The first place in Brazil where they had JALAPENOS! I didn't think that it would be hard to find a restaurant with jalapenos, even Dominoes doesn't offer jalapenos on their pizza. They have indoor and outdoor seating but when we went here they didn't have outdoor seating set up. It was a Wednesday afternoon - so we were seated immediately. They have English menu available! They have the Vegetarian dishes conveniently located (marked as vegetariano) We ordered Vegetariano Nachos. It was so yummy! The closest thing we would consider to Authentic Mexican food we've had in a while so we were super excited. lol. It had actual cheese baked on instead of that nacho cheese grossness, it had diced jalapenos, sour cream, baked beans and they have mild and spicy sauce on the table. Both yummy. They have Guarana Antarctica instead of Kuat, just FYI. All in all - glad that I was able to eat some food with jalapenos. read more

Azteka - Vegetarian Nachos. - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

This is a gem in Ipanema. Very small, a dozen tables- and very casual. Their luncheon specials are delicious bargains. Finally decent guacamole!Their salads are a good size and well done.Highly recommended for lunch. read more

Azteka - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Oh Azteka! I had a friend come here a few weeks ago and said she waited 3 hours for her order and they still messed it up. I thought it might be due to the Carnaval madness but even as that has settled down, the service here seems subpar. Since we knew better than wait outside for a server to seat us, we took a empty table and seated our selves. After unsuccessful attempts at flagging down the waiter, we helped ourselves to the menus. Maybe someone called in sick and they ended up short staffed? With only one waiter and one cook it looked like they were struggling to keep up with the orders. The waiter was polite and took our order. We helped her out by accepting a horchata that was accidentally ordered but no one was taking it. My Azteka nachos came out fairly quickly after our drinks (just bottled beer and canned mate tea). It seemed to have been sitting under a heating lamp for a while and the melted cheese had cooled and crusted. I noticed a couple people who waited outside for quite a while to get the waitress' attention. One lady just asked her a question and another family was waiting just to get seated at a table. So the waiting here can get ridiculous. The special of the month had three organic chicken options with mole sauce (burrito, taco and main plate). we tried the burrito which took much longer than the nachos, but worth the wait because you could tell it was just prepared fresh and was served with a helping of guacamole and sour cream. Limited options to Mexican food in Zona Sul: this place, Que Quieres and La Calaca. Luckily they all have take out, so if you can't stand the service you can at least get it delivered. read more

See all

I'm rating this based on other Mexican places in Rio. If it was being compared to Mexican in the U.S. or Mexico, it would get 2 stars. The meat isn't very good, the add-ons are expensive, and the margaritas are OK. However, the hot sauce is excellent. Burritos come loaded with rice and beans, which is a pet peeve of mine (anyone who's had authentic Mexican knows they do not put rice and beans in their burritos - they're just cheap fillers). The pork tacos with pineapple are pretty good, but I wouldn't go here specifically for them. In short, stop by if you've got a craving for Mexican but don't get your hopes too high. read more

I appreciate a Mexican place in Rio that can cater to a gluten-free vegetarian. I have gotten the veggie tacos on corn tortillas (it is a mixture of eggplant, zucchini and onions) and also the pineapple tacos, which are both really good! The guacamole is hit or miss depending on the season. As for the hot sauce, I recommend the medium. The spiciest one was a little hot for me (and I usually like hot!) For me, the hottest sauce here is just hot, not flavorful while the medium one has a kick and is yummy. The service is really great. The owner is actually from Mexico, which is probably why the food actually tastes like Mexican food! I had a great conversation with him. Really nice guy. It is a small little place but it is cozy. I want to go back for a happy hour and try one of their margaritas. Did I forget to mention that they deliver?! Because they do! And they are usually really fast about it. read more

My favorite Mexican food in Rio (with La Calaca in a close second). I only mark this place down one star because service is always slow and they seem to consistently be understaffed. That said, the place is small and only seats 20 people max, so there isn't much room for any more staff members to move around if they had them. As far as the food goes, it has been delicious every time, whether I ordered delivery or ate at the restaurant. The nachos Azteka are what you would expect from a Mexican restaurant in the US: covered in beans, cheese, guacamole, and some other goodies. I typically opt for a burrito or quesadilla, and today then even had a monthly special of chicken with Mole sauce, which could be added to a burrito, tacos, or quesadillas. The drinks are solid as well, and even though I hated the horchata caipirinha, I at least appreciate the idea of mixing some new flavors together. There isn't a huge beer selection, but you can count on Bohemia, Sol, and Corona. If you are in the mood for Mexican food and in Leblon, Ipanema, or even Copacabana, give Azteka a shot. Even if you don't feel like making the trip, see if they deliver to your area, because the food has always made it in restaurant-like appearance for us. read more

