Wahaca

I usually love Wahaca, but this Waterloo branch is substandard: our first visit was fine if a bit crowded and noisy, but we’ve had undercooked or burnt food on our last 3 visits. Mouldy greenish feta on the last visit, waiter agreed dishes smelt off, offered to replace but we’d been put off our meals.
Gave the place a the benefit of the doubt a couple of times, but really felt like the staff were just far too overworked, both in the kitchen and on the floor, hence poor food and incredibly slow service.
I strongly recommend you avoid this Wahaca and instead walk a bit further down to the Thames and eat at the one by Southbank.

Last night (sat 23^rd Jan) I ate at the Waterloo branch. I love wahaca and when in town look forward to a visit. We ordered a couple of beers, a salsa and chips, 1 pork burrito and one steak burrito. I ordered the steak without cheese. When the food arrived the steak came with cheese! The waiter took it and it was replaced. This was fine the food was lovely and I can’t complain however when we asked for the bill it had two steak burritos included followed by a deduction for 1 saying its on us. How odd because I certainly wasn’t paying for the one I sent back. The waiter apologised and explained it was his error. He wanted to offer me the burrito on the house to apologise for the error for including cheese. He went away to update the bill and we were kind of taken aback by the generosity. The waiter then returned. He looked very humiliated and apologised. He explained that the manager wasnt prepared to offer us the burrito for free. I felt a little bit frustrated by this. If you are going to offer something then please don’t give it to the customer then take it away from them. It felt like a slap in the face!

Tightly packed tables greet you to a loud, festive basement. It’s overheated and uncomfortable. The drinks are average for London and the service is satisfactory. The food is a hot mess. We had some small plates as well as larger dishes. The chicken empanadas were good. The wings had good flavor. The chicken burrito was gloppy and overloaded with off-​tasting spices. The guacamole was made from old avocados. You know the taste — musty and gross. Chicken taquitos were greasy but okay. The queso fundido was disgusting. It was a dish full of grilled peppers, tomatoes, and onions with a bit of cheese melted on top, plus some outrageously spicy sausage bits on top, piled high with chopped red onions and cilantro. I adore queso fundido, and this was an abomination.
I suppose if one deliberately misspells Oaxaca to be cute, one who patronizes such an establishment should expect to be deliberately cheated out of authentic Mexican cuisine. Go down the street to Fire House. You’ll be grateful you did.

Food was ok. Service was so bad we almost walked out. And as non-​rushed tourist that is saying something.

Great service and food, even though some of us were kind of disappointed with their choice. The interior is very unique and welcoming. I’d definitely come again. :)

First visit — ignored at reception, until a rushed waiter hurried us through the crowded restaurant to a two-​seat table. As it was a crowded corner that echoed all the noise in the entire restaurant, I asked if we could sit in the front, at one of the three, pity tables… «No, those are not available.» the waiter rushed is to sit down.
Noise I can deal with. But being rushed and ignored by staff, coupled with the noise… I’ll take my business elsewhere.
And as we left, without ordering, no one from the restaurant asked if there was a problem. C

Cool setting! Underground and nice ambiance. Food was great for adults and kids. Service was very good.

I’m a big fan of Wahaca and I recently went to their Waterloo branch for the first time. I love the interior of the restaurant, it’s nicely set out and has great décor. The place has a buzz to it, a good atmosphere always assists in creating a good meal experience! We turned up at 8ish on a very busy Thursday with 8 of us and we only had to wait 45 minutes (which meant we could have cocktails, chips and guacamole whilst playing table football!). We shared 2 of the Mexican Feast set menus with a few extra dishes, which were all delicious. I especially liked the special cocktail, the Spiked Shandy. It definitely has a kick from the Tabasco, but is a great drink. The staff were lovely and helpful, even when we were useless at deciding what we wanted! I will definitely be back to this branch and Wahaca in general.

Reasonably priced and serving time is quick. The food is not totally authentic, although it’s a chain restaurant, so that’s kind of expected. I liked that you could choose a couple of small sized dishes, so that you can have variety. I got two dishes and was pretty full. Also, this place is great if you’re with friends or family.

After being told about Wahaca several times, I could not wait to tuck into some Mexican street food!
The restaurant itself has a very modern funky vibe with a nice layout. Staff very attentive and punctual with ordering food/​drinks.
As a main meal, it is recommended to order 2 – 3 dishes per person. My dishes were all packed with flavour, fresh ingredients and presented nicely! Only downside I can think of is that dishes arrive to the table as and when they are ready — on a table of 4, this can get a little cramped!
Also have a separate specials and gf menu, so dont forget to ask for these!
Overall I will definitely be returning to Wahaca. Delicious food at a very reasonable price! Cannot wait until this chain expands up north!

A great Mexican restaurant (though not really authentic) right across from Waterloo Station. It has a fun vibe and the food is very tasty. It is normal that each person in the party pick 2 – 3 small plates and share, making the options for your meal almost endless. The flavours are fresh and they have fun combinations of different foods. The menu is seasonal as well, so there’s always something new to try. Definitely recommend! I’ve had their tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, taquitos and their guac, and all were delicious! There are many options for vegetarians as well.

