Maiz Agua Sal - MAS

First time here, we had many folks recommend this place for good food and cocktails. We made reservations because we had a large party. The service was quick and friendly. We got some brunch items, cocktails, enjoyed the fresh tortillas made right in front of us by a tortillas machine along with different salsa. They have indoor and outdoor seating with lovey decor and comfortable seating. There is a bar that holds maybe 12 people. We would love to come back and try more things on the menu.

My new favorite Mexican restaurant in Charlotte! The elote was the best I’ve had in a long time. Everything tasted amazing, and you can tell the ingredients are super fresh. The restaurant is spacious with plenty of seating, plus a nice outdoor area—perfect for warm days. The staff was really friendly, though the service felt a bit rushed. Overall, a great spot!

This spot was so cute, and the vibe was everything! We went for their Taco Tuesday deal (3 tacos for $10), which was such a steal. The house-made chips and salsa? Absolutely delicious. And don’t even get me started on the elote—it was chef’s kiss, super fresh and packed with flavor. Now, the tacos… they were just okay. After how good the apps were, we expected the tacos to blow us away, but the meat was a little dry. Luckily, that orange salsa came through and brought them back to life. Service was great, and the aesthetic? 10/10. I’ll definitely be back—there’s just something about a cute spot with good vibes and solid food that Charlotte needs more of.

We made a reservation for a party of 11 for Mother’s Day. No wait to get seated. I recommend the ceviche appetizer and of course their tacos. The service was attentive and friendly. Will definitely be back

I ordered the hurache de tinga. It was ok… not great, just ok. It could have been more flavorful. The tortillas, salsa trio and drinks were excellent though. The atmosphere was really nice for a Sunday brunch. Plenty of parking and not too busy. Our server and hostess were very friendly. We did the tequila flights and had a nice time sitting on the beautiful front patio.

This was a FANTASTIC experience! Food and drinks was absolutely delicious 😋 and the service was wonderful! This place is uniquely designed and has super cool vibes! 🌵😎 Best frozen margarita 🍹 and huevos rancheros I’ve ever had! I will definitely be back. Was very pleased to see diverse staff and that it seemed as if the food was prepared authentically, not to mention thoughtfully!

Visited Maiz Agua Sal for the first time with a couple of friends. We started with drinks and ordered the Devil Went Down to Durango, a pineapple margarita, and a tequila flight. My friends enjoyed their drinks, but my margarita was just ok. Didn't really taste pineapple. For dinner i had the chicken mole, and my friends had Tacos, and Flautas de Res. Everyone enjoyed their food. Although, my chicken was juicy but lacked flavor. Best part of dinner was dessert. I had the chocolate flan and one friend had the Tres Leches. Hannah was our server and she was great. Maybe I'll try again with something different. Maybe not. It wasn't a restaurant I felt I just have to go back to again.

This place!!! We ate here for lunch and had the best experience. Vibe is on point (modern, fresh, welcoming). Excellent food (Tacos! Ceviche! Elote! Tres leches!) and drinks! Would come here every day if we lived closer (but we live in Idaho 😅). Saving location for our next visit!

A small group of us came late on Sunday and they were so great at accommodating us. They serve brunch until 4pm on Sundays and I was able to order the chilaquiled rojos. The food was affordable and tasty. I especially enjoyed the chips and salsa they provided free of charge which had large chips and 3 different salsa with a side of pickled vegetables. As far as decor, it was absolutely beautiful inside. I especially loved the weaver basket lights. I would love to come back and try their dinner menu.

My husband and I have been to MAS twice now--once for an early dinner, and once for brunch. They stand out for their complimentary--and unbelievably delicious--homemade chips and salsas, and their unique take on Mexican food. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, but we prefer sitting inside to avoid the sun. (Their outdoor seating area is quite sunny.) The indoor area is spacious and very modern in style. And the music is great! We've tried their guacamole, shrimp and carnitas tacos, chicken flautas, pork tamale, and huevos rancheros. They make their chips and tortillas from scratch, and you can tell! The salsas are delicious--especially their spiciest made one with peanuts. The guacamole is good, too. Their brunch food stands out for its presentation and flavor. My husband and I tried their huevos rancheros--mine scrambled and his fried over-medium--and both were amazing. Their tacos were a bit sparsely filled during our dinner visit, so we probably won't get them again. But their flautas made up for that miss, as did the pork tamale. Service was a bit off on both visits, but we did go during non-rush times when they had fewer wait staff. Once we mentioned to the hostess that we had been waiting for more than 15 minutes on our latest visit, the manager became our server, and she was great! She mentioned they were short a few staff who were out sick, and we appreciated her attention and candor. We love the flavors of their food and will definitely return!

