better yet, they're 50% off during Happy Hour weekdays from 4:30P-6:30P. Oh and also they're Big Azz Margaritas (yes, that's their legit name) are only $7 during Happy Hour as well. They are delicious, but STRONG, so make sure you have a ride home. Their carnitas burrito features wonderfully seasoned pulled pork, Mexican rice, cheese, wrapped up in a delicious, soft tortilla served with blue cornbread. It's my regular order. It's HUGE so either split it with a lucky friend, or even better, bring it home for leftovers. The next day reheated it is even better! Love this location because on a nice day, they will open the garage windows and you'll get to feel the breeze while you eat your yummy food. It is right on McKnight Road, so don't mind the engines and exhaust. At times, this place can be a little inconsistent and can get crazy busy causing the kitchen to get backed up, but the overall theme is good grub in a hipster Mexican environment.
(3)Linda W.
A Mad Mex McKnight Road Black Friday list of lunchtime Do's and Don'ts. DO search high and low for the hostess after waiting (forever) without being seated. Or even noticed. DO try to find a server to seat you. Upon finding no server on the floor... DO look for the bartender for assistance. No bartender behind the bar? DO Seat yourself. DO order the Bloody Mary, it IS brunch/lunch time. What? No Bloody Mary mix? DO order fish tacos. Unless, of course, you want them for lunch. According to our (eventual) server, "They don't start thawing the fish until 1:00." Silly us...the menu didn't make note of the necessary extra time needed to order a menu item! DON'T give up on this spot...just don't attempt it on Black Friday. Maybe the staff was out still snagging bargains on fresh instead of frozen fish or Bloody Mary mix. One can only hope.
(3)Cait V.
For the most part it's delicious. I've had a couple things that I wasn't a fan of, but that could just be my personal taste preference. All I know is that the best part of the year is GOBBLERITO time! This is the one time of the year we are guaranteed to give Mad Mex a visit. Also, the Long Island Ice Teas are a must! You can definitely taste the alcohol, I hate places that try and substitute a bunch of sours in lieu of booze. The atmosphere is pretty awesome too, I would call it Mexicano Industrial. A great place to go with friends or for a date night!
(4)Benjamin F.
Burritos hit close to home. In fact, I was an identical twin to a burrito, we were born minutes apart - I was nursed, he was eaten (nursed first). Ingredient-wise, the custom portabello with vegan sour cream and cheese was safe to say top ten. A minor flaw prevents the fifth star - clearly aesthetics are my priority - uh clearest I can put this - the burrito is SQUARE. I understand the gratification about nursing with both hands then ripping its head off with your teeth - in fact how I treat most infants - Max you're not proving anything with the knife and fork - thankfully I have enormous hands (llladies). "Burrito" in Spanish means "Little Donkey" however more accurate is a "burrisimo" - "enormous donkey." Wrap it up Mad Mex! The two-handed burrito stays!
(4)Keith H.
They really pack people into the dining room here so don't expect to have any privacy to your conversations, the only thing making it so not everyone can hear you talk is that, like every other Mad Mex in town, this place is ALWAYS RIDICULOUSLY LOUD. I don't know what it is about this chain that they can be as busy as any other restaurant and be three times the din. The burritos are consistently tasty, the nachos are unbelievably Brobdingnagian, the beer selection is always varied and delicious. I am sad I have yet to get to try any of the Thanksgiving faire, hopefully I will rectify this in November. I will say that their margaritas are generally pretty good but calling them "Big Azz" seems a bit inaccurate as I have definitely had bigger margaritas and compared to many of the items that they serve, the margaritas size isn't that impressive. If you are looking to go out and have a few drinks, I highly recommend this place. If you are looking for a place to chill for a bit, the tight quarters of the dining room and high volume might make you want to consider other places.
(4)Maggie W.
My husband and I went to lunch here for the first time yesterday. I am new to Pittsburgh in the past six months, so have slowly been making my way through the vegan-friendly restaurants. We had some shopping to do at Ross Park, so decided to check out Mad Mex for lunch. Both my husband and I are vegan, and we were pleased to see so many vegan-friendly options, including Daiya cheese and Tofutti sour cream. Usually, I bring the Tofutti in my purse, so having it as an option on the menu for no extra charge was awesome!! I ordered the Mad Mex Enchilada with tofu. It was very good. Lots of Daiya cheese (probably more than I prefer), but I did find that the tofu was a little bland. I added hot sauce. My husband ordered the Super Mad Mex Burrito with the spicy chick peas and spinach. It was also very good. Portion sizes were very large, he brought half of his home. He also had a black cherry margarita, it was very good as well. The service here was hit or miss. Even though it was not busy, we had a to wait for a hostess to seat us. Our waitress was very helpful and answered our questions about the varieties of burritos. Also, it was a bit loud. The decor was cool, though.
(4)Elizabeth M.
Tofu tacos!!! I think they call them herbivore tacos or something like that. Either way I can't get enough. Crispy fried tofu, sprouts, cilantro, tomato, and an amazing sauce!!!! Guacamole and sour cream on the side. I wish my stomach was an endless pit because I'd eat these tacos until the end of time. You get three tacos with an order and it's more than enough. I never have room to finish the heaping pile of beans and rice they give you as sides. While here, I also had the salsa. It was thick and flavorful. Very fresh. It's kind of hard to scoop out of the little cup it's served in, but I'm also a little more messy than your average individual so that might just be a problem I have. The chips are bountiful and of course the salsa is always gone before the chips, but that's a problem I can live with.
(5)Amy C.
It is a birthday tradition. For the last three years me and my bff have gone to lunch for our birthday celebration. Our birthdays are a week apart so it only makes sense. We went for lunch again this year and, of course, we were happy campers! We both got the tofu tacos with soft shells. Their tofu is da' bomb! They get it right. It's so good! They have it marinated in a citrus soy concoction that is so flipping good! The rice is tasty. My friend got a salad as her side and was delighted with it. We got their chips and salsa and guacamole... yummy for our tummies! Our waiter was fabulous and we had a wonderful, relaxing lunch.
(5)Vegas K.
Delish as always! It's been a few years (moved out of state) and it was still great! Love all the healthy and veg options like tofu sour cream! Lunch portion huge with shrimp burrito and salad (cilantro dressing was awesome!) Waitress so sweet and attentive!
