Cafe Mayapan

A coworker introduced me to this hidden place off of Texas street. We were attracted to the albondigas with fideo. I ordered a large size. I also ordered a potatoe flauta plate with rice and beans. The staff was welcoming and showed us around the building while we waited for our prepaid to go food. After waiting for our food, the server brought my bagged order and said , we ran out of albondigas, so we gave you what we had left and an extra side of chicken soup instead. I was dissappointed and would have preferred she ask me what I wanted to do. Maybe order something else or get my money back. I had already waited too long and had to get back to work so I accepted the replacement soup. The large cup had two turkey albondigas in it. The food was good and the place has a story. I will have to go back again to see if I can try a full order and some of their other dishes. Check it out. Their menu has some good choices. See pictures.

Cafe Mayapan has some of the most delicious, authentic food I've had. I was super pleased with my order and the food was well worth it. What inspires my rating the most, though, is the cause it supports. As their website states: "When preparing menu items, we ask ourselves: what are the foods of our ancestors? What ingredients do those contain? Can any of those ingredients be sourced locally?” Cafe Mayapan is owned by La Mujer Obrera, an amazing organization dedicated to creating community and fighting for women's rights.

The place was ok the service was good place was clean. Had some nice music playing. The food was not all that flautas we ok just no flavor rice was a little burnt. The guacamole was plain no flavor. The Chile Verde was good but again not much flavor same with rice. The Chile con queso was ok. It was nice to try but definitely will not go back there are places with better food.

Love the food. Real authentic Mexican flavors. The servings are not huge but appropriate for the price. The service is pleasant and the waitresses know the food. Highly recommend.

I decided to explore the downtown area and found this Cafe. Beautiful interior with the paintings and the food is absolutely amazing. Best in all of El Paso if you ask me, I will be coming back and bringing my friends and family!

Another great meal!!!! Absolutely great service and an astoundingly great meal!!!! The food is to die for here, especially the Sopa Azteca and Nopal Relleno. Came back from college Summer 2022 and the food was even MORE delicious. If there is one place to visit when in town, it’s this place.

Run by women, hard working women. Kitchen is nice, great mexican taste, they care about others, there' a little museum, gallery and shop. You can have a Jamaica flower glass of fresh water, and read a good book while waiting for your order. Yes, they give away free books. Usually there are cultural events on weekends or afternoons, live music, and people gathering to have a good time, sharing good vibes.

I feel like the food I had here was the most authentic Mexican and even pre-Spanish Mexican food I've ever had! I had cactus for the first time, and it was great!

Such a wonderful place, both its mission ( La Mujer Obrera- an organization struggling for women workers of Mexican heritage since 1981) and the food. We enjoyed reading about it a little bit in the entrance lobby and then enjoyed a really lovely and delicious meal. Fresh, handmade food, lots of vegetarian and vegan options and great service. We particularly enjoyed trying the mole (we had it in a bean burrito) and I really loved their nopales pineapple juice.

Fast service, friendly service, delicious fresh made food, amazing flavors. I ordered the chile verde, its delicious, iw simmered spucy green chile deliciousness, the meat is very tender and flavorful, co.es wirh beans and rice. Wife ordeted the bran tostadas and smal caldo tlalpeno, she lived both, very goodoverakk. Love the cultural celebration,, feels like being at my abuelitas

It is in an industrial part of town Try the Fideo soup it was amazing Service with a smile and great attitude very few customers on a Friday wonder if it because of the Worst chips and salsa I have ever had in a restaurant Ambiance is weird not as mexican as I had hoped Tons of parking Ordered the shredded beef flautas recommended by waitress don't order no taste minimal spice Place is very clean Don't know why it was rated this high on yelp had high hopes but not impressed

I saw this place on an episodes of Taste the Nation, so I marked it down to visit the next time I was in El Paso. It's a large restaurant with lots of seating and the staff were nice, but the food was just ok. I got the sopa de fideo, which was actually delicious! But we ordered what was listed as guacamole salad, but it looked like some sort of guacamole blended until smooth and runny, like a sauce. It was very bland. We added salt and pepper to it, but it only mildly improved. Then my mom got the verde enchiladas and I got the quesadillas with mushrooms. Lots of extra ingredients in both that weren't listed on the menu (which can be problematic for people with food allergies). The tortillas on both dishes were very thick and super bland again. Not a place I would go back to, other than to get the soup again.

