Oh, Maiz. How I wanted more from you.
I've eaten at Maiz six or seven times now, and in the past year and a half, my experience eating there went from "Best-tasting and very generous margaritas, authentic, thoughtful Mexican recipes" to "Strange serving sizes, inconsistent cooking, poor drinks."
I loved it the first time I ate here. We came for the margaritas and oh, did we have plenty of them. The queso fundido was out of this world. The mole was the best I'd ever had. Even the chips and salsa were a hit. The next time I came, more of the same, with a lovely and well-balanced ceviche and a beautiful outdoor patio that oozes romance.
The next few times, it just got weird.
Once, the mole tasted like stale bath water was mixed into it. Another time, it was the end of a Groupon period and they had severely understaffed the place. That I could forgive, as it seemed like their first time in Grouponland. Then we went again near the end of a Groupon expiration and it was more of the same chaos, plus the margaritas were suddenly in a small rocks glass (formerly in a big goblet) and poorly mixed. The last time we went, the margaritas cost more than before and were almost undrinkable, and the pina colada--which had previously been a favorite of mine--was also suddenly served in a tiny rocks glass, overflowing with ice for $9. Downtown prices for essentially a shot's worth of liquid. And the owner was making the drinks that night. We left very disappointed that a place that has shown so much love for the cuisine and attentiveness from the staff suddenly seemed like it wasn't trying anymore.
I want the best for Maiz, but I'm reluctant to go back. It seems like it gets its mojo back every time summer comes along and pumps new life back in: the food gets better and the service more attentive. But that's not an excuse for poor food and drinks in the colder months. I'm sure we will get around to coming back there, as we can't get the exemplary food we originally ate there out of minds. But if we have another poor experience, it will probably be our last.
The fish ceviche was terrific! Â I had the chile en nogada stuffed with chicken, and I thought it was really good. Â I feel like the walnut sauce could have been a little thicker, but that was my only complaint about it. Â My husband had the chicken mole enchiladas, and he really liked his dish. Â The mole was flavorful and chocolaty.
Things that could have been better:
the margaritas, and the rice and bean side was a really tiny portion.
Also, while I appreciated the thick, hand-made tortillas, I think they should be able to be rolled up for dipping purposes. Â I wasn't able to do that with the them; they broke apart instantly. Â That's a flaw in my opinion.
p.s. Â It was uncomfortably cold in there!
Good, Â not great. Would move this up another 1/2 star at least for the terrific, very efficient server, Camille, who did everything right.
We started with a margarita for me (very good), a sangria for friend (also rated highly) and guacamole (decent). Chips were fresh.
The vegetarian choices here are interesting. You can choose which veggies you want from a list, so if you don't like what you get, mainly, it's your own fault. It's been a couple weeks since we ate here, so I can't remember exactly what I ordered, but it was enchiladas verdes with veggies. The verde sauce was good. The portion was a reasonable size.
My friend ordered the fish tacos. She liked them.
The restaurant is cute, but small. We arrived early enough so that we could sit down right away. It might get very crowded on a Friday or Saturday night. They do have an outdoor seating area, but that won't help you much in late October.
If all this sounds kind of halfhearted, well, it is. Everything was just fine. Nothing was above average, except Camille, the server. It was all okay.
The reason we went here was because we had a groupon. What groupon does is get us out of our comfort zone, out where we can find some hidden gems that were unknown to us previously. Maiz Antojitos y Bebidos is a bit of a drive for us. There are many similar restaurants closer to home.
Would I go out of my way a second time to visit Maiz Antojitos y Bebidos? No. If I was in the neighborhood, and someone said, hey, let's go to Maiz, would I object? Probably not. I'd be willing to eat there again, but I wouldn't put forth any effort to do so. And if someone said, hey, there's a great new place two blocks away from Maiz, I would probably say, let's try the new place.
Definitely an A-OK experience.
Went here with my dinner and drinks group of ladies for Girls In The Hood-Humboldt Park edition. I really enjoyed my experience, but with a few caveats:
1) I was with a hilarious and fun group of about 12 beautiful and smartly dressed ladies. Fun is a no-brainer.
2) it was early October and 80 degrees out with no humidity...we ate outside on their adorbs back patio strung with twinkly lights and teeming with fresh air. They could've served me slop and I would still be feeling that patio.
3) I had many, many cocktails of varying strengths and Latin origins.
Sure our waitress was endearingly batty and not super fast, the food seemed good and everyone left full, and the drinks are sloooooow cuz they are homemade and from scratch, but I left feeling in love with this cute little place. I mean, friends, tortilla chips, and mojitos on a patio on a gorgeous night? Â DUH.
I can't say I was expecting very much after reading the reviews so I can't say that I was disappointed, but we had a Groupon to burn.
