For being in a prime location, the food was no better than ok.. unfortunately. It wasn't busy but our order of food was taken to another table and then was given back to us. We had the tacos and tamales. And only one word can describe it, FROZEN (tamales for sure!). Eh.. the food just left much to be desired. On a positive note, the drinks were great!
(2)
Greenfield Mama Z.
My family really likes this place for a wide variety of Mexican dishes. The servers are always friendly and the prices are good. I only give it 4 stars because I wish the food was a little spicier. We'll keep going though, because it's rare to find reliably good food and service at this price.
(4)
Lori B.
Overpriced. Underwhelmed. I don't think there actually was any tequila in my margarita.
(2)
Jonathan S.
Comfort food for a Texan. As a transplant from Texas, I have been consistently frustrated by the Mexican restaurants in the northeast. Finally, I found one that tastes a lot like home! Took off one star because it's a tad pricey (though the portions are large). At home I would give it three to four, but context matters, y'all. In comparison, I would give any other Mexican restaurant I have tried in the northeast a two star review or less. I will be back and strongly suggest you give it a try.
(4)
Trent M.
I have no idea what is with the negative reviews for this place. Sure, the restaurant isn't much to look at, but their food is excellent! I've been there three times now, and it's never let me down. Most recently, I went and got the combination with the two enchiladas and the burrito. So good! And it came out so fast! I got the burrito and one of the enchiladas with the shredded beef and one of the enchiladas with cheese. The cheese that they use is chihuahua cheese (from cows, not dogs) so it was nice and gooey and melty and delicious. Also, every time I've been there, the servers have been sweet and attentive. Anyone complaining about bad service is clearly hallucinating. In short, it's a little hole in the wall with great food. It's a little expensive, but it's great. Definitely check it out
(4)
Steve K.
Distinctly average to subpar Mexican food. I've only eaten here once and have not felt interested in returning. I'll give them an extra star because the service was friendly but there's certainly much better Mexican food to be found in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Zach Y.
I don't want to turn this into a commentary on the sad state of Mexican food in Pittsburgh... but I don't know, man. It's like the city as a whole has just shrugged it off and moved on with their lives. Not that Cuzamil is terrible. It's just, if you're gonna spend $12-15 on an entree, you want to feel like it's worth it. If you order a pitcher of sangria, you don't expect to find canned fruit at the bottom of your glass. You know what I mean? As if there's a mindset that the people of Pittsburgh just won't notice. Rise up, Squirrel Hill! Demand better! Or just stay quiet, and pass me one of your soggy fish tacos.
(3)
Croatia M.
ok they ae jopen but rareley on time the woman on duty even as waitress is the worst waittres i have ever expere in my life dont shop her awful sevice
(2)
Rosalind C.
So, I used to think this place was reasonable. Being from California, I've missed good Mexican food so much that I sometimes find myself saying things like, "Maybe Chipotle really isn't that bad..." or things like that. And for a while, Cuzamil kept me from tearing my hair out when all I wanted was some greasy, hole in the wall Mexican food. Cuz when I say I want Mexican, that's what I want - not the fresh ingredient gourmet stuff that they serve at Cantina, but the greasy spoon stuff that is dirt cheap and is essentially what you are craving after a good night out on the town. I'm not talking foodie stuff here. Anyway, so Cuzamil used to satisfy that for me. But I went recently and man was that pretty bad. I ordered the enchiladas especiales, which were supposed to come with avocado salad (which is really the only reason I got it). What I got were two enchiladas that were gooey, tasteless, the tortilla was chewy and clearly stale... and no avocado salad. I asked about it, and the server came back and said they didn't have any avocado. So... lemme get this straight. You don't have a major ingredient, and you're not going to ask the patron if they want to change their order? AND you're going to charge them as though they got the entree they wanted, rather than two lifeless enchiladas, which are much cheaper? Someone's business radar was clearly broken. So, sure I'm a little bitter. But given that I wasn't super hot on this place before, this little incident ensures that I'm not going back again.
(2)
Jeanne A.
Had lunch there today. We have eaten here in the past, but today was exceptional. Everything was delicious and amazing. I had the enchiladas verde... So fresh and the best verde sauce. The sope with chorizo was the highlight though. The corn cake tortilla was crisp on the outside but moist and delicious on the inside with the spicy chorizo on top. Soooo tasty. The food seems as if it has improved from prior visits. I was very impressed. I also feel I have to add this... I am not the owner of this restaurant or any restaurants.. Yes, recently some dumb ass yelper messaged me and accused me of owning one of the restaurants I reviewed. Their message was harassing and intimidating.. So I am not in the restaurant business so please don't message me! Thank you! Oh and I contacted Yelp and they did nothing about it!
(5)
Emily H.
I tried the chiles rellenos again and the covering and sauces were both normal this time. Since chiles rellenos are my favorite, and they've learned how to make them right in the past 7 months, they get an extra star. However, they jacked up the prices and 2 chiles rellenos with rice and beans now costs an absurd $14.50. The food's good but entirely too expensive.
(3)
Meredith B.
There's a few Cuzamils in every city - simple restaurants with very predictable Mexican food. There's nothing wrong with that, but there's nothing particularly exciting about it either. We were trying to go to Sababa, but it was closed for Passover, so we ducked in to Cuzamil instead. The interior is very simple - some decorative items and a TV. I didn't see any booths, only tables. Our server was really friendly and generally cheerful, so that was a big place. She recommended the Poblanos Chiles Rellenos, which I tried. They were pretty much what I expected - served very hot, with gooey cheese. The chicken was surprisingly good and pretty tender. The rice and beans on the side were hot. Our server got us some hot sauce which was much needed, as the dishes themselves didn't seem to have too much spice. My boyfriend got the chimichanga, which he enjoyed. The food was heavy, saucy, and cheesy - just what you expect from most Mexican-American restaurants. Prices were a bit higher than I'd hoped - the food is fine, but also uninspired and leaves a brick feeling in your tummy. Chips and salsa were pretty plain too - the salsa was sort of saucy, lacking the tasty tomato and pepper chunks that normally give it texture. Margaritas tasted okay but were very weak - I didn't even feel a buzz, which was a bummer! I'll give it three stars since the server was so nice, and there was nothing wrong with the food, it was pretty much average across the board. It's a good place to have in the neighborhood if you get a Mexican craving. Still, it's places like this that make me long for the taquerias and fresh, authentic Mexican food you can find in Chicago.
(3)
J D.
Went here because we had a groupon. Not opposed to going back, but would not make a special trip for to get there. Chips seemed to be out of a bag, the salsa was tomatoes and salt--and a very small portion at that. Entree portions were large, hot and tasty. I had the chilequiles, and had no complaints. The chicken was done well and the sauce was nice and spicy like I like it. Hubby had sampler of enchiladas, no complaints. Daughter had veggie plate #4, and she thought it was good. That's it, good--not great--no complaints! Wait staff was very nice!
(2)
Sarah R.
Really overpriced, flavorless Mexican food. It was still edible... and there was a lot of food... but blegh. The pico de gallo was the only thing I actually remembered liking. The meat was really rubbery and overseasoned, and the beans and such seemed like they came out of a can. Maybe it's because I've been spoiled by the uber cheap, hole-in-the-wall mexican places elsewhere in the U.S... where the servers barely speak English. Our server was super nice though.. :T I just know I won't go back, which makes me sad.. I would like to support all of my neighborhood's businesses.
(1)
Jessica A.
