Maizajo
July 2025
MaízAjo: The Art of the Standing Feast
True luxury isn't always found in white tablecloths; often, it’s found in mastery. On a quiet street in Condesa, MaízAjo holds a spot in the Michelin Guide, yet it offers no chairs, no frills, and no pretentious attitude. It simply delivers one of the more vibrant, high-fidelity gastronomic experiences in CDMX.
You will smell and hear it before you see it—seasoned meats, fresh masa, and the rhythmic crank of the tortilla press.
The Scene: Front vs. Back
MaízAjo offers two very different experiences. There is a formal, sit-down restaurant tucked in the back that requires a reservation and offers a more traditional dining pace.
However, the true pulse of MaízAjo is found at the standing bar in the front. This is a standing-only affair, a shared energy where locals and travelers shoulder in together for the promise of something exceptional. The counter overlooks a wide-open kitchen, creating a shared, energetic space where you’ll have to jostle past fellow diners to reach the salsa bar. The crowd is a true Mexico City mix—locals and tourists, young and old—all equal before the taco.
The Tacos
After a standard 20-minute wait on the curb, we ordered a spread: brisket, ribeye, suadero, and costilla de res, plus a gordita de suadero.
The Suadero: The undisputed star of the show. The execution was flawless—lean yet tender, with crispy edges yielding to a juicy interior. It is the kind of taco that threatens to drip down your hand (no utensils offered here), balanced by the sharp crunch of fresh onion and the heat of the salsa. We immediately ordered a second round.
The Brisket: Another triumph. It arrives crowned with a costra—a layer of burnt, crispy cheese—providing a fantastic textural contrast to the savory, unctuous meat beneath.
And More: While the costilla de res was our least favorite when forced to rank, it is a testament to MaízAjo's standards that it was still a very good taco in a lineup of superstars. The gordita offers a different experience; as a thicker masa cake, the texture is naturally denser and chewier. While it wasn't our personal preference compared to the delicate tortillas, it was generously topped and quite delicious.
A Note on the Tortillas: The tortillas here are a spectacle in and of themselves. We watched the assembly line in real-time: one cook kneading corn dough elbows-deep in a bucket, another rolling spheres, and a third pressing them flat before tossing them on the grill. They are incredibly fresh. Be warned: they are delicate and can get weighed down by the juicy fillings, so this is not a meal for lingering. Eat quickly to enjoy them at their peak structure.
The Verdict
MaízAjo is a must-visit for anyone in CDMX. The standouts are so good they warrant the wait on the curb, the wonderfully chaotic atmosphere, and the messy delectability of traditional Mexican fare.
