MAIZE

Had a very nice meal here. Menu is not extensive, but the dishes are really unique and interesting, a lot of beef and chicken. Sides are pretty basic (rice, beans, or several plantain preparations). But food was all prepared fresh and seasoned nicely. Portions are big but not crazy. Service was pretty good. Cocktail menu is pretty heavy on wines as expected, but they had some unique and interesting cocktails. Overall a very good meal - we'll be back!

The service, atmosphere and dumplings were awesome- 10/10 no complaints. The drinks (while tasty) were expensive and I couldn’t taste any alcohol. The paella was a huge disappointment as it wasn’t cooked like traditional paella that gets crispy when actually cooked in the proper cast iron pot. This dish seemed like rice made regularly with meats/seafood added in later and then it was all added to a cast iron pot for show. Not worth it at that price point.

Amazing vibe! The staff was very helpful with answering questions about the menu. Beautiful decor. I had the Paella Caribena. The rice was a little dry, but the sea food and vegetables were cooked perfectly. My friends had the Pabellon Criollo and Empanadas. They said it was delicious and flavorful. The Sangria was different from what I've usually had, a little sweeter than like, but the cinnamon stick in it was a good mixure of flavor for it. Parking was had to find. Street parking or parking garage nearby. If FC Cincinnati games are home, better go early or get reservations. A must try awesome Venezuelan food.

We had a stack of gift cards for this place, and hadn't been yet, so tonight felt like the right time. We took advantage of the outdoor seating and grabbed a few of the signature items. The "El Ritual," a rum and coffee shooter that was interesting and delicious as our apéritif. A guasacaca plate, which was plantain chips with a guacamole-like dip that had olives in it. And for the main, some cheese empanadas and shrimp empanadas. Great service, quick refill on the water, and delicious food. Would go again.

Food and drinks were very good. One of the items on our order was missed and came after we were nearly finished dining. We would go again.

Pros-The food and drinks tasted awesome -our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and seemed genuinely passionate Cons- food and drink wait times ~while we had a reservation, we didn't have enough time to finish with our large group, one server, and long, albeit thorough explanation. we were kicked out prematurely, drink taken away. The food was somewhat slow but drinks took about 15 minutes to arrive. I would return only because of the quality and rarity of this type of food in the area, and with a smaller group

This place is fantastic! The waitstaff is very efficient and kind, the chef is inspired, and the food absolutely delicious. This is Puerto Rican street food made to high standards. Everything is expertly seasoned, it’s a great space and location.

Steak was top 5 I've ever had in my life. Drinks were great too. Empanadas were a bit undercooked/cold in the middle, but excellent overall Edit: went back again and the steak wasn't nearly as good. Not as tender. Nothing was really that amazing.

Stopped here in a good walking tour and thought that the appetizer we had was delicious. We need to come back for a full meal some time we are downtown!

This is a great restaurant with great food. I had a great time and the food and drinks were great. The restaurant has pretty loud music which makes it a little hard to have a convo. The first time I attempted to come here before a soccer game though, the restaurant was nearly empty and it was 5:40 pm. The host told us it was reservation only and that even the bar seats were reserved. What was odd was I had gone online and saw there were reservation times open at 6:30, which didn't make sense then for every spot to be reserved in the whole empty restaurant. Not sure if that was just an odd experience because when I came back with a reservation we were asked if we had a reservation or were just walking in (to a much busier restaurant the second time). Basically a good place, but I'm still not sure if there's like a rule you can't come in without a reservation, even to a bar seat here.

I cannot believe it took me this long to get to Maize! We had an exceptional meal and experience here on a Friday night The place was almost empty - which I do not understand!! We were here to grab dinner before heading to music hall for a show. We opted for drinks to start - we all had tequila based drinks either margaritas or the dulce y amargo. Both were very good! I loved the spice in the dulce y amargo. For our food we split two empanadas - the chicken & beef. These were packed with flavor and I loved that they were Gluten Free! We also split an Arepa, we had the beef which was BEYOND tasty! The flavors of the meat were exceptional and we loved the plantains and green sauce! Last we had the Chicharrones de Pollo which were also bursting with flavor! The coating on the chicken was exceptional, one of the best I have ever had, and the meat itself was so tender. We did not leave room for any other items but I cannot wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. Everything was fresh, delicious and all allergens listed on the menu which made ordering really easy. The staff was also VERY accommodative to getting us in and out before the show at Music Hall. Thank you Maize for a great meal and sorry it took me so long to visit!

