| Former Location |
| 6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd, Fairport NY 14450 |
| Status |
| CLOSED (as of March 2012) |
Casa Azteca was a Mexican restaurant located in Perinton Square Mall in Perinton. It reopened for a second time on May 18, 2011 under new ownership, and appears to be closed for a THIRD time in March 2012. Their mission was to serve authentic Mexican cuisine.
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See Archive Page for comments prior to 2008.
2008-01-26 19:36:16 We ate here tonight, and it was fine. My chile relleno was the best I've had in Rochester; I really enjoyed it. The beef enchilada was blah. The chicken enchilada was better. The Spanish rice is pretty good, but the refried beans were smoother than I like, although they tasted ok to me. I think Salena's is as good, possibly better for certain things, but Casa Azteca is definitely better than Maria's. —KatieSchmitz
2008-03-04 15:50:16 delicious, good service, nice atmosphere. i'm craving it just thinking about it. —ElizMazz
2008-05-05 18:37:56 My wife and I got take out from here tonight. I got a chicken burrito, chalupa, beef taco, and my wife got a chicken burrito, enchilada, chalupa. Both were combo plates, and we ordered extra guacamole. It was very, very good. One thing we really liked was that they use the perfect amount of cheese. We could actually taste our food instead of just cheese, like most mexican places that seem to smother their food in cheese. Everything was very fresh, and very tasty. The chalupas were especially good, and all of the corn shells for the taco and chalupas were authentic, and delicious. This could be our new favorite place in Fairport. —BrianJoseph
2008-05-06 12:11:05 Worst Mexican food I have ever had and the place is a dump inside.
They need to remodel/gut the entire plaza/psuedo mall, this restaurant included.
Drive the extra 2 minutes into the village of Fairport and go to Blue Cactus, now that is delicious Mexican food. —MrRochester
2008-06-04 10:13:39 I really like this place and have been back several times. The wait staff is always nice, quick, and helpful. They were very understanding about substitutions - they will happily change chicken for beef in the enchiladas, burritos... anything really. The food is delicious. The two types of salsa are "hot" and "mild" as promised. The portions are filling and the prices are great (especially for lunch). —BrightonDarling
2008-07-06 16:39:17 Its not fancy or fabulous, just decent Mexican food at a great price. They are always good about taking my special orders (I'm kind of picky) and you cant beat free chips and salsa. We usually choose this over Blue Cactus (in the village) —DGandDJ
2008-07-08 14:22:55 This is one of those places that is "good enough" for people in the immediate area. I liked the food enough to warrant a return (and have), but I wouldn't have returned if i didn't live/work within a few miles of the place. I have only gotten takeout from here, so I cannot comment on service, but the staff did seem attentive and nice the few times I've stopped by. —TippingPoint
2008-08-08 21:03:12 This place is pretty outstanding overall. I've been there three times since they opened and I've been really satisfied each time. For starters, the prices here are really reasonable. I've opted for the "el combo" two of the times i've been and I think it's run me around $11-13. The service is really prompt too, the waitress was attentive and the food came out really fast(almost alarmingly fast).
The food here is second to none. The "el combo" is the "little bit of everything" dish. I think it has a chalupa, taco, enchilada, chile relleno, tostada, and maybe a burrito. It also comes with rice and beans. I could go into detail, but bottom line is, everything tasted, fresh, authentic and delectable. The portions are really generous too. I was a little skeptical about the quality of the food when it came out so fast, but my fears were soon allayed after eating it.
My dining guests had the fajitas and something else which i can't recall which were top notch too.
I'm not too psyched about the location, but it still is one of my favorite restaurants. I hope it stays around for a while. —AlexD1234
2008-12-05 19:59:32 Anyone know what happened? We went there to eat tonight and there's a handwritten sign that said "closed until further notice". —DGandDJ
2008-12-19 14:12:45 I tried going there yesterday as well and a sign says "closed until furthur notice", and thats been the case for a while (as shown in the previous comment). Anybody know the scoop? —TippingPoint
2008-12-25 17:05:44 Casa Azteca was raided by the INS and has since closed. Most of the cooks were illegals (yes, the food was authentic and nothing was from cans) and have been deported back to Mexico. The owner currently has no plans to re-open. RIP Casa Azteca. The USA needs to re-write the rules for hard-working immigrants who want to make a decent living in our great country.