The menu seemed pretty standard but I was weary of a "Mexican" spot in the heart of HP. Their drinks were ok priced. They weren't the best but they weren't the worst. I don't think they had the best margaritas by any stretch of the imagination.
We ordered a sampler platter that was decent. I felt all starchy and bloated but I guess fried masa will do that to you. Which I think everything on that platter is.
I can't say that I will be back ever.
Last night of the living social deal (or was it a Groupon?). Â In any case, my second visit was as strange as the first.
I'll start with one good thing. Â We started out sitting outdoors and a storm rolled in...they did make sure everyone was moved inside quickly. Â However, one woman wasn't given a table inside and was still standing at the front door waiting for a seat when we were leaving (we hadn't even started eating when it started pouring rain).
On to the rest of the meal. Â While we were seated quickly, it took a really long time to be greeted and then even longer to be asked to give our orders. Â The table next to us got to order much more quickly even though they sat down much later.
When our chips came, there were about 10 chips in the basket - it seemed as if we had been given leftovers based upon the amount of chips. Â
I ordered the quesadilla - it was really not tasty at all. Â The guac that I ordered with it came early (which was fine as I was willing to share), but the portion size on the guac wasn't very large. Â Basically, aside from the guac, nothing tasted like much of anything. Â It was just ok.
Service was unbelievably slow (and remember that table that ordered quickly? Â They got food quickly, but I think they were done with dinner before they got their drinks). Â
I will say that the margaritas were good, but aside from that, I'm not sure there is much of a draw to go back.
Anojitos Y Bebidas! Snacks and drinks! Sounds fun right?
The romance wore off pretty quickly after the third sauce and cheese covered, meat stuffed masa item I ate. I mean, I do love masa - wrapped in leaves, fried, stuffed... I don't care. Give it to me.
But you know what I love even more than masa? VARIETY! Keep things interesting and I will be your friend forever. The menu at Maiz is pretty enormous and can be overwhelming. Once I ate all the items we had ordered, I realized how redundant most of the items were. There will be masa, there will be either a red or green sauce, there will probably be some cheese, maybe some lettuce/tomato, and you pick the meat/seafood/veggie filling. 20ish items of this variation is TOO MUCH. Everything started tasting the same, except the elote dish - kernels of corn were never so welcome!
As for the meat/veggie/seafood options - there are also too many. Vegetarians can choose from about 10 different vegetables, which can be good (yay vegetables) or bad (if you are indecisive like me). The diner really has too much decision making to do. I prefer restaurants with well-constructed dishes; different components that will taste good together. I don't want to figure it out myself. I ended up ordering the worst al pastor taco and torta I have ever eaten - it was a chewy, saucy mess.
The alcoholic drinks are STRONG. The agua frescas are decent (again, lots of choices - coconut horchata anyone?). The service is also good - we got out of these pretty fast.
But spending $60+ (before tip) for 2 people on mediocre Mexican food? NO MAS!
This place has a huge menu, but a good portion of the items are just corn, salsa, and your choice of meats configured into a different shape. Want a tube of corn, salsa, and meat? How about a flat piece of corn with salsa and meat on top? Perhaps a little pocket made out of the corn and stuffed with meat and salsa? Try the antojitos (snacks) sampler and you'll see what I mean.
That isn't to say that the food isn't enjoyable - it is just that you think you are ordering a variety of items and you end up repeating the same flavors over and over. It's boring. The person that decided to stick pom seeds in the guacamole should be allowed to jazz up some of the other dishes also.
I was disappointed with the way that they serve their al pastor - saucy is weird to me when I just want pork tacos with cilantro and onions.
They serve a tequila mojito. Order it if you like a stiff drink. Mine packed a mighty wallop, but tasted pretty great after some of the ice melted and diluted it a bit.
I have to say that I thought this meal, while good enough to earn the A-OK, was a bit dull and a bit too pricey for Mexican food in Chicago.
We walked in and were greeted with the offer to sit anywhere we liked. Â It wasn't busy at all, a max of three other parties were already enjoying dinner. Â Once we were seated, I think they forgot about us because it took over 10 minutes for anyone to come by to take our beverage order and bring the complimentary chips and salsa. Â
The complimentary chips and salsa weren't anything to rave about either. Â The chips weren't great and the salsa was less appealing to me. Â A small dipping cup of salsa Verde and a small dipping cup of a spicier red salsa served with a bowl of lime wedges.
I was thirsty so I went with a soda, expecting free refills. Â I got a can, for $1.75. Â The hubby went with a Margarita. Â It wasn't a big Margarita but it sure was strong. Â Not super sweet either, almost like tequila with lime juice. Â I liked it. Â After the beverages came, they forgot about us some more. Â
The hubby went with their Carne Asada served with a side of rice, refried beans and warm corn tortillas. Â I went with a salad, the mixed greens ensalada with jicama & mango tossed with avocado dressing. Â I asked if I could have chicken added, the menu doesn't offer the option to add a protein to either of their meatless salad options. Â Our server was kind of a jerk about it and finally said, "normally we don't allow substitutions but I'll do it this one time." Â To which I thought, "don't worry, there won't be another time...and it's NOT a substitution it's an addition! Â Think of it like a side of meat."
