Had lunch the other day with a friend, and it was good. Not the authentic Mexican I'm still searching for, but we had several tasty items. My friend recommended the black bean dip, and it was quite good. I'm a guac/salsa & chips girl, but this was a nice change. It was flavorful and had a nice smoky kick from chipotle. Sadly, this is another Mexican place that has eliminated the free chips & salsa. For my entree - a Mad Mex bowl with shrimp. The grilled corn was a great addition. The faro was a bit thick with the other items, but the grilled peppers & onion, with fresh cherry tomatoes, avocado, and shrimp were really good. I did ask a server for some salsa, and she brought a small ramekin of this *fabulous* pineapple habanero salsa that she said was her fave, and I quickly saw why. Excellent stuff - the pineapple really sings with a zip of citrus & heat. Yum! My friend got his usual - the crispy Baja tacos. The 3 tacos were crammed with cornmeal breaded & fried tilapia, slaw, avocado, cilantro, and topped with a zingy chipotle aioli. The only negative to me was the flour tortillas; I'm a corn tortilla girl. That dish came with rice o & beans. It was a TON of food. We each ended up taking food home. It was a nice lunch. Service was ok. Next time I come, I'll either try their signature burrito or - my friend's sister's fave: the wings (at a Mexican joint?!?). My friend - who has been coming for years - thought the prices had gone up on the menu. Almost $18 for *tilapia* fish tacos is definitely a bit much. Still, I would try it again. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Love the decor inside. The place is huge. Great for big parties.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

Mad Mex has been overshadowed by Noodlehead for me for the past year, but I finally decided to give this place a shot after signing up for their birthday coupon! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a very lively space with a not-too-adventurous menu (great for less adventurous grandparents).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Some things that I wish were a little smoother include: - [[HIGHLIGHT]]not placing us with a baby directly under a strong cold air vent[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] - faster service for both drink refills and getting our food out, this took extremely long on a weekday evening Overall we had a decently good time and I'd consider coming back for happy hour or late night happy hour, but it's unfortunately not high up on my list for a regular meal based on how long everything took. read more

Why did you have to "improve" the burritos, Mad Mex? The old spicy chicken burrito was perfect. It was dependable, comforting, and exactly what I wanted when I didn't feel like cooking but also didn't want disappointment wrapped in a tortilla. Now we've traded actual chicken breast for chopped chicken thighs, and somehow I'm supposed to pretend it's the same thing? It's not. Different texture, different taste, different experience entirely. The old burrito was a warm hug. The new one feels like someone saying "best we can do." And yes, I know the menu is massive and endlessly customizable. But sometimes people don't want innovation. Sometimes they just want the thing they've been ordering for years without it getting "updated." At the very least, give customers the option to substitute chicken breast for the thighs. Everybody wins: the thigh enthusiasts stay happy, and the rest of us can reunite with the burrito we've been missing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service is always spot on and the atmosphere is great...now to figure out what my new "old standby" order will be.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Decisions.....decisions! read more

Back on a Friday night for more Mad Mex! Service was excellent and they accommodated our request to sit downstairs. Food was excellent as always. It was Corn Festival so I tried the Crabby Corn Quesadilla. It was sooo good. Absolutely stuffed with crab and corn, I enjoyed every bite! I ordered a side of guac, which was also delicious but not really needed because the quesadilla was we excellent on its own. Bonus points for having the world cup game on the big screen too! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Crabby corn quesadilla...so good! - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

One of the only good reasonable priced Mexican restaurants in the city with good quality meats and great drinks they're definitely worth it. I love their Quick and efficient service. [[HIGHLIGHT]]& with a nice fiesta day of living dead vibes it's always good they never disappoint.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

See all

I have the nachos or birria quesadilla FAR too often because they're delicious. The service is fast and the vibe is never too dead or too busy too get a table. Margaritas are also delicious either on the rocks or slushy. read more

