Madre in Liverpool

Very nice bar at the docks of Liverpool , very nice atmosphere delicious cocktails and fancy decorations. Recommended at any time.

Enjoyed our time at madre, staff were lovely and helpful. Food was good but found it was a bit overpriced as the portions were quite small

Lovely mexican beautifully spiced and really tasty.

Warmly greeted and seated - staff were lovely. This was quite the wrong choice of food for us entirely BUT the young man who served us couldn't have been more helpful - he tried his very best to help us decide - which we did eventually. Nothing at all wrong with the food - we could see other tables absolutely tucking in and thoroughly enjoying it. We'd never tried this type of food ever ( believe it or not). Just not for us - but please don't walk past - it's worth calling in.

Food was poor, cocktails were very good. Would never go there again for food though - expensive and rubbish doesn't work for me. On the bright side, the guy making the cocktails gave us a massive reduction on the food bill and apologised profusely.

I’m American and wanted to take my British girlfriend out for some nice Mexican food as a bit of a taste of home, and we chose Madre. BIG MISTAKE. This was not a taste of home, it was a disappointing mimicry. What we had: carne asada tacos (£17.50), crab tostadas (£13), and the cochinita pibil (£9.50). We also ordered Jarritos sodas (£4 each) and a mezcalita cocktail (£12) to share. The pibil was drowning in grease, and yet somehow inedibly dry. I had to sip my water to be able to choke it down! We were excited for the crab tostadas, but they immediately let us down. The crab was unpleasant, as if it were straight out of a can, and the cabbage on the tostada was incredibly woody and hard to bite, making the entire dish just sad. We were both not having a good time at this point, but resolved to give the kitchen another chance. We ordered the Tijuana-style carne asada tacos, hoping for something enjoyable. What we got was honestly a bit baffling. First, they served us another table’s fish tacos, which I had to get up and walk back to the bar to return. Then when our tacos did arrive, they were as small and sad as the rest of the food we had eaten. They came with pickled radish slices and pickled jalapenos (the ones that come in the bulk jars, like you’d get on a subway sandwich if you were feeling daring). The jalapeno and radish were by far the strongest flavors in the taco, but even without them the steak was so bland it was somehow overpowered by even the corn tortillas. Portion sizes were quite small, each taco order came with 2 tiny tacos; and even the tostadas were small for paying £13 each. We paid £83 for the whole meal, and left feeling disappointed and still a bit hungry. I wasn’t surprised by the 12% service charge (tipping is an expected thing in the US), but apparently that’s not common in England so heads up. If you’re looking for good Mexican food, this is not the place. Madre is overpriced, underdelivers, and is not worth choosing over any of the other restaurants at Albert Docks - or anywhere for that matter. Tacos can be dressed up fancy, but Madre did it very badly.

Very expensive food and drinks from a very small amount of it. Not worth a trip, unfortunately 🤷🏻

we decided to come due to rave reviews on timeout. We were incredibly disappointed, we ordered 2 sets of tacos a tostada and nachos. The food was pretty bland with no spices you would associate with mexican food: no chili, lime, coriander. Especially for the price at £11 for 2 tacos which are 2 bites each. The service was very slow and underwhelming, we only got served because the bartender saw we were waiting. Fair to say we won’t be returning, the place had potential but the quality of food and service was subpar especially for the price.

Too expensive! The food needed more tortillas, or totopos, or something on the side atleast for those prices like onions and cilantro. The food was good, my mexican wife enjoyed it, but portions are definitely too small to warrant the prices. The service charge of 12.5% is ridiculous, it's not a fancy restaurant it's just a little bar with some cutlery and a barely mexican aesthetic. So an £8 service charge on a few snacks and a couple of drinks is wild. I think they need to add sides to the mains at those prices, nevermind "we recommend 3 per person", that'd be over £100 for a couple, it's just not at that level, sorry.