The food came out super fast, within 5 minutes of ordering it was in front of us.  The hubby's entrée was okay.  The homemade corn tortillas were the best part, the rice and beans were average and the meat was sub-par.  My salad was pretty good, I would suggest they change their menu to provide the option to add proteins to their 2 salad options because without it my salad wouldn't have been enough to call dinner. Â
I should have just ended the meal there. Â But I had room for dessert and I really like fried ice cream, so we went with that. Â Second disappointment today! Â I was envisioning a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some kind of crunchy fried component topped with cinnamon and honey. Â Their "fried" ice cream was more like a sundae. Â Strawberry ice cream, chocolate sauce, barely enough crushed bits of fried tortilla to dub it "fried" and topped with cheesy rainbow nonpareils sprinkles.
The first time that I ate here will forever be known as the time that I found a place in Chicago with two little something extras. Â
THE GOOD EXTRA: I love cactus in my Mexican food. Â And very few places in Chicago put nopalitos in the their dishes. Â So imagine my glee when I discovered that this place has it. Â And they'll put it in any of their mix and match corn creations. Â The huaraches (corn mush with vegetables or meats mixed in) come with the customer's choice of two ingredients. Â And I loved this part as well. Â The potatoes and cactus I chose were both excellently flavored and textured to blend with the corn base.
THE BAD EXTRA: I don't love follicles in my Mexican food. Â But that happens. Â It's part of the restaurant business. Â It's what happened next that put me a little off. Â Instead of apologizing or anything of the sort, the server looked a little confused and then annoyed. Â But the replacement huarache was as excellent as the part of the first that I got to consume. Â And free of spit. Â That I know of. Â
Besides that, the chips were brilliantly thin and the salsa was just slightly spicy and majorly delicious. Â The Corona was cold and cheap. Â And there were a ton of vegetarian choices. Â If you don't count the dead human cells.
In the end, I have to average the rating out and give them one extra star for the added ingredient that I loved, and then take it away for the added "ingredient" that grossed me out. Â They don't need to work on the food. Â It's spectacular. Â But the service and sanitation might need a little tweaking.
My friend, Heather, has been trying to get me to go here since she met the then Governor of IL Blago. Â What a putz, but apparently he knows good food.
Maiz has great Mexican food and superb drinks.  I had two "Bulls" which are a  cocktail of dark beer, rum, and lime. Perfectly refreshing, though the glass reminded me that I need to work out my arms.
Sopes are excellent and the chips come with this really good cilantro salsa.
Our service was downright neglectful. I arrived before my friends, was seated in the back and asked the owner for one of his margaritas. Â he was very gracious but never got my drink. The place got busy and we felt forgotten in the back even though there were two more tables seated with us.
I'll return for the food and summer patio and I hope that there will be additional servers when I do because they will need the help.
Led here by the Groupon and encouraged by many positive reviews, we were excited to try this place. Â We don't need the mega portions, but some decently priced slightly upscale Mexican food hits the sweet spot for us, so it sounded like Maiz would be perfect.
Things started off...not good. Â After hearing about the "fishbowl" sized drinks, I ordered a "top shelf" margarita for $9. Â It came to the table in a rocks glass. Â Hmmmm. Â When I inquired, the waiter (manager?) said - "Big, small, doesn't matter, you still get 2oz of tequila." Â My husband took this to mean that I just got a stronger drink, with not as much mix, etc. as they put in the larger glasses. Â So they were out of the large glasses as of 7:15 on a Saturday night? Â Or maybe the "top shelf" just meant less mixer? Â Either way, mamma not happy. Â The drink was gone before my entree arrived.
However...the guac. Â YUM YUM YUM. Â Pomegranate seeds, an interesting addition, sprinkled on top. Â Big chunks of everything, very fresh. Â My entree was ok - chilaquiles but my husband's chili relleno had this fab sauce that was like a sweet walnut sauce. Â
For us, Groupon often accomplishes what it sets out to do - give us a way to try a new place with the hopes that we return. Â We often do, but in this case, with a mixed review, most likely not.
If corn were crack MAYB would be a junkie paradise.......
They are not joking around; go there for your fix, all forms, fried or steam, stuffed or plain, white or yellow, masa, tortilla, gordita....your choice.
Beware though: no POP allowed.
(except in soda form)
Tasty, but for monomaniacs only.
I like diversity.
