LOVED IT! Gorgeous and clean, the food was great. We had the Super Sampler Platter to try a bit of everything. These were honestly the best chicken quesadillas I have ever had. Dark meat chicken so it was super juicy. The must have made improvements since other people have been posting. The service was top notch, and really quick. Our server was very attentive. There was a cart going around making guacamole table side. I wish I would have gotten that. It's not something that I can compare with Casa Blanco or Cafe Azteca. They all have their own charm and character. Azteca, is cozier and better seasoned. Casa Blanco is more of a high energy atmospehere and great drinks. Plaza Azteca is more family oriented, and a general all around great menu. read more

Went in a few weeks ago to get a meal with my girlfriend. We are both vegetarians. So, our waiter disappeared for 25 minutes...when we finally got to order we requested a Chichuaha Combo substituting beef for avocados and a San Jose substituting beef for avocado. The waiter told us it would be more money... We've been here about 6 times in the past two months and never told its more money. We asked for the manager and when he came over, he gave a lame excuse for why it was more money...but why was the chihuaha combo more money with avocados substituted and not the san jose? Things were not adding up. When the meals came they tasted like salt. We were happy to leave . I felt sick to my stomach shortly after leaving. We will not be back. read more

Plaza Azteca almost looks like a joke from the inside. It was as if every glorified Mexican tchotchke, knickknack, and kitschy item were placed on the wall. As if the Mexican and South American portions of the It's a Small World Disney World ride came to life. Tickity Tack Hell. It was awesome. I went to Plaza Azteca on a Tuesday night that was surprisingly busy. I was meeting a couple former co-workers and they were already seated. As I entered the restaurant and scanned the floor trying to find them I was brushed aside by Speedy McSpeedpants who was antsy to get to the touch screen computer, where he had to wait in line. I probably took up a lot of space, so no harm, no foul there. When I finally found my friends, we had to wait about 10 minutes or so before she came over to tell us she would be with us in a minute. As I salivated watching my friends' sip on their jumbo margaritas. When she arrived I ordered a peach margarita with no sugar and no salt. My friends were enjoying their regular margaritas, so I was really looking forward to mine. The first thing I noticed when she plopped the jumbo sucker down on the table, was the salt crust all around the edge. It also wasn't a peach margarita. It was a regular margarita with salt. Sad face. Rather then send it back (which is my natural inclination), I wanted to utilize the brief moments we had with out waitress to do more important things, like order dinner. When dinner arrived only two of our three plates were brought out. Our server came to check in on us a couple minutes later, and instead of stating the obvious of "oh, you're plate is missing! Let me check on that!" She instead asked, is everything okay so far? Well, no, my friend has nothing in front of her. Well that turned the light bulb on, and gave her the idea to go to the kitchen and check on it. I had the burrito mexico, which was cheesy, rich, and delicious. My request for no beans, was adhered to which made me a happy camper. Another friend had the chimichangas which she enjoyed and took home. My friend got some sort of quesdailla and she loved it. The highlight of the meal is the table made guacamole. They have someone with a little cart come to your table and make your guacamole in front of you with how ever much spice you want. It was delicious. The only issue with is the fact the cart itself takes up so much space, and the restaurant itself is packed with seats. She had to continually slide out of the way so people could get by, and was stuck right in front of our booth once when a wayward highchair was plopped in front it. Our wails to have her just shove it with her cart fell on deaf ears. All in all the service was a 1, the food was a 4. I'd probably give this place a 2.5 if possible, but service is too important to round that up to a 3. read more

This place is absolutely horrible. first off, it was slow on a Wednesday after lunch. Some tables around us were left with dirty dishes. Our waitress promptly took our drink order but never brought out the sweetner for our ice tea. My wife had to get up and ask for sugar because the waitress was nowhere to be found. After placing our lunch order, the food came out fairly quickly but get this. We ordered the Carne Asad tacos and the fish tacos. The beef were so dry and burnt they were like black pellets. The fish tacos came out dry and with no flavor at all. We had to waive down a random employee to ask to have the beef tacos made. Our waitress was so bad we actually had to get up and grab napkins from the hostess stand. Never again will I come here. I freaking hate chain stores for this reason. They spend money on ambiance but the food and service is NEVER good. read more