Cincinnati Business Courier reported that Maize has closed. Maize held its final dinner service on Sunday 11/3/2024

Fantastic find on a local food tour! The plantain chips were to die for! We have already made plans to take visiting friends for a great meal!

I went solely for the ceviche this time. I ordered a margarita and Eddie almost had me singing the margarita song...gimme one margarita, imma open my.... . Listen, I'm going back soon. I've missed the place. If Eddie is my bartender, I might be on top of the bar. Don't be surprised if you walk in and I'm there.

Made it into Maize for a Sunday dinner. It was pretty empty, but bad weather + Sunday will do that. The food we ordered was really flavorful. Everything was seasoned heavily, which I enjoy at restaurants with Latin American inspiration. I personally ordered the Pollo Asado which had great char and manageable-sized pieces to eat. I do wish I had more of the mojo sauce along with it. I found halfway through I would have enjoyed some variety. The service was decent, nothing memorable. I recommend Maize as a date spot, especially if you plan to start there and bounce around OTR afterwards.

My husband and I went to Maize on 8/10/24 for our Anniversary. Everything about the meal was incredible! Seriously wonderful service, top-notch cocktail, and most importantly the food was soooo good!! We got the Tostones Rellenos (the shrimp was perfect!), Pabellon Criollo, and the Reina Pepida. I also ordered de Pina-Rita cocktail, and it was amazing! We will definitely return.

Food was amazing and well presented! Service was also amazing and was well taken care of! Restaurant is a bit on the smaller side and feels a bit tight but well worth trying.

They finally closed! Serves the owner & manager right for the manner which they treated my partner post birthday gathering. Poor management & leadership. If you want real, authentic Latino there's better options in Cincinnati. PLP

I recently visited Maize with my book club. We made a reservation and our table was ready when we got there. We had a few questions about some of the menu items, and our waitress did a great job explaining the differences between the items. I ordered the pabellón cachapa, which had shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and queso fresco. My dish had a wonderful combination of flavors, my only complaint is the beef was a little dry. I will definitely come back another time, and I want to leave room to try their churros!

Sadly, this goes down as one of the top 5 worst dining experiences I've experienced. My husband and I had a pre-jazz show dinner here on 3/5. While I was seated promptly, everything else took at minimum 10+ minutes (bringing menus to the table, another 10min for drink/starter order, another 20 to take the actual order, etc). Bu the time were able to actually order our mains, they had sold out of the only fish item on the menu. Mind you our reservation was for 7.15 on a Sat night. I understand folks are still feeling the effects of COVID in the dining industry, but that excuse can only go so far. We were only able to order empanadas (pollo and queso), elote wedge salad, braised pork, and two piña coladas. The empanadas were ok as were the trio of sauces we added. However, the elote wedge salad had a huge glob of dressing that seemed to be an afterthought. The braised pork literally had a huge chunk of meat that the chef couldn't bother to properly shred and it was tough/dry. If you're going to attempt to cook "authentic" Venezuelan cuisine, at least try to get it right. The best thing we had that night was the piña coladas and empanadas hence the two stars. Needless to say, I won't be returning.

Absolutely amazing food, cocktails and Jenna the bartender is unmatched (and I'm a former bartender). Food was outstanding and creative. Jenna took the time to listen to my drink request and totally delivered. Restaurant was chill, not too complicated but flavors upscale and unique. If you don't come to this OTR gem, you're missing out. Seriously.

It is bigger than it looks from the outside, but still quaint little dining areas. What a charming location in the 'old' town, great vibes in this neighborhood. The interior is very nicely decorated, a bit quirky, interesting with flair. The menu is quite interesting and vegetarian friendly, which was important to my friend. We started out with "La Ritual" shots which were new to me, but it won't be the last ones. As far as drinks go we highly recommend the Mojito and the Pina Colada... simply delicious and quite potent. We started out with an order of the Tequenos... I highly recommend these. Cheesy pastry is what was missing from my life. Perfect start to any meal. the pastry is nice and flaky and there is a little hint of sweet. The cheese inside is ooey gooey and oh so good. And the cilantro dip... I could put that on a lot of dishes. It goes with anything. I also gave the Elote a try... grilled or roasted it is delicious sweet corn with all the fixings. May I suggest a lot of extra napkins with this one as it is as messy as it is yummy. Those were the highlights of my visit. I hope to return in the future... at least whenever I'm in town.

