Smyrna

Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina Opening in Smyrna

Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina will open December 6 featuring bold flavors, margaritas, and live music.

Image from Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina website

SMYRNA, GA — Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina is preparing to open its doors at 1080 Windy Hill Rd SE, Smyrna, GA 30080, with a soft opening planned in the coming weeks and a grand opening set for December 6, 2025.

Co-owner Ulises Diaz told Business Debut that the restaurant will bring together authentic Mexican cuisine, live entertainment, and a lively bar program in a full-service setting. “We believe a successful restaurant today needs to offer more than great food, it needs to be an experience,” Diaz said.

What to Expect

Ay Caramba will combine the warmth of a traditional Mexican restaurant with the energy of a sports bar and nightlife venue. The 250-seat restaurant includes a main dining area, a bar section with high-top seating and booths, and a 12-table patio.

Guests can look forward to live music, karaoke nights, and televised sporting events displayed on a massive 150-inch LED panel wall. “We want people to come not just for the food but for the atmosphere,” Diaz told Business Debut. The design features black walls contrasted with vibrant LED lighting, a swing installation surrounded by flowers, and neon signage for guests to capture photos.

The menu will feature a range of Tex-Mex and upscale entrées, including fajitas, nachos, calamari, ribeye steak, salmon, and seafood dishes. The drink program highlights fresh-fruit margaritas made with real lime juice in flavors such as strawberry, guava, mango, pineapple, and hibiscus.

Image from Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina website

Unique experiences include tequila flights served on LED-lit airplane trays and treasure box shots that open to reveal colorful smoke. “It’s a place where people will want to celebrate birthdays and take pictures—it’s full of energy and color,” Diaz said.

Ownership and Team

Ay Caramba Mexican Restaurant & Cantina is owned and operated by Ulises Diaz, Jose Luis Diaz Hernandez, and Victor Valle, who serve as equal partners.

Diaz said the team is on-site daily preparing for the opening. “We’re here from sunrise to sunset right now,” he told Business Debut. “It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it because we’re creating something for Smyrna to love.”

The restaurant’s management team includes a general manager overseeing front- and back-of-house operations and a bar manager, Dicsy Quiroz, who Diaz said has been instrumental in shaping the bar program and guest experience. “She brings great ideas and an amazing personality that fits our vision perfectly,” he said.