Great Service ! Angel is a sweetie , loved him. Food is delicious , I have traditional authentic Mexican food at home so to get restaurant quality that's just as close is amazing. Tamales are a must try a little pricy compared to other places but worth it. Loved the Enmoladas ! I will say some of the portions are tiny for the price.

We tried this spot recently and really enjoyed it. I hadn't heard about it but my boyfriend read about it so we thought we'd try it out. The patio is perfect for cooler nights and it wasn't terribly packed. The inside looked pretty big as well. My boyfriend has the tequila flight and really liked it. I had the Paloma and it was so tasty! I didn't taste much alcohol which could be a good or bad thing ha. The food was also delicious. I loved all the hot sauces they offer with chips. The quesadilla was also tasty. We will definitely be back.

Came in on a Tuesday evening for the first time and sat outside. It wasn't busy at all and the patio is great with a little city view. The house made chips were a little greasy but I did like all of the dips and pickled cauliflower. I got the taco special three tacos for $10, they are usually $5 each. These are small street tacos, so to me $5 is way too much for a taco this size. I got chicken, steak and adobo pork. I loved the seasoning on the pork and the tortillas were good. I did not love the size of the diced steak. Service was a little inconsistent for the evening, started off good, drinks took a while, food was fast and then getting the check the slow. My drink was really great, however there was so much ice and the glass was so small I feel like I barley got five sips out of it.

First visit. Loved the spot. Super chill with a great patio. It wasn't super busy so we were immediately sat. We were greeted by the manager who gave us the back story of the place from the house-made heirloom corn tortillas pressed daily from a machine imported from Mexico and scratch made recipes that have been passed down. We had the free chips and salsa, elote, pork tacos and the special of the day build your own birria. The elote was the best I've ever had and I typically try it every where we go. Chips and salsa came with 4 salsas, the peanut was my favorite. On Thursdays all the tortillas are blue which was fun. My pork taco was packed full of meat and was super filling for one taco. My boyfriend like the birria as well. We will definitely be back!

We hit up Maiz around 2 PM on a Saturday. The spot was nearly empty--just one other table, so we had the whole vibe to ourselves for a bit. The restaurant is absolutely stunning, a gorgeous addition to the west side. I can already tell the outdoor seating will be a vibe come fall. Now, onto the food: Salsa: 5/5. The tortillas were perfect, and the trio of salsas hit every note. The pickled veggies they let us sample? 5/5. Not sure how long they'll be offering that, though. Elote: 5/5. No complaints here. It was delicious, though we wished they had more appetizer options to choose from. Pork Rinds: 2/5. These were a miss. They were way too crispy and could've used more salt. Huevos Rancheros: 3/5. The beans were a bit much, but the flavor was definitely there. Huarache Tinga: 2/5. Too heavy on the nopales. It was more cacti than meat, and the flavor didn't quite come through. I wasn't impressed. Overall, it was a solid meal, and I'm looking forward to trying more of what they have to offer.

The tacos are AMAZING. I love that they provide 3 salsas with chips to start and they are all tasty. Drinks are always delicious, and the staff is super friendly and attentive. They take pride in sharing their knowledge of the menu and I've always gotten good recommendations. Went with a friend who doesn't like corn tortillas but ended up saying they were the best she's had in Charlotte after living here a year. (Agreed, they are fire )

First of all, the space is beautiful - lots of natural light, greenery, and earthen materials. The outdoor area has fans and heaters. It's covered by a clear material so you're protected from the rain but nothing to shade you from the sun. This was a nonissue at 7pm, but could be a problem midday. Our server (Lee?) did an excellent job explaining the menu to us. He noted that everything is made in house and the cuisine is specific to a region in southern Mexico where the chef is from. I love a good origin story and the authenticity really came through in the flavors of the food. I started with a horchata, which was sweet and refreshing. I enjoyed it with the complimentary blue corn tortilla chips. We then split the elote, carnitas, and steak quesadilla for our meal. The elote was my favorite. It had a spicy kick to it and pairs well with almost anything on the menu. The carnitas is a huge serving. If you get it with tortillas you can fill at least five tacos. The quesadilla is very good, but it needed something to cut through the richness. That was easily fixed by dipping it in the complimentary salsas that came with the chips. My partner also had a lengua taco and said it was the best taco he's ever had!

This restaurant has one of the best cocktail menus in charlotte. I tried three different drinks and they were amazing. The food and service was also very good.

