Southaven, Mississippi, may not be the first city that comes to mind for bold, fresh Mexican food — but one locally owned gem has been quietly rewriting that narrative since 201. 🌮
Maria’s Cantina on Airways Boulevard is the kind of place where the food is unexpected, the margaritas are legendary, and every visit feels like a celebration.
This isn’t your average Tex-Mex chain — it’s something entirely its own.
How Maria’s Cantina Won Southaven’s Hearts
What started as a couple of friends who got tired of doing things someone else’s way became one of the most beloved locally owned Mexican restaurants in Mississippi. 🎉
Maria’s Cantina was founded in 2010 with a bold philosophy: Mexican food with a twist — not strictly traditional, not strictly authentic, but always, always delicious.
The founders leaned into the unconventional, building a from-scratch kitchen that blended Latin flavors with Southern comfort staples, Cajun flair, and a creative menu that dared to be different in a region that already loves its food deeply.
From crawfish empanadas to Dos XX beer-battered shrimp tacos, the menu was designed to surprise and delight — and Southaven diners responded with open arms 🙌.
Word spread fast through DeSoto County and beyond, particularly about the restaurant’s mason-jar margaritas, which became locally famous — or, as they put it, locally infamous.
The family-owned and operated business cultivated a tight-knit community of regulars who kept coming back, not just for the food but for the genuine warmth of the place.
The combination of a creative, diverse menu, spirited atmosphere, and a kitchen that cooks everything fresh has made Maria’s Cantina a staple of the Southaven dining scene that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
That kind of organic, passionate word-of-mouth — earned through years of consistency and creativity — is exactly why Maria’s Cantina has become the go-to destination for anyone craving authentic flavor with a Southern soul. 🌶️
Food Highlights
- El Diablo “Roasted Habanero Chicken”: Chicken marinated and roasted in habanero — available across multiple preparations, including quesadillas, enchiladas, and dirty rice bowls. 🔥
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Dos XX Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos: Crispy shrimp fried in a Dos Equis beer batter, served as tacos. 🍺🍤
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Tequila-Lime Chicken Quesadilla: Grilled tequila-marinated chicken tucked inside a grilled tortilla, served with lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream.
- Taco Burger: One of Maria’s iconic 8 oz “Hamburger Gigantes” — a brilliant mashup of a classic burger and taco flavors, dressed with mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato, and served with house fries or tortilla chips. 🌮🍔
- Dirty Rice Bowl: Your choice of meat — from tequila-lime chicken to Latin-grilled shrimp — served over Mexican dirty rice with grilled vegetables, corn salsa, Latin slaw, and chipotle sauce. 🍚
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Maria’s Spicy Crawfish Empanadas: A Louisiana-meets-Latin mashup — spicy crawfish filling baked inside a golden empanada shell, representing the Southern-fusion creativity that makes this restaurant unlike any other in the region. 🦞
- Chimichangas: A crispy flour tortilla stuffed with your choice of meat, cheese, sour cream, and salsa verde, served with black beans, cilantro lime rice, pico de gallo, lettuce, and guacamole on request. 🌯
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Churro Ice Cream Sundae: A warm, cinnamon-sugar churro served alongside cool ice cream — the perfect sweet finish to a meal packed with big, bold flavors.🍦
Atmosphere
Maria’s Cantina delivers a warm, festive, and eclectic vibe that feels equal parts neighborhood bar and lively Latin dining room, complete with several TVs for catching the big game 📺.
The space is clean, colorful, and comfortable, making it ideal for everything from casual family dinners to a lively night out with friends over rounds of their signature mason-jar margaritas.
The energy inside is genuinely infectious — the kind of place where strangers end up chatting across the table and locals linger long after their plates are cleared.
It’s kid-friendly, sports-friendly, and community-rooted — a gathering place as much as a restaurant 🧡.
Bottom Line
Maria’s Cantina is Southaven’s most creative, community-loved Mexican restaurant.
Fresh ingredients, Southern-fusion twists, legendary margaritas, an adventurous menu, and a welcoming family-owned spirit make it an absolute must-visit for locals and travelers alike. 🌮🍹
Address:
6717 Airways Blvd Ste 102, Southaven, MS 38671
📞 (662) 772-5926
🕔 Open Tues – Thurs & Sun 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM | Fri – Sun 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM