Review La Santa Muerte - Melville

This place has such an awesome vibe, friendly staff and amazing food! We really enjoyed our time here. I also hear that they open up the floor on Saturdays for dancing with multiple DJs definitely something to look out for.

Great food, friendly service, their nachos were absolutely amazing and their cocktails are divine. Great atmosphere and a good place to chill and have a good experience. PS: always remember to save some room for the Churros :)

What an amazing place.. Loved the atmosphere it creates. The waiters are awesome. They are helpful, quick and extremely friendly.

Amazing food! The chilli con carne was super ,having been the first one they had ever made . Such a cool place to just hangout, very chilled vibe and awesome set up.

Small menu, big taste. Whilst not ideal for the kids, it's a great place to relax with mates or your significant other. Interesting decor. Mexican food at it's best. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed. Dont think reservations are required.

We had an amaizing evening out here with mates. Great vibe good food and nice drinks. A very cool designed interior, nice place for social events!

I've been frequenting La Santa Muerte for over 2 years now and I'm still in awe of it. I've never had any problems with them. I love that they have a wide selection of drinks to choose from and if you don't know what you want, the bartenders will be more than happy to suggest the best drinks to set the mood, whether day or night. For the best and EXCLUSIVE services AND Tequila, La Santa Muerte is your Mexico experience tucked away in the heart of 7th Street.

Been here half a dozen times... Both my gf and I loved the service every time, food is always hot, fresh and big portions. We'll always come back as long as they're here 👍🥂

Wonderful Mexican food. Great margaritas! And excellent service.

Hands down the best Mexican food restaurant I have tried. Great portion sizes and amazing food. The staff are very friendly and the restaurant has a nice, warm environment.

What can I say except for the fact that they had the best Nachos in Joburg. Loved the flavor, the tortilla chips used and the white cheddar cheese. Came with a friend and he ordered the pineapple bbq chicken soft tacos while I ordered the Nachos so we shared. The tacos were just okay. I appreciate the fact that the soft tacos were prepared fresh. However I felt they were a bit lacking in flavor. I could barely taste the pineapple bbq. We came 30 minutes prior to close however the waitress saw to it that our order was sent to the kitchen. I will be returning and will tell my friends about this spot.

Small menu and intimate restaurant.<br/>Great for a crowd our couple night out.<br/>I had the ceviche taco, the vanilla flavor was interesting and it was loaded with fresh vegetables. I did feel it could have more fish, but I felt very satisfied.

Staff drunk, yelling at each other, order forgotten, horrible service. Annoying bartender. Hated it.

just now<br/><br/>If I can give it no stars I would!!! Plain and the most tasteless Mexican food I have ever had!!! They should be ashamed to call themselves a Mexican restaurant !!! How can they call a plain Garden salad and with 3 raw chunks of raw fish Ceviche??? Guacamole is tasteless and the nachos tastes like chips you buy off the shelf of a Usave market. This place should be closed down! Sad how they can rip you off for pathetic food they serve!!! AND the Time they took to also prepare that shocking food is beyond me!<br/>PLEASE STAY AWAY!!!<br/><br/>

I am afraid, after years of support, this place has lost it's cool. We have been raving about their nachos, and it has been top of the "treat ourselves" for a loooong time. The past 5 times, we couldn't eat, as the kitchen closes at 4 and supposedly opens at 6, but always late with re-opening. Today, I went for a quick work lunch and planned accordingly, as they open at 12:00....Not the case, the doors open at 12:05, then we had to wait another 30 minutes for the kitchen to start up , and another 30 minutes to eat, even though we ordered as the doors opened.  It breaks my heart to say that the nachos we ordered were definitely the the dish that we fell in love with.... It used to be smothered in cheese, juicy and spicy, but....it was not worth the wait, or the lunch time..... It's sad to see good businesses staring off so well, but cannot maintain the standard. Now the hunt for good Mexican food starts again... :-(

Best. Nachos. Ever! - Have the chicken.. thank me later...<br/>Caramel sauce for churros is pretty dam delicious too<br/>Great, friendly service and chilled atmosphere.<br/><br/>

A very hidden spot. It’s aesthetically pleasing. I had went with a friend and we tried the berry nice margarita and it had been recommended to us by our waitress and it wasn’t very nice. A bit too strong. We had the jalepeno poppers and wow those were very spicy to the point where they were unbearable so we didn’t really enjoy those. But overall the experience wasn’t too bad.

My fiancé and I went for dinner here a week or two ago. We had been so looking forward to it because we’d tried the nachos in September 2018 and enjoyed them thoroughly. We are very disappointed in the decline in quality over the last few months.<br/><br/>We ordered the chicken nachos, the vegetable empanadas, and the ceviche salad. The nachos, were borderline inedible; the chicken had been marinated/cooked in a uncomfortably sweet “chipotle” sauce that tasted more like the cheap, almost translucent tomato sauce with added sugar. The empanadas were deep fried, which is usually not a bad thing, but these tasted like they had been fried in old oil. The filling was pretty under-seasoned too. As for the ceviche, that was definitely the highlight of our experience, would have that again. <br/><br/>We did bring this to our server’s attention and the manager was apologetic, and willing to provide us with something on the house to compensate which we can appreciate. We learned that there is a new chef in the kitchen, which would most likely explain the drastic change in quality. Very disappointing.

We were a party of 10 here on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. Drinks are reasonably priced but the service is appalling! I had the churros and after waiting an hour for them (got a managers discount of 40% for this) they arrived and were sadly underwhelming. I didn’t know that bad churros were even possible.

I cannot understand why this establishment is rated so highly for such poor quality and tasteless food. I am a huge fan of Mexican food. This is a terrible rendition of wannabe Mexican cuisine. Even the guacamole wasn't freshly made and tasted as if it was dispensed from a tube - particularly disappointing as avocados are available in abundance. What a shame! Unfortunately I won't be returning.

I won't give this place a 1 star rating because the food was edible. But that's it, the fish tacos were ok, but the other tacos we had were actually terrible. I don't get why this place is rated so well when there are far better Mexican options available. Won't be back.

Lovely atmosphere, generous portions, great Mexican food, fast service and very pretty, friendly informative waitress who recommended great meals, thank you so much Danni!!!

The nachos are AMAZING!!! The rest of the food was pretty good too, and the mezcal with worm spice was interesting... You also get to choose what guacamole and salsa you get with each meal, and they have some really different and cool options.

Was in the mood for Mexican food and came across this beautiful place! Ordered most of the starters and the wonderful taco's. Frozen Margaritas and beer to wash it down with! Please take my money!!

Really amazing mexican restaurant and pocket friendly as well.<br/>We had veg and chicken nachos. Both were amazing. They even had 1+1 offer on nachos.<br/>We also trued the pulled pork soft shell tacos that were out of the world delicious.<br/>We also liked the grilled chicken tacos.<br/>The staff were super courteous and helpful.<br/>The ambiance has a pub like feel and loud music. Not suitable for kids.<br/>Since my mobile was out of charge, didnt click pics. But give this restaurant a try if you are in the neighbourhood.

Great Melville spot for Mexican food with a modern twist. Quite a trendy space to hang out. Service could be better and an get a bit loud, but the latter adds to a lekker vibe.

