La Chaya Maya Casona

If I had known about this place when I first arrived in Mérida, it would’ve easily become one of my top spots for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Their menu has a wider variety, and everything is traditional food from the region. I loved that it’s located inside an old colonial house, which makes the atmosphere even more enjoyable. It’s a great place to go with family or friends—it’s definitely not a crazy idea. The service is good, and the waiters are attentive to every detail. I’d absolutely come back to this place.

Great atmosphere; the place looks very nice. That's pretty much all the compliments I can give. I ordered the 3 musketeers dish and it was the worst thing I could have expected. Perhaps it is my fault for not truly imagining the description, but I also imagine that any item on the menu should be at least mediocre. I believe that whoever came up with this dish never actually tried it or was abusing a substance of sorts. The dish looked quite good; it was three different "crepes" (as they call it) divided upon a large plate by a banana cream thingy in between each. Each "crepe" was the exact same thing, just with a different sauce on top- i couldn't tell you what they were. Finally, the dish is topped off with half of a cold hard boiled egg right in the middle. This dish was not food, but a challenge of wit. The banana cream dividing the sauces was cold, so the cold cream (pudding?) was in contact with the warm sauce. Each crepe had the exact same meat inside, and a lot of it at that. I couldn't taste a substantial difference between any, cause there was hardly any difference. Never minding the cold with the hot, but what sense does it make to put BANANA PUDDING between the sauces? that is a dessert. you are eating dessert with meat and sauce and tortilla. At least the pudding tasted fine on its own. I got tired of the same meat on my plate after 5 minutes. I haven't tried what my parents ordered, but they simply said it was "average" and "didn't like it." I do expect that some other menu items are more tolerable or even good, but the 3 musketeers dish is the radical contrary.

This is a really cute restaurant but unfortunately I was not pleased with my meal. It came out cold and I unfortunately had to send it back. When they brought it back out. They made it fresh in front of me which was very nice but unfortunately I did not like the taste of it either. The guest that I went with was very happy with his meal and I would say that the Ambiance and the service is outstanding.

La Chaya Maya is another must-visit when you're in Mérida! The food is full of authentic Yucatecan flavors – everything tastes homemade and thoughtfully prepared. I tried the vegetarian options, and they were absolutely delicious. The sopa de lima and handmade tortillas really stood out. The ambiance is warm and charming, with a lovely traditional vibe, and the staff were friendly and attentive throughout the meal. It’s a great place to enjoy local cuisine in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Highly recommended!

Very good Mayan cuisine with home made tortillas - hot from the pan, they are amazingly good! Portions are huge and tasty. A good step into Mayan gastronomy.

Classic Maya and Yucatecan cuisine in a lovely space near Plaza Santa Lucia. The service was excellent and the food very good during our two visits during this trip. I had the cochinita pink and added slices of the fresh whole habenero pepper it was served with for our first meal (not for the faint of heart regarding chiles). I had the huevos motulenos for breakfast next, which was exactly what that dish should be! Lightly fried tortillas topped with refried black beans, fried eggs, ranchero sauce, ham, cheese and peas.

Lovely atmosphere, wonderful food, lots of variety of dishes. Loved the agua fresca de chaya con lima. Tacos de longaniza were delicious, too.

The puerco pibil was excellent. All the sides, pickled onions, beans and tortillas were great. Some of their sauces were really HOT! A drop or two will add spice.

Deliciosa y auténtica comida yucateca Recomendado Muy agradable ambiente familiar!

Nice place with an old style feeling of nostalgia and originality in what it seems to be a former house turned into a restaurant. Service is great, our server was very helpful explaining our options being first time in Yucatan. Food was delicious and honestly very cheap!

ONLY rating chaya maya drink that i had to go The best one in merida! And clean bathrooms!

I prefer the other Chaya Maya. The staff here aren't very welcoming , everyone just sits around . My waiter was very kind . I ordered my same meal I've ordered at the other location and it just wasn't the same . I will say the food was hot . Sit inside because sitting in the courtyard doesn't have enough ventilation from the fans and bugs will get into your food and drinks .

Sometimes, touristy places are a good thing if they come accompanied by great food. If you are searching for authentic food from the Yucatan region when visiting Merida, La Chaya Maya is the place. If you want to enjoy your meal at an old beautiful elegant Casona that probably hosts many resident revolutionary ghosts roaming around at night, this is your place. Try what we did, don't go for the elaborate dishes and eat the smaller plates as the locals do. Try the Salbutes, the Panuchos, and please don't forget the Cochinita Pibil cooked to spot-on perfection, while sipping a delicious mezcalita. Parking may seem difficult in the area, but a couple of blocks away there are public parking places everywhere at reasonable prices. Enjoy!