Really great experience. We chose to have 'madre table's where they choose the menu for you. We weren't disappointed. Jamie our server was very knowledgeable about the ingredients in the dishes. The drinks to accompany we started with a straight margarita which was paired with a juice shot of cucumber, lime, coriander and jalapeno. We also had a very delicious spicy margarita both I would highly recommend

Food was amazing and the service was top notch!

really warm welcome, very comfy seating and each dish was introduced. we did the madre choice and it didn't dissapoint, we were given nachos, belly pork(delish), fish taco, birras, sweet potato, lamb with pistaccio and corn on the cob highly recommend

Tiny portions of food at high prices. I had an antojito with mushroom for £10: it was very small and tasted bitter (10cm diameter). My partner had the chicken tacos, 2 are served in a portion, but they are tiny and tasteless. The service took a long time. The server was friendly. Dog friendly. I wouldn’t recommend

Under no circumstances I’d recommend this place. Service was not good at all. Food was a joke. Charging 10£ for one small, tasteless taco is a joke. And they charge 12.5% for the service. Absolutely not.

Always a good vibe and food. Favourites were the beef taco, the pork skewer, and white fish.

Very dissapointing experience. Our train was cancelled which means we were going to miss our booking. We contacted the restaurant 5 hours prior to our booking to notify them but they still charged us £20. Funnily enough, we ended up arriving in Liverpool in time and would have gone to Madre but not after the charged fee

Food was absolutely attrocious. Ordered the tacos (chicken and steak) and they was a soggy, oily mess, no flavour or authentic mexican vibe to them whatsoever. Chicken wings tasted of the lowest quality wings imaginable, tasted like they was their way out, wouldn't feed to a dog. Only good part of the experience was the server was very polite, other service staff seemed rather pretentious and uptight. Prices were ridiculously high in relation to the portion size and (lack of) quality. Would not eat here again.

We went to Madre Liverpool for first time. We absolutely loved it! Service was excellent , food so good. Nothing to complain about . We will come back definitely !!!

Don't recommend this place. Gives the vibe of a once authentic place that has now been turned into a chain and opted for cheaper and less fresh food options. Drinks were extortionate prices and also the food was bland and expensive (apart from the nachos they were alright). We went on a Saturday and there was only one girl serving the entire upstairs meaning we had very slow service and we waited over an hour for food whilst more recent tables were getting served next to us and we were still waiting. On top of all this there was a service charge already added which we had to remove since our service was so poor so it just put a really negative end on the night. Bit of a shame as it is a nice spot to eat but the food is really poor compared to other Mexican spots we have tried.

The food was ok. Nothing special and for that price, it's not worth it.

I had the pork belly, mushroom tostada and the chicken taco. The portion sizes are very small for the price. The pork belly was very tasty but had a skewer of 4 pieces where one peice was completely fat. The mushroom tostada was tiny, with barely any mushrooms, very unlike the images on instagram that are covered in mushrooms. The flavour was overwhelmingly lime. The chicken taco was fine but not very flavoursome. Overall disappointing - I left feeling hungry after spending £36. The staff were very nice and the atmosphere enjoyable, but I would not come again or recommend.

Really nice food, fantastic service and great cocktails.

Food was good, although it was a bit chilly inside. However, the service charge included in the bill put me off to ever go there again.

Beautiful mexican restaurant with the friendliest staff. Food is amazing and well priced for how tasty and delicious it is! Everything was perfect, mouthwatering birria tacos. Belly Pork was also top quality *chefs kiss* Will definitely be returning!

We had some tacos, a salad and margaritas - the food was delicious. Also the bottle of tempranillo was very good. We had good service up until the end, when we were given completely the wrong bill! (It was about £30 more than we had actually spent - probably a genuine mistake). Also, the bill comes with service already added. We always pay service (unless service/food is appaling) and am pi**ed off when I find the restaurant has already added it. Instead of adding it to the bill **just increase your prices and pay your staff a proper wage.** I would still recommend the restaurant, but just keep an eye on your bill.

We lucked into grabbing a bite here, and we were so happy we did. Food was great, and the cocktail list was impressive. Our bartender Jay was such a huge help in recommending other options for drinks and dinner - he really made our trip amazing. Conveniently located right on the Docks, but easy to miss - don't! It's definitely worth a stop.

Friendly staff and great, authentic mexican food.

Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish! The moment we walked in, we were greeted with such a warm and friendly atmosphere. The food was unreal — fresh, authentic, and full of flavor. The tacos were hands down some of the best I’ve ever had, and the homemade guacamole was next level. Drinks were spot on too (highly recommend the margaritas!). Service was super attentive without being over the top, and you can tell the staff really care about what they do. If you’re craving proper Mexican food, this place is a must. Already counting down the days until we come back!

