MAMASITA — Restaurant in Melbourne

Mozie on to the top-end or as it’s known then Paris-end of Collins Street. Pass through an unassuming door with limited signage. It’s right next to the 7-Eleven you’ll find a stairway to the former Recorded Music Salon. However, these days, you’ll now find the self proclaimed innovative Mexican inspired (and secret-Melbourne’s local favourite restaurant) Mamasita.

Welcome to high end, high class and high quality guacamoliness. Let it be known, this a iconic restaurant and meeting point. It has a big reputation and if you live in Melbourne or surrounding areas, you need to visit at least once, even if only to tell the tale.

Seating is either high tables, at the bar with stools or standard tables and chairs. We opted for the window view liking straight out to the Collins Street tram stop. People watching is truly fascinating.

Like many restaurants, the menu has la carte or two “feed me” options with a $59 or $79pp options. After considerable discussion we opted to order directly from the menu and here’s my feedback…

The winning, and what I’d call the signature dish, for Mamasita is the Elote which without being disrespectful, is a simple sweet corn on a cob served on a skewer with chipotle mayo and finger-licking spice. I had corn kernels smeared all around my mouth and lodged in my teeth. I had corn bits hanging off my cheeks like a Picasso painting gone wrong. Not to mention, every beautiful bite sent grated cheese and salt flying in all deliciously ugly directions.

Up next, the Haus of Guacamole, Mamasita’s very own and highly popular avocado based recipe with mandatory tortillas. I cannot say one bad word about it. Obviously, on a side note, Mama doesn’t buy her avocados at the same awful supermarket I do. I can never find a ready to eat avo!!

Then out comes, unfortunately, my least favourite dish, the lime cured kingfish. In my novice view, the fish slices were cut too thick giving me more of a meatie texture than desired. I was also quite challenged to scoop up the flavoursome oil with a fork or use a tortilla chip as Bob the Builder digger.

Then redemption, the pièce de résistance, Mamasita’s famous hand pressed tacos in every variety. You get two per serve so it’s best to share and my ratings are: Fish taco 5/5, Braised Chicken taco 5/5, Crispy Pork Belly taco 4/5 and Sweet Potato 5/5.

Now it wouldn’t be a Mexican joint without a decent margarita and Mamasita has a few but my absolute favourite, rates off the chart, is the spicy Pina Picante complete with a cucumber and pepper garnish. Get into it.

It’s worth the trip. Just go, order whatever you want, and I guarantee you’ll walk out down those awful stairs, stuffed, like I did—wondering when you...

Visitor from Sydney here, visiting Melbourne quite often but usually have something quick and easy around Swanston/Flinders.

This time, decided to try this restaurant as many guide suggested and I feel I should try something that “Melbournian” have. Also, a great Mexican food should bring me back a good memory when I was in Cancun many years ago.

Sat at the bar as I came alone and really want to keep the table for a bigger party.

The staff were lovely and service was good although a bit annoying as two ladies sat beside me seem to chatting and playing with staffs most of the time, fair enough, they might be friend with them, or, they might be extrovert and socialise people which the bar is well accomodate them.

However, I feel like I wasn’t taken care well enough even though I just came here for a “nice” dinner, not sure if other customers at the bar feel the same or not. Also, the music quite loud which makes communication a bit struggle.

Then the food, here we come, the reasons for one star.

The menu wasn’t catered very well for non Mexican experts, come with various jargons and Spanish words. This might be good for upscaling the restaurant but it’s quite confusing and really have no idea how the food is (PS. English is my second language, it might be OK for others, I don’t know)

The food quantity is not that worth for the price tag. Your guys are a rip off. I feel like I have been scammed.

18 bucks for 2 very tiny tacos, 15 bucks for 2 very tiny wrap of grilled squid (?? I don’t know how to call as the menu issue, already mentioned), and 7 bucks for a tiny bowl of prickles and assortments. My initial plan to enjoy the nice meal here is over and I need to have some pizzas around Swanston Street after that to fill my stomach.

Anyway, the drink is OK and worth the price. The coconut milk with cinnamon is a good match and taste...

My company and I were very disappointed by our experience at Mamasita. I went there with two of my friends, we had two vegan degustations and the normal meat menu. We ordered our food a couple of minutes after 8pm. By 10:45pm the last dessert still hadn't come out. There were 5 courses, so the wait time in-between the courses were over 30 minutes (at one time we thought they just forgot about our order and asked if it's still coming). The food for the meat eater was fine, the vegan options were - in lack for a better word - sad. In one of the courses (two different kinds of "dips" with some sort of cracker) the non vegan dip was just taken out. Something similar was done to another course - overall just less variance in the food compared to the meat menu. The most disappointing part though was the main. It was a cauliflower steak, both of our steaks were burned and tasted smokey and bitter (it's pictured in the photo). We didn't eat more than a bite, the waiter came and asked us if there's something wrong, we told him it's burned and inedible, he just said: oh I'll bring out the desserts then. We didn't get an offer for the main to be replaced or recooked. The desserts took over another half an hour to come out, and only one of them came out (a second one arrived at our table but the waiter took it away and brought it to another table, we were very confused). The other two never came and shortly before 11 we had to leave (still hungry) as we had a reservation for drinks somewhere else. We obviously never thought we would spent three hours at the restaurant waiting for food so we had to leave and couldn't wait for the rest of the desserts to come out.

The cucumber cocktail was...