We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)
Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)
Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)
Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)
Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
(5)
Heather W.
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)
Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)
Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)
Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)
Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)
Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)
Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)
Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)
Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)
Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)
Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)
Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)
Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
(4)
Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)
Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)
Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)
Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)
Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)
Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)
Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)
James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)
D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)
Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)
Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)
Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)
John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)
Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)
A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)
Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)
Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)
Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)
Kimberly C.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)
Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)
Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)
Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)
Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)
Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)
Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)
Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)
Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)
Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)
Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)
Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)
Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)
Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)
Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)
Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)
Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)
James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)
Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)
T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)
Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)
Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)
Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)
Elizabeth B.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)
G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)
Robert B.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)
Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)
April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)
James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)
Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
(4)
Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(5)
Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)
Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)
Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)
Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)
Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)
Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)
Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)
Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)
James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)
Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)
James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)
D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)
Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)
Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)
Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)
John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)
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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)
Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)
Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)
Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)
Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)
T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)
A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)
Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)
Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)
Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)
Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)
Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)
Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)
Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)
Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)
Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)
Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)
Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)
Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)
Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)
Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)
April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)
Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
(4)
Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)
Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)
Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)
Elizabeth B.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)
Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)
Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)
Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)
Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)
James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)
Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)
Nick J.
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)
G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)
A J.
We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)
Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)
Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)
Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)
Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)
Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)
Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)
Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)
Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)
Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)
Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)
Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)
Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)
T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)
Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)
Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)
Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)
Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)
Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)
James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)
Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)
James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)
D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)
Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)
Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)
Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)
John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)
A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)
James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)
Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)
Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)
Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)
Kimberly C.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
(4)
Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)
Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)
Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)
Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)
Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)
Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)
Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)
Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)
Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)
Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)
Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)
Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)
Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)
Nick J.
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)
Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)
Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)
Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
(5)
Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)
Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)
Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)
G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)
Robert B.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)
Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)
Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)
Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)
Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)
Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)
Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)
Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)
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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)
Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)
Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)
Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)
Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)
Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(5)
Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)
Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)
Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)
A J.
We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)
Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)
April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)
Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)
Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)
Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)
Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)
Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)
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Address :Miracle Mile Plaza,4100 William Penn Hwy
Monroeville, PA, 15146
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes 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.
A J.
We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
(5)Heather W.
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
(4)Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)Kimberly C.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
(4)Andrea B.
Completely disappointed with this location. From the service to the food, it has been 90% disappointing. My boyfriend & I have gone twice now, to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke. We've gone early on a Sunday for no crowd & late on a Thursday which was quite crowded. Our first visit the wait staff appeared inconvenienced by our presence, & we made the mistake of choosing to sit by the bar, but not quite outside. You have to be all the way outside to hear yourself think since the music, & therfore all the other patrons, is so loud! Then the wing appetizers were conflicted. The wings themselves were quite well cooked actually but the "insane" heat level garlic sauce had no taste & absolutely NO heat! Then the entrées, my chicken chimis (sp?) were pretty good but my boyfriend's chicken & steak Fajitas were so bad. Steak, ordered medium rare, was well done & had no seasonings & ZERO flavor. Same with the chicken. Our next visit went no better. Taquito apps were not very good, blah flavor & overcooked chewy shrimp. My tacos had very dry, overcooked Mahi (a crime that should be punishable by labor camp) & a chipotle sauce that had so much chipotle you couldn't taste anything else. The zinger of the night had to be my boyfriend's wing tacos with, again, the "insane" original buffalo flavor. They tasted EXACTLY like a very mild heat curried chicken straight out of an Indian restaurant! At this I had to ask our waitress if that was the intentional flavor. She looked confused & said she would ask. Despite coming back to our table twice after that she didn't even mention it again & I wasn't bothering for an answer because I'm never going back there. I'm told the Shadyside location is good but I don't know I want to waste more $ to find out.
(1)Nick J.
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)Elizabeth B.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)Robert B.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
(3)Phil A.
I read aother reviewer say, "I sat there thinking the lowest is 2 stars", because the décor is fantastic. A top-notch environment. Waitress Cassi was great even when busy. But the problem is the food is not like any Mexican I've had in México, Texas, New York, Chicago, AZ or assorted Mexicantowns. I've discussed with some locals her that the draw is the margaritas. My "super spicy" burrito was garbage. Where was the 50 cents of super spicy sauce? Pitting Chipotle's burrito against these burritos would be a bloodbath comparison. I asked Cassi where the cheese was an she said it melted. I'll upload a pic - I'm telling you I don't think there was one bit of cheese on that thing! Unmarinated garbage chicken, no flavor, no super spicy. Bland tomato salsa. I'm gonna return and have margaritas and try to rate higher because my burrito was garbage. The service and décor very good.
(2)Kimberly C.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
(4)Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(5)Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
(4)Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
(5)Andrea B.
Completely disappointed with this location. From the service to the food, it has been 90% disappointing. My boyfriend & I have gone twice now, to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke. We've gone early on a Sunday for no crowd & late on a Thursday which was quite crowded. Our first visit the wait staff appeared inconvenienced by our presence, & we made the mistake of choosing to sit by the bar, but not quite outside. You have to be all the way outside to hear yourself think since the music, & therfore all the other patrons, is so loud! Then the wing appetizers were conflicted. The wings themselves were quite well cooked actually but the "insane" heat level garlic sauce had no taste & absolutely NO heat! Then the entrées, my chicken chimis (sp?) were pretty good but my boyfriend's chicken & steak Fajitas were so bad. Steak, ordered medium rare, was well done & had no seasonings & ZERO flavor. Same with the chicken. Our next visit went no better. Taquito apps were not very good, blah flavor & overcooked chewy shrimp. My tacos had very dry, overcooked Mahi (a crime that should be punishable by labor camp) & a chipotle sauce that had so much chipotle you couldn't taste anything else. The zinger of the night had to be my boyfriend's wing tacos with, again, the "insane" original buffalo flavor. They tasted EXACTLY like a very mild heat curried chicken straight out of an Indian restaurant! At this I had to ask our waitress if that was the intentional flavor. She looked confused & said she would ask. Despite coming back to our table twice after that she didn't even mention it again & I wasn't bothering for an answer because I'm never going back there. I'm told the Shadyside location is good but I don't know I want to waste more $ to find out.
(1)Heather W.
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)Elizabeth B.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
(3)Phil A.
I read aother reviewer say, "I sat there thinking the lowest is 2 stars", because the décor is fantastic. A top-notch environment. Waitress Cassi was great even when busy. But the problem is the food is not like any Mexican I've had in México, Texas, New York, Chicago, AZ or assorted Mexicantowns. I've discussed with some locals her that the draw is the margaritas. My "super spicy" burrito was garbage. Where was the 50 cents of super spicy sauce? Pitting Chipotle's burrito against these burritos would be a bloodbath comparison. I asked Cassi where the cheese was an she said it melted. I'll upload a pic - I'm telling you I don't think there was one bit of cheese on that thing! Unmarinated garbage chicken, no flavor, no super spicy. Bland tomato salsa. I'm gonna return and have margaritas and try to rate higher because my burrito was garbage. The service and décor very good.
