I should have paid attention to the fact that there were no cars in the parking lot at lunch time. If you want good Mexican food in the middle of northwestern NJ, or you want to try Mexican food for the first time, I think you can't go wrong with Riviera Maya. Tamales and tender pork take a long time to prepare. Some of the sauces have over ten ingredients. If this place was in a city no one would complain about the prices but since its on the side of a rural road, I think some of the reviewers expected to pay breakfast special at Yetters Diner prices. I think the prices are very reasonable for the portion size. The tamales are moist and the masa is very flavorful. Now there has been occasions the the Mole has had too much cinnamon for my liking but most of the time it is one of the best moles I have had (sorry Abuela Montanez). I think the standouts though are the Tamales and the Steak served with Mole Enchilada (Bistec Jalisco). The Enchiladas Suizas are very good, all their pork dishes are well prepared and flavorful, and Texmex fare like Nachos and Taco Salads are always solid. I love the salsa but it does have a kick to it.

Riviera Maya certainly holds its own in my experience. I think I know Mexican food pretty well since its one of my favorites, I worked at a Mexican restaurant while in college, and my wife is Mexican so I have eaten homemade tamales, mole, tortillas, tacos, rice, and beans. The interior is quite nice with an ostentatious Mexican flair and a very nice bar area with booth seating. Riviera Maya is located in a nondescript yellow steel building and has a gravel parking lot. Riviera Maya is one of these places with an address in Branchville near a small market and a Dairy Queen. Interspersed between long stretches of forests and farms are your typical New Jersey farm stands selling fresh produce, used car dealerships, and inexplicably several rather good restaurants and diners.

It is just a two lane road that runs about 30 miles from the PA and NJ border to I-80. I did like this place at one time.I have been going to Riviera Maya for about five years now since for a long time it was the only Mexican place within about 30 minutes from my home. The pepper margarita was horrible and the food was disgusting. Offer a desert or something on the house. I’m sorry but, that many mistakes a restaurant should try and make it right. So I said something about the green peppers which, they deducted the $2.00. Then I get the bill, was charged $2.00 extra for jalapeños and another extra $2.00 for it being skinny. I didn’t want to complain again, so I said nothing at the time. As you can see, it came with chopped up green peppers, instead of jalapeños. Then I ordered a spicy, skinny margarita. I couldn’t even take home my leftovers, I was so disgusted. For a supreme burrito, there was nothing supreme about it. The food reminded me of something you’d get at Taco Bell. It seemed like the rice you’d buy in a packet at shoprite.

There were carrots, peas and corn in the rice that was in the burrito. Then, pretty sure, they just scraped the sour cream off, still left the pico on the side and sent back the same burrito.

Omg! This place is horrible!!! First they put sour cream in my burrito, when I asked them not to but, they put the Pico on the side instead.

Riviera maya restaurant branchville nj