(4)Stephen W.
I would give this place zero stars if I could. Taco Bell gets closer to authentic Mexican than this place! The first time I went, I ordered a chimichanga... what I got some kind of mutant burrito with what I would describe as a soupy marinara on top of it. I asked if maybe there had been some kind of mix up and had ended up with an obese enchilada by mistake, and the waitress just rolled her eyes and said "you ordered a chimichanga. You got a chimichanga." Then promptly she promptly hurried away. Second trip I got roped into was worse. After parking two lots down (their lot is appallingly small), we walked in to put our name down for a table. This might be a good time to address how cramped the layout is... there is practically no space for waiting parties to sit, and eating in a booth is like picnicking in a capsule hotel. If there were a fire there during dinner hours, there's no chance you're getting out of there alive. Regardless, we were forced to wait in our cars (it was snowing) for a text notification for our table. After an hour and a half of waiting, we went elsewhere. The text, incidentally, never came. Even their takeout service is pretty rotten... It took me a full 25 minutes to get the attention of a bartender on my final attempt to eat their food, and by that time my meal was cold. No burrito is worth that kind of hassle. So full recap- horrible food, horrible service, cramped, dangerous layout, and even terrible bar staff. If someone were to bulldoze this restaurant tomorrow, I would have a parade in the bulldozer operator's honor. Zero stars.
(1)Michaela R.
I love there salsa and chips ! And their Quesadillas are good! The service is good . They make a really good Strawberry Margarita!
(5)Mila W.
This place can get really busy during dinner time no matter what day of the week. The food for the most part is good and I say for the most part because we've been disappointed a few times. When there's been an issue they've taken care of it. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(4)Matthew M.
Great restaurant with a really good happy hour (margarita special and half price wings); but go early as it gets busy. Only thing that is strange is their wings almost have a curry flavor as they obviously put cumin in the sauce. They are good but would be better without it. Large portions.
(4)Christine K.
Mad Mex is a nice spot to hang out with friends and have a cheap margarita. The regular old margaritas definitely seem premixed (thumbs down!). I do like the food, but it's only a little better than average. I almost always get the shrimp, spinach, and mushroom burrito. Tasty, but it could be better. The same goes for the original salsa. It's ok, but it isn't great. I did have a flight of Patron techila once which was a good touch (they have a good techila selection). The service is anything but great. We usually get seated quickly, but everything after that is generally slow regardless of how busy they are. It is much worse when the restaurant is busy though. There always seems to be a sufficient amount of wait staff hustling about, yet it takes forever to get food and a drink refill! The wait staff also doesn't seem very friendly. The decor of the restaurant is pretty cool, but the music is excessively loud most of the time. Even at 5pm you feel like you're in a club sometimes. I generally have to scream at my fiancé across the table. This also makes for a not-so-fun experience when someone finds it necessary to bring a sleeping baby into the restaurant!
(3)Kimberly R.
I have heard from numerous people that I needed to try this place. Wish I hadn't! Granted, I lived in Houston for 9 years so I know good and great mex and texmex! I thought the menu looked great as they had lots of veggie options! I had a hard time choosing. We got some sips to start. The ships were definitely not fresh made. First offense! I've had better chips from a a bag at the food store! The black bean dip we got was the best thing we tried all night. It was fresher tasting and spicy. The other salsa, tomatillo salsa and a pineapple salsa, were very meh! Dinner (which took more than 30 minutes after we ordered!) was also Meh! I got a veggie enchilada. The sauce was very ordinary, I could have made better at home. To compensate they loaded it with cheese which is the worst! The onions on my plate were barely warm and NOT cooked through. Nothing like biting into a raw onion on your first bite. Yuck! Glad I tried it, but not really!
(2)Brian B.
Good food, good service, good beer. What more can u ask for. I had a mad mex burrito, wife had he fajitas. Kids split a quesadilla. Food was good and quick service was nice, didn't have to wait and she was accommodating. Good experience. Will go back again.
(5)Nancy L.
Loved the atmosphere here; it was a great place to catch up with friends who preferred a quieter setting than bars. Service was friendly and quick, food was alright (hence the average rating). This is more like a California Mex place rather than Tex Mex, but food was still okay. My friends seemed to have enjoyed the burritos, frajitas, corn on cob, fried tofu, and wraps. I ordered the Chopper Salad and loved their lime and cilantro dressing. Overall, portions are generous, food is okay, prices are reasonable (a little over $100 for the 6 of us) and we had a pretty good time hanging out.
(3)JBaby S.
Extremely loud and music up too high Bad food, tasteless chips from a bag, tasteless salsa, burned fajitas with no flavor Nothing was decent. Frozen margaritas were bitter and not up to par. They use un ripe fresh mangos for margaritas. Canned purée would have been better. They won't change so don't bother with their comment cards
(1)Kaleigh L.
All of my friends have raved on and on about Mad Mex for years and how amazing everything is there. So I finally got the chance to give it a try about a week or so ago. All of my girlfriends were going on and on about how amazing the burritos were and how there wasnt a bad thing to eat there. I have eaten at my fair share of Mexican restaurants and upon walking into the place I have to say I expected better with all the hype. As an appetizer we got tortilla chips with guac, salsa and queso. The guac was really tasty, but the salsa was just tomatoes with some seasoning and had no "sauce" consistency whatsoever. It was more like a bruschetta topping than a salsa. The queso was also not great and had taco meat in it that left a weird kind of aftertaste. Really not impressed. I ordered the fish tacos. When my plate arrived it looked good enough. The fish was fairly moist and the slaw/ aioli that topped it was also full of flavor and really tasty (but what mayo based sauce isnt...kind of hard not to mess this up). I'm a firm believer that you can easily judge a Mexican restaurant on their rice and beans, and I was thoroughly disappointed in both. The black beans were virtually flavorless and some of them were even crunchy and undercooked...pretty disgusting. The rice was also flavorless and I felt like I was just eating a boxed mix that didn't have any taste at all and lacked salt. Overall my dinner was extremely disappointing. I think I was most upset with the service. Mad Mex is one of those places where the waitress will offer you choices of things to up-charge your bill, and where every little condiment will cost you .50. If you want sour cream with your burrito, salsa, pico etc. that will be extra. The waitress asked every person at our table if they wanted sour cream or salsa "with that". Every time someone said yes, she up-charged their bill. As for me, I ordered the FISH TACOS which are 12.50. Upon telling her what I wanted to order she asked me if I wanted them "grilled or fried". I told her grilled. Once I got my bill, I noticed that she had charged for me the Mahi Mahi tacos which were about 15.00 WHICH I DID NOT ORDER. I really disliked the way she charged me for something I did not order based on PREPARATION and furthermore, gave me a choice of grilled or fried knowing that she would up-charge me to another menu item. Overall I was pretty damn annoyed that I ended up spending 20.00 on something that I did not order that was only half decent. Probably wont be going back there and if I do, I might give the burritos a try as they looked pretty good, but also pretty dry. Not sure if I would bother ever paying a waitress there, I think take out would be better. Do yourself a favor and visit another place to get your Mexican fix, I know I will.