Wow. And this is by no means a good wow. Went there with the boyfriend today and have to say Cuzamil did do something extraordinary. It won the award for the absolute worst "Mexican" food I have ever put in my mouth. We went on a lazy Sunday afternoon, around 1:30, and we saw that they had some lunch specials. I told my boyfriend that I wanted to try Mexican food in Pittsburgh because since I've been here...I haven't seen any. The standard chips and salsa was blah. The tortilla chips seemed (days?) old and were really cold. The salsa was decent. My boyfriend ordered the pork carnita tacos and I am a huge fan of chili rellenos, and so I wanted to test them out here. Big effin mistake. A chili relleno (although there are variations of the rule) is a pablano pepper, with an egg battered crust, stuffed with cheese and meat. This was an abomination of a chili relleno...a defected, ugly step-brother, if you will. Instead, what I got was a thin slice of a GREEN BELL PEPPER, with a greasy, yellow mound of ground beef, and a 3 inch hunk of melted white cheese on top. It was sitting, along with my rice and canned re-re-refried bean, on a pool of yellow grease. Don't go there. I beg of you. My boyfriend and I made jokes after we left about how our stomachs were really mad at us and just wanted to be left alone for a while. *Note - When paying the check I asked the waitress if the owner was Mexican. She happily explained that he was and so was the kitchen staff. This pretty much says that they indeed know how to make proper food, but don't. Probably because they know people won't notice or complain. Or because the guy is really, really cheap. Blah.
(1)
Gretchen N.
I had been wanting to try Cuzamil for a while, considering I live right up the road. My husband and I went there during the week, and the place was pretty much empty. When we FINALLY got served I could see why. This was the first "mexican" restaurant I have been to that charges you for additional chips and salsa. I ordered a taco sampler, and was extremely excited to see tongue as a option. 2 out of the 3 tacos were bland, and the tongue taco was extremely chewy, meaning it hadn't been cooked properly. We both ordered margaritas and were given what tasted like a glass of margarita mix that someone forgot to add tequila to. I can understand how any restaurant can have a bad night, but i think Robert Irvine should be called in to redo this place or another restaurant should take the space. Will not be going back because there is much better mexican in Pittsburgh than this place.
(1)
Matt C.
Cuzamil is OK. The food, the selection, the service, the ambiance, and pretty much everything about the place is not bad, but not fantastic either. If you want Mexican food and are in the area, you can walk in unafraid, but it's not worth a separate trip.
(3)
A B.
Much better. A few months ago I wrote a review about this place and was not very complimentary, but they have greatly improved. I don't know if they got a new cook or what, but the food and the service are leaps and bounds better than when I wrote my previous review. Give them a chance!
(4)
Elizabeth M.
If you can overlook the horrendous service and lack of ambiance, the food is quite decent. Not somewhere to write home about, but still some pretty good food.
(2)
Michael H.
My wife and I went there for lunch today (only open for lunch on Saturdays). The server was friendly and checked on us regularly. I found the prices to be on the high side for the quality of the food (entrees 10-18, no lunch menu). We got the Nachos Cuzamil (with chicken) and the Poblano Chile Rellenos (with pork). The Nachos were disappointing: the chicken was somewhat dry, they forgot the guacamole, and the chips were overdone in spots. When we asked for the guacamole, they brought a small bowl. I found the guac to be passably tasty, but weird. It was thin and had an odd color (not bright green, as I would expect). Maybe heavy on the onion and with some tomatillo in there? Hard to tell. The chile rellenos, however, were outstanding. The pork was succulent, the chiles were tasty, the sauce was tangy and delicious, and the accompanying rice and beans were good. The portion was big enough that we probably could have just split that entree and foregone the nachos. All in all, the place seemed good, but a bit uneven. The discrepancy between the nachos and the rellenos was striking, but we will definitely return.
(4)
Keri K.
it could be that I was extra hungry but I thought the food here was okay. the price of the meals is a little high so split between 2 people and after chips and salsa, it should be plenty. it's not my favorite mexican (far from it) but it's a cute place with a kick back atmosphere (the bar area). they should have a happy hour to lower some prices on beers and appetizers. oh and pass on the guacamole dip (not good).
(3)
Jenn T.
I really, truly like this spot for legit Mexican food. I know it's not the easiest thing to come by in Pittsburgh, and even tougher if you're sticking to the city limits, but Cuzamil hasn't disappointed me yet. Our first visit was actually the daring decision of going to a tiny little Mexican spot on Cinco de Mayo last year. Natually, it was packed to overflowing, but everything about our trip was excellent. The service has always been great, even when we were elbow-to-elbow with our fellow Cinco-de-Mayo-ers. Any time there was a delay in our food reaching us, we were informed, and the servers were on top of refills (of drinks and chips) to tide us over. And there's something about their homemade margarita pitchers that gets me each time. There's that tiny bit of bite in each sip that separates it from the average margarita. I do fear that I get the same thing every time I go here, which is the chicken quesadilla. It's gigantic, and comes with the little Mexican food salad (the shredded lettuce/sour cream/guac/pico mix), beans, and rice. It's easily enough for my meal and leftovers the next day, and I like getting that value for my money. I always want to try other things that catch my eye on the menu, but I seem to keep coming back to this massive quesadilla. The chips and salsa are homemade as well, and on our latest visit, we tried the appetizer platter that came with mozzarella sticks. I know cheese sticks are not really what come to mind when you hear "Mexican food," but they had a little bit of zest to them that made it okay in my book. There was something reminiscient of the composition of the fresh, crispy homemade chips in the cheese stick breading. Each time we've gone, the service has been great. On Cinco de Mayo, everyone dining at the restaurant got to pick trinkets out of a bag of Tecate swag. I got one of those little dresses for your beer bottle, in the design of a traditional Mexican poncho (with Tecate emblazoned across the front, of course). It's the little details like that, plus the top-notch service and delicious food that keeps me coming back. Also, look for deals in Clipper magazine or Groupon. They don't count for the margaritas, but everything else on the menu is fair game!
(4)
Ryan R.
Rice and cheese. That's basically what I got when I ordered my meal. It was supposed to be a burrito. Instead, I got a tortilla opened with a miniscule amount of meat inside and a plethora of rice and cheese (not even good cheese, at that). The chips were cold but the salsa was room temperature (not sure if that's how people eat it, but usually it's the other way around). The prices were also confusing, as I had expected most of the meals to be under $10. Alas, I was hard-pressed (read: not able) to find any meal under $12 and that was for a meal that was leaning towards an appetizer. The only happy experience my mouth--and wallet--had was that the waiter forgot to charge me for my Dos Equis.
(2)
Britney C.
Classic mexican place, Not too different from the others but i did notice their bar seating was a little weird. the chairs were either too tall for the bar or the bar was too tall for the chairs. We sat at a normal table that seated four. The table top was made of complete beer bottle caps which i thought was very unique. I've never seen that in a restaurant or bar before so i thought it was pretty interesting. The food here was decent, tasted like similar places I've been too but nothing unfamiliar. I did enjoy their burritos more than usual, i thought they were bigger than most places. I always love the sides in mexican dishes. My favorite is the rice and refried beans. i wish they would have given us larger tortillas when my hubby order the fajita platter but i guess smaller portions help you control more of what you eat. The one good thing about this place was the Margaritas. They make a delicious classic margarita but I wasn't too thrilled about the price. they offer about 3 to 4 different sizes and almost 5 varieties of flavors. I go lemon lime because i was never too thrilled with strawberry or watermelon. This little place is along the strip in squirrel hill on Murray Ave. If you go up the hill it's on your right and if your going down, it's on the left. If you stop by here try the margarita it's absolutely great!!
(4)
Heather G.