We tried  La Santa Muerte for a few beers and dinner last night. The setting is excellent. Beautiful bar, parquet floors, very Meliville, without being grungy. <br/>We had pulled pork tacos, tortillas chips and a prawn quesidilla. The pulled pork was excellent, although the tortilla chips were a bit oily and some (but not all) were a bit soft, and we didn't enjoy the prawn quesidilla (oily, and the flavour was (struggling to describe this, given it's seafood!) overly fishy). The quesidilla starter portion was almost the size of the main. Prices were pretty reasonable, with the only exception being the side guacamole portion which was very small for the price (maybe 1/4 avo for R22).<br/>Staff were friendly, although our waiter was perhaps dreaming of other things and had to confirm our very simple order of three items three items, then getting it slightly wrong when it came to the table. She also tried to correct it by ringing up an additional side order, although that was corrected without complaint when I queried it.<br/>Overall, I'd say this is probably an excellent place for drinks (apparently they had a dj later too) and good for a light meal (go for the tacos!)

Super friendly service, great food and amazing cocktails. This place has a great atmosphere and is perfect for having a good time. It is situated in a really vibrant, trendy place, which makes it even better

Had the chicken nachos and it was honestly the best nachos I’ve ever had. The service was incredible and the waitress made us feel welcome and at home. The only small let down is that the cocktail are quite small for what you pay for. Very good overall experience

I celebrated my 25th birthday at La Santa Meurte, it exceeded all expectations. The margarita jugs and tequila were incredible, everyone was happy with their food and our waitron, Marika, was by far one of the best and most attentive servers. I would recommend this place to anyone who loves good food and good vibes. Thank you La Santa Meurte, you made my birthday celebration one I will never forget.

Stay away from the moonshine and you'll be just fine!<br/>This popular eatery and watering hole is loads of fun (when the bar tenders aren't completely ignoring you on a busy Friday night). There is always a great vibe and awesome music pouring out the front door. <br/>The staff are friendly and the food is fair. The only thing you really have to worry about is some of the patrons who wander in; not all of them are as decent as you'd like

The first few times I went the veggie food was average but now it’s outstanding! Especially the mushroom tacos. Nachos are also amazing. Best of all super affordable!

A group of friends met up to have great Mexican food. I had been to La Santa Muerte before and wanted to share this gem with ppl that would understand.<br/>#yummy

This is a fantastic spot to visit in Melville.The staff are great at what they do and are really engaging. They have paid respect to the Mexican culture and theme and have great drink choices.The food has to be the highlight and I enjoyed every item I tried - too many to mention right now haha.Great great job guys!

What a treat this place is! The decor is fantastic and vibe it brings is very cool. I throughly enjoyed the food and service was excellent. All in all a very tasty dinner

Found this place literally by mistake - & it was the best mistake I've ever made. Such a lovely, quaint place with super simple cute decor. The food was so delicious & I was not at all disappointed. There's a choice of 3 tacos for R90 - of which I chose the battered fish, crumbed chicken & skirt steak. The battered fish & steak were amazing, but I did find the chicken to be a little dry. There is a lovely selection of drinks - from cocktails & wine to gins. Our waitress recommended their gin & tonic on tap, which was the best G&T I've EVER had. I could find myself coming back here often, just for it. Definitely a lovely spot with good Mexican food, drinks & friendly service.

The atmosphere here is great. Friendly staff. I love that you can choose the type of gauc and salsa. Best nachos I've had in Jo'burg. Their fried tortillas were also quite tasty.

I would say they have proper mexican cuisine here... not to even mention the Margerita jugs which were my fav of the night! The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has a great vibe. We were a big group and our orders were handled great by the staff!

We been here a few times, always a good lunch choice.<br/>Best nachos ever, so big you can definitely share.<br/>Awesome burritos, love the choice of different type of guacamole and salsa. They also make a very good sangria.<br/>Chirros with custard and chilli chocolate... delish !!

Great service, friendly staff and really good food. What more could you ask for?.... Oh, of course, a nice variety of tequila. Will definitely be going back.

Heard about this place from a friend, I have not had a lot of Mexican in my life but this place seem to be a good place to start. The pulled pork soft shell tacos was very good. Very relaxed atmosphere good service. All in all worth a visit.

The food is always yum, but the cocktails are so bland in my opinion. I've had the cooked and "uncooked" fish tacos and they are so delicious. The pineapple and habanero salsa is amazing. The margaritas are so sour and below average. It seems impossible to find a good margarita 😩

This place is really great. We went there on Taco Tuesday and I'm so glad we ended up finding this place. The food is fantastic and the service is awesome. Will definitely be going back.

The food, ambience and service were all excellent. The wait staff are all friendly and know the menu really well. Some items were a little slow but that is about the only negative of the experience

Muerte means death in Spanish hence skull and grungy look theme of restaurant.Had a crumbed chicken taco which was nice ,not too dry and came with guacamole. Paired taco with fire in the mouth 3 amigos sauce which was tasty and definitely for fire seeking chilli addicts

Incredible!!! My husband and I often go to La Santa Muerte and we have never been disappointed! It's our favourite restaurant. The food is absolutely amazing and the waitresses super nice. We've now moved to Cape Town and I'm so sad that I won't be able to go there for Taco Tuesdays or Mexican date nights with my husband any more. Please, please, please open one in Cape Town!

Great dinner last night at La Santa Muerte. The food was super - really tasty, nicely presented and most importantly, not a crumb left on the plates. <br/>The margaritas were strong and delicious :)<br/>Only slight criticism would be the the service was a little absent and difficult to flag down throughout the evening. Will it deter me from going back? Hell no....

I am very disappointed to say that a well loved place will now become a no more visit place. We arrived Saturday all starving and ready to spend some hard earned cash on your Añejo Tequila @ R75 a pop! After a few drinks, and ready to order I asked the waitress for a very simple and easy request - which has been done for me several times before at your establishment, I received a very quick and rude”NO -  that will not be possible as the kitchen is too busy”. Firstly there weren’t that many patrons, and secondly it was by no means a ridiculous request, it would have taken the same amount of time to plate my meal with or without my request. Needless to say, we got up and left and took our business elsewhere. I have recommended plenty of people to your establishment, my words will not be that kind anymore.

We were there over the weekend, returning to a restaurant where we previously had an amazing time with exceptional service, only to find that their willingness to meet customer needs have deteriorated terribly. We ordered the Fish tacos, and requested that all ingredients be served separately as to be able to build our own. This request was met with enthusiasm previously, but sad to say this time, our waitress was unwilling to assist, saying that they are unable to do so. It's sad when a place with such great potential start missing the point. Will not be returning any time soon.

La Santa Muerte has a great vibe, decor is rustic slash grunge. The pulled chicken tacos were good but quite rich. I like the idea of mixing and matching various options of salsa and guacamole. Service was good, waitress was friendly and efficient.

Nothing beats proper Mexican cuisine😋 La Santa is my go to spot when I need a fix, the food is always so good however the service is not always consistent. Be that as it may, this establishment serves good quality Mexican cuisine through and through.