(2)Robert B.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)Nick J.
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)A J.
We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)T H.
Great place! Food was creative, beer list excellent, prices reasonable, and service very attentive. Would definitely return next time we are in the area.
(5)Adam G.
Great food. Definitely try the chickpea chili. The atmosphere is very unique and quite pleasant.
(4)Emily H.
This particular location tends to draw in more families with children than the other locations, so it can get noisy and the acoustics are pretty bad - lots of hard surfaces. They have a decent patio and a huge wrap-around bar so you can sit at the bar and outside simultaneously. They tend to have sports on the TV, which is a little distracting. If I wanted to watch baseball, I'd go to a sports bar. If you're a hardcore fan of authentic Mexican food, this is probably not the place for you. The enchiladas remind me more of chilaquiles - definitely more layered than rolled. The burritos are huge but it really drives me crazy how segmented they are. One bite will be all rice, the next will be all meat. The tofu tacos are okay, but the bean sprouts seem like a weird addition. I know, you're probably thinking "What DOES this girl like about Mad Mex?" If you can let go of any previous Mexican food experiences (or if you've never had Mexican food before, as I hadn't when I first went to Mad Mex), some things are ok. The tofu tacos minus the bean sprouts. The California grilled salad. The chickpea chili and black bean soup, the potato taquitos. Nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole are all decent. Their sides are ridiculously huge and the desserts are all ok (except the sopapillas). Basically, stick to the least authentic stuff and you should be fine. Additionally, some of their entrees are available with your choice of either chicken, steak, shrimp, portobello mushrooms or tofu. They have tons of vegetarian options. They have good happy hour deals and good late night margarita deals. They have raspberry, strawberry, mango, and kiwi margaritas year round, with one or two seasonal flavors per month, plus a full bar, a bunch of tequilas and a huge, varied beer list that tends to focus on local beers. So basically: the less you know about Mexican food, the less disappointed you will be. If you're a fan of authentic Mexican food, either stick to something more basic like a salad, or pick a different restaurant.
(3)Ben F.
Great selection of large burritos. It's a little more chain feel than El (or is it Los) Campasinos across the street, but it still has good food.
(3)Patrick N.
I love this place! The service is always great and the food fresh and tasty. I eat vegan, which makes it a chore to find things when dining out, but Mad Mex has an excellent array of vegetarian and vegan options. The tofu tacos rock! But do ask the waitress to make it vegan. Sometimes they cook stuff in butter, but they will substitute with no hassle.
(4)Robert T.
We had lunch yesterday at Mad Mex. Since we were having one more nice day before the rain and cool weather set in, we chose MM for their patio seating. We split one of the lunch specials. I had the black bean soup and we shared (thank god) the massive Carnitas burrito with pork slow-roasted in garlic, cilantro, chipotles and Dos Equis. Fresh, roasted green chilis inside, blue cornbread, pico and sweet-n-sour slaw on the side. We each also had one of their Original Margaritas which was too tart for my liking. The black bean soup was only O.K. Many years ago TGIFridays used to have awesome black bean soup, but for some reason, they never put it on the menu. You had to know to order it. That became my gold standard for black bean soup. But I digress, if you have a craving for good black bean soup, forget about MM. Buy a can of Goya's version, heat it up, add some diced onions, a little shredded cheddar, and give it a splash of Sherry and you will have a much better black bean soup. The Carnitas burrito was massive, certainly more than enough for two people to share for lunch. At first we thought it was filled with mostly rice (well, actually it probably was), but we found enough pockets of the pork buried under the rice to satisfy us. I loved the blue cornbread, but my wife didn't, which worked for me cause I got to eat her share. We both loved the taste of the sweet-n-sour slaw. Service was a bit slow, and I had to ask twice to get a glass of water, but for a place of this price-point, service was adequate. Based our our limited sampling of their items, it's not really fair to generalize, but I have a hunch MM serves up quantity rather than quality. Pros: Decor, patio seating, inexpensive Cons: See above
(2)James L.
I don't mind fusion food - Vietnamese fajitas rock - but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm used to the Mexican-infused Italian restaurants of the Southwest, which has made its way to Pittsburgh through a few chains, and I avoid them like the plague. The salsa-like stuff they call sauce just doesn't do it for me. But Mad Mex is the first Italian-infused Mexican I've ever tried. And it doesn't work either. Add some olive oil to the 'salsa' that comes along with the chips, and you've got a jalapeno brushetta. Without the oil, as they make it here, it's nothing more than a dry clump of tasteless diced tomatoes, made hot by jalapenos. And the chips were stale. Following Chili's lead, the chips and salsa are considered an appetizer, and must be ordered. I thought I was pretty safe ordering chicken fajitas. The chicken was doused in pesto. A very strong basil pesto. Considering that basil is the prime flavor of most Italian food, and cilantro plays basil's role with Mexican food, and the two herbs have very distinctive and strong flavors, this just didn't work. At all. If they were going for an Italian-infused Mexican, they could have at least tried something that might have worked, like, say, a cilantro-based pesto. And the flour tortillas were gooey and thick, like the kind you find at the grocery store, not the delicate, airy, crisp, light, thin fajitas worked between the hands of an old Mexican woman. A little bit on the pita-side. I didn't order desert. Didn't even ask about it. I was afraid there might be tres lechesmasu...
(2)Carrie B.
I couldn't help but think while eating at Mad Mex, how am I not going to give this place 1 star. Its the margaritas and the guacamole. I have always been a fan of their frozen margaritas (got started on them at the one in Oakland). I do have to say that their menu is also very funny, but I am really in it for the food. I've eaten at mad mex a couple times, and I've always been underwhelmed. I got the red velvet burrito (sans spicy spinach to save my tender tastebuds), and I had eaten half of the thing (which is about the size of a football partially deflated) and got 2 pieces of zucchini and 3 bites of very tough chicken. Another one of the diners in my group got an enchilada, and you could not even see the cheese there was that little of it. The rest of the diners enjoyed their dinner, and no one complained of anything being over-spicy. We shared chips and dips, with the guac being my fav. The service was good. They managed to seat us fairly quickly, even though we were a relatively large party for their pretty small space. The noise level was tolerable, and the food came out hot and at the same time. The bottom line for me: If you want good food, skip this place. Try El Campesino down the road, heck, try Qdoba or Chipotle even. If you want a good Margarita, then you've found your place
(2)James G.
Unique menu with a fun and hip atmosphere. I've been here a few times and each time I've ordered something new and each time I've expected what I would normally get at a Mexican restaurant. This is a mistake because they definitely put their own spin on each dish. Some of it works and some doesn't. I didn't care for their mole sauce much but was pleasantly surprised by their Chimi. I feel the portion size and the quality is fair given their prices. I've never been displeased but haven't been blown away either.
