Agave Maria’s Restaurant & Cantina

Unremarkable food and poor service were a surprise because the curb appeal made me believe I was in for something really special

I love this place, especially the gorgeous brunette, with the big Brown eyes, and the long beautiful hair, she’s the best!!! oh and the food is great also but she wow she’s gorgeous!

Went there on a Sunday evening fairly early. Food pretty mediocre, bland salsa, over-​iced cocktails, and painfully slow service. The only plus is you can have your canine friend on their patio.

Love this place! I always sit outside with my dog! Quaint nice outdoor seating-​10 steps from Main Street! Love the fajitas!!! Huge portion-​big enough for 2 people! Great HAPPY HOUR-​and Happy Hour all day long on Thursday!!! Margaritas are great!

Waitress suggested asada fries. Not even on the menu yet. Fries are seasoned so amazingly! I initially referred to it as a plate of MUSH, but man that mush was amazing.
Pixie margarita had me and my honey buzzing a bit (not sure if the wine tasting right beforehand had anything to do with it). Margarita was good. I’m not much of a pixie/​tangerine eater so it’s nothing I am itching to go back for, but I would get it again.
The asada espciale plate was delicious. They really know how to season their stuff.
Unfortunately, neither the corn or flour tortillas are homemade.
Neither is their horchata.
In the area? I *definitely say stop by… you don’t have many options in Ojai anyway.

The worst food I have ever eaten not just worst Mexican but the worst food …
We order the fajitas, they were with a sauce a horrible sauce. With cold think flower chewy tortillas… we also order the beef enchiladas… they were full of lard same type of tortillas and let’s not even talk about the liquefied guacamole, to me it was like a powder type
And the service the just like the food …
All horrible !!

THis is a cute place with extensive outdoor seating including wood burning fireplaces. I have gone a few times including weekend brunch and everyone I go with loves the food and the SALSA. I order a bowl for myself! The margarita selection is nice and I love the Pink Moment one. one is enough since they make a good drink. It is a nice place to come before the theatre since several theatres are walking distance. Well everything in downtown Ojai is walking distance :-) SECRET: I didnt know they have a brunch menu for weekends and took some out of town guests which was nice since no wait like other places and food was good! we enjoyed sitting outside near fireplace going eating brunch! and of course chips and salsa for breakfast also!!!

Came here last night for dinner. We were promptly seated on the outside patio. Service was friendly and accommodating in the beginning.
I had their Cadillac margarita which was very tasty. The chips and salsa were good too. In fact, all the food was good.
There was a hiccup with our food. The wrong burrito was brought to my husband which they apologized for and brought the right one out right away so it wasn’t even an issue.
My biggest complaint that left a sour taste in my mouth was when we got the bill. My tostada had an extra $ 2.50 charge. I knew on the menu it said steak was extra but I ordered grilled chicken. When we asked our server she said «grilled chicken is extra». I told her it didn’t say that on the menu it only said steak was extra and she said «yah it’s not clear». Uhhh what?! It literally said chicken, veggies, and tofu were included in the tostada. You can even check this out on their menu online. It says chicken is included.
Whatever. It’s $ 2.50 but I feel like that’s totally false advertisement. I probably wouldn’t go back because I felt like she admitted that the menu isn’t clear but yet she didn’t try to make it better. I’d try to find a place that cares about their guests more.
Their website also mentions happy hour all day Thursday which I see now but when we were there no one mentioned it to us which would have been nice…

We had a fine experience here. We opted to sit inside which really wasn’t too impressive compared to the outdoor dining. However, the food was fantastic and so was the margarita. We definitely enjoyed our dining experience here.

I don’t know about the food, but the signature Margarita, chips, salsa, and Guacamole taste great, and I would absolutely go back for those items again!

As I write this, I’m a bit buzzed from the Pixie margarita. Btw, worth every penny of the $ 10. The Enchiladas Rancheras were yummy but not as cheese-​filled as I expected.
The service was fair. But it is a busy Saturday afternoon.
I’d certainly come here again.

At the heart of the quintessential downtown Ojai, neighboring a dozen great shops and restaurants, this place is IT if you are looking for good margaritas and lay-​back ambiance.
Patio area is great on a Sunday morning. Fountains, plants, umbrellas, heaters… You got everything you need. The indoor bar and dining area is also cool and cozy. Nicely but not-​overly decorated, Agave Maria touches the perfect architectural balance between Mexico and Cali.
The «Pixie» margarita is a must-​try signature drink. The pixie tangerine is a local specialty. It smooths out the sharpness of tequila like no other fruit or artificial syrups.
The Nuevo ranchero is a generous treat. I liked it with refried beans and lots of cheese on top.
The first thing that tells you about any Mexican place is, of course, the chips and salsa. I loved the fluffy chips here. The salsa is just about right… Nothing over kill.
Highly recommended… I won’t hesitate to stop by if in Ojai.
Street parking.