(2)Sarah L.
This place has the best margaritas!! The food is decent and on level with El Campesino. They have some interesting combinations here like the hamburger burrito and the sausage nachos. These taste better during happy hour when the margaritas are flowing. The happy hour here is second to none and is probably the real reason I come here so much!
(4)Renee G.
Hippie Burrito good as usual! What made tonight's visit extra awesome was Kara our waitress. I didn't want a whole dessert--just a taste of something. She brought me a small sampling of their brownie "on her". Gotta love that kind of service! We will be back! Kara rocks :)
(5)Carolyn I.
We received a free burrito coupon and had to go to McKnight road anyway, so I thought, why not. Now I remember. For the third time in a row, the bathrooms were more disgusting than a portapotty at a music festival. Not a great start. We ordered black bean dip, a steak burrito, and the new barbacoa burrito, and drinks. The black bean dip was actually good, and the steak burrito was fine. The "salsa" that comes with the burritos could literally be formed into a ball and thrown like a snowball. I am pretty sure it is just stewed tomatoes some how compressed. What I got instead of a barbacoa was a burrito of unrecognizable meat. I'm pretty sure it was harvested from a rubber chicken. It was not the color of beef, or the texture of any meat at all. They never did determine what it was. I said it tasted liker rubber and they said it must be the carnitas. If they had one light bulb in the dining area, that may have helped me to figure out what it was. The manager came over after I sent it back and offered to bring the menu so that I could choose something else, but I couldn't get that nasty taste out of my mouth. Also, I don't find it enjoyable to eat in shifts, and if I'm going to consume that many calories, I'm going to enjoy them. I finished the bean dip instead. Then the waitress came back, saw my empty sangria glass and my boyfriend's empty beer, offered him another beer, and went to go get it. I was never offered another drink of any kind, and I had not been rude or anything. I was in a pretty good mood when I got there. I have to say that they play good music, but it was so loud that we couldn't really talk, so I just had to sit there with no conversation and try to rinse that taste out of my mouth with a glass of water. They are now dead to me. I won't even use a free burrito coupon ever again.
(1)Dabney G.
I've never been overly impressed by the food or drinks (especially for the price), but I enjoy the atmosphere.
(3)Mary G.
The food is always amazing, but I had really slow service while there at lunch time. They didn't seem to be overwhelmingly busy, but just getting a glass of water took ten minutes...and I was sitting at the bar!
(2)Ashley M.
What has happened here?! I used to live in Pitt and this was my regular place to eat. I'm in town visiting and met up with friends here last night. We waited an hour and a half for our food. 2 burritos and 2 quesadillas. Our drinks were coming out 20 mins at a time. The waiter was pretty slow and would walk past us at least 10 times without filling drinks or checking on us. We were very close to leaving. When asking our waiter about the long wait he said that they had to get completely different kitchen staff as a huge fight broke out in the kitchen earlier this week and 'fists were thrown' and that the 'kitchen was sinking'. The table next to us who got there relatively at the same time got the manager visiting their table almost every 20 mins. They got a round of drinks on the house for the wait. Manager never visited our table... The waiter did get us free chips that we all filled up on before our food even got there. It was a huge disappointment, sad to see what it has become... GET IT TOGETHER!!! PROFESSIONALISM!!
(2)Melissa U.
Checked out the North Hills location last night as we just moved over to this area of the burgh. I have to say that overall I was impressed! We started with the pickadippa, which is a trio of dips. We picked the black bean dip, guac, and original salsa. Two people at our table were self proclaimed "bean haters" and absolutely loved the black bean dip. The guac was delicious with a nice lemon kick. I see a lot of reviews complaining about the "bagged chips", but I thought for a chain restaurant they were better then your typical chip. I ordered the Kristy's Big Sister Red Velvet Burrito. It was amaaaazing. I like my food hot and it came out right from the kitchen and was perfectly steaming when I broke in. The burrito had rice, black beans, nicely sized and well cooked pieces of chicken, zucchini and spinach. I loved it and would definitely order it again. It was also huge and I could have made two meals out of it. The other people at my table ordered wings (which he loved), quesadillas (which he said were good but nothing special), and the spicy mad mex burrito bowl (which she loved). They also had good happy hour specials, even on a Friday that they gave you at the table and not just the bar. The service is also excellent! I will certainly be going back here soon!
(4)Tracy H.
I love Mad Mex. Not only is the food excellent, but you can grab a high quality draft micro brew! The selection is good. The chips and salsa are out of this world and its conveniently located near shopping and its not too far from my house :-)
(4)Tegan K.
First off, calling this "Mexican food" is a joke. Their chimichangas don't even come with queso blanco... they come with some kind of red sauce. Their tofu dish is heavy and practically inedible, the margaritas taste like dish soap and you have to chew your way through them (ew), and the service is slow, rude, and 75% of the time incorrect. On top of that, finding parking is nearly impossible and the restaurant itself has to be a major fire safety hazard; you're uncomfortably packed in - the last time I was there I could barely scoot my chair out to leave, and I'm a rather tiny person. The only time I go here anymore is for the Gobbleritos because I am admittedly a sucker for all things seasonal. I went in last night, gave them my number so they could text me when a table was ready, and they said it would be maybe 20 minutes, half an hour at most. I waited 45 minutes and double checked with them and verified my number, they said it wouldn't be much longer. Once I hit an hour of wait time I went elsewhere for dinner. Fun fact: they NEVER texted me for a table at all. Never again Mad Mex, never again.
(1)Denicia T.
