When the team behind Maya Mexican Grill opened its first location in 2025, the goal was
to compete with national fast-casual Mexican chains without sacrificing quality, freshness, or local soul.
Just months later, that vision became reality. Within six months of opening their first location, Maya Mexican Grill expanded to three locations across New York, serving Elmont (Long Island), the Upper East Side, and Downtown Manhattan.
Their formula wasn’t complicated—but it was intentional: small-scale execution, uncompromising quality, and ingredients prepared fresh every single morning.
🌮 Culinary Specialists, United by One Vision
Maya Mexican Grill is led by a tight-knit ownership team, each focused on what they do best.
Together, they’ve built a system that allows Maya Mexican Grill to grow quickly without losing control of quality or consistency—a challenge many fast-growing restaurants struggle to overcome.
Rather than scaling blindly, the team designed a model that balances speed with precision, ensuring that every new location delivers the same experience, flavor, and reliability that defined the original restaurant.
Fresh, Customizable, and Consistent
While Maya Mexican Grill is often compared to Chipotle, the difference is in the details.
This isn’t mass-produced food. It’s locally sourced, freshly prepped, and thoughtfully designed to be customizable—without cutting corners on quality.
For just $11.99, guests can choose from a robust Create Your Own menu, including:
- Create Your Own Bowl
- Create Your Own Burrito
- Create Your Own Taco
- Create Your Own Nachos
- Create Your Own Quesadilla
- Create Your Own Salad Bowl
- Create Your Own Birria
- Create Your Own Loaded Fries
Each location maintains the same standards, with the Fulton Street location offering the most expansive menu.
Top-performing favorites across all locations include:
- Birria Tacos
- Steak Plates
- Maya Bowl
- Quesadillas
- Burritos
The result is a menu that feels both elevated and accessible—familiar enough for everyday dining, yet distinctive enough to build loyalty and repeat orders.
Designed for Modern Dining Habits
Maya Mexican Grill locations feature smaller seating areas, intentionally designed for today’s customer.
Roughly 50% of orders come from takeout and delivery, making speed, accuracy, and consistency essential to daily operations.
In a city where convenience often determines choice, Maya’s model reflects how people actually eat today—not just how restaurants traditionally operate.
That’s where Sauce comes in.
Expanding quickly can be intimidating—especially when delivery logistics enter the picture.
For Maya Mexican Grill, Sauce removed that fear.
“Sauce lessened the fear when we decided to expand. They manage the drivers and everything that goes with delivery, so we can just focus on great food.”
From menu setup and delivery operations to customer follow-ups, Sauce allowed the Maya team to scale without adding operational stress.
“We just create great dishes—and Sauce does the rest.”
—Renjie Piao, Marketing Manager
By offloading the complexity of delivery and digital ordering, Maya Mexican Grill was able to focus on what matters most: food, consistency, and customer experience.
📍Maya Mexican Grille Locations
Elmont (Long Island)
1629 Dutch Broadway, Elmont, NY 11003
🕙 Mon–Sun: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM
Upper East Side
1586 1st Ave, New York, NY 10028
🕙 Mon–Sun: 10:00 AM – 2:50 AM
Downtown Manhattan (Fulton St)
64 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
🕙 Mon–Sun: 10:00 AM – 2:50 AM
With scaling plans in the works, their secret weapon remains clear: the right systems, the right partners, and an unwavering commitment to quality.
The Secret Sauce
Fresh ingredients.
Clear roles.
Smart systems.
Maya Mexican Grill proves that local restaurants can scale fast without becoming generic—when they prioritize consistency, craftsmanship, and operational clarity alongside growth.
And with Sauce powering their delivery and digital infrastructure, Maya Mexican Grill is positioned to keep expanding—without losing the flavor that made them stand out in the first place.
By Eileen Strauss