(3)D T.
One of my favorites in Monroeville. Good Tex-Mex. Like the fajitas, tacos, chickpea chili. Be sure to catch the half price happy hour specials and spicy guacamole.
(4)Sean L.
Hip eclectic Southwestern cuisine that parallels the restaurants decor. I would recommend The Chimi.
(4)Keri K.
kind of like it here for an outdoor lunch spot. they do have a small lunch menu and the portions are quite large. here's the thing- monroeville is not known for mexican food and mad mex is not amazing in anyway. i tried the chicken quesadilla which comes with a small side salad. the chicken quesadilla had 4 large pieces and i added guac and sour cream. the side salad was nothing memorable...bottom line is this is probably one of the best spots in monroeville. so, if it's sunny and warm out and you happen to be in the area hungry this may be your best option....seriously.
(3)Michelle V.
3rd time here. I keep thinking I'm going to like it more than the last time. Eh....not so much. It's not terrible, but service is not great, the ladies' restroom was not clean (6 pm), the food was just so-so. I'm going to find that "great" Mexican restaurant yet!
(3)John L.
Yet another solid jewel in the Mad Mex group. I love the Mahi Mahi salad and the beef fajitas. Great selection of beer on tap, including East End Brewing selections.
(4)A M.
Glad they added this spot to the concrete jungle that is Monroeville. This mad mex is located in Miracle Mile shopping center, sandwiched between a bank and a TJ Maxx (I think?). I'm happy to have this here because most other options in that area are national chains at least this is a local chain. The food is similiar to their other locations. What stands out the most about this location is that they have a lot of outdoor seating. Some of it is under a covered area, so it's a little cooler than directly sitting in the sun with the other tables. THe shaded portion also has an open bar area that is shared between the outside and inside. This outdoor bar and seating is a rare treat in this sea of chain restaurants and gas stations. The tortilla chips are pretty good we tried them with a black bean dipping sauce (my favorite), regular salsa (okay), and a cheese sauce (not good, runny iwth a weird flavor). I order the burritto combo which came with a cup of tortilla soup (about average could have used some tomatoes on top and a bit more chips). I'll try the black bean soup next time. The burrito combo I tried came with a steak fajita burritto. It was good, but huge. Next time I think I'll tell them to lessen up on the rice and beans. The small amount of steak that was included was cooked well and tasty. I only ate about 1/3 of this thing because of my longstanding rule not to try to eat anything bigger than my head. The service was friendly and prompt. Overall a very good addition to the options here in monroeville. My business associate ordered the same burrito, but told them to skip the beans and rice and double the protein. I think this was a good choice. He also asked for tortillas in addition to just tortilla chips. This was also a good suggestion. He's obviously been here before.
(4)James F.
We were hungry but were at the point of hanger so we went to the first place we saw on yelp. This was madmex, and we had been there before with terrible service over in the Philadelphia area so I was skeptical. Tim. Oh my god, Tim. He came to the table with our water in hand and had our drink order ready within seconds. I swear to you on my future children, our appetizer and our meal were ready faster than the millennium falcon getting to its destination. We had just started on our chips with an extra sampler salsa (GOD BLESS YOU TIM) when out came the most delicious quesadilla the world had ever seen. We had begun to wonder if Tim had also done the cooking because it was so phenomenal. We had our refills and asked for our wonderful chips and salsa to go. HE SAID YES AND ADDED FRESH CHIPS AND EXTRA SALSA. EXTRA SALSA. WITH A SMILE ON THAT ADORABLE FACE GOSH TIM LOOK AT YOU. Our only regret is that we didn't have more money to throw at Tim.
(5)Becky Z.
Big ol' important EDIT: Frankly, there isn't a lot of true "Mexican" food in Pittsburgh and everyone from newspaper critics to newcomers complains. I've heard so many people say "Mad Mex is the worst Mexican..." Guess what. It isn't really Mexican. And a restaurant that blatantly uses Spanglish (Booze y Brews) in its menu KNOWS it. That being said, enjoy the food as you would the menu: American fare with Mexican influence.
(4)Dave P.
I remember liking Mad Mex a lot more when I was younger. I had not been in a Mad mex for about 8 years and I have to admit that while the service was pleasant and attentive, the food of good quality and the restaurant being well kept I found the whole experience mediocre. The food has not changed much is forever and I found it fairly bland. I got a burrito that while very large I didn't finish. My wife got a quesidilla that was borderline on being sent back as it had tons of onions, All in all an O-K experience, but I doubt I will be going back.
(3)Phil A.
I read aother reviewer say, "I sat there thinking the lowest is 2 stars", because the décor is fantastic. A top-notch environment. Waitress Cassi was great even when busy. But the problem is the food is not like any Mexican I've had in México, Texas, New York, Chicago, AZ or assorted Mexicantowns. I've discussed with some locals her that the draw is the margaritas. My "super spicy" burrito was garbage. Where was the 50 cents of super spicy sauce? Pitting Chipotle's burrito against these burritos would be a bloodbath comparison. I asked Cassi where the cheese was an she said it melted. I'll upload a pic - I'm telling you I don't think there was one bit of cheese on that thing! Unmarinated garbage chicken, no flavor, no super spicy. Bland tomato salsa. I'm gonna return and have margaritas and try to rate higher because my burrito was garbage. The service and décor very good.
(2)Elizabeth B.
After a disappointing experience a couple years ago at the Shadyside location, I knew that we needed to give Mad Mex a second chance, considering personal recommendations and the restaurant's testimony to its own success with 7 different locations in the Pittsburgh area. After begging my husband to go with me to Babies R Us and Target on a Saturday evening, I promised him drinks and appetizers after we were done shopping. We arrived ten minutes before 10pm. I knew that all of the Big Burrito restaurants had an early happy hour - 4:30 to 6:30 here at Mad Mex - but was delighted to learn that they also had a 10pm late night happy hour, too. The late night happy hour is Big Azz (22 oz) Margaritas for $7 (reg $9.50). I was a little concerned about the Margaritas because I had been disappointed in them at the Shadyside location. Well, my husband got the original frozen, and I got the original on the rocks. Both were muy delicioso! For food, we split a Pickadippa appetizer, which consists of an option of 3 dips with tortilla chips for $8. We tried the XX Cheese, Guacamole, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Chipotle. All three were very tasty and the flavors complemented each other nicely. I also ordered the Casa Salad. Though petite, it was well worth it's $4.50 price tag. I loved the Blue Cheese - which they didn't scrimp on - and the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette (that the waitress recommended) was delicious. It was dipping dressing good! Overall, I had a great experience from service to food. I can't wait to return and try more things!
(4)Dee D.