Great Mexican food! I enjoyed the Nachos Azteka and a pineapple margarita. I was skeptical at first, but I am glad I took the chance. Great atmosphere! Had a nice, quiet, candlelit dinner. Definitely recommend! read more

Azteka - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

See all

Fantastic Mexican Food in the Heart of Rio! This casual Mexican eatery was a unexpected surprise on our recent trip! We ordered a Mexican salad and a Burrito Al Pastor. This was not your typical Chipotle fare. The salad had a chicken that seemed braised in a lime sauce along with avocados, lettuce, and chopped tomatoes. There was also a great lime dressing. The burrito was also very tasty. Grilled pork and bits of grilled pineapple along with organic black beans and brown rice. There was also a yummy orange sauce that tasted like a creamy tomato which was served alongside. Wish they would open one of these stateside! read more

Very good mexican food (for rio standards) but service bad. It is my second time here and again only one person serving 12 tables. There are tables sitting for 10min and they could not even order yet. The ambience is ok... Not the most charming but some tables outside, and nice interior interior design inside. read more

Azteka - Front view! - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Nice to get some Mexican food in Brazil, but I much prefer Sí Señor, which is also in Ipanema (my review: http://bit.ly/1QPMB56). I had a vegetarian burrito, which was tasty but some flavor was a bit off. I came with a group of Brazilians and Americans and we were generally satisfied. We shared nachos, which turned out to be chips and guacamole -- no cheese. They have good drinks as well. I give 4 stars because they make quality, tasty food and drinks, but I would not return here over Sí Señor. read more

Good burritos. I had the beef with everything. Nice cafe with minimal seating. Nice staff. We had to call the credit card company because the card was declined due to being out of the country and the employees politely waited for the card to be reinstated. Would recommend. read more

I like the food here, it's pretty decent Mexican food, service is okay but seriously, Brazilian hard rock on an empty stomach can make anyone feel nervous. Not sure if it was the waitress's favorite music, but I finally pleaded for her to turn it down or put something more soothing on. All in all, it's the most authentic Mexican food I've had here in Rio de Janeiro. The employees could be a little more attune to their clients. read more

Great Mexican food... Better than most places in New York! Guerrero burrito (pineapple, onion, lettuce, guacamole) - simply delicious. Just the right amount of pineapple to give an exquisite mix of flavors without being too sweet. Lemonade - the perfect Brazilian tang! The hot sauce is hot. Even for us Indians :) read more

Surprisingly good Mexican fare. Consistent and tasty. The hot sauce is really hot so beware. Great place for a quick snack on the go and for meals. read more

Azteka - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

See all

Chef's special was on point. They had really good bean dip and chips. I had a bite of a steak burrito and wasn't too impressed, but my meal was fantastic. Do yourself a favor when you get to this place and order a caparinha pineapple or their horchata. Both were excellent!! read more

Azteka - Chef's special - pollo con mole - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Great great Mexican place. Usually Mexican food is a hit or a miss but this place has a really great vibe. Close to the beach. Amazing vegetarian options as well. The hot sauce here is to die for. Try to pineapple onion burrito or the nachos. read more

Absolutely amazing Mexican food especially if you in IPANEMA or COPACABANA ... we had the vegetarian burrito with eggplant and zucchini ... Even if you don't like eggplant, don't bother ... You will not even come to know the taste of it ... It's blended very well ! We also ordered the bean and cheese quesadilla and again really really good ... The guacomole was super fresh and just the right taste ... Extremely recommended !! read more

Azteka - Mexican Near Me - Rio de Janeiro, RJ

SO bad. Dry, no seasoning, overcooked, no salt, small portions, expensive. Just SO bad. I will NEVER go back. Worst ever! shouldn't be 1 star, it should be 0. read more

The food wasn't good, but then again it wasn't bad; it had no taste. It's a shame too as the atmosphere is really cool and the service was fine, but once again my quesadilla didn't taste. Don't go here, make your taste buds happy and try anything else read more

love this place. It is a small hole in the wall kind of place but the food is excellent. I have eaten here twice and was happy both times.

