Cafe Azteca

The rice is totally old, you can see that they put water on the beans to use again. Tooo watery!
The quesadilha platter is € 12,00 but don’t worth € 5,00 !!
Is a good looking food but theres taste and things missing on the platter, probably no coming back.

Near christ church cathedral is the home of authentic Mexico. From fresh fluffy tamales to perfectly crafted burritos, this food will change how you think of Mexican cuisine. I had the toluqueno, soft chorizo with delicious swiss cheese, and the Jalepeno and cheese tamales. You can choose your own spice based on the owners recommendation. Incredibly friendly guy with a true passion for food.

Delicious! On our honeymoon from the states, Alabama to be exact and could never find a better or fresher burrito there. I wish we could get Mexican like this in Alabama, and we’re closer to Mexico!

Café Azteca is a great little spot. Nothing too fancy inside, but the food was delicious. It was quiet when we ate there, so service was quick and staff seemed very friendly. Got lovely nachos and salsa when we arrived and got better from there. I had the Sopes and they were delicious. Definitely will be back.

So, we went back and got the nachos and enchiladas. Heck to the YES. Seriously good stuff. Delicious shredded chicken and homemade tortilla chips. Yums.

Great place. Friendly service. Excellent food. Owner is from Mexico City and is an excellent host.

An experience which shouldn’t be missed. Generous portions, efficient service and great value.

I know that there are dozens of burrito bars in Dublin, with a vast selection of different burritos and tacos and that most Mexican foodie fantatics have their favorite place, but if you want to get a true experience if Mexican burritos and culinary delights, Café Azteca is the ONLY authentic Mexican burrito place in Dublin city.
Unlike the franchise chains like burritos and blues, tolceta, sabburritos and the recently shut down –due to health and safety food hygiene regulations– Little Ass Burrito bar (Daswon St.) and Momma’s Revenge (Leinster St), Café Azteca is genuine, natural good home cooked style food.
Hugo, the owner of C. A, was the first on the Mexican food scene, originally setting up shop in Blanchardstown shopping centre (2005??), before moving into Dublin city centre, and I must say I am delighted that C.A. is in the capital to better meet my burrito needs.
This food is impeccable, delectable, unsurpassable and utterly unique. The selection of dishes is mind boggling but whets the appetite, including genuine Mexican cuisine such as mole (a chili chocolate sauce, usually served at Mexican weddings), sopes (one of the oldest Mexican dishes, corn flour ‘pastries’ with your own choice of topping), tamales (ditto) alongside the most popular Mexican option; the burrito.
Be warned though, once you try a burrito from C. A, lovingly made by Hugo or his genuine Mexican staff, you will be hard pushed to find any competitor’s food to even come close.
Upon arrival and sitting, customers are given home made nachos and Pico de Gallo salsa made on the premises. The delicious nachos chips only just begin to give you an indication of how bang on this food is!
Everything is cooked to perfection, the Rio Grande, the most popular burrito on the menu, a harmonious melody of chili chicken, chorizo and guacamole, is full of flavour, with the meat retaining its succulent juicy-​ness and the guacamole is utterly unbeatable!
If you are particularly starved, try opting for the ‘premevaria’ option of the main burritos, you will receive a genuine 12″ long (longer than the span of my middle finger to my elbow!!!) lovingly made burrito that just about manages to fit on your plate. The food is so good that even 12 inches of burrito, though extremely filling, won’t make you feel sick or sore unlike some other (non authentic) «Mexican» burrito places. It’s all really delicious, fattening but friendly, natural ingredients.
I do wish that there was a tasting menu however as whenever I go to C. A, I always struggle to choose what to get as it is all so amazing (such as the mixiote spiced and seasoned lamb option!)
They also have cooking classes, 2 of which I have attended, that are brilliant value for money and teach you recipes such as their amazing Pico de Gallo, guacamole, sope, mole and tamales, as well as giving you a history lesson on Mexican cuisine and an insight in the culinary culture that thrives in Mexico. These classes are so much fun, informative and practical, and best of all, you get to eat what you made after!!!
I cannot recommend Café Azetca enough, and considering it is an independent business that has managed to survive the recession and the competition created by the mass pandemic of franchise burrito bars popping up all around it, is a testament to how bloody amazing this restaurant is. ¹⁰⁄₁₀!

Absolutely perfect! I’m currently living with my boyfriend in Liverpool but we’re visiting Dublin for a few days and I’ve been so antsy about finding authentic Mexican food wherever we travel and this is THE best we’ve had! I’m Mexican so you can imagine how much this place made an impression on me! The staff was so nice and the owner, I believe, made us feel very welcome!
I had the Al Pastor tacos, which were delicious. My boyfriend had the Sopes and he was in heaven!
You need to eat here if you want REAL Mexican food!