Went for lunch as I was craving a taco. The hard shell was stale and I wasn't impressed with the rest of it. The salsa that comes out had no flavor, it seemed to just tomatoes. Booooring and tasteless. I will probably not be going back to see if it was a bad day as stale hard taco shells and flavorless salsa at a Mexican joint seems like blasphemy! This is sad face in the flesh. :(
(1)
Tamia H.
I'm surprised this restaurant has gotten such a low rating! My brother and I came here for a late lunch and the food was hot and very well seasoned. I can't remember what my brother ordered, but I got one of the combination platters. I enjoyed my taco. I sampled the other food on my plate, which was also good but the taco filled me up and I took the rest home. Service was great and I recommend coming here for good Mexican food.
(4)
Kelsey R.
I had heard some really great things about this place and was excited to check it out. Overall, I was disappointed. The food was okay (I've experienced far better - seemed a lot like "American Mexican") - but the service was awful. Our waitress couldn't keep anything straight, and was also super awkward. I don't think I'll be coming back - you can find better food and definitely better service.
(2)
Megan M.
My boyfriend and I eat here often. We love the food and margaritas! I recommend the veggie super quesadillas. Cindy and her family are very friendly!
(5)
Darae C.
Not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but it's better than Taco Hell. There were two servers working the dining room. The woman server was fantastic and very attentive. The male server seemed more interested in doing literally everything else besides waiting on our table. My dining companion got the shrimp fajitas. For my meal I chose al pastor, carnitas, and beef tongue. The al pastor was phenomenal, the beef tongue had good beef flavor but literally no seasoning whatsoever on it, and the carnitas were horrible. Not only was the pork flavorless, but it was dried out to the point of shards. Not delicious shredded pork, but SHARDS OF MEAT. Highly unacceptable. The only reason I didn't send the item back was because it took about 40 minutes for our order to come out and there was no way I was going to wait for them to fix it. Oh, and this place uses flour tortillas, iceberg lettuce, and cheese in their tacos. Not authentic and will never order again. Shrimp fajitas were solid. Shrimp was a little overdone but had a good sauce on them (a bit too saucy, but my dining partner liked it). Rice was a dry and but the refried beans were decent. I still can't tell if the salsa was made fresh or not. If not, then it was pretty tasty jarred stuff. Id try this place again but certainly wouldn't go out of my way to make it a priority. It has potential, it just seems to need to work out some kinks in service and food prep.
(2)
Dave G.
Ate there with a friend and we both experienced symptoms of food poisoning the next day.
(1)
Anneke S.
For Pittsburgh I am giving this four stars, there isn't much for mexican food here and that ain't lyin. I got the stuffed Pico de Gallo and it was yummy, also tasted the Chimichunga platter mmmm no problems with flavoring. Way more authentic than Mad Mex, For example I cannot even find Pico De Gallo on most menus at "mexican restaurants" here let alone a whole pepper stuffed. The portions are huge but they suffice, the service was good a little slow on gettin gour checks. Margaritas were not great stick with beer. I am not sure why all the bad Yelp reviews? I mean there are actual brown people working here, its a mexican restaurant and yes Pittsburgh sometimes brown people have accents.
(4)
Deborah G.
I can't say this place is bad because it's not. It's just not that good, either. We had the steak tacos and the chicken mole yesterday and it was just "meh." Edible but that's about it. I will say that the medium Margarita was pretty big and tasty and the mohito I had was really good. The service was relatively good but the food was just uninspired. I don't think we'll go back.
(2)
Julie U.
We all got food poisoning. We ordered sopas, burritos, and tamales. None of us shared our food.
(1)
Sal G.
It was a late night and the wait staff let us in. I was really happy to come across a Mexican restaurant that was so close. I was a bit apprehensive due to the 2-1/2 star rating, but the excessive traffic due to tunnel closings made my normal go-to-Mexican restaurant out of the question. We were promptly seated and ordered the following. White Cheese Dip Tacos de Carne Asada: no pico de gallo; no rice Steak Quesadilla Chorizo Quesadilla Taco: meat and cheese only We were brought the obligatory salsa and chips and told by the server that the white cheese dip was out. No big deal, we will deal without. We were happy they let us in. I tried some of the chips and salsa and was a tad put off by the fact that the salsa tasted like it was made without love. There was garlic powder in the salsa. Who uses dried spices in salsa? Not only was there garlic powder, there was TOO MUCH garlic powder. I decided to wait on the entrees to arrive. When our entrees arrived, I was happy to see that the food looked appealing. I was sad that there was lettuce on the tacos de carne asada, but that was my own fault for not paying attention. I put some tomatillo sauce on and ate one of them. I was not excited. The meat was very greasy and flavorless. The tomatillo sauce tasted like it just came out of a bottle. I took a bite of the beans and they were undercooked; they were slightly crunchy. I was not having a good time. I tried some of the chorizo quesadilla and was hit by an overwhelming amount of cumin and paprika -- not a good chorizo. I decided to finish my tacos de carne asada and move on. The best tasting part of the meal was the beef from the taco, but it was not very vibrant and it tasted like the seasoning that comes from the grocery store. I really wanted to like Cuzamil due to it's proximity, but it just doesn't work. In the future, I will go to Gran Agave when tasting Tex-Mex or Mexican and Los Cabos when tasting Cali-Mex. Both of these other restaurants give you more food, greater and better flavor, and are lighter on the pocketbook. I won't return.
(1)
Jonathan P.
Not sure if we just went on an off night or what but service was pretty slow. Some friends and I went and waited over an hour for food. Friends ordered vegetarian fajitas and you could clearly tell the food had been sitting out for a while. Tops were cold. They also didn't bring what seemed like enough tortillas for their food, and were going to charge extra for them! I had soft tacos and there wasn't really much to them. Overall I wasn't impressed and despite so many good reviews I've had a bad experience and won't be coming back anytime soon.
(1)
Paul D.
Tried this place on the way home tonight , Food was ok . Nothing to recommend , I got the combo plate and you have to pick what you want on your plate and what type of meat. Kinda cool I guess. The wait was very very long and the food was not what I had ordered. Our waitress was attentive and friendly so I gave her a good tip. I'm just not impressed . I agree with Monigue B. ( " Better than Taco Hell " )
(3)
Courtney W.
This was the WORST experience ever. I purchased a Groupon for a lunch special and the waitress refused to honor it. She told me that I was required to have 2 people present in order to redeem the voucher---this was not true. The voucher said that I needed to order 2 entrees. It said nothing about needing 2 people. She was stubborn, ignorant of the Groupon deal, and unwilling to serve me. I reported the restaurant to Groupon, and they said that they have reported the incident internally. A review may be underway if other Groupon customers have additional unsavory experiences. I obviously can't tell you about the food, but the service was really awful! Buyers beware!
(1)
Edouard M.
The food is eatable, although it tends to fall heavily on your stomach. Fairly mediocre overall, although not disgusting. But why, why do the waiters feel the need to clean the table in the small space with very strong cleaning products while you are eating? why? This says a lot about the way they view the quality of their own food.
(2)
Lydia M.
Ok, TWO DOLLAR TACOS TUESDAYS. So. That's awesome. I've been here a couple of times and am always really pleased. I saw a review that mentioned dry spices/garlic powder, and I have not experienced that. There has always been fresh cilantro and I've noticed finely chopped garlic, so I'm sure that isn't the case. My favorite non, soft-flour taco is def teh verde enchiladas. Oddly enough I've paid twice amount for enchiladas at Verde and been sorely disappointed, so Cuzamil wins that round. Not that they are at all comparable atmosphere wise. Cuzamil is a slightly divey and homey feeling, they have pretty good selection of tequila but it is hardly displayed in any logical way. The classic margaritas are 5 bucks and made with fresh squeezed lime juice, we watched her juice the limes right there at the bar. Really good stuff. I wish I lived closer bc a two dollar taco and 5 dollar margarita is pretty much my ideal weeknight dinner and all the servers are super friendly. They disappear sometimes but they always come back in a reasonable amount of time. I'm glad it's sticking on the end of Murray that has a high turnover.