Plaza Azteca really impressed me at first but each subsequent visit has left me feeling like I should have gone to Mi Mexico Lindo or Tacos Lupita instead. Their most recent decision to remove my favorite Mexican dish from the menu is the final nail. Mole enchiladas people. God's gift to the world. And they don't serve it anymore. Hey, I won't knock this place into 1 or 2 star territory. Service is good, Guac is great and if you want a burrito with chicken and chorizo smothered in queso then this place will still fit the bill. fail (c'mon. mole people. mole). read more

It was good my only complaint was that on my take out order I specified NO HOTS and when I ate it- it was very spicy (hots). They need to pay attention to the customer's order. read more

I'm surprised that so many reviewers and locals call this authentic. Sure, they make guacamole table side, and it's okay, but the cheese they use on their dishes -- brace yourself -- is American cheese. "AMERICAN?" I exhaled, pushing the neon cream sauce with my fork while I struggled to process. Was I in a Mexican restaurant? My burrito tasted like Velveeta. "Yeah!" our glib server exclaimed. "It's actually Land-O-Lakes brand! I can't get enough of that stuff!" My wife pointed out that this is like going to a Chinese restaurant and being served French's yellow mustard for dipping, instead of Chinese mustard. So we sent our burritos back and ordered a taco salad. "What kind of cheese do they use on that?" my wife asked. "Same as the dipping sauce: Land-O-Lakes," the server recited again. "It's the shredded kind though." Otherwise, the decor was charming (excusing the grimy windows that hadn't seen a cleaning in a while), and it was pleasantly bustling with patrons -- but all the ride home, we couldn't stop saying, over and over, "American. American?" read more

This place is always busy and it doesn't surprise me. Their food is delicious. I sometimes get annoyed by how long you have to wait for dinner but it's worth the wait. I love their damn chimichangas - I try to order new dishes but always go back to the same thing. Portions are always good. Their alcoholic drinks are on point. Oh and how can I forgot their sopapilla?! Even if I'm full, I still make room for it - super tasty dessert that reminds me of fried dough but much lighter. The atmosphere is big, ornate and festive. I def recommend Plaza Azteca! read more

Plaza Azteca - Chimichanga served with pico de gallo and rice. - Mexican Near Me - Methuen, Massachusetts

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It's always good food and drinks here. They just revamped their menu and have even MORE choices now. Best of all...it's always Christmas in their little photo booth. #MyPlazaAzteca #buzzybooth read more

I loved it here. The restaurant was beautiful. I felt like I was dining at Disney World.. it was just so pretty! The food was great. Loved the chips and salsa, Wasn't a fan of the buffalo wings (a little too much tomato sauce like stuff on it)- but they were made well and tasted ok. I loved my veggie fajitas and my picky-ass hubby even liked his chicken and cheese tortilla. He hates almost anything except carnival food. The service and food were good. Overall a place I can go time and time again! read more

This is the place to eat great mex food awesome drinks,great service, fantastic atmosphere overall it's an awesome place to bring some friends & enjoy some margaritas & tacos I give a 5 read more

My food was really good. I was super pleased with the shredded beef chimichanga but the waiter was a total Effing JERK!! I wanted to step on his midget head. Ok he really wasnt a midget but some sort of short latin rude jerk. My and my girly friend were having a low key girls chat dinner with drinks and the waiter kept rushing us to basically get up and leave. She literally was still eating her last bites and he was asking to take her plate away. He didnt stop there though. He came back about 2 more times asking if we were all set with the bill while we finished our drinks. Seriously we were having a hard time enjoying our time. its too bad because i really enjoyed the food but i am unsure if i would go back because of him. read more

Held quite a few birthday gatherings here. Be prepared for a long wait as the tables are first come first serve. They do not do call aheads or take reservations. It's a nice place to get friends together and have drinks and food. The tableside guacamole is fresh and so yummy. For food, I'm a fan of the burritos and nachos. The portions are large and usually I have to bring the rest home. If you're gonna have a drink, do yourself a favor and get a beerita with Dos Equis Amber. It's so good! It's pretty much a margarita in a mug with the beer bottle inside. It's a favorite among my group and we like just getting together and having drinks and apps here. read more