Mixed experience. They have a decent draft list, but it is disappointing that their margaritas are premixed out of a machine. I had fish tacos and the other person at my table had a shrimp, mushroom, and spinach quesadilla. The chips and salsa were disappointing, but the entrees were better. The service was quick initially, but we had difficulty getting our drinks refilled. Overall there is better Mexican available in Pittsburgh.
(3)Jennifer D.
I'm probably going to get punched on some street somewhere for this, but I'll say it: I don't like Mad Mex. Is there a Yelp Witness Protection Program? I used to frequent the Oakland location, because of discounts and peer pressure, and I've tried most of the menu and find none of it terribly exciting. It had, however, been years, so when my husband and I needed dinner on Friday, we thought we'd try the North Hills location. Who knows; maybe I had been wrong all these years? Alas, no. The adventure as it unfolded: I called in our to go order: One pickadippa, which is now $12 for carryout and comes with 8oz containers of each dip, for which we chose original salsa, cheese dip, and guacamole; one steak quesadilla; one chicken chimi. The woman who took my order was polite and thorough and said the food would be ready in 20-25 minutes. My long-suffering husband hopped in the car and headed over, and wound up parking 4 stores down on McKnight, as apparently their parking lot was like the mall at Christmas. I'd assumed it would be easy since we're in the north 'burbs and there are parking lots, but my bad. The thing that really makes me want to leave a one star review this time is that, once he got into the restaurant, he approached the hostess stand and said he was there to pick up an order. The hostess just said "You'll have to fight your way to the bar," which, thanks for the help! The bar was swarming with people and he stood there for several minutes to no avail when finally a server there to pick up a drink order assisted him. It took almost an hour for him to return with our dinner, of which solidly 30 of those minutes were spent in the restaurant. So, part of the lesson is: Don't decide on Mad Mex for quick takeout on a Friday at 6pm, apparently. At any rate, he did return eventually, and I eagerly tucked in to the grub. Unfortunately, it seems my memory was right. Everything was just sort of meh at best. The salsa had nearly no flavor except for a slight kick; the tomatoes were rubbery and mealy. The cheese dip tasted more like canned cheese soup, and the guacamole was redolent of... citric acid? It didn't taste fresh at all and stayed green for almost 10 hours. (I left plenty in the container to check.) The husband reported that the steak in his quesadilla didn't have much flavor, and that it primarily tasted of onions and peppers. My chimichanga tasted alright, since, you know, fried tortilla, but the chicken itself was no great shakes. The red pepper sauce (served in a small dressing cup) had a great flavor, and was the highlight of the meal for me. The rice was bland, and the black beans so flavorless I almost cried. I love black beans. If you want good black beans, go to Chicken Latino. Just a PSA. So yeah. Nearly $40 and some trouble later, neither of us was happy with our meal. I don't get it, folks. Someone clue me in on what, exactly, is actually GOOD at Mad Mex. Or is it just all those Big Azz Margaritas you're drinking?
(2)Scott L.
Wow... This place is awesome. Food was amazing. Staff was great and margaritas were spot on. I would recommend this place to people I hate just cause NO ONE should pass this place!! Viva la Mad Mex.
(5)Jason F.
I ate here last Thursday with my girlfriend for dinner. The inside of the restaurant is like most of the Mad Mex restaurants with some interesting Mexican decor. We arrived at around 7:30 on a Tuesday evening and the place was packed. We were seated immediately although it was in a back corner and out hostess asked our server if it was ok and he said no. Obviously not the best way to start out a meal. While we were waiting for our server to come over we decided to look at the drinks menu. They had a nice selection of beers but it seemed to be quite pricey and so we ultimately decided to pass. We did decide to start off our meal with the pickadippa appetizer though since we were not sure how quickly our food was going to be served. This appetizer lets you pick three different salsa/dips to go with your basket of tortilla chips and we choose the XX cheese sauce, hummus and guacamole. All of the dips were really good with the XX cheese sauce being my favorite as the Dos Equis was noticeable and paired nicely with cheese. My only complaint is that you only get one basket of chips with this appetizer as we had more than enough dip left even after taking generous portions with our chips. For my entree I decided to go with my standard Mad Mex burrito which is the Wing-O-Rita with insane buffalo sauce and blue cheese. It came out as a large burrito stuffed with rice, beans, buffalo sauce and chicken with sides of blue cheese dressing and salsa. As expected, it was good but very hot and the blue cheese was nice in helping to cool down my mouth. My girlfriend ended up getting her standard Mad Mex burrito, the Carnitas, and really enjoyed it. It was large enough that she ended up taking half of it home. The bottom line for me is that I will definitely head back here in the future. Their food is always good and they have a nice selection of beers which makes this a great place to visit.
(3)Val M.
Love the atmosphere, margaritas, and food!!! The margaritas are to die for, but are pretty expensive unless you get them on special. They have a small bar which is nice but they also have plenty of tables and I have never waited! Love it!
(5)Scott G.
Not good at all. The chimi sauce had an odd taste. The lumpy texture seemed like it was out of a can. The margherita had no flavor. I think the chimi itself was frozen. Just bad all around. And I paid $3 for chips out of a bag. Server was great though.
(1)Becky G.
Excellent selection of IPAs! Salsa & guacamole is always fresh! The spice level varies by the ingredients and whose making it! Love the wings & the burritos! McKnight road location is my favorite! The staff is top notch! Super friendly & know their beer! Sit at the bar or bar area and soak in the atmosphere & their friendly banter. Love the manager, Shawn!!!
(5)Marguerite M.
I love most of the Mad Mex locations that I've tried. I think this is my 2nd favorite, next to Oakland... or this one might be tied with Monroeville. This is closer to my house... but Monroeville has an outside bar & patio. I loved their Horny Toad Margarita, which unfortunately is no longer on the menu. But if you get an old timer, they'll still make it for you. The closest thing to the Horny Toad is the Ultimate. If you like a wicked sour margarita, this is the one for you. I'm not a fan of the big azz margaritas that are popular there, they're just too sweet for me. The red sangria rocks!! There's always and awesome selection of drafts and bottled beers too. I like this location because it's really small and really dark. I know that's not a plus for lots of people, but I like it. I love the Insane San Francisco Wings with Blue Cheese. We always order them well done. Insane is the highest on their heat scale, the heat level isn't consistent, but it's usually pretty hot. The blue cheese is a perfect balance to the garlicy San Francisco sauce. My husband almost always gets the Chicken Chimichanga, its generously stuffed with tasty chicken, it's always nice and crispy. I love most of the quesadillas and fajitas... but I think my favorite entree is the Dance Marathon Enchiladas. I love the garlicy portabello mushrooms and spicy spinach. The tortilla soup is thick and creamy and so good. The casa salad is awesome with the Lime Cilantro dressing. A garlicy spicy creamy pesto-type dressing that is also great to add as a dipping sauce for quesadillas and taquitos. The salad is a simple combination of leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onions, blue cheese crumbles, green pepitas... the crunchy pepitas with the salty, tangy blue cheese topped with lime cilantro dressing... YUM!!!! One of my favorite places to eat.
