Mad Mex – Darlinghurst, Sydney
I’ve had many american friends complaining that they can’t find good mexican food in Sydney, it is almost as difficult as looking for the holy grail. Until recently, this not-so-new mexican joint in Darlinghurst that opened last year, looks like it can be the only savior for my american friends, even they said themselves that the food is pretty close to what they have back in the States. Hence, I take their words for it and found myself having a fiasco at Mad Mex.
Mad Mex is just at the corner between Crown and Oxford Street. While we are waiting at the intersection, I can already spot a long queue inside Mad Mex from across the road. We joined in the long queue, buying time to decipher the menu. A giant mural of Lucha Libre on the wall is absolutely impressive and how I want it at home on the wall in my office. The dining area is brightly lit with the masterpiece chandelier, which is made of Corona bottles, totally shabby chic to the “Mex”.
The tiny restaurant is busy, busy, busy. The dining area is already packed with customers tucking into their baja mexican tacos and burritos, while there is still a long queue waiting to order, and there are just as many employees behind the counter, working as fast as they could to take your orders. The baja mexican food is made to order, just like in Subway.
Choose your meal + choose your filling + choose your toppings = Olé!
It sounds easy, but I was actually having trouble to decide which meal, which filling and which toppings to go for!
I eventually settled on a fajita burrito with barbacao (beef) filling and topped with cheese, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, and Picante hot chilli sauce. I also ordered a Corona to go with my Burrito, but somehow the waitress won’t let me take it with me to the seat. She insisted me to go and sit down and she followed right behind me with the bottle of Corona. Until now, I still can’t figure out why.
I unwrapped the shiny red wrapper and took a couple of shots of the burrito inside, only soon realised I wasn’t suppose to do that as it comes apart. (*amateur*) I should have first read and follow the step-by-step instructions printed on the napkins on how to eat a burrito.
There is no beef or beans mince soaked in a layer of oil, or a thick layer of hot melted cheese on top, the burrito is actually tasty and healthy. The slow roast beef with chipotle is flossy with a great spicy kick, and the tortilla is not doughy. It is almost like a kebab, but without the greasiness. I actually quite enjoyed it.
Vegetarian Tacos
Clockwise L to R: Self claimed best Margaritas in town; How to eat burrito instructions printed on napkins; Condiment of hot Tapatio chilli sauce; Nacho with a good dollop of sour cream and Salsa
Ms Vegetarian goes for the crispy Tacos with all the fresh vegetables on the menu and a good dose of guacamole on top. The tacos must have been delicious as one is already gone when I pulled my camera out and Ms Vegetarian is about to tuck into the second tacos.
The shortman had decided on the Nachos right from the beginning since we stepped inside the restaurant. The nachos looks abundance, stacked with Carne Asada beef steaks on a bed of homemade tortilla chips, with a good dollop of sour cream, generous portions of black beans and salsa on top, you seriously can’t go wrong.
Nachos with Carne Asada steaks
At this point, Ms K and Wingman joined in the fiasco with Nachos and the ‘Margo’ Margaritas, and also at this point, Monkeyboy and I were already finished with our burritos and started looking at the menu on the wall again. So we were happily shared a round of Nachos, with extra Tapatío chilli sauce.
Clockwise L to R: A cowboy; the aftermath; the decor; sipping the bottomless soft drink
We ate, we chatted and we laughed; constant stream of customers come and go, with burritos on the go, and some sat down and shared the table with us. Then came along a cowboy, that’s when I really felt I was in a little restaurant somewhere in the Mexico desert. (*insert the wild wild west music*) The lonesome cowboy took the last seat at the corner and tucked into his burrito, totally in his own world.
Mad Mex is a fantastic little mexican latin quarter in the heart of the city with great Baja style mexican food at a very reasonable price. Whoever goes there, only have one thing in mind – cheap and cheerful, fast and tasty. And always trust the yanks when comes to Mexican food. And last but not least, I think we all can do with bit of this:
Mad Mex - Darlinghurst 241 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 P: (02) 9331 7788 Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm Mad Mex - Circular Quay AMP Plaze, 50 Bridge St, Ciruclar Quay, NSW 2010 P: (02) 9231 3663 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am - 5pm W: www.madmex.com.au
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
Somehow I keep missing out on the meet-ups that end up at Mad Mex. D’oh!
Food looks good though, and ha, I think there might be a few cowboys around Darlinghurst
Helen’s last blog post..Lowenbrau Keller, The Rocks, Sydney
Looks awesome. I find Mexican food ‘easy’ to make at home, but it never tastes as good as what you get in these type of restaurants!
Howard@eatshowandtell’s last blog post..Hakkenden Izakaya, Osaka
oooh burritos ooooh tacoos OOOHH nachooooooooooooooooooos! Mmm must try kthx!