Heard of this spot on IG and had to check them out! Visited on a Saturday afternoon around 2PM; my party (2) had a 30-minute wait. The ambiance was beautiful - lovely outdoor seating! Not much shade offered if sitting outside FYI. All staff were friendly/welcoming, and the server was very helpful with the menu. Let's get to the food/drinks ... Complimentary chips and salsa were provided for the table with pickled vegetables (onion, carrot, cauliflower). I found a few of the chips to be a tad oily. The Elote is a MUST!!! This was soo delicious - one of the best I've personally tasted. Pairs well with the chips too. A server came to our table with a side of guacamole - offering it on the house. The guac was soo fresh ... ahhh, too good; better than chiptole - argue with ya mammy, not me. I had a frozen beverage - Sweet Heat. Offered a nice balance of sweetness with a slight kick. Our server recommended Pineapple Passion - I'll order this next time! For my main entree I ordered the Carnitas; the server estimated around 12 oz of meat for this dish. How the meal was presented was different than what I expected. Large chunks of meat are offered with tortillas and a citrus sauce - that's it. The meat was extremely tender! As previous reviews mention, the tortillas were falling apart; HOWEVER, it didn't ruin the experience FOR ME. I can definitely see myself returning. Highly recommend to others!

Food was okay, loved the music and customer service. It was dead-dead on a Thursday afternoon. We got: Elote Chicharrón Chips and guac Flautas de tinga Huarache de tinga Tacos de lengua, trompo, asada Mole negro Quesadilla Agua de jamaica with tequila Agua de guava/pina with tequila The drinks were good. The food was good. But those tacos....TEENY! Literally 2 bites. If the taco order came with at least 3 then it would be worth it.

Greatly enjoyed the authentic Mexico City cooking. They make and sell their own tortillas. My wife got the Flautas and I got the huevos rancheros. We loved them both.

All around fabulous experience. Lovely atmosphere and decor. Attentive and bright servers. The food was outstanding. Frozen marg, elite, sweet tacos and my first time having cactus. Yumm! Hoping to be able to swing by again before leaving town!

Food - FLAVOR FLAVOR FLAVOR! Food is so fresh I was looking outside for the farm fields. Service - fast, friendly, and accurate. Ambiance - comfortable, but the music was a little loud for me. But that's on me and my super sensitive hearing. If I was normal, I would be cool with it. I ordered a pack of tortillas to go because they are like Crack. I cannot wait for the Christmas season. Being from the southwest, it's great to find a restaurant that serves REAL tamales. I need my christmas tamales!

My wife and I made it over to Maiz on a late Friday evening, and we were really blown away by the whole experience. I read a good article about the place, and we know the other great spots that Dan has opened around Charlotte. The space itself is almost shocking when you consider this was a completely refurbished old buildings in the FreeMoreWest area close to Wesley Heights. The covered outdoor patio space is probably the best place to sit for dinner, drinks, or both. From one angle, there's a really nice view of the CLT city skyline. The interior is just beautiful, including a bar space that has a mosaic of tequila bottles all across the back wall. Inside or outside, you can't go wrong with the seating areas. The staff is extremely helpful, and can provide any sort of guidance around menu recommendations. They have some absolutely unique mixed drinks on the menu. My wife got the Xolo drink with grapefruit juice, and it was spectacular. You can't go wrong with the chips and salsa to kick things off. This comes with in-house handmade blue corn chips and three kinds of salsa. It also had a sample of pickled cauliflower. We also got the guacamole to go along with this. For our meal, we split the huarache de tinge. This dish has so many fantastic flavors going on, it just blew us both away. The base is a soft, blue corn masa. It is then layered with marinated and shredded chicken, refried pinto beans, pickled cactus, cotija, and crema. I can't recommend that dish enough! My only knocks on Maiz is the beer selection. I have no problem drinking Mexican or Central American beers, especially with this kind of food. However, I'd really rather have it on draft in a nice big pint. Right now, they only offer beer in bottles (with a glass). If you love this truly authentic Mexican food, this is a place you must visit. I think one of the best points on this place is the vibe and the fact that they are hand-making tortillas onsite with heirloom corn. That's pretty hard to beat.

