Okay, so when it comes to eating Mexican food in Disney World, we all pretty much go to the Mexico Pavilion in EPCOT, right?

Not only can we find some of the BEST margaritas on property there, but we can also find good Mexican food with a great view or even cheaper Mexican food that’s sure to satisfy. But the best Mexican food in Disney World may NOT be here. In fact, it may not be in the parks at all!

Okay, we’re heading over to Maya Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, and you may not even KNOW about this restaurant unless you’ve stayed at this resort. But we’re going to tell you ALL about it.

Atmosphere

Maya Grill is themed to the four sacred Mayan temples: the temple of the moon, the temple of the sun, the temple of water, and the temple of fire.

Once you step inside, you feel like you’ve stepped into a Mayan temple, complete with high ceilings.

You’ll also find a lot of Mayan details pretty much everywhere.

Seating includes booths, as well as standard tables and chairs. What sets the scene is the live guitarist playing Latin music while you wait for your table.

Note that this restaurant is HUGE and has two levels.

Menu

Although you can find a menu outside the restaurant to peruse while you’re waiting, paper menus are also available.

There are a variety of Starters to choose from, including Empanadas, Nachos , Chips and Salsa, Salads, and more. The Entrees are pretty standard for a Mexican restaurant, like Tacos and Enchiladas. There is also a Fajitas Option, as well as a selection of Sides.

You’ll also find some Wines, Beers, and Cocktails, including Margaritas, as well as several Dessert options, including Sorbet, Fried Baby Churros, and Impossible Cake.

So let’s see how things taste.

Eats

We started with the Shrimp Mojo for $15. This is made with Pan Roasted Florida Pink Shrimp with Mojo de Ajo, Plantain Rice, Warm Corn Tortillas. We liked the portion size of this, as well as how big each shrimp was. There’s a mild spice on each one.

The peppers and pickled onions add a nice texture and flavor to the shrimp, especially when you put it all in a tortilla wrap. The spice level here is mild, so this could be a good option for even those who don’t like super spicy foods. We do wish, however, we had received more rice and tortillas with this one, though, especially given how much shrimp it includes.

Then we had the Sizzling Beef Skillet for $28. This is Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak, Bell Peppers, and Onions, served with Black Beans, Rice, Pico de Gallo, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Sour Cream, Jack Cheese, and Guacamole. The steak was cut into nice, thin strips. All the flavors here worked well, too, including the beans, roasted peppers, corn, onions, and rice.

Wrap it all up with the tortillas and top with pico de gallo and guacamole, and you’ve got a tasty fajita. Or mix and match your favorite flavors — this plate gives you loads of different options. We’re going to say that this was a standout dish, in our opinion, and we would 100% order again. We will add that we would’ve loved this even MORE if there had been some sauce options included.

We also ordered the Roasted Poblano Potato Gratin as a side for $8. This turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the Sizzling Beef Skillet. It had thin layers of potato with a nice crunch, was loaded with butter and sauce, and then had a layer of cheese on top. Cheesy potatoes are almost ALWAYS a win with us.

This was just so CREAMY and cheesy, too. We could’ve just ordered a gigantic bowl of this and been happy. Plus that little bit of heat from the poblano just put it over the top.

Okay, so you KNOW we’d order up the Fried Baby Churros for $10, right? Because we did! These are churros served with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. We have raved about the churros here before, and these did NOT disappoint.

They were perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and a hint of doughiness in the middle. The combo of the ice cream and caramel sauce resulted in a sweet and crunchy treat that made you want more.

The churros ARE small, but you do get eight of them. Combined with the big scoop of ice cream, this could easily be a shareable dessert — but ONLY if you want it to be.

Nosh or Not

Head to Maya Grill if…

• You have a craving for Mexican food outside the parks or want to eat somewhere easier to get reservations for.
• You’re staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort — if you’re staying at the hotel, you’d be missing out if you sleep on this restaurant.
• You love churros and want some of the best in Disney World — the churros here are a DREAM.

Skip Maya Grill if…

• You’re not staying at Coronado Springs and you don’t want to travel too far outside the parks for food.
• You want more adventurous Latin food — the menu here is standard, so you won’t see anything unique from other Mexican restaurants in Disney World.
• You’re on a budget. Like many table service restaurants in Disney World, a meal here can add up, especially if you plan on ordering cocktails, too.

Overall

We’ve eaten at Maya Grill several times over the past few years and we’ve always been pleasantly surprised. The food might be standard Mexican fare, but it’s well-prepared and always very tasty. We haven’t had anything we’ve ever disliked here, plus we love the atmosphere, especially with the live music.

Should you travel across Disney World to get here? Well, this restaurant is closer to the Animal Kingdom area, so it might be quite a trek for some, but we might consider doing it if we had some free time and wanted some more of those churros — they made traveling to Coronado Springs worth it. Sometimes, it’s also nice to just leave the parks and get away without having to leave Disney World property, and this restaurant is probably a little more chill than the Mexican restaurants in EPCOT.

Ultimately, that’s a decision you might have to make, unless you are staying at Coronado Springs, and then you have NO excuse not to have a meal at Maya Grill.

Check out the other restaurants at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

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Have you ever eaten at Maya Grill? Let us know in the comments!

The post Hold Up. The Best Mexican Food in Disney World is NOT In EPCOT? first appeared on the disney food blog.