(5)Rachel C.
Taco, Burrito, what's comin outta that speedo! I had to use a Saturday Night Live cheerleaders reference! How can this place not be fun with names like the Dance Marathon burrito?! Which has got to be my favorite burrito with lots and lots of juicy amazing portabella mushrooms! And for those of you who like to think you're going healthy by choosing the salad (but probably won't be with the heap o' sour cream mixed in) their taco salad with lime cilantro dressing is beyond delish! This may be old folklore but I heard once that their big azz margarita's have like 5 shots of tequila in them. After you drink one, you may believe it! I love that they have specials on the margarita's for Happy Hour and after 10 PM. Who doesn't like a deal on alcohol? The reason I choose to write about this location is because I enjoy this one and Greentree over the Oakland one. I feel like I'm practically sitting on top of the person next to me at the Oakland one. I know that makes me sound old and lame because I'm no longer a college student but I enjoy some personal space at times! The ambiance at all of them are great because they have a hip Mexican theme. Who doesn't like hanging chili lights? The best part are the servers shirts, practice safe mex! I support that!
(5)Julia C.
Take out is a total pain here. Hungry customer needs to get an annoyed bartenders attention to get food, this after trying to find parking because they don't have curbside parking or pick up. Burritos are always yummy but not worth the extra charges for sour and guac only to be served in tiny plastic containers. This location is so so.
(2)Sara C.
I don't know why I keep letting my friends convince me to go here....Their drinks are expensive (unless you go for happy hour), it's loud, there's almost always a significant wait for a table (even if the restaurant seems half empty) - once the hostess tried to sit seven people at a table for four. On top of that, the food is some bastardized version of American Tex Mex that's not even that good. There were a few dishes I found acceptable, but for the most part they all seemed bland and I couldn't differentiate one taste from another. The last two times I went, I left feeling rather ill so I can safely say that I won't be dining at Mad Mex again anytime in the near future.
(3)Dave L.
Good eats and good drink. Appreciate the varieties of margaritas. I recommend the grand marnier floater: they make a "cup" of a half a lime, fold it inward, and fill it with grand mariner. They float it on top of your drink. It's nice and smooth and sloshes around the drink gracefully. The quesadillas are not thin and wimpy, instead big and chunky with nice hunks of chicken. They stay open late and that includes the kitchen. The waiter that night said they don't do mojitos...what? Ya gotta full bar ack there bro!
(3)Julie J.
My fave Mexican in Pittsburgh. Lots of healthy options and huge portions i highly recommend the blue cornbread it is simply amazing i have tried almost everything on the menu and there have never been a time that i was disappointed, it is not your standard mexican restaurant but they sure know how to do what they do....
(5)Katie M.
Things I miss most about living away from my beloved hometown: Family, Pittsburgh itself, discernible seasons, Kennywood...and Mad Mex. Fact: I crave Mad Mex, and it's always one of the first (and frequent) stops I make when I am home. Of course it's not "authentic" Mexican -- it doesn't pretend to be -- but what it is is DELICIOUS. I always order the Mad Mex enchilada, but I also love the Wing-o-Rito burrito with insane sauce -- both with chicken, which is outstanding. The original salsa is fresh with a slight kick to it, and the dips that come with the Pickadippa are excellent as well; we always go for the fire-roasted tomato chipotle, the black bean (so rich and good!) and the original. The tortilla soup is the best I have ever had; when I'm sick, it's one of the only things that sounds even remotely appealing (I would have it FedExed if I could). It's hearty and spiced without being heavy -- pure goodness in a bowl, and my ultimate comfort food. Oh, and the drinks -- the margaritas are so good, but be warned: they can be strong. Even the Little Butt margaritas pack a (heel-teetering) punch, and forget the Big Azz happy hour special if you have to drive afterward -- even if it is only a $1 more and a better value. McKnight has always been my favorite location -- it's less crowded and much less noisy than Oakland, and I like open-air side of the restaurant when the weather is nice. However, I did visit the new Shadyside location (obviously) after it opened, and it is really nice, too.
(5)Matt D.
In short: Decent food - not too expensive - nice atmosphere too. All around a decent place to go on a weeknight when you get that (American) Mexican food craving. I've ordered the burritos and the enchiladas in the past, and both are good - though I prefer the enchiladas. As I hinted at above, the food is definitely an Americanized version of Mexican food - but let's face it, what Mexican restaurant isn't? The service has always been good here. Even when a line starts to form out the door, my waiter/waitress has always payed plenty of attention to my table. The drink menu is long too, so that's a plus if you're looking to come here on a weekend night (or a weeknight if that's your style).
(3)Keri K.
My fave out of all the Mad Mex locations is this one in Shadyside. It's the newest and the most fun. There is always a crowd here but I've never had much of a wait. In any case I make my way to the bar and grab a drink...I love the colorful art work on the walls. I noticed there is an upstairs here? Never been up there so not sure what the scene is or if it's just additional tables. The open garage style windows are a huge plus giving the place an airy feel and a perfect people watching spot! As far as the food goes, well I have my order down! It goes like this: #1 'rita on the rocks, original flavor, salted rim #2 "picka dippa" - selection of 3 different dips with at least 8 to choice from, comes with chips #3 split meal with dinner companion (usually an enchilada meal) The prices here are fair. Not crazy about the fact that chips and salsa are extra. The chips and salsa are good though. That is how i truly judge mexican food....
(4)Adam C.