We're off to Maria's in Webster. The food at the Blue Cactus is horrible and is about as close to Mexican as Sysco, which makes sense since that's where their ingredients come from. —KenBoyer
2008-12-26 14:22:37 Ken: What a shame. My wife and I absolutely LOVED this restaurant. The food was delicious, tasted truly authentic, and the prices were very reasonable. As a comparison, I don't see the attraction some people have for Maria's in Webster. The service is snail slow and for the amount of food you get, the prices are pretty high. Is your info on Casa from a reputable source? I wish the owner would reopen w/ new cooks... —PaulAcquaviva
2008-12-27 10:25:21 You're right that the service at Maria's isn't very good. They often don't have enough servers for the number of tables. But when we're in the mood for Mexican, we think it's the best around. Having worked there many years ago as a bartender, I can vouch that it's truly authentic Mexican food. It's a family-run business and they do take a lot of pride in their meals. Too bad the same can't be said for the service.
My wife worked at Casa Azteca and we both know the manager (Paolo) and the owner (Jesus) very well. There are no plans to re-open. He is in some hot water with the INS. But part of the problem is the rental space - the rent is a whopping $6K a month, the plumbing system needs 30K in repairs and it's the tenant's responsibility. Too bad it's not an obvious problem - the next tenant is in for a shock. —KenBoyer
2009-01-08 12:51:38 Truly a shame that Casa Azteca closed. The food there was excellent. That is a terrible space though. There was a real good Mexican place, San Jose, on the west side that was closed down last year for presumably the same reason. We need some good Mexican on the east side. Blue cactus is terrible. The first time we went i was excited by the menu. Unfortunately the food did not live up. I gave a 2nd chance for lunch and was dissapointed again. Bland falvors and tiny portions for the price. —tabascograz
2009-01-28 19:49:06 If you miss Casa Azteca, try El Dorado, 2513 E. Henrietta Road (between Calkins and Jefferson, west side of the street), Tuesday-Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM. The carne dishes are especially good, but the pollo is better than most. Counter service and take-out for now, but with luck they will prosper and expand.
Does anyone know where Robin from Casa Azteca is working now? She's our all-time favorite waitress, and we'd try a new restaurant just for the pleasure of seeing her again. —FredHarvey
2009-04-18 18:04:40 I was in the Perinton Mall today and saw a sign in front of Casa Azteca that said "Grand Re-Opening coming soon!". I was very excited, as I found this to be an exceptional mexican restaurant. Looking forward to it opening up again! —PaulAcquaviva
2009-05-07 11:58:57 Stopped by on Tuesday (5/5/2009) after reading the post about the grand re-opening soon to check it out. We talked to someone there and they said they'll be open in a few weeks. They also said that they will have a lunch buffet when they re-open. —MikeLitz
2009-05-12 16:14:48 I am so excited to see that Casa Azteca is reopening. We have really missed it! One sign seemed to indicate it was reopening on 5/18. Does anyone know if this is true? I think it is odd to reopen on a Monday. but maybe they have a large lunch crowd . . —ErikaWu
2009-06-04 11:51:43 Definitely reopened as of June 1 2009. Walked by there yesterday and grabbed a takeout menu. —TippingPoint
2009-06-20 20:26:55 We tried to go a few weeks ago after it reopened. It was on a Sunday (or maybe it was Memorial Day monday? Can't remember) so it was quiet around the restaurant. We walked in and there were NO customers. There were 5 or 6 workers sitting at a table in the very back. We stood there for a minute, then all the workers got up and scurried into the back. But not 1 of them came to greet us or seat us! We stood there for another 1-2 minutes and NO ONE came out. We finally left. We were excited about this place reopening, but after that incident I doubt we will ever go back. —DGandDJ
2009-07-22 10:06:21 This place is even better than the original. The food is fantastic, authentic Mexican at a resonable price. Service is OK, but we walked in at 8:50, they close at 9:00 and they were still happy to serve us. We were out of there by 9:30. The food is excellent. —tabascograz
2009-08-09 13:01:33 Ate there on July 1, 2009 and I was very happy with the food. Unlike the previous commenter's experience, the wait staff was courteous and responsive to us. It was a good experience overall. I will certainly be going back there again. —GeorgeJegadesh
