¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana: Authentic Mexican In Stratford

Tacos here are birria (pictured), grilled chicken, chorizo, grilled steak, carnitas, al pastor, costra (three cheeses with chorizo, steak, guac, and pineapple), and shrimp.

Look up the phrase “¡Ay, güey!” and you’ll see it’s got a lot of meanings. In Mexico, it’s commonly used slang to express shock, fear, amazement, and surprise, much like “Wow!”, “Oh, man!”, “Oh my god!”, “Holy crap!”, and, well, you get the idea.

In Stratford, ¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana hopes to “Wow!” you with their traditional Mexican menu, just like they wowed our writer, James Gribbon, back in 2021 when they first opened.

Why they’re getting more shine in 2026 is simple…they had closed for three months at the end of last year for renovations in a Facebook post that read like a postmortem, sparking some concern and a Reddit that followed.

Cali Burrito in all its glory.

When they reopened on December 12, 2025, they admitted to being overwhelmed, but grateful to have all the support from locals who missed them, and their tacos, tostadas, nachos, and especially a crowd favorite in the super stuffed Cali Burrito, packed full of tender steak, French fries, black beans, fresh pico de gallo, avocado, crema, four-cheese blend, and smoky, slightly spicy salsa morita.

Now that ¡Ay Güey! Is back in action after owner Everht Xochicale (who’s behind Trumbull Cafe & Grill and Don Roque Garage in Bridgeport) is got a sleeker, cleaner, an updated modern look, and a bit more seating than before.

Hibiscus agua fresca, if you desire. And their fridge is stocked with a bunch of different Mexican sodas.

Cemita - chicken milanese, lettuce, onion, avocado, Oaxaca cheese, and lime-infused chipotle mayo on soft ciabatta bread.

What else do they have? Fideos quesadillas, “Mexican Plates” (shrimp or carnitas served with rice and beans, pico, avocado, and cheese, with handmade tortillas), and huaraches—thick, oblong shaped masa dough topped with pureed black beans, cooked onions, red and green salsas, and avocado with either shrimp, steak, chicken, chorizo, or chicken tinga.

Mary Rojas, who hops around to their other spots, started working for Xochicale about 10 years ago, as not only a cook, but an overseer. And all those popular items from before may have gotten a visual makeover, too.

“It’s traditional Mexican food,” she says. “The Cali Burrito is super popular, but so is the tinga tostada, birria (made from slow-cooked chuck), the enchiladas, and the café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee made with cinnamon and piloncillo (raw, unrefined cane) sugar. You have to try it.”

A heaping bowl of chicken enchiladas with rice and beans, a steal at $18.

For regulars, you may already have your go-to at ¡Ay Güey!, but Rojas wasn’t kidding about the enchiladas. It’s cheesy, loaded with chunks of chicken, properly fluffy rice, beans, avocado, and while you have your pick of green or red sauce, if you like heat, their salsa verde packs a punch.

And even though you won’t find pan dulce to dip in your café de olla here, sip it alongside your enchiladas. The sweet, cinnamony coffee is a nice contrast to this, or any of their savory, spicy dishes.

Bienvenido de nuevo, ¡Ay Güey!

 613 E Main Street, Stratford
475.449.9143, aygueystratford.com