The Fresh Guac is the best part of this restaurant followed closely by the decor on the inside. The pull up a cart and make it right in front of you with fresh ingredients! Very neat. That said, service is hard to converse with due to language barriers, and can be slow to non existent. Food is great! Portions are wonderful and I never leave with an empty belly. Over all its a good place and I'll go back, but maybe do a little more English training with the service... read more

I got a takeout order Saturday night at Charlottesville plaza azteca and this short girl with glasses was 40 minutes late getting it to me, but I sat there patiently and said nothing. When she finally brought it out she practically shoved it in my face and walked off without a thank you or sorry we made you wait here for over half an hour. Just shoved it in my face and walked away. I won't go there anymore nor will I give recommendations to others to go there with such a rude staff. I will share my experience with friends and family. read more

It's a decent spot for group occasions, however, not the location for anything intimate. Food was okay, nothing spectacular. I came with a fairly large group of 18 members and we were easily accommodated. In addition, we were served fairly quickly with little to no mistakes or confusion. Best part was the drinks and the friendly staff. read more

we came during HH margharita: excellent, loaded with tequila, huge fresh guac: always a winner fajita: excellent service: fine , no issues ambiance: clean, nice, good decor price: good for what u get overall: glad i tried it, read more

My friends and I were in town and were craving Mexican food. We saw this place from the road and decided to try it out. We were surprised to see that the prices were pretty fair (compared to what we've seen in MD and out of the country). We were there for lunch, and the serving sizes were filling - had some stuff left over. Ordered: Combo's # 11 and #12, and Grilled Steak Fajitas. I think overall, the taste was good, and what we expected from a Tex-Mex place. It wasn't overly amazing and authentic, but when you're craving - you're just craving. I thought the steak fajitas were a tiny bit buttery? something of a butter/grease taste... but still, I guess flavorful is better than completely bland. I've tasted better, but it was still yummy! It didn't taste low-quality to me (been to some Tex-Mex with extreme poor, low, quality ingredients).. The place is huge inside and they were accommodating to our needs for our big baby stroller. If ever in the area, I'd come again for the good amount of food for the price. We also did end up getting the guacamole they make in front of you... we were eager to get it from that dude making it, but it came from the kitchen instead. Tasted good though, and a good amount was given for a small-size of $4.50 I think! read more

I ordered the fried chicken burrito and chicken flauta combo which came with refried beans. The burrito and flauta actually looked and tasted very similar. I was disappointed at first but both were tasty and satisfying. My only complaint is that the dish was very plain and didn't offer much variety in terms of texture. Both the burrito and flauta were rolled thin and kind of just sitting in a puddle of melted cheese next to a slab or refried beans. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to criticize presentation as long the taste and flavors are there, but the dish just didn't look appetizing to me when it was presented. I think it would have been complementary if there was a side of salsa, shredded lettuce, cilantro, onions or something to give the entree some crunchy crunchiness. Our waiter was very friendly and on point with giving us an ETA on when our meals would arrive, in addition to refilling waters frequently. I know this is expected but it was very busy and so I did appreciate him making his rounds in a timely manner. Overall, wasn't wowed but I'd go back to try something else. read more

I stumbled upon this nice place while looking for a place lunch on my way into Charlottesville from the airport. The place was clean, it had great ambiance, and the staff was very prompt and courteous. The food was very traditional, with good portion size, and at a good price. This place definitely deserves 4 stars. read more

My boyfriend and I walked in the restaurant excited to try a new Mexican place. Unfortunately, I walked out with food poisoning. The table side guacamole was great. However, that was the only good thing about this place. Enchiladas, tacos, and tamales were mediocre at best. Rice and beans weren't great either. How do you mess up rice and beans?? I ordered the Azteca soup and they delivered it to another table. I repeatedly asked for it and when my entree came out and it was nowhere to be found, I just asked for it to be taken off the check. Fast forward to later that night, and it was obvious I had food poisoning. This is not even our first bad experience here, but we wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and try again. Definitely a mistake since this place is just plain gross. Would not recommend. read more