2009-10-19 19:23:03 Okay, just to be clear, it's open as of October 19, 2009. It was okay. As good as plain old Mexican (not new Mexican or Southwestern or TexMex) as I've had in Kentucky and North Carolina. Just not as spicy (as I've enjoyed in Colorado and the southwest) — but then I haven't found ANY Mexican restaurant in upstate New York that has enough flavor. Gringos! All the same, it was a little expensive for what we got. $12 for 4 enchiladas with a little shredded lettuce on top? Ay! My wife had the chicken mole, and found the chicken to be fatty and the sauce to be "eh." Oh well, at least the chips and salsa were free — and the salsa was GOOD. Service was very good. Monday night — I think we were waited on by the husband and wife who own the place. I'll try it one more time before making up my mind for good. Knock 10-15% off the cost and I'd be happy. Maybe Perinton Hills charges too high rent, I dunno. —DavidRuekberg
2009-12-23 20:03:06 my name is Robin Boyer I used to be a waitress/assistant manager at Casa from 2007-2008 I left due to the closing of the restaurant and am pleased to let my loyal customers and friends know that I will be returning January 8th(friday). I will be working every Friday night, my shift starts at five I look forward to seeing all of you again! —RobinBoyer
2010-02-27 12:03:31 I moved to the area a few months ago, and back home we had a few mexican restaurants we'd frequent because of their fast service, low prices, and great food. I'm glad that I've found one of these places here in Rochester. Portions were a good size, friendly staff, and (how else to judge a mexican restaurant) the salsa was great. The lunch buffet is also an incredible spread. —Ackj
2010-04-19 07:20:42 Ok, I'm not sure where everyone else ate, but the Casa Azteca I went to was by far the worst Mexican food I have ever had. I felt like I should have been on an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. The margaritas are about 4x too large and poor quality - how about a drink half the size that is actually made from good materials? My boyfriend had the Tacos Carne Asada which the waiter recommended and were full of meat that looked like it came from the local deli, not authentic steak. I had the combo with a chile rellano and an enchilado. The chile rellano was ok, probably the best thing we had but still not great, and the enchilada was by far the worst thing I have ever had at a mexican place - the shell was undercooked, the chicken was dry, and the sauce appeared to have come from a can. STAY AWAY FROM HERE. This place is terrible and I can't imagine it will stay in business long. It might be ok for families and people on a budget, but if you are looking for authentic Mexican food, this is not the place. —goldengirl217
2010-06-03 12:37:50 Well, I hate to say it, but I really miss the old owners/staff. The food was so good then. It seems sort of 'junk-food-ish' now to me. The beans are watered down and lack flavor. The guacamole is sort of like that pasty stuff you mix with water (ew, hoping it's not). However, with that said, I do enjoy the tacos and enchiladas, which are prolific on the combination dinner menu. I also do not hesitate to stop here for a quick dinner before a week night grocery shopping trip. The enchilada sauce and the verde sauce are pretty yummy, too. Family-friendly, casual dining, and fast service. —LisaRuns
2011-01-20 09:36:50 Tried going here twice and both times the place was closed down. —dark
2011-05-10 14:01:17 Saw an ad in the Penny Saver this week, they plan to reopen May 16th under new management. —Ackj
2011-05-18 14:47:57 Went there for lunch today, had a great meal. It's the same menu as before, and largely the same restaurant, but a little bit of redecorating inside. There's new management and staff, since it seems they've just reopened, they weren't very busy, so the new waiters seemed to circle a bit, but I'd much rather have a waiter that's too attentive than one who ignores you. In addition to the usual chips and salsa, they also brought out some melted cheese for dipping. The meal portions seemed a bit bigger, too. They also comped us a dessert, which was delicious, although we were already stuffed. Very happy to see this place open again. —Ackj
2011-05-25 14:18:44 We've been eating at Casa Azteca for several years and through several incarnations of the establishment and have always loved the food and the people who work there. My daughter and I went 5/18 and we were both blown away by how incredible the food was. The menu is the same but the food has so much more flavor and nuanced. AMAZING...let me say it again, AMAZING! The only down side was it became almost comical how often they asked to refill my daughter's iced tea and how many times they asked how everything was! We ate til we were in serious pain...and brought home leftovers!