Was like eating leftovers that had been in fridge too long- dry, over-cooked, too small servings loaded with rice and a few pieces of dull, uninteresting meat. Service on Saturday night was almost non-existent. Uninterested host. Waitress with no other support. Waited 55 minutes for too expensive fake Venezuelan food. And yes I've been there often and love what's still available and safe in Caracas. This place is an embarrassment. Exactly why I avoid OTR. Platos Grandes Paella

Loved the food and service. Casual place with foodie presentations. Great place for your teens to expand their palate by trying familiar foods in a new way...even made them virgin pina coladas. It wasn't a cocktail night for us, but we'll be back for that. Kids loved the empanadas, arepas, and yuca poutine (ask for a little extra gravy or add crema). Son liked the red pepper aioli (tasted like an elevated tangy fry sauce). The skirt steak was outstanding. The pabellon in the photo had beautiful presentation and was good, but would have been improved with a bit more seasoning or a hot sauce.

It only took me forever to finally scratch Maize of my list. I been wanting to try this place for a while, and I have made two attempts however, they were full and the wait was too long. This time I made a reservation and I was excited. We went on a Saturday afternoon around 5pm and we were seated right away. I was not too thrilled about the way the chair were put nevertheless they were following covid health guidelines so that's is great. The space is bigger than I anticipated since the ir more seating isn't he back, is bright and colorful. I personally love the music they play since it gives you the whole Latin American vibe while eating. The service was awesome. The hostess explained the reason for the seating set up, the waiter was friendly and outgoing. The food came out quick. We ordered the a Ritual, we went to a bar previous to this al that's why we opted to not get drinks, nevertheless, I couldn't leave without trying the Ritual which was delicious. Moreover, we ordered the Yuca Fries, an Chicken Cachapa and the Chimichurri steak. The server was intuitive and knew we were planning on sharing all entrees so he brought extra plates. The food was incredible tasty. I have zero complains another the food because it was just great. The Cachapa was soft and savory I love the cilantro topping they put. The steak was on point, I believe. It was medium well and it came with a side of rice.. so delicious. I highly recommend trying this place, I will for sure go back to try the arepas and empanadas.

OTR has some very interesting restaurants and I'm glad this one is near. We wanted to venture out and partake in the Cinco De Mayo celebration and this was the perfect place. They had a one man band who was very entertaining and the vibe was great. The food that I really wanted to order was not available anymore so that was a disappointment, but what we did order was delicious. I would definitely be back.

I visited here as part of a 12 person bachelorette party and had a wonderful experience! We had called ahead to ensure that they were able to accompany our large party, and we were happy to find a table ready for us when we arrived. Our waitress was attentive with both water and drinks while we waited for our food. The food came out a few plates at a time, so some people got their food considerably long after others, but their kitchen appeared small and not equipped to serve a party as large as ours, so we were happy to wait. The vegetarian cachapa I had was incredibly flavorful and filling, and no one seemed to have any complaints about their meal. We found it very convenient that we could pay using the QR code at the bottom of our check, so we didn't have to wait for our server to take care of all of our checks. If I lived in the area, I would be back!

TL;DR - Would try a new place before returning to this restaurant. I wanted to come here with a group of my friends for the first time, we had to park a few blocks away due to the congestion on the streets, but that was to be expected when parking in over the Rhine. We had a reservation, and we were seated immediately. The decor is traditional Latin America, and dining room wasn't too awfully loud for a Friday night. My friend recommended the Caipirinha cocktail, which tasted like a sweeter tequila and without the harsh finish, apparently it's stronger too. Our food was cooked very well, albeit the service being a little slow. I got the chicken and the shrimp empanada, I heard this place was famous for their empanadas. They were good, everybody was happy with the food. We ended with churros which tasted burnt and very greasy. I enjoy supporting small restaurants in the local Cincinnati area, but I will try a new restaurant before returning to this one. Everything was fine, just wasn't my taste.