Get the freshly prepared guacamole. It's awesome. I don't know why more Mexican restaurants don't do this. When we were seated, I saw the guacamole being prepared at another table and knew instantly I wanted that. We were not disappointed. FYI, be prepared to tip the person who makes the guac at your table. The food was great. Everyone in my group was very happy with their choices. I wanted to try something new (to me) and went for the seafood chimichangas. They were delicious. We were seated quickly, even though we arrived at dinner rush on a Friday night. They seem to have a rather large dining room. The service was great. They kept our water glasses filled and were attentive. We will definitely go again when we are in the area. read more

My family visited Plaza Azteca for Easter lunch. What an excellent experience! I had the grilled shrimp tostadas that we're so fresh and delicious. My family had fajitas and enchilada, and everyone was so pleased. My husband and I enjoyed the Texas margarita with an extra shot of tequila. Azteca's margaritas are great! Not that commercial super sweet commercial base, but real lime, pineapple, orange, triple sec base. Excellent! Our server, Antonio, was really nice too. Excellent experience! Thanks, and Happy Easter! read more

Plaza Azteca - Spicy shrimp tostadas! Delicioso! - Mexican Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Great place for margaritas and traditional Mexican. Love the atmosphere and food. Service was great. Highly recommend

Worst plaza ever. Service was terrible for coming at a slow time. We saw her twice. Food wasn't great. About the only good this was the free chips and salsa . read more

This was disappointing to say the least. The place is not well kept and everything just feels sticky. The food is overly salty and sloppy. There is a wide variety of drinks but they were disappointing. I ordered a margarita that was supposed to have peach schnapps and blue curaçao in it but ended up tasting like straight up dish water, salt, and tequila. The people across from us sent their margaritas back as well. I wanted to make an adjustment to my meal not even 2 minutes after I ordered and they told me they couldn't. Which was extremely disappointing and felt lazy to me. We have eaten at other Plaza locations in the past and have loved it but save yourself the trouble and skip this location. read more

We had family in town during Christmas Eve and it was tough finding a place that could accommodate 8 people so last minute. We tried many other restaurants but they had over 40 min wait so we decided to give this place a try. Our waitress was very friendly but the food was mediocre at best. I ordered the fish tacos and they were unseasoned. I ended up using the salsa that came with the chips to season it. I would go fast food over this place any day! read more

Overall unimpressive and dirty. The food was sub par and the plate brought to me had a sour cream all over the bottom. The stairs inside are falling apart and a dangerous trip hazard. There was also a drain in the bathroom that could easily cause a broken ankle. The waiter was nice but was rarely over to check in. read more

Plaza Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

I don't recommend getting take-out from Plaza Azteca if you are trying to stay safe from COVID-19. Instead of curbside pick-up, it is necessary to enter the restaurant, passing close by outdoor tables occupied by patrons who are, of course, unmasked because they are eating. Then, you must wait in the lobby for your order to be brought from the kitchen, while patrons are arriving and leaving through that lobby. I will never go back. read more

Okay so the food here is absolutely amazing! however, i will not be coming back due to the extremely poor customer service. Most of the staff is not wearing masks and the hostesses are extremely rude when they decide to actually do their jobs. My waiter was polite, but we had to wait over 30 minutes to get our check after we finished eating. read more

Not a fan of the chips, but the salsa is tasty. Also, the table side guacamole and the steak and chicken fajitas are yum. Good beans and rice too! Oh, and the margarita sneaks up on you--one was good for me. read more

I have been to the one in Waynesboro, so I was hoping this place would be good. I was wrong. Very slow service and food needs to get a little better. I hope it all gets better with time (to be fair they just opened) UPDATE: It is getting better. Give it a try. read more

By far the best food experience in quite a while. Service above amazing, food was innovative and soo delicious, and the margaritas were made very well- pretty strong yet tasted amazing, almost dangerous haha. My husband and I are visiting Charlottesville fr the D.C. Area (celebrating our anniversary for the weekend) and eat at many wonderful places. Our server, Alonso, was knowledgeable about the new menu and it felt like he genuinely cared about our food and our wellbeing! So great! A great server really makes or breaks my dining experience so we were very happy! read more

This establishment seemed very dirty from the bathroom with various pieces of equipment thrown under the sink to various puddles of water throughout the restaurant. I was always taught to judge a restaurant by the bathroom's upkeep and this one fails. We were sat at a table with food in and underneath the seats. Decided to leave before ordering to avoid what was sure to be a disaster. read more

Awesome service!! Alonso is the best waiter in the world. Thanks man you are the best.