Food is authentic, delicious, and simple. Great flavor. Could eat here everyday of the week. The service was excellent with all being so friendly and accommodating. So nice to just sit , relax to music , and eat an awesome meal.

After spending time outside of El Paso, I was ready to dive back into delicious tacos and caldos, so I stopped by Cafe Mayapan. I've been there several times during the pandemic and it's been take-out orders only, but they're back to indoor dining. The ladies were wonderful and welcoming, as always, and the food was delicious. I ordered a Pina agua and it was fresh, not too sugary or sweet, just delicately pineapple tasting....it was refreshing and the refills were unlimited and timely; she must've filled my glass 5 times! There were complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa was hot but needed salt and I guess that's why there's a salt and pepper shaker at the table. Their menu is so packed with unique dishes, I was stumped as to what to get. I wanted the mole and nopales initially but when I saw that I could mix and match the tacos I was sold. I got 3 tacos (one shredded beef-deshrebrada, one squash-calabacitas, and one with cactus-nopal). You can have them soft or crispy, I chose crispy. The orders are made fresh and the ingredients are from their farmers market and local, and you can taste the quality. Each taco was stuffed at the bottom with mashed potatoes then the ingredients you ordered alongside a generous helping of white shredded cheese and lettuce. The unique thing was that the outside of the taco shells had a layer of salt to season it, otherwise, the entire flavor was just from the ingredients themselves. The mashed potatoes added a lot of density to the tacos and were a good base for the shredded beef, as well as the squash. I'd never thought to put just vegetables as a filler in tacos but after this, I might just mix it up for our Meatless Mondays we cook at home. It's so good! My favorite was the nopal or cactus, it was so smokey added with some browned onions, and it was rich and tender. The caldo or soup was so good and just perfect for the weather and was a good sized amount for one person without having to take it home. I finished it to the last drop. I highly highly recommend you go, especially if you don't have an aubela cooking Mexican food at home for you. These women are skilled cooks and it's delicious because they use traditional techniques to bring out the flavor from each fresh ingredient. They have a small store and art displays as well to showcase the cultures. I just love that this exists here in El Paso. It's a great gateway to Mexican/indigenous cultures. and food that I think every visitor should come and try.

Omg! If you have not checked this place out -you're missing the best authentic Mexican food ever! I attended an after hours function at their location and they catered the event- the ladies of the Cafe were very nice, and service oriented! They served Flautas, Tacos desebrada, the best ever Vegetable Fideo soup, just like my Grandma's! They also served a beautiful salad with homemade raspberry dressing! The best of all was the dessert! Biggest Buñuelo I had ever seen! Delicious! They also served Lime and Watermelon Agua Frescas - It was truly an amazing experience! They are open until 3pm on M-S and closed on Sundays! Check it out and Enjoy!

Best authentic food in El Paso, I know someone that works there that I've known for years because of the daycare across the street from there, Service is great, everyone always with a smile and great attitude. Little history behind the mayapan is that they work with the daycare a block down so that means not only money, but food and learning lessons and much more is provided to that daycare because of this restaurant. Everything they use is organic because they have a garden where they grow potatoes, tomatoes, onions, asparagus and a lot more vegetables and fruits. I've known these people since i was a little puppy and im exited to visit them again because im coming from the bay area California and i don't get to see them often. Such great people.

First time visit. The hospitality and price was good. I ordered the pecado Vera Cruz and enjoyed it with the Agua de Res. Would visit again.