I have gone here a few times because my buddy hosts the Monday night pub trivia. I've never been overly impressed. The best thing about it is hands down the table side guacamole, made to order with whatever you want and how spicy you want. The food has been average for me, other people I've dined with have complained far more about their meals however. For the prices they charge, I'd expect far larger portions, they are rather small here. It's not the place to come for a cheap night out. The place is clean and nicely decorated, but the waitstaff is a lot of kids and I've more than once had to chase down a server when trying to leave so I can get my check. All in all, it's a forgettable place. read more

I have been coming here for over 6 years and I get the pina loca every time. I am extremely disappointed to hear that you chose to remove this from your menu. It was always something my family looked forward to, and unfortunately we will not be coming back as often now that you removed it. Service has always been great, nothing bad to say about that. Just bummed out to lose a staple that had been a memory for years. read more

Very nice atmosphere. Two sets of silverware had to be returned for being dirty. The food was decent, but nothing earth-shattering. The service, however, was excellent. Though they don't offer the usual wipes with their chicken wings as an appetizer, the waiter accommodated us with Pampers wipes. read more

This is really a 3.5 star rating, but since I can't do a half star, and three is too low, we'll go four. We've gone to Plaza Azteca a handful of times and have not been disappointed at all. The food quality is very good, not great, but definitely a few notches above average. I keep going back to their Burrito San Jose which is a large 10" tortilla stuffed with chicken, chorizo, rice, and beans in a cream sauce. It is filling and very flavorful. My wife has had a few different dishes. The veggie enchilada has been very good. But the chicken chimichangas were "unique". They didn't look anything like chimichangas we've had elsewhere. Normally they are fried or baked, but always ending up with a crispy tortilla shell. This was not exactly crisp. It wasn't soft either, somewhere in between. Flavor wise it was OK. It just wasn't what we expected for a chimichanga. I should have started with the real star of the review, their table side fresh guacamole. I was never a fan of guacamole until we ordered it here. All ingredients are fresh. Here you will see the preparer create this masterpiece of an appetizer in front of you, from the first slice and spooning out of the avocado, to the squeezing of the fresh limes, and adding in salt, cilantro, onion, tomato, and chilies to your liking. It is a great start. If you go to Plaza Azteca, you MUST get this fresh guacamole. Being a non-drinker I can't comment on their drinks, such as their margaritas. Looking around, people seem to surely enjoy them as there were plenty being ordered. It is a nice place for a gathering. The atmosphere is friendly, and the service efficient. So it's a thumbs up for Plaza Azteca. I've been to some better Mexican restaurants, but unfortunately I've been to far more that's been worse. It's worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

This place went downhill. Always thought this place has the best drinks. Now they are getting cheap they want to serve idk what!! Order a jalapeño margarita and it wasn't sour nor there was any liquor and even though the food still taste good n server was good 15 dollars for a drink!!? Only to be serve water. No thanks!!!! I won't be coming to this shitty place. read more

This Plaza Azteca is located on the MA/NH line. It has its own parking lot.. but because the place gets packed during peak times, you'll be hard pressed to find a spot. Good thing that there's valet! Not sure if it's free or not... but I like that there's the option. My H, infant daughter and I came in for a nice meal after watching Furious 7. We've been to this chain SOOOOO many times in CT and didn't even need to look at the menu. My H ordered the San Jose burrito and I ordered the taco sampler. Both meals were ok... Manchester and Newington made better versions of the same dang meal. Our waiter was nice enough. I'm not sure how many tables he had, but he was barely around when my H or I needed refills on our soda/water. He's probably not indicative of other waiters.. but this was our experience. Hopefully next time will be better. read more

I ordered the 3 Amigos margarita and I really didn't like it (wasn't horrible, just not for me). I told the waiter I didn't like it, and requested a house margarita instead (which was really good). In total: we had 2 margaritas, 1 tableside guac, and 2 orders of shrimp tacos. We got the check and it was $95. They didn't take off the margarita that I didn't like, and they charged us $25 for it - which is extremely frustrating because I didn't drink it. I suggest asking for prices of the drinks before ordering, because we were shocked to see our check was $95 for 2 people. The tableside guac, shrimp tacos, and house margarita were pretty good... but it's disappointing they didn't adjust the check for the drink I didn't consume; not to mention, $95 is far too expensive for what we ordered. read more