Tasty, authentic Mayan cuisine. Not a "fancy" restaurant but the food is tasty, the service is good and it's very popular. This place was recommended by our hotel and I'm thankful.

Great spot for local, traditional food (Mayan and Mexican) Service was fantastic I ordered a sampler platter of different tacos each with a different protein and each prepared a different way. Everyone of them was delicious! Their plancha meals were beautifully presented and they were seasoned well. My girlfriend ordered the chicken one and it came on this big cast iron skillet and wooden platter with a bowl of sauce and an co container holding the tortillas. We would definitely eat here again.

This place was highly recommended on many blogs. They have all sorts of great foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I got the Agua de Chaya con Lima and it was soooo refreshing during this 95+ degree day. The meal was even better. I read about the traditional meal for mayan culture and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is beautiful and shaded outside with plenty of tables.

There's two branches - this is the newer one, and I would say better one, as it has a really nice courtyard. Even the interior dining rooms are spaced out, compared to the original. And... they take bookings here via email! Unlike the other branch which only takes walk-ins. The menu is full of traditional yucatan food. We had the: - Sopa Lima. Interesting soup, anyone who is a fan of Thai tom yum should get this. Its sour and savoury at the same time, and is a clear soup. - Chaya vegetable taco. Or one of the variants of tacos. This is the vegetable after which the restaurant is named after, and is local. It was interesting - wouldn't say it was my fav, but good for veggies. - Cochinita Pibil. Also another famous dish in the region, slow cooked pulled pork in a banana leaf. This also comes with freshly made corn tacos. You can see them make it out in the courtyard area, where they freshly shape the dough and grill it on the hot plate! Overall, a decent place to get a local taste of Yucatan. Clean place too. Some of the servers speak English too.

The food is OK and definitely filling. Watch out if you try to use a credit card, though. Either their machines don't work properly or they are trying to get you to use cash because a card that worked fine elsewhere didn't work here. (I even called the credit card company and they weren't the ones rejecting it.)

Great food and traditional yucateco food from the region. Started off with the Vaporcito (tamal wrapped in plantain leaf) the sopa limón was great and the empanadas de queso de bola was delicious. We ordered the tikinxic it's a grea fish plate with shrimp fish amd octopus.

Located in a beautiful old house, this is a good place to find cuisine of the region and to be in beautiful surroundings. There were two ladies making fresh tortillas the evening we were there. I was told that this is the newer of the two restaurants of the same name and same owner. The crowd appeared to be natives rather than tourists, which is a good sign.

So good!!! I will Highly recommend the food it is great till the last bite. Service was exceptional and the ambiance reminds me of a huge casona hacienda tule with all the bells and whistles. Love the place.

We wanted to try another Yucateca food (aside from Mugy), so we went to La Chaya Maya. I would say the service was pretty good; it was as busy as Mugy, but I felt like the attention from the servers here was a bit more difficult. The ambiance here was also okay, maybe it was our table being at the corner, but did not feel particularly nice. Food however was delicious. I think more on a saltier side, but nonetheless good. I would recommend anyone interested in Yucateca food to visit both here and Mugy.

Not worth the hype. We tried the four yucas and the only one worth eating was the cochinita pibil. All the dishes come out on a small plate which lies upon the larger dishes in the picture. There is exactly enough for two but it's not how much it looks like it would be in the pictures. The food came out lukewarm which was strange. It was already cooked ahead of time (arrived a few min after we ordered) so they could have warmed it up. We've been to Mexico a few times and the food is ALWAYS hot! Anyways, none of the dishes were amazing or flavorful and it was disappointing after seeing so many good reviews. Service was good and the outdoor seating is fun. Very touristy and we will not be returning.

Food was good & prices were affordable.. Service was friendly and they have 4 locations in the city.. Recommend checking it out...

On our last night in merida we decided to try this place. Also very well recommended, a little bit on the pricier side than most places we tried with authentic yucateco food. It was delicious, they were busy that night so service was on the slower side but definitely worth it!

Oh wow. The food here is so flavorful and complex. As it was a pretty big restaurant in a popular tourist area we were worried that it may be a tourist trap but we saw many locals here and the grooms is the best we've had on this trip. Also great that they have taco choices where you can pick one at a time! Great to sample a variety.

The food was cold when brought out. Would not recommend was very disappointed. The tortillas and veggies were very bland.