Delicious. Heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend. Excellent house beer on tap, excellent tacos Tuesday, reasonably priced. Pork belly taco deliciousness. All around, one of those gems in the middle of Melville bohemia

Where do I begin...<br/>I was at La Santa Muerte this past Saturday late afternoon to celebrate my birthday with my best friend. We sat down 20 minutes before their kitchen could reopen.<br/>Sadly the waitress who helped us only took our order for drinks and FORGOT about us.<br/>Then there was another waitress with brightly coloured hair who simply IGNORED us for the most part. We couldn't even pay for our bill at our table, we walked to the bar and was still unable to pay it there until our initial waitress returned from no where to ring the bill.<br/>Even on previous visits to the restaurant we have had poor service. The food is good but it is coupled with appauling service and it in my opinion was the last straw and I am NEVER going back to that shit hole known as La Santa Muerte. The staff are really Muerte (Dead) they are the living dead. I will not forget how an evening of celebration was harmed by visiting La Santa Muerte. Shame on you guys and good luck to whomever else goes there, you poor unfortunate soul.

A great vibe and love the decor but the food is lacking. We went to La Santa Muerte for a Friday lunch and it was cool. The service was good. Our waitress was very friendly and chatty and everything came in time and there were no mishaps but it was also very quiet in the restaurant. The food wasn't bad but it really didn't blow me away. I found the pulled chicken cloyingly sweet and very stringy. The nachos were ok but I've had better. The margaritas are delicious though.

<br/>Great service, very attentive bar personnel and very fun and dance inspiring music. Now my favorite place to have a lot of fun.<br/><br/>Fair prices and friendly people at the bar. Really made me feel more at home than any other place on Melville.

Food was great, good vibe! Just wish they had some tea, rooibos or even normal ass black tea. But still very nice place! Great interior, would go again.

I went there with a friend and was impressed with the service. I was taken to my table immediately and the service was friendly. The food was amazing whilst been well priced. The portions were also quite big.

What a funky space with friendly service and tasty, simple and spiced up food! Different fillings, different variations of salsa and guac. My tummy was indeed very happy! Eager for a second visit!

Sugar skulls were a thing in 2012. I'll just leave that there... Despite turning my nose up at the restaurant's theme, it's actually quite a charming spot. I sat down in the cosy courtyard and had a great catchup with a friend. To start we had nachos to share which were okay as far as nachos go. For mains we ordered off the tacos menu, and again - tasty, but nothing to really blow your hair back. The salsa and guacamole choices are a bit confusing, I must say. The waitress was very friendly and eager, perhaps at times too eager. Service was good. Food was fair. Atmosphere was quite nice. The owner gave us free shots of tequila, just because. That was awesome. I'd say give it a try for a solid, no surprises night out.

Pretty chilled, these guys serve up an interesting and short menu, filled with carbs though. We had lunch in the middle of the week and the place was very quiet so we got a lot of attention from the waitress, who was very sweet and friendly. Great for meetings, as it doesn't blast of loud music. Lovely to see Melville pushing it up a notch.

The vibe and decor are great. Dark, brooding and quite trendy. Frozen margaritas are very good too. <br/>The food is ooookay. Tottillas/nachos were fresh and tasty, and the other two starters also went down well. <br/>Soft shell tacos were good, but the cerviche filling really disappointing. And the skirt steak better, but also tough and grisly here and there. <br/>Service is above average. <br/>Limited craft beer (only) selection. <br/>The tables and walls, etc. are all quite spartan so there's a lot of reverb on busy nights, and you'll have to talk up. Overall a good and unique experience, but there's better Mexican food around.

Really nice vibe, great decor, service was good. "Taco tuesday" means they only serve the tacos from the lunch menu-I ordered a variety including mushroom/sweet potato, chipotle pulled chicken & crumbed chicken. Mushroom was good, so were both the chicken. Batter that was on the crumbed chicken was devine. I then indulged in the churros served with choc chilli sauce & a creme anglaise-also really good, very fresh 👌🏽 <br/>Would defs recommend<br/>They also stock an amazing ice tea brand (can't remember the name but order the peach flav)

The food was delicious and well cooked!! We had a chicken burrito and pulled pork taco, also tried those desert sticks which were very nice. Margarita was a bit disappointing though. All in all a nice place to get dinner and a drink

Ahhh had a lot of fun here. Very nice vibe and it has awesome decor. The food was also really really good. I have been wanting to check out La Santa for awhile and I am not dissapointed in the slightest.

La Santa Muerte has a very edgy and subtle atmosphere, lacking the typical bright pops of colour or the stereotypical decor. I've been here on many occasions and I'm happy to see that the food has steadily improved over the year. The same can't be said for the service however, the restaurant always feels understaffed resulting in delays.<br/><br/>I'm a massive fan of the concept of Taco Tuesday and anything that encourages people to eat Mexican food. You can mix and match from a taco selection which gives you the option to taste as least three different flavours. The crumbed chicken and battered fish are always well received. The pulled pork and chicken are also very tasty but be warned, the chipotle can pack a punch.

We had been here before and had had a great time and hence we went back a few times. Last night when we arrived we were the 2nd table, we greated the waitress who was on her mobile leaning against the bar and after 5 minutes I asked out loud if we could get service pls! The bar manager / manager (not sure as she never identified herself) came running with shooters to apologize. We didn't want it. The waitress then came running with a menu & for the rest of the evening gave us attitude and lip! The food looked amazing but was cold and not as yummy as the standard we had learnt to love. Won't be back, clearly things have become too familiar with customers. Such a pity! Good luck.

Walking in, the place looked thematically designed with slight touches of the Mexican theme. We were quickly given menus but had to wait and indicate for service to which a now, overly eager waitress attended to us. <br/><br/>Our actual waitress then attended to us, in a less excited fashion, but that didn't matter as it wasn't unpleasant and our drinks were served very quickly, but a coaster would have been great for a icy Margarita. <br/><br/>The candle on the table was lit and cutlery and overly generous number serviettes interestingly served in a glass.<br/>The wood-oven and bar-counter style kitchen setup indicates a potentially delicious and quick-service offering. <br/><br/>Alas the service for a half-full restaurant was quite slow from the kitchen. 25 minutes later the tacos arrived. They looked really good and were quite good. The heat brought the Mexican experience and it was a good meal. <br/><br/>We weren't particularly attended to, but if I had to be invited back, I'd go because the food is good but the service is really not good at all. <br/><br/>

Probably one of the best Mexican restaurants in JHB. Home made soft shell tacos really makes the good food worth the wait. The kitchen is a bit a slow especially on Taco Tuesdays. Really really good food is worth the wait and this food really is. Will be back many times over.

Well - I won't be going back here in a hurry. It was quite busy but we had a choice of tables: one in a dark passage; one in the middle of the noisy main area and one on the pavement. We chose the pavement. The waitress brought the menus. Being a Tuesday night, we could only choose food from the small menu. Although the bigger one listed main courses we could only choose drinks from that one. On Tuesday nights, only tacos are available: hard shelled, soft shelled; the R85 choices couldn't be mixed with the R90 choices and there were chef's specials in both categories. It was all too complicated for my Tuesday night addled brain. And then the waitress disappeared after promising to return with glasses for the wine we brought. We spied her inside entering stuff on a computer for ages. There was one other waitress bustling around like a crazy thing but she never came near us. After waiting an age, we decided to give it up and leave. I'm really not prepared to suffer this appallingly bad kind of service. We went to another restaurant down the road.

Tuesday night - 6 people - 8pm - hungry kids - restaurant half full and we had to wait 1.5 hours for meal to arrive. Seriously grumpy waitress. Not worth it!!

