KenScale: 8.5/10 Visit: April 2024 [Note: After some deliberations, I have decided to upgrade all restaurants receiving 8.5 or 8.75 KenScale to five Yelp stars from four.] Earlier this year, my wife and I celebrated our seventh anniversary by traveling to Chile and Bolivia. Our itinerary for the memorable anniversary trip was focused mostly on exploring the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Bolivian highlands across the border. We did have one day in Santiago, Chile's capital, during our trip so I wanted to use that opportunity to finally check out the highly acclaimed Boragó from chef Rodolfo Guzmán. The restaurant had long been on various lists of best South American restaurants, so we had high expectations for Boragó. It was an impressive dining experience that Jun and I enjoyed quite a bit, offering us compelling culinary vision and philosophy a diner would not likely encounter elsewhere outside of South America. As we got settled on our table, the postcard from the restaurant immediately caught my attention. It was a thoughtful presentation of Chile's geographical landscape from which ingredients for the dinner were sourced from. Chef Guzmán is very committed to showcasing the native ingredients from more than 200 collectors and small producers across the country, with a focus on seasonality (the restaurant changes menu each season) and sustainability. You will see some stunning presentations of the dishes at Boragó from the beginning like we did with pink tomato pebre and chancho en piedra (think Chilean salsas) on an actual plant and the tasty bite of a bee made of truffle and alfalfa. One of my favorite dishes from the night was scallop crudo with seaweed extracts that worked quite well with the crunchy cracker underneath, and we were also fans of fresh seafood "garden" inside a beautiful Chilean bellflower called copihue. I am a huge fan of the Korean marinated raw crab dish called ganjang gejang, and didn't certainly expect to see the kitchen bring out a playful take on it with Chilean crab called jaiba; of course it didn't have the same flavor profile as the original dish from Korea, but I appreciated the ingenuity behind the Chilean version. Another dish I was very fond of was the conger (a type of eel) submerged in a broth of kollof roots and accompanied by summer flowers; we also got lobster cooked in seaweed bladder and grilled tomato on the side. If you want to see what a dish inspired by Van Gough would look like, Boragó will show a stunning dish of vegetables and flowers that would make you feel you are looking at an actual painting. The final savory course, Patagonian lamb, was quite tender, but Jun wished the meat's seasoning could've been toned down a bit. The desserts at Boragó were no less impactful, starting with sea strawberry-based palate cleanser, followed by frozen seaweed ice cream inside a shell that you can open in half. Getting a reservation at Boragó wasn't overly challenging but the restaurant was certainly fully booked during our dinner so making a reservation in advance is essential. The location of the restaurant in Vitacura, a suburb outside of Santiago, was somewhat puzzling (you can see a tennis court outside the window), but the dining space itself with open kitchen at the far end was quite sleek. There is no set wine list at Boragó and if you are inclined to check out wines from Chile, I highly recommend trying the wine pairings with thoughtfully curated selections from across the country's diverse wine regions. The service was generally professional and attentive, although you might encounter some language barrier from time to time (as you will while visiting Chile (and even more so Bolivia) if you don't speak fluent Spanish). We were very appreciative of the experience at Boragó as we got to savor unique ingredients and flavors we hadn't come across during our travels elsewhere. Santiago is probably not the first destination to stay for an extended period of time in Chile, but if you have at least one dinner window, Boragó is a place you would want to consider. read more

