Restaurante Maria Corona — Restaurant in Juárez

Ok, first off, I'm not Mexican, but I've lived in LA, NYC, dated a couple of Latinas, visited a couple of SA countries, and went to Mexico numerous times. And I'm a major foodie. With those credentials, I have to say this was the best (def. top 3) Mexican meals, I've ever had!! Being situated in Cabo, I'm assuming most restaurants are tourist traps, but numerous locals (our resort concierge, multiple staff members, 2 friends, a local taxi driver) all praised this place!! The food is to die for and we had a party of 13 and I was starving so as soon as I saw their set menu for a group of 4-6, we just ordered 3 orders of that. It had all of their best menu (referring to other people's faves). The atmosphere was perfect, weather was amazing (luckily, since we were dining outdoors), and the live entertainment was really fun to watch but not too loud. However, the biggest positive experience was the service and hospitality. We originally had a 5:30pm reservation, but due to some of the elders and children that were running late, I had to call in at 4pm to push our reservation to 6:30pm. Then as we came out of the resort, apparently the LGBTQ+ pride parade had JUST started and it was complete gridlock. We were considering returning our cars and just walking to the restaurant, which was 1.2 miles away, but we couldn't because there was no way to turn back. I kept the floor manager (?) Azucena updated as time was ticking by and traffic wasn't moving. They kept the table for us all this time, despite it being a Saturday night and the outdoor area was full, except for our table. The first 1/3 of the party eventually got there around 7:45pm and the rest trickled in, and we didn't really start eating until 8:30pm. They were supposed to close at 10pm, but obviously our party went past that time, they didn't rush us out, and kept asking if we wanted anything else. I would have loved to have just stayed there under the stars, enjoying a bottle of wine some more, but we didn't want to keep the staff any longer than necessary. The entire staff and Azucena were amazingly gracious and we were so grateful for everything they've done for our...

PLEASE BE AWARE OF ITEMS THEY SELL YOU BUT NOT ON THE MENU!!!!!!!

One star to the overall ambience only! Food is VERY mediocre, very heavy and greasy, soup is very salty, straight up heavy chicken broth taste.

When we ordered guacamole as an appetizer, the guy brought up the entire set, including a cheese plate which was not on the menu. He told us it was the mexican way, fine. At the end he charged us seperately for the cheese plate for additional 400 pesos on top of our guac appetizer. Then he kept promoting their magarita, which was again not on the menu, and charged us 275 pesos! And then again for basic water for 120 pesos!

If everything above was our fault for not have double checked the price, then the later thing was definitely outrageous. After being tricked and paid double the price that ourselves ordered explicitly, we tipped 10% for pouring water for us. But the server came up to our face and said "YOU NEED TO TIP MIN 15% BECAUSE THAT'S THE MEXICAN WAY..."

At this point we had nothing to say,...

Unfortunately, the steak we ordered was not up to par - it was clearly frozen rather than freshly prepared, resulting in a tough, chewy texture that was less than ideal. The Grandmother chicken mole (chicken dish), which was bizarrely accompanied by chocolate, was also a disappointment. The combination of flavors simply did not work, and the overall dish was dry and lacking in taste.

However, there were a few redeeming qualities to the meal. The Mexican-style chips were quite good - thick cut, crispy, and with just the right amount of seasoning. And the pina colada we ordered was refreshing and well-made, providing a pleasant contrast to the less successful elements of the meal.

The service was attentive and efficient, with the staff providing a good level of attention without being overbearing. And the overall atmosphere of the establishment was pleasant, with a welcoming ambiance that made the dining experience more enjoyable despite the flaws...