"Modern Mexican cuisine" is the promise at MAYAluz, where you'll find a range of mostly Tex-Mex favorites along with a handful of south-of-the-border dishes and tequila cocktails. Everything is made with high-quality, fresh-tasting ingredients and is beautifully presented, a cut above most of the Tex-Mex spots in town.

The Mexican steak is a highlight of the menu. Tender chunks of tasty New Zealand beef are served with fresh cilantro, lime, and an appealing trio of sauces that had us scooping up the last drops. Chorizo sausages are also quite flavorful on their own, and livened up by three more sauces, distinct from the batch that comes with the steak. Salsa dip accompanied by crunchy chips is perked up by a nice selection of herbs and spices, as is the guacamole.

Other specialties of the kitchen include fritters made with corn-flour batter and hefty tacos. The drinks list offers fairly standard tequila cocktails, some mocktails, and assorted wines. (Premium tequilas and frozen margaritas weren't available when we visited in Spring 2020, but we expect them to return at some point.)

Seating is relatively comfortable and the dining room is attractively laid out, with ample space between tables. The soundtrack when we visited was 100% Jamaican reggae and ska. Budget around Y4,000 at dinnertime and Y1,000 for lunch.