Pleasant surprise to walk into here right in Wesley Heights. Their food is all quite delicious in flavoring. Portions are relatively small but that seems to be reflected well in the price tag. Would come again for some light bites

I came in for lunch with some coworkers not too long after they opened. It's a beautiful restaurant and has a lot of potential, that being said there were a couple things that I think they can improve on. Their tortillas and salsas are made in house and very fresh. The flavors were great and instead of your typical chips they use fried tortillas which makes for a unique and extra crunchy appetizer. The menu is fairly simple with choices like tacos and quesadilla and the option to select your protein. The puzzling thing to me is that out of the protein options they do not offer chicken. I thought that maybe it was mistakenly not listed but when a coworker asked for chicken she was told they do not offer it. They explained that the chef is focusing on dishes and flavors from the Mexican state of Michoacán. I certainly respect that chefs and restaurant owners often have a vision for the menu and want to stick to making food that they are passionate about. That being said a lot of people prefer chicken over pork or beef, and it is cheaper than most other meats so I'm surprised they wouldn't include it as an option. Hopefully with more time they will be willing to expand the menu a bit, or they may find it difficult to bring in large groups. Aside from that there were only a few service hiccups that you can expect from a newly opened restaurant. Everyone was friendly and we all had a good time. I would certainly be curious to return later in the year to see how they have come along.

Wanted to love it. Looked great on instagram. I had a business lunch there and was semi embarrassed. It was loud, food was bland and incredibly SMALL and they were out of the item a few of us ordered. We really should have been warned that every party should order several items. Overall Id say I would go back for the tequila but the bar is kind of uninviting facing a wall and also small/just a few stools. It's new and I hope they play with it a bit. At least it looks great online!

Great edition to Charlotte!! They have amazing FRESH corn tortillas and I enjoyed the tacos, cocktails and huarache. Chilaquiles (my entree) was delicious (comes verde or rojo) but I was missing eggs. I looked back at the menu and didn't see it noted, but I've also never had chilaquiles without eggs. I would recommend adding that to the entree/menu even if you are going to upcharge because it lacked a bit for being a brunch dish. Sunny side up runs so nicely with the salsa and fresh fried tortillas and cotija. Can't wait to come back!

So I was looking forward to finally finding a restaurant that made fresh tortillas. When we got there they were having a mechanical issue with water so he had to sit outside for 25 minutes before we could go in. The lady that let us in said that tonight was going to be a real "SHIT SHOW". Unfortunately for the kitchen everyone was basically sat at the same time so they were going to get slammed, and unfortunately for the customers that meant our food was going to come out slowly. The waitress came over several times as we were unsure of what we wanted. Unfortunately it took four times, of her coming over for us to all order our drinks. She explained to us that it was a scratch kitchen and our food would not come out at the same time... Which I understood. Since I don't eat beef or pork, and it was a scratch kitchen, I thought that on some of the COMIDA I could substitute shredded chicken for the pork or beef. WRONG SPARKY! I then asked, since they didn' have a kids menu of any sort, could my daughter get a small side of refried beans with her taco. WRONG AGAIN SPARKY! We don't do sides. Once again. It's a scratch kitchen and everything is made to order. So I did notice that they had rice and refried pinto beans that went with other plates, but not as a side. Would it have gone against some UNWRITTEN CODE to not keep a guest happy and put some Refried Beans in one their cardboard French Fry Boats? And the night progressed. It was nice when we sat down there was a sample of salsas and chips which were made from their freshly made Tortillas. Unfortunately they were dark brown and overcooked to the point of being brittle. The Guacamole was freshly made and chunky, but unfortunately not very tasty. And now our food starts coming out. Everything was flavorful, tasty well seasoned, correct temperature and not overpriced .When we were sitting around talking and waiting for our checks a woman came over, who I think she said she was the G.M. or Manager. When I asked her about not being able to substitute chicken for pork or beef or getting my daughter a side of refried pinto beans, she immediately got an attitude, that she should have checked at the door. In a very nasty tone of voice she told me that they are a SCRATCH KITCHEN. She also said that they were not Mexican-American type of Restaurant where you get Rice and Refried Beans. I told her I understood that but since they had RICE and REFRIED PINTO BEANS on other plates, I didn't understand why my 8-year-old daughter could not get a side of refried pinto beans. I'm not sure how long she's been in the service industry but that is not the way you talk to your guests. Then she told me that the executive chef was from Mexico and this was the menu he planned out. I said I thought that the Executive Chef was from Salisbury North Carolina and was a first generation born Mexican-American. She even argued this point with me. QUOTE FROM THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER "Chef Jonathan Olvera, a first-generation Mexican-American from Salisbury, will lead the kitchen at MAS. ARDR HOSPITALIY GROUP. She needs to realize and understand that some of us do our HOMEWORK before going to a new restaurant. She was nasty with her tone of voice and condescending with her attitude. It's a good thing I was with Family and Friends as I would not have been as nice to the G.M. as I was. MAIZ AGUA SAL...just another restaurant that cares more about their image than their guests. There are plenty of restaurants in Charlotte that cater to their guests wants and needs and I don't have to drive 55 minutes to get to them. ONE AND DONE!