Why the shit haven't I been here before this past Friday night? Another yelp told me my Jesus-length beard made me look I'd given up on life. So I trimmed the beard down to a 9 o'clock shadow, threw on some dark clothing, and went to Maiz, and now I feel like I've got a whole new lease. Just kidding. The truth is that
***spoiler alert***
I'm the smoke monster. The only way to keep me from eating all the tortillas and drinking all ur margs is to build a sonar fence around this restaurant. Your move, Widmore.
After a recent salsa lesson in the neighborhood, my dancing partner and I, decided that a little food was in order and stopped in Maiz Anojitos Y Bebidas for dinner.
What a treat! It was snowy night so there was only one other table occupied in the place which was fine by me as we got super service with great suggestions by the owner.
Fresh chips and salsa were put down before we even had our coats off and the beers were cold and crisp. We really couldn't make up our minds so we ordered a little of this and that to share and everything hit the spot.
The shrimp ceviche was cool and refreshing and was full of chunks of shrimp, avocado and spices. The cheese and chorizo fundido was served with warm, homemade corn tortillas and didn't stay on the table for long. You can order it plain or choose to mix in a choice of their meat offerings.
And finally- the sharable plates of chile rellano, skirt steak and enchilada mole were good although I was not a big fan of their mole sauce. It had a weird after taste to me.
The food came up quickly and is served in a fun, home-ey environment. The colorful colors on the tables and walls welcome you and give a heads up that a casual fun time is ahead. There was also plenty of free parking on the street just steps away from the door.
I suspect that people may find it a bit pricey for Mexican food. Our bill with 2 beers and food was about $65 but the quality of the food was quite good.
Glad I have a series of dance lessons in the neighborhood as it will give me plenty of opportunity to go back and check out other offerings on their menu.
I feel like I need to do a refresher review of Maiz, I've been going here since it's opened and have yet to be disappointed. Â There has never been an awkward breaking in period with these guys. Â Sometimes when you have a newer restaurant there can be some fumbles or errors, but I've never experienced that at Maiz. Â The service and the food has always been rock solid, A+, gold star, top notch quality.
We come here for special occasions, we come just because we have cash, we bring friends and family to show off what a cool place we have in Humboldt Park, there is always a great reason to come here.
The food is amazing, the dishes seem to change a little from season to season. Â Some of our staples are the elote, which if you are sharing, ask for it shucked, the steak and onion quesadilla (possibly the largest quesadilla I've ever seen) and the pastor cazuela with cheese. Â There is a lovely patio area in the back. Â If the owner is there he will most likely come to the table and check up on you, make sure that everything is going swell. Â My poison of choice is the Bull, a tasty combo of beer, rum and lots of lime. Â I could easily go for broke downing these, they are quite refreshing. Â If for some reason when you go and they still have tres leches cake in stock, get a slice. Â Or maybe save the slice for me? Â Pretty please? Â I've been trying to get my hands on it the last few times that I've gone and it's always out!
I'm really happy that Maiz has found a really good home for itself in Humboldt Park.
You know the drill, cash only, open for dinner Tuesday thru Sunday and closed on Monday.
So along this stretch of California, its a little gritty. There is this unassuming storefront and I always wondered what it was. Lo and behold a neighbor told me she loved Maiz. So finally I went to try with some friends. I like that its tapas-style mexican. That way you can solve that problem of going in to a Mexican restaurant and not being able to decide what to get!
We got a lot!! Specifically the fish tacos, corundas, guacamole, sopes de tinga, and... I forget the name but the goat cheese and masa cakes.
it was all delicious! The corundas were a little less than I expected, they were little masa cakes fried and then topped with mole sauce and lettuce and the like. The mole was very chocolatey, but I desired more from it.
Everything else was great. The guacamole was chunky and had pomegranate seeds on it, and was awesome. The salsas are fresh and delicious also. I liked the margaritas, but they weren't very strong. I felt like there was a lot of lime and not as much tequila. Everything was very fresh and non-greasy and the tortilllas were deliciously homemade. I'm glad to have found this gem just up the street!
We went here for a friend's birthday/nye dinner. Â The place was packed and service was slow, but we were drinking so I didn't mind.
Margarita's were fine, but a little too sweet and not that strong. I've certainly had better (in SF, not in Chicago)
We had a vegetarian platter, encheladas, a pork volcano bowl, tamales and a taco.
I liked the enchelada probably the best, but over all the experience was nothing to write home about.
I didn't hate anything, but i really see no awesome reason to return.
Simple, clean, cheap, and full of delicious new tastes.
Ask the server for their house specialty...I am not sure what it is called, but they are simlar to "make it yourself" steak tacos. You get the tortillas, cilantro, onions and pineapple. Yes pineapple! along with a simmering pot filled with melted cheese and steak.
I was very impressed, although the neighborhood is not that great, I would definitely come back here for more.