Visited based on Unilocal reviews and was glad we did! Been craving some Mexican since we left the US and was happy to come across some authentic good stuff. My burrito was massive and delicious while my husband’s quesadilla was equally good. Not the huge, fried, cheesy mass you can get elsewhere but filled with delicious meat and toppings. We got a free tamale with our order which I’m never a fan of but this was done right. The salsa was hot and the chips delish. Pretty decent value as well. Small café but very friendly service. They also offer cooking classes for very reasonable prices that I wish we could’ve partaken in.

Quaint, Charming and located in a part of Dublin that might feel a little bit alien.
Just a little further down Dame Street than most would dare to venture, Café Azteca is a gem amongst an array of tiny nameless newsagents.
Unfortunately every time I pass it, I’m briskly walking somewhere but my gaze is always drawn in to the simple three table set up they have here, the happy proprietor looking at his beloved Manchester United on the TV, (My strongest memory is of him cheering on Javier Hernandez as he scored in a Champions League group stage game)
The food here is cheap, plentiful and exquisite. (Is exquisite an overused word when describing restaurant food? I feel like it might be.)
Anyway, the food is amazing, you can bring your own beer and you are definitely more than welcome to bring your own sombrero!
I would highly recommend looking at their website
for an incredible look into their world.
Much like the service, the website seems to be from a simpler and older time. Funny gifs spiraling around and stock photos of smiling young women. Broken simplified English with hilariously brief customer reviews.
I’d be surprised if Mexicans even had a word for pretentious.

Great Mexican food and atmosphere! My burrito tasted better than Mexican food in U.S.
The people that own this place are friendly and the service is great.

Passionate, flavoursome and authentic! After the small cooking class with Unilocal I had been yearning to come back, and it didn’t let my expectations down.
Café Azteca is a small unassuming place, with a very familiar feel, not exactly a restaurant but a notch above a more rushed food joint, here you can have a proper sit down meal to appreciate this type of cuisine. As you go in you are quickly made welcome, and, while you browse the menu, some tortilla chips along with a chilli sauce are brought to you.
I went for the La Bamba burrito (one of the vegetarian options… notice the plural as in more than just one vegetarian dish to choose from) but also had a taste of the beef fajitas. Both were really good and very filling portions. The guacamole was deliciously fresh and zesty, the best I remember eating in a while.
This is probably as close to a good honest homemade Mexican meal as you’ll find when eating out in Dublin. If you peak at the counter and kitchen you’ll notice that everything is prepared from scratch and that’s basically their key strength, that they respect the food and the ingredients and prepare them with care.
Not a lot of secrets here, as they are more than willing to share all about their food: they organize cooking classes and you can also purchase some of the ingredients there.

Super authentic Mexican food! Delicious and filling for sure. Check out this great Dublin find!
They also do cooking classes and have Mexican ingredients for sale.

Having given up all hope of finding a highly rated Mexican restaurant, we settled for the next best thing; a highly rated Mexican café.
I was greeted by the owner who seems to get a lot of mentions in other reviews.
Azteca is small. It filled up over the course of the evening seating approximately 25 people.
It doesn’t have enough touches to be described as intimate and is definitely a Café as the name suggests. It may sound like I’m stating the obvious but the point I’m making is that the set-​up here isn’t «first date» material.
The service is friendly and when I asked for a recommendation it was the Mole Enchiladas, made with 16 different spices, that were described to me in mouth watering detail.
Personal, I felt my dish delivered. The portion size was just right and the Mole sauce was as deliciously interesting as I imagined. Unfortunately a friend found the Chicken Fajita a bit bland and although the guacamole was fresh, I felt like it needed a little more salt. It would also be nice to have a choice of a couple of Mexican beers and not just Corona.
All said and done, Café Azteca is a great spot if you fancy something more than just a burrito so check it out.

Such carefully and lovingly made Mexican food. Hugo the owner really cares about the experience and the story of how his food is made and where it comes from, keeping it traditional to bring customers the flavours of his home in a story of taste. Absolutely delicious meal and a warm and friendly environment.
Support this man in his battle against burrito bars that bring nothing to the culinary experience! I have never seen such a dedicated man!

I love this place. It is a tiny little location with not a lot of seating, but that is part of what makes it unique and great. The service is very good and friendly, but the main reason I love it is this is the closest to authentic Mexican food I have been able to find in Dublin so far. FYI get a Jarritos to drink… yummy.

