My husband and I went to this restaurant over the weekend. We are here for the winter months and I noticed this place, which wasn't here last year. When I stopped initially to ask about the menu, the gentlemen there were very helpful and seemed excited to have a new restaurant. So, we decided to give it a try. Needless to say we won't be back and I am tempted to personally stop in and tell them our experience. The salsa was bland and a small handful of chips. My husband had a beef sandwich and I had steak fajitas. When it arrived at the table, I asked for more salsa (no chips) and was told it would be $2.99. I just wanted a little to put on my fajitas. Hoping to give them a little more flavor. As with the salsa, the fajitas didn't have much flavor either. We each had a margarita, again just ok. At some point the waitress asked how everything was and I said "it was just ok". She smiled and walked away. Not a clue or maybe just didn't care. My husband noticed there was a tv on behind the register and close to the kitchen. Maybe they should turn it off and concentrate on their cooking and customer service skills. Our bill was $51.00 plus tip. Pricey for the quality and amount of food you get. I was still hungry and stopped at another Mexican restaurant up the road and had free salsa and chips and four margarita's for $12.90. This restaurant is not worth the trip(we drove 20 miles).
(1)
Sherry W.
stopped in on my way home from Key West for lunch on a Monday at 12:30. I was the only customer. There are about 6 parking spots in the front of the restaurant. There is indoor and outdoor seating. There is no bar. Service was quick and friendly. The server brought me complimentary salsa (not spicy) and fresh fried corn tortilla chips. I requested hot salsa and he brought me a red salsa and a green salsa. I preferred the red salsa and it had a little spice to it. The shredded beef enchilada was $15. Thought this was pricy for the area and for lunch. They don't have a lunch menu. The enchilada sauce was very oily. The meat was tender and tasty. The refried beans were Amazing! I wanted to lick the bowl. Overall, it was good, but expensive.
(3)
Tori W.
My boyfriend and I have come here a few times, and each time we go we clean our plates! The food is always good, fresh and very flavorful. The owner is very nice and was always bringing us things before we could ask. Great customer service and food. We started with guacamole and chips, the chips are delicious and the guacamole is fresh with lots of tomatoes and onions. I ordered the veggie tacos and the veggie tostada. I bit into the taco and said "I forgot how good these are!" It can be hard to find good vegetarian food that actually is full of flavor. This place has met my expectations every time. My boyfriend likes the tacos, especially the chorizo and chicken tacos, and said the gorditas had good flavor as well. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Eric H.
Completely legit Mexican, with everything obviously made in house. The hardest part of reviewing them is figuring out what meal was best. I've been eating lackluster $200 resort meals for days so to eat something that was actually amazing and a great price was like a breath of fresh air. It's a small local place so if you are in it for the food and not expensive flim-flam then this is on the nose.
(5)
Marisa I.
While in Islamorada, we decided we were craving some Mexican food. We decided to give Mexican Morada a try. We started off with frozen margaritas. These were for sure the worst I have ever had. When we asked to have something else, the waiter commented that they usually serve them on the rocks most of the time. So my husband decided to give one a try. It was better than the frozen but still not good. My advice...get a bottled beer instead! Now the food at this place was not bad. The guacamole wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was decent and finished by our kids very quickly. The enchiladas were really great. I got the beef ones with the red sauce. Kudos to the chef! They were fantastic! My husband had the chicken enchiladas with the green chili sauce. They too were good. Only problem was the small bones he came across while eating them. The flautas were good and burrito too. I would go back just to eat the enchiladas.
(3)
Leaanne D.
Definitely a must go on the list!! Took my kids and had great service and amazing food!! If you're looking for Mexican cuisine close to your hotel you know the pace to go!
(5)
Jesse M.
Great find with this Mexican Resturant. We had heard from some of the locals that this place was excellent if you wanted authentic Mexican. We started off by ordering some guacamole and chips. The chips were homemade and served warm. The guacamole was very good. Make sure you mix the different homemade hot sauces that they bring out. For dinner I ordered the Barbacoa shredded beef tacos, they were excellent. I used the homemade hot sauces they bring out for that as well and really enjoyed all the different flavors going with that dish. My daughter ordered what she normally orders when we go to Mexican restaurants Shrimp fajitas. She gave them the two thumbs up. The true test for Mexican Restaurants comes when My wife orders. She is a vegetarian and generally pretty critical when she finds that the dish isn't good. So I was really happy when she said she would reorder the vegetarian burrito. All in all we were very pleased with our experience with Mexicana Morada.
