Ay! Mamá Taqueria is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, bringing a family-owned Mexican concept with ties to a burrito once described by diners as the “best burrito in Maryland and DC.”
The restaurant has opened in the former Falafel Inc space next to Chick-fil-A. Ay! Mamá previously operated at Solaire Social in downtown Silver Spring, where the stall originally opened under the J&J Mex-Taqueria name before becoming Ay! Mamá.
J&J Mex-Taqueria first opened in Washington, D.C., about a decade ago and later expanded to additional locations. During its time at Solaire Social, diners described the J&J Supreme burrito as the “best burrito in Maryland and DC,” a distinction that was also echoed by fellow vendors at the food hall. Our very own Mr. MoCo previously tried the Supreme burrito there, saying, “I haven’t had enough different burritos to tell you if it’s the best or not, but it’s certainly a good burrito.”
Ay! Mamá specializes in birria and other Mexican favorites, with a focus on fresh ingredients and family recipes. The menu includes birria tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, enchiladas, tortas and tacos with fillings such as carnitas, chorizo, al pastor, barbacoa and lengua. Other offerings include fajitas, carne asada, chicken milanese, fried shrimp and tilapia, along with several vegetarian options.
Ay! Mamá’s former home, Solaire Social, opened in downtown Silver Spring in May 2024. The 13,000-square-foot food hall closed in October 2025 after approximately 17 months in business, requiring its collection of local food and beverage vendors to vacate.
News of the Ay! Mama’s Bethesda location was first reported by Robert Dyer.