I come to the various Mad Mex's when I can't really think of a place to go and there happens to be one nearby. Is that a good or bad sign? Probably a little of both. The point is I never find myself dying to come here, but whenever I end up at one it's never the worst night of my life. The McKnight Rd. version features above average service and pretty good parking. The trump card for MM is the beer selection. It's shockingly good. From the drafts, bottles, to frequent specials, only the most intolerable beer geek could possibly be disappointed here. I find the margaritas here too sweet and I hold the undying conviction that both blended margaritas and flavored margaritas are a joke (and of course there is Satan incarnate, the blended + flavored margarita). It seems the best people can say about them is that they're very large. As to the food, my only recommendation is to keep it simple. Guac, bean dip, and the like are hard to mess up and therefore safe choices. The times I've ventured out a bit into the entrees have been less successful, but I can't write off the whole menu since I've only tried a couple things. Just know that whatever you're ordering might not be what you think it is, so ask questions. Case in point: taquitos here means flour tortilla roll-ups that aren't baked in any fashion. So rely on the friendly server and you'll be ok.
(3)Eliza R.
Mad Mex is another favorite Pittsburgh restaurant of mine, even though I don't live in da 'Burgh anymore! This McKnight location is actually my favorite of all the locations, simply because it's a little more relaxed than the others, especially Atwood (which is so small and packed with college kids). Mad Mex offers up a lot of creative and different food options (combinations you won't find at any other Tex-Mex place) and has an extensive selection of beer and yummy margaritas. Most importantly, they have a great sense of humor about everything!
(4)Brian C.
This place is good. It has good margarita deals late night and for happy hour. I like the burritos and the Pickadippa. I don't like the fajitas. It had a citrus flavor to it. I will be back.
(4)Beth K.
While this isn't the best "mexican" food in the city, I would recommend this Mad Mex for the following reasons: 1. It is one of the few bright lights of hope in the dark soullessness that is McKnight Road. It will hands down beat any previously frozen salty disaster you order at Red Lobster, Chili's, Olive Garden, etc. 2. This Mad Mex stands out from others in that the service is OUTSTANDING (although I rarely have bad experiences at any of them). The waiters and bartenders are extremely pleasant, especially the waiter we had this particular night (8/1/11), named Justin. He went out of his way to be courteous and went above and beyond to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. 3. The seating/atmosphere is nice. Even when crowded you can hear your dinner mates. If you have to wait for a table there is usually room near or at the bar. 4. The beer selection is always fantastic and they usually have a few specials running. This time we each got Bell's Oberon, our summer favorite. This particular occasion we got the chips and salsa, I got the Wing-o-rito with San Fran/Wild, and my fiance got a special, Corn and Chicken burrito. The food is always consistently good, but never mind-blowing. I would recommend the Wing-o-rito or the Carnitas burrito. Overall experience at this Mad Mex is always positive and I'm sure I'll be back again!
(4)Elizabeth L.
This was my first time at any MadMex restaurant. It was fairly busy when we walked in and the hostess asked me for my name and number and said I would get a text when it's our turn. However, she wouldn't tell me how long the wait would be till I asked which was 15-20 minutes. My mother and I went to go sit at the bar as we waited to be seated. 45 minutes later I went to go ask the hostess how much longer it would be and she rudely told me they had texted me half an hour ago. Turns out she got my phone number wrong which is an honest mistake but considering I was sitting 10 feet away there was no excuse. Food however was delicious except for the steak. I'll definitely be back but probably to a different location.
(3)Guy B.
Being a southern California native, my taste buds have learned to acquire a certain amount of flavor when it comes to Mexican food and boy does this place nail it! Iv had the steak mad mex burrito at least 20 times already, every time its just a good as before. I am very pleased with the quality of both the food and the service. Always top notch! And did I mention they have blue moon on tap!? This place has def become one of my favorite spots in pittsburgh!
(5)Rebecca S.
Bartenders here are fantastic! Friendly, fast, and great at making margaritas! They also know a lot about beer in case you have any questions. The food is also very, very good. Not traditional Mexican. Very creative menu with lots of vegetarian options.
(5)Amy R.
We were there on opening day and have been going back ever since. I'd say they are on par with the Oakland Mad Mex but much bigger and thus less impossible to get a seat during happy hour. The Jersey Fries appetizer are rather tasty - get BOTH the cheese and the ranch dip. Dip first in cheese then ranch. Delish! San Fran wings are my favorite flavor, and the margaritas are always quite good: I'm glad I live within walking distance. The only thing I've had that I don't like is the spinach/mushroom quesadilla, but I think I was just trying to go with something that seemed healthier but really shoulda just gone with something cheesy covered in sour cream and ran it off later.
(4)Kelly H.
Took the whole family after a busy day of Black Friday shopping. Had something for everyone - even the vegetarians amongst us. Delicious food, huge portions, fast service, fabulous beer list, great cocktails. We ate, drank, and were all very satisfied! We'll be back!
(5)Stacie M.
Mad mex is the best place to grab dinner under ten bucks in town.
(5)Bobby C.
Mad-Mex does not serve Southern Fried Catfish, but they do have Tex Mex.
(4)Doug G.
This is a great place to take a date if you don't want to see or speak to them. The lights are extremely dim and the music incredibly too loud. The food is average at best. The service, like at all Mad Mex's, leaves much to be desired.
(1)Andrew H.
Good quality for the prices and another consistent option within the BIG restaurant group. The location on McKnight Road is unassuming from the outside but offers your stereotypical Mexican decor and seating on the inside. On good weather days, they open the garage-style windows on the one side of the restaurant. Away from the windows, the lighting is too dark for me, especially since it's not a fine dining restaurant. Service is adequate. The lunch specials are available until 4pm on weekdays. I had the burrito combo with grilled chicken breast paired with the house salad and lime-ciliantro vinaigrette for $8.50. The vinaigrette was pleasantly acidic - I imagine it is a house made concoction. The big square burrito is stuffed with rice, black beans, and grilled chicken breast. Regular ingredients but everything is done well and presented nicely.
(3)Zach G.
This location is just ok. We were seated promptly - although at one of the smallest tables for two I've ever seen. When we asked to move to an open booth our waitress responded with a "yeah, go for it." The restaurant was very dark - to the point where we overheard other customers mentioning it in conversation. My wife and I were barely able to read our menus. The general atmosphere was very loud and crowded. Service started very slow. It took a while before they took our drink order and even longer to get them. Everything sped up from there and our food came out promptly. The food itself was ok - nothing special. The Spicy Mad Mex Burrito was spicy enough for my tastes and my wife enjoyed her quesadilla. Overall - this Mad Mex location will feed you if you need to go there and have no other ideas for dinner. I probably won't be stopping back in myself.