Went there for lunch on April Fools' Day ask for the check when we had finished eaten after 15 minutes get yelled at by the waitress not to ask another waitress for her to get my check, and I said you're messing up your self by your tips she said she really didn't care just don't do it read more

Quite a few options on the menu and the food is well prepared. What is spotty is the service. Some of the waitress just seem uninterested in you as a customer. Likley just poor training. In general the restaurant has declined somewhat over the past couple of years. read more

This place has really gone downhill. Their margaritas are terrible and the food is only subpar. It's unfortunate because it used to be pretty decent. Probably their only saving grace is the table side guac. Thats always good, but overall just disappointingly awful. read more

Ok food. Ordered the spinach fajitas, and they came a bit undercooked and soaked on oil. Also ordered guac, and it came with huge chunks of onions and jalapenos (1 inch long). The cook should be more careful when chopping vegetables. The chips and salsa were delicious. Good service, and nice restaurant. read more

Had a great time here on national margarita day!! Came in with my boyfriend in the early evening and our server, Alonso, was a one man army. While additionally taking care of multiple other tables, he still took the time to consistently stop and make sure we were taken care of, personally made our order of guacamole (which was the largest portion I've ever seen by the way), AND he endured that our sometimes difficult orders were made to perfection. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is a margarita lover like myself or anyone who appreciates quality service from a stand up guy like Alonso and a big old bowl of guac. Alonso deserves a raise! read more

Plaza Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The food here is great and consistent. If you go, ask to be seated in Alonso's section. You won't be disappointed - he's amazing.

What to say? I was very disappointed but will give it a second chance. I've eaten many, many times at Plaza Azteca restaurants in the Tidewater area (especially Newport News where I go often). When I saw they were coming to C'vile, I waited with excitement. I went last night for the first time. They were very busy and the hostess with the "leastess" was unpleasant. No empathy at all for the hour-plus wait. OK....I guess when you're busy, it's easy to be arrogant. So, I returned today. Same hostess---very, very unpleasant. She's very short...no smile....no people skills at all. So, maybe she's a major introvert--she should have a different job---not the "face" of a restaurant. The server was fantastic---Darisha. She was sweet and competent and had a nice interpersonal style. The food was good--no complaints. The seating was less than optimal. I was seated at a row of tables. I understand the efficiency of it, but there was no privacy. I was alone, so it was not a big deal. I chatted with all the people next to me. Had I been with a date, it would have been miserable. This restaurant is worth watching. It has been open only for a short time and may have "growing pains." There were some major fundamental problems, but there also were some people trying to make it good. Their heart seems to be in the right place. My advice to them: -Send the hostess to "charm school" or get rid of her. No offense, but she's unpleasant. -Rearrange the seating so there is more privacy. The "row seating" is unpleasant. If I wanted a private dinner, I'd not go there. -I observed that the guacamole maker--who seemed very sweet--was competent but very slow. She was backed up. Either have more or have her move faster. I'll return and I'll update. I suggest that others do the same. read more

My wife and I ate here over the weekend. First it was the weekend and very few people were eating here. That should have been our first inclination something was wrong. We wanted to eat outside because it was one of the nicest days this year. The hostess said ok. We went outside and all the table were sitting next to each other and the umbrellas were not opened. I had to help the hostess open the umbrella and then she started to walk away. One big problem...All the chairs were stacked on each other and she told us to unstack the chairs we wanted. We should have gone somewhere else but we were so hungry so we went inside to eat at a table that had chairs. The food for my wife came out and it was ok. My food was great but my plate had a huge chunk out of it. About a year ago we went in to eat here and my wife ordered something on the menu that she had had at the Richmond VA location on their menu. When it arrived it didn't look like the same thing that she had in Richmond. We summoned the manager and told him about this. He said, get this, the menu was wrong. This manager is still here to this day. This place has gone way down hill and we will never eat here again. Good luck to you if you do. read more

Great customer service when we walked in the door. Staff was friendly and service prompt. Once we ordered food however, it all went downhill. After 20 minutes, and two reminders to our server, we are still waiting. Lets see what the next 20 minutes brings. Maybe 3 more stars? read more