(4)
Jessica V.
Horrible service and food..and they ran out of beans and tortilla.and your a mexican restaurant.
(1)
Shawn M.
Had a groupon, but still not worth it. Service was bad, fly in the margherita, and the food was cold and tasteless.
(1)
Jill G.
Terrible experience there today. I got our food to go, and it was packaged improperly. Refried beans got all over everything-- everything in the same bag and my vehicle. The lettuce on the tacos de carne asada was cooked, and the chorizo cheese dip was atrocious. The container was quite literally half filled with orange grease. It was disgusting. It's sitting, uneaten, on my counter right now, and I paid $4 for said dip. Finally, most of the food was too salty to eat. I was never head-over-hills for this place, but now I will never go again.
(1)
Amy R.
New Year's Eve and not busy at all. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Turned out to be a good thing! Take this with a grain of salt (and a margarita, if you wish), but I don't go to many Mexican restaurants so I may not be the best to ask...but I liked it! The sangria was great, and my friend had a margarita, which he said he enjoyed. I got the taco platter - which I customized into 2 carnita hard tacos and 1 ground beef hard taco. I don't like rice and beans (which is why I frequent Mexican restaurants so little...as that is their 'go to' side) so I asked if I could substitute out for corn bread or fries. After telling me 'no' (sadface), she wound up bringing fries after all! (ok, so they were fries at a Mexican restaurant: not that good...but they were better than beans!) The tacos were very good. I was especially surprised that the ground beef wasn't greasy and runny, which is the case of nearly every other ground beef taco I've eaten (both at restaurants and homemade...I don't know how beef just seems to absorb grease and then leak out onto your arm as you eat it). The carnitas beef was good too. My tacos were just great - I'd say some of the best I've ever had. My husband got the California burrito, which I was eyeing up because it came with a side of cornbread. Because I'm his wife and he can't hate me forever, I helped myself to some of it and it was also very good. Cornbread is something I do know, and I know Mad Mex's cornbread is wet, blue (?!) and gloppy. THIS was some good cornbread. Overall, great experience, and a low-key restaurant for a quiet New Year's Eve. I would definitely go again!
(4)
M K.
The food is good, especially for Pittsburgh. It is located conveniently on Murray. The owners are nice people. I was frequenting their restaurant a lot after getting conned once stopped going there. It is usually the owner's wife serving herself but the last time I went there they had a new waitress. We were two people ordered 13 dollarish dishes each and two non-alcoholic beverages like Coke. We had a 40 dollar bill that came to us, but I could not remember what the exact prices were. We were like maybe it is with the tax and stuff. I asked her to double-check the charges she just smiled and brought it back. So, we payed it plus the tip. But I felt like this should not be what it costs and checked their menu online and I was right. Who enjoys being conned like that? Although I like their food, it happened to be last time I went there...
(2)
October R.
I really enjoy the tortilla soup, it's pretty simplistic but oh so tasty. I usually order off of the a la carte menu - I'm a huge fan of stuffed pablano peppers sometimes they're overly greasy, but other times they are done just right...I will admit that this place lacks consistency but the personable staff, chill atmosphere, and the chihuahua cheese keep us coming back.
(3)
Andre B.
Certainly not the best Mexican food I have ever tried. Both my partner and I ordered vegetarian entrees and drinks. For the quality that they churn out I would expect a bit lesser cost. The chips were good. Hot and salty with fresh (I think) salsa. It was a good start but it sort of ended there. The fajita could have been better. The veggies were mostly peppers and onions. It was hot but it was also a bit too greasy for my tastes. The rice and beans were a bit dry (possibly undercooked beans) and the rice seems to have been out a bit too long. The burrito was also a bit bland. Copious amounts of hot sauce were needed to eat it. Perhaps the ingredients weren't fresh? Perhaps it was an off night? The drinks, although expensive, were strong and well mixed. In hindsight, I would have been better off going to Chipotle...
(2)
JBaby S.
Great location, horrible food, nothing here made us happy. Worst chips ever, artificial margarita, bland food Mexican food my ass! Patron and Emiliano's are much better, so is Taco Bell
(1)
Ed C.
Had a groupon so we checked this out. It was the best Mexican food we have had in Pittsburgh, but it was too expensive. Most of the dishes were $12-14, which feels like too much for basic Mexican food, at least to me. If it was a few dollars cheaper, we'd be regulars.
(3)
Laurel B.
My boyfriend and I come here all the time, and the service is always friendly. One of my favorite things to get is the enchiladas con mole. I always get one chicken, one bean, and one cheese. All are great, and the sauce is delicious! I have also recently been getting the fajitas, which are different than the standard fajitas that I'm used to. The filling is mixed with a tasty tomato sauce that's a nice change. Overall, this is one of my favorite places to go to in Squirrel Hill, and I heartily recommend it!
(5)
Jordana M.
Too bad one does not have the option for NEGATIVE stars. Eat here if you are a masochist. The service was horrific. Our drinks were never refilled. I ordered 1 bar drink, an Almond Peach Margarita which was stunningly made improperly. It was saturated mainly with Peach Schnapps. It resembled a drink someone who knew nothing about bartending would conjure up. Next was the CUZAMIL PLATTER. For 16.95 one gets the experience of Chef Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmare experience prior to the makeover. None of the food had ANY taste to it. If one wanted to make these items and left them sit in the fridge for 10 days, threw it in the broiler, laden with grease it would recreated this wretched experience. If my husband and I don't get food poisoning I will be shocked. The fascinating aspect of this memorable experience was when the waiter (and I use this word lightly) came to remove my plates. He asked if I wanted my food wrapped as I barely eat it. My response was "Absolutely not. I forced myself to eat as much as I could so I won't be hungry later. This food was horrific." His response was "okay, so your ready for the check." Nuff said. The best part about this experience was leaving the restaurant.
(1)
Sara C.
I really enjoy Cuzamil. The service is always fast and friendly and their portions (in general) are pretty big. My only criticism would be the missing meat. As I said, the portions are big, but if you open up the tortillas, you can see the severe lack of actual meat contained within. Overall, I think they are really trying and they have improved each of the three time I've gone over the past year or so. I'd say if you're skeptical, wait for the inevitable Groupon (they do them a lot) and use that to at least give them a chance.
(4)
Iliana C.
Good food. As close to authentic as you will get in this city. Decently priced. It's been a grueling time trying to find a place with decent Mexican food. In California this would be considered "eh" but in Pittsburgh it will suffice to fix my Mexican food craving (sorry Pittsburgh but mad Mex shouldn't even be allowed to put itself in the Mexican category). This place is a lot warmer and friendlier on the inside. I walked by this place all the time but never bothered going in until yesterday. I do not recommend ordering the guacamole (it doesn't even look like it's made out of avocados). The chips are store bought. The fruit put into the sangria tastes like one of those little fruit cups. I had the carnitas plate (rice and beans and meat were all delish). My girlfriend had the vegetarian burritos and said they were both delicious. If you're vegan or vegetarian I would def recommend this place since the menu explicitly states all their rice, beans, and tortillas are vegetarian. I'll def be going back when I get a little home sick for Mexican food.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey, Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : 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.
