MADRE MEXICAN RESTAURANT & MEZCALERIA — Restaurant in Santa Clarita

We've been wanting to try it, Madre since they opened last year. We love, good, upscale, Mexican food, and our big fans of tequila and mezcal. As vegetarians, we were always a little suspect on what we could eat here. Their menu is helpful labeled with what is available vegetarian or with vegetarian options, but up until recently the main star of the show, their moles, didn't seem to have a vegetarian op after checking again we saw that their Verde mole now had a Vette and we thought OK let's go give it a try.

So we made a reservation, headed on in, we're seated relatively quickly in the main dining area, a lively space which had a live mariachi band playing throughout the evening. This was particularly nice. They weren't wandering from table to table, making it awkward for people, but treated as true performers in a performance space, without being intrusive.

We started with the widely raved about squash blossoms, and they lived up to our hopes and dreams, perfectly and lightly fried with delightful cheese on the inside, a really nice indulgent way to begin the meal.

I had the El Chapo Y Kate Cocktail which was beautiful and generous in size, not overly sweet and lasted me throughout the whole meal. My wife took one of their tequila recommendations, and despite it being a tequila, and not a Mezcal, it also had a smokiness to it and was a unique and perfect recommendation for her tastes. The amount of tequila and Mezcal available at this place is off the hook, and I definitely want to come back and try more.

The things we chose to order besides the squash blossoms were OK, we tried the Mole Verde with its vegetarian option meaning they didn't serve it with fish, but put various vegetables like squash inside it. It was fine, kind of tasty, but as it was a Verde Molé, it was a little more, unique offering than a classic mole experience which we kind of wanted. Unfortunately, none of their other classic dark moles are vegetarian, all made with a meat or chicken stock of some kind. We were also disappointed that the price for this stayed the same since we essentially didn't have a protein on it, it was awfully expensive for what we got.

We also had the vegetarian version of their Tlayuda Doblada which normally comes with a few different kinds of meat in it, but is available vegetarian… Some kind of communication issue with the kitchen had them send it out to us with only vegetables and cheese in it as opposed to the black bean paste that we were hoping for. In the end, it was impressive looking but kind of like a slightly souped up quesadilla with the second version of it, they brought out to us with the black beans paste and cheese. I think we would've been better off sticking to items from the starters menu, including the fried quesadilla and taquitos. This is also very expensive for what we got, especially since the price didn't lower when all of the meats were removed from it.

Our server, and an extra server from the bar took very good care of us. They checked in with us a lot and wanted to make sure that we were happy throughout. We loved the atmosphere of the place. We definitely want to come back and would do so for again, starters and drinks and probably be super happy with those choices. We wish that the entrées they offered were, better priced and suited for our vegetarian needs, and that there was a more traditional mole offering that was also vegetarian so we could have the true...

Beautiful space-you can tell so much care and thought went into decorating on every level. Even when not super busy the noise ricochets in every direction making it difficult to enjoy the atmosphere/relax. Adding some sound absorbing panels would improve things. Very beautiful outdoor patio as well, with comfortable seating for drinks or snack plates and warm fires to gather around.

The food was fine…though we spent a ton I left feeling like I was not full. We got a sharing plate and several appetizers. This alone is enough to keep me from returning. The main dish portions don’t feel too generous for the cost. When you’ve spent that much, you want to feel like you’ve eaten enough to be satisfied.

Elote was $17…. Barely any toppings on it. Considering how cheap corn is they are making a killing on that one 😄 it was delicious!

My biggest complaint is that they charged us $4 extra for hand made tortillas…and only brought 3 tortillas for an entire “sharing plate”. This felt like a very stingy move, especially considering that I know how to make these tortillas and that $4 would buy enough ingredients to create two doz or so tortillas (at least)! It left a bad taste in my mouth to have to eat a tiny half tortilla and watch him eating the teeny morsel too. It wouldn’t be an expensive change, but being generous with the tortillas and bringing enough chips (also very cheap!) to finish out the salsas would make such a difference and be much more hospitable to your guests.

Our server was wonderful, and I have no complaints at all about service.

Careful when buying mescal. There are many wonderful options, and they can tell you all about them in detail! If you enjoy mescal you will have a ball! The price on the bottle is misleading (you could call it a lie). After we’d decided which we would like (the very small bottle was priced at 148 or so), they let us know they will charge an extra 100 above the price tag to buy a whole bottle vs individual shots.

After that nasty surprise We instead went for the shots…16$ each, and about a tablespoon of liquid. Perhaps if they got smaller glasses, people would feel like they were getting 16$ worth.

There was enough for a taste, and it was perfectly fine. I may not be the intended audience, as I expect at least a half full glass when ordering a shot. If I was pouring at home I’d find it rude to give a guest so so very little! When the shots came, we all laughed at the absurdity of the amount in the glass. Again, it could be I just don’t understand mescal ❤️

This place is worth a try if you enjoy mescal and prefer a more fancy atmosphere for your...

Went last night with 3 other girlfriends for a little girls night. The ambience was great! We sat in the lounge area, which was both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. We had two plush sofa like chairs paired with a shorter table and a bench that ran alongside the wall. Loved the decor and low dim lighting, very romantic and chic. Gave a very laidback yet upscale vibe overall. I was late but it was awesome that my two girlfriends were sat early because we had a 2hr wait that turned into less than an hour. Likely because we accepted the offer on the lounge and honestly, it was great! Especially because it was tucked in a corner and we were able to chat and enjoy one another’s company. Our server, Jordan was great too! Very attentive snd knowledgeable. He had to keep checking on us because we couldn’t decide on appetizers or dinner plates. So we ordered drinks and three appetizers to start. We ordered the Squash Blossoms, Chips, 3 Salsas, and Guac, and the Aguachiles de Cameron. Let me just say, the guacamole and 3 salsas with chips, SOOOO GOOD! I’m very picky with guac and Madre’s now has my favorite guac in this valley. I also loved the salsas (red and green mostly). Our drinks came out fairly quickly and they were so good—strong and not too sweet. We ordered the El Chapo, Skinny Margaritas, Al Chile, and Mezcal Margarita. Just the way I like em! We also ended up ordering more appetizers because we decided to continue sharing. This round we ordered the Potato and Cheese Taquitos; Steak Tacos, Chile Relleno, and Barbacoa. Everything was flavorful and delicious! We even ordered some handmade tortillas and they were excellent! One of my girlfriends and I are big foodies so, we just kept the sharing vibe going and ended with two desserts. We decided on the Churros and Piña Flan. I do not like flan and well, I actually liked it! The churros are now my absolute favorite churros dish ever! I’ve had plenty of churros in my lifetime and these were so good! Crispy outside with a soft warm inside that was to die for! There was a side of chocolate dipping sauce too and it was equally as delicious.

Overall, we had a great night and delicious dinner! I would definitely return. I also want to try sitting in the patio area and I do think this place would be great for a birthday party or event. It’s still early on for this restaurant but they did a great job and truly care about their patrons.

Thanks Jordan for being so attentive and patient! And Madre’s, we look forward to more delicious food and drinks. Thank you for a wonderful...