I finally got around to trying out La Santa Muerte in Melville in order to quench my insatiable need to sample every Mexican restaurant in Jo'burg. The restaurant itself is quite festive and the small outdoor area is nice for a sunny afternoon. The menu was more limited than I expected and is mostly comprised of a variety of tacos. I decided to try out the baked nachos with pulled pork and they were quite tasty, what I enjoyed most was the different varieties of salsa and guacamole available. I enjoyed the adobo guacamole and the 3 Amigos of Chili salsa was delicious and super fiery. I had the churos for dessert and they were crispy and fluffy. Overall another great Mexican joint in Jozi.

It is always a real treat to visit Melville - busy, but not frantic - variety, but a lot of uniqueness.  We visited La Santa Muerte for lunch a while ago, and I absolutely loved the ambience and look of this restaurant.  Not your normal bright-coloured and 'loud' Mexican restaurant, a little more dark and cool.  After all "Muerte" means 'death', so not a pinata in sight. You will notice that I took a lot of 'decor' photos, loved the attention to detail.  The food is pretty fab as well - the burritos are HUGE and very tasty, served with some interesting sides.  The service was a little slow, but we heard that there were some problems with staff being late/absent on the day.  Sure it gets very busy and buzzing in the evening/weekend, we had a quiet and very relaxing lunch though. A very cool spot indeed! Monica Maree

Their food is really fantastic! I would go as far as to say that it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. Their portions are large, even the starters (my fiance and I shared and each had our own main, it was more than enough).  Their cocktails were also great. <br/><br/>Service was of average speed but quite friendly. <br/><br/>The decor is unique and very interesting. I'll definitely be coming back here.

Had an enjoyable midweek meal here, not terribly busy on the night, but still incredibly slow service - both food and drinks. Waitress was very friendly and pleasant, kitchen and bar seemed to let her down with their lack of urgency.<br/>That said, once the food and drink arrived, it was generally amazing. I had jalapeño poppers to start - very tasty if a little mild for my palate. We then shared a cheese nachos and a pulled pork burrito. The nachos were amazing, baked to perfection and not holding back on the cheese, jalapeños or tortilla. The pulled pork burrito was good, but could have been better. The pork was very tasty, but dry and I would have preferred refried beans to the giant kidney beans inside. <br/>When choosing your salsa, aim for one of the hotter ones - the 3 Amigos (hottest) may be a bit too spicy for many people, but is incredibly flavourful and my favourite. You cannot go wrong with either of the guacamoles. <br/>Overall, the decor and ambiance of the restaurant is very good and as far as value for money goes, La Santa Muerte is probably the best "Mexican" (Tex-Mex) in Jozi. The menu could expand a little, but as long as you are happy with Tacos, Burritos or Nachos for mains, there will be something for you on offer.<br/>Special mention: the margarita was one of the best I've had in Jozi and if you're driving, the craft iced tea is great.<br/>Pro tip: Arrive hungry, but not in a hurry.<br/>PS - if you want coffee after your meal, and you consider yourself any kind of expert - there are plenty of other, better options close by.<br/><br/>Very nice overall and I will definitely be back.<br/>

Great vibe, great playlist and delicious food!<br/>Although the food portions may seem small compared to the price, you will not be disappointed. The food is delicious and there are different options to choose from for everyone's taste. I am always impressed by the music selection and the ambiance is fantastic - the incorporation of the brand identity with the old interior of this Melville building is brilliantly done. Definitely worth a visit, even if you are not in the area!

I was really looking forward to dining at La Santa after hearing rave reviews. My experience was somewhat underwhelming- it's difficult to pin point why exactly, but everything from the initial reception walking into the restaurant to the food left me wanting. Will definitely try again to see if things improve. Verdict- not bad but not great either.

This Mexican inspired eatery on the popular Melville strip has a refreshingly original interior with an authentic atmosphere. The menu comprises of popular "Mexican" dishes like nachos, burritos, tacos, tortillas and more! <br/><br/>When I ate here on a Saturday afternoon it was quite busy and the service was rather slow. But I don't mind waiting for something worthwhile. And the food was just that...<br/><br/>Quality ingredients put together with passion (you can see the chefs prepare your food). We had the soft shell tacos and they were absolutely delicious! <br/><br/>The portion size of 3 seemed small, however it turned out to be quite filling. Pity it we didn't order anything else - all the more reason to go back soon!

One of the best, if not the best Mexican I've had! Small, simple menu and a great array of genuine Mexican tequila to choose from! The decor is awesome too, very cool vibe!

Enjoyed some good Mexican food here with friends! The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere with cool decor and played some really great salsa music on a vibey Saturday night! <br/>The food was tasty but probably not the best Mexican food I've had. I ate the crumbed chicken taco which was good and some friends ate the pulled pork taco, nacho's and sweet potato taco which they all enjoyed! My friend ordered a frozen Margarita and it literally just tasted like salt (so wouldn't recommend). The service was rather average though. <br/>All in all it was a pleasant evening!

Best jalapeño poppers out, rest of the food is also top notch. Cool wait staff. Not a great drinks selection. Don't drink the cinnamon whiskey - it'll make you hate your tongue.

If you're like me, you'll appreciate the rumba flamenco/salsa music this place sets against the backdrop of its decor. I had the best time here on Saturday evening. <br/><br/>In terms of food, I had the crumbed chicken taco, which I initially thought was small but only realised how filling it was until I made it to the end haha. It was absolutely delicious. I also tried some of their tacos and I can say that they definitely rank up their amongst the greats of Mexican food I've tried in Joburg and out. I had a friend who tried the pulled pork taco and this also looked rather fantastic. <br/><br/>Service is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere of the restaurant is marvelous, and their music playlist certainly influenced my enjoyment. <br/><br/>On the whole, a great place for a night out with friends.

Great vibe, service not bad and not amazing either. However the food is excellent quality and definitely value for money with portion size! Has to the BEST nachos I had in my life. I'll be back for the food for sure!

In comparison to other more traditional Mexican restaurants I've been to the food was quite nice. Had the skirt steak soft shell tacos and steak was a little over cooked but still soft.<br/><br/>In terms of service, very very slow but waitresses are friendly.<br/><br/>My biggest complaint of all though would be the extremely loud music, me and my boyfriend were literally shouting at each other the entire evening.

It was our second time here and this visit was quite the let down. First we were not informed about the kitchen closing 20 minutes after we had sat down and ordered our drinks, so when we tried to leave, we couldn't because our drinks order had already been processed - you can understand the cry when your stomach is eating itself.<br/>In dire need for burritos we were told that we couldn't have them because the kitchen had run out of beans😑. I then ordered the fish taco which the menu and our waitress failed to state that the fish would come as a ceviche. Luckily, my cry was heard and they swapped it for the beer battered fish taco which unfortunately had me reaching for the salt grinder.😖 <br/>On a lighter note, I tasted their pork belly taco which was quite good. <br/><br/>I don't want to hate this place, great vibe in the evenings (which I recommend you make a booking for) just a bad experience will keep me away for a while.

Really delicious food and an awesome vibe. I've had the pork belly tacos and the pulled pork tacos, and they were both really delicious! The ice teas that are available are also insanely good. Anyone who likes Mexican food should give this place a try!