Kylene W.
For being in a prime location, the food was no better than ok.. unfortunately. It wasn't busy but our order of food was taken to another table and then was given back to us. We had the tacos and tamales. And only one word can describe it, FROZEN (tamales for sure!). Eh.. the food just left much to be desired. On a positive note, the drinks were great!
(2)Greenfield Mama Z.
My family really likes this place for a wide variety of Mexican dishes. The servers are always friendly and the prices are good. I only give it 4 stars because I wish the food was a little spicier. We'll keep going though, because it's rare to find reliably good food and service at this price.
(4)Lori B.
Overpriced. Underwhelmed. I don't think there actually was any tequila in my margarita.
(2)Jonathan S.
Comfort food for a Texan. As a transplant from Texas, I have been consistently frustrated by the Mexican restaurants in the northeast. Finally, I found one that tastes a lot like home! Took off one star because it's a tad pricey (though the portions are large). At home I would give it three to four, but context matters, y'all. In comparison, I would give any other Mexican restaurant I have tried in the northeast a two star review or less. I will be back and strongly suggest you give it a try.
(4)Trent M.
I have no idea what is with the negative reviews for this place. Sure, the restaurant isn't much to look at, but their food is excellent! I've been there three times now, and it's never let me down. Most recently, I went and got the combination with the two enchiladas and the burrito. So good! And it came out so fast! I got the burrito and one of the enchiladas with the shredded beef and one of the enchiladas with cheese. The cheese that they use is chihuahua cheese (from cows, not dogs) so it was nice and gooey and melty and delicious. Also, every time I've been there, the servers have been sweet and attentive. Anyone complaining about bad service is clearly hallucinating. In short, it's a little hole in the wall with great food. It's a little expensive, but it's great. Definitely check it out
(4)Steve K.
Distinctly average to subpar Mexican food. I've only eaten here once and have not felt interested in returning. I'll give them an extra star because the service was friendly but there's certainly much better Mexican food to be found in Pittsburgh.
(3)Zach Y.
I don't want to turn this into a commentary on the sad state of Mexican food in Pittsburgh... but I don't know, man. It's like the city as a whole has just shrugged it off and moved on with their lives. Not that Cuzamil is terrible. It's just, if you're gonna spend $12-15 on an entree, you want to feel like it's worth it. If you order a pitcher of sangria, you don't expect to find canned fruit at the bottom of your glass. You know what I mean? As if there's a mindset that the people of Pittsburgh just won't notice. Rise up, Squirrel Hill! Demand better! Or just stay quiet, and pass me one of your soggy fish tacos.
(3)Croatia M.
ok they ae jopen but rareley on time the woman on duty even as waitress is the worst waittres i have ever expere in my life dont shop her awful sevice
(2)Rosalind C.
So, I used to think this place was reasonable. Being from California, I've missed good Mexican food so much that I sometimes find myself saying things like, "Maybe Chipotle really isn't that bad..." or things like that. And for a while, Cuzamil kept me from tearing my hair out when all I wanted was some greasy, hole in the wall Mexican food. Cuz when I say I want Mexican, that's what I want - not the fresh ingredient gourmet stuff that they serve at Cantina, but the greasy spoon stuff that is dirt cheap and is essentially what you are craving after a good night out on the town. I'm not talking foodie stuff here. Anyway, so Cuzamil used to satisfy that for me. But I went recently and man was that pretty bad. I ordered the enchiladas especiales, which were supposed to come with avocado salad (which is really the only reason I got it). What I got were two enchiladas that were gooey, tasteless, the tortilla was chewy and clearly stale... and no avocado salad. I asked about it, and the server came back and said they didn't have any avocado. So... lemme get this straight. You don't have a major ingredient, and you're not going to ask the patron if they want to change their order? AND you're going to charge them as though they got the entree they wanted, rather than two lifeless enchiladas, which are much cheaper? Someone's business radar was clearly broken. So, sure I'm a little bitter. But given that I wasn't super hot on this place before, this little incident ensures that I'm not going back again.
(2)Jeanne A.
Had lunch there today. We have eaten here in the past, but today was exceptional. Everything was delicious and amazing. I had the enchiladas verde... So fresh and the best verde sauce. The sope with chorizo was the highlight though. The corn cake tortilla was crisp on the outside but moist and delicious on the inside with the spicy chorizo on top. Soooo tasty. The food seems as if it has improved from prior visits. I was very impressed. I also feel I have to add this... I am not the owner of this restaurant or any restaurants.. Yes, recently some dumb ass yelper messaged me and accused me of owning one of the restaurants I reviewed. Their message was harassing and intimidating.. So I am not in the restaurant business so please don't message me! Thank you! Oh and I contacted Yelp and they did nothing about it!
(5)Emily H.
I tried the chiles rellenos again and the covering and sauces were both normal this time. Since chiles rellenos are my favorite, and they've learned how to make them right in the past 7 months, they get an extra star. However, they jacked up the prices and 2 chiles rellenos with rice and beans now costs an absurd $14.50. The food's good but entirely too expensive.
(3)Meredith B.
There's a few Cuzamils in every city - simple restaurants with very predictable Mexican food. There's nothing wrong with that, but there's nothing particularly exciting about it either. We were trying to go to Sababa, but it was closed for Passover, so we ducked in to Cuzamil instead. The interior is very simple - some decorative items and a TV. I didn't see any booths, only tables. Our server was really friendly and generally cheerful, so that was a big place. She recommended the Poblanos Chiles Rellenos, which I tried. They were pretty much what I expected - served very hot, with gooey cheese. The chicken was surprisingly good and pretty tender. The rice and beans on the side were hot. Our server got us some hot sauce which was much needed, as the dishes themselves didn't seem to have too much spice. My boyfriend got the chimichanga, which he enjoyed. The food was heavy, saucy, and cheesy - just what you expect from most Mexican-American restaurants. Prices were a bit higher than I'd hoped - the food is fine, but also uninspired and leaves a brick feeling in your tummy. Chips and salsa were pretty plain too - the salsa was sort of saucy, lacking the tasty tomato and pepper chunks that normally give it texture. Margaritas tasted okay but were very weak - I didn't even feel a buzz, which was a bummer! I'll give it three stars since the server was so nice, and there was nothing wrong with the food, it was pretty much average across the board. It's a good place to have in the neighborhood if you get a Mexican craving. Still, it's places like this that make me long for the taquerias and fresh, authentic Mexican food you can find in Chicago.
(3)J D.
Went here because we had a groupon. Not opposed to going back, but would not make a special trip for to get there. Chips seemed to be out of a bag, the salsa was tomatoes and salt--and a very small portion at that. Entree portions were large, hot and tasty. I had the chilequiles, and had no complaints. The chicken was done well and the sauce was nice and spicy like I like it. Hubby had sampler of enchiladas, no complaints. Daughter had veggie plate #4, and she thought it was good. That's it, good--not great--no complaints! Wait staff was very nice!
(2)Sarah R.
Really overpriced, flavorless Mexican food. It was still edible... and there was a lot of food... but blegh. The pico de gallo was the only thing I actually remembered liking. The meat was really rubbery and overseasoned, and the beans and such seemed like they came out of a can. Maybe it's because I've been spoiled by the uber cheap, hole-in-the-wall mexican places elsewhere in the U.S... where the servers barely speak English. Our server was super nice though.. :T I just know I won't go back, which makes me sad.. I would like to support all of my neighborhood's businesses.
(1)Jessica A.
