Mamajuana cafe

Very good Spanish Food Restaurant. The pros are that the food was delicious , the restaurant decorations are beautiful and overall the staff was friendly. The cons are that the music is extremely loud so it’s difficult to have a conversation, the food took a while to arrive we waited about 40 minutes for our entrees and the price point was pricey for a restaurant of its kind. Overall I recommend you give it a try but expect what I stated above.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, my initial impression was less than favorable due to the hostess's apparent lack of training in customer service and her ability to create a welcoming atmosphere for patrons. However, my experience improved considerably once I took a seat at the bar. The bartender, Tay Tammer, treated us as esteemed guests, providing service that made it feel as though we had been regular visitors to the establishment for many years. Her exemplary service encouraged us to remain and enjoy both drinks and lunch. It would benefit the restaurant to prioritize the hiring of more employees with the same caliber of service as Tay. Excellent customer service is critical not only for the growth of a business but also for the cultivation of a sense of community. I commend Tay for her outstanding contributions.

5 Stars and some! Came here for bday dinner and it lived up to the hype I’ve been hearing. The food was delicious, with a lot flavor. Drinks were just as good. Plenty of parking and the atmosphere is a VIBE. I will Definitely be coming back The Yucafonngo with steak was chefs kiss

I must say… I’ve have seen lots of posts about this place and they did not disappoint me! Wonderful caring service, food was fantastic (worth every penny) they have incredible drinks even on a Wednesday! I will definitely come back and my friend would love to conquer the 44oz tomahawk steak! 🥩! Bringing the family next time!

2-16-24 On a Positive Note: The service and food was on point. Upon entry, the greeter was on the phone. Nonetheless, once seated- the service was excellent! Muy bien 😊 There was a musician playing an instrument. The ambiance was very romantic. Our server was very attentive and the manager or owner was welcoming. He even provided us a shot of mama juana on the house. We ordered chicken pieces and guacamole/fried cheese for our apps. While I found the plantain chips to be on the chewy/older side, our server obliged my request to replace them with carrots and celery. I would have preferred more seasoning in the guacamole- perhaps some salt. I truly enjoyed the presentation of our meals, the taste, the temperature and my drinks. The mango drink was delicious- not weak but not overly strong. I’m looking forward to dining here again in the near future for the food and to check out the DJ on Friday/Saturday night. The Verdict: Si, si, and si. I highly recommend the oxtails dish. A Daily Diner😋 Update 4-12-25 Enjoyed the oxtails once again, a different drink (tasty but rather gritty) The server offered to have it strained but I didn’t want to send it back. I never trust sending anything back. I ordered a dessert to go (yummy😋). However, the only negatives- the manager wasn’t friendly this time. I was taken back by two different prices on my bill. Customers are NOT financially responsible for a business’ decision to accept credit cards. Is it legal in CT to charge a customer more for using a credit card?🙃

I have been wanting to go to mamajuana cafe in Waterbury for the longest. Growing up in New York City this was one of my favorite places to grab food and turn up. Since my parents came up to CT this Sunday, we decided to all give it a try. There is no way you can miss this location , it is huge! The building is beautiful on the outside and as soon as you step in. The aesthetics were gorgeous and there are alot of opportunities to capture your date night photos. Now to the service , our waiter William was very welcoming. He was relatable and treated us like family in this restaurant. He let us know if there is anything we might have an issue with to let him know right away and he will support us with our concern. Our orders were taken immediately and from the drinks , to the aps , to the entrees, and desserts, all was incredible. The very minor concern was the mamafongo my sister had , on the menu it did not say it contained a cheese sauce and she is lactose intolerant. They did make this right by bringing her a new mofongo which she loved. Everything pictured is what we ate and drank and we had not one complaint. We did spend $440 so while it was incredible it would not be a place we go to every weekend. I do 100% recommend this restaurant.

The Mamafongo was so good! My coworkers and I went for our boss’s birthday. The atmosphere was amazing, and the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing—definitely Instagram-worthy. I would absolutely recommend going. The music and the vibes were great!