Cheese nachos are so good! Really enjoyed my first ever burrito and the jalapeño poppers were tasty too. Expect to wait a long time for your food if you're in a large group, so don't arrive starving. Also if u do not wave down a waitress don't expect to be served anything to drink.

Very cool Mexican American vibe. The food was great too. Best for a good evening with friends, some drinks and tacos. 🌮 I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Amazing vibe on a Saturday evening... Booking essential - otherwise expect to be lost in the crowd or standing the entire evening... Had the nachos to start- they were fantastic and a comfortable large portion to share... The pulled chicken taco seemed to be the winner within our circle of friends... Good flavours and fresh ingredients... The Corona margarita is excellent and a winner in my opinion...

I have eaten at other mexican places before...and this is the new kid on the block, so I thought I would give it a chance. <br/><br/>The restaurant, although small is very cosy and beautiful. The couches and finishings are gorgeous. The crockery is my favourite and I loved that the chefs were cooking right in front of you.<br/><br/>The service was quick and efficient and the waitress was very friendly. The beers were good as well.<br/><br/>We started off by odering some jalapeño poppers and some home made nacho chips that came with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole.<br/><br/>The sour cream is not normal sour cream, I think they blend normal cream and lemon juice...which is odd...but not bad. The jalapeño poppers were very nice. They were spicy and full of cheese, but I think that using pickled jalapenos rather than fresh ones would be better. The batter wasn't bad but it did go soggy once the poppers were left to cool down. <br/><br/>The home made nacho chips were also nice. A bit oily and needed seasoning, but not bad. My favourite was the pico de gallo. The chilies used in there really lifted everything . The guacamole could have also used some seasoning.<br/><br/>For mains we had the beer battered fish soft shell tacos and the chicken nachos. The soft shell tacos were ok. I think there could have been more fillings in it and the fish could have been seasoned. Two small pieces of fish and some cheese isn't really that interesting. It may have been saved by the pico de gallo and sour cream etc. <br/><br/>The nachos were generous in size and for the most part were really delicious. The chicken was extremely sweet though and didn't suit the dish at all. It was as if the chicken was just cooked in jam. A bit nauseating.<br/><br/>Over all I don't really know if I would go back any time soon as I would rather stay home and make great Mexican food than go out and eat mediocre Mexican food.

This is not your usually kitschy Mexican spot. The decor is dark and cool, but really vibey. We started the evening with the chilli poppers. We were warned that they were a little on the spicy side but thought we'd chance it. Should've listened to the waitress! I ate the batter off the outside but actually couldn't deal with the chilli. The batter was delicious though. For mains I had the chicken burrito. It was tasty but I was a little disappointed as it wasn't what I expected. It was loaded with pulled chicken (the menu wasn't clear on that, and it's a fad I am a little over, same goes for pulled pork) and the bbq sauce it was cooked in overpowered the dish and had no Mexican flavour to it. The menu also said it had refried beans as one of the ingredients. All I got was a few butter beans scattered throughout. For dessert we shared churros. Really generous portion and they were so good, but one or two were little undercooked on the inside. The frozen margaritas were good and our waitress was really pleasant. Will definitely make another visit to give some other menu items a try.

This Mexican restaurant is next to Hell's Kitchen (two "sister" restaurants run by the same people). The decor is edgy and cool and I absolutely love the skull logo everywhere. We had an incredible waitress, Marika, who talked us through the entire menu (drinks and food) since it was our first time in a proper Mexican restaurant. She was friendly and attentive and this review score is as much for her as it is for La Santa Muerte. I had the pulled beef tacos and my husband had the pulled chicken nachos. Portions are huge and you will definitely not be leaving the restaurant hungry! For dessert we shared the churros and it was amazing. I had churros in Madrid, Spain at a place famous for churros, and I would say LSM's is definitely comparable. As a side to the churros they give you a delicious pale custard which I later found out was made with the Hell Fire cinnamon-laced whisky from next door. It's been more than a week since we've eaten here and I still think about those churros and the Hell Fire custard... Highly, highly recommended.

My first experience was sad when I ordered a veg burrito and bit into a chicken burrito which set me back but they provided me with a plate of nachos. The senior waitress is very attentive and interested in the customer. The space is quite dark and can be overwhelming but good fresh food is on the menu.

Sunday night dinner with the crew - the food was absolutely insane. Loved the corona but that house craft beer, I still don't know how I feel about it. Feel that beer has to pick a side.

Great spot on the melville strip. Experience overall was really good. A couple criticisms though. The entrance is really confusing, just sitting inside, saw a lot of people struggle to find the entrance (need more signage). The steak in my tacos was tasty however a little underdone. All in all good portions, good vibe, comfortable setting, welcoming management.

I LOVE Mexican food and having tried most places around joburg La Santa was a must. I tried to book there in May for a birthday (18) people and I was turned away because "the staff can't deal with such large tables"- I think that is quite problematic and restaurants should not really turn customers away. Anyways because I am optimistic I tried again and visited it with 6 friends last week. Cool decor, awesome music and friendly staff. I enjoyed the food but being so close to cafe Mexicho which has been In Melville for years I expected something way better/different. The frozen margarita was too strong for my liking. The poppers were waaaaay too spicy to enjoy but the empanadas were delicious. I had the nachos for mains which was good and a massive portion for a reasonable price. All my friends had tacos and really enjoyed it. The churros were delicious - the chocolate sauce was a bit watered down I would say. All in all we had a fantastic night, enjoyed the vibe and left with happy and full tummies. If it was the only Mexican place in Melville I would say it is tops but unfortunately would always competed it to cafe Mexicho down the road.

Our Melvillian mates took us for dinner here. They told us it's often hard to get a booking at La Santa Muerte. We had a great night. It's a really cool, hip, happening spot and the promise of tequila and tacos is always exciting! Sadly, the tacos were not good. The pulled chicken along with the pork tasted more like sweet barbecue, quite devoid of Mexican flavour. The nachos were not all they were cracked up to be either and the ceviche salad was dresses with a thousand islands type dressing...huh? The poppers and empanadas were great with crisp batter and lovely light pastry. So the food wasn't all a disappointment. I'd probably go again but more for the vibe than the food and definitely not for the frozen margarita jug with upside down corona, it was poorly mixed.