Second time visiting. I love it.

Really good food, lovely staff, cool vibes

We were the last table, food was not yet thrown on the table, we had not finished eating yet and we asked if we wanted the bill yet. I wanted some more coffee, but that was not possible because the coffee machine had already been cleaned!

My husband and I come to madre a couple times a month (specifically the Liverpool location because of the Cadillac nachos). We’ve been doing this for several years now because we love the food and the speed, quality and service have always been fantastic. Recently, Jamie has gone above and beyond to make sure there’s a reserved table in our name just off conversation we strike up. The hospitality and service level is unmatched and what makes the difference. We will be loyal to madre Liverpool for the foreseeable. Highly recommend everything they have to offer.

Very good food, friendly staff who make you feel at home, great buzz around the place . Nice music and good vibes , would definitely come back 10/10

This place was absolutley stunning. All the food was increddible including the Baja fish tacos, belly pork and prawn tostados. Great atmosphere and friendly serving staff. Will eat here again 100%

Great food and excellent service, even though it was busy. We will definitely return.

Nice food.... small portions expensive really 🫣

Popped along while on a work trip in Liverpool. Had booked via First Table, which made it great value. The staff couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. The duck and carrot was filling and to die for.

Nice gaff food was bland and could feed a small child barely was hungry after everyone was sound though.

Came here for the 50% off tacos offer, a deal which was its saving grace. I had the vegan option, Brussels sprouts, which was pleasant but the shells were stale. The prices are pretty ludicrous- £10+ for two small tacos and £4 for a coke. I doubled up to four tacos and still didn’t leave satisfied! It’s a shame when restaurants don’t price honestly with plant based options. The unit cost of a couple of sprouts is pennies yet it’s priced the same as meat.

I’ve been here many times over the years but recently it has gone drastically downhill. It was so cold in there that we could see our breath. The food was bland and felt that some ingredients such as meat and cheeses had been swapped out for much cheaper alternatives. It seems they put all of their efforts into the new madre in Manchester, while leaving the Liverpool site behind.

Would recommend this place to anyone! We went due to adam richman reviewing this place and when we went we were not disappointed. Brussels sprout taco was to die for even though I wasn't sure about other ingredients. My nephew thoroughly enjoyed his cheese quesadilla and churros with chocolate sauce (I can confirm) beer, cocktails and the child's drink were reasonably priced and delicious. Can't recommend enough!

Amazing food, good selection for my child lovely atmosphere and the staff were really friendly highly recommend

Amazing food!! The tacos are incredible and the nachos cannot be missed. Brilliant friendly and fast service. 10/10!

Madre in Liverpool is a true gem for anyone seeking authentic Mexican food, and our recent visit exceeded all expectations. We booked through First Table, which not only secured us an early dining slot but also gave us an incredible 50% off the bill—a fantastic deal for the quality of food and experience we enjoyed. We opted for “The Selection” at £30 (£15 for us) per person, and it was a brilliant showcase of Madre’s culinary expertise. The variety was impressive, and every dish was executed to perfection. The elote (Mexican street corn) was a standout, charred beautifully and coated with cheese, chilli, and lime, delivering a smoky, tangy kick. The pork belly was melt-in-the-mouth tender with a crispy edge, while the crab tostadas were light, fresh, and packed with flavour. The birria tacos were a real highlight, filled with rich, tender meat and served with a deeply savoury broth for dipping. We also enjoyed chicken wings, which were crispy and coated in a tangy buffalo style sauce, as well as chicken tacos, which were simple yet perfectly balanced. The bone marrow was an indulgent addition to the meal, rich and decadent. To finish, we had the ice cream sandwich—a dessert so delicious that we had to order a second one. It was the perfect sweet conclusion to an unforgettable meal. The cocktails at Madre were exceptional, showcasing authentic Mexican ingredients and featuring high-quality tequila and mezcal. Each drink was vibrant, well-balanced, and a perfect complement to the dishes we enjoyed. The service at Madre was faultless. The team were warm, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. When we chose “The Selection,” they asked about our preferences and spice tolerance, tailoring the dishes to suit us perfectly. Every course was served promptly, and the staff’s knowledge of the menu and drinks was impressive, enhancing the overall experience. Madre is a restaurant that gets everything right—delicious food, excellent service, and a lively, authentic atmosphere. The combination of bold, authentic flavours and attentive service made for a memorable evening. Thanks to First Table, it was incredible value for money as well. We left with full stomachs and big smiles, already planning our next visit. If you’re in Liverpool and craving outstanding Mexican cuisine, Madre is an absolute must-visit. Don’t hesitate—book a table and prepare to be thoroughly impressed.