A tiny bit pricey for Mexican, and this isn't particularly authentic. But it's tasty and the portions are large. Decent drinks, nice facility that is often busy, unless you can get there mid-afternoon. Don't know if it's a chain, but it seems like just a slight step up from a Margarita's. Not quite as good food as Mexico Lindo, but the access and parking are better, and the bar is much larger. I still prefer Cafe Azteca in Lawrence, but lunch service there can be slow to nonexistent. No real bar there, either. If I have business on that end of Route 28 (right across the street from Lowe's), I would stop in if it doesn't look too busy. Probably would opt for the Texas Roadhouse nearby, though, all things being equal. read more

Really happy with the veggie fajitas. The portions were big! The food was delicious. The pricing was fair. The service was fast. Wish there was a little bit of flavor to the vegetables but overall I enjoyed it. read more

Based upon the number of high ratings for this establishment, one of two things are going on: Diners do not understand what good Mexcian food is supposed to taste like; or, they are confusing blazing fast service with good food. Plaza Azteca, not to be confused with the much better and more authentic Cafe Azteca in Lawrence, MA, is fast-food Mexican. Yes, the service is fast. In fact, it's too flippin' fast. You can order, eat your food, and pay the check in under fifteen minutes. I don't want to eat in under 15-minutes. The servers here hover over you and remove your plates as if there's a shortage of them in the kitchen. My friends love this place for their speed. I'm a little more discriminating in that I would like also my food to be good. The food here all tastes the same. It's like a candle dipped in different colored wax...in the end, it's still going to taste like wax. I've ordered several selections from their menu and while the food isn't dreadful, it isn't traditional, creative, or that interesting. They also cover many of their dishes with a cream sauce creation that has no business being on the plate. Most sauces are used as a disguise and that's certainly being done here. I've heard that their quacamole is made tableside and is very good. This doesn't surprise me because guacamole is essentially mashed avocado, lime juice, salt, and maybe a bit of chopped cilantro; another words, it's not that difficult to prepare. Another quibble is that 4 out of 5 times that I've eaten here (again, my friends drag me here often for lunch) the flatware is dirty and the menu's are soiled. This is a poor attention to detail. If you are looking for good, authentic Mexican food, try Cafe Azteca in Lawrence. read more

I'm not sure why this place gets so much hate from you folk. Anywhoo, my experience at Plaza Azteca was delightful. The food was damned good [yes, it wasn't "authentic", but good nonetheless] and the service was fine. We were seated right away on the outside patio. Yes, there was a 4 year old whom I wanted to run over with my car because he wouldn't stop hitting my chair, but I fault his lackadaisical parenting, not the restauranteur. Anywhoo, I digress... We started off with dranks, all Margaritas; I got the Beerarita with Dos Equis Amber --- OMG, this is the drink. It blows any other wanna be/Coronarita out of the water. It had good alcohol content with enough frozen margarita, and the beer made it slightly sweet, it was heavenly. For apps, we of course had to get the table-side guac [which was being prepared indoors in advance] and the queso fundito mash up of DOOM [onions/peppers/churizo/etc.] Both were killer, and certainly enough for a meal. The chips came a biiiit slow, but we drank in the interim. For entrees, we were all satisfied. Quesadilla, Enchilladas, and the peice de resistance, i got the San Jose Burrito. That was a monster with chicken, cheese, rice, beans, and the works. Definitely a gut buster. For dessert - all of their cheesecake comes from the Cheesecake Factory, so you know it's good too. It was a really good night of food and drinks and a some great weather on the patio. I did NOT feel rushed whatsoever [probably cuz it was a slow night], in fact, we could have benefited from maybe an extra chip basket or refill. Don't stray away from here if you're looking for a full belly and some tasty eats. read more

Update! I've been back here a few times since my original post and I have to say I think the first experience was a one off bad experience. Since then, I've ordered the "Beeritas" a few times and those are DELICIOUS. I have also gotten the chipotle enchiladas which were very spicy but delicious! I took off one star bc the service is admittedly not the best. The staff is very nice, they're just a little slow. But it's a busy establishment so ya can't knock that. It's become a regular haunt for me- glad I gave it another chance! read more

The first two times I went here I really liked it. But as I start to try out the different items on the menu I realized everything taste the same. After 5 visits I think I'm done. Nice big beers. read more

