Maria's Restaurant Inc — Restaurant in Bonita Springs

My rating focuses on the fancy ALL-NATURAL MARGARITAS (and MASTER MAKER behind the bar) which I tried for the first time on Taco Tuesday last week. They're a bargain given the labor that goes into each drink! ...so patience people. It may be disappointing he doesn't have more help behind the bar, but that's the way it seems to be everywhere at the moment. ...

Will wonders never cease! Just blocks from home, a suite of boutique all-natural to-go margueritas. Tiered pricing, very democratic, reflects the quality of the choice liquors going into the flavor of your choice. I got the mid-tier cucumber for $10, not the extra fancy cucumber for $12. He'd just made the two-ingredient (no water, just cukes and sugar) simple-syrup. I could smell super fresh cucumber from 5 ft away as he was pouring it from a vat, at opening time. My drink wasn't too cucumber-y at all!! It was kinda smoky and complex, just like he said. In a styrofoam cup. Suitable for wandering south on Old 41 for a block, to sit on an artsy bench and appreciate the Banyan tree, and dedicate yourself to preserving the best of Old Bonita.

My $1 tacos were okay, but really appreciate the fresh lime to squeeze and liberal cilantro! And they're only $1 each! I seem to enjoy (the meat in) them better some days than others, which is the way I feel about the restaurant too. I used to frequently get take out Enchiladas Mole, a dish I found superior to one or two others I tried, but I'm pretty picky when it comes to meat, and honestly I don't have recent experience with their main menu.

Surely this next issue is not generally true, or others would mention it, but on one occasion YEARS AGO, the restaurant had a very strong smell of Pine-Sol or floor-mopping products, which I find extremely distasteful while eating, so I exclusively get takeout. Expect a very long line on Taco Tuesday, and just enjoy the atmosphere while you're waiting, or get a to-go margarita at the bar and go back in line!!

Parking for shops/restaurants near the intersection of Old 41 and Terry Street is rough during peak hours! ... but great parking nearby. BEST PARKING would be South and East of Maria's. Liberal recessed parking spots on many side streets: Wilson St the closest, 4 min walk, 0.2 miles south of Maria's; or Reynolds St a block south of Wilson). See also big open lots, eg, NE quadrant of Wilson and Old 41 (but this is slated for development - boohoo), that are south of Maria's and the Imperial River, and east of Old 41. Another lot at the SE quadrant of Ragsdale St & Felts Ave (0.5 mi, 10 min walk). Then take a short walk to Maria's. Be wise about the parking challenge in the small busy lot to the left of the restaurant and behind it. You're screwed if you're going to need to back out onto Old 41, given the usual traffic, fast moving cyclists on sidewalks, and plenty of...

I really wanted to love Maria’s. When my partner and I first visited, we had an amazing time—the live music, the bartenders, the food—it all felt like a hidden gem. Naturally, we came back for Taco Tuesday, excited for another great experience. Unfortunately, that’s when things took a turn.

before i begin, this place desperately needs a proper POS system. They only have a few Square readers, and the employees do all the math in their heads, which is extremely concerning—especially when money is involved. And in our case, it led to a major overcharge:

We ordered 12 tacos: 3 steak ($3 each), 3 al pastor, 4 chorizo, and 2 chicken ($1 each). Our total should have been $18, but the woman taking our order told us it was $38. We didn’t question it in the moment, we just paid, tipped, and enjoyed our night. The next day, we were talking about it and realized—wait, we were overcharged by $20.

I called the restaurant immediately. The man I spoke to did the math and confirmed: “Yeah, your total should have been $18. I’ll have ‘her’ call you tomorrow.” That call never came.

I followed up the next week and got the runaround—“She’s in and out, it’s hard to catch her,” they said. When I finally asked who she was, I was told it was the owner. I was welcome to call back, they said. So, I did.

This time, the same man from my first call answered, but now the story had changed. “No one called you??” he asked, surprised. Then, suddenly, my total was correct—except the order he read back wasn’t even mine. He also claimed I paid with American Express (I paid with my Chase debit card). After a lot of back and forth, I reminded him of my actual order. That’s when he said, “Ahhhh… it must have been the toppings.”

I get it—extras cost more. But when I asked how adding sour cream and avocado to six tacos could possibly add $20 to my bill, his math changed again. “Oh no, actually your total should’ve been $26.”

At this point, I wasn’t even upset about the money—I just wanted them to make it right. Offer a credit, acknowledge the mistake, something. Instead, he asked for the last four digits of my card to verify the transaction… and then? Silence. It’s been three weeks since my visit. Three weeks since my first call. Nothing.

I really wanted to support this place. When we moved to Bonita and found Maria’s, we were so excited to make it a go-to spot. But after this experience, it’s clear they don’t care about their customers. We gave them three weeks to make things right, and they ignored us. Unfortunately, we won’t be back.

There are other great places nearby with live music, good food, and honest service. Next time, we’ll be taking our business there.

photo is from our...

!!!PLEASE READ!!! My family and I had the absolute worst experience in this restaurant. We walked in, ordered two waters and the waiter brought us chips to begin with. 30 minutes went by and we noticed that another family had just walked in, ordered, and had received their food only after waiting about 10-15 minutes. They were already eating and we were still waiting after 45 minutes. Allow me to mention as well that my family and I are Hispanic and the family who walked in were white. We felt a little out of place due to the fact that we were the only Hispanics in the restaurant and we could feel the difference in treatment we were receiving. After waiting for so long with not once anyone asking if we were ok or telling us how much longer we’d have to wait, we decided to leave. The waiter then said that he was going to have to charge us for the chips and two waters. He charged us 15 dollars for chips and two waters! At this time we decided to ask for the manager. The manager then came out and approached us in a very rude manner. After we mentioned how long we had been waiting and the fact that people who walked in after us were already eating, he asked us how long we wanted to wait and said that there were other people he needed to take care of because we were not the only ones. We understood that but we waited 45 minutes and people who walked in after us were already eating. No one had the decency to apologize. Instead, we were mistreated and the manager was very disrespectful and impolite. When speaking to him, he never once made eye contact with us. Overall, the service was horrible and it’s so sad that the color of your skin or humble appearance will determine the kind of treatment...