DO NOT EAT HERE food is frozen and horrible quality.

One of the best Mexican restaurants I’ve visited in a long time! The staff were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations on what to try. The food and cocktails were absolutely delicious, and the pork belly was to die for! Highly recommend this place for an amazing dining experience 🇲🇽

Food, as little as you can find in Mexican food. But don't screw it, an hour and a half for them to bring me 2 measly tacos?

So OVERPRICED for tiny portions - spent £41 on 2 halloumi sticks and some chicken wings - makes me feel sick that I will never get that money back. Will never be coming back, such a shame as myself and my partner were excited to try somewhere new but just awful!! Daylight robbery!!!

Best Tequila joint in Liverpool, and the food is banging too.

Beautiful food, fantastic service and very impressive Mezcal knowledge!

What a pleasant surprise!! The nachos are very tasty. Will definitely return to try other dishes.

Service was nice but the restaurant was freezing and the food really overpriced. Nice margs but food was cold

Came for my boyfriend’s 30th yesterday evening, and we were blown away by the food, drinks and lovely service at Madre! The setting is absolutely stunning and the food is unreal; loads of veggie options and massive portions. We got 5 dishes between us: two lots of tacos, watermelon salad, crispy potatoes, and guacamole with tortilla. We were absolutely stuffed afterwards! Everything was so fresh and came out piping hot. They gave us a free drink for my boyfriend’s birthday, which was so lovely - but the stand out drink had to be the Mezalita, a must try! Thanks for such a lovely evening xxx

great place and excellent service, nice pisco sour, however a tad bit too much coriander everywhere.

The bone marrow was just delicious. It's unusual as well, I have not seen it elsewhere. The pollo asada was very good too, exactly what I was hoping for. Bless Madre for using proper corn tortillas (although they were a bit cold when they reached us). Madre is really worth a visit for a special lunch.

This was a wonderful surprise. We were in the Docks neighborhood and spotted this lovely restaurant. Great tacos and best margaritas in the UK! The staff was very friendly and professional. Will definitely revisit when in Liverpool.

Nice atmosphere, good food, friendly waiters.

My friends and I decided to give this place a go after reading the excellent reviews, and we were really impressed. Cieran (apologies if I spelt your name wrong) gave brilliant advice about the menu, and there were lots of options. We ordered a few different items to share amongst us, as there were a lot of dishes we wanted to try. We loved the cadilac nachos with the slow cooked pork. The tuna and crab tostadas were full of flavour and a nice contrast of textures. We found the chorizo taco too rich, but the carne asada and baja fish tacos were excellent and well presented. Finally, I love a spicy cocktail, and it was music to my ears when I was told they could make any cocktail spicy - my favourite was the spicy Paloma! I'd highly recommend a visit. Thank you Cieran and team for a lovely evening and we hope to come again next time we are in Liverpool.

Literally the best Mexican place I’ve been to outside of Mexico!!!🇲🇽 Apologies I didn’t take any pictures of the food, because we ate it so quickly is was that epic!!!

Probably one of the few restaurants that offer a taste very close to the real thing. Cochinita and birria tacos are the best. The Baja tacos would be just perfect if they wouldn't add mustard (a recommendation from a Mexican)

We ordered the pork belly, papas con cream, birria tacos and the pollo asada tacos. It was all delicious! The pork belly was really crispy but tender, and sweet.

Lime and salt were missing in all the dishes we tried

Pretty expensive for the portion sizes. Enjoyed my experience but one of our group got food poisoning from the chorizo sausages

Great service, food and atmosphere. Would recommend.

We had the crab tostada, chicken tacos and the bone marrow. It was all absolutely delicious

In no way shape or form would I have changed this it was out of this world

For when you want Mexican food while in Liverpool, everything ordered was good. Elote was especially delicious.