I really like going to Cafe Mayapan, It has good simple Mexican food and service is good. It could could use more community support. The food is good and when go, I guess we just miss the rush. My husband has ordered the Chicken Mole, and I usually get the crispy tacos usually vegetarian. The beans are good a la Cart. The Aguas Frescas are very good as well. We really do enjoy Cafe Mayapan.

This place is simple but full of culture and some not so common Mexican dishes like nopalitos and chile pasado. Went there today and caught the last of their special dia de muertos menu. The mole coloradito had the right balance of sweetness and spiciness, just how I like it and the tamal oaxaqueño in the banana leaf was nice and fluffy. Would go back to try the other items on the menu. Their prices are very reasonable except for their special menu offerings. Had a long wait because there was a UTEP group and lots of people.

Driving around El Paso looking for good Mexican food didn't seem impossible until it was lol. No matter how many places we looked up we couldn't find something that seemed any good. Till out of nowhere this gem came up. Very authentic and DELICIOUS! I will definitely be coming back for more!

Best place to get breakfast, sadly only served on Saturday! Everything is delicious, fresh, and affordable. Plenty of vegetarian options!

Amazing food and amazing cause! It's a nonprofit kitchen that makes Food that is fresh and locally sourced. Great for vegetarian and vegans as well as meat eaters. Great ambiance and service. Highly recommend as a must taste in el paso!

Really enjoyed this restaurant. Too bad it isn't open more days and hours. We enjoyed a wonderful Caldo de Res when we were there for lunch. Loved the chips and salsa and my Mint Green tea was delicious. Give this place a go, you will not be disappointed.

Years ago, the cafe's food offerings were served in a cafeteria-style food court setting. These days, friendly wait staff tends to all your needs, presenting you first with a complimentary basket of thick, freshly fried tortilla chips & a roasted jalapeno salsa with a subtle kick. They have authentic & mostly healthy Mexican food & plenty of vegetarian & vegan options. Their menu items consist of appetizers, soups, salads, enchiladas, flair as, a few entrees, & tacos & burritos with your choice of guisados. I'm not a fan of cactus, but I decided to try the nopalitos en chile Colorado. They were the best I've ever had & totally made me a fan. They had a nice tender texture & weren't slimy. They're served w/steamed corn tortillas & your choice of side. I chose the vegetable consommé & added black beans. The soup looked boring but was actually very flavorful & unique. They offer daily specials w/items you won't find anywhere else like enfrijoladas, tlacoyos & more! Only problem is they usually run out. During the fall, they serve the seasonal coveted national dish of Mexico, chile en nogada. They even offer a veg version w/chipotle mushrooms that's amazing! Only thing I didn't really like was their agua de Jamaica. It was too sweet for me. I also dislike that they close at 3 pm. Other than that you NEED to check this place out!

Yummmmm. Those potato flautas were so tasty, and the litmus test for the tastiest of foods is if I will be thinking about it periodically later, and the food here passes that test, haha! The rice and beans were also delicious, as well as the chips & salsa--and the space itself is really beautiful. The dining area is really spacious and open, plenty of seating. So glad to have been introduced to this place, and highly recommend.

Most authentic Mexican food you can find anywhere but Mexico. The tortilla soup is probably one of the bast things I've ever had in my life. You can tell that everything is super fresh and local especially their quesadillas which they make in house every morning. From the big jugs filled with horchata and hibiscus tea to the best enchiladas ever there's really nothing there that isn't made with love and therefore incredible. When you're there you can imminently feel the amazing presence of the community, friendly staff, and years of tradition. It's hard to not fall in love with the food and everything that Café Mayapan has to offer.

Good food. We ordered the enchiladas green and chicken tacos. Tacos were really good, i would definitely recommend! It was pretty busy while we were there so the service could have been better.