Wow the Mofongo Relleno with Steak & Shrimp was out of this world! The mofongo was moist in the inside and a tad crispy on the outside. He steak and shrimp was nicely charred with a bit of butter bringing the entire dish together. The avocado dip was very fresh and not too salty. Aside from the great food, I felt like the tables and people were not socially distanced apart enough. They added plastic curtains to section off each table, however I don't think that helps much. If I come back, I will probably take out or eat outside.

Wow, what a last minute find on Saturday night that did not disappoint at all in OTR. There is Che's, the other OTR Argentinian but this is Venezuelan. They have cachapas and arepas. They are known for empanadas as well. I have to return to properly enjoy all of the menu items. I loved my Tripleta, the meat was PERFECTLY cooked. My husband had the pabellon criollo and added the fried egg as I perused Yelp photos, while he parked as it was a little crazy with a local FC game. It took little nudging to convince him to order this. We started with elote and a round of caipirinhas that were so refreshing on a summer day. I will be back and I love that the prices are also very reasonable. Great new restaurant in OTR!

Nothing spectacular. We came here looking for a touch of Venezuelan/Latino food and left a little disappointed. The food quality was ok but being Venezuelan and trying some of the dishes was disappointing because the essence was not there. Flavors weren't there and that's very important when serving a staple dish such as "Pabellón". Empanadas were just ok, plátano dumplings were ok, the chicken chicharrón was actually good. The cachapa with reina pepiada tasted nothing like cachapa and nothing like reina pepiada. Service was good, atmosphere was good and 1 out of 6 dishes ordered was good. I'd love to give this place more stars but was lacking a bit and it hits close to home.

Awesome Venezuelan/ Latin American food and super good cocktails and bonus for having one of my favorite beers on tap - Negra Modelo!

We came here on a very warm Saturday night around dinner time. There was a table available but it had a reservation on it in less than an hour so rather than be rushed we opted to sit at the bar (this was the very nice hostess suggestion). We were promptly waited on by a sweet bartender. She gave a great suggestion to doctor up my mojito a little with some sort of passionfruit and it was YUM! The other bartender also checked on us several times and he too was great. As ive learned from watching too much Bar Rescue: a smile, recommendations, and a little bit of a show when mixing drinks makes for a great bartender and these guys hit all the marks! They even kept our waters filled. We were trying to decide what to order for dinner, as pretty much all of the menu looked amazing. Our trusty bartender explained some of the items a little more in depth and gave several recommendations. I decided on the Catira Mongo bowl which was very refreshingly light, yet filling for the hot day that it was. The bowl is lined with mashed plantain, filled with tender flavorful chicken, and topped with fresh tomatoes and melty cheese. For my sauce I chose the creme de cilantro. I also ordered a carne mechada empanada which was good! The beef was so flavorful and tender. My friend got a different type of bowl and enjoyed that as well. The atmosphere here perfectly fits the cuisine. It definitely has a tropical South American feel. Despite how crowded it was it was never too noisy nor did I feel cramped at the bar. The bar also has a large TV to which they had the Reds game on. Outside on the sidewalk there is a walk up bar with seats if you prefer to enjoy your cocktail along with the nice weather! I recommend reserving a table ahead if you prefer dining that way, which can be done from their website or by phone. They look to have a great happy hour AND even a Sunday brunch. I really enjoyed this place and cant wait to come back a bunch more!

My friend group loves to eat here for its gluten free menu and delicious flavors. I have yet to order something I didn't like. Them the yellow pepper aioli is drinkable it's so good. We have always had great service and with the location being downtown it's a great atmosphere.

Very good service/friendly staff. Wonderful drink selection. Great food option if you are gluten free.