This was our first time here, the place is amazing and the best part is when they sing Happy Birthday it's like a club scene. One thing it's always packed and for good reason too, make sure you make a reservation. Definitely will be back

We got there for our 11:45pm Saturday reservation on time. Seated immediately. It seems we came at the tail end of dinner because when we walked in it was super crowded with laughs, smiles and full bellies. Cleared out very quickly after that. Important to note: when we were seated we were told the kitchen closes at midnight. I'm not sure how it works on a daily basis but that Saturday night was the cutoff time for food. My husband ordered an Old Fashioned and I ordered a frozen margarita. Both drinks were very good. We ordered the tostones with fried cheese and Guac. What a treat! Great portions as well. My husband ordered the Mamaburger that came with fries and I ordered the flank steak (med rare) that featured white rice and beans as a side. He enjoyed his burger. Was almost gone in an instant ! My entree was very good. My steak was cooked to perfection and the rice and beans were hot and fresh. The plating could've been a bit better, it was difficult to eat the rice and beans without some falling off the plate now and then. Overall we had a wonderful time. Music was great, great food, great drinks. Whenever we visit Waterbury again we will def return!

Expensive and deceptive pricing. My fiancee and I went here for dinner last evening (4-28). Between the 2 of us, we had a total of 2 cocktails, 1 soda, 2 appetizers, 1 entree and 1 dessert. The tablet-menu did not make any mention of a mandatory tip being added to a bill. When the bill arrived, we were shocked at the price: $165.42. When we reviewed the bill with the staff, it was pointed out that the gratuity of 15% was ALREADY added in. I asked how - if it was a gratuity and we were only a party of 2 - was the tip already included? The response was that was the policy of the restaurant. I said that, by definition, a gratuity was optional and at the discretion of the customer. They politely disagreed, then added we could tip higher if we chose. I told them I was not sure that making a tip mandatory was even legal and they assured us that it was and was the custom of many other restaurants. I have no idea whether or not that is true, but I paid the bill of $165.42 with my credit card. The bill given to me also had a space for Gratuity beneath the total of $165.42, perhaps for those unsuspecting customers who didn't realize they were already paying a 15% tipping charge.

There was some good and some bad. We are looking for someplace to stop and have an afternoon snack and drink. The good: nice bar, great prices for happy hour The food: the chicken app wasn't for me, I didn't like that it was dark meat, I found it chewy and fatty which was a shame because the breading was delicious and the sauce was too, I just don't care for dark meat chicken prepared like that. My partner didn't mind. The chicharron ceviche I felt was lacking flavor. The meat tasted dry/overcooked, the yucca needed salt. The service: just ok, it wasn't until we were leaving that I realized our waitress didn't speak that much English which I believe was probably why I felt she wasn't that attentive. In her defense we were seating at the bar (no one else was there)I just kind of felt like if we needed something we had to ask, as opposed to someone checking in. The bill: I was annoyed by a couple things with the bill. I had handed over my credit card. I noticed that the amount was a few dollars more so I asked for the original receipt. I was charged a credit card surcharge. Connecticut law prohibits charging a surcharge for credit cards, please see below state statue. Connecticut law Sec. 28 of Public Act 24-142 prohibits a business from charging a customer a surcharge, which is any additional charge or fee for using one payment type (usually credit card) over another payment type (usually cash). I also noticed that I was charged a 15% "propina incluida" ... being the rest of the receipt is in English except for that one line feels dishonest. I don't speak Spanish I googled it to verify that did mean tip. We always tip a minimum of 20% anyways, which I left the difference in cash, I just didn't like that no one told us it was included, kind of made me feel like they expected you to tip twice being there was a tip line on the credit card receipt which did not show these totals. Overall can't say I would return, But I hope my review can be helpful. If the business owner is reading this I would suggest removing the credit card surcharge before someone files a complaint with the state of Connecticut Attorney General office, which can be done right on their website.

To start off the worst tasting Latin food I have ever tasted. I have been to Columbia several times. This wasn't even close to being even authentic to start off. If you wanna sit outside in the parking lot next to the freeway, feel like a street bomb tableside atmosphere moved inside service was terrible. Servers did not even consider being Customer Service minded. Also, the place was very dirty. I would not recommend this place even if they offered free meals or Latin food ever they should close their doors, terrible location and hold onto your wallet. They'll try and clean you out for every penny that you have and lie to your face about certain charges tips surcharges They should be ran out of town Bandidos stay clear of this establishment.

Omg! Drove 45 mins and it did not disappoint! Great food service and the decor was amazing. We were greeted by the hostess she was very nice and inviting our waiter William phenomenal and very detailed we were celebrating a bd for a friend when he greeted us he immediately acknowledged and wished her a happy birthday which I thought was very special. The food recommendation was spot on we had the tres golpe sushi and the chicken bites and mashed avocado great starters. The food was great a presentation was top tier. The music and the vibe was amazing. Cannot wait to come here again. Don't stop what you're doing it's working!