See all

Had a really yummy birthday meal at Mad Mex. I appreciate that the BBG offers such good rewards for birthdays and celebrations. I got the big burrito and it was so good. I love that it has steak and chicken in it. They were also able to accommodate me and put vegan cheese. The best part of the burrito is the waffle fries instead of rice. Also, happy hour is great! I got a cider for half off the normal price. Our server Kerri was great and really attentive and nice. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Always a great visit to the Shadyside Mad Mex! Check their website before you visit - they have daily specials on food and drink that's worth the search. After craving some Birria tacos, my friend and I decided to stop at Mad Mex after visited the Barnes and Nobles nearby. Big portions, huge variety of menu items, and an extensive drink list - someone in your group is bound to find something to like here. Service was amazing and we were able to be seated immediately! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Six of us went to Mad Mex yesterday for dinner a little before 6:30pm and were able to get a table right away. We were seated in a cozy little booth tucked behind the bar. Our server was super nice and we were able to get a few drinks during happy hour before it ended at 6:30pm. We ordered a few apps and entrees and they all came out fairly quickly. Everything was tasty and was reasonably priced. Would come back!! read more

See all

The service was great. The menu changed a bit with bringing back the enchiladas but taking away the chimichangas sadly. Marqs are always on spot. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice crowd.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Good for happy hour! This is a family style restaurant with a good happy hour. They have seasonal and special flavor margs for a good deal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got an apple cider marg and strawberry marg with a plate of southwestern wings. The wings were alright, they had a bit of crunch and were super saucy. The highlight of it was how cheap they were. The margs were like juice. The apple cider was very on point and the strawberry marg apparently is flavored with their house made strawberry syrup. There was little actual alcohol in both. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall a good meetup spot for a chat and some food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

5 of us ate here for lunch and the food was good. I was surprised that rice and beans didn't come with the fajitas and chips and salsa were ala carte. The food was fresh and everyone liked it! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cool atmosphere too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was good! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

I had never been here before, [[HIGHLIGHT]]I really enjoyed the atmosphere, good vibes 10/10.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was delicious! Margaritas were obviously divine. And I think I just became a big fan of Tex Mex My friends and I came for Thanksgiving and The Goblerrito was so FIRE. Jalapeño cheese balls FIRE. I'll definitely be back. Might be a new favorite. read more

Great service and the happy hour deal is pretty nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Classic Tex mex place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Dog friendly outdoor seating when the weather's nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Chips and guac - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Love, love, love this place. I appreciate that the Shadyside location is experimenting with new dishes while retaining the fan favorites. The roasted veggie bowl was filled with savory Brussels sprouts, crispy cauliflower, and a bunch of other flavors that made the dish amazing. The bowl was huge, too, so I got to enjoy it a second time for lunch the next day. No notes, Mad Mex. Keep doing what you're doing! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Chips & Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

5/5/25 Ate List: Chicken Nachos Grande - 7.1 Mad Mex on Cinco De Mayo. We had their loaded nachos and was pleasantly surprised. Overall was good. These chips feel like their meant or intended for nachos. They are "sturdy" and not all that light. Splitting the app between two of us was plenty. Was delicious and service was great! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Chicken Nachos Grande - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Really enjoyed the food! Some of the better Tex-Mex I've had in PA. Service was solid. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Steak and Grilled Street Corn & Steak Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Does mad Mex ever suck? To me personally - no. I enjoyed some of the late night items and the Shadyside only options, everything being great. Came out hot and fresh. The portion size is great and we had ourselves a time! read more

See all

For a local Mexican college hangout in Pittsburgh I have to say we were pretty happy. The steak quesadilla hit the spot and was good quality. The burrito bowl and burrito were also tasty. Appreciate the free side of sour creams with your meal :) Service was very good. I'd definitely come back. read more

See all

Updating because of the new Elote wings!! Absolutely delicious combination of flavors and so unique for wings - sweet, spicy, acidic and savory and so so crispy since the corn pure is on the bottom. My new favorite! read more

Andrew so cute. Birria tacos are not worth imo bc not that much food and goes quick. Wings are worth. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food was absolutely amazing and the service was even better. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The store was very busy and kind of packed for the time we went but our server attended to us accordingly and quickly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the potato taquitos , forgot the exact name but its on the special menu amazing and filled with flavor, not too filling either. We also ordered the crab quesadillas which were a little bland. It comes with sour cream but it wasn't helping. Last thing we ordered was the steak tacos, which were amazing and really good. seasoned perfectly. Overall experience was a great and would highly recommend! read more