This was the first place I ate when I moved here. I could not believe how amazing the food was. definately the most authentic mexican I have ever had. Â Great service, unbelievable salsa, and I love the neighborhood of Humboldt Park.
Try 'the bull'...this drink will knock you on your ass.
This is an incredible place in an unassuming area. The food is perfectly on point and the tastes are just amazing. They are always super friendly and we never seem to have a problem getting a seat (we usually go during the weak to avoid the crowds.)
Without a doubt, the Margaritas are among the best in the city. So many margaritas these days have too much sour mix and just taste pre-mixed, even when good tequila is used. At Maiz, they use an incredibly simple mixture, that doesn't use any sour mix at all, and tastes heavenly.
Plenty of parking in the area, but bring your cash. No credit cards accepted here. And whatever you do, order something with their unbelievable mole sauce. Some of the best I've ever had.
We were tickled by the miniature, doll-sized portions here. Chowed down each dish in an average of 6 bites flat. The unAmerican-ness of it all was kind of refreshing. The juxtaposition of having these small plates delivered by our bodybuilder of a waiter also made for a good sitcom moment. That being said, can't complain when the flavors are on point, prices are low and you leave filled up somehow.
The guacamole is spruced with bits of pomegranate. An unusual but effective pairing. Also recommend getting steak and pastor infused in dishes where they are an option. The tacos almost rival Pasadita and other spots in Pilsen. Though was not wowed by the maiz tortillas and tamales. Ironic for a place that prides itself and revolves the entire menu around the vegetable. The fried ice cream and crepes are ideal closers.
Contrary to the dishes, the margaritas and mojitos are king-sized. And stiff. The lively patio provides the perfect setting to throw these back.
Now that I have been to Maiz 2 times I must say I am a definite fan. First off, the restaurant is authentic looking and not cheesy. For some reason, I find that a lot of Mexican restaurants in the city look like theme parks. Which doesn't appeal to me since I am an adult.
The portions are small and tasty, so you wont feel overwhelmed with the amount of food on your plate. Which also means, you can try several things if you are hungry. The service is very good and the outdoor patio is great!
So, if you are looking for a great and less expensive alternative for Adobo Grill, I would check this place out! The only reason it doesn't have 5 stars is because the Margaritas aren't my style, but you might love them!
PS- The Queso Fundido is the best I have ever tried!
I would go with 4 stars if it wasn't for the really bad service. Â Appetizers were great, entrees and margaritas were good, and the back patio was cozy. Â
Even with the slow service (as in waited 30 minutes to get the check) I would go back for the food. Â I'll just make sure to go when I'm in a lounging mood and not in a hurry for my drinks, food, or check.
The bf and I ventured here late on a Sunday night. Â The place was dead besides one other couple. Â We ordered their specialty platter, which featured a little of everything, and margaritas.
The service and drinks were totally unremarkable. Â The little of everything platter was a deep fried mess. Â Now, I'm the type that'll eat a dirty old boot if it's been deep fried, so needless to say, I ate the deep fried mess. Â But I didn't enjoy it.
Overall: overpriced deep fried mess + lackluster service = no plans to return. Â Try Tecalitlan on Chicago Ave instead.
I loved this joint on my first visit on a quiet night in summer 2007. Great food, decent service, a nice, laid-back ambiance.
However...
I just got back from a repeat visit a year later on a busy Saturday, and the difference in service was striking. Granted, the back patio was bustling, but that doesn't excuse a waiter who disappeared for 20 minutes at a time and couldn't be found when we had drink orders.
I'm vegan, but I'm not some extreme PETA reactionary idiot. I get it that some restaurants equate "vegetarian" with "vegetables and a whole bunch of cheese." That's why I'm careful when ordering. I explicitly ordered my entree without cheese or sour cream. There was no ambiguity. I even made sure the salad dressing was dairy-free. But when I received my dinner - a vegatarian dish consisting of a volcanic rock bowl full of veggies - it included a gigantic glob of cheese covering half the food.
On my second attempt to flag the waiter down and let him know this was a problem, he tried to say he'd put the cheese on the side so it wouldn't interfere with the rest of the food. When I insisted that I needed a new entree, he complied - but didn't bring it out till a full 20+ minutes later, when the rest of my party was completely done eating.
Unrepentantly terrible service really tarnishes my impression of this restaurant. We were a party of 8, including 2 out of towners. All were somewhat underwhelmed because of the services. I want to like this place, but they need to step it up a level even if they're busy.
We have been wanting to check this place out for some time now and we finally got off our behinds last night.
The neighborhood leaves a little to be desired, but I will not hold that against the restaurant.
First of all we walked up to the place and wondered if it was even open. Â Outside of the help, there was not a soul inside. Â Usually this would send me running, but we wanted to try this place bad enough and just chalked it up to it being a Tuesday night in bad weather.