This food is so good it makes me want to be a better person! The service is just as great as the food. I highly recommend the Pina Loca. Also they have great margaritas! read more

I must say, when I saw this restaurant going in, I was skeptical. I have tried my fair share of Mexican when a few friends and I went in on a whim. I must say this is by far the best Mexican I have ever had in the area. The guacamole they make aside the table is the best guacamole around. I have been there three times and have not had a bad meal or experience there yet. The service has been nothing but polite and efficient. I think it's great to see the teamwork coming from all the employees. Keep up the great work and quality of food and service! read more

I dig Mexican so I am always looking for new places to try. We decided tonight would be the night we'd finally head up here and give it a shot. I was surprised by how busy it was on a Tuesday but happy that we were seated quickly, our food was served in huge portions, and the staff was really nice. Tuesdays are also the night a live band comes to play and they don't just plop somewhere they circle the entire restaurant! My 2 year old daughter had an amazing time singing and dancing with them while we waited for out food which was awesome and made that time much smoother. The food was good, I would have liked a milder cheese sauce with our chips they serve at the beginning of the meal and more sour cream on top on my enchiladas but other than that the meal was reasonably priced, the service was quick and friendly and we got to enjoy a little mariachi before dinner. I will be back here, and more than likely next time will have to try one of several of their dessert offerings, I know now to leave room for it. read more

I recently ate here and was very disappointed. I ordered the burrito fajita and knowing that they put a sickening sweet dipping cheese sauce on everything I asked them to leave it off and replace it with salsa. I wish I hadn't done that. Perhaps the sweet dipping sauce would have offset the extremely salty fajita seasoning that encased the meat. Also, my first bite of the briny burrito revealed a very long hair resting beside the grilled onion. It seems that salt was a favorite spice for the chef because the refrained beans were inedible because of pockets of salt mixed in with the bean. With so many good mexican restaurants in the area I will think twice before I eat at this place again. read more

If you work or live around this area, you'll understand when I say there's actually not that many good and affordable restaurants around the Methuen/Salem area. Most of them are fast food like Wendys, McDonalds, etc... While Azteca isn't most authentic Mexican food, it definitely hits the spot if you are hungry. I would recommend going around lunch time where the prices are less expensive. A Chiptole burrito or Chimichanga cost about $8 - $9. And this not your usual burrito. The servings are huge, definitely a lot more dressed up than the ones you get the Chiptole restaurant chains. Salsa and chips are also free and it's pretty good salsa. When I first ate it, the meat was cooked to perfection, so tender. And then something happened, the quality of the meat seems to go down a notch. I'm wondering if they were just trying to attract new customers during opening weeks. But it's still good enough for me to go again. read more

Delicious Mexican food. The restaurant is bright and cheerful. You get chips and salsa when you are ordering. Both are delicious. I would highly recommend the table side made guacamole. My Mother is the real fan but it doesn't get fresher than that. I try to have something different every time I go. I'm a chicken and beef fan while my Mother enjoys seafood. Enchiladas, burritos, tacos, even shrimp fried rice! Yum! I'm usually the one driving so I haven't tried the margaritas yet but the watermelon margarita is on my list for the future! read more

First, let me say 3 stars is not a bad review. It's "A-OK" As a Californian, I am biased since I eat really good mexican food all the time. Granted, even our mexican food isn't REAL mexican food. I thought Plaza Azteca was really decent. Very different in the fact that they put queso (cheese dip) on everything. I highly recommend getting the cheese dip for your chips as you wait, it was amazing. I'm not quite sure what the cold, white sauce they give you with your chips is. It was very different. I kinda liked it but I kept forgetting what it tasted like after each bite because it was so weird, so I was a little afraid of it. Their regular salsa was quite good. As for the entrees, they were just whatever. I got the taco and chile relleno. The taco tasted just like a Del Taco taco (I don't think those are on the east coast.. it's a fast food mexican place), which I like, but when I go to a mexican restaurant I'm used to stellar tacos. The chile relleno however was extremely tasty... really creamy and cheesy.. and the chile wasn't too overpowering. The beans were a disaster.. they were a strange white-ish color (normally dark brown.. even canned refried beans are better). To be honest I can't really remember the rice so obviously it was just "eh." I felt like the waiter was overkilling us with the mexican thing though, constantly calling us senor, or senorita, or amigo. Maybe that's just how he is but it came off as the restaurant trying too hard and overdoing it... and possibly a little racist lol. My boyfriend's mom insisted we get a dessert though, and oh my god it was amazing. Get the Xango.. it's a must! Creamy and delicious with all the sauces. I think this is really one of the only options for Mexican and it definitely stands up as decent. read more