See all

Mad Mex was great! We decided last minute to go on Cinco De Mayo and we added our name to the online wait list. We checked in and got a table within minutes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We got to sit upstairs and the vibes were so cool![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was amazing also! read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Mad Mex Bowl - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

This spot is great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love how big it is inside and it's a good space for groups.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I like how big the menu is so there's something for everyone and I can customize items since I have have a dietary restriction. I really liked my wrap and their waffle fries are sooo good. I like my big margarita too! Definitely good bang for your buck and the service is decent too! read more

See all

I placed an order through Doordash with Mad Mex Shadyside for almost $95 on Friday, 3/27/2026, which included a California Grilled Salad with steak that only arrived with the steak, NO SALAD! I had to reorder and pay another $30 due to the restaurants error. I have enjoyed Mad Mex for 25 years. I ask they improve their quality control. This happened often in the past and had a good run the past few months. I included a picture of who reviewed my order at the restaurant. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - This is who reviewed my order. - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We've been coming to this restaurant for years, and the new menu has taken things to another level. We love the core menu while introducing some fresh options that feel creative without being gimmicky. Big fans of the new wraps and the san fran wings will forever be a go-to. Service has always been friendly here, and that hasn't changed. Our server walked us through the new items and gave solid recommendations. If you haven't visited since the menu update, it's worth another trip. This place continues to be one of our favorite spots in the area. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - cool mural! - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have multiple food allergies and decided to order takeout at the bar. The server was very knowledgeable and communicative about what I could order. Everything was delicious and this is my favorite Mad Mex location. read more

It's been a while since I've updated this review, so I just want to note a few things. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There is now an upstairs area to the back of the restaurant. It's a little less busy and more quiet up there[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], but I do feel like the waitress forgot us a bit. No matter. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Mad Mex is a pretty casual place, so I'm really just in it for the food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Wingos Wrap is by far my favorite, followed by the Beanie Quesodeanie. I went with the wrap and was not disappointed. This time of year you can also get the Street Corn -- don't miss out! I'm not even an aioli person and I think it's a really nice appetizer or side dish. You can order no aioli or aioli on the side if you want. Sad to say that they have taken the ice cream burrito off of the menu. RIP to my favorite Saturday & Sunday style dessert So if you need me, I'll be in my kitchen figuring out how to recreate it from scratch. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Wingos Wrap (San Francisco Mild) with Waffle Fries and Ranch - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Mad Mex is a place I have been going to for years and it is usually good. Not this time at this location. I went with a group of friends and the service was very slow. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a cold mid-week night so I am not sure why it was like this.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 3 out of 5 orders were not correct in some way. The chicken was over fried. The chips and queso was decent. Maybe this was an off night for them. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Wing Tacos and Waffle Fries. *It's not as good as it looked* - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Have been here many times and have mixed feelings. The happy hour margs are huge and cheap - definitely what keeps us coming back. That being said, sometimes they taste a little too sour like the batch may be old? Other times they hit the spot. The chips and salsa combos are great, but the main courses are ~fine~. Not amazing but not bad, especially if you had guac and hot sauce. Definitely on the pricier side though for Pittsburgh. All this being said, [[HIGHLIGHT]]it's a great spot if you want to just sit for happy hour (for a long time in a fun spot with no rush) with chips![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

probably one of the best wings i've had at this place. previously they were a hit or miss but i'm glad the last time im here the wings are big sized and the service was attentive. i wish their "big ass margs" were stronger as it tasted water down a bit. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - wings - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is probably my favorite Mad Mex in the city. Mainly due to their parking availability and how wonderful their staff is. Also, having kids, it's nice to go somewhere they can be loud and the other patrons are even louder. What I have to say about this location is they have gone above and beyond. Their food's standard Mad Mex however my dad passed away in March. The last week of his life they were the best while getting his favorite meals for him while at Shadyside Hospital. To the point, their manager or maybe bartender, was kind enough to make a virgin margarita to take to him before he passed and when he was only able to take ice and liquids. That's something really special. We have always loved MM and BB. We have been enjoying all of their locations for years and have been regulars. My dad wasn't a regular at Shadyside and they still went above and beyond to make sure he was able to enjoy what he loved until the end of read more