(5)
Louise K.
I'm giving Mexican Morada FIVE stars! Dining should be an experience and from the moment, we walked through the door, it was great from start to finish! I was greeted by a pleasant young woman with a bright smile who made some wonderful suggestions from the menu as she took my drink order. At her suggestion, ordered the chipotle guacamole-so fresh, so authentic and so delicious! Our waiter, Frankie, equally charming and as pleasant as the young woman, brought out an appetizing entree of four enchiladas, two beef, two chicken, topped with a spicy green chili sauce and queso fresca on a colorful platter. Great portions and scrumptious , complimentary pico de gallo and crispy chips! Great food at a great price. Super friendly staff! I so wanted to try the tres leches, but I was stuffed! I will be back so next time I will start with dessert! If craving Mexican food in The Keys, this is THE destination for an AUTHENTIC Mexican meal!!!
(5)
Vibe Manager O.
I don't know what the complaints are about. I grew up in Southern California where we were spoiled with great causal Mexican food. This place reminds me of that. Agreed, the chip allotment could have been more generous but my chicken burrito was great and the three sauces they served complimented it nicely. I was just in town for a few days for work but if I go back to Islamorada, I will try to visit Mexicana Morada again.
(5)
Maria J.
Super great choice to eat lunch here! They have a patio we did not see when parking but we were pleasantly surprised. Burrito, chicken quesadilla, guacamole, salsa were all delicious!
(5)
Billy B.
Outside was nice but the nachos came with cheez wiz. If im paying $12 for nachos...i want real cheese. Overpriced. Shrimp Fajitas were just ok. Kids loved their cheese quesadilla.
(2)
Hannah V.
Great service, good food and decent portions. Nice outdoor patio. Perfect place to stop for a quick bite.
(5)
Candela A.
Not impressed. The food took forever. And don't expect tequila margaritas here. They make them with wine, which is fine, But personally, i like the real deal.
(2)
Ellie N.
This is the worst place in the Keys! Bland guacamole, cold beans, box rice, and tough, over-cooked meat. Not only is the food horrible, but the service is pathetic. You're better off at Burger King! Do not waste a beautiful evening at this restaurant.
(1)
Sue F.
Quaint little restaurant with delightful owners. Food was original and very tasty. Great find on our travels. Hotels and Inns nearby need to direct their customers there for some authentic Mexican fare.
(4)
Z X.
Visiting the Keys from California, where Mexican restaurants are everywhere. The menu choices are fine and the food prepared more true to Mexico home style than normal "American-Mex". Owner was pleasant and nice to chat with. Although I recommend the restaurant as a diversion from all the fish places, I also recommend the owners take serious note of the other posted reviews. You have an opportunity to make it as a real gourmet special place, than the typical Mexican place. Good luck!
(3)
Rick S.
I found this place was very pricey for what you got. Initially they put out a bowl of salsa with very few chips and when we asked for more the waitress said it would be an additional 5.00 which for that potion was ridiculous. I had shrimp fajitas and the portion was small and was not on a sizzling plate. The corn tortillas were so small you couldn't make a fajitas with them. No sour cream or guacamole either. My wife had cheese enchiladas and there were three tiny enchiladas with Mexican cheese. Skimpy at best. For $32.50 without tip and nothing to drink but water it's too pricey for my budget.
(2)
Jonathan N.
Started off promising as the margaritas and guacamole were good. Then it quickly crashed and burned. Ordered steak burrito and asked for it medium cooked (I was not asked). After a long wait, which was perplexing as the restaurant was not busy, the steak came out very well done (likely not fresh). After another very long wait, we finally got our check. The restaurant did remove the item from our bill.
(1)
Mari C.
Really liked this place. Food was excellent and the staff very accommodating to individual requests. The salsas are fresh and spicy. I would recommend they simplify their menu. A couple of guests left because they seemed overwhelmed with so many items. Second i would modernize the decor. A bit outdated and tired furniture.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No 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.