I am a fan of all of the Mad Mex establishments in Pennsylvania. I have been to all of them here in western PA and they are deliciously consistent. I am in Love with the grilled fish taco. It is made with meaty Mahi Mahi not some cheap swai or breaded junk. I dream about these tacos. They also have amazing margaritas (& full bar) and if it is happy hour, well.... you get a BIG glass Margarita for $7.00. That's worth the check in. This is Fresh Mex...(not Taco Bell junk & although I like Chipotle, it pails in comparison) Their menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I mean everyone. Kids too. :) However; if I may, don't sell yourself short, get a grilled fish soft taco and a Margarita, its Mexican perfection. I promise you, you will be back.
(4)Kimberly C.
I met my friend Tishy here today as we were still craving a good chicken quesadilla. They were pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table and it didn't reduce the quality of service which was excellent. There were so many entrees on their menu, which made me chuckle at some of the descriptions. I ordered the Mad Mex quesadilla on a while wheat tortilla shell. I love how you have a choice between regular and whole wheat-makes me feel like I am making a healthier choice which makes me a smidge happier as I feel better about myself-psychology, I know. She had a chicken burrito which was also very good with lots of black beans. Wow, the quesadilla was delicious! It had plenty of chicken, cheese, green peppers and onions. The guacamole, chips and salsa were also good. Being a (frozen/flavored) margarita lover, I was not happy with the frozen margaritas as they tasted bitter, not very sweet even though it was raspberry and had real raspberry in it. I added a bunch of sugar which seemed to help but I hate having the extra calories just to make it more bearable. My friend didn't mind hers as she tends to like stronger drinks and doesn't have the sweet tooth that I do...so just because it's not my personal preference, it doesn't mean that others won't love their margaritas as other diners seemed to. They seem to have a nice section of beers, too. I will definitely be back for the food and great service!
(4)Glenn M.
The decor was the best thing about this place as food wasn't even average and service was below average. Server walked by and looked at my empty drink walk by and I had to ask for a refill. The chicken burrito had a small palm full of meat. The guacamole was 3 tablespoons for $1.50. Chips were thick and cold and the hot sauce was just tomatoes and jalapeño. Tortilla soup was just plain chicken soup spiced up a little with no veggies. Last visit for me.
(2)Katie A.
Great service, delicious food!! Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! We waited maybe 10 minutes for everything to come out and it was sizzling hot and so good!!
(5)Kodiak F.
As a long-time Big Burrito devotee it pains me to write this review, but this Mad Mex location has fallen so, so far in the last couple years. First and foremost, the kitchen has totally lost it's way. I suspect that a mix of turnover and apathy has taken it's toll in the back of the house. Food is no longer predictably good or even passable. It has become a total crap shoot as to whether or not you will even get all of the basic components of your food. As to the front of the house, Mad Mex is chronically under-staffing this location. Our server tonight (the busiest night of the week) had all of the patio and a large zone indoors. Being stretched so thin it was hard to fault him for being completely dismissive of our kitchen issues - he had literally 30+ other tables to deal with. Tonight my entree was missing fully half of it's components rendering it inedible. I pointed this out and was given a half comp for the entree. It was at this moment that I realized I was finally done with this location. After 3 years as a bi-weekly customer, I won't be back.
(1)Darren W.
One of a pair of headbangin' friends is vegan, and when the three of us passed through Monroeville en route to Greensburg for a show, we really had no other choice off the tops of our skulls but Mad Mex, and overall, my experience was a rung above my last one nearly 3 years ago. Not really knowing what in Perdition to order for myself, I closed my eyes and planted my finger on the Grilled Chicken Torta, and was rather pleased with it after scarfing down the last morsel. An exercise in shamelessly inauthentic fusion, this take on the tortta is essentially a Mexican shawarma, the sandwich was filled with pleasingly charred, seasoned, and tender chicken breast, hummus, alfalfa sprouts, pico de gallo, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, and red onion with a chipotle aioli served on the side for dipping. A spicy, creamy, meaty, crunchy mess of flavorful, hearty fun, the "pita" or "tortilla" was as pillowy as that which holds shaved lamb in the Mediterranean, and the orange, doctored-up condiment played the role of tzatziki with devil-may-care irreverance. Furthering the heresy was serving of waffle fries so hash browns-meets-mashed potatoes, I was wondering of a collaboration with the Original Hot Dog Shop was occurring. Of course, I also had to have a serving of what is the apex of guacamole in Pittsburgh. The avocado was left chunky. Tomatoes, chili, and lime accentuated the lardy texture and taste without overpowering the superfood. The chips were freshly dunked in hot oil for a spell. The salsa was typically fruity and left a light spank on the tongue. The Authenticity Police can go after Taco Bell for all I care. Leave Mad Mex be. What they do isn't about tradition. It's about good times and delicious food. So get over thyselves, foodies. P.S. The service was fine.
(4)Nicole D.
I won't be back to this location. I'm giving them a one star rating, but that's only because rating an establishment with zero stars isn't an option. Not only was the service slow, it was essentially non-existent. Our server was so inattentive that we had to refill our own drinks at the bar, and cash our checks out with the bartender (mind you we were seated in the restaurant portion of the facility and there were less than 10 other people there). Not to mention that they got our orders wrong and split our bills up incorrectly. They clearly don't care about customer service; therefore I don't care to give them any more of my money. Luckily Monroeville has plenty of other Mexican dining options. Take your patronage elsewhere.
(1)Mara K.
No matter which Mad Mex location you visit you are going to have a good meal and leave happy and full. My favorites are the fried tofu appetizer, the shrimp and spinach quesadilla or one of the AMAZING burritos. Mad Mex is high on the cool factor. Their food is reasonably priced and well made. Their bar is stocked with great craft brews, including local fare like the East End Brewery, and they make some decent margaritas. Their margarita of the month right now is an apple cider margarita with the rim sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Come on, can you get more amazing than that?
(5)Lee H.
I haven't eaten here in years and as I sit on the thrown I remember why. Horrible overpriced garbage. This was the worst meal I had in YEARS, and I have eaten 2 day old sushi left in a car. Salsa was dry and tasted old and spoiled, absolutely horrible. Grilled fish tacos were both bland and very salty. $14 for tacos and they throw you a plate of beans and rice like you are suppose to be grateful for it. The tacos were soo bad they must have known. They threw soo much sauce(1000 Island dressing?) on it that my hand kept slipping off the taco. I will never go back to this disgusting poor excuse for a dumpster. Go to chipotle and get much better food for way way less money. There is a reason Chipotle always has I long line when you go there. Same on you Mad Mex! If you are the typical un-traveled, un-adventurous Pittsburgher you will probably find this crap ok to for down.
(1)Lauren W.
