El Azteca

Specialties

El Azteca Mexican Restaurant and Bar specializes in Authentic and Tex-​Mex cuisine, Flavored Frozen Margaritas and other Mexican cocktails. There are no artificial flavorings used in our kitchen and all fruits or vegetables come from natural produce. Our ingredients for the Azteca table salsa, Poblano Mole, and other homemade sauces are concocted through experience in culinary work and unique to El Azteca.

Serving Hell’s Kitchen and the Theater District for over two decades, we have created a Mexican city within one of the greatest cities in the world, New York, New York. Our Mexican décor includes famous and anonymous recreations of Frida Kahlo paintings, Aztec calendars, and indigenous stone masks. Beautifully framed mirrors and mounted candlelight create a mystical and intimate atmosphere. Customized «El Azteca New York» plates, handmade in Mexico, suspended on the woodwork reminds our patrons of our dedication to quality and service.

A very memorable experience.

History

Established in 1988.

El Azteca Mexican Restaurant and Bar was established by a three ambitious family members from the Caribbean island of Dominican Republic. Knowledgable and experienced in Mexican foods and culture, the associates created a place to network and befriend a challenging neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen and a business atmosphere where few restaurant entrepreneurs expected to prosper.

By 1993, only one of the original owners, woman and single mother of four young children, Maria Diaz, persisted to make El Azteca a success. With the help of her two older sons, neighborhood patrons and friends, this establishment has been responsible for twenty two years of wonderful memories.

Picture taking has been an important duty for the staff since the very beginning in documenting out lively and dynamic environment. Until recently, these pictures have been stored in a storage box. Yelp and other public websites have given El Azteca an opportunity to share the wonderful life and times with you.

Meet the Business Owner

Maria M. Diaz D.

Business Owner

Maria M. Diaz was born in the Dominican Republic. She studied in the United States during high school. In 1983, she returned from the Dominican Republic, where she was living during her marriage, with her four young children. She enrolled in Bronx Community College night school and earned an Associates Degree in Accounting while working to support her children. She began work as a book keeper and personal accountant in a Mexican restaurant and gained experience with restaurant entrepreneurship.

In 1987, she was offered part ownership to El Azteca Mexican Restaurant and Bar. In accepting the endeavor, she dove into the business with an open mind and heart. After some challenges with the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, she strove to combat a drug dealers and prostitutions in the early 1990’s. With the law on her side and her nurturing, Ms. Diaz created a haven for growing families that needed to know that Hell’s Kitchen was a respectable and friendly establishment.