So here we are, been looking forward to this restaurant for a while. I love Mexican food and have a good idea of how this should go down. <br/><br/>After reading all the reviews on Zomato I started with some depredation as it was a mix of good and bad. <br/><br/>I've been to Hell's Kitchen several time so I have a good idea that we can expect some of the same awesomeness. <br/><br/>My first impression was pretty positive, we can relate to the decor and staff, it is very alternative and most of the staff were tattooed and funky- they made us feel right at home. It was great to see the chefs working in an open kitchen. It makes you feel part of the whole experience. <br/><br/>We started off with a pomegranate cider- way too tasty to stick to only one. <br/><br/>We looked at the menu and I thought that I was the only one who could not read the tiny letters on it, thank goodness I wasn't. Everyone one had trouble reading the menu, the lettering, fonts and poor lighting made it difficult to make sense of it. <br/><br/>I ordered the Empanadas - sweet potatoes, tequila soaked mushrooms , served with sour cream. Must say, very tasty and perfectly seasoned an awesome starter. <br/><br/>For mains I ordered the Pulled Pork soft shell tacos- it was very tasty and well seasoned, I found it to be a bit cold. It was served with roasted habanero & pineapple salsa and an Adobo guacamole which was also spicy and hot was very impressive and perfectly spicy - thank goodness I ordered a medium heat guacamole and not the spiciest option. <br/><br/>I mentioned that the tacos was cold but everyone who ordered the tacos were cold, some people even said that it was ice cold- the taste definitely gets compromise if the food is cold. It could be that such a small kitchen can't cope with big tables. <br/><br/>I sampled the pork nachos and I must say I'll rather have it next time than the tacos the maple syrup and citrus really lifted the dish. It was accompanied with sour cream, guacamole and salsa, all very well balanced and complimenting the entire dish. It's the way I'll make nachos myself- so that's a winner. <br/><br/>If you like craft beer the try their Lager- very smooth and goes well with all the spicy food. <br/><br/>I also had a Chavela - beer, tomato juice, hot sauce, lemon and ice, it sure is different and you need some hair on your chest for this one. It's like a Bloody Mary but not on steroids- try it if your brave. <br/><br/>I truly don't think I'll rush back this week for more la Santa Muerto, but if I'm in the area and mood for Mexican food I'll come visit the very friendly staff. <br/>

Wow....Mexican devine!!!<br/><br/>The pomegranate craft beer was delicious, and the nachos was finger licking good...<br/><br/>And don't forget to try the Hellfire whiskey...am must, a delight, a tradition not to miss...<br/><br/>Love this spot!!!

What a great idea to have La Santa right next door to Hell's Kitchen.We always come here from  next door. I love the fish taco, the jalapeno poppers  and  the churros/chilli chocolate sauce.  The service is always good.<br/><br/>Beautiful decor.

Really enjoyed this spot. Food was great. Service was awesome. The place was fully booked but the staff made a plan. Would definitely recommend to someone wanting to grab some Mexican food

Worst restaurant i've been in joburg<br/>1. I booked for my friend's birthday and they didn't advise it was tacos' day - half of the menu was not available<br/>2. The restaurant was freezing. They didn't bothered to even turn on the air conditioning when we complained<br/>3. We waited one our and a half for the food. The tacos were cold when they arrived. <br/>All in all, awful experience and very mediocre food

Must tries: The empanada's, they are amazing! The jelapino poppers! And the sangria, yum! I pretty much liked everything about this place - great food, good service, awesome decor.

So my husband's best mates favourite food is Mexican and since discovering Santa Muerte we have been 3 or 4 times in a big group and just 4 of us .. We have had a great time, great value for money with an awesome vibe ! Have always had the tacos, the soft ones with pork and each time they have been moreish ! The tacos are huge and really, really good .. Not a huge selection of beers and a couple of unusual cocktails.. Our waitress was friendly and efficient but I agree with previous reviews in that there appear not to be enough waitresses (I think there were 2 one time & both were very busy) although to be fair this has never impacted our service. Really great spot and I'm sure we will be back again and again and again ....

I went to La Santa Muerte last Sunday as part of a group of 7 people. While the restaurant was fairly busy, it was by no means packed. <br/> <br/>When we arrived there was only one waitress dealing with the whole restaurant (one waitress stepped in to help her much later on), this was presumably the cause of the serious delays that we encountered. It took over an hour for us to receive a bottle of wine that we ordered when we arrived and more than 30 minutes for the coffees that we ordered. We waited for well over an hour for our food and at some point resorted to bringing our own food far the service bar to our table as it was getting cold waiting for the waitress to bring it to the table.<br/> <br/>We all ordered the tacos and found them to taste too sweet, like they had been basted too heavily or something along those lines.<br/> <br/>All round it was really not a decent experience, I wouldn't recommend it. <br/> <br/> <br/>

What a fantastic eating pleasure!!! Love the decor!<br/>The tacos are AWESOME and with such a wonderful variety! Definitely going back!<br/>Thank you

I wouldn't waste my time with this slap dash effort of a restaurant. Waited 45 mins for starters which I could've put together myself. Only one waitress on duty. Food average. Service average. Wallet damaged.

Hells Kitchen was full and then we discovered a new joint right next door. Okay this was Dec 15. <br/>They had hope on Hopkins, that's a yay!!! And remember the nachos were really good, unless I was having too much Gnt's, it was really good. I'll have to try just a few more dishes in order for it to contend to by my second or first highly rated Mexican Restuarant. <br/>But when I went it was a good vibe, drinks and experience.

Without sounding like a chocoholic-alcoholic...the Chilli - Chocolate Churros and Cinnamon-laced "Hell Fire" whiskey may have bagged me as a customer for life! Sipping & nibbling these tantalizing treats in this exceptionally designed venue make it that much more exciting and the main reason I would come back for the rest of the food, which is only "quite good". Service is super slow and the (entirely female) waitron staff seem most eager to serve the male customers...but a great experience nonetheless

We went to the santa muerte in our quest to find good Mexican in jhb. We started with the classic yardstick, shaken margheritas- and they set the tone for the night: unimpressive. They were syrupy sweet and tasted like they were made with lime cordial and tequila served over ice in a highball. We had chilli poppers crispy tortillas and the sweet potato empanadas to start. All was good and fresh- but somehow managed to be rich and oily too. We had three different tacos for mains- again the tortilla were light and fresh - but the fillings were over done- the fish ceviche with vanilla was great for the first one but by the time you got to the third it was too much- same with the tequila soaked mushroom option. At first glance everything looked right. But it was kissing the light freshness , and bold flavours I associate with Mexican. in reality we all felt a bit heavy and over oiled at the end of it all. The staff were great, our waitress was friendly and efficient and tried her best to get us a drinkable margherita. Same with the manager. But unfortunately it wasn't enough. Doubt I'll be back quickly

Having enjoyed really good take-always from La Santa Muerte and also a Friday evening with good service and good food, I was extremely disappointed last night. Given that it was Tacos Tuesday where the menu is limited to one dish...tacos and it was a relatively quiet week night the delays with the food were ridiculous. It doesn't help when the temperature of the restaurant is below ambient. The wait feels long when you are cold and hungry. The manager tried to make up for it and we appreciated the churros on the house but it goes to prove you are only ever as good as your last gig in this industry.

Taco Tuesday is awesome <br/>Have for lunch or dinner joined with a margarita la yes please <br/><br/>Prawn beef and pork is my option today way more to chose from. Staff is great and so are the tacos

Not bad, pretty decent Mexican food in the heart of Melville. I liked the decor and the skulls laid out everywhere, cool vibe. The tacos and nachos were good :) I would go back again.

Delicious Churros with chilli chocolate dipping sauce. We only stopped here for dessert. Great vibe and excellent service. We will definitely be back for mains

Having read the reviews on zamoto I felt it worth the vist last night. With high hopes of an amazing meal.....<br/>Well compared to the other Mexican resturants out there the food was bland and service was well when we got some it was service. <br/>So I'm a huge fan of the decor and general vibe I wont be coming here again or recommending it either...<br/>

I haven't even finished my food and I'm writing this: great atmosphere, great waiters, great effing food. I was apprehensive if trying Mexican food but my word it's good. Coming back here very soon!