Wahaca is one of my favourite restaurant chains, both for their delicious food and fun atmosphere. The restaurant itself is very colourful and modern, which I think helps improve your mood and get you excited for the cocktails and the food.
You can choose between smaller dishes to share or regular mains for each person, so it’s great for groups and people who would like to try out a few things, and everyone else of course.
Another thing I greatly enjoy is that the food itself is tasty with great flavours but the mild food is actually mild. I am not a fun of very hot foods and this is exactly the level I like. However, my friends who love hot food were also happy with the level of spicy that the spicy dishes were at. So no matter what your tolerance is, you will find something for you.
I’d recommend checking one of their restaurants out and ideally going later so you can then stay for more drinks. Dinner before a night out would be ideal!

Delicious mexican street food, really good value and lovely staff. Have been here loads and is suitable for friends, birthdays, family get togethers etc.

Le burrito commandé n’en était pas un. Absence de black beans et de crème, bcp d’onions et … Du choux.
Très déçue vu l’engouement.

I have never come away disappointed with eating at Wahaca. The service is great, the atmosphere is fun and the food is exceptional. I love the interior of this branch also. There are many options for vegetarians, I’m often spoilt for choice, which can be rare. Thier drinks and cocktails are also brilliant.

Really tasty Mexican style food right near Waterloo station. They have a fair amount of vegetarian options and a selection of drinks, including a range of tequilas and a few aqua frescas, including horchata. They do small tapas-​like sharing dishes, nibbles and full dishes. I got horchata, guac and chips, plantain tacos and blank bean burritos. It only cost me £13−14. All of it was excellent, but I found the tacos a little too spicy for me. I like the option of small dishes because I usually like a variety of tastes and because I’m small, so full-​sized entrees are usually more than I can handle. You also have the option to pay by app. I think for the quality and variety of food that this is really good value for money. I ate at 4pm, so it was nice and quiet and the service was good.

Love Wahahca. Tasty, fresh food, comes quickly — great cocktails too. Does get very busy so be prepared for a wait, or try and come early. Really handy for waterloo station — almost opposite. Good selection of vegetarian options and even a gluten free menu if you want it.

After accidentally eating at Wahaca two days in a row, I can say I’m very impressed. After having the sweet potato and feta taquitos, I knew they were going to make a repeat appearance in my life. Their winter vegetables burrito was pretty tasty, and a different combination of veggies than usually included! It also came with a side of tortilla chips of the perfect thickness.
The drinks menu is actually great and not that expensive. They had a special — the blood orange margarita — which was so tasty we ordered an entire round.
They have a number of vegetarian dishes, but I believe the meat and fish are all sustainably raised. After years of avoiding Wahaca because of its reputation as «commercial Mexican», I’ve completely changed my mind and am ready for a return visit.
Update: second time, and Wahaca still doesn’t understand «no beans — I am allergic» despite having a «tell us about your allergies» statement, so I’m deducting a star.

Damn, I love Wahaca. Some might complain that it’s not quite proper Mexican but that doesn’t make it any less tasty. This branch is conveniently located opposite Waterloo station and right near the Old Vic.
Inside we always have the same minor trouble — the seating is rather crammed in and the lighting is a bit dim. Our waitress today was good even if the person taking us to the table was a little surly.
But onto the good stuff — the pork pibil tacos today were fantastic, and I love the chicken taquitos. But one of our favourites is the sweet potato sides — they’re so good that we can’t share and have to get a portion each now! We decided to try the steak burrito as well, and were very pleased with the quality of the steak.
Another great feature is the quick pay system. Using a QR code on the table and an app, you can pay over your phone meaning that there’s no need to wait for the bill to arrive.

What a widespread chain. Packed on Saturday nights, Mexican food for cheap.
Protip: the tequila sampler is good even for discerning taste buds. Although the blanco is far too harsh (i much prefer the Anejo, Reposado, and Sangrita in that order) you can perhaps pass it off to a less discerning friend who just wants to TAKE A SHOTT!!!
Protip 2: free foozball table, play a few rounds after the tequila sampler.
Don’t bother with the fish main for £9, was underwhelming.
Street food especially tacos is done well; nice take using British ingredients, but obviously not as good as Chicago Mexican food. Pretty darn close though.

Wahaca is my favourite chain of sit-​down Mexican restaurant in London. Sure, there are pricier options with more authentic flavours like Lupita (
) and faster more affordable choices like Tortilla (
). But I think Wahaca offers delicious Mexican food at a mid-​range price point.***
I came here with two friends sometime during the opening week. The restaurant was still short staffed, and the staff was obviously still getting used the new setting. My friends and I were seated immediately, but we sat at our table for a looong time before the waitress (yes, the one waitress) attended out table. She was out of breath, rattling off the specials at the speed of light, sweaty, and clearly exhausted. Pobrecita!
Other than the slowness in service, the food was delicious. We ordered the chips and guacamole, fish and chicken tostadas, and sweet potatoes on the side. The kitchen graciously re-​fired a dish for me that conflicted with my food allergies. The restaurant’s bright interior creates a delightful atmosphere for a fun meal. One of my favourite features is the sink at the entrance that ensure that you don’t get a mouthful of germs with your quesadillas!
***NB: I mean, it’s still over-​priced. Americans like myself will always think that Mexican food is over-​priced because we can get authentic Latino food for cheap in States. But, all things considered, Wahaca is affordable for London Zone 1.