We visited La Chaya Maya this morning for breakfast with a friend who lives in Merida. It was cool and comfortable. My husband had the Brazo De Reina with eggs and liked it very much. I had the Chilaquiles with relleno negro and also eggs. Highly recommend.

We actually started out looking to have dinner at their other location. No particular reason, just the one was had passed walking down the street. We changed course as the Calle 62 location does not have outdoor seating. This location is just a few blocks away in the middle of the block in a colonial building with a huge courtyard. Keeping with the Merida standards during COVID-19, we stepped through sanitizing mats, had our temperature taken, and were given some hand sanitizer. We were taken to a freshly cleaned table at the edge of the courtyard with a QR code on it, taking us to their menu - which was also laminated into the table. Seated next to us, physically distant, was a woman making had made Corn Tortillas from a mound of masa. She had a comal next to her and was griddling them as servers came by for warm Tortillas. The courtyard was beautifully landscaped and decorated for Christmas. Customers and staff were diligent about wearing masks. We started with two Margaritas (51 pesos each). They were tasty and fairly strong but considerably smaller than most others we'd seen. They also brought us each a small bowl of Totopos (tortilla chips) alongside a dish with pureed black beans, pumpkin seed, and salsa. I started with the Sopa de Lima (71 pesos). It was a warm bowl filled with a light Turkey Broth, shredded Turkey, Lime, and a side of crispy Tortilla Strips. - it was really very well done, light, and packed with flavor. My husband had the Longaniza from Valladolid (171 pesos). They brought him a metal platter with a good portion of the slightly smokey Chorizo-type Sausage from the neighboring town of Valladolid. It had sliced Tomato, Avocado, and Beans with several ramakins- Pickled Red Onion, Chilomate, and Rice along with fresh Corn Tortillas. He loved the Longaniza and would absolutely order it again. I opted for the Flavors of Yucatan (146 pesos) - you choose four dishes for a list of about six or eight options. I had the Tacos de Relleno Negro -Turkey with Blackened Chilis and Spices, Tacos de Cochinita- with Yucatan classic Cochinita Pibil, a marinated Roast Pork with Bitter Orange, a Salbut - Corn Tortilla with Roasted Turkey with Achiote marinade, Red Onion, and Avocado, and a Panucho, a fried Tortilla filled with Black Beans. I opted for the Turkey version of this, similar to the Salbut. Everything was delicious and more food than I had anticipated. Overall, everything was very good, the service was good, and it was a good value for the amount and quality of the food. It is in the middle of the Centro tourist district, so it's slightly more expensive than eating in more 'local' type places or street food. And, it has a great colonial vibe. Here are the approximate prices for our dinner in U.S. dollars at the time of our review. Margaritas: $2.57 Sopa de Lima: $3.57 Longaniza Valladolid: $8.61 Flavors of Yucatan: $7.35

A must do for every tourist visiting the Yucatán and a chance to enjoy some of the most classics regional cuisine.

Really enjoyed having lunch here. We sat in the air conditioned dining area. Courtyard is really nice eating area but was craving the cool temp. Started the lunch with a local Yucatan lager craft beer. They bring you pumpkin seed and mashed black bean dip with chips. They also have good pico and a habanero salsa. I got the three tacos Pibil with marinated onions. My wife got the panuchos, two Pibil and one turkey. She thought the turkey was a little dry. We each brought home one taco and one panucho for a snack. Great price for the lunch of $22 USD that included three beers and a Coke Zero.

No love here. Not very exciting or interesting. Mayan cuisine is so much better than it is here I would pass this place for sure.

I would come here time and time again for the panucho con pavo en relleno negro! $50MXN each. Top it off with the classic green habanero salsa and you have the perfect 5/5 dish! I had the panuchos at both locations (in the same day!) and they are both equally amazing! Other dishes - sopa de lima: solid rendition. Like a more acidic Mexican tortilla soup. Not my favorite dish in general but they did it well except that it was overly salty. Really appreciate that they keep the tortilla chips separate for you to add as you eat so it doesn't get soggy! - crema de Chaya: tasty! I would get this to share with 3-4 people as the soups are sizeable and this is very heavy/cream. - papadazules: this is the first time trying so maybe not to my taste, but I didn't like this at all. Basically just chopped up boiled eggs wrapped into an enchilada with a cream sauce. The tomato sauce and habanero salsa needs to be added in copious amounts to give this any flavor. At the other location, also had chilaquiles con pavo en relleno negro, and of course that relleno negro still spot on, but I definitely prefer the panucho form since the turkey is more moist as it's sitting in the sauce (as opposed to just tossed in the chilaquiles) and also I love the crisp of the panucho. Chilaquiles are more soggy since it's at the bottom of everything. The other location is more casual. Indoor only, cheaper drinks at $29MXN. This location has a nice outdoor area with good ambiance, pricier drinks at $49MXN but food is same price at both locations.

