Eat It And Love It is written by 6 friends in Pittsburgh, PA - we have 2 vegetarians, 2 vegans, and 2 omnivores in our group. We don't make any money from the site and do the reviews for fun and to aid others when searching for the perfect spot to eat!
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The first thing I noticed about this place is the bar area of this restaurant is easily as big if not bigger then the entirety of the Oakland (sometimes called the REAL) Mad Mex. The Monroeville Mad Mex has a wait similar to the Oakland Mad Mex. If it is anywhere near a time in which people like to eat or drink, the wait is likely to be thirty or more minutes. Unlike the Oakland Mad Mex, the Monroeville establishment has one of those fancy "alert-you-when-your-table-is-ready-via-vibrating-light-up-coaster” systems.
We were seated at a table for two. If this table were at the Oakland Mad Mex, it would have been a table for six. I felt odd not rubbing elbows with a complete stranger, not that it was something I looked forward to either. The interior is decorated with the same mezzo-American meets Picasso themed decorations, although the Picasso (by this I mean the oddness, I’m not an art critic) factor was reduced. There was some blank space between decorations allowing pieces to sort of stand on their own. This lent a much less hectic feeling to the décor.
The menu is the same. Although the menues themselves weren’t as worn as in Oakland. At this point I was starting to get a sinking feeling that I wouldn’t be able to get the standard vegan modifications that I could in Oakland. Thankfully, I was wrong; Soy Cheese and Tofu sour cream are available upon request for any dish. I wouldn’t try that with the quesadillas if I were you. Guacamole is available as usual for an extra small fee. It remains at the same high level of taste and quality as well.
The serving staff is probably the biggest difference between the Oakland and Monroeville Mad Mexes. Every hostess, server, and bus person was very forgettable. They might as well have been working at American Eagle Outfitters. They epitomized bland American normality. Not a mohawk or tattoo (non-lower back anyway) was seen the entire time I was there.
The music playing in the establishment was standard pop rock (SmashMouth and some “Dave”) and hip hop (possibly Puff-Dizzy). It was a lifeless play list compared to the Indy/obscure bands of various genres that fill the Oakland Mad Mex with music that is both new and interesting to me. Of course another major difference, in Monroeville, I could hear what my wife was saying while the music was playing. Also, I could see with out aid of the lone candle to illuminate the menu. This is a problem which can occur at the Oakland Mad Mex.
The bar, despite being larger, did not have any more taps or variety then the real Mad Mex. This is disappointing, what is the point of a spacious bar if you don’t fill it with beer taps?
In summary, I did enjoy my meal at the Monroeville Mad Mex. Food was great, service was great, and the atmosphere was conducive to conversation. It didn’t feel like Mad Mex though. It feels like it should just be called Mild Mex. The things I typically associate with ‘Mad’ Mex aren't there. It is, however, nice to be able to eat their food on a night when I’m not mentally ready for the ‘Mad’ness.
Mad Mex
4100 William Penn Hwy
Western end of the Miracle Mile Plaza
(behind Starbucks, next door to PNC bank)
Monroeville, PA 15146
(412) 349-6767
Google Maps | Mapquest
Posted by Nate at October 12, 2006 01:34 PM
When you said the wait staff was forgettable, I thought you meant that they were "forgetful." Our waiter did forget to bring us our waters.
Posted by: Julie at October 12, 2006 03:41 PM
Not to nitpick, but the Miracle Mex has 24 taps, more than twice as many drafts as Oaktown. The taps are split onto two sides of the beer island, so at a glance, it'd be easy to assume they're the same.
Posted by: Seth at February 6, 2008 10:22 AM