We grabbed a seat up front and were immediately greeted by the owner. Â He was very nice and took the time to answer all of our questions.
The chips and salsa were fantastic. Â May be some of the best salsa I've had at a restaurant.
We ordered the Mocoles di Tinga (sorry if I butcher the name) which were deep fried masa stuffed with spicy chicken. Â Â We both really enjoyed them.
Next we had the Enchiladas de Rojas and the Cazuela. Â Both were superb. Â The enchiladas were very light but packed a lot of taste. Â The tortillas that came with the Cazuela were fresh and the meat was seasoned nicely. Â Fun finger food at its best.
We walked out full, but not feeling gross.
We will be going here many times in the future to try more items of their menu.
Thanks again for another good recommendation, yelpers!
I had heard great things.... and seen a lot of pictures... Â But I was somehow expecting this to be more like Frontera or something, whereas the menu had a lot of the same stuff you get everywhere else. Â Though there were a few things I hadn't really seen. Â And $6 for a single tamale struck me as kind of expensive? Â
The waiters were very nice and the service was good. Â The alcoholic drinks come in fishbowl size glasses, and seemed to be made from real juices, not mixed crap. Â So +1 for that...
The tortillas were obviously homemade, and completely good. Â Everything felt homemade and fresh.
I had enchiladas in mole, which while good was probably an unexciting choice... And they were no better/worse than I've had at many other Mexican restaurants in Chicago. Â Â Not that I ever find rice/beans to be an exciting side, but these enchiladas didn't come with anything on the side. Â I guess I was expecting something more unique based off of reading about this place.
Cash only. Â (And for those searching for Maize and not finding anything, Maize is apparently the English spelling of Maiz in Spanish)
I'll definitely be back!
This is some of the best Mexican food I've had in Chicago yet. Â From the cornucopia of salsas on the table when you sit down to the enchiladas (get them w/ verde salsa - trust me) to the HUGE margaritas. Â You definitely won't be sorry you went. Â I seriously can't say enough good things about this place. Â Amazing nice staff, delicious food, great drinks, atmosphere = A, music = provided the perfect light hearted mood and amount of fun.....
GO THERE!
I wish I would have written about this place when it opened a couple of years ago, because I would have given it a golden 5 stars. However, when we went back last night for dinner we were really sad. No really really sad.
What happened to this place? It started out with the guacamole, last time we had it was stellar on portion size, flavor, seasoning, and yumminess...there USED to be pomegranate seeds on it, but had been replaced with dried cranberries? HUH?
Then after that, it was down hill from there. I ordered the Tinga de Sopes because I remembered how much I loved it. I'm pretty sure that it isn't my favorite anymore. The chicken was dry, and it was served lukewarm. (Gross) My friend got Vegetabales de Talmale, he said it was just okay, and there was more corn than actual vegetables which was supposed to consist of cactus, peppers, avocado, and tomatoes.
I'm just super sad this place has gone hill. I am only giving it 3 stars simply because of the service (which is great) and the decor. It is super cute inside.
Please Maiz---get it together!! I wanna come back and eat you up again!
What had I thought was a great hidden gem is obviously not based on the number of reviews. Â Definitely a great neighborhood restaurant. Â You walk in and are welcomed by the employees. Â The restaurant itself is narrow but with enough room to navigate through.
The menu is a bit text heavy and by no means did I care to read it after a long week at work. Â I told my friend to order for both of us and he did a fabulous job. Â We started off with the Plato de Antojilos, which was basically mini samplings of everything. Â I enjoyed all of it with the exception of the spinach empanada. Â We also ordered the vegetable tamal which was fabulous and I would easily order again. Â The disappointment of the night came with the carne asada. Â I've never seen carne asada prepared this way before. Â It was basically extra thin pieces of beef which lacked flavor. Â
Drinks are great here and are definitely budget friendly. Â
We ordered just enough to be full but not be overwhelmed. Â Our bill was about roughly $75 but only a third of that was for food.
Service is friendly and accomodating. Â I will definitely be back to try more.
The napkin holders told me I was ugly.
I was willing to overlook this and still enjoy my meal. Â Upon entering the restaurant my compadre and I learned the secret of the mojitos. Â I won't spoil it for you all, but lets just say it made us chuckle a bit.
The service was friendly, in that genuine way...which is how I prefer my friendliness. Â This being my first tapas experience, didn't really feel different from ordering at any other mexican restaurant except for the fact that everything that was put on the table was fair game for all.
Highlights of the meal:
- Cafe de olla - they describe it as "Traditional Mexican coffee, simmered in a clay pot and has a very distinctive flavor" I describe it as strong coffee that tastes like it was brewed with a stick of Big Red
- Queso Fundido - you have the option to have it with bacon and bacon alone, and oh yes we took that option baby.