Very authentic Mayan food. The tortilla chips and pico de gallo and hot sauce were excellent. I enjoyed a grilled chicken dish (large portion) with black bean soup (small serving) and white rice (very small serving). The margaritas were great.

Terrible huevos motuleños .. waitress just does not listen . i asked her 3 times to have my eggs real soft, tender and undercooked .. I said it in Spanish which I speak fluently . I also asked her for a Chaya green juice without ice .. and as always i was very kind and polite as I ordered my food . she got everything wrong. my motuleños came with hard overcooked eggs and my juice with plenty of ice .. btw the juice tasted like colored water with plain good old sugar.. as a habit that I stick to , i send nothing back to the kitchen in any restaurant anywhere in the world .. I just don't trust the kitchen staff as i don't like to take a chance with their reaction ... Terrible experience at Chaya Maya .. I couldn't squeeze a smile from the hostess AND both waiters .. WHAT is wrong with these people ?!!Terrible place .. will never go back

Excelente servicio y la comida típica de la región. El local invita a un ambiente familiar.

Food was tasty. Service was amazing. Food selection: excellent. The only reason I am not giving them a 5 star rating is because they don't seem to have vegan options. They gave me chips, ( handmade corn tortillas, fried that same day ..really makes a difference in the taste) these came with re fried black beans and a pumpkin seed deep ( very good ) topped with tomato sauce. The sopa de lima was very good. The best I have had in Merida so far. I also ordered two local artisan beers. The first one was " patito clara " light in color, good flavor. The second one was a "Ceiba dorada" another light beer with afresh crisp taste. Definitely going to their brewery ! If you like hot spicy sauces, They also have " house salsas " the habanero one is delicious! Definitely recommend buying these salsas as a souvenir to remember the tastes of Merida when you go back home.

This restaurant is just hype. If a local recommends it to you, just keep that in mind. It's nothing special, food is mediocre, and if you don't like the plate ordered, the chef will come out and glare at you for the rest of your experience. It's a restaurant that I can only describe as a place that tourists are shoveled into.

Cute place to have breakfast at. Service is good. Food it's good. We had the panuchos, salbut, vaporcitos and eggs.

This is the other Chaya Maya we love the food here just as much as the other but this has much better atmosphere!

Do not get the hype. After reading tons of rave reviews, and even talking to a native on the plane to Mérida who likewise gushed, we were stoked to try it out. Man, were we disappointed. The food was mediocre at best. Three of us ordered different dishes and shared, and everything was just ... meh. Not bad but also not good. We had better meals at the taquerias in Mercado Lucas de Galvez.

Parrillada is huge it is supposed to feed 2 people only but we were 3 and didn't finished it one of the best parrilladas I've ever tried great flavor and great quality of meats. We also had cochinita pibil and it was amazing no fat in the meat and not greasy at all you have to try. Cochinita is the most famous plate of the region. I had Naranjada which is water and orange juice it was delicious I ended up asking for one more. Tortillas are hand made and we ate like 4 orders because we kept ordering more. Customer service is great they will make you feel like you are at home. The casona is a very old building from the times of the colony furniture Is also antique. You must visit Chaya Maya its flavors and building will amaze your experience.

Some of food was ok and some was good. Service was great. The place looked great. Loved the 2 ladies hand making tortillas.

Best lime soup in the entire trip! Place is beautiful and service is excellent! There is another location but this one has a courtyard.

The cochinita pibil was AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. The tacos were a perfect choice, the tortillas are perfectly handmade. I was not impress with the agua de Jamaica or horchata, didn't want to try the "Chaya"

Amazing food , never dissapointed with this place , try the pollo pibil it is just perfect

Hanging out in for a week in this city and asking around taxi drivers and people we started talking too and every one said this was there favorite place so we had to try it. I have to say that it was one of the best dinners I have ever had the week I was there. It was great to see them making the had made tacos :)

Ate here on my first dinner experience in Merida. Loved the panuchos so much this was also dinner on night two. The conchanita pibil on the panuchos was so moist, flavorful, and plentiful! One was filling for me (after the complimentary appetizers), but three came in an order for $119 pesos with a strong margarita for $51 pesos.