Visited as part of the Liverpool Walking Food Tour schedule 29 Sept '24. Well recommended and will aim to come again.

The food was legit (I'm Mexican so I can vouch for it haha) and very tasty. The staff was also lovely and they took really good care of us.

Really nice staff and atmosphere. Food was okay but I don't think it was worth the price. I liked the birria tacos the most, the rest of the tacos were just alright. On a positive note, the tortilla tacos at least tasted like corn like they should. We also ordered "pollo milanesa" and we got some chicken strips that even tho were very tasty, had nothing to do with pollo milanesa, they looked more like Korean style chicken. It would be nice if the owners did some research before putting something on the menu to show some respect to other gastronomy cultures.

We have a fantastic meal at Madre on the docks. We tried quite a lot of the menu and everything was lovely. Huge fans of the birria tacos, pork belly and the vegetarian tacos (grilled cheese and mushroom). Would highly recommend.

Absolute gem of a place in Liverpool. Amazing food and great service. Probably the best food I've ever had at a restaurant in my life. La comida mejor y perfecto 👌

Fantastic food, service was very good. Great if you can sit outside. Lookout for the service charge on the bill. We have been a couple of times and it's well worth a visit. Many thanks JEREMY

If you are a Mexican food fan then you won't be disappointed. Bring your appetite too. Nachos to start nearly finished us off. Sadly only took one pic as was in a food coma after eating. Will be going back, great attentive staff and great value. 👍

WORST MEXICAN FOOD HAVE EVER HAD! Steak tacos were raw and seriously smelt off and nachos were tasteless. Pretty sad when the best thing we ate were the (supposed to be) crispy potatoes... more like roast potatoes. Not sure how you get Mexican food wrong, but ruined our 26th anniversary dinner. Would not recommend. ~~~~~~~~ Replied to owners request for further communication, but no response still 2 weeks later. Seems there is no real desire to seek feedback or improve. Such a shame.

We went to Madre on a Friday evening without any reservations. Staff was friendly enough to accommodate us with a good table when we agreed to have it for the next hour. The food was delicious, margaritas amazing/ they’ve even accomplished to make mine as sour as possible. Overall, I would love to go back again, was a great dinner!

Lovely place, we're seated quite late which seemed no problem. Went with the recommended dishes from the waiter which were all great. Staff were very friendly and the food was good and reasonably priced. Great experience for our first time in Liverpool. Would highly recommend.

The waitress couldn't have been more helpful, clear and accommodating of my allergy requirements. Highly recommend. Food was delicious

Staff are nice, but food is over priced for what you receive. Service is very slow and then they charge you a service fee for 5 items…

The food was really good and the drinks were decent but the price for what you got was bad we only got 2 tacos for the type we ordered. They also charged a 12.4% service fee the order was around £40 which was terrible it was not worth the price.

I love tacos. I don’t know why I’ve never been here before. I mean, I’ve been looking at this place for the last five years.. 🤔 Anyway, finally went in this evening and wow, such tacos. 🌮 Beautiful tacos de birria with perfectly seasoned broth and also superb baja fish tacos. I had two of each. I could have had four of each. Or six. They were that good. I chose restraint and now I have regret. Such is life. Tacos are not just for Tuesday. They are for Monday as well. They may also be for Wednesday. Let’s see. Restaurant itself is smaller inside than expected; brick-ceilinged in the way of the Albert Dock. Historic. Big outside area. I’d sit there if I had friends 😛 Range of things other than tacos, but honestly, all I want is tacos. Yum. Bring me more tacos. The beer was plentiful and it was Modelo. A Mexican classic. Thoroughly recommended. Definitely go here for tacos. If you have friends, bring them along. Get a sharing platter. All so good. Tacos, tacos, tacos…. 🌮🌮🌮

Lovely setting and lovely food.

Had high expectations but unfortunately the food was average at best and the staff were not very friendly or helpful, such a shame! Plus a high service charge automatically added without warning.

Nice garden to sit in, good food, nice music, in short, highly recommended.

We visited Madrid for my fiancés birthday. Started off well got a shot for his birthday but after that the food was coming out cold and distasteful to the point we had to go eat elsewhere after. On top of this it was even hard to get a staff members attention.