The service is spotty here. You can tell some servers care and are diligent, while the other half fall short of expectations. The food is ok, average portions and average taste. They charge an extra $0.50 for chicken on EACH item from a combo instead of beef. read more

Chips tasted like they have been soaking in oil before frying. The salsa isn't very fresh tasting. They messed up on my order then brought me the "right" order...then charged me for the wrong order that was $3 more. Their ONLY redeeming quality is that they have semi decent margaritas at happy hour & I hate myself right now for eating all of that salty food!! If there is any other Mexican restaurant around, go there first! Wish I had better things to say as I was hopeful when this came to Charlottesville as the one in Richmond is pretty decent. read more

Four of us went on a Friday. Made reservations. Still had to wait. Server had no desire to be there and made it obvious. I think we saw him twice all night. Food was meh. Will not be back. read more

The guacamole that they make at your table was excellent and the fajitas nachos were good, but that is where the good stops. The red sauce is sweet and I am pretty sure it shouldn't be. The chicken in the enchiladas tasted like they were boiled and lacked flavor. The rice was good... read more

Average Mexican food. Not as greasy as most places. But really nothing special. Al Carbon and Continental Divide Absolutely smoke this place. But without those two, I would take Plaza Azteca as a very distant third. read more

The food was so good!! It's also child friendly. They accommodate the needs of my babygirl(one year old) and brought out just mandarins because she was a little anxious. The food was cheap and the cocktails were amazing. The hubby and I will be going back! read more

My daughter and I came in for lunch . The food was pretty good but the service was horrible! !!!! The restaurant wasn't even busy and I had to basically scream to get more napkins and refill of my drink the service was so bad even my seven year old complained! Never again! !! read more

When I called ahead to see how long the wait would be I was told that there wouldn't be a wait for 2 people around 6 PM. I live right around the corner, literally, and walked in 3- 4 minutes after I called and there was a 15 minute wait for a party of 2. Having been a hostess myself I know that you are always supposed to overestimate the wait time to ensure guest satisfaction. After waiting for 20 minutes I asked the hostess how much longer it would be and she sat us 5 minutes later. If I had known initially when I called that the wait was going to be 25 minutes for a party of 2, I would have gone somewhere else because we were famished. You could tell the hostesses were inexperienced and not very happy to be there. This is the face of the restaurant and the first thing the guest experiences when they walk in. There is a ton of room for improvement here. Once seated the service was fast. However I ordered the vegetarian fajitas and there were a few stray pieces of chicken in my dish. I had also asked for no sour cream and extra cheese which was also wrong. The manager fixed the problem immediately and had a brand new dish made for me and apologized. I thought the service was fine but the atmosphere was hectic and not very pleasant (tvs everywhere and extremely loud music and small tables). Maybe it was because we were sitting at a table in a high traffic area but overall I would rather go to a local restaurant where I know they will get my food right and it isn't as expensive. It's obviously a new restaurant and needs to work out the details but I would not return. read more

3/31/2012 I agree with most of what's been said here so far. We have been twice the last time was on the 31st - Easter. The food is different but just OK. Nothing really jumps out at you to say WOW. (The model for me would be Famous Dave's chain - great sides) The decor is nice but they left construction debris all around the entrance since it opened. It takes 5 minutes to have staff pick up. Met the blah Hostess, your right. Staff are standing around at times. Yet service could be better. The staff needs to be working on something or off the floor. Guac was better the second time. Asked for additional tortillas for my Fajitas, waiter said no problem, but never returned with them. (for some reason rests. here give you 2 big plates of food for fajitas but only 2 small tortillas to eat them all. Spanish homes of course, use more) It is so easy to fix this restaurant. Anyone who has watched a few rest impossible or kitchen disasters will see. 1. Train the front house to look like they care about what they are doing - they create the experience. 2. Get the cooks to taste and correct the food as they work. Stop the bland! 3. Have Managers looking for details, correcting and training staff as they go - improving never stops. 4. Cut the dead weight for those that just can't get it right. Just having a Chicano staff doesn't make a place authentic. If the staff's grandmother wouldn't serve this to a guest in her house, then you shouldn't serve it to your guests at Plaza Azteca. Simple This goes for all the restaurants in the area. read more