Okay Maguey — Restaurant in Phoenix

UPDATED RESPONSE TO OKAY MEGUEY BELOW:

Where to begin... these businesses are out of control trying to charge people $4 for 1 little miniature taco. It is absolutely insane to charge that much, even crazier to pay that more than once. We've lived in this neighborhood for roughly 18 years, and these restaurants are getting more absurd as time goes by. We had high hopes for this place, but sadly, we were let down and won't be returning. The service was pretty decent, the waitress got us drinks and took our order fairly quickly (place is pretty small and it wasn't too busy) But it's not that hard to do when there's absolutely nothing else for the waitress to bring while you wait, for what seemed like a long time for your food. No chips, no salsa, no bread, absolutely nothing to chew on that was included as a paying customer while you wait. Fine, lots of places do that. The difference between those other places and this one, is that maybe you don't get something to snack on while you wait, but the meal they bring you includes chips, fries, beas, rice, bread or something other than just a plain $14 burrito or 3 tacos for $12 (no drink). Between my family and I, the bill came out to $71 + tip, which we left, of course. Let me back up, tho, because 2 burritos and 6 tacos with 4 drinks must taste absolutely fantastic for $71. Right!? Well, truth be told, we all have different taste buds, and it's difficult to really judge food for everyone's taste. But I'll say this. The food absolutely 💯% was NOT worth $71. Seems like people really like to positively over inflate their reviews because they know the owners/employees or they're the first ones to try the new place, but it looks like thats what happened here. Does this place have the potential to survive the ever growing PV area? Absolutely, the food wasn't horrible, just VERY overpriced! For what they want to charge, we should have gotten beans and rice with our burrito and tacos or chips with salsa while we waited for our food. Had that been included, then I would have said, ok... I can see why they want to charge a high premium, but that's not the case here. There is a restaurant that is located in a super high-end location area in Scottsdale that I go to often (way out of my area). I can get free fresh chips and salsa, 2 tacos with delicious authentic fresh rice and beans, and a drink for 4 of us and walk out paying roughly $60-$65 with tip included! My point is, I'm not trying to ruin your business but your asking prices are asinine for what you're offering customers, PERIOD!

EDIT: Response to greedy owner in denial.

Sir, I've had plenty of authentic Mexican food in Aguascalientes, Torreon, Distrito Federal, Juarez, Puerto Vallarta, and a couple of more that are skipping my mind. It's been years since, but not one of them had these ridiculous prices with crummy little portions. And NOT 1 of those places in Mexico used canned corn, authentic artesanal Mexican food, please. You sir, can deflect and try to discredit me all you want. I rate every location I visit as I see it or if the service is lacking. Not all are 1 rating, you choose to notice and mention only those, scroll through, and there are plenty of better places to eat. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean I'm wrong, and that's why you don't like the feedback. Your food and portions weren't good enough to justify the inflated price,...

On a recent Saturday, I stepped into Okay Maguey!, a charming Mexican spot nestled in a bustling strip mall. Immediately, the relaxed atmosphere felt inviting, blending traditional Mexican aesthetics with contemporary flair. The vibrant decor, highlighted by a colorful mural and spacious, open layout, added a modern touch reminiscent of upscale establishments like The Mission, without losing its casual charm. Although beautifully designed, the overly bright lighting somewhat diminished its potential as the ultimate cozy spot for stoner-friendly dining.

Service was a standout. The staff, particularly our bartender Fernando, were attentive, genuinely warm, and well-versed in both the drink and food menus, enhancing our dining experience with thoughtful recommendations.

Okay Maguey!'s menu thoughtfully showcases regional Mexican cuisine, offering dishes ranging from ceviche to gourmet tacos. The food strikes an appealing balance—elevated above typical Mexican eateries, yet approachable and reasonably priced. This successful formula mirrors classics like AZ88, focusing on solid cuisine, good value, and a welcoming environment.

Our meal began with ceviche, fresh and vibrant but lacking some complexity. The standout was the Huarache Maguey, featuring fresh tortillas topped generously with NY steak, beans, salsa verde, salsa roja, sour cream, cilantro, onion, and queso fresco—a hearty, flavorful dish. Among the tacos, the Chuleta Al Tocino was exceptional, blending pork chop with finely chopped, house-made bacon in a flour tortilla au gratin. Other tacos, such as the Al Pastor and Gobernador, were enjoyable but less memorable.

Desserts provided pleasant surprises. The churros, crisp yet doughy and paired perfectly with fresh ice cream, quickly became favorites. However, the flan, although nicely textured, leaned excessively on eggy flavors.

Overall, the dishes were consistently fresh, well-presented, and flavorful, though a few could benefit from bolder seasoning. Pricing at Okay Maguey! is notably fair, aligning well with the quality of ingredients and exceptional service provided.

In sum, Okay Maguey! is a vibrant culinary haven, offering fresh, creatively prepared Mexican dishes in an atmosphere that combines contemporary style with traditional warmth. Despite minor flavor refinements needed and overly bright lighting, its strong points in service, food quality, and value earn it a commendable 4.5 out of 5, with optimism for future...

Fast serve with some interesting food options, in the sense it's a bit like a nice sit down but in a fast serve package.

The Good; food very tasty with hints of citrus, vinegar and smoked chili in the unique red salsa that is not otherwise spicy. The green salsa is spicy with more typical green salsa flavor, the red is uniquely delicious.

The not so good: parking and getting through Chick Fil A traffic. Not their fault but it's a factor during busy times. Also, the meat interesting he gringa pork taco was way too thin and stingy, which need to be improved. Tastes good, way too little of it though, literally looks like one thing sliced piece of deli meat. They can fix this quickly by adding a second slice to give value. See pics. The other dishes had a fair amount of meat to cost ratio.

Gives a nice balance of upper scale type food options while allowing for a quick lunch pick up. Staff friendly, lots of talking in Spanish which is a good sign in a Mexican restaurant. Space is clean, well lit, bright decor with ubiquitous Frida Kahlo mural on the wall. Open kitchen.

PARKING. Take note this is right near a Chick Fil A which means ingress and egress can get annoying during busy times.

Came for lunch. Tacos are about $5 per but seem to be higher quality than the usual. Had the food recommended by server, so huaraches maguey with a gringo (pork) street taco and New York Maguey taco, the huaraches and NY are beef options. Total with 18% tip was about $26. Could get by with a couple tacos and drink for about $15 but like testing a range when doing reviews so went with recommendations.

Meat servings were generous except imthe gringa taco, per comment above.. Always a balance of good or too chewy when getting Carne asada. This had a small amount of chewy bits so mouth feel was pleasant and not too chewy.

If you want lots of food and more standard tastes Maskodres which I also reviewed beats this place out particularly in the value to meat ratio for street tacos. However, this place has some more refined and very tasty tweaks on flavor that beat out the more typical Mexican fast serves. It is slightly pricey for a filling lunch (because of meat ratio) but swings higher in atmosphere and quality befitting a sit down restaurant, so it's actually better value for Dinner than most places, so taking someone to dinner there is a good...