Wow! Impressive!
The hostess is on her game. Our server was fantastic.
Dog friendly large patio
Complimentary salsa and chips– Perfectly spicy and fresh.
Excellent margaritas! ALL of them. I couldn’t choose a favorite!
Probably the best CEVICHE I’ve ever eaten.
Shrimp tacos (with soft flour) –They used giant fresh shrimp cut into little squares which they seared all around resulting in the most flavorful shrimp… I could have eaten ten.
The tri tip tacos were good but the shrimp was my favorite.
So why the missing star? On a busy Sunday, it got a bit dirty. The floor of the patio had splashed salsa on it and needed to be swept up in general. The restroom needed tending to. Lots of babies on patio. Messes will happen. Maybe hire someone for keeping up with appearances and cleanliness? Probably a good idea.
I recommend AMRC and will definitely visit again when in Ojai.

We got the duck quesadilla and the Latin style shrimp. Both dishes were bomb and serving sizes are pretty good. The patio area is really pretty. Only bad part is that service is a little slow.

((((Awesome service and delicous food.))))
*We came here last night for a birthday and we were treated like family.
*The chipotle ceasar salad is muy bueno. I asked them if it compares to that green dressing at el torito that I love and they told me theirs is better. They were not lying!
* Tres Leches cake was excellent
Oh and try the Pomegranate Mojito. . ¡Muy excelente!

I truly miss when this location was Antonio’s, but I also really love what it’s turned into. Best spot for sit down Mexican food & drinks in Ojai in my opinion.
The outdoor seating is beautiful, the whole restaurant is very well kept.
The food is amazing, even the simple dishes are great & taste fresh. I do wish the table salsa that comes with the chips was not so mild, but I haven’t asked if they have other options.
Servers & Bussers are always super friendly & keep tables wells taken care of.
If you’re in the area and craving Mexican food or just some awesome margaritas, I highly recommend. Also good for big groups & families.

We were pleasantly surprised that they were open on New Year’s Day, and since the Emporium had a line out in to the parking lot because Bonnie Lou’s was closed, we nabbed a parking spot right out front and headed to a table on their lovely courtyard at 11:20. The pleasant server said they were not serving food until 11:30 but we could have a seat, he would bring chips and salsa, take our drink order, and we could peruse their menu for 10 minutes. He brought two servings of chips and homemade salsa for 4 of us which was nice, since my husband and I inhale salsa in 1.2 seconds, so our friends actually got to have some. The server promised to bring out some super hot salsa as soon as it was made up (more about the salsa later). Since the server was nursing a hangover too, he sympathized with us and the drink order from the full bar menu came right up.
We took our time ordering food and the place started filling up, and yes the service tends to be slow when busy, although the servers are right on task. If you want fast Mexican food head around the corner to LA Fuente for a good quick tamale.
The food is worth the wait, with cheesy enchiladas served on hot, hot, hot plates as it should be. Good enchilada sauce, and the right cheese, so I am adding it to my top 10 enchilada list. You have the option of black beans or refried, and ala carte orders come with a salad. The super hot habanero sauce arrived later, freshly made and exceeding my habanero heat needs. We had to ask for more of the regular salsa for the lightweights, which was cheerfully provided.
Do not miss the stunning tile in the bathroom. The inside bar looks like a pleasant place to hang out too, but I am an outdoor girl, and they have a perfect patio.

This restaurant is beautifully decorated! You will want to use the bathroom just to see the tile work. The walls of the restaurant are used to display some lovely paintings that evoke a strong Mesoamerican theme.
On a quiet side street just past the Ojai arcade, the restaurant has a large and inviting patio facing the street. A great place to lounge with a margarita and nibble chips and the excellent fresh made salsa. For those who enjoy a bit more spice, they have a very hot salsa available by request.
I had a crisp beef taco– very good, a cheese enchilada, full of cheese with a great red sauce– excellent, and a side of black beans– again, excellent.
The house margarita was great, and the staff were friendly, attentive and helpfull with selections.

When my family comes to Ojai, we usually go to the same restaurants, but decided to give Agave Maria’s a try. We were all very pleased.
Some people have complained that the service is slow, and it is. But it was worth the wait, and the servers were very kind and worked very hard (they were just understaffed).
The margaritas are delicious and made with fresh ingredients (so no sweet and sour) which is a huge bonus, as far as I’m concerned.
The chips and salsa were fantastic, and our food was excellent. We had a party of 7, and got all different things. Everyone raved about their meal. I can only personally vouch for the enchiladas. I got one chicken and one cheese, and the red sauce was right on time.
We will be returning.

Great service, beautiful patio and wonderful food.
We drove up from Ventura to have dinner. We did not have plans so we decided to walk around we stumbled upon this place. We had a really nice young man as our server, I did not get his name.
I had the pixie orange margarita and my husband had the Baja margarita. Yummy but pricy at $ 10 for the size.
Chips & salsa was very good.
Our food choices were the Latin Shrimp with side salad and a Macho Chicken Burrito Chimichanga style. All very good and large portions.
Enjoyed the meal and the destination. Highly recommend.