Debra T.
My husband and I went to this restaurant over the weekend. We are here for the winter months and I noticed this place, which wasn't here last year. When I stopped initially to ask about the menu, the gentlemen there were very helpful and seemed excited to have a new restaurant. So, we decided to give it a try. Needless to say we won't be back and I am tempted to personally stop in and tell them our experience. The salsa was bland and a small handful of chips. My husband had a beef sandwich and I had steak fajitas. When it arrived at the table, I asked for more salsa (no chips) and was told it would be $2.99. I just wanted a little to put on my fajitas. Hoping to give them a little more flavor. As with the salsa, the fajitas didn't have much flavor either. We each had a margarita, again just ok. At some point the waitress asked how everything was and I said "it was just ok". She smiled and walked away. Not a clue or maybe just didn't care. My husband noticed there was a tv on behind the register and close to the kitchen. Maybe they should turn it off and concentrate on their cooking and customer service skills. Our bill was $51.00 plus tip. Pricey for the quality and amount of food you get. I was still hungry and stopped at another Mexican restaurant up the road and had free salsa and chips and four margarita's for $12.90. This restaurant is not worth the trip(we drove 20 miles).
(1)Sherry W.
stopped in on my way home from Key West for lunch on a Monday at 12:30. I was the only customer. There are about 6 parking spots in the front of the restaurant. There is indoor and outdoor seating. There is no bar. Service was quick and friendly. The server brought me complimentary salsa (not spicy) and fresh fried corn tortilla chips. I requested hot salsa and he brought me a red salsa and a green salsa. I preferred the red salsa and it had a little spice to it. The shredded beef enchilada was $15. Thought this was pricy for the area and for lunch. They don't have a lunch menu. The enchilada sauce was very oily. The meat was tender and tasty. The refried beans were Amazing! I wanted to lick the bowl. Overall, it was good, but expensive.
(3)Tori W.
My boyfriend and I have come here a few times, and each time we go we clean our plates! The food is always good, fresh and very flavorful. The owner is very nice and was always bringing us things before we could ask. Great customer service and food. We started with guacamole and chips, the chips are delicious and the guacamole is fresh with lots of tomatoes and onions. I ordered the veggie tacos and the veggie tostada. I bit into the taco and said "I forgot how good these are!" It can be hard to find good vegetarian food that actually is full of flavor. This place has met my expectations every time. My boyfriend likes the tacos, especially the chorizo and chicken tacos, and said the gorditas had good flavor as well. We will definitely be back!
(5)Eric H.
Completely legit Mexican, with everything obviously made in house. The hardest part of reviewing them is figuring out what meal was best. I've been eating lackluster $200 resort meals for days so to eat something that was actually amazing and a great price was like a breath of fresh air. It's a small local place so if you are in it for the food and not expensive flim-flam then this is on the nose.
(5)Marisa I.
While in Islamorada, we decided we were craving some Mexican food. We decided to give Mexican Morada a try. We started off with frozen margaritas. These were for sure the worst I have ever had. When we asked to have something else, the waiter commented that they usually serve them on the rocks most of the time. So my husband decided to give one a try. It was better than the frozen but still not good. My advice...get a bottled beer instead! Now the food at this place was not bad. The guacamole wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was decent and finished by our kids very quickly. The enchiladas were really great. I got the beef ones with the red sauce. Kudos to the chef! They were fantastic! My husband had the chicken enchiladas with the green chili sauce. They too were good. Only problem was the small bones he came across while eating them. The flautas were good and burrito too. I would go back just to eat the enchiladas.
(3)Leaanne D.
Definitely a must go on the list!! Took my kids and had great service and amazing food!! If you're looking for Mexican cuisine close to your hotel you know the pace to go!
(5)Jesse M.
Great find with this Mexican Resturant. We had heard from some of the locals that this place was excellent if you wanted authentic Mexican. We started off by ordering some guacamole and chips. The chips were homemade and served warm. The guacamole was very good. Make sure you mix the different homemade hot sauces that they bring out. For dinner I ordered the Barbacoa shredded beef tacos, they were excellent. I used the homemade hot sauces they bring out for that as well and really enjoyed all the different flavors going with that dish. My daughter ordered what she normally orders when we go to Mexican restaurants Shrimp fajitas. She gave them the two thumbs up. The true test for Mexican Restaurants comes when My wife orders. She is a vegetarian and generally pretty critical when she finds that the dish isn't good. So I was really happy when she said she would reorder the vegetarian burrito. All in all we were very pleased with our experience with Mexicana Morada.