I got a plate of burnt cheese with no toppings. No lettuce. No sour cream. No guacamole. I took two bites of it and pushed it away from me. I'm American, so maybe the Mexican food in the UK isn't the same, but this was terrible. The service was good.

Food was lovely,service was normal, 12.5% service charge is very cheeky. Ruined the dining experience for two people.

I went here to have a cocktail, and cocktail only. I’m a pretty reasonable guy. This drink, some whiskey based cocktail, was so bitter and acidic it burned my throat. Currently sat in my hotel with a burning sensation in my mouth. Thanks. Staff were super nice and friendly. Atmosphere was on point. The drink however, absolutely sucked and I’m genuinely in pain.

Everything served was delicious, would certainly visit again and recommend. Attended with a party of 6, ordered the table sharer for £30pp, was certainly enough food!

A mixed bag. Some average dishes and a couple of winners. But nice atmosphere and friendly service

The location is amazing and the food / cocktails were great. Unfortunately, the service was extremely slow from all staff - from being seated, to ordering, to getting the bill, to paying. But, we will be back because the food was lovely and the atmosphere / location.

Advertise food as gluten free but say they can't guarantee it's not cross contaminated. Staff did not understand that celiac disease is an auto immune disorder, they thought it was an allergy. Very scary. I'd advise people with celiac disease to give it a wide birth.

Honestly had better Mexican in regional Australia. And servings were small. Go elsewhere.

The waitress found us and our friends are table outside and was very helpful 🍺 the seating area is very big.

Really enjoyed Madre! We probably ordered a little too much but it was all really tasty. Tuna tostadas were probably the star of the show for me but the tacos were also delicious. We had the monkfish which was really good, so good we scoffed it down before I could take a photo! A great selection of margs too!! Service was fab. Our waitress (didn’t get her name!) was super friendly, very helpful. There was a slight hiccup that she sorted out straight away. Gorgeous interior, great location situated in the beautiful Liverpool docks. I think the only negative was that it was a little bit pricey but it was a lovely experience and will be back!

Great food, but service could have been quicker! However loved the crab tostada & birria tacos, also the fried potatoes were decent.

I do want to lead by saying my server tonight was very nice and this review is not directed at her. This is the third time I’ve come in and the second time I’ve had a negative experience. The first time, I ordered a drink at the bar and got tacos for takeaway- amazing, fast, delicious. The second time I came in and was seated outside (my choice) and ordered my drink. The girl who delivered the drink put her finger on the salt rim of the marg- I get it, that happens, but disappointed that I had to drink the marg from the other side. I sat outside for another 20 minutes and wasn’t checked on at all, had to move inside and try to flag down a waiter three times to ask for a second drink and the bill. The waitress spilled the drink when she put it down & there were no napkins out. Took another 15 minutes to get the bill. Was charged a service fee despite the lack of service I wanted to give it another try tonight because the first experience was so positive - I went in and confirmed I could order my food for takeaway and have a drink as I waited. Had my drink and then was told they couldn’t actually do takeaway. I asked to cancel as I had somewhere to be in 20 minutes and didn’t have the time to sit and eat - so they wasted perfectly good food (they were kind enough not to charge me at least). When I’d asked for the bill, they said my food was ready if I wanted it, which I would have loved but would have been completely late for my event. Not sure if the policy on takeaway has changed in the last few weeks, but it wasn’t a problem before. A bit miffed that I had a second bad experience and because of it will not have eaten today and won’t have a chance to eat until close to midnight. As good as the drinks and food here is, I will not be giving the restaurant aanother chance. I don’t like to write negative reviews but felt the need to warn anyone who’s might be in a similar boat to me

Small portions. The tacos were nothing special; tiny, soggy and you only get two. Nachos looked promising, but were nothing special. Was pricey for 5 of us, despite us having mains that were smaller than your average starter. The only upside was how lovely the staff were. But, do yourself a favour and go to Taco Bell instead.

We went for the "Madres table" option where a curated selection of dishes that our waiter chose for our particular tastes was brought out and everything was excellent. My favourite was the beef chin tacos and my husband's was the fish taco. Our waiter was lovely and we chatted to him for a while, the playlist was great and overall we had a lovely evening, would thoroughly recommend.

Very friendly staff. Tasty food. Dog friendly too.