There was a period where some believed Melville died. This may be true or maybe it was revived. La Santa Muerte or Holy Death rings true to this...<br/>La Santa Muerte forms part of Hell's Kitchen and the simbiosis of these two establishments works well. A concise menu of the mainline Mexican foods, but prepared with some greater effort to produce s tingling taste. Rounded off with stylish decor and great service the only shame is that you better book ahead to avoid disappointment!

The seating inside is a bit grimy but this spot has a certain charm to it. Our waitress was friendly and very helpful. I had a frozen margarita which was not as frozen as another one ordered at the table, so a bit inconsistent there. What is nice is that with your main you can pick one side of salads to go with it. Be warned of the three chill one - very hot. <br/><br/>For mains I had soft tacos with mushrooms cooked in tequila - really liked the uniqueness of it. Also had some nachos which were good. On the table there was also chicken tacos and some starter dishes which everyone enjoyed. <br/><br/>Overall, nice Mexican gem in Melville which offers a different feeling to other Mexican spots in Joburg. Good service and enjoyed the food.

With the slew of Mexican places popping up around Joburg, La Santa Muerte definitely stands out thanks to its grungy cool vibe. The decor is stunning and really creates a nice intimate atmosphere, especially in the evenings.<br/><br/>The jalapeño poppers were good and spicier than most places. The large variety of taco options is nice when you go in a group and get to exchange them to try all the different ones. They come in threes and the fillings are generous. The pulled pork tacos are nice, but a bit on the sweet side. I don't think I could have handled three of them. The pulled chicken was waaay to sweet and I was glad to only have one (which I couldn't finish because it got a bit much). The best of all the tacos we tried was definitely the steak. They pile on the perfectly cooked skirt steak and the chimichurri sauce adds a great flavour. I also came back and tried the nachos on another occasion and the portion is huge! Definitely order to share. The beef on the nachos was average but the cheese and corn were delicious. I also tried the pineapple habanero salsa which was excellent. The other guac option wasn't as great though, would just stick to the classic next time.<br/><br/>The cocktails are a bit overpriced because they are quite tiny and taste mainly like tequila.<br/><br/>Overall a great place to hang out with friends before hitting the rest of the Melville strip.

I booked for my partners birthday at La Santa Muerte. We both adore Mexican and we were very excited to try this new place. First off the drinks selection was awful. Hell's Kitchen is right next door but there is no craft beer available. Our waitress told us we had to go get beer for ourselves. The food took almost two hours to arrive and when it did it was soggy and cold. We were very disappointed, even though the service was very good. The guacamole for our nachos had turned brown (not on purpose) and my taco was inedible. Maybe it was just a bad night. I really don't like giving a bad review but we were all very disappointed.

Last night, we met here for book club. The service was poor (waitress (a) seemed a bit grumpy, (b) mixed up orders without apology and added the extra order to the bill, (c) only offered 5 churros when she clearly said there would be six - one for each person at the table - and then she and the manager together kept implying they would get the extra one while we waited around for it for around 30 minutes. She was also rude when we repeatedly asked if it was coming or not and then eventually pretended she misunderstood when we had repeatedly been clear about what the issue was). Sure, the churro issue was a small one but it was irritating because of the wait and not getting honest answers from them. Unfortunately this issue happened after we paid the tip (>10%). A (very) generous explanation would be that the restaurant was busy at the time. If this is the case, I would suggest employing more waitrons. <br/><br/>The food was also pretty bland (perhaps it needs more salt). The nachos and churros were decent but not the best i've had in JHB. I wouldn't recommend it unless I hear of improvements.

Mexican restaurants are rare and few in between. We therefore had to try this one. <br/><br/>I find the brand weak and not well thought out. <br/><br/>The restaurant was fully booked however, but they made space for us. The waiter is fantastic, probably too honest for the restaurant's good sometimes. <br/><br/>I did not appreciate the same cocktail served in various glasses as it seemed to be a trend throughout the day where there was not enough of everything. Our salt and pepper was also taken from our table for another. <br/><br/>The portions are large, the food - decent but not fantastic. The nachos is big enough to overfeed 2 people. We tried various tacos but only found the pork belly worthwhile. <br/><br/>A good try-out, brand and overall restauranting needs work. <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

Honestly one of the best meals ive had in a very long time the jalapeno popers and pork belly tacos are out of this world and the decor is also very cool

If you love generous portions of delicious Mexican food, incredible service, interesting decor, and proper tequilla, La Santa Meurte is definitely for you. If you are scared of women in tattoos, images of skulls, guacamole, chillies, habanero chillies with pineapple and proper tequila, then you should probably stay at home and watch masterchef while you eat a woolworths pre made meal. (Which is a pretty great option for a Monday night).

Headed to La Santa Muerte for some late afternoon snacks and a drink. <br/><br/>The restaurant was quiet, the service started off well, but ended up being a bit on the slow side. <br/><br/>We ordered the jalapeño poppers, which were good, slightly on the oily side, nevertheless tasty with just enough kick. The portion of nachos is large, not the best I've ever tasted, but I loved the chilli pineapple salsa accompaniment. <br/><br/>I agree with a couple of reviewers here, the margaritas need a bit of work. <br/><br/>I'm glad I tried it, but I won't be rushing back. <br/><br/>

The service here was absolutely shocking! We waited for an hour and kept asking the waitress where our food was. She kept telling us that the kitchen was busy. After an hour of waiting and constant questioning, we were told that it would another 45min with no apology from the manager. I would definitely not come here if you plan on eating anything

Last night we went bar hopping on 7th Street with friends we started by having drinks everywhere and then went to La Santa Muerte, and we were not hungry but decided to have some beer and finger food, we enjoyed their jalapeño popers they were huge with just the right amount of cheese, it didn't taste like it was made a month ago and given to us yesterday it tasted so fresh and it was packed with flavor beer battered and fried to a crispy golden brown served with sour cream, then we decided to have a little more nibbles and chose their nachos beef, accompanied by tomato salsa, pineapple salsa and sour cream not what you would expect a super huge portion way too much for 4 people sharing but sadly not my favorite dish on the menu instead of using beef strips they used beef mince and the mince was cooked to much so it had a different taste to the plate service was OK overall it seems to be a chilled place to grab some Maxician food......

My partner and I were in Melville and unsure on what we felt like eating when we remembered La Santa Muerte had just recently opened. Apparently run by the same people who run Hell's Kitchen (I do stand to be corrected), I was a fan of the interior and look of the venue.<br/><br/>We ordered the pulled pork and mince tacos, along with two margaritas. The margaritas were pleasant enough, but my pulled pork was notcieably sweet. While not quite to my taste, I don't begrudge the effort at flavour. My partner's taco (of which you get three) was quite tasty, and it was fun to choose what salsa and guacamole what you wanted in your taco. <br/><br/>Word for the wise: Order the skirt steak taco. I haven't had the pleasure of trying it but my partner thoroughly enjoyed it upon her second visit days after our first.<br/><br/>Overall, I'd happily go back when the chance presents itself. Certainly better than more well known, slightly more expensive Mexican offerings closer to Sandton.

Bullshit service. The menu shows choices yet the waitress decides your entire meal for you from the heat to the texture, instead of enquiring from the paying customer what they desire.