Good experience, everyone's food was good and the service was SPOT ON! Was there for a birthday dinner with 16 guests and we were able to get table with 0% hassle.

I'm so excited that it finally opened! The location in Queens is fantastic, and I was really looking forward to this opening, even if I'm not sure if they're related to anyone else. I decided to drop by on Friday for some drinks and appetizers, and let me tell you, I'll definitely be coming back! The drinks really complement the vibes and ambiance perfectly. My favorite bite was the mamajuana roll--those ripe plantains with steak, shrimp, and avocado are just amazing! Since it's recently opened, I'm looking forward to coming back for a full experience. I did notice that the staff was still getting used to the new location, which led to a few little mishaps, like missing appetizer plates. But honestly, it wasn't a big deal for me; I totally understand that these things happen.

The restaurant fits the aesthetic vibe if you are looking for decent food with great pictures. Several food and drink options however the service was slow considering when I went there were only 6 tables being occupied.

I have been wanting to go to mamajuana cafe in Waterbury for the longest. Growing up in New York City this was one of my favorite places to grab food and turn up. Since my parents came up to CT this Sunday, we decided to all give it a try. There is no way you can miss this location , it is huge! The building is beautiful on the outside and as soon as you step in. The aesthetics were gorgeous and there are alot of opportunities to capture your date night photos. Now to the service , our waiter William was very welcoming. He was relatable and treated us like family in this restaurant. He let us know if there is anything we might have an issue with to let him know right away and he will support us with our concern. Our orders were taken immediately and from the drinks , to the aps , to the entrees, and desserts, all was incredible. The very minor concern was the mamafongo my sister had , on the menu it did not say it contained a cheese sauce and she is lactose intolerant. They did make this right by bringing her a new mofongo which she loved. Everything pictured is what we ate and drank and we had not one complaint. We did spend $440 so while it was incredible it would not be a place we go to every weekend( I would go back just for the bread pudding lol )I do 100% recommend this restaurant.

A couple of my friends invited me to dinner at Mamajuana Café for my birthday, and it was a spectacular experience! The food was absolutely delicious, the drinks were on point, and the ambiance was perfect. From start to finish, everything came together for a truly fun and memorable night. We had such a great time--I can't wait to go back!

Our first time, the mamajuana roll is excellent! Highly recommended with a delicious mojito!

Mama Juana offers great food and drinks, and it's refreshing to have something new in Waterbury. However, I noticed that the waitstaff seemed inexperienced. It felt like there were a lot of managers around, but the servers didn't seem to have received proper training. Unfortunately, they made an error and charged me twice, which, while it was corrected, was still a big mistake, especially since my total was already over $500. Regarding the food, my Mar y Tierra had a good-sized lobster portion, but the steak was smaller than expected, and the mashed potatoes were a bit lacking. That said, the sushi and appetizers were delicious. Overall, good food but service needs improvement.

Tried it for the first time with my sisters and we had a great time! Service was great, food was delicious and the ambience was dynamic! Ordered the goat, oxtail and other dishes plus dessert. It was one of my sisters birthday and they sang for her, it was so fun! Definitely returning and recommending to family and friends

What an amazing place. We went there last night with a group of 9 of us and loved the food. Their drinks were on point ! I had some Brazilian rum drink that was amazing and went down a little too well. My spouse had a whiskey with passion fruit and cinnamon and vanilla - also quite good. We tried some of their rolls - a Waterbury and a. Mexican roll to start- then he had the oxtail - I loved the Waterbury roll so much I ordered one for dinner - The waitress provided excellent service and was there any time we needed anything. While we were there there were 4 other tables where they had birthdays and every time the entire service team came out - sang, and made the person feel amazing - the only thing I didn't love was the strobe lights - but this was a great spot ! Spot on decor and a comfortable setting to enjoy some great food and drinks

Great food and atmosphere. Food has good presentation and taste amazing. Everything is fresh. The waiters are friendly and attentive.

The food was awesome! The drinks were not just delicious but they were fun! Nice atmosphere definitely something different than other restaurants. People are very friendly pricing is reasonable. The bills do include a tip, but I had to tip extra because of a good service!

The food was okay, I had the braised goat. The atmosphere was also alright, a bit tight but the interior was gorgeous. Service was a little awkward as it was hard to hear over the insanely loud music. My girl friends and I were basically yelling at each other for basic conversation. My friend had an amazing birthday and said the drinks were good. It's not a place for me personally, I wouldn't go back, but if you like loud music and slightly awkward staff it's good and it's the place for you.