I have always been skeptical of Mad Mex just because Mexican food isn't my go to choice when eating out. I was very surprised and pleased with my visit. The restaurant has an out door option which would be nice with a group of friends but for dinner for two I liked eating in. There is never much of a wait because service has always been quick. I really like the guacamole with chips or their wings for an appetizer. My main course is usually the same which may seem boring but hey I know what I like! I get the tofu tacos and even writing about them now I'm craving them! The tofu is cooked perfect with a glaze that reminds me of a general tsos sauce. The soft shell tacos are topped with fresh bean sprouts a green salsa and some avocado. All of these ingredients working together makes for the best taco I've ever had. The meal also comes with rice black beans pico and I get sour cream. Go try my favorite tofu taco! I'm now a Mad Mex fan!
(5)Alicia S.
I keep wanting to like this place but it's just not happening. Although it is a great location for happy hour and offers a nice variety of beers, the food is what keeps me away. No matter what I try on the menu, I find it all underwhelming or bland. Even the chips and salsa that they offer you at the bar are mediocre.
(2)Chris O.
Only 4 because it's not awesome, but close. Chips and salsa aside, frozen drink machines aside - margs were still good - actually some pretty tasty fajitas. Split with my bro, perfect to split, extra guacamole I think for free, better than any other chain I can think of.
(4)Cello K.
I've been to this location over a dozen times. We love the funky atmosphere- masks and clunky artwork, outdoor seating and bar, and Mexican food with some personality and delicious variety. It's one of our standard date night restaurants- but be prepared for a wait Friday-Saturday nights from 6-8pm. We often get the steak tacos with salad- swap out the rice and beans- almost every time. Try the cilantro vinaigrette in the salad. Last time here we tried the fajita burrito and it was enough to share with a salad. One problem I have with Mad Mex is they charge for the chips and salsa that one expects to be free. But we have enjoyed the salsa trio- pick three types of salsa for your chips. Kind of a salsa "flight". The guacamole is also excellent as an appetizer to splitting most entrees.
(4)Mackenzie K.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you NEED to try Mad Mex. It's a elevated Mexican restaurant and bar and by elevated I mean the best, biggest sized portions, best drinks elevated. First off, the food is HUGE I don't think I've ever finished my meal! all of the food is high quality and they have plenty of things for everyone's taste. The drinks they offer are so good, and they are always having events and happy hours that are based around the drinks. I promise if you go here you won't be disappointed, just know you'll probably have a box to carry home !
(5)Callie O.
I've only had food from the Mad Mex in Shadyside and the Mad Mex in Oakland, but this one is a bit easier to get to from my location, so we hit it up. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was crowded into one area of the restaurant - the bar. I thought this was the entire restaurant, but when I went to the bathroom I noticed that the entire back end of the place was empty. What? I don't want to sit by belligerent and sweaty drunks if I can avoid it, so I'm not sure why my boyfriend and I were crammed uncomfortably up front with everyone else. Complains aside, I ordered a Big Azz Margarita in strawberry mango flavor at the recommendation of my boyfriend and the server. It was 22 ounces for $7, which is a helluva deal in my humble opinion. I think I underestimated the potency of a sugary margarita on an empty stomach. I thought I wanted a second one, but my boyfriend kindly suggested that I hold off. I'm glad I did, because shortly after that I felt the wave of nausea and drunkenness. In all fairness, the nausea wasn't brought on by poor drink-making skills or a sub-par product. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and strong alcohol is generally not appreciated by my body. Storytelling aside, I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but I ordered a plate of nachos. I know nachos are typically MASSIVE PORTIONS in restaurants, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of THESE nachos. And I stupidly requested extra-sour cream. When the nachos were placed before me, I'm pretty sure I made a ridiculous and contorted face. Where should I begin? Where do these things end? Should I share them? It smells really good, omg, I can eat all of these. Wait. No. I can't do that. I definitely can't do that. But they're so good! At the end of our meal, I still had over half of my nachos left, and I packed them up for home. I love Mad Mex, but this location doesn't appeal to me as much. They do seem to have a few variances on the menu for vegetarians though, and I can appreciate that. I'll probably go to the Shadyside or Oakland locations in the future, but that's just neighborhood bias.
(4)Andrea B.
Completely disappointed with this location. From the service to the food, it has been 90% disappointing. My boyfriend & I have gone twice now, to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke. We've gone early on a Sunday for no crowd & late on a Thursday which was quite crowded. Our first visit the wait staff appeared inconvenienced by our presence, & we made the mistake of choosing to sit by the bar, but not quite outside. You have to be all the way outside to hear yourself think since the music, & therfore all the other patrons, is so loud! Then the wing appetizers were conflicted. The wings themselves were quite well cooked actually but the "insane" heat level garlic sauce had no taste & absolutely NO heat! Then the entrées, my chicken chimis (sp?) were pretty good but my boyfriend's chicken & steak Fajitas were so bad. Steak, ordered medium rare, was well done & had no seasonings & ZERO flavor. Same with the chicken. Our next visit went no better. Taquito apps were not very good, blah flavor & overcooked chewy shrimp. My tacos had very dry, overcooked Mahi (a crime that should be punishable by labor camp) & a chipotle sauce that had so much chipotle you couldn't taste anything else. The zinger of the night had to be my boyfriend's wing tacos with, again, the "insane" original buffalo flavor. They tasted EXACTLY like a very mild heat curried chicken straight out of an Indian restaurant! At this I had to ask our waitress if that was the intentional flavor. She looked confused & said she would ask. Despite coming back to our table twice after that she didn't even mention it again & I wasn't bothering for an answer because I'm never going back there. I'm told the Shadyside location is good but I don't know I want to waste more $ to find out.
(1)Heather W.
We recently moved to the area. My husband is a HUGE mexican fan. I'm an okay mexican fan. Neither of us had ever been to Mad Mex prior to our first trip here. We will be returning! The staff is super friendly. The first thing I take notice is how my children are treated. If they are treated great...you've got me. They were treated like little princes. They were absolutely delighted. The waitress talked to them when taking our orders. The food was hot, it was really good, our beverages (we both tried the blackberry margaritas) were so good. We will be going back soon!
(4)Nick J.
We stopped in at Mad Mex for dinner and beers last night. This is a pretty regular stop because I really like the beer selection. I enjoyed three different IPA's.....that might have been 1 too many. ;) The bartenders are really cool. Well at least that's the case at the Monroeville location, Regina was our server and did a great job. I went with a pork enchilada and the W went with a chicken burrito. I also hit up the turkey chili which was stupendous. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to cost too.
(4)Nick F.