Wow. And this is by no means a good wow. Went there with the boyfriend today and have to say Cuzamil did do something extraordinary. It won the award for the absolute worst "Mexican" food I have ever put in my mouth. We went on a lazy Sunday afternoon, around 1:30, and we saw that they had some lunch specials. I told my boyfriend that I wanted to try Mexican food in Pittsburgh because since I've been here...I haven't seen any. The standard chips and salsa was blah. The tortilla chips seemed (days?) old and were really cold. The salsa was decent. My boyfriend ordered the pork carnita tacos and I am a huge fan of chili rellenos, and so I wanted to test them out here. Big effin mistake. A chili relleno (although there are variations of the rule) is a pablano pepper, with an egg battered crust, stuffed with cheese and meat. This was an abomination of a chili relleno...a defected, ugly step-brother, if you will. Instead, what I got was a thin slice of a GREEN BELL PEPPER, with a greasy, yellow mound of ground beef, and a 3 inch hunk of melted white cheese on top. It was sitting, along with my rice and canned re-re-refried bean, on a pool of yellow grease. Don't go there. I beg of you. My boyfriend and I made jokes after we left about how our stomachs were really mad at us and just wanted to be left alone for a while. *Note - When paying the check I asked the waitress if the owner was Mexican. She happily explained that he was and so was the kitchen staff. This pretty much says that they indeed know how to make proper food, but don't. Probably because they know people won't notice or complain. Or because the guy is really, really cheap. Blah.
(1)Gretchen N.
I had been wanting to try Cuzamil for a while, considering I live right up the road. My husband and I went there during the week, and the place was pretty much empty. When we FINALLY got served I could see why. This was the first "mexican" restaurant I have been to that charges you for additional chips and salsa. I ordered a taco sampler, and was extremely excited to see tongue as a option. 2 out of the 3 tacos were bland, and the tongue taco was extremely chewy, meaning it hadn't been cooked properly. We both ordered margaritas and were given what tasted like a glass of margarita mix that someone forgot to add tequila to. I can understand how any restaurant can have a bad night, but i think Robert Irvine should be called in to redo this place or another restaurant should take the space. Will not be going back because there is much better mexican in Pittsburgh than this place.
(1)Matt C.
Cuzamil is OK. The food, the selection, the service, the ambiance, and pretty much everything about the place is not bad, but not fantastic either. If you want Mexican food and are in the area, you can walk in unafraid, but it's not worth a separate trip.
(3)A B.
Much better. A few months ago I wrote a review about this place and was not very complimentary, but they have greatly improved. I don't know if they got a new cook or what, but the food and the service are leaps and bounds better than when I wrote my previous review. Give them a chance!
(4)Elizabeth M.
If you can overlook the horrendous service and lack of ambiance, the food is quite decent. Not somewhere to write home about, but still some pretty good food.
(2)Michael H.
My wife and I went there for lunch today (only open for lunch on Saturdays). The server was friendly and checked on us regularly. I found the prices to be on the high side for the quality of the food (entrees 10-18, no lunch menu). We got the Nachos Cuzamil (with chicken) and the Poblano Chile Rellenos (with pork). The Nachos were disappointing: the chicken was somewhat dry, they forgot the guacamole, and the chips were overdone in spots. When we asked for the guacamole, they brought a small bowl. I found the guac to be passably tasty, but weird. It was thin and had an odd color (not bright green, as I would expect). Maybe heavy on the onion and with some tomatillo in there? Hard to tell. The chile rellenos, however, were outstanding. The pork was succulent, the chiles were tasty, the sauce was tangy and delicious, and the accompanying rice and beans were good. The portion was big enough that we probably could have just split that entree and foregone the nachos. All in all, the place seemed good, but a bit uneven. The discrepancy between the nachos and the rellenos was striking, but we will definitely return.
(4)Keri K.
it could be that I was extra hungry but I thought the food here was okay. the price of the meals is a little high so split between 2 people and after chips and salsa, it should be plenty. it's not my favorite mexican (far from it) but it's a cute place with a kick back atmosphere (the bar area). they should have a happy hour to lower some prices on beers and appetizers. oh and pass on the guacamole dip (not good).
(3)Jenn T.
I really, truly like this spot for legit Mexican food. I know it's not the easiest thing to come by in Pittsburgh, and even tougher if you're sticking to the city limits, but Cuzamil hasn't disappointed me yet. Our first visit was actually the daring decision of going to a tiny little Mexican spot on Cinco de Mayo last year. Natually, it was packed to overflowing, but everything about our trip was excellent. The service has always been great, even when we were elbow-to-elbow with our fellow Cinco-de-Mayo-ers. Any time there was a delay in our food reaching us, we were informed, and the servers were on top of refills (of drinks and chips) to tide us over. And there's something about their homemade margarita pitchers that gets me each time. There's that tiny bit of bite in each sip that separates it from the average margarita. I do fear that I get the same thing every time I go here, which is the chicken quesadilla. It's gigantic, and comes with the little Mexican food salad (the shredded lettuce/sour cream/guac/pico mix), beans, and rice. It's easily enough for my meal and leftovers the next day, and I like getting that value for my money. I always want to try other things that catch my eye on the menu, but I seem to keep coming back to this massive quesadilla. The chips and salsa are homemade as well, and on our latest visit, we tried the appetizer platter that came with mozzarella sticks. I know cheese sticks are not really what come to mind when you hear "Mexican food," but they had a little bit of zest to them that made it okay in my book. There was something reminiscient of the composition of the fresh, crispy homemade chips in the cheese stick breading. Each time we've gone, the service has been great. On Cinco de Mayo, everyone dining at the restaurant got to pick trinkets out of a bag of Tecate swag. I got one of those little dresses for your beer bottle, in the design of a traditional Mexican poncho (with Tecate emblazoned across the front, of course). It's the little details like that, plus the top-notch service and delicious food that keeps me coming back. Also, look for deals in Clipper magazine or Groupon. They don't count for the margaritas, but everything else on the menu is fair game!
(4)Ryan R.
Rice and cheese. That's basically what I got when I ordered my meal. It was supposed to be a burrito. Instead, I got a tortilla opened with a miniscule amount of meat inside and a plethora of rice and cheese (not even good cheese, at that). The chips were cold but the salsa was room temperature (not sure if that's how people eat it, but usually it's the other way around). The prices were also confusing, as I had expected most of the meals to be under $10. Alas, I was hard-pressed (read: not able) to find any meal under $12 and that was for a meal that was leaning towards an appetizer. The only happy experience my mouth--and wallet--had was that the waiter forgot to charge me for my Dos Equis.
(2)Britney C.
Classic mexican place, Not too different from the others but i did notice their bar seating was a little weird. the chairs were either too tall for the bar or the bar was too tall for the chairs. We sat at a normal table that seated four. The table top was made of complete beer bottle caps which i thought was very unique. I've never seen that in a restaurant or bar before so i thought it was pretty interesting. The food here was decent, tasted like similar places I've been too but nothing unfamiliar. I did enjoy their burritos more than usual, i thought they were bigger than most places. I always love the sides in mexican dishes. My favorite is the rice and refried beans. i wish they would have given us larger tortillas when my hubby order the fajita platter but i guess smaller portions help you control more of what you eat. The one good thing about this place was the Margaritas. They make a delicious classic margarita but I wasn't too thrilled about the price. they offer about 3 to 4 different sizes and almost 5 varieties of flavors. I go lemon lime because i was never too thrilled with strawberry or watermelon. This little place is along the strip in squirrel hill on Murray Ave. If you go up the hill it's on your right and if your going down, it's on the left. If you stop by here try the margarita it's absolutely great!!
(4)Heather G.