Lots of vegetarian options here! And just good old traditional Mexican food! I ordered the sopa Azteca to start, and the broth was thick and spicy. They were generous with the avocado, too! The nopal relleno had plenty of mushrooms and asadero. The flavor was smoky perfection. Best of all was the service: I was greeted promptly. The waitress helped me with some recommendations. She checked on me once or twice, but not too much. It was a great experience all around. I will be back soon! Update: I've tried a number of menu items since my last review. The red enchiladas have become my favorite. The red sauce is perfect and not too hot. I also think they have the best rice in town. The chips and salsa to start the meal do not disappoint: the chips are thick and crispy and the salsa always has a good kick to it. As always, the service is exceptional and the servers remember you and your usual order.

Great authentic Mexican food! This little gem downtown EP is great for lunch. They serve warm crispy chips made in house. They have daily "Aguas" (different fruit drinks). I have been here several times for both breakfast and lunch their corn tortillas are absolutely amazing! Their food is the most authentic Mexican food I have had in EP.

Love this place!! If you want different types of tacos you have to come here. Very unique food and the service is amazing.

This place had great vegetarian options! I was really excited about the nopalitos and hongos tacos. I was just passing through the area, but it seems like this place is positively engaged in the community and dedicated to people's well-being. Nice relaxed cafeteria atmosphere. I'd definitely come back!

OMG! This is delicious! I can't believe a place like this exist in El Paso. The people are so professional it's unbelievable. I'm

Love this cafe! The food is spicy as expected and made with with natural ingredients. I like that the cafe uses a more wholesome approach to authentic Mexican food. It's also very appealing that they serve infused teas and excellent desserts. The Chile was so good but very hot! We love trying out new restaurants and this is one of our favorites!

I expected better from a place with great Yelp reviews. Disappointed again. It worries me that employees are clueless to say the least. Wouldn't bother me so much if they at least apologized or tried to fix things but the words "I can't do anything" with a side of attitude, from an employee isn't fine with me To top it off, my food was bland. Never going back.

I went with a huge party and robe fair it is difficult to serve part of 43. They managed to forget only two orders. They were quick the food is truly Mexican and the chile con queso with Rojas is extremely good like my grandmother use to make.

Went with a large group for lunch fairly recently and I really wish I had discovered this place sooner. I had ordered the salpicon and found their take to be absolutely delicious. Their salpicon was flavorful and had loads of veggies. As far as drinks, I had ordered a cucumber infused limonada which is something I would definitely recommend. Some of my colleagues ordered the albóndigas, which were made out of turkey, which turned out to be a tasty substitute to the traditional albóndiga. After we finished we had a chance to tour the museum and check out the shop out back.

Awesome. Fresh Mexican food! Nice atmosphere. Food is unlike any other Mexican cuisine in town. Very unique. Supports a worthy cause!

Best traditional Mexican food in El Paso. La mejor comida típica mexicana en El Paso.. I'm a Mexican tired of going to "Mexican" restaurants that put yellow cheese on everything. This is simple, flavorful, fresh and healthy Mexican cuisine at its best. I had the chilaquiles verdes, with a side of refried beans and rajas con crema. Mi girlfriend had the papas con chorizo (with soy chorizo because she is vegetarian) and a side of grilled nopales. Everything was delicious. It was like being back to central Mexico for one morning! And did I mention they had café de olla? Just perfect!

This was my first time here... I have to say it's definitely a little hidden gem!!! I ordered the stuffed Nopal, which was roasted and grilled to perfection and they were generous with the stuffing!!! Perfect lunch!!!!

Nice open dining area, friendly service. The beef soup was loaded with vegetables and was delicious. The nopalitas came in red hot chili very authentic. super reasonable prices for lunch. Recommend highly.

I happened upon this restaurant earlier this week while waiting for my chiropractor's office to open. i ordered the taco plate and they let me pick three different tacos. The mexican squash taco was excellent. The mushroom taco was very good too. I ate the cactus taco last and it was a bit hard to get down..not very seasoned and harder to chew. Super value tho! ...a little under $4. They also make special healing teas for nerve health and stress relief..as well as others.