FFichiban’s last blog post..Boon The Chocolate Experience – Darlinghurst, Sydney
Oh my god. I work about 2 mins walk from Mad Mex. I have worked there for the last year and I have never been to Mad Mex. So ashamed! Will have to put it high on the list of places to visit.
Looks yummo! If you’re ever in Bondi try Amigo Jimms/Cantina Latina a suprising better than average Mexican hole in the wall style place. The Burritos will leave you stuffed and content. Adios
Hola!
Wow the Darlinghurst one looks great! I went to the AMP foodcourt one a few weeks back. Nice to see they serve alcohol in a foodcourt
True genius, mexican style…
Nice find! Good looking, approachable Mexican fare.
Nate’s last blog post..Malaysian Honeycomb Cake Recipe
@Helen: cowboys? the brokeback type? LOL
@Howard@eatshowandtell: That’s exactly what I thought, it looks so simple to make, but somehow is the ingredients they used that make me so tasty and authentic. Have to learn their secret.
@FFichiban: yeah must go, tasty food there!
@lili – pikeletandpie: You definitely need to go back! It is not fine dining but definitely better than average. It is a good atmosphere inside.
@Andy C: Ohh, now you are talking. I trust you on this one since I know you know your food!
@Alex: they serve alcohol in the foodcourt at lunch time? hahahahah genius!
@Nate: Well it is as good as we can get outside US the A. I am sure you guys can get better ones at your end.
They just opened one at North Ryde Macquarie Centre top level near Greater Union. I must try it one day!
I lived in LA for a bit a couple of years back.
I really miss the hole in the wall taco places and mexican supermarkets all over LA that sell the carne asada tacos for $2 a pop. Luckily I learnt how to make it before I left, corn tortillas and the juicy distinctive carne asada taste. – it’s just a PAIN to make.
I went to Mad Mex after reading this review expecting that familiar taste to come back – and even though the price tag is nowhere near as great as in LA – it’s Sydney and you expect to pay a premium.
But Mad Mex SUCKED. Most TERRIBLE “attempt” at Carne Asada I’ve ever tasted. The steak just tasted like plain old steak. No Carne Asada flavour AT ALL, just plain old steak. And might I add, probably a really cheap cut with all the fatty chewy chunks I went through.
Then the salsa – straight out of an Old El Paso bottle FOR SURE.
Mad Mex is very dissapointing – especially after reading their mission statement on their website – they don’t even come close. And it’s not hard to come close – I get it right every time I make it – but this is just a bit of someone who’s obviously been to LA or Tijuana and has had the carne asada tacos, who’s come back to Sydney, started opening these stores to cash in on an empty market with a half-a**ed product.
Absolutely terrible will never return.
Sorry just to add – Taco Bell in the US added a “taco del carbon” carne-asada type taco in addition to their old el paso type ground beef tacos a couple of years ago.
Even this Taco Bell offerring was better than Mad Mex.
If only I had the funds behind me, I’d open something to sell the real deal authentic stuff to sydneysiders at REASONABLE prices – that actually taste good.
Sorry guys – until that happens guess we’re stuck with Mad Mex being the only offering – which is so dissapointing I wish everyone had the chance to taste a hole in the wall LA or tijuana taco.
Nathan, we hear you loud and clear. Mad Mex is overpriced and nothing all that special (although pretty tasty). And I’m sure my Texan friend Amy would agree with you (she hated Guzman y Gomez too).
But here’s the thing. This is not LA, nor is it Mexico, Madrid, or Beunos Aires. Of course Mexican food is gonna be awesome in the US. Of course Tapas is gonna be cheap in Spain and people are gonna milk this simple peasant food for every penny in trendy Sydney. Of course you’re gonna have the best steak of your life in Argenitina. But, for example, there was one Thai restaurant in the whole of Beunos Aires that, according to friends I was travelling with, was fucking awful. Surprise surprise.
Why is Mexican food in Aus so bad? Mostly, the total lack of Mexicans. But if you want great (cheap) Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Lebanese food etc, look no further…
Good One Lau Lau!
And to add to that, comparing Mad Mex to XQuisito, Mad Mex is where to go! I mean, getting the “authentic” taste they are promoting they serve, I think Mad Mex is closer to that taste we, Sydneysiders, are looking for.
The Mad Mex at Macqaurie centre is terrible. I have tried it twice now. The first time got a burrito with everything and it tasted bland and boring and was packed with bloody rice. That ended up costing almost $20 with a corona..
Had it again today. Got the nachos.. $10.90. Not good at all. Once again a bland boring mess with no flavour. I got the medium sauce and it did nothing for me. The ‘cheese goup’ they slop out is just WTF! I am not impressed and think it is overpriced. Its not fresh, all served from a bain marie. I wont be returning.