Macayo's Mexican Food Introduce
For over seven decades, Macayo's Mexican Food has been an essential part of the culinary landscape in Arizona, establishing itself as a beloved local tradition. The Ahwatukee location in Phoenix, situated conveniently on South 48th Street, continues this legacy, offering a genuine taste of Southwestern Mexican cuisine delivered with warm hospitality. More than just a local restaurant, Macayo's represents a piece of Arizona history; a history that includes its founder, Woody Johnson, creating the now-iconic dish: the chimichanga, back in 1946.
Macayo's provides a comfortable, casual, and family-friendly dining experience, perfect for lunch, dinner, or a quick bite. Their menu is built on signature family recipes that have delighted generations of Arizona residents. While the savory, deep-fried chimichanga remains a centerpiece—whether in its original size or as the popular Mini Chimichangas—the menu features a wide array of classic Mexican and Latin American comfort foods, including flavorful enchiladas, tamale dinners, and fresh, crispy tacos.
Beyond the delicious food, this location is also known as an excellent bar destination, offering an extensive selection of beers, cocktails, and wines. Their daily happy hour specials are a significant draw, making it a favorite neighborhood spot for social gatherings and after-work drinks. The combination of historical tradition, quality comfort food, and a welcoming, fully accessible setting ensures Macayo's Mexican Food remains a trusted go-to choice in the Phoenix area.
The Macayo's Mexican Food location is perfectly situated in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix, easily accessible to residents throughout South Phoenix, Chandler, and the surrounding communities near South Mountain. Its location provides both convenience for local patrons and easy access from major roadways.
The full address is:
12637 S 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85044, USA
The restaurant has made a comprehensive effort to ensure comfort and ease of access for all guests, offering the following amenities:
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Parking for all visitors is convenient and complimentary, reducing the hassle of finding a spot:
- Free parking lot available
- Free street parking options
Macayo's Mexican Food is dedicated to providing flexible service options to meet the needs of its diverse clientele, whether you're looking for a leisurely meal or a convenient meal at home. The service model focuses on traditional table service mixed with modern carryout and delivery options.
Available services include:
- Dine-in: Full table service is provided in a casual, cozy, and quiet setting with dedicated seating options.
- Outdoor Seating: Guests can enjoy their meal and the pleasant Arizona weather on the restaurant's outdoor patio area.
- Takeout: Convenient service for placing orders and picking up meals to enjoy at home or on the go.
- Delivery and No-contact Delivery: Partnering with popular services to bring meals directly to customers, with options for secure, no-contact drop-off.
- Curbside Pickup: An efficient option that allows customers to have their order brought directly to their vehicle.
- Catering: Offering full-service catering to make any group event, party, or business gathering a success with traditional Mexican fare.
- Reservations Accepted: Guests planning to dine with larger groups or during peak hours can call ahead to reserve a table.
- Payment Options: The restaurant accepts Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and NFC Mobile Payments for quick and easy transactions.
Macayo's Mexican Food is celebrated throughout the Valley of the Sun for several distinguishing features that enhance the dining experience. These highlights solidify its reputation as a beloved local establishment:
- Home of the Chimichanga: This location is part of the original Macayo's family of restaurants, founded by Woody Johnson, who is widely credited with inventing the chimichanga in 1946. You can’t get a more authentic experience with this Arizona specialty than here, particularly with popular items like the Chimi Grande and Mini Chimichangas.
- Exceptional Happy Hour: The bar area offers one of the best happy hour deals in the area, featuring both happy hour drinks (Margarita de Macayo, well cocktails, beer, hard liquor) and happy hour food (Cheese Crisps, Green Corn Tamale Bites, Street Tacos). This special is offered daily, including a late-night option.
- Full-Service Bar and Great Drink Selection: With a bar located onsite, Macayo's boasts a great selection of beers, impressive handcrafted cocktails, hard liquor, and wine, ensuring the perfect pairing for any meal.
- Inclusive Menu Offerings: The menu is consciously designed to cater to various dietary preferences, featuring clearly designated Vegan options and Vegetarian options, including Veggie Enchiladas and Veggie Tacos, as well as plenty of comfort food and quick bite choices.
