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Wahaca - © Ming Tang-Evans
With an increasing variety of good, moderately priced restaurants in and around Covent Garden, this large basement branch of 'MasterChef' winner Thomasina Miers's Mexican 'street food' chain is nowadays healthily rather than unpleasantly busy.
As at the other branches, decor is deliberately, cheerfully, market-stall bright. It matches well with the tapas-style sharing ethos that makes Wahaca popular with families.
At night, the buzzy atmosphere, decent tequilas and Mexican beer (served also in chelada or michelada beer-cocktails) appeal to local workers and tourists.
Although fairly enjoyable, a meal here seems like Mexican ever so slightly out of focus: 'British steak, the Mexican way' (slivers of steak with green rice, spring onions and house salsas); a quesadilla of new potatoes, broad beans, peas, feta and mint; a chicken taquito with tomato and Lancashire cheese; 'baja cheese' made from farmhouse cheddar and mozzarella.
Still, service is swift and bustling yet warm, and the menu is very approachable.
Choose between 'platos fuertes' (main dishes such as burritos or a succulent pork pibil) or 'street food' (small plates to share). Puddings include the welcome but unsurprising churros, a passionfruit cheesecake and dulce de leche ice-cream.
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What is 'following'?020 7240 1883
Meals served Noon-11pm Mon-Sat; noon-10.30pm Sun
Main courses £6-£10
Credit cards AmEx, MC, V
Facilities
Babies and children welcome ( high chairs; nappy-changing facilities ), Bookings not accepted, Disabled ( toilet ), Vegetarian menuAte here last night for the first time - I had the chicken burrito but it was very hard to find any chicken in it, it was mainly a wrap of green rice. Which was tasty, but got boring. The food is cheap, but I don't think it is reasonably priced. I was disappointed.
The people leaving negative review here quite frankly need to see a doctor. Where else in London can you buy fresh, interesting and exciting Mexican (read real Mexican not American Mexican) food at such value, great staff and great tequila, two can eat your fill for £20. Outstanding.. the only thing pretentious is the negative reviewers here.
I am surprised at the negative reviews about Wahaca. What is wrong with these people. Great street food; excellent staff and good atmosphere. I have lunched their with my family and it is great to try new flavours and I have yet to have a disappointing dish. Did your latest reviewer really expect Thomasina Miers to be at the restaurant and did that detract from the experience.
I feel like I'm missing something with all the negative reviews here. I've always had great meals at Wahaca. It's the 'chain waiting to happen' in my view - price is pretty much on par with the high street chains but something more exciting and I've always found the food pretty delicious. A great place to get a selection of market food to share...
Disappointing. Was sold by Thomasina Miers appearances on TV cooking Spanish/Mexican food. Shame she was not there on the evening to oversee. The flavours were not really special and the salad veggies, chopped up and served with everything tasted like they had been cut the night before and were left sitting around. The salsa had far too much water that had run out of the chopped ingredients and again tasted like it had been sitting around for ages. Fillings were mean, so you can't really say they were value for money. I had to hunt for my pork in the burrito I ordered. And why is everything served with corn chips and salsa. Far too much relied upon the added chillies in everything, which just gave heat but no flavour. I'd rather have a burger from a burger van, that would be closer to the taste and freshness of streetfood.
Terribly disappointed! Being Mexican I was quite excited to take my friends to try some real Mexican food, Wahaca’s food is OK-ish, not the best but equally not the worst, just flat nothing special. The tostadas where tasteless and the esquites tasted like Indian food. The decoration feels cheap and lacks originality. The staff was terrible. I didn’t feel welcome at all. I won’t go back and I wouldn’t recommend it.
I have to disagree with you all. Wahaca, whilst obvioulsy not the 'real' Mexican street food, is a great little place. Granted, there are queues, but time it right and you can get in. If you do get in, you can have snacks and a pretty good drink at the bar. The food whilst not cheap, is not expensive for central London. The food is fresh and tasty, there is a huge range to choose from and it certainly satisfies my taste buds. I don't go there for gourmet food, it never claims to be that, I go there for interesting, differnent fresh tastes and that is what I get.
I am completely and utterly APPALLED by their food. The meal was horrible, and what little flavour there was tasted like the left over grease from nandos next door. When I complained, they offered alternative food which ended up, in essence, being a plate of fat. I don't usually complain as I am a very unfussy eater, but I couldn't finish any dish. I am completely baffled as to why this has received any good review. Any other Mexican restaurant would be a better and safer bet.
I am completely and utterly APPALLED by their food. The meal was horrible, and what little flavour there was tasted like the left over grease from nandos next door. When I complained, they offered alternative food which ended up, in essence, being a plate of fat. I don't usually complain as I am a very unfussy eater, but I couldn't finish any dish. I am completely baffled as to why this has received any good review. Any other Mexican restaurant would be a better and safer bet.
Decided to give it a try as I lived in Mexico for a number of years and work in Covent Garden,
Not impressed and would not recommend! just came back from Mexico a month ago and had a some soft taco from street vendor waiting for bus to airport. It was amazing with three layers of fresh moist flour taco with greasey shredded pork packed with flavour and green habonero sauce with fresh zippy lime wedges! price about $2!!!
Wahaca charged me almost a fiver for three tiny dried single layer tacos with dry pork and no salsa!! I even had to request lime which was tasteless brought from behind the coctail bar! no way guys never again! come on you can do better! Mexico would not be impressed!
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