As an part of La Mujer Obrera, you can tell they take their cooking and their community seriously. Lots of love in this sweet little spot with very fresh tasting food and delicious aguas frescas. I love the salsa and freshly-fried tortilla chips, and usually have trouble deciding which soup to have. A good spot to take anyone, as there's definitely something for everyone. I always leave here feeling nourished. Just wish they were open a bit longer!

The service was very slow. Was served 2 diet cokes that were flat and had to point out to the waitress that the cans had expired. The food was cold. Not the best service.

Da me mas potato flautas!!! My husband and I are vegan and this is the best place in El Paso!We leave feeling satisfied & the portions are big the price is low!! the energy is so friendly and homie!!The agua frescas are amazing especially the cactus lemonade!

I love this place! My husband and I are both vegetarian and we had so many options to choose from, which is super rare in El Paso. Our waitress was super friendly and everything was super delicious, like how your grandmother cooks. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone who follows a plant-based diet.

This large place in a warehouse district feels a bit like a buffet, but it was busy at lunch and full of locals, maybe 50/50 spanish vs english speaking. I had tacos de pescado from their special lent menu. It was very different, the taco shells were made from a latin root vegetable. Interesting and fun. They appear to have the typical Mexican food as well. Wait staff was super friendly and the place generally just has a nice feel to it. Recommended for a locals meal way off the tourist track.

Was in the mood for soup today for lunch or else I might have ordered something else from the very interesting menu. Ordered the Caldo Tlelpán. Delicious! Large chunks of tender white chicken (probably breast), large slices of carrot and chunks of aguacate with a sprinkling of garbanzo beans, all in a broth lightly seasoned (just right) with chipotle sauce. Judt enough to give it that wonderful chipotle flavor but not too much to make it overly picoso. For more picante, one can always add from the tasty toasted green chile sauce they bring with the tostaditas before the meal. The tostaditas were nice and thick but would be better with a warming. Corn tortillas came with the meal. I couldn't resist despite my dietary restrictions against things made of flours. I had just one, warm and good. Service was very good. The caldo came within 5 minutes of ordering and the water came right away without ice, just as I asked. The waitress checked on me once during the meal, just enough. I topped it off with a slice of carrot cake which I took home because I was too full. My sister in law makes a mean carrot cake, so it's not a fair comparison, but it held its own. I highly recommend Café Mayapán. Take a look at the Mexican artesan store, Lumetik, while you're there. Based on fair trade principles with artesanry made by women's cooperatives throughout Mexico.

Café Mayapan serves traditional, local, healthy Mexican and Indigenous food. The good is delicious and is very reasonably priced. My favorite dishes are their Sopa Azteca which is the classic tortilla soup with cheese, avocado, & chipotle chile in a light red chile and tomato broth. I also love their blackbean salad which has a fresh roasted & peeled green chile stuffed with black beans, corn, cheese, cilantro, in a chipotle vinagairette. The tacos and enchiladas are also amazing. They are very vegan and vegetarian friendly. There is also a wireless cafe and free wifi. They are open Mondays through Fridays for lunch and also cater. The best part is that the Café is part of a local Community Organization La Mujer Obrera which works to uplift working women on the boarder and the communities in which we live.

Probably among the top 3 Mexican restaurants I have visited in El Paso. Although it took awhile to get our food it was all excellent with fresh ingredients.The caldo was very good & a huge portion. The enchiladas & rice and beans were average. I had the chile con queso- a soup bowl full of green chile, onions, and asadero cheese, I love chiles & I think this will become one of my favorite dish's. It's a quirky place,my only issue is that it is only open M-F. I'll be back...

If you're looking for your typically overly greasy Mexican fare, this place is not for you. Mayapan uses a unique style of cooking that does not include deep frying. Makes for fresh, delicious tasting meals. Vegetarian and Vegan friendly. Truly a unique place. Take your out of town friends here so they can expand their horizons about Mexican food. The albondigas en chipotle is my favorite.