Every time I go in service is excellent. I always sit at the Bar. Everyone is fabulous. I would like to say Karyne is outstanding she is always spot on with our drinks, chips and salsa and our food. She is excellent and everyone know. She is a 5 star bartender!!!! read more

The manager wanted me to give them a second shot. I did, and well...the food still isn't that great. This time I went with chicken fajitas (really hard to screw up something that simple). The cut of the meat was so small. Flavor was ok, but still seemed to be missing the element of seasoning to make it pop. Definitely not worth the weekend price of $13!!! On the other hand, their margaritas are SUPER FANTASTIC! I'm so happy I now have a place in the valley to get a delicious pomegranate margarita - Azteca gains 2 stars for that alone. read more

I've been here a couple times, and they never disappoint! Strong margaritas (I barely finished my small one before I knew I'd have to cut myself off!), great food, and a really lively atmosphere. I had the fajita salad both times, which came with mixed greens, fajita style chicken, and a bunch of veggies. It didn't disappoint! I think the thing that really sold this place for me, though, was their guacamole. They make it fresh to order right in front of your table. I never liked guacamole until I came here; now I can't get enough of it! I put a spoonful of it in my salad as well, and it was really good. Definitely would recommend this place. I'm not a huge Mexican foodie, but this place has changed my opinion. read more

When they first opened we loved the table side guacamole and the giant margaritas. The food was mediocre...too much "cheese" sauce drowns everything. Now it has become too noisy and packed to make it enjoyable. This is no longer a restaurant but a hangout spot. read more

They make really really strong drinks. My friend ordered me this high roller drink that cost like $30- it wasn't that great trust me. I ordered the carne asada with the corn tortillas and it was good. I don't expect much from Mexican joints in the New England area so they're OK in my book. If not for the food, come here for the drinks! read more

I love Mexican food. Besides Indian it is probably my favourite. My wife and I discovered this place while we where running errands in Methuan. Passed by it thanks to the GPS running us around in circles, and when you pass a place three times by accident...well you gotta test it out! We arrived in late afternoon, 4.30 or so, and while the bar was a little busy we where only two of maybe 10 people dining. Even though there was plenty of staff on hand, service was very slow, with a lot of time passing between when we where seated and when our server returned to take our order. My wife ordered the Acapulco burrito and I ordered fajitas. Both where tasty, but we both felt a little disappointed. I was given a large serving of fajitas, but only three small tortillas. When I asked for additional tortillas I found out later that I was charged for them. The Acapulco seemed to be different from the actual menu description (I tried to verify via the Plaza Azteca website, and found it was no longer listed.) I found the food good, but I think that they tried to balance a line between fine dining and traditional Mexican fare, and not really doing that great a job of either. Plus, please don't charge extra for things that should come with the meal! read more

I've had lots of Mexican, and Plaza Azteca is about as good as it gets. Plaza Azeca is in what used to be a Pizzeria Uno's on the MA/NH border. The place has been done over from top to bottom, so there really nothing hinting that it was once an Uno's. Upon arriving at our table we were delivered chips and salsa. The chips were warm and fresh. The salsa was good, but what was better was this addicting ranch-like dip that the chips also came with. I went with the Fajita Burrito with chicken. It was superb. The plate came with two burritos filled with moist marinated chicken, grilled onions, and a light cheese sauce on top. The plate also came with choice of beans or rice. I went with the rice, which was very good. My wife went with a Taco and Burrito combo plate, both filled with beef and refried beans as a side. She was a little disappointed that it didn't seem like you could chose what kind of filling you wanted for both the burrito and the taco - such as one chicken and one beef, but she did like her meal. Both our plates were almost clean enough to eat off when we were done. Decor was nice. Service was excellent. Prices were reasonable. Lastly, while I opted for a diet coke, I could see they offered 32 draft beers, which I may have to order next time I return. :-) read more