- Family and Group Friendly: The restaurant is explicitly labeled as family-friendly, group-friendly, and offers amenities like high chairs and a dedicated Kids' Menu, ensuring a comfortable visit for all ages.
- Fast Service: Patrons frequently highlight the fast and attentive service, making it an excellent option for business lunches or when dining solo and needing to get back on schedule quickly.
- Serves Local Specialty: The Macayo’s chain uses and celebrates locally sourced ingredients, including farm-fresh chiles blended into their signature recipes, ensuring a true taste of Arizona's culinary heritage.
To place a takeout order, inquire about catering services, or make a reservation for a special occasion, you can contact the Macayo's Mexican Food Ahwatukee location using the information below. It is always recommended to call ahead for current hours and to confirm details, particularly for large groups or specific menu questions.
Address: 12637 S 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85044, USA
Primary Phone: (480) 598-5101
Mobile Phone: +1 480-598-5101
The restaurant is generally open daily, with dedicated lunch and dinner services, and happy hour specials available throughout the week (bar and patio only).
Macayo's Mexican Food on South 48th Street is worth choosing because it delivers an unparalleled combination of Arizona heritage, high-quality comfort food, and exceptional social value. For those who value tradition, dining here means experiencing a piece of local history and tasting the original chimichanga where it was first created.
The expansive menu and accommodating services ensure that everyone finds something to love. Whether you are a local who craves the consistent perfection of their fresh tortilla chips and spicy salsa, a tourist wanting to try an authentic Arizona specialty, or someone with specific dietary needs looking for reliable vegan and vegetarian options, Macayo's is prepared to exceed expectations. The ability to cater to diverse groups—from families with young children to happy hour patrons seeking great cocktails and late-night food—makes it a highly versatile and reliable dining choice.
Choosing Macayo's means choosing a place that prioritizes a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and professional service. The generous amenities, including easy accessibility, free parking, and both indoor and outdoor seating, remove any logistical obstacles. Ultimately, if you are looking for consistently delicious, traditional Mexican cuisine with the kind of history and atmosphere that only a true Arizona institution can offer, Macayo's Mexican Food in Ahwatukee is the definitive choice for your next meal.
Macayo's Mexican Food Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Curbside pickup
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Late-night food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Catering
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Tourists
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
- Kids' menu
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- Parking
Macayo's Mexican Food Photos










Macayo's Mexican Food Location
Macayo's Mexican Food
12637 S 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85044, USA
Macayo's Mexican Food Reviews
margaritasbartenderchimichangahappy hourcheese crispshredded beefflightspinachcorn tamalessocial distancing
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This place has the best chimichangas-flavorful, and absolutely satisfying. You won’t be disappointed! The fresh tortilla chips and spicy salsa are the perfect start to the meal. The Enchiladas Trio is also a great choice if you want to sample different flavors. We love coming here—consistently delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere.
May 10 · Minty FreshI went for dinner with my dad. This had been our go to place since it opened many years ago. I ordered the Baja shrimp enchiladas and they were pretty good the rice though was not edible hard and dry. Our waiter was excellent and attentive. We were their around 4pm and in the bar area. Other then that it was very nice atmosphere was good. Miss the Mexican music they use to have is there anyway to bring that back ? Other then that everything was good
October 03 · HeatherWe were recommended this place by someone who lives in another state. We loved the food, and the Happy Hour prices were great! Nachos were actually layered properly, and the chips were definitely home made and fresh. One less star only because the service was slow. I think they need to higher more people....
September 20 · Shelly ElliottWent for Margarita Day. They were extremely busy. There was not enough assistance on the bar side. The bartender did his best but we were neglected several times. I ordered a drink (margarita with a beer), I was told there were no more clips to hold the beer so I would have to hold it in my drink myself. All the while beer is overflowing out of my glass. 🤦🏽♀️
March 09 · R LenCame here to grab some tamales, my mistake coming late in the day hence the tamales were extremely dry and flavorlessThe plate itself was at least 3 times hotter than any of the food on the plateOver all I think if you come early the food is better but today at 8 pm on a Wednesday it wasn't the best option
August 27 · Jose Palomo
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