(2)Sara C.
Update: Upgraded to three stars. Went back with a friend (rather reluctantly) and had a great time. They changed the menu, raised the price of the dish $1 and added rice and beans. Thank you! Though I'm still miffed about the horrible treatment last year. After 10+ years of being a fan, one night was enough to keep me from ever coming back. They revamped my favorite menu item and didn't explain on the menu that it no longer came with rice and beans. I kinda like rice and beans, and the meal is pretty small without them. The menu traditionally mentions if one item in a category is different than the rest, i.e. everything has rice and beans except this dish, but not with this dish. Imagine my surprise when my dish arrived with no rice or beans. So they wanted me to pay $11 for three small chicken tacos. When I complained, the waitress immediately called over the manager who condescendingly read me the dish description from the menu, as if I couldn't read. When I expressed surprise and disappointment in the new dish, and mentioned how the menu usually says if something does or doesn't come with sides, she threw up her hands and basically said I needed to contact corporate to complain. My best friend had to chase her down later to get my uneaten meal taken off the bill - this wasn't offered, and in fact, the manager claimed she couldn't do so. The waitress never refilled my drink brought over from waiting at the bar, and she never refilled our chip basket. I contacted corporate and received a short reply that someone would get back to me....which never happened. The food may be good, but the service isn't worth it. And don't get me started on how they jack up the music so loud after 5pm that you need to scream to talk to the person seated across the table from you. Never. Again.
(3)Lexy S.
Tofu tacos to die for!! Wish they had one in Hilton head.
(5)Matt C.
Hardly authentic but very consistent, this every-so-slightly overpriced and ever-expanding Pittsburgh favorite provides a wide variety of highly Americanized Mexican food (except in the case of the wings, where they weren't even trying to pretend to be Mexican). Sporting a decent bar and reliable appetizers and entrees, Mad Mex certainly has its place...or in this case, places.
(3)Kate W.
We've been going here for years and the staff are always so great. Food is good, too--the burritos, but also the mahi mahi salad.
(4)Joe T.
I have been a Mad Mex fan since going to school at PITT in the 90's. For our family this is one of our go-to places. Great value for your money. I really love everything about it. I like the fact that it is in the North Hills but is still able to keep that college feel even if us adults are pretending for the night. I love the fish tacos, Mahi-mahi Fajitas and the Chimichanga that is rolled, licked and flash fried! Oh ya, their margaritas are potent, so be careful. The food isn't Mexican per say, but a fusion of trendy dishes with Tex Mex and some oddities thrown in for kicks. Vegans, you will find lots to eat here. Be sure to ask for the cilantro dressing for your taco meals! Its fun food, served by hipster kids, fun bar, great atmosphere for families or groups of friends! The wait can be long, but hit the bar before hand. If with the family, get there by 4:30... Oh ya, beer. The beer selection is tops!
(4)Peter P.
Sweet jesus, that was tragic. OK, on the plus side: excellent service! The place was packed, and the staff was very responsive. ..and that's where the good stuff ends. Chicken mole enchiladas consisted of pieces of chicken and in between two corn tortillas - doused with a mix of what can only be described as chili (canned?) with some chocolate flavoring - buried in cheese. My partner had the fish tacos: billed as tilapia, but tasted more like catfish. The shredded cabbage was actually cole slaw; a chipotle mayo sauce as a topping. I know this isn't Cali - so I'm not expecting any miracles, but this would be barely passable in any city. Maybe we should have had a few margaritas first.......dulling the senses could have helped.....
(1)Dan P.
Quite possibly the most normal of the Mexes. I thought they turned over a new leaf until the girl who was covered in tattoos came out of the back. Food is ok. Service is pretentious. What you would expect from these guys after all these years. Still a great beer selection. Overall I come to drink. If you can ignore the servers like they do you everything is fine.
(3)Olivia D.
I go here ALL the time and get the same thing.... Honey BBQ Chipotle Chicken Wrap -wheat wrap -tofusour cream (healthier and good texture!) -side salad with vegan ranch)dressing is spicy-tastes nothign like ranch but SO good!
(5)Anna Marie M.
For fake Mexican food, this place is great! If you're in the mood for interesting burritos and delicious margaritas, Mad Mex is truly the place to go. I mean really, where else can you get Thanksgiving dinner wrapped in a burrito? The downside? its noisy, its a tiny building, and its busy. If you can look past those three, you're gonna get a great meal!
(4)Michelle K.
Food was delicious, server was attentive without being pushy. Fabulous lunch, will be a definite return for me soon.
(4)chris and rebecca k.
2.5 stars if I could do that. Would have been 3.5 stars for the food initially, but the environment and lack of plating knocks down a star. We got an appetizer trio with the guacamole, nacho cheese (spicy), and a salsa, served with a basket of chips. Then we also ordered shrimp and chicken fajitas, and the chipotle honey wings (cheaper during happy hour). The food was decent initially, but we realized how they put absolutely no effort into plating after i took pictures with flash of our food. It's way too dark to see your food clearly when you eat it. We actually struggled to read our menus by candlelight. The guac wasn't as fresh as it is at chipotle. It turned out to be on the brown side (see pictures). The chips didn't taste housemade. Hubby and I really enjoyed the flavor of the chipotle honey sauce on the wings. The fajita was brought out on a sizzling pan with extra toppings and the tortilla separately. However, we didn't like how the back of our booth was the same surface as a bar area. We had this weird fear that the guy with drinks behind us might accidentally drop his drink or food on us. Also, the volume of the music being played kept getting cranked up louder and louder, so we had to yell to hear each other. The tables are a bit too close for comfort. And to top it off, I never got a single water refill. Overall, it's a very crowded, dark, and loud place. And when you ask for containers for leftovers... Somehow the math works out where 3 containers need 2 lids. I think we 'll stick with chipotle next time. It seems absurd that some families would bring their babies and kids here. It's not really a family friendly place, more like a bar that serves food. The bar area was definitely packed by the time hubby and I finished our dinner and were ready to leave. We didn't try any of the drinks... So can't say anything about that...