Went for lunch as I was craving a taco. The hard shell was stale and I wasn't impressed with the rest of it. The salsa that comes out had no flavor, it seemed to just tomatoes. Booooring and tasteless. I will probably not be going back to see if it was a bad day as stale hard taco shells and flavorless salsa at a Mexican joint seems like blasphemy! This is sad face in the flesh. :(
(1)Tamia H.
I'm surprised this restaurant has gotten such a low rating! My brother and I came here for a late lunch and the food was hot and very well seasoned. I can't remember what my brother ordered, but I got one of the combination platters. I enjoyed my taco. I sampled the other food on my plate, which was also good but the taco filled me up and I took the rest home. Service was great and I recommend coming here for good Mexican food.
(4)Kelsey R.
I had heard some really great things about this place and was excited to check it out. Overall, I was disappointed. The food was okay (I've experienced far better - seemed a lot like "American Mexican") - but the service was awful. Our waitress couldn't keep anything straight, and was also super awkward. I don't think I'll be coming back - you can find better food and definitely better service.
(2)Megan M.
My boyfriend and I eat here often. We love the food and margaritas! I recommend the veggie super quesadillas. Cindy and her family are very friendly!
(5)Darae C.
Not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but it's better than Taco Hell. There were two servers working the dining room. The woman server was fantastic and very attentive. The male server seemed more interested in doing literally everything else besides waiting on our table. My dining companion got the shrimp fajitas. For my meal I chose al pastor, carnitas, and beef tongue. The al pastor was phenomenal, the beef tongue had good beef flavor but literally no seasoning whatsoever on it, and the carnitas were horrible. Not only was the pork flavorless, but it was dried out to the point of shards. Not delicious shredded pork, but SHARDS OF MEAT. Highly unacceptable. The only reason I didn't send the item back was because it took about 40 minutes for our order to come out and there was no way I was going to wait for them to fix it. Oh, and this place uses flour tortillas, iceberg lettuce, and cheese in their tacos. Not authentic and will never order again. Shrimp fajitas were solid. Shrimp was a little overdone but had a good sauce on them (a bit too saucy, but my dining partner liked it). Rice was a dry and but the refried beans were decent. I still can't tell if the salsa was made fresh or not. If not, then it was pretty tasty jarred stuff. Id try this place again but certainly wouldn't go out of my way to make it a priority. It has potential, it just seems to need to work out some kinks in service and food prep.
(2)Dave G.
Ate there with a friend and we both experienced symptoms of food poisoning the next day.
(1)Anneke S.
For Pittsburgh I am giving this four stars, there isn't much for mexican food here and that ain't lyin. I got the stuffed Pico de Gallo and it was yummy, also tasted the Chimichunga platter mmmm no problems with flavoring. Way more authentic than Mad Mex, For example I cannot even find Pico De Gallo on most menus at "mexican restaurants" here let alone a whole pepper stuffed. The portions are huge but they suffice, the service was good a little slow on gettin gour checks. Margaritas were not great stick with beer. I am not sure why all the bad Yelp reviews? I mean there are actual brown people working here, its a mexican restaurant and yes Pittsburgh sometimes brown people have accents.
(4)Deborah G.
I can't say this place is bad because it's not. It's just not that good, either. We had the steak tacos and the chicken mole yesterday and it was just "meh." Edible but that's about it. I will say that the medium Margarita was pretty big and tasty and the mohito I had was really good. The service was relatively good but the food was just uninspired. I don't think we'll go back.
(2)Julie U.
We all got food poisoning. We ordered sopas, burritos, and tamales. None of us shared our food.
(1)Sal G.
It was a late night and the wait staff let us in. I was really happy to come across a Mexican restaurant that was so close. I was a bit apprehensive due to the 2-1/2 star rating, but the excessive traffic due to tunnel closings made my normal go-to-Mexican restaurant out of the question. We were promptly seated and ordered the following. White Cheese Dip Tacos de Carne Asada: no pico de gallo; no rice Steak Quesadilla Chorizo Quesadilla Taco: meat and cheese only We were brought the obligatory salsa and chips and told by the server that the white cheese dip was out. No big deal, we will deal without. We were happy they let us in. I tried some of the chips and salsa and was a tad put off by the fact that the salsa tasted like it was made without love. There was garlic powder in the salsa. Who uses dried spices in salsa? Not only was there garlic powder, there was TOO MUCH garlic powder. I decided to wait on the entrees to arrive. When our entrees arrived, I was happy to see that the food looked appealing. I was sad that there was lettuce on the tacos de carne asada, but that was my own fault for not paying attention. I put some tomatillo sauce on and ate one of them. I was not excited. The meat was very greasy and flavorless. The tomatillo sauce tasted like it just came out of a bottle. I took a bite of the beans and they were undercooked; they were slightly crunchy. I was not having a good time. I tried some of the chorizo quesadilla and was hit by an overwhelming amount of cumin and paprika -- not a good chorizo. I decided to finish my tacos de carne asada and move on. The best tasting part of the meal was the beef from the taco, but it was not very vibrant and it tasted like the seasoning that comes from the grocery store. I really wanted to like Cuzamil due to it's proximity, but it just doesn't work. In the future, I will go to Gran Agave when tasting Tex-Mex or Mexican and Los Cabos when tasting Cali-Mex. Both of these other restaurants give you more food, greater and better flavor, and are lighter on the pocketbook. I won't return.
(1)Jonathan P.
Not sure if we just went on an off night or what but service was pretty slow. Some friends and I went and waited over an hour for food. Friends ordered vegetarian fajitas and you could clearly tell the food had been sitting out for a while. Tops were cold. They also didn't bring what seemed like enough tortillas for their food, and were going to charge extra for them! I had soft tacos and there wasn't really much to them. Overall I wasn't impressed and despite so many good reviews I've had a bad experience and won't be coming back anytime soon.
(1)Paul D.
Tried this place on the way home tonight , Food was ok . Nothing to recommend , I got the combo plate and you have to pick what you want on your plate and what type of meat. Kinda cool I guess. The wait was very very long and the food was not what I had ordered. Our waitress was attentive and friendly so I gave her a good tip. I'm just not impressed . I agree with Monigue B. ( " Better than Taco Hell " )
(3)Courtney W.
This was the WORST experience ever. I purchased a Groupon for a lunch special and the waitress refused to honor it. She told me that I was required to have 2 people present in order to redeem the voucher---this was not true. The voucher said that I needed to order 2 entrees. It said nothing about needing 2 people. She was stubborn, ignorant of the Groupon deal, and unwilling to serve me. I reported the restaurant to Groupon, and they said that they have reported the incident internally. A review may be underway if other Groupon customers have additional unsavory experiences. I obviously can't tell you about the food, but the service was really awful! Buyers beware!
(1)Edouard M.
The food is eatable, although it tends to fall heavily on your stomach. Fairly mediocre overall, although not disgusting. But why, why do the waiters feel the need to clean the table in the small space with very strong cleaning products while you are eating? why? This says a lot about the way they view the quality of their own food.
(2)Lydia M.
Ok, TWO DOLLAR TACOS TUESDAYS. So. That's awesome. I've been here a couple of times and am always really pleased. I saw a review that mentioned dry spices/garlic powder, and I have not experienced that. There has always been fresh cilantro and I've noticed finely chopped garlic, so I'm sure that isn't the case. My favorite non, soft-flour taco is def teh verde enchiladas. Oddly enough I've paid twice amount for enchiladas at Verde and been sorely disappointed, so Cuzamil wins that round. Not that they are at all comparable atmosphere wise. Cuzamil is a slightly divey and homey feeling, they have pretty good selection of tequila but it is hardly displayed in any logical way. The classic margaritas are 5 bucks and made with fresh squeezed lime juice, we watched her juice the limes right there at the bar. Really good stuff. I wish I lived closer bc a two dollar taco and 5 dollar margarita is pretty much my ideal weeknight dinner and all the servers are super friendly. They disappear sometimes but they always come back in a reasonable amount of time. I'm glad it's sticking on the end of Murray that has a high turnover.