In just two visits I have gorged myself on a good portion of Maize's menu. I don't know how they manage it, but almost everything is gluten free (with many vegan and vegetarian items marked). Here're some of the highlights: Tostones rellenos - plantain discs topped with chicken, cheese or pork. They're fried - but they don't feel heavy or greasy. Definitely the best appetizer on the menu. Elote de feria - This is a fancy corn on the cob - plated with the husk still partially intact (wow factor). Recommendation: tell them to go light on the aioli and heavy on the cojita. If you're coming here on a first date you can order this to show that you're down to earth and don't mind getting a bit messy. If you're here on a business dinner I'd skip this unless you want to wipe crema and cojita out of your beard. Pollo mechado /camaron al ajillo - the two all stars of the empanadas. Try the house made cream de cilantro / pica pica and crema de pimientos dulce. (Avoid the arbol sauce unless you like a very potent, overpowering smokey flavor). My one critique after two visits is the empanadas are dusted with some sort of sodium-heavy seasoning (is it just salt?), in the future I will have them skip adding this. Cachapa catira - shredded chicken with sofrito / fresh tomato. It is like a sweet corn pancake topped with whatever arepa/cachapa filling you choose. One of my dining mates said the cachapa cake was too sweet for her liking, but I found it balanced with the catira toppings. Arepa (reina pepiada /pelua) - Maize has arepas in their name, and despite loving everything else they are certainly my favorite. As someone forced to eat a gluten free diet due to allergies, it reminds me a bit of a more savory cornbread sandwich. I am a huge avocado fan so the reina really hit the spot, the second time I tried the pelua and both were fantastic. This is one of their more causal menu items, so it is served in a paper wrapper to be eaten with your hands. Other notable item: ceviche with plantain chips. Maize is a real winner for me. If you have't walked down 14th street, you probably haven't seen that Maize is a lot bigger than it looks from the entrance on Race. I came with a group of 2 and a group of 7 and both experiences were exceptional. I used to think Bakersfield was my go-to place for anything south of the border, but after trying the Venezuelan-Puerto Rican-Argentinian fusion at Maize I think I have graduated to something even better!

I was with a large group (myself and 12 others) and the restaurant was very willing to accommodate our party size with a reservation on high-top tables near the front of the establishment. The drink menu is unique yet intriguing; I had a glass of the sangria and the "Hurricane Maria" cocktail with my meal. The sangria had a distinctive cinnamon taste which I wasn't the biggest fan of, but everyone else at the table loved. This is because it had a whole cinnamon stick in the drink. Had I known this, I probably would've avoided the drink, but it was still enjoyable. For food, I ordered the Venezuelan classic dish located under the Platos Grandes section of the menu. This dish had shredded beef, black beans, and white rice as the main components, and while it was pretty solid, the dish was small and was a little dry. I asked for a side of sauce to pour over which instantly turned it from a 6 to an 8.5 out of 10. I had also ordered a side of the elote style corn, and that was the best thing I ate during the meal. I'm glad I added that as a side because I would've been hungry without it. We finished our meal with el ritual shot, something I'd recommend for any group getting ready to go out for more drinks after dinner. It was a perfect pick me up after a meal. I would dine at Maize again, but I'd probably choose to go elsewhere first given all of the restaurants in the OTR area. Still, a good experience nevertheless, and I appreciated their willingness to accommodate my large group.

Authentic. Fresh. Excellent experience. Thoroughly enjoyed the tapas style selections.

A terrific addition to the OTR neighborhood with an easy walk from music hall and Washington park! Foodies will enjoy the offerings from the Latin American themed menu options. Shareables and talented mixologists offer a social experience exceeding the norms. Bravo!

Best empanadas I've had in a long time. Crispy corn dough outside perfectly fried and all three meat options, beef, chicken and shrimp were perfect. I'd order all 3 again. I love the stamps on the outside telling the contents. Plantains were also excellent and all the sauces rocked especially the green one. I only wish there were more sauces, especially a pico Will definitely order from here again I'm so glad I found this spot!

Fantastic. Yum. Great addition to the OTR food scene. Very reasonable prices, especially for this area. Had a meal + drink and felt full afterwards for less than $25 including tip. We came here as a last minute decision and I am SO happy that I decided to tag along. From start to finish, the meal was fabulous. We also got a round of apps - the tequenos and ceviche was great, tostones were fine but nothing to write home about. After the filling apps, I only got the elote for dinner. Which was plenty. And amazing. My favorite thing on the menu so far. Tried my friend's arepa which was also great. The empanadas were good (but I personally am more of a fan of Che's empanadas). Oh and the drinks!!! Equilibrado was the name of the drink I got. It was immediately one of my new favorites in OTR. Well balanced. Sweet without being too sweet. So good. We also got a free glass of sparkling wine for the grand opening, which was a nice touch. Honestly, I could go on and on, but this place is amazing and you should go ASAP. Likely will become my new go to in OTR.

