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Maria Selma Authentic Mexican

MY REVIEW: Great service, food is very good. Their outside dining area is quite large and comfortable but for the following:

There is a smoking section next to their outdoor section and it is always filled! Even the people from the Orange Bar next door come over to smoke. The manager says that the law allows them to set up smoking sections like this. Guess what Maria Selma, my grandson will not be exposed to second hand smoke! PS: Your waiters do like it either!

NAME: Ken
SUBMITTED: 10/4/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/10
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Possibly the worst $6 margarita I've had. Overpriced; small serving portions. Service was good. Terra y Mar consisted of 4 shrimp and MAYBE 4 oz. of thinly sliced beef, drizzled with some white cheese. And all for the bargain price of $16! Save your $$ and go somewhere else. Even "Montrose bohemian chic" isn't enough to offset the high-priced\low-value food here.

I know, I know: "It isn't supposed to be Tex Mex." Granted...but even in the Zona Rosa, they'd be embarrassed by this stuff.

NAME: Mex Fan
SUBMITTED: 8/20/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/20/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I am a firm believer in visiting restaurants close to home so have gone to Maria Selma several times. First off, there is a very attentive wait staff and the outdoor patio is great. But, margaritas -- glorified lemonade really -- cost more than $10, and all the entrees I have tried seem to taste much the same, with a generous portion of grease. It's time to branch out and try other Mexican restaurants.

NAME: Jake
SUBMITTED: 6/15/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: June 1, 2010
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Strong points: Beautifully built palapa patio.

Weak Points: Food is over priced.

NAME: ebifry
SUBMITTED: 5/6/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: We've ben several times in the recent past and the food was really terrific. Wait staff is also very attentive. This past weekend we went and the food could not have been more average! The fajitas looked and tasted like that have been laying around for a while. Perhaps that warrants a question of the server for the next visit.

NAME: david
SUBMITTED: 5/26/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/09
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: Outstanding weekend brunch buffet, just started 2 months ago, has traditional items (omlettes, waffles) and many speciality items.

I've been several times for dinner and it is also excellent. Chips and salsa are different than most Tex-Mex places with thicker chips and thinner salsa--its tasty and fresh. Distinguished entrees are seafood, beef is good but not the best in town. Many entrees have unique ingredients like cactus.

They have a very nice bar and private room as well as a wonderful patio. Prices are moderate, which is higher than typical Tex-Mex, but almost always less than $50 for a couple.

If you are a tequila fan, they have one of the largest selections in town.

NAME: JJV
SUBMITTED: 4/20/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Food is only fair. Small portions and over priced. I ordered a mixed grill platter that was listed under house specials. On the plate was 2-shrimp, 2-scallops, 3-paper thin slices of sausage, and less than 4 ounces of beef. The cost of this plate was $16.95. It was not even served with rice or beans. The table chips were good but the salsa was not. The total bill, for four people, was over sixty dollars and that was without any apertizers, drinks or deserts. This places confirms my beliefs that if you want Tex-Mex food, go to P*appasitos.

NAME: Ronnie
SUBMITTED: 11/19/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: Nov/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Great food. The parking situation is horrible. EVERY SPOT IS BLOCKED WITH ORANGE CONES. It's one thing if the restaurant was crowded, there were 2 tables taken and just as many cars in the parking lot, yet they are forcing customers to utilize their valet parking. I brought this to the attention of the manager who responded "just ask the valet to move the cones" I asked him to do that for me and he refused. I left in protest.

NAME: Lee
SUBMITTED: 8/6/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/08
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: Several unique entrees that are similar to what you'd find in the dynamic Polanco area of Mexico City. I consistently find the service attentive and my favorite Angelita margarita is always crisp. Furnishing and artwork are a delight. No pretense for a place with such quality cuisine. Drive an exotic - but honestly - don't like to valet. My only complaint - there's simply no choice here with some 20+ spots sporting the orange cones. Don't mind walking, so I park about 2 blocks away.

NAME: The Walker
SUBMITTED: 7/18/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: July/2008
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: I would say that Rob's negative experience at Maria Selma (described below) is far from the norm. Me and my friends have been coming here for several years and we always comment on how good the food is, including the salsa and margaritas, both of which are delicious. The waiters are pleasant and attentive and when the weather is nice it's great to sit outside under the thatch roof covered patio. My parents recently visited from Southern California, so they know Mexican food, and they loved this restaurant as well. My sister and niece will be coming in to visit next week and I will be taking them there too because it's the best Mexican food in town.