(5)Louise K.
I'm giving Mexican Morada FIVE stars! Dining should be an experience and from the moment, we walked through the door, it was great from start to finish! I was greeted by a pleasant young woman with a bright smile who made some wonderful suggestions from the menu as she took my drink order. At her suggestion, ordered the chipotle guacamole-so fresh, so authentic and so delicious! Our waiter, Frankie, equally charming and as pleasant as the young woman, brought out an appetizing entree of four enchiladas, two beef, two chicken, topped with a spicy green chili sauce and queso fresca on a colorful platter. Great portions and scrumptious , complimentary pico de gallo and crispy chips! Great food at a great price. Super friendly staff! I so wanted to try the tres leches, but I was stuffed! I will be back so next time I will start with dessert! If craving Mexican food in The Keys, this is THE destination for an AUTHENTIC Mexican meal!!!
(5)Vibe Manager O.
I don't know what the complaints are about. I grew up in Southern California where we were spoiled with great causal Mexican food. This place reminds me of that. Agreed, the chip allotment could have been more generous but my chicken burrito was great and the three sauces they served complimented it nicely. I was just in town for a few days for work but if I go back to Islamorada, I will try to visit Mexicana Morada again.
(5)Maria J.
Super great choice to eat lunch here! They have a patio we did not see when parking but we were pleasantly surprised. Burrito, chicken quesadilla, guacamole, salsa were all delicious!
(5)Billy B.
Outside was nice but the nachos came with cheez wiz. If im paying $12 for nachos...i want real cheese. Overpriced. Shrimp Fajitas were just ok. Kids loved their cheese quesadilla.
(2)Hannah V.
Great service, good food and decent portions. Nice outdoor patio. Perfect place to stop for a quick bite.
(5)Candela A.
Not impressed. The food took forever. And don't expect tequila margaritas here. They make them with wine, which is fine, But personally, i like the real deal.
(2)Ellie N.
This is the worst place in the Keys! Bland guacamole, cold beans, box rice, and tough, over-cooked meat. Not only is the food horrible, but the service is pathetic. You're better off at Burger King! Do not waste a beautiful evening at this restaurant.
(1)Sue F.
Quaint little restaurant with delightful owners. Food was original and very tasty. Great find on our travels. Hotels and Inns nearby need to direct their customers there for some authentic Mexican fare.
(4)Z X.
Visiting the Keys from California, where Mexican restaurants are everywhere. The menu choices are fine and the food prepared more true to Mexico home style than normal "American-Mex". Owner was pleasant and nice to chat with. Although I recommend the restaurant as a diversion from all the fish places, I also recommend the owners take serious note of the other posted reviews. You have an opportunity to make it as a real gourmet special place, than the typical Mexican place. Good luck!
(3)Rick S.
I found this place was very pricey for what you got. Initially they put out a bowl of salsa with very few chips and when we asked for more the waitress said it would be an additional 5.00 which for that potion was ridiculous. I had shrimp fajitas and the portion was small and was not on a sizzling plate. The corn tortillas were so small you couldn't make a fajitas with them. No sour cream or guacamole either. My wife had cheese enchiladas and there were three tiny enchiladas with Mexican cheese. Skimpy at best. For $32.50 without tip and nothing to drink but water it's too pricey for my budget.
(2)Jonathan N.
Started off promising as the margaritas and guacamole were good. Then it quickly crashed and burned. Ordered steak burrito and asked for it medium cooked (I was not asked). After a long wait, which was perplexing as the restaurant was not busy, the steak came out very well done (likely not fresh). After another very long wait, we finally got our check. The restaurant did remove the item from our bill.
(1)Mari C.
Really liked this place. Food was excellent and the staff very accommodating to individual requests. The salsas are fresh and spicy. I would recommend they simplify their menu. A couple of guests left because they seemed overwhelmed with so many items. Second i would modernize the decor. A bit outdated and tired furniture.
(4)