- Crepas de Cajeta - The first time I experienced caramelized goat's milk, but definately not the last.
Lowlights:
- Molcajete de Carne - described as "A three-legged volcanic rock mortar is filled with your choice of steak, chicken, pastor or cecina w/ grilled cambray onions, bell peppers, baby corn, cheese and a side of our homemade corn tortillas" Â You would think it would sizzle, or at least be warm to the touch. Â Nope, just a cheesy rock with meat.
-Molotes de Tinga - I thought that we should try a corn dish, being in Maiz Anojitos Y Bebidas...perhaps we should have chosen another. Â The onions overpowered it for me, and made me totally self-conscious about my breath for days.
I'm willing to try it again, since the people around us seemed like they were having the time of their lives. Â Then again, they were partaking heavily in the Bebidas Alcholicas.
Submitted Maiz  for Check Please a few months ago and was told someone had already reviewed it in late summer '07.  Here's the review/overview I sent:
This place is a little slice of Antojito heaven, that is for sure. In a society still hung up on super-sized portions and a general overindulgence on the food front, owner/operator/chef Carlos Reyna, cuts against the 'grain' and goes completely minimal in his prep & presentation (of the food) as well as look & feel (of the restaurant space itself). Â Make no mistake about though, Maiz brings it 110% with respect to the food's quality and freshness, execution and taste! Â
Don't come here expecting a burrito as big as your head or any nonsense like that (those joints have their place, mind you, just not here!).  Do come here however, expecting to taste  a number of truly authentic corn and tortilla based dishes done up in a 'small plate' mexican-tapas (appetizer) style fashion
As mentioned, the space itself is really stripped down and conveys a bit of 'less is more' attitude; it's somewhat a reflection of the food itself, as well as the surrounding neighborhood to be honest. A dozen or so pale green painted four-top wooden tables and chairs, a near non-existent bar area (there are 2 high back chairs sat at the corner where they prep the drinks, which you could sit at while you wait for take-out) plus a few large framed pictures with newspaper and magazine articles featuring Maiz restaurant is all you'll find in the place. Â It does have a decent sized patio out back with an additional 10 tables or so, should you want to dine al fresco.
So it basically let's the food be the star, exactly what a good restaurant should do! Â Everything, and I mean everything, is made fresh daily and all corn tortillas are pressed and cut on premise, made to order..even the chips for guac & salsa are pressed, cut, and cooked to order.
The menu contains over two dozen different Antojitos and there are a few items which are must haves:
Mini-Empanada's, Tamal de Elote (tamal on Corn Husk) Molotes de Tinga and/or Enfrijoladas.  Outside of that, you still can't go wrong in any number of choices.  Dined here over 20 times and  here are a handful of favorite dishes:  Queso Fundido, Tamal de Chorizo, Chilaquiles, Flautas de Tinga, Enchiladas Rojas and the Sopes.  Obviously there are many other menu items but those would be my top picks.
Shame if i left out the perfect accompaniment w your meal and that's their margarita's. They're big, they're bad and for the price, the best bang for your buck in town as far as i'm concerned. Â See for yourself and see what you've been missing.
This place made me so happy inside that I'm going to tell all my friends about it. Â As others said, inexpensive and great tasting and easy front door parking.
Aside from all that, we got a friendly greeting when we entered. Although the entrees are Mexican and not Spanish, they are served tapas style according to the owner. He suggested that for two people we start with at least three, and if it looks like it's not enough feel free to add on as we need to.
So we started with the steak tacos, enchiladas and a jicama with avocado salad. It was all good the salad was outstanding. Â For drinks we had tequila mojitos, oh man! So fresh, minty, refreshing and delicious. I would go here even if they just served this mojito and chips.
I just enjoyed everything, the welcoming feel, food and the drinks. A complete dining experience. Really...you need to eat and drink here!
Antojitos, meaning something close to "little cravings," so little cravings and drinks. It's all in their name. Â Yes, I looked up the translation.
WHOA! Â
I was blown away by this place. Â It's a small joint tucked away in neighborhood that leaves a bit to be desired in the cuisine department. Â Sure, Humbolt Park has some cool places that offer decent food at decent prices...but Maiz is FANTASTIC food at MORE THAN reasonable prices. Â
I'm a big fan of Frontera downtown, and this place easily rivaled. Â I know, it sounds crazy, but I'm writing this review a full month after having visited (if that tells you how the place made an impression on me). Â They had authentic dishes that contained fresh ingredients prepared and presented in an aesthetically pleasing way. Â
The wait staff was tremendous.  We had a party of 12 and they didn't stutter.  They had an answer to every question.  The service was prompt but not overwhelming or nagging.  The drinks were made with fresh ingredients.  Every concession was made when requested without hesitatation.  They made me sangrita with my tequila (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipezaar.com%2F68185&s=2d7e34e58d5b19a4b45cf08be84de4f4e78da900cf3693ee4ec98534e1ddcffa" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.recipezaar.co…</a>). Â
Go there. Â Go there now. Â Go there yesterday. Â Go there in your sleep. Â GO...just GO!