(4)Jessica V.
Horrible service and food..and they ran out of beans and tortilla.and your a mexican restaurant.
(1)Shawn M.
Had a groupon, but still not worth it. Service was bad, fly in the margherita, and the food was cold and tasteless.
(1)Jill G.
Terrible experience there today. I got our food to go, and it was packaged improperly. Refried beans got all over everything-- everything in the same bag and my vehicle. The lettuce on the tacos de carne asada was cooked, and the chorizo cheese dip was atrocious. The container was quite literally half filled with orange grease. It was disgusting. It's sitting, uneaten, on my counter right now, and I paid $4 for said dip. Finally, most of the food was too salty to eat. I was never head-over-hills for this place, but now I will never go again.
(1)Amy R.
New Year's Eve and not busy at all. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Turned out to be a good thing! Take this with a grain of salt (and a margarita, if you wish), but I don't go to many Mexican restaurants so I may not be the best to ask...but I liked it! The sangria was great, and my friend had a margarita, which he said he enjoyed. I got the taco platter - which I customized into 2 carnita hard tacos and 1 ground beef hard taco. I don't like rice and beans (which is why I frequent Mexican restaurants so little...as that is their 'go to' side) so I asked if I could substitute out for corn bread or fries. After telling me 'no' (sadface), she wound up bringing fries after all! (ok, so they were fries at a Mexican restaurant: not that good...but they were better than beans!) The tacos were very good. I was especially surprised that the ground beef wasn't greasy and runny, which is the case of nearly every other ground beef taco I've eaten (both at restaurants and homemade...I don't know how beef just seems to absorb grease and then leak out onto your arm as you eat it). The carnitas beef was good too. My tacos were just great - I'd say some of the best I've ever had. My husband got the California burrito, which I was eyeing up because it came with a side of cornbread. Because I'm his wife and he can't hate me forever, I helped myself to some of it and it was also very good. Cornbread is something I do know, and I know Mad Mex's cornbread is wet, blue (?!) and gloppy. THIS was some good cornbread. Overall, great experience, and a low-key restaurant for a quiet New Year's Eve. I would definitely go again!
(4)M K.
The food is good, especially for Pittsburgh. It is located conveniently on Murray. The owners are nice people. I was frequenting their restaurant a lot after getting conned once stopped going there. It is usually the owner's wife serving herself but the last time I went there they had a new waitress. We were two people ordered 13 dollarish dishes each and two non-alcoholic beverages like Coke. We had a 40 dollar bill that came to us, but I could not remember what the exact prices were. We were like maybe it is with the tax and stuff. I asked her to double-check the charges she just smiled and brought it back. So, we payed it plus the tip. But I felt like this should not be what it costs and checked their menu online and I was right. Who enjoys being conned like that? Although I like their food, it happened to be last time I went there...
(2)October R.
I really enjoy the tortilla soup, it's pretty simplistic but oh so tasty. I usually order off of the a la carte menu - I'm a huge fan of stuffed pablano peppers sometimes they're overly greasy, but other times they are done just right...I will admit that this place lacks consistency but the personable staff, chill atmosphere, and the chihuahua cheese keep us coming back.
(3)Andre B.
Certainly not the best Mexican food I have ever tried. Both my partner and I ordered vegetarian entrees and drinks. For the quality that they churn out I would expect a bit lesser cost. The chips were good. Hot and salty with fresh (I think) salsa. It was a good start but it sort of ended there. The fajita could have been better. The veggies were mostly peppers and onions. It was hot but it was also a bit too greasy for my tastes. The rice and beans were a bit dry (possibly undercooked beans) and the rice seems to have been out a bit too long. The burrito was also a bit bland. Copious amounts of hot sauce were needed to eat it. Perhaps the ingredients weren't fresh? Perhaps it was an off night? The drinks, although expensive, were strong and well mixed. In hindsight, I would have been better off going to Chipotle...
(2)JBaby S.
Great location, horrible food, nothing here made us happy. Worst chips ever, artificial margarita, bland food Mexican food my ass! Patron and Emiliano's are much better, so is Taco Bell
(1)Ed C.
Had a groupon so we checked this out. It was the best Mexican food we have had in Pittsburgh, but it was too expensive. Most of the dishes were $12-14, which feels like too much for basic Mexican food, at least to me. If it was a few dollars cheaper, we'd be regulars.
(3)Laurel B.
My boyfriend and I come here all the time, and the service is always friendly. One of my favorite things to get is the enchiladas con mole. I always get one chicken, one bean, and one cheese. All are great, and the sauce is delicious! I have also recently been getting the fajitas, which are different than the standard fajitas that I'm used to. The filling is mixed with a tasty tomato sauce that's a nice change. Overall, this is one of my favorite places to go to in Squirrel Hill, and I heartily recommend it!
(5)Jordana M.
Too bad one does not have the option for NEGATIVE stars. Eat here if you are a masochist. The service was horrific. Our drinks were never refilled. I ordered 1 bar drink, an Almond Peach Margarita which was stunningly made improperly. It was saturated mainly with Peach Schnapps. It resembled a drink someone who knew nothing about bartending would conjure up. Next was the CUZAMIL PLATTER. For 16.95 one gets the experience of Chef Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmare experience prior to the makeover. None of the food had ANY taste to it. If one wanted to make these items and left them sit in the fridge for 10 days, threw it in the broiler, laden with grease it would recreated this wretched experience. If my husband and I don't get food poisoning I will be shocked. The fascinating aspect of this memorable experience was when the waiter (and I use this word lightly) came to remove my plates. He asked if I wanted my food wrapped as I barely eat it. My response was "Absolutely not. I forced myself to eat as much as I could so I won't be hungry later. This food was horrific." His response was "okay, so your ready for the check." Nuff said. The best part about this experience was leaving the restaurant.
(1)Sara C.
I really enjoy Cuzamil. The service is always fast and friendly and their portions (in general) are pretty big. My only criticism would be the missing meat. As I said, the portions are big, but if you open up the tortillas, you can see the severe lack of actual meat contained within. Overall, I think they are really trying and they have improved each of the three time I've gone over the past year or so. I'd say if you're skeptical, wait for the inevitable Groupon (they do them a lot) and use that to at least give them a chance.
(4)Iliana C.
Good food. As close to authentic as you will get in this city. Decently priced. It's been a grueling time trying to find a place with decent Mexican food. In California this would be considered "eh" but in Pittsburgh it will suffice to fix my Mexican food craving (sorry Pittsburgh but mad Mex shouldn't even be allowed to put itself in the Mexican category). This place is a lot warmer and friendlier on the inside. I walked by this place all the time but never bothered going in until yesterday. I do not recommend ordering the guacamole (it doesn't even look like it's made out of avocados). The chips are store bought. The fruit put into the sangria tastes like one of those little fruit cups. I had the carnitas plate (rice and beans and meat were all delish). My girlfriend had the vegetarian burritos and said they were both delicious. If you're vegan or vegetarian I would def recommend this place since the menu explicitly states all their rice, beans, and tortillas are vegetarian. I'll def be going back when I get a little home sick for Mexican food.
(3)