We've always wondered why the Casa Azteca is never mobbed. It should be. It is by far, by far the best Mexican food in the Rochester area. Don't let the mall setting fool you—this place is Fabulous!!!! —Monique
2011-05-29 08:07:56 Returned here for dinner last night. Everything was fantastic - great service and the food was better than ever. Highly recommend Casa to anyone who loves Mexican food. Really hope they get a good customer base this time and manage to stay open for a very long time - it's the best Mexican in the area. —KenBoyer
2011-05-30 21:46:30 We ate here tonight and the food was amazing!I got the chimichangas and they were so good. My husband had the special, which was the california burrito. Both of are meals were so big we ended up taking half home. Uptil today we were Monte Alban fans, but honestly Casa Azteca blows them away! Great food and if it's possible, even better service.
2011-07-28 05:58:11 So glad to see Leon's is open again! Best mexican food in the area.Not only did I use to be a waitress there so I know first hand how fresh and authentic all the food is,but missed dining there with friends. Come on in , You won't be sorry!!!!! —KarenPlace
2011-10-09 16:41:44 Hi Robin it's me Tamra I had tried to call several times to say hello to everyone and the number was disconnected. I often think of all of you and miss you very much. I am sad to hear what happened its unfortunate and I will always care deeply for them. I really miss working there with you all and am very glad to hear your still there ...when I come back for a visit I will be sure and come in. Take care best wishes Tamra —TamraB
2012-01-14 05:27:59 We ate at the "new" (new owner, changes in decor) Casa Azteca recently (December 2011). I ordered the enchiladas supremas, and unfortunately the flavors tasted more like they come from a can and/or were premixed well in advance - very blended, it was hard to pick out the flavors of the individual individual ingredients, plus less "crisp" to the vegetables - rather than fresh and only mixed on the cooker like they were under the previous owner.
That said, it is STILL better than Monte Alban, but I *really* don't have a good opinion of Monte Alban.... —TpSuhr
2012-01-30 20:06:16 I stop here every now and then with the family. I think we've always come at least once each time the ownership has changed. Quite honestly, I've never found much of a difference in the service and food regardless of who owns the place.
Anyhow, we went again last weekend. The service was a little odd. Our waitress clearly did not have a good grasp of English. A gentleman ( owner? Manager? ) came over at least twice and assisted with translating our orders. In spite of that, they still managed to get my son's wrong - swapping beef for chicken in his entree. He didn't care in the least, so we let the matter drop. Additionally, we had at least two other waitresses stop by and check on our salsa/chips/drinks/etc. Make no mistake - everyone was uniformly friendly and cheerful, which was great, but it got a little annoying to have someone stop by and ask if we wanted a chip refill, and then someone else two minutes later, and then someone else two minutes after that.
As for the food. It was OK. More than good enough to justify the short trip we need to get there. If it was any longer than ten minutes or so, we'd probably go someplace else. The entrees are obscenely huge - we literally got four meals out of my wife's leftovers. I realize that a lot of people value quantity above all, but that was patently ridiculous. —RichMulvey
