The restaurant’s second-floor speakeasy turns heads with the row of skulls that lines the wall. Photo courtesy of Agave Maria
New restaurant brings the flavor (and fun) of Mexico to Belleville, N.J.
Some of us visit restaurants for more than just to please the taste buds.
Maybe it’s to enjoy the comfort of a cuisine we know so well, to expand our palate and ignite curiosity, or — quite frankly — to simply feel full again after being really hungry. But there’s a new wave of restaurants that are going beyond the ordinary into an immersive, all-five-senses experience. And Belleville’s Agave Maria is at the forefront.
Go on a Friday or Saturday night, and it won’t take long for you to get the full picture. Walking through the doors into the first-floor space is an instant teleportation to Mexico City, as deep blue walls studded with 3D agave plant creations mingle with bright-orange booths packed with dancing patrons. A break from the bumping music awaits upstairs, so you head up to the second floor, where the host allows you to pass through a mirrored door and into the speakeasy. A wall of skulls greets you as you make your way to the bar and take a sip from a skeletal cup shrouded in dry ice.
Let the sensorial fun begin.
“When we open the door to the second floor and see people be wowed when they open the mirror, it’s a sensation that never goes away,” said Josh Mejia, Agave Maria’s general manager. “That makes me think we’re doing a good job, giving people the experience that they want.”
The contramar is marinated in citrus juices to add a creative twist to a popular dish from the south of Mexico. Photo courtesy of Agave Maria
The restaurant may have only opened a few months ago in January 2023, but owner Keith McKeon and his staff have made good on their mission to bring next-level Mexican flavor to Belleville so far. Beyond the Mexico City-esque energy on the first floor and Medieval Mexico vibes on the second, there’s also a rooftop that conjures up the coastal lifestyle of Tulum, with bamboo poles, water aesthetics, vibrant tiling, large mirrors and weaver baskets. Here, keen-eyed guests will also notice a familiar face of Mexican cinema, for which the restaurant gets its name.
“We planned the whole restaurant around Maria Felix,” McKeon said. “We brought in a local Brooklyn artist, Eric Huetek, who painted the mural outside, and he also depicted a lot of Maria Felix inside. There’s a full portrait of her on the back wall, and we’re also going to be adding on the rooftop other smaller portraits of her, too.”
Agave Maria’s selection of tacos includes al pastor, camarón (shrimp), chicken tinga, carne asada and fish. Photo courtesy of Agave Maria
The celebration of Mexican culture translates to the food as well. Sous chef Enrique Munez has assembled a menu that mixes seasonal dishes with core staples, using ingredients sourced from local, Mexican vendors. Fan favorites include the aguachile — the Mexican version of ceviche — made with white wine, serrano peppers, jalapeño peppers and cilantro, as well as the contramar, a whole red snapper marinated with orange juice, grapefruit juice and six types of chilis then double fried. Mejia is most proud of their mole, which takes more than 8 hours to make and involves over 35 ingredients.
“We make it in the kitchen every single day, and its ingredients you wouldn’t normally think go together, like animal crackers, three types of peanuts, Mexican dark chocolate, star anise, cinnamon, beef stock that we make in-house,” he said. “All of these ingredients come together and make this very, very flavorful chocolate paste.” Mejia added that pairing the mole with chicken wings has been a huge hit with guests.
Then, there’s the drinks. Beverage Director Lou Narvaez has crafted a list that complements everything being made in the kitchen — with a showstopping twist. Almost every cocktail comes with an over-the-top presentation, from dry ice to edible flowers to extravagant containers. The signature drink in the speakeasy, dubbed The Lost Spirit, combines all three elements with a gold-plated basket that’s practically begging to be posted on TikTok.
But don’t forget about that fire show on the first floor, either.
“The flare bartender will be spinning bottles in the air; he’ll be spinning them on his wrist, his arm, and he’ll blow fire from the bottles — all in a controlled environment behind the bar,” McKeon said. The fire show is currently available on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you visit the speakeasy, order a Tia Maria, which pays tribute to the legendary movie star, Maria Felix. Photo courtesy of Agave Maria
For those who want to explore more of the restaurant’s cocktail selection behind the scenes, check out the Agave Club, a bi-weekly class that pairs three to five themed cocktails with small bites. Tequila brand representatives are also brought in to educate participants on how the tequila is made, stored and aged. Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased under the “Reserve” tab on the website: agavemarianj.com.
The restaurant also allows reservations for bachelor and bachelorette parties, wedding parties, engagement parties and birthdays. People can book out the speakeasy entirely or the rooftop, too. Regardless of the reason you come, Mejia hopes that you don’t just think of it as a bunch of smoke and mirrors.
“We want people to see the smoke, but we also want people to see the freshness of the food, the packaging, the plating,” Mejia explained. “We want people to be happy from the moment they get to the table until they leave.”
When you visit this colorful slice of Mexico, don’t forget you can only find it… Just in Jersey.
Address: Agave Maria is located at 170 Washington Ave., Belleville, N.J. 07109.