I'd give it 5 stars for ambience and service. The food quality for what it is 4-5. I'm norteño and prefer Sonoran style Mexican food. This is more a take of modern infused Mexican. I had the enchilada de res and I expected it to be a little more traditional in presentation and texture. The tortillas de maíz were good and the carne was a good flavor just odd looking and prefer some type of sauce. You'll definitely have a good time and most people will enjoy la comida. My friends enjoyed the mix drink and if you're a non alchi like me they got something for you too. Please teach your workers to pronounce co-thee-ha :). Wonderful outdoor patio.

The food was amazing and so was the service, real authentic Mexican food! Would definitely recommend the chilaquiles.

We had a great mid-week date night. The outdoor seating has a great ambiance and the staff are very nice. I recommend getting a marg and asada quesadilla!

Excellent, warm service, quality food that comes out fast. Drinks were good. It's on the pricier side but it's worth it. I'll definitely be back. Love the atmosphere

We absolutely LOVE M.A.S. Simple ingredients made in an extraordinary way. Service is the best in Charlotte and they even let us bring our puppy with us to eat on the patio and brought him water. Everyone is so kind and friendly and I love the food. 10/10

Best Mexican spot in Charlotte. The food is great and so flavorful. The free chips and salsa is also amazing. Great patio area as well and parking was easy. They also have a great tequila selection and cocktails are great.

Right now it's perfect patio weather! This restaurant has it! Patio & Inside seating! The tostada chips with three different salsas. Our server Lee was excellent! He was able to give a nice detailed intro on the food dinner selection. A margarita is a must! We had taquitos and carne/pork asada tacos. This place recently just opened! We are definitely coming back and hope you try it!

The freshest tortillas and ingredients! So delicious and great cocktails. Try the mole

Tacos and tortillas tasted like something from the bottom of a birdcage. However, the cocktails were really good. Service will hopefully improves as they get things down with some time.

Great patio, great drinks. Loved the elote and the tamale appetizers. Definitely get both. Tortillas are A+. We also got some sort of bread pudding dessert that was sneakily good. Excellent addition to Wesley Heights!

I loved the atmosphere! I would go back just to sit on the outdoor patio for a drink, but their service was terrible! Very slow and not attentive. Food also was nothing to write home about, but I did enjoy my margarita. My friends and I agreed we're not in a rush to come back.

Amazing food !!! Great service and the Best Margaritas!! We moved here from Southern California and have been searching for good Mexican food .. and this is the Best!!! Felt like home . We will def be regulars here !!!

Beautiful space with a great view of Charlotte's skyline. The drinks are great and the chips and salsa are tasty. The tacos and entrees are just okay. Maybe a little more sauce, less dry, and maybe some rice and beans with the tacos and entrees. Step it up and this could be a neighborhood gem.

What a spot!! Beautiful design and feel, great both indoor and outdoor seating, and a menu you wish you had the stomach for it all. Everything from the starters to the mains and tacos were authentic and outstanding.

The location is beautiful, the food is also tasty. Prices reflect the portions. You can experience both these things elsewhere and get good service. The service was lacking. The waitress was inattentive- we didn't receive silverware or plates. Service breaks or makes it for me, especially in places like this. It's a no for me.

This place is awesome. Our new go-to. You have to try it out!! The ambiance, food, and drinks were all superb.

Delicious, authentic and homemade with great service! You can really taste the difference in everything, especially the tortillas. The complementary chips and salsa are a fantastic touch! The three homemade salsas are amazing. While the tacos are great, it is definitely worth trying other items on the menu, like the quarter chicken - super tasty and unique!

We been waiting for months to try this place out, as it had promised true Mexican flavor. The chips and salsa offered watered unflavored green salsa, red non spicy, a peanut salsa that was also not spicy, pickled veggies that were hard non pickled. The tacos al vapor had no flavor the tortilla was falling apart. The pastor tacos were not flavorful, in big chunks with big chunk of pineapple just cut into large chunks colored red but no pastor flavored. the tacos of lengua also had no flavor. They have an ok selection of mezcal and tequila. The paloma also no flavor. The horchata is not real, it was weirdly foamy. Too milky and too much cinnamon. When we asked for a spicy salsa we were told there was none yet, it was being perfected. And was offered cholula. Nothing was worth the $100 bill. I would not recommend unless you like unflavored Mexican food. Would definitely not be coming back. Gave it a one Star only to review and for how nice the restaurant is decorated.

Amazing home made Mexican food - the best place for scratch Mexican food in Charlotte! Served with welcome hospitality, fantastic service in an amazing atmosphere!

This is the best food from a Mexican restaurant I have had....amazing flavor ....great ambience highly recommend this place!!!