I've always had great food, service at this restaurant. On the occasional misstep, have let them know and always responsive to constructive criticism. A couple great new proteins available. Delicious Beef Birria and Chjcken Tinga. Excellent happy hour offerings too! Always an excellent, funky soundtrack playing also. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - The Mad Mex Burrito with Beef Birria in a whole wheat tortilla - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Not the best photo but my wingo salad was so fresh and tasty!! The service was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]it was so nice to be able to sit[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Wingo Salad - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Both the food and the service were both subpar. I'm not sure that I would go back. We had to find a server and the food was just bland. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

I frequent Mad Mex, not this one normally because it's not near me. Tonight I stopped by before attending a sporting event. I arrived at 5:40 and was immediately greeted at the bar area. I ordered a drink and wings. After an hour of waiting and watching others food come out, i still didn't have my dinner of small wings. So I finally flagged down the server and said it's been an hour, I need to leave, please cancel my order. She did comp a half price drink, but I would have rather had dinner before the sporting event. I don't think I'll go back to this location. read more

We have been going to MM for years and the last two visits were very disappointing. The food portions are reduced - entrees no longer served with rice and beans. Burrito had minimal if any chicken. The restaurant was about 1/3 full but we had to continually try to locate our server. I would rather pay a little more (prices are increased everywhere) and receive the previous quality of food. read more

This place is so good. I am brand new to Pittsburgh and I came here within my first two weeks in the city. I have been impressed with all the food along South Highland on this area but I think Mad Max has top everyone else so far. This evening, I sat at the outdoor seating as it was a lovely day. They have maybe five or more tables outdoors and a bunch indoors. I will see that right away as it was 5:45 PM on a Wednesday. Service was good, my waitress was very kind however, I think she could've checked back on us a little sooner each time. For example, I asked her to give me two minutes more to pick up something to eat and it took quite a while for her to come back. And after she put the check down, it's a quite a while for her to come back for the credit card. Nevertheless she was very kind. I'm wondering happy hour or so their big a*s margarita was eight dollars. Great price however you cannot taste alcohol at all. I know that I will typically feel tipsy after a 24 ounce drink and I feel absolutely nothing. Like, I didn't even get a single taste of tequila it seemed. For a virgin cocktail, it was good, I got watermelon. I ordered the Birria quesadillas and those were absolutely phenomenal. I was not expecting that. Their consommé did not look or taste traditional but it was delicious. Get this and dip it in sour cream and consommé. Overall: you got to try this place read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Birria quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly staff and comfortable dining room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Tried the Gobblerito and enjoyed it. The best part of this burrito is the gravy. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Gobblerito. - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

During my college days, Mad Mex was the go to spot for delicious food and drinks. Unfortunately, the location near me closed down right before I graduated, so the good times we had here turned into memories. Fast forward a few years: I go to Pittsburgh and see the brown building with a cute cactus logo in all of its glory. The universe brought me back because it knew I was in need of a yummy burrito. Walking into the restaurant was like being transported back in time, and I knew I had to do one thing and one thing only: order the Spicy Mad Mex Burrito. Onto the food! You probably guessed it-- I ordered the Spicy Mad Mex Burrito. The tortilla was like a warm blanket to a myriad of juicy and flavorful fillings, including unabashed amounts of rice, beans, and chicken. I usually pair mine with some sour cream (it's free!) and guacamole to create a perfect combination bite including all of the flavors and textures. Wow. Just wow. It was exactly how I remembered it. Not only could I taste the savory chicken and rice and the creamy salsas, I could also recall the flavors of fun college nights. This burrito is more than food to me-- it's home. We also started with the Jersey Chips, which I've never had before. These waffle fries are fried to a crisp and paired with a creamy buttermilk ranch that had hints of herb. Overall, this experience was more than eating for me. It was a long lost dream I thought was gone forever. It was a small town girl taken back home to her humble beginnings. It was the reunion of a century. I would highly recommend checking this place out, as it has a lasting impact on all that walk through its wooden double doors. read more

Mad Mex - Shadyside - Spicy Mad Mex Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all