This place was good! There's one server, one cook, and one bartender...so things take their time...but the drinks and food were very good. Bummed they were out of guac but what can you do? Would definitely return. read more

Finally found an authentic Mexican place. Tried several in Rio both in Leblon and Ipanema. This one is hands down the best. Ingredients and flavors awesome and the service is always prompt. They're margaritas are also legit. Perfect to pair with authentic Tex mex. Two thumbs up. read more

Great fresh Mexican food!! The flavors were amazing and the food was definitely fresh. The hot sauce is also delicious! Highly recommend if you are looking to find a change from the abundance of Brazilian and Italian food in Rio! read more

Fantastic Mexican food. When I visit Rio, I eat here probably every other day. Hot Sauces are really good, flavors of spot on. The husband of the owner is the chef and he's 100% mexican from Acapulco. A gem thats been around for 4 years, a must have if visiting. Fantástica comida mexicana. Quando eu visitar o Rio , eu comer aqui , provavelmente, todos os dias. Molhos quentes são realmente bom, sabores do local. O marido do proprietário é o chef e ele é 100% mexicana de Acapulco. A isso é jóia sido em torno de 4 anos , um deve ter se visitar . read more

All around excellent. I've been in Rio two nights and eaten here both of them. Lots of great vegetarian options. The eggplant/zucchini quesadillas and burrito were great. My husband enjoyed the steak quesadilla. Chips and Guac are good too. Most of the customer facing staff speaks English. read more

Azteka has a nice location in Ipanema, and the food was not so bad. However, the portions are very small for their prices - more like appetizers. Plate of nachos with guac/pico was basically plain tortilla chips with a tiny bowl of pico (no salsa or sauce with this). And vegetarian quesadillas comes with a sauce (medium hot is reallyyy hot, so watch that). While the flavor was good, I didn't expect an appetizer-sized entree. It's a small restaurant and the ac or wifi don't work. Overall, I would not recommend if you are looking for good ambience and/or good value! read more

Excellent restaurant for tourists, they speak English very well and the service is amazing. They moved our table outside halfway through our meal because we wanted to enjoy the scenery with ease. THEY SPEAK fluent ENGLISH!!!! And have a english menu! Will come again. read more

We were so happily surprised by Azteka! The food was delicious - the margaritas divine - the service top notch! We are planning a return shortly. read more

Walked past Azteka on the other side of the street while I was on my way for pizza. The vibe and decor of the restaurant drew my eye. After continuing a block, I felt a pull to go back. I eat only vegetarian which can be difficult in Rio. Azteka had great vegetarian options (and clearly marked on the English menu too!). I ordered a grilled pineapple and onion burrito which was delicious! The music inside is relaxing and creates a very cool atmosphere. Portions were generous too. You can tell that the chef is skilled and cooks with intention. Recommended to anyone who wants a good meal in Ipanema. read more

Worst Mexican food I have ever had. Very expensive and very small portions Burrito Al Carbon was mostly beans and rice (filler) with pineapple and a little meat. It was served with a teaspoon of guacamole and a teaspoon of sour cream The Pico de Gallo was a small cup of diced tomatoes and onion but no hot pepper. I would no go there again! read more

See all

Yummmm this place is SO delicious! They have tacos, salads, nachos, burgers, and burritos and is authentically Mexican. Azteka is just as good and even better than some places I find in Southern California and definitely satisfies my craving for Mexican cuisine that I always happen to crave. It's a great place for tourists to come and eat because they have English menus AND servers who speak English as well which I really appreciate! Service is great but sometimes they are understaffed so please be understanding. This restaurant definitely has better service than most Brazilian places I have gone to- haha. My husband and I's most favorite thing to do is get a plate of nachos and a burrito to share (You can ask them to cut the burrito in half to put on separate plates and they happily do so). Our favorite burrito is the Oaxaca burrito (chicken)! It's absolutely delicious with yummy marinated spiced chicken, creamy cheese and rice, tomatoes, and beans wrapped in a perfectly charred tortilla. The steak burrito is good too but the Oaxaca definitely tops it. Two years ago I ordered the vegetarian burrito and it had pineapple in it which made it overly sweet for a burrito and I ended up not liking it at all. I forgot to check if it's still on the menu but I just wanted to warn people because it was not what I was expecting it to be. But all in all, my husband and I love this little place! Perfect ambiance, great music, delicious food, and exceptional service. It's a perfect place to go on a date! ;) read more

Super friendly, English-speaking staff. Gluten-free items are specifically called out on the menu. They make the best horchata I've ever had. They are a bit more expensive than other restaurants, but the food is great. read more