Great Tex-Mex food (not real Mexican...but that's okay). The burritos and wraps are amazing as is there salsa. I never had anything here that I didn't like. They are also famous for their big ass margaritas. Oh so good. They come in a bunch of different flavors and also have rotating seasonal flavors. The only thing I don't like about this location as opposed to the original in Oakland is this one is more family oriented and where the one in Oakland is more oriented towards 20/30 somethings.
(4)Paige O.
Knock out every time I return! I've been to a few locations but this one is the most convenient. The quality of the food especially the chicken is just amazing and not to mention the amazing featured margaritas every time I go. I usually don't take left overs but I make an exception for here because it's sooo good :) the service is always great and everyone is really nice. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing for a great lunch or night out !
(5)Ashley H.
Yummm!!! Love the mad mex chain and this one is just as good as the Oakland one even though it's in the suburbs... Love me some big azz margaritas!
(5)Brooke A.
Well, despite the somewhat mixed reviews for this location, I had as good of a time here as I did at the Robinson location. I continue to be impressed with mad mex and their multitude of options. This time I opted for the spicy mad mex burrito, and it fulfilled my every desire: full of flavorful hot sauce, black beans, rice, and the steak I requested. Our server was attentive, polite, (and handsome!) I particularly appreciated that he never let our water glasses get less than half full. We just came from an activity that required some strenuous exercise, so we were all drinking like fishes. The setup at this location is a little weird, they have you coming in from a closed in patio, and what purpose that serves I haven't the foggiest, since all the tables and chairs are stacked outside. Besides that confusion it was a super pleasant dining experience.
(5)Benjamin G.
Great beer selection and great food. Finally a Mexican joint that wasn't opened out of a kit. The decor is kinda neat too. So much better than the typical local Mexican places that serve refried beans with every dish. I can't say if it's authentic exactly, but it sure is good.
(4)Jennifer G.
I can't believe how many Mexican and tex mex places there are right in the Monroeville area. That being said, I'm very glad Mad Mex is there! I wasn't sure what to expect as I was told it is "different" and that was a very accurate assessment. The menu has many of the typical mexican items, but most are featured with a fun twist. I love that there are a variety of salsas and dips to choose from. My favorite is the pineapple habenero. It is sweet put really packs a punch. The chips are great, but my favorite appetizer is the tofu. It was perfectly flavored and the peanuts provided a nice added texture to the dish. The portions are huge and tasty. Fresh (and when possible, local) ingredients are used. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)Deborah N.
Chicken nachos. Ecstatically satisfying and addicting. Seriously, I am marrying them. Half price pints at happy hour - yay I had Young's chocolate stout. A decor so interesting it's not worthy of the "suburban chain Tex Mex" place moniker in which it is housed. Cool! Taken by a date. Made a date to return! 500th review for me - this was a special evening so it's got the crown!
(4)G S.
Excellent high-quality local ingredients (better than El Campesino). My favorites are the tofu tacos and mahi mahi tacos. The kids love their children's menu because it's actual tex mex but in smaller portions (not like most children's menu fare of chicken nuggets) and it comes with celery/carrots to start and a delicious warm brownie with ice cream to end.
(5)Robert B.
Food is really good. I prefer to sit outside as the indoors gets quite crowded and in the evening it's too noisy and crowded for my tastes. I do wish they had a wider beer selection though.
(4)Brian M.
I feel really bad having to write such a mediocre review, because it has nothing to do with the food and there is only a minor likelihood that I would experience the same thing twice. The salad I got for lunch was just okay and the price was appropriate for what I received. However, I didn't finish it. Mainly due to the greater atmosphere. Two problems with this last visit: (1) The cleanliness of the waitstaff. My waitress was covered in cat hair. And it tainted the rest of my experience. (2) Beware sitting outside near the plants. On a summer day, I decided to wear shorts and sandals. We were sat near a table with a plant on the opposite side of the divider. The plant attracted bugs which bit my feet. They didn't exist table-level or get near the food, but it was still a major turnoff to have to sit and fidget in my seat because I was being bitten. By the time it was truly bothersome, I had almost completed what I was going to eat and just asked for a check. Again - I'm sure sitting inside or having a different waitress would have been a much more positive experience, but alas, this time the bad karma just kept coming.
(2)Amanda P.
I really wanted to like this place more, I gave it two chances. This review is based solely of happy hour and appetizers. Came here to start the birthday weekend. Ordered a strawberry margarita, watched the bartender pour a gross amount of strawberry mix in a cup and then full it with the generic frozen margarita. The margarita was so syrupy it was simply not enjoyable. That being said the craft beers on happy hour are a steal! I ordered some wings, they came out barely warm and completely overcooked with almost zero sauce. I asked for more sauce which they gave me, but it didn't seem to help. The sauce flavor wasn't that special either. Lastly, the service is not that great. Maybe they are understaffed? But I always had a long wait to get a re-fill. I will probably give it another shot maybe for dinner, but from what I've seen so far it's, nothing to special.
(2)Theresa F.
For a limited time only they featured pulled pork tacos with friend plantains and pineapple jabanero salsa, dear god bring it back! Otherwise the tofu tacos are SPECTACULAR. Best fusion idea ever? Doesn't hurt that any random playlist you might hear Grateful Dead, Bright Eyes, New Found Glory and Radiohead in any random order while you dine on your favorite dish or get sloshed on the big azz margaritas. Mad mex is the thing I miss most about Pittsburgh.
(5)Priyanka P.
Great food! I ordered the mad mex fajita burrito and absolutely loved it! Def recommend others to pay a visit
(4)Brandon L.
Amazing food at reasonable prices. I recommend the honey chipotle wing-o-rito. I go here every chance I have!
(5)Holly U.
I love Mad Mex for its diversity and creativity. It is by no means an authentic Mexican restaurant, but its Tex/Cali Mex blend is healthy and interesting. It's by far the most substitution-friendly restaurant I've visited. Soy cheese instead of regular? Tofu instead of steak? Whole wheat instead of white? All no problem. You can go full-carb with big burritos and tortilla chips or up the protein with shrimp, steak, chicken or tofu/portobello fajitas. The latter is one of my favorite dishes-- they saturate the mushrooms slices with that smoky, charred grill taste reminiscent of steak that reminds me of summer. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is one of my favorites and has been highly praised by friends I've dined with. The menu often has new items, as well as seasonal items. It's a great place for a mixed crowd of omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. The place has a very young feel to it, loud and lit with colored lights, and a menu full of up-to-date pop culture references and jokes. The Monroeville location attracts all ages, though, and has a pretty solid middle-age after-work crowd. There's a nice set up of TVs above the bar, making it a good place to watch a football or hockey game. There's usually at least a handful of people throwing in comments during a Pens game. There is outdoor seating, but it's in a shopping plaza facing a bank and a sea of concrete, so not exactly the sidewalks of Paris. Sitting on the patio under the roof with the breeze blowing in is nice, though. There's a great draft and bottled beer selection, so it's a good place to try new brews. It's expensive unless you take advantage of the half off draft weekday special. The bartenders are always cool about letting you try something before you buy it, as well as offering recommendations. It's a great place that has only been soured by one experience. A large group of my coworkers and I (a chill group of journalists) met at Mad Mex for a going away party. The group of at least 15 of us spent hundreds of dollars on appetizers, entrees and drinks. The crowd dwindled, leaving a smallish group of about 5 of us who moved to the bar to clear up space at the tables. When we attempted to order another round of drinks, we were told we were cut off. We looked around at each other in amazement-- all of us sober and not having caused any problems. We inquired and were told that management said we'd had enough to drink. None of us felt like getting in our cars and relocating. It was a pretty disgraceful way to treat a group who had just given them hundreds of dollars worth of business. So I'm hesitant to speak too highly of the restaurant. Still, can't beat its flexibility in food choices!