This may be my new favorite restaurant. First of all love the decor and the staff is so friendly and helpful. We asked a lot of questions. We started with the Guasacara Gruega which is like a guacamole but with a lot more veggies and in an olive brine. It's served with plantain chips. It was so delicious and the olive brine made it heavenly. I decided on a Rumbera Cachapa which was Caribbean shredded beef with avocado and cheddar cheese on a mashed sweet corn crumpet. I so surprised with all the flavors. This place is a gem in the OTR. You will feel like you have visited Venezuela.

Maize had long been on my list to try and I still feel like I've hardly had enough of their food to fully appreciate it. Normally, I'd always pickup from a restaurant, but after a long weekend I caved and ordered delivery. I had the shimp empanada, the beef empanada, as well as an order of mofongo. The beef empanada was definitely my favorite. The cilantro crema that was included was an excellent addition. The shrimp empanada was a close second. You definitely don't NEED the cilantro crema for either of the empanadas, they have tons of flavor on their own. Admittedly, the mofongo did not travel well. I'm a big fan of mofongo, but I think next time I'll hold off until I can enjoy this dish in the restaurant. The flavor was mostly okay, but the texture just didn't seem to hold up. I definitely can't wait to try more dishes from Maize!

Totally forgot to take pictures but this place was excellent! I got takeout through Uber Eats and it was still warm and delicious when it arrived. The empanadas were perfectly crisp and filled with fresh shredded chicken and shrimp. The paella was a perfect portion and really tasty. Definitely get the cilantro crema, perfect sauce. Can't wait to try this place live!

Best Churrasco I've had stateside. Great cut of steak, seasoned, & cooked perfectly! It was so good. Ordered take-out as well; yuca, empanadas, and another Churrasco steak cooked medium rare. Again, order this!!! Glad to see you were busy tonight. Service was excellent as well. Had an opportunity to meet the proprietors, Angel & Louisa, after dining in and so impressed with them. They are so kind and incredibly knowledgeable about their business. I will be back. P.S. For clarification, this is a black owned & minority owned business. If you don't physically see the owners, it's because they're working. I found Angel in the kitchen and Louisa managing the floor. They are hands on. It was a busy Saturday, which is awesome to see!

I LOVE trying new restaurants in OTR, and Maize totally stood up to the standard. Naturally, being my first time there, I straight up took all of the server's recommendations. Everything we tasted was delicious and very flavorful. Here is the rundown: Appetizers: Though the ceviche (assuming you like raw fish) was a solid dish, the roasted corn was absolutely delicious. Just don't order it if you're on a first date; it's super messy to eat! Arepas/Cachapas: You can order any of these dishes in either arepas or Cachapas fashion. I highly recommend Cachapas style though, as it is easier to split, and the corn pancake is flat out delicious. We tried both the Crema de cilantro and the Crema de pimientos dulce sauce (with a $1 up-charge), and the cilantro totally won out. Short-rib entree: delicious. Certainly not as succulent as a steak from the precinct, but delicious flavors and loved the sauce and pumpkin purée. Smaller portion size, and twice the price of any of the arepas/Cachapas or appetizers, so if you're looking to go for a lower price point, you can totally stick to the other menu items! We opted out of dessert (both super full), but so hopefully another yelper can supplement my review

I was so excited to try this place and it did not impress the way I had hoped. My biggest complaint is the lack of vegetarian options. It should be easy to create vegetarian options beyond just different forms of cheese at Corn based Mexican restaurant. That said the cheese items were good but I would have liked more options/more food. I do believe other season the menu changes so it may be better then. The service was average (kind but uninterested and slow/ seemlying understaffed). If not very hungry I would go here again if others wanted to but I would not seek it out.

Waited twenty minutes for a table that was empty the whole time. After being seated, waited another 15 and server never came by. Empanadas $7 a piece.