(3)Diana A.
Seriously, the people that eat here are basically the worst people that live on this earth. Basically, people think it ups their "cool" status 1) The margaritas are so "big azz" and disgusting - cheap tequila and tastes AWFUL. If you every drank a real one, you would know. 2) I would rather starve then eat a single tortilla chip. THEY SERVE CHICKEN WINGS FOR GODS SAKE. Go to Emilanos, it is up the street. They serve amazing margaritas and authentic Mexican Food.
(1)Margaret M.
Great Mad Mex! Love the food! The Managers and wait staff are very good. The atmoshpere is always alive. Fun place to go with or without kids. Don't forget the awesome beer selection!
(4)oldman n.
Good food and great beer selection. My only complaint is that there is nothing on the menu that doesn't burn a hole in my stomach. Acid reflux folks beware! :)
(4)Kim M.
Location - must be accessed from McKnight Road going south, look for a heavily modified Burger Hut building. Atmosphere - dark, loud music (if you are by a speaker), heavy bar crowd that seems to be regulars, unique, quasi-mexican, funky murals, metal cutouts between booths. For more light sit by the garage doors that open in warm weather. A larger group (8?) can enjoy the circular booths set up 1 step from main dining area. Service - very attractive and stylish wait staff does not smile. Okay, not true, we got one smile when the check was served. Otherwise service is very good (just not friendly) with a quick recommendation for a similar draft when one just ran out and super fast food service. Not sure whether friendly service is related to having children with me or not, maybe there would have been more smiles if I had eye-candy with me instead of a tutu-wearing preschooler? Anyway this doesn't change the food ... Food - you can see the menu on the website. Not quite Mexican, not quite California or Tex Mex - maybe Pittsburgh Mex? Great burritoes in the style of Chipotle or Qdoba but with excellent options like Chickpea Chili and Pork BBQ. Yummy. Extremely veg and vegan friendly options that are tasty and stars on the menu instead of an afterthought. (Over the last 4-5 years I've had a couple misses - tasteless tofu tacos, gritty salad, stale chips for example but these seem to have been resolved in the last couple years, so maybe new management or chef.) Kid's menu also shines - for 4.95: celery/carrots with ranch, rice, corn, pico/lettuce, drink (choc milk, etc), and choice of about 8 entrees which may be a large quesadilla (w or w/o chicken/steak) or single taco with chunks of grilled chicken and cheese or chicken nuggets. I enjoyed the boneless wings (not half price during happy hour though) which are like chicken tenders maybe floured and flash fried then coated in wing sauce. You do pay for chips and salsa which tastes better than some - don't feel obligated to order them. I bring out-of-town Mex loving friends unless they have better Mexican available to them and as long as they aren't expecting the typical Mex chain (refried, rice, greasy cheese covered - go to Le Patron for a good version) or authentic corn tortilla tacos they should be very happy. Beer - deserves own category, just the 25 interesting drafts all half price during happy hour make this a worthwhile destination.
(4)Lauren H.
You know you've been living in Pittsburgh for awhile when you can debate the merits of various Mad Mex locations. Yes, the Oakland Mad Mex may be more convenient for the college set (and with 19 reviews, certainly more popular with Yelpers), but the North Hills location is by far my favorite. First of all, it's larger than the Oakland Mad Mex and even on a Friday night, it wasn't too crowded and my three friends and I were seated within 15 minutes. Authentic Mexican is hard to come by in the pseudo Midwest, but for a chain, Mad Mex is surprisingly good. The main draw, the Big Azz Margarita, is famed for a reason -- they're positively sublime (I recommend the mango). Food-wise, you definitely get bang for you buck: the burritos are enormous, the quesadillas are overstuffed, the chips and salsa plentiful. I could do without the thumping Eurotrashy house music, but after one margarita, I'm too focused on my delightful buzz to care.
(4)Jamie B.
I don't go to Mad Mex that often, first there is really no need to have it so dark in there in the daytime and if they sit you my the open window things you can see your food and also your bothered by flies that land on your food. I went for my BD burrito, and normally if you order it from the lunch menu with the salad that is ok, I did that and when I got the bill I saw my waiter the slowest waiter on earth charged me $4.25 for a salad. It would have been nice if he would have told me when I was ordering and showing him the lunch menu that he would have to charge extra for the salad. I would have said forget it, they must make $3.50 on their salads, it is some romaine and mine had so many brown nasty pieces on it, 2-3 grape tomatoes, a rare blue cheese crumble and 2 pieces of onion. That is no way a $4.25 salad. I had to wait forever for a drink refill and to try to get a spoon for my child's rice. The other waiters were checking on their guest and refilling but Matt didn't seem to care. I can't really say the food is that great either, the slaw tastes like dirty dish water is on it, the blue corn bread is pretty bland and under cooked, the chips and salsa are pretty sucky for a place called Mad Mex. Your better off going somewhere else.
(2)Krissy M.
This tex mex den of goodness on McHell road may be the only reason to head towards the overly developed strip of malls and car dealerships. When i head back home, I always check in for a beer and some really great food. Don't bother with the Don Pablo's restaurant on top of the hill, head straight to Mad Mex.
(4)Beth B.
Even though I haven't been to Mad Mex in a couple of years, I think the food here is delish. They even decorate with cute little cacti. Their margaritas are fabulous too... strong and tasty! The service has always been fast and friendly. It's a bit dark but has very cool decorations. I especially love the (painted) bullet holes in the restroom... I hope they're still in there. Each time I visit the 'Burgh, I always try to fit in a visit to Mad Mex.
(5)Andrew E.
Big Azz! Yes, you know it!!! The margaritas here a devastatingly tasty and you can't go wrong with 22oz of frozen strawberry (or raspberry, mango, kiwi, original etc) from 10-12pm or the happy hours after a day in the office. I have been going to mad mex for years. I am a huge fan of the lunch specials (burritos) and find their tortilla soup really good. I would not classify Mad Mex as 'authentic' mexican (check out the place Carnegie for that) but mad mex is near and dear to my heart with some truly tasty choices. Another yelper comment about the different locations which is very true. The Oakland Mex (near University of PGH) is small and crowed, this one is usually laid back with a nice draft selection. The one out in Robinson Twp has a great draft selection and probably the biggest of all. Try the carnitas burrito or the fajitas (my go-to choices).
(5)