(4)Derek S.
The inside of Mad Mex is very nicely designed. Their authentic mexcian food is pretty good. The downside is the price of booze is very exspenive.
(4)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 North Hills. This one has an outdoor bar & patio which I love... but North Hills is closer to my house. 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)Nina P.
THE MONROEVILLE MEXICAN MADNESS DEBATE CONTINUES...MAD MEX OFFERS VEGGIE VARIETY! So I'm a sucker for chips and dip and margaritas and tacos! And lately Monroeville has about 8 MILLION Mexican food options most of which I have tried in the quest for chip and dip happiness. Finally got around to Mad Mex, another branch of the Big Burrito Company Genius, in Miracle Mile. I'd been there awhile ago but had never reviewed. I think the highlight would be variety on this menu - not just same old Tex Mex stuff - alot of vegetarian options that looked tasty! Alas, primal meat eater had the steak tacos which were great! And of course I had chips and salsa and a small classic margarita - I could eat those three things forever and become 1000 pounds of crazy! Black beans on the side are wonderful! Beans are such a great source of tasty deliciousness! ONTO THE DEBATE: How many Mexican Restaurants Can Monroeville Sustain? Is Monroeville obsessed with Mexican food? I don't have the answers to this but to me it's a very curious situation. CHIPS and SALSA Forever! ;)
(3)Lama B.
The Mad Mex experience started with a whimsical desire for margaritas and a hunger for a very late lunch/early dinner. The portions are massive, in keeping with true Pittsburgh form, and the Mad Mex margarita is a whopping 22 oz frozen monster, which we had topped with an extra shot. Andrea and I had two 16 oz baby margaritas on ice first (also with extra shooters) before moving on to the big boy. We tried the trio of dips, with the black bean and pineapple habanero coming in first, and the guacamole trailing. My obsession with mole sauce was peaked at the sight of a mole chicken burrito which I ordered. Elie opted for the steak fajitas and andrea had the steak burrito. The food was fresh and good in quality, and by the time Allejandro arrived we suggested he have his burrito without rice which made it perfect. All in all, will definitely come back when I'm in town; we sat and drank and ate for 3 and a half hours, and not once did anyone rush us despite the crowd. That's good service :)
(3)Donna H.
It has parking. The reservations are stored on an iPad. They're not afraid of spice. And with that, I think I've listed the things I like about Mad Mex. The menu has a lot of potential, but not enough to outweigh a significant wait at 8:30 on a Friday night. It's good enough, but not so good I want to go out of my way to brave the crowd and the noise to eat dinner on a European schedule. If you're in the right frame of mind and have a margarita in you, your mileage might vary.
(2)Kimberly K.
I typically love Mad Mex. In fact my whole family loves their food and I've craved their big azz margaritas. However the service at the Monroeville location has been horrific the last three times I've gone. I'm a nice person and I'm never rude or unforgiving with waiters but twice I went and I've been ignored by the server the entire time I was there. I mean what should have been a half hour visit for drinks turned into almost two hours. The last time I went for a special occasion and the waiter got both my boyfriend's and my drinks wrong after making us wait twenty minutes at a low key time. He then got one of our main courses wrong by bringing the wrong meal and hardly apologized for it. I normally don't mind but when your spending 80 + bucks on a meal you expect decent service. While the food is four stars the service here just isn't worth it. I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a different location.
(2)Tracy M.
Mad Mex is the best place to be for a vegetarian in Monroeville. On Friday and Saturday evenings the wait time is insane and the bar is standing room only, but once seated, the service is generally great. Kid's meals are cheap and come with dessert, which is a big deal if you're 5. Nice draft selection, damn good maragaritas.
(5)Andy J.
The food was good. The service was great! We had a good time here but I would probably choose a more authentic Mexican place. Nothing against them just personal opinion. They treated us great here and I would recommend trying it if you've never eaten here, you might love it.
(3)Tony J.
Wow.. why have I been living in Pittsburgh my whole life and never ventured to Mad Mex. All my college peers would always talk about it in Oakland, but I just never went, and some of my friend have even talked about it as a great bar and food spot, but once again I just never went. I am an idiot because I have been majorly missing out. Mad Mex is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is much, much more. It is an awesome drinking spot, with great American bar food, like wings and even fried tofu. Please do not turn your nose up to the thought of actually liking tofu. I do not know what it tastes like out of a box/can/or whatever, but when it is dipped in hot oil and soaked in peanuts and sweet soy sauce, it is heavenly. Their dips and salsa are also fantastic, and I was happily surprised when I learned that they were willing to refill not only the chips, but also the paid-for salsa. I had to try out these wings that I have heard some pretty great things about. Yes, it is a Mexican based cuisine restaurant, but they do have some banging wings. The sauces are not your usual hot, garlic, and BBQ. No, the sauces are spun with delicious ingredients. I had to go with the Southwestern, which was made with olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. They were fantastic. Not to mention, if you go during their happy hour, 4:30-6:30, they are half off! I can't wait to go back, and for anyone who wants to get me one of those delicious margaritas to celebrate my 21st, we only have 78 more days. I'll meet you at the bar.
(5)Ellen D.
I like this mad mex. I went to school in Oakland, so I'm used to the small mad mex on Atwood st. I don't like the one in shadyside!!! The service and employees are terrible there. The Monroeville one actually has the Brooklyn brewery chocolate stout on tap, which I've been searching for for about two years. Food is consistently good here.
(4)A J.