Very nice place, nice interior and exterior part. Good food. Concerning the drinks - I had traditional margarita and Orgasm and loved it, I had also the coctail with traditional Mexican liquor, it was interesting but you have to like anis. Oh, and the service was very good and charming!

We were blown away by this restaurant, we asked friends what restaurant do they recommend since we don't know the city and everybody recommended this ( there are 2 ) and it didn't disappoint! The food was great, they have so many options, all typical food from Yucatán and generous portions with great flavour. Frequented by locals and tourists, it's a nice place to eat at if you're in Merida and want to experience the real deal. The building is old as it used to be a colonial Mexican house . The prices are just right, very inexpensive for what they serve, even the drinks ! It gets crowded at lunch .

After staying in Tekax for several days and living off of packaged crackers, I welcomed the food at La Chaya Maya with open arms. The restaurant itself is well maintained, decorated, and lively. It is located in a part of Merida that the locals like to call Gringolandia, but the food is definitely pure Yucuatan to the core. If you are looking for true Yucatan food, then you will find it here. I ordered the Mucbil Pollo, which kind of reminded me of a giant tamale. It was really good, easy on the stomach, and flavorful. The menu has many options to choose from, so if you are looking for a good mixture of semi-familiar ingredients and true Yucatan food, this is the place. ALERT: They may charge you more than what you should be paying. This happens at a lot of restaurants in Merida, so I highly suggest always keeping one menu (I either hide it under the table or I insist on keeping it when they try to take it away). When they bring you the check, make sure the charges match the prices listed on the menu. Then, when they ask how much tip you want to give, check that they entered the correct amount because they like to "misunderstand" and put a larger tip. This is true for many restaurants in the Yucatan, so just be ready to contest any mistakes on the check. The food is good here, so don't let the alert keep you from enjoying it. Just remember to double check the ticket, but other than that, ENJOY!!!

Three years ago my wife and I went to your restaurant. We had the best time. The service was excellent, food and drinks fantastic and prices were really reasonable. We went back 2more times during our stay in Merida, and each time we were impressed by the friendly staff, the atmosphere, the wonderful food, drinks and their portions. Sadly when we went this time on January 10th 2018, we were REALLY DISAPPOINTED. The food came very quick but was dry as though precooked. Not much flavor to it either and all that came for the appetizer was dried bean dip. (We had many beautiful appetizers 3years ago) The white wine was warm and was a pathetic amount. Perhaps if it was served in a smaller glass it would have looked less stingy. We should have walked out but did make sure we left an honest comment with the staff. We asked for the Manager but the staff covered for them by saying they were not there. Neither of us would ever recommend this place. It really went downhill. 5 thumbs down!!!! $458 Pesos including the tip. What a joke! They rely on their reputation but it's now a bad one for us. Had to give a star to rate la Chia Maya but please delete it when reading....

Our final meal in Mérida and didn't disappoint. All the classic Yucatan are well executed. This location (the original?) seems to have more architectural charm than the new one and has a lovely outdoor courtyard. While it clearly is a place popular with tourists we also saw quite a few local families here.

Go to Chaya Maya Casona. There are 2 Chaya Maya's. They're the same, just that Casona is located in.... well, a casona. Food excellent, typical. Menus in English if needed. Friendly, efficient service. Prices by US standards are excellent.

Great location & service. My daughter had the tamal colado, I tried the panuchos & my partner had the vaporcito tamales. Our food was served quickly and with care. For dessert we tried the cheese ice cream, as well as the Chaya ice cream. We also ordered the Nance which was described as a sweetened cherry but tasted and smelled like old shoes. Everything else was great, avoid that dessert though.

Fantastic! We had to go two nights in a row since every single place after 10pm is closed! Not too bad but we wanted to try something new. Either way, we were very happy to eat there again based on our first experience. The tacos de cochinita pibil are AMAZING! Let alone the top customer service from greeters, servers and staff alike. Always checking on you to make sure you are happy. They even gave us a short survey to rate our experience. Management does care and it shows since they have customers flowing through the door. Some even 5 mins before closing time. Staff looks happy, eaters look happy and life is great. A big plus is their nice location and beautiful old house. Very nice, a solid 5 stars

Wonderful atmosphere and nice services. They offer various of different meats to choose. I strongly recommend any dish with porks(if you eat), which are well cooked and tasty. For Appetizers, the one with eggs wrapped in tortillas is my favorite because I personally like eating eggs. You should try if you like eggs as well. For drinks, the first one on the drink menu is good! I don't remember the name but it is made out of a local plant and it is green. (Feel free to ask the waiters for recommendation)