Casa Maya St. Augustine | The Hungry Sprout

3 1/2 sprouts out of 5

Casa Maya used to be a cute cozy little Mexican spot off the touristy strip with some of the best food in St. Augustine. Luckily, the food is still delicious but their new digs aren’t so cute and cozy anymore. They moved this past summer into a larger space just across the street from the old spot.

The first time we visited there (in their old home) I had ordered an iced tea and it was served with a bottle of Agave Nectar on the side. I loved it- such a nice alternative to the usual pink, blue or white sugar packets. The last time I went I was told they were out of the Agave Nectar- hopefully that is just a temporary thing and not a permanent decision. The Agave Nectar was certainly a nice touch.

We ordered the Queso Fundido appetizer (I am a sucker for anything with melted cheese.) It was delicious- very flavorful and served with warm tortilla. A great start especially if you like ooey gooey cheese like me.
For our entrees the first time around- we decided to give the fish tacos a go. We were so pleased with this dish. The Mahi Mahi was so fresh, not battered but grilled. The sauce was a Homemade Chipotle Mayo Sauce and it added just enough kick to the tacos – they were really delicious!! (Although you can’t really go wrong with adding Chipotle to about anything)

We also ordered the vegetarian wrap. This was also great. The wrap was made with organic spring mix, avocado, tomato, beans, freshly chopped mango, and a Queso Fresco sauce. On the menu you are also given a choice of either hummus or vegetarian refried beans – we chose the hummus. (You can also add Tempeh for an extra dollar)

On our last trip we again ordered the fish tacos but instead of the wrap we got the guacamole quesadilla. Eh. Nothing more to say. A little guacamole and cheese between two grilled tortillas.

Nothing special.

As far as the new space goes- it’s nice but strange. In the upstairs dining room there is a banquette along one wall lined with pillows. Wonder how much food has ended up on those pillows? It was just gross to me. And it is a lot of space. A lot of empty space. It just wasn’t as cozy as the old place. Kind of boring. And the chairs were plastic. They were plastic lawn chairs. Weird.

One great thing about the new space is the outdoor area. You can sit outside on the deck and watch the tourists walk along one of the side streets.

Though we LOVED the fish tacos, we do not like the new digs. Tacky lawn chairs and way too much open space didn’t make the atmosphere really cozy or quaint. We also found that the second time around the prices were increased dramatically. It was a little too pricey for a guacamole and cheese quesadilla. There are probably too many other places in St. Augustine to try instead of returning here for a third time. Three and a half out of five sprouts from this Hungry Sprout.