We decided to try Mad Mex after hearing good things about it from out friends. We both love Mexican food, so I was all excited about it. When we arrived, we were informed that there was a 20 minute wait. No problem, but on the way outside, we noticed that there was a free table two-person table on the patio. I figured since it was 10 degrees outside and the patio was hardly warmer, they had decided not to seat people there. 20 minutes later, we got the text that our table was ready. And what do you know? It's that same table that had been available 20 minutes earlier. Not only did we have to wait 20 minutes for no reason, but we were placed at a table that was so cold that we couldn't even take our wool coats off. There are heaters in the ceiling on the patio, but they don't really make a difference at that temperature. Whatever. I imagine this is to encourage people to drink more. Soon after sitting down, we realized we had been placed next to a ~20-person party of high school teachers who were mostly intoxicated. They shouted and screamed at each other the entire time we were there. Our waitress was terrible. She took our order and that's about all she did that night. She walked past us many times without saying a thing. She didn't ask us how our food was until after we had eaten it. Also, I was surprised that the restaurant doesn't serve chips and salsa with the food. What kind of Mexican place doesn't do that?? So about the food . . . I was all pumped for some amazing Mexican/Southwest food after hearing such good things from my friends. Both of us ordered burritos, which the menu indicated were their top sellers. When we got the food, it was lukewarm. I assumed that like many Mexican food restaurants, the dish would come with some sort of side of rice or re-fried beans. However, both of us received a white plate with a white burrito on it and a small plop of pico on the side. There was also an extremely ugly orange stain on the top of my burrito that was made out of some kind of flavorless sauce that I assume was supposed to look like the restaurant's logo. That was it. Still trying to be positive, I assumed that they had just put all the sides inside the burrito. But then I cut into it and found that the whole thing was literally just beans, rice, meat and (I kid you not) about three bell pepper slices. My partner and I both agreed that there was a distinct lack of seasoning in our food. It just tasted like beans and rice and meat. I don't think they even know what cumin is. Best part is, we paid over $10 for each of our flavorless burritos. Next time you want a big burrito that actually tastes like something, please do yourself a favor and go to the Chipotle across the street instead. It's actually cheaper and it tastes about 100 times better and you won't have to sit in a freezer next to drunk people while you eat.
(1)Juan C.
I've only ever been here for the beer/margaritas, so this is solely a review of that. Decent beer selection including some nice breweries like Southern Tier and Green Flash. After a few of those, we realized we were there during their late night Happy Hour so got a frozen Raspberry house margarita (I got no shame in ordering girly drinks as long as they've got tequila in them). Only bummer is that they close up by 1am. Where's the after hours club in Monroeville?
(4)April V.
Terrible service, got my order wrong and acted like that was mine fault, and everything is bland.
(2)Brenda W.
I realize Mad Mex is a chain but, seeing as I've never been to one, I'm reviewing it. So there you have it. I really, really liked it. Given that I had Food Court tacos last weekend in Monroeville, I needed to redeem myself on the Mexican food front in said town. So, tonight I spied Mad Mex while doing errands and made a mental note to head there after errands (cat food) were complete. It was about 6pm on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. I was dining solo and would have sat at the bar but it was even packed so I went to the hostess to see how long the wait would be. What a nice hostess! She said she'd check to see if she could find a spot to squeeze me in and she did. I give kudos to her because she was honest. She said she found a spot but it was adjacent to a high chair and asked if I minded. i liked that she clued me in and gave me an option. I was hungry so opted for the table, hoping for the best It was fine. The little toddler in the high chair was adorable and so well behaved. It wouldn't have mattered much as it was noisy as heck in there. I don't think any of us would have heard him if he had decided to throw a tantrum. Shoot! He blew it. There was his chance! And, note, I did not mind the noise in the least. It equated to civilization and people and energy (sigh), something I am without most days working far, far east of life as we know it and living just far east of life. So bring it on! My server was delightful and helped me decide on the fresh corn and crabmeat quesadillas with corn salsa on the side. I added to that a cold margarita and we were in business. It was satisfying to my taste buds and instantly made me forget my Mall taco experience. At the end of my meal, I still had quite a bit of drink left so ordered chips and salsa. My impressions (and the menu says so) are that this is not free; however, my server did not charge me, He was a keeper. (I did leave a good tip, BTW). I can't say I'm a total fan of the salsa -- I found it overly sweet for my taste but ate the chips and salsa, nonetheless, as I savored my cold (brain-freeze cold) margarita. I was a happy diner. Gracias!
(4)Tiffany N.
As a first timer, I had an overall good time. Definitely can't say that it's authentic Mexican dining, but an absolute fun and tasty experience. Likes: The outside dining gave a more relaxed feel for devouring the food and being able to inhale some fresh air. Or for those who prefer indoor dining, the decor is very eccentric and odd to examine the modernized yet Aztecan influenced artworks. Mixed drinks were superb without it being over powerful or heavy to digest with food, even with or without the salt rim. The employers were real down to earth and friendly people, much props to them and their tiresome work. Dislikes: This place is heavily compact in space and too dark to dine later at night. Seatings were definitely too close for comfort especially not being able to hear your own conversations if you happen to be dining with company. Noisy atmosphere at times due to them being a hangout area.
(3)Harini B.
Whenever i'm in town i never leave before i have mad mex's casa salad and chickpea chilly... I ordered the same for dinner take out . I was disappointed to cone back home and see that my salad had just tomato and lettuce and old raw onion rings . Where are the pine nuts and cheese!!! The chilly was good. Will think twice before i get a take out here again.. :(
(3)Will B.
Mad Mex is sort of the a Pittsburgh staple for mexican food. There are many of them around the city so I'm sure many yenzers have wondered into one at least once or twice. I have had many opinions of Med Mex over my different trips but I think I have landed on that I like the restaurant over all. The food is often really good and their margaritas are delicious frozen or on the rocks. The decor is pretty unique and gives the restaurant a cool vibe and makes for a good experience. This location has a cool outside patio that has heaters for the winter and feels great during the summer. Over all do I think this is the best mexican food in pittsburgh? No. Is it a good restaurant with good food that will deliver a good consistant experience? Yes.
(4)Eric D.
Back in the burgh and in need of lunch, I decided to head over to Mad Mex for a quick burrito. After having been slightly disappointed in my last visit in November, due to service and somewhat very stale chips, I decided to roll the dice and this time came up with boxcars (or snake eyes...I forget, which is better???) Atmosphere - Same a previous but cleaner this time...including the restrooms Food - I ordered the lunch special, a burrito and a side salad for $7.50. I also opted for the chips and salsa too. The chips...this time...crunchy, the salsa...crazy thick, almost paste like. The side salad with lime cilantro dressing was very good and even decent as a chip dip. The chicken burrito came as ordered, sans cheese and sour cream and was very filling. Service - Helpful, cheerful, prompt and several tea refills Price - $7.50 Combo w/ another $2.50 for chips and salsa. Overall - Are there better more authentic Mexican resturaunts in Charlotte...yes, in Chicago...most definiately, in Pittsburgh...this place will do. MadMex you redeemed yourself on this visit with a great service experience and fresh food. Keep it up!
(4)