Love this place food always Cooked right. Apple are nice, food comes out fast. It depends on your taste so if you see negative comments it's bc that person doesn't like the type of food there. Bc this spot is ok point & im one of the worse food critics

Excellent servicios y muy buena comida !! Recomiendo 100 % a todos los Latinos en general

We recently made a reservation for a large party of 16 at this restaurant, but unfortunately, the experience fell far below expectations. Upon arrival, no one seemed aware of our reservation, which was disappointing and disorganized. We asked for a fixed menu which we put down a deposit for that they didn't accommodate instead they had us order from the regular menu stating that the fixed menus are for parties of 20 or more however that wasn't explained to us when we scheduled the reservation. Despite this, we were seated, but things only went downhill from there. We waited two hours before any food arrived at our table. To make matters worse, the restaurant assigned just one server to manage our large group. While the server William was outstanding, doing his best to keep things moving and accommodate us, the lack of adequate staffing was unacceptable for a party of this size. The host, initially rude and argumentative, didn't make the situation any better. While she eventually changed her tone upon realizing her mistake, the initial interaction left a bad impression. As for the food, it was mediocre at best. The drinks were not great and appetizers were decent, but the main courses lacked flavor and were nothing memorable. Overall, while this place might be okay for small gatherings or casual drinks and appetizers, it is absolutely not suitable for hosting large events. I won't be planning any future gatherings here.

The service this evening was horrible. A special guest was coming and the ticket prices over the phone was 60 dollars then when i came in person they wanted to charge 80 dollars. I arrived at 7pm and had to wait over an hour. It was so unorganized. When i asked the owner when i would be seated he just ignored me, We are paying customers who should be treated with respect. Ive never seen so much miscommunications and poor management ever. It was my birthday and i was looking forward to having a good time. How dare they try to over charge customers when there offer poor customer service. For a table was $100 and every person I encountered that worked there was rude. Left with my 2 friends to spend our money where we were treated with respect. Wouldn't recommend

First time visiting this establishment. Walked in and loved the atmosphere. Were given tablets for the menu, and the heat and music was bumpin! The menu was the whole reason why we wanted to visit here. The food was delicious, unique, and flavorful. However, if you chose to visit, plan for AT LEAST a couple hours and this is why...We had been greeted and immediately sat (having a reservation). Someone came over to give us water and walked away. We waited 30 minutes for someone to come greet us and take a drink order, before we were discussing leaving. I got up to use the restroom and came back and put my coat on when someone finally came over. We asked them if they would pay attention to us and not forget about us. We were apologized to and decided to give it a chance. Ordered everything at once. The appetizer came out before our drinks, which was followed up with our server double checking something on our order, where my dish immediately arrived right after. It took another 20-30 minutes for my husband to get his dish, after slowly eating mine. In the time we're were there, the table next to us had informed they had been there for 2.5 hours and STILL didn't get the check. They even waved to the manager and he waved back before realizing he was being called over. Another table (both two-tops) had also complained at the timing and the attentiveness. PLEASE BE ADVISED, they automatically add 15% gratuity on ALL checks, 20% on parties of 8 or more. My thought is that there is a possibility they may not be as attentive because they already get a tip, or they don't have server sections set up so they are literally running all over the restaurant, making it difficult to keep an eye on their tables. We decided we would give them another opportunity in the future, tipped our server extra, since she was sincere and apologetic. Management needs to step up the service standards. If you have better service standards, you will also turn more tables, and everyone will make more $$. This establishment has great potential.

Good and bad things The place is beautiful, the food is good, the cocktails are not good, they do not make them with the ingredients they bring, (I ordered a Moscow Mule and they brought me a glass of lemon juice with whiskey and lots of lemon slices. They didn't have ginger beer and they don't put vodka). They need a good bartender and there are products that they offer and they do not have them available, such as a light beer....,The service is slow and I think they do not have much experience, I consider that they should improve their management so that they have better quality in service. The DJ should be more updated with the music and make mixes of different music. The karaoke is good but I consider that the person who hosts should have a more updated spirit and mood.

si te sientes aburrid@ en casa, ven a disfrutar del mejor ambiente en el área de waterbury, ct. aquí vas a encontrar buena música, excelente comida y una atención excepcional de parte de su personal. y si hablamos de sus tragos que son incomparables y a un precio muy asequible. te lo recomiendo 100%. decídete y ven; no te vas a arrepentir!!