Excellent food and service! I recommend the tamarind margarita, the ceviche, and, oh my goodness.... the churrasco con chimi. Delicious!

This little restaurant is pretty nice regarding its food and atmosphere. You can see its own latino signature through its dishes, furniture, menu and decorations. I recommend it as a nice place to go to grab a drink or hang out with friends.

Outstanding service from Gabriel (manager) ....drinks are excellent....the food is wonderful, felt very fresh and ripe with flavors hinting at Latin culture with Venezuelan infusion

On June 29th 2023 around 11am an employee referred to two black people in the neighborhood as N words. The employee was taking out the trash and stationed 4 big trash cans in front of them. I believe they were upset because she didn't say excuse me or ask them to politely move. I was across the street ordering food from B&A so I was able to hear and see the entire interaction. I understand the worker may have been frustrated but for her to so easily use that word says a lot about how she feels in general about black folks. I've searched the owners and I see it's co owned by a black man and I hope you can understand why this is so frustrating to witness. I personally cannot go on about my day without other people knowing what happened. So as long as these reviews are up I am satisfied even if there is nothing done about it.

Service was excellent! So many gluten free.options. Eddie was very helpful and made the experience wonderful!

I wish I could rate Maize better, especially since we've heard so many great things about it, but unfortunately our dining experience was pretty subpar. The food really was good, the empanadas (especially the shrimp), 2 lb chicken entree, and the dumpling appetizer was delicious. However, the service was really disappointing. There was a pretty strong sewage smell which was off- putting. The server notified us early on that they were out of salads. But then, twice more throughout our dining experience, we ordered paella and (more) dumplings and she came back to tell us they were out of those items. We did go on a Sunday night, so perhaps that had something to do with it, but for a restaurant to run out of paella rice?!? Then when we received our check, two items (the original two paella orders) were still left on the bill, totaling in $80 more than we should have paid. One of our friends caught it and sent the bill back but there was no offer to take off one of the appetizers, or comp a free drink, or any great customer service tactic. At this point we were the only patrons still there and it took a really long time to run our credit card. When we inquired about whether the bartender knew where our server was with card, he passive aggressively said "you know guys, patience is a virtue". Pretty much killed any small chance of us ever coming back.

Love this place for arepas! The food is deceiving - it doesn't look like a lot but it will definitely fill you up! I had an empanada, tequenos, and an arepa and I was stufffffed. The chicken empanada was a good starter and is served with multiple sauces for dipping. They're all good so you really have to try them all! The tequenos are cheese-stuffed pastries (kind of like a Venezuelan mozzarella stick) that are reallyyyyyy good (and probably what filled me up so quickly, lol). I ordered the Sloppy Juan arepa (a white corn pocket). It came with ground beef/chorizo, black bean puree, cheddar cheese and an orange slice. I have no idea how anyone ever though to stick an orange slice in there but I'm glad they did because it was super delicous! The whole arepa was almost like eating a Cincy three-way :) The cocktails are refreshing - I had (a few of) the Ligero y Refrescante, which literally means Light and Refreshing! I also tried the Pine Apple Express which had scotch AND rum but tasted sweet with the pineapple. If you're a shot person (and even if you're not), you need to get the El Ritual Shot. Just trust me on that :)

One of my favorite meals of the year was my first experience at Maize. I ordered the pabellon criollo, which, previously unknown to me, is a traditional dish in Venezuelan cuisine. The one I got at Maize (see photo) will henceforth be the bedrock upon which I judge all future iterations of this dish that come across my plate. It was unique and so so flavorful that I thought about it for dats after our dinner. I also enjoyed a side portion of the tropical salad, which was simply outstanding. I would definitely be happy ordering the full portion as a meal if I was in the mood for something lighter. The cocktails, service, and atmosphere only complimented the amazing food. Highly recommend and can't wait to go back. Update: I've been here several times now and I can absolutely say that I've loved every single thing I've tasted. Great food, great service. One of the best places in the city!

Stopped in for a bite walking over to TQL Stadium. Maize is on Race St across from Taft's Ale House. Empanadas, Quesadea (Beef & Chicken) were pretty good. Service was good. We sat at the bar and we're having fun watching the crew making drinks. I'm sure we'll be back