Conocimos a Hugo porque vino a darnos una charla sobre propietarios de negocio, y la verdad es que fue tan simpático y tan agradable que decidimos acercarnos a ver su pequeño restaurante, situado en una zona bastante céntrica de Dublín. De no haberlo conocido de antemano (o de no haber visto su perfil en Unilocal) probablemente nunca me hubiese acercado. Pero la verdad es que las fotos tenían TANNN buena pinta, que me moría por ir.
Llegamos y éramos un grupo grande, por no decir muy grande. Teníamos una reserva que rebasó todas las expectativas, porque se iban uniendo cada vez más y más personas. A pesar de ello, Hugo no perdió en ningún momento la calma, e incluso llegó a hacer cosas como irse a comprar hielos para prepararnos unas micheladas que le pedimos. Unas micheladas, por cierto, que estaban como para quitarse el sombrero, con su punto justo de picante, deliciosas. ¡Levantarían a un muerto!
Compartí plato con mi amadísima Maddalena G: yo pedí tacos, que estaban impresionantes, y ella pidió uno de los burritos. Yo soy un fan absoluto de los burritos, y madre mía, este no desmereció para nada. ¡Estaba espectacular! Cuando acabamos de comer, todo había estado tan delicioso que, por mi parte, hubiese empezado otra vez (aunque estaba bien lleno). Como soy un buen tragaldabas, decidimos tomar postre, y es algo de lo que no me arrepentiré jamás. Así que, aviso a navegantes: entra aquí con hambre, y come mucho, pero no te olvides de dejarte un hueco para el postre. De verdad. Tomé la tarta de cerveza con chocolate y recomendé a Hugo que abriera una pastelería, porque eso estaba tan bueno que (muy probablemente) era pecado. ¡Qué delicia!
Y todo a unos precios increíblemente baratos. Dublineses: si todavía no conocéis Café Azteca, por favor, no dejéis de ir.

Straight up, here’s what I like about Café Azteca:
— The food — real, authentic, no bullsh*t Mexican food. Damn tasty, seriously good quality, and seeeeeriously filling. (Be prepared to roll out of there. Unless you have self control, unlike me…)
— The setting — it’s a small, un-​fancy café, but this is all you need. There are no airs and graces, but it’s cosy, comfortable and the floor to ceiling windows look out on Lord Edward St and offer great people watching
— The star of the show — Hugo the owner. Many have spoken about Hugo in their reviews, but they are all correct. A legend of a man, he is friendly, interesting, and genuine. He will welcome you into his restaurant like it’s his home, and if there is anything you need to know about Mexican culture or food — you’re in the right place! All you need do is ask!
Oh, Hugo also sells some great Mexican produce here too, if you want to try your hand at making some nosh yourself!

This place was a little out of our way, but I just knew it would be worth the diversion. I phoned and booked a table for 6pm as I wasn’t sure how busy it would be on a Saturday night but I probably didn’t need to actually as it wasn’t too crowded.
Hugo delivered us some tortilla chips and salsa while we looked over the menu, and he warned the salsa was on the spicy side. He wasn’t wrong, but I loved it! The menu is amazing — one side of the menu is a range of burritos, and the other side has main dishes like taquitos, sopas, tamales, enchiladas etc. I went for the chicken taquitos — crispy tacos filled with chicken, topped with salad,
sour cream and homemade mexican «pico de gallo» salsa. I was presented with a delicious plate of four taquitos which were bursting with lovely, tender chicken as well as a side of rice and refried beans. The taquitos were topped with a drizzle of sour cream and loads of pico de gallo and it was the perfect portion size. The left-​over salsa from our tortillas was a good addition to give it a bit of pep too.
For drinks we both had a Modelo as well as a lime jarrito (delicious Mexican soft drink). Service was amazing and Hugo seems like such a cool guy, nothing was too much bother for him. This place is very casual so don’t go here expecting it to be fancy — it’s bench seating and relaxed service. I’m hoping to squeeze in another trip here while I’m in Dublin, that’s how much I enjoyed it.

Did I mention I’m from California??? What I miss the most is the variety of Mexican food available at my fingertips — everything from taquerias to chain restaurants to hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurants to upscale gourmet offerings. But, when you’re this far from Mexico, finding that spot that hits the spot is a bit of a treasure hunt! And, I found it!
Escucha me… my people. Café Azteca is that hole-​in-​the-​wall Mexican restaurant that I’ve been missing from home! Walking in I feel that I’ve been transported to a taqueria back home. If you’ve been to one, you’ll likely agree. It feels like Mexican food and it smells like it too. Enter Hugo, the passionate soulful chef and owner of Café Azteca — he puts his heart into all his eats. He wants you to enjoy the flavors of his country and his people.
The first time I gave it a shot I tried the tamales — perfect, just like home! When I returned for breakfast — yes, breakfast — I tried the chicken sopes and they were excellent! Then I discovered all sorts of little bonuses about this jewel. Getting your hands on Mexican food for cooking at home is a bit of a treasure hunt in itself. But, at Café Azteca half the battle is won when I learned I can purchase 60 home-​made corn tortillas for only eight euro — just walk in and ask for them! You can also purchase tortilla chips! Add to that, there are goodies on the shelf, including bottled Tomatillo Sauce and Masa Harina so that you can make your tortillas at home!
I’ve noticed that some have pointed out the pricing is a bit high. Well, we are pretty far from Mexico peeps — so importing the authentic flavors of Mexico is a factor to consider.
Now, the icing on the cake (or the mole sauce on the tamale if you will) is that Hugo loves teaching others how to prepare Mexican food. There are three levels of classes offered. And, if you get a group big enough (around 14 people) you can book the whole restaurant for the night and enjoy a demo, hands-​on lesson, and a fine meal! Bring your own serveza or vino as well!
Hugo is very personable and passionate — give this spot a try and you’ll see what I mean.
Si Señor!