I went last night and the food was amazing, the drinks really good .service a lil bit too slow but I'm giving it a pass because it's new.ambiance was great the vibe was great ,music on point i really enjoyed it i can't wait to go back .

I can't stress enough how much you shouldn't waste your time here. The audacity to seat people and not serve not even an app after 60 mins is beyond ridiculous. I visited this establishment once before and sat at the bar, the service was Meh.. the food was delicious so I wanted some good Dominican food. I should have taken the hour drive to NYC!! Not only did my drinks take over 30 mins to be served ( they were dead from sitting so long my espresso martini was basically chocolate milk) apps and food never arrived and we were there well over 90 mins!!! I had had enough and asked to speak to a manager who just made excuse after excuse. Next manager same thing I asked for my check for my milk and still water and they had the nerve to give it to me LOL. Not even to comp it?!? NEVERRRR AGAIN!!! I strongly believe it's important to treat people with consideration which I did for over an hour and half (might have been two hours the trauma has left me with memory loss) but the managers had NONE. I would die before giving my money to this place.

The food was delicious. The staff was great. The ambiance was wonderful. My sisters and I had a blast! We recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Set up and decor was nice ; food was pretty bland no type of seasonings fries didn't even have salt so we ordered garlic fries instead those were even worse calamari was super fishy and rubbery. Steak was tuff as heck couldn't cut properly with knife. The waiter was super over bearing I get customer service but standing right next to us was a bit odd time. They also require a deposit per person for parties bigger than 5 which was beyond weird to me most likely won't return. Forgot to add that when we asked for bill to be separated the waiter gave us a pen and told us to circle the items.

Worst service and bad food ,we spend over $4000 dollars on party of 8 people,second time trying the restaurant I would NOT recommend to anyone.

If you're seeking a smooth dining experience, I would advise against this establishment. Despite claiming they don't accept reservations, I found that when calling ahead to inquire about the wait time, I was told there was none. However, upon arrival, there was indeed a wait list. Unfortunately, it seems that priority is given to those with connections, as some guests were seated ahead of others who had been waiting. This inconsistency in service and lack of transparency is disappointing.

Waited for food for 2 hours. Never got my order manager never came to table to apologize never going there again

Service no good food no good staff all over the place mix orders up ask for separate check and staff work but the bill on one check

service sucks they must be hiring street workers wait was 45 mins for just drinks and whole place is like half empty on a saturday night

went here on valentine's day and i will never go back again. had reservations for 9:30 and put our food order in after 15 minutes of being seated. our food did not come out till 11:30pm, after being told multiple times that our food will be ready soon. spoke to the managers and they did not care to fix the problems. food was cold, drinks were nasty, and service was terrible. music was horrible and the live music didn't start till 12am after being advertised as an all night event. you have to pay two different prices for the meals if you are paying with cash or card, and tip is already included (even if you're a party of 2). will never go back again and was a waste of a night

I would leave no stars if it was an option. Tried to dine here last night with 3 friends. We have lived in Waterbury for years and the thought of a new, Dominican fusion place was really exciting...and it was quite literally the worst service I've ever had as an adult in my life. Took over 45 minutes to get around of drinks, and after sitting there for two hours, our appetizer never came. We didn't even get the option to order entrées because our server never came back. Seems like they have a very inefficient kitchen, very slow bar, not enough staff, untrained/rude staff. There was absolutely no Manager presence. The "management" that we did speak to seemed like he didn't know where he was or what was going on. There really wasn't anything good I can say about this place except that it's cute to look at and the music was good. The food smelled good, but I can't tell you what it tasted like because it never actually came.

I enjoyed the food and ambience, very beautifully decorated interior with cultural music playing in the background. My poor experience started with the hookah portion of the restaurant. Hookah is cash only (which is not told to guest up front) and if you don't have cash you are sending money to a personal zelle account. We sat down in the lounge and waited 15 minutes to be handed menus to be served. All the while hosted and the man in charge of the Hookah was walking past us nonchalantly. We were finally able to order hookah and got our drinks. However, our hookah lasted less than 15 mins until the coal needed to be attended to. The man once again never checked it or catered to our coal like he did the other guest. We sat for 30 minutes waiting for assistance which never came. At first we believed it was a language barrier issue that was hindering our services due to the staff being primarily Spanish speaking, unfortunately that was not that case. It began to feel that we were blatantly being ignored and discriminated against because we were 2 black women. Countless servers walked by us and when we were able to flag their attention, no one came to serve us or tend to our needs while in the lounge section. I hope they learn from this mistake and learn to treat ALL guest as a priority.