NAME: HoustonEater
SUBMITTED: 3/22/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: March 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: I first came here during happy hour with friends from work. I ordered (and have ever since) the three tacos. My favorite is Al Carbon (with pineapple!), but both the fish and shrimp versions are great too. I usually pass on the red meat version (not for any aversion to red meat, but I just don't like them). The chips are the best I've ever had, but not for you if you are used to and enjoy the thin salty ones you get at every other place. Margaritas are awesome as well.

My only problem is the unnecessary valet parking. One of the valets told me it's because the other businesses don't want people parking in their spots...but the valets end up parking there anyway, so I think it's a lame excuse. I always go around the side to park for free (and keep my keys) so problem solved.

NAME: Adrienne
SUBMITTED: 3/6/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: march/2008
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: I had been to Maria Selma’s several times when it had first opened and had decent experiences. On the recommendation of a friend, I decided to try it again. I have to say, in a town with an over abundance of Mexican restaurants, there is no room for a place like this.

For starters, the service was slow, inattentive; and ill-trained. We had to ask for water and chips each time we ran out. The waiter completely forgot about an appetizer that we ordered and brought the entrees out first.

The queso was terrible; straight from a can. Salsa was mild and far too runny. The house margaritas were terrible.

The entrees were actually good, as were the silver coin margaritas (which we switched to after the first, bad ones).

Overall, not a good experience.

NAME: Rob
SUBMITTED: 8/29/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/07
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: Entering Maria Selma’s parking lot, I am met by 2 lines of orange cones blocking every parking space in the lot. I have no alternative choice but to hand over my keys to a total stranger called the Valet. As I have mentioned in previous reviews, I hate this and this is not the purpose of the valet. Valets are for parking cars when parking is not close at hand! Enough said and on to the review.

My group of four was led to a booth on the back wall of the restaurant. The restaurant is bright, fresh looking, with a lot of what I would call “modernistic and abstract Latino” artwork on the walls. The artwork was very bright, colorful, interesting and for sale.

We were quickly delivered large icy glasses (real glass) of ice water and the traditional basket of chips, bowl of salsa and a bowl of peppers. Possibly, the chips may have been fried flower tortilla chips vs. the regular corn tortilla chips, as they were really thick. The salsa was just "okay", but, we ordered a large bowl of Queso that went great with the chips.

We ordered pomegranate margaritas that were out of this world! They were delicious and very potent! We laughed and enjoyed the margaritas as they brought out our silliness and past memories of great drinks we had on various vacations. They were potent to say the least.

Unfortunately we only tried a couple dishes. We had mixed grill type plates with scallops, shrimp, beef fajitas, and chorizos on them with a melted cheese and a shrimp enchilada plate. The flavors of all the food was wonderful, the ingredients fresh, and everything was different from what I have had at most typical Mexican restaurants. Someone told me this was more true Mexico City style food. Whatever, the food was different in a good way.

I was not a good reviewer this time, as I forgot the names of the dishes we had, did not note how much drinks cost, and I contribute that to the drinks! I must say our total tab was not outrageous though.

Oh well, I guess Reviewer “X” will have to go back, start over, and do another review again from scratch. Somehow I look forward to that. Maria Selma was a hit in my book! Right now, Maria Selma could be moving up to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. Reviewer “X” will report back soon!

NAME: REVIEWER "X" a.k.a. Markh
SUBMITTED: 7/22/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/2007
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: It is amazing to me this resturant is in a small nook of the montrose community with such a LARGE inviting atmosphere. The crowd was large and enjoying there time together. Margaritas are the reason I would go back. Salsa and Chips yummy. I am working on different plates before I make my final judgement on the food. I would recommend this place to others.

It was a little confusing were to check in. Main recommendation I would have is a place for customers to sign in for dinning No designated area I was a bit clueless were to go to be seated and so were others.

NAME: Catherine
SUBMITTED: 4/21/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/07
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: Ok first of all GH must not know that the migas are different everywhere. Not all restaurants cook the same. Wether they were squared or triagle pieces of tortillas, Migas are tortillas with eggs. (the shape of the tortilla does not matter) I have constatly gone to Selmas for the past 4 years, and the service, food and athmosphere is always the same. WONDERFULL!!! I love this place and I will not change my mind no matter what.

NAME: texmex
SUBMITTED: 12/29/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12-20-06
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

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