Will have to pop in again to sample the mains as we arrived just before the kitchen was closing and only one waitress on duty. So can't call it fairly - but still feel my experience was below par and will give it another bash.<br/>Waitress really friendly and knowledgable of menu and drinks etc. Service dipped at the end as they were prepping for the break and waitress was busy with all her things at bar and could've done with another on duty.<br/>We had a quick lunch-stop so just ordered the first three starters and a drink each.<br/>My wife had the frozen margarita which was nice but just tasted of tequila and nothing else, she likes less sweet things so it went down well- I had the craft peach tea which was something else- basically cling peaches pressed with black tea and was sublime!<br/>The starters arrived which were the taco chips, huge triangles deep-fried with sides of salsa, guacamole and sour cream - seems all the starters come with sour cream as a base and was a bit repetitive.<br/>The empanadas were huge but cold in the middle and again sour cream dip- they have great pastry and tasted nice but cold.<br/>Lastly the chilli poppers - were decent, good cheesy filling but overly oily and again with sour cream. Not a huge Tex-mex guy so maybe sour cream is the go-to condiment but would've been nice to see another variant of sorts- <br/>The starters were quite big portions so we didn't bother getting empanadas heated again so we took quite a bit home to have later and got a pineapple salsa to go as an extra- and it was fresh and tasty but way too much chilli!<br/>Will def go back to sample the main courses which had good variety and sounded awesome- we just picked a poor time to go and wasn't their best in terms of the great reviews I've been seeing but will go again for a fair reflection.

Something new in Melville! Cool vibe and interior. Waitress are great and friendly. Margaritas need a bit more work. Food is good but make sure you order as soon as you sit down. It takes awhile.

Husband and I went here for an impromptu Sunday snack. We had the ceviche and porkbelly soft shell tacos with the classic guac and the pineapple and habanero salsa. The tacos is around R80 for 3, with very generous helpings of meat and other ingredients and more than enough guac and salsa. They were so freakin delicious. The ceviche was a first for us and it was surprisingly nice. The frozen margaritas are amazing as well. Really looking forward to trying their other dishes.

Went here for Sunday lunch. We had the nachos and fish tacos. I found the nachos to be rather bland and lacking with toppings and flavour, it really was just a big bowl of chips. I have made better nachos at home. Fish tacos was also lacking in flavour. Service was slow. Overall I was disappointed, we won't be going back.

Loved this place last week, great food, great vibe, which is why we went back. Unfortunately this week the waitress was on another planet, she got our orders wrong and kept us waiting whilst she was chatting some guy up at the bar! Also failed to mention when the kitchen was closing, epic fail, which is why we never got to try any churros! But the company was great and the menu is fantastic.

I love the decor, black pressed celings, parquet floors, an ornate antique bar and lovely light fittings. The music they play is all rock which was a great departure from most restaurant background music. The food is okay, I found it a bit bland - it needed lots of salt. The service wasn't too bad. Its a convenient spot to have dinner at before a few drinks at Hell's Kitchen.

Best nachos in town but the margaritas don't beat those you get at Cafe Mexicho. Like at Hell's the vibe is good and the food is delicious. We were a big birthday table but the chef's managed to get all the food out at the same time. Their sangrias are also very good although not very fruity.

If vibe and decor were all you ranked a restaurant on, these guys would be high up there. Sadly we came here to eat, and the food was a huge disappointment. Dishes came out without the sauce, the sour cream arrived curdled (!!!), the salsa side for the tacos was measly, and the empanadas were literally tasteless. To top it off, we all woke up the next day with the runs. Not ideal.

Awesome place! Great drink selection, great food selection. Food portions are very reasonable for the price one pays. Overall, a very cool place! Will def be back!

Ate here last night after a heavy weekend of touring. The food was exceptional. I had the pulled pork nachos and they where by far the best nachos I have ever had In my life. Everything was fresh and good my mind and taste buds exploded. Really really great food and vibe was very impressed. Nice one guys!

La Santa Muerte in Melville is great. Vegetarian options are great, and the chef made our food perfectly to order.<br/><br/>The cocktails are great.<br/><br/>The Jalapeño poppers are perfect.<br/><br/>The ambience is also perfect. Not over the top Elvira Street styled Mexican curios, just cool dark colours that give it a very classy feel.<br/><br/>

Reflecting on my dinner at La Santa Muerte. First off, the service was lacking. We waited <br/>quite a while (so obviously ignored by staff) to be helped and shown to our table. However, despite their lack of attentiveness the staff were good natured and friendly. <br/><br/>We were extremely disappointed to hear that they had "run out" of jalapeño poppers, pork and hard shell tacos. On a Wednesday night. We ordered nachos to share, they were lacking in cheese, although the jalapeño guacamole on the side was too delicious! <br/><br/>For mains we had the tacos. The breaded chicken taco was tasty even though it was served cold. <br/><br/>All in all this restaurant has the potential to be something good, especially due to its awesome decor and overall vibe.

La Sante Muerte is a quirky, cute little spot with a great vibe. It's the perfect place to while away the afternoon with some margaritas. Unfortunately, the food was a bit 'meh' for me. The tacos are quite bland and my nachos, while good, had a little something missing. I'm not saying it was awful, it was good, it just didn't wow me! There were also a few items missing from the menu which is always a bit of a pain. That being said, the staff are warm, the music and decor is great and it's a lovely little place to chill. I'm sure that once they've got over their growing pains, their food will catch up to the promise of their beautiful brand.

The place looks great, so we decided to go there for a few drinks. After asking the waitress what she would recommend to be a good tequila to have, she was not able to answer. She eventually brought us a round and it tasted watered down. The entire table about 6 people complained about this. We asked the waitress about this she said she would speak to the owner. She then reported back that they would never do anything like this, and the whole situation was simply dismissed as our fault. We could literally taste the water in these shots. As regular customers to most of the places in the Melville area, we will most certainly not return to La Santa Muerte.

This is the coolest little Mexican place in Johannesburg! I absolutely love their margaritas and the breaded chicken soft tacos are amazing. I have also had the talapia salad and it did not disappoint. Looooove the vibe!!! Al jefe is the bomb!

Great new vibey spot in Mellville where everything seems to be happening. Food was awesome and some points a bit spicy for my palette. Presented in a modern fashion and really tasty. Drinks was a bit warm and the pub area very noise so not good for a quiet night out if that is what you after. Great night out and love the place

We were fortunate enough to attend the opening night. The food was insanely good, the vibe was great and I would totally let Santa Muerte guide me to the afterlife.

I got there on the Friday of the opening, but unfortunately it was fully booked out. So I made sure to book a big table of friends for a dinner before a big night out on a Tuesday before a public holiday.<br/><br/>La Santa Muerte is Hells Kitchen's sister restaurant right next to the very popular Melville bar and it's been coming on for a while now.<br/><br/>The chef, Rayno and the team behind this gem of a Mexican restaurant, pride themselves to be 100% authentic, but still spice it up with amazing combinations. <br/><br/>From nachos, burritos, jalapeño poppers, and soft and hard shell tacos, to your choice of guacamole and salsa to compliment your meal. There is also interesting vegetarian and fish options, as well as pork, beef and chicken.<br/><br/>We feasted like kings at our table, and the sangria was flowing (it's the best sangria in town). And the BEST thing about La Santa Muerte is that it's right next door to Hells, for a real party after dinner.

Phenomenal food. The decor is spectacular, and the vibe really fun. Great, friendly staff and mouthwatering cocktails. I highly recommend this new restaurant to anyone who wants to spice their usual dinner routine up.