I am a fan of this joint. The food is tasty and doesn't make me feel like updating my will afterwards like many of the other Mexican joints in the city. The cheese isn't poured on with a cement mixer, but is gingerly crumbled on top as an accent. You can't taste the lard and the veggies are crisp. The big winner for me, though, is the lime juice michelada is the absolute and utter tits. It tastes like summertime. It tastes like summertime in Humboldt Park. It tastes like I am latino and spending summertime in Humboldt Park and not some white boy getting glares from the 12-inch softball thugs. I love this michelada. It makes me feel like I am more down with the brown every time I have one.
Yeah, I guess it is more expensive than your local taqueria, but you are buying the pleasure of not throwing it all the hell up afterwards, which is a big value thing for me.
Crown jewel: Micheladas! Oh, and simple, tasty food that won't melt your intestines (small or large, yo).
avoid: Ah, the walk to Chicago Ave down Cali is like playing one of those video games that old people bitch about ruining our youth.
One of my favorite spots in the city. Â You really feel like you are in a fresh, colorful and lively part of Mexico when you go here. Â The atmosphere might be playful, but they take their food very seriously. Â The first time I stumbled upon this gem, I wanted to carry out and the gentleman taking care of me didn't want me to get certain items on the menu because they wouldn't taste as good taken to go-- I respect that.
While I was waiting, I had a Margarita and I am not joking when I say it was the absolute best margarita I have ever had. Â Since then, I have tried a few of the premium flavored ones at Maiz and they don't even compare to the original. Â Don't go here without trying it. Â The fresh lime just jumps out at you and it's never too sweet.
I have eaten here a few times by now and I just realized that it's a tapas style place. Â Every time I have gone, we have ordered appetizers and each gotten an "entree" (which, I guess, are actually tapas portions). Â Whatever they are, the fabulous. Â The protein choices are vast and the flavor is always unique, fresh, and uncompromising. Maiz trumps any upscale Mexican offering in Chicago at the price of a casual margarita joint.
EDIT: Â I was a featured review on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FCheckPlease.tv&s=d32a59168b60e3c7db6173b93fe794e2351a148eb7e0bb29c48d67a0039decda" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://CheckPlease.tv</a> for this joint... go there, it's delish!
This was the second adventure my boyfriend and I had with places near his new apartment. Â We were going to try Feed, but it was closed for the holidays. Â We wandered up the street to Maiz instead.
Maiz is a small storefront on an unassuming stretch of California. Â We walked in and were greeted with a colorful decor (Christmas lights everywhere!) and a smile from the owner, who sat us near the back. Â This place doesn't have that much in the way of seating, so it feels fairly intimate. Â
I had heard that the concept here was small plates, so we ordered a few dishes to share. Â We started out with guacamole and chips, both of which were obviously very fresh and homemade. Â The chips were actually some of the best I've ever had. Â
We then moved on to dinner plates. Â We had the shrimp huarache, which was just ok. Â It was obviously very fresh, but it didn't have much in the way of flavor. Â
The queso fundido was awesome - melted cheese with chicken that you scoop onto tortillas. Â I have a soft spot for cheese, and this coated said spot with melted, gooey cheesiness. Â
The final dish we had was Molcajete Vegetariano, which translates (roughly) into "Vegetables served in a ginormous volcanic rock". Â After having this dish, I've decided to serve all my food in volcanic rocks. Â Obviously everything tastes better in a giant rock! Â
If you're over in Humboldt Park, definitely give this place a try. Â Good food, huge margaritas, and a cute decor make this place a fun night out :)
Very tasty snacks...and on the pricey side if you are used to the typical Chicago taquerias.
It isn't that each item is pricey (you can get the greatest quesadilla of your life for about $6) Â -- the portions are relatively small and you will need to order a lot to fill up relative to popular joints east of here. But do still go give it a try - every antojito is a small work of art - with intense flavors, contrasting textures, and bright colors.
The once-open kitchen has been closed due to wind cooling down the kitchen. The once empty wallboard space has been replaced by a mirror, which adds depth to the front. There's a full bar that serves huge Margaritas.
More people need to eat here!
Maiz is a slightly different experience than many Mexican restaurants. They feature everything made out of MAIZ duh and lots of sorts of Mexican street foods: "this is the traditional tamal of the plazas of Mexico City...".
The margaritas are pricey but excellent, the guac is great, and the tortilla soup is so good it starts every meal I eat there. Dishes are meant to be tapas style, so they are small and expensive, but share and you will be very satisfied.
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