I don't leave a lot of reviews, but we do eat a lot of top level restaurants around the world and so when a restaurant charges you more than $1000 for four people to eat, you feel compelled to let people know about your experience. Simply put, not worth the price and gimmicky at best. And now for the longer completely honest review... Boragó is a masterclass in service, plating, and storytelling. Every course arrives like a tiny art installation, and the staff is polished, warm, plus genuinely proud of what they're doing. Here's the issue: for me, the flavors didn't land. I'm usually game for adventurous tasting menus, but this one skewed heavily toward bitter, briny, smoky, fermented, herbal, and "foraged" notes. Too many bites felt more conceptual than delicious, like I paid for a beautifully lit documentary about Chile's ecosystems... and then they asked me to eat the props. Out of 16 courses, the standouts were the mussels, the fish, the goat, the duck, and the ice cream. The duck course is a perfect example of the night: they brought out an entire duck, had everyone lean in and smell it, which made me think, "Oh cool, we're splitting a duck." Instead, the actual duck portion was roughly half a slice of bacon per bite. That said, it was one of the better flavors of the night, with cherry leaves and a few unexpected notes that genuinely worked. I just wish there was more than a tablespoon of it. We also did both the wine and the juice pairings. The first wine was genuinely great, and then the rest were... meh at best. The first complimentary kombucha-style drink was absolutely delicious. After that, the non-alcoholic pairing veered into medicinal territory, like the tasting menu briefly pivoted into a small, tasteful pharmacy. The only drink I felt worked well with the food was the green drink pairing served with the fish, which felt intentional in the best way. The setting also surprised me, and not in a good way. The restaurant sits against tennis courts and a health club, which is not exactly the "top restaurant in the world" backdrop you imagine for a splurge meal. While the restaurant was clean, the overall vibe felt closer to a dining hall than a truly luxe destination. I did like the stone plates and some of the decor, but the space and the view didn't match the price or the hype. If you love boundary-pushing, nature-forward cuisine and you're excited to taste Chile in its wildest form, you may have a totally different experience. For me, it felt gimmicky more often than it felt delicious. Even the dishes I liked were only a few bites at best, and the overall experience didn't justify the cost. Two stars because the service was excellent, the presentation was stunning, and a handful of courses were genuinely good. I left impressed by the production. I just didn't leave happy from the food. read more

Stunning experience: - phenomenal organic presentations - locally foraged ingredients - exciting unique menu, but still delicious - creative pastry chef - impeccable service and staff throughout - stark yet warm dining room - inviting guests to view the kitchen and the roasting lamb One of the most memorable meals in my life, worthy of two stars and would fly back to Santiago just to dine here. read more

See all

We traveled to Santiago for my wedding anniversary and decided on Boragó for our celebration. Their modern chic dining room was very inviting as we walk to our table which was right at the corner, with the roasted lamb right beside us and we have front row view of their kitchen. The tasting menu was creative and thoughtful, with a great progression and story bringing us through a culinary journey from the Chile's northern deserts to their southern snow mountains using the best ingredients from each region. I thought some dishes were a miss but it could just be me not being a fan of cilantros or anything with too much herbs. In general, the dishes had a well balanced of flavors and texture. Every dish was also aesthetically pleasing and multidimensional not only to our eyes but also our palate. Their plating and presentation was just stunning. Their juice pairing also had some surprises as they complimented the dishes well and enhanced the overall flavors. However, they did not have any petite fours. Our servers were friendly and generally great as they were attentive and catered to our needs. Everything was great until we got to our final meat course - the lamb. We had emailed the restaurant few weeks earlier about my aversion for cilantro and lamb in which the restaurant had replied acknowledging my requests and it wouldn't be a problem. So when I was served lamb, I was a little taken aback. When I questioned our servers, I was told it was communicated with him about this but nothing was being done to accommodate this situation so I ended up just not eating it at all. I was also a little disappointed that their manager or chef never came out to apologize. It wasn't until after we paid that we were told that the table we sat at was not supposed to be ours but someone else requested to sit elsewhere so hence we got sat there instead. And because they switched out tables, my request did not get communicated. I was a little shocked by this explanation as I thought requests should be linked to the reservation and not the table. So because of this, they also forgot about our wedding anniversary and they did nothing for it (even though we saw them bringing out a dessert with a candle for the table next to ours for a birthday celebration). I think this is a mistake that should not have happened at a restaurant at this caliber. The staff up front also did not even say bye to us when we left and did not seem very friendly so that was a little disappointing. Overall, the food was great but I was really disappointed on how they handled their mistake. So I would say this is more of a 3.5 star review. 1 star taken off for their service and 0.5 stars off for their food. read more

See all

One comes to a place like Borago for the its unusualness. Foraging ingredients in season from a small geography is going to give you strange things. Having said that, I appreciate the creativity. Some plates I liked and some I didn't but very creative and I ate things I didn't even know existed. Comparing this to the few molecular cuisine tasting menus I have experienced, I liked the pace of the meal , I think it was 13 courses in 2.5 hours. I also liked the approach to the wine pairings, which was 6 to go with the 13. For example, glass 1 goes with course 1, glass 2 goes with course 2,3 &4. Not one to one. My daughter had a "juice flight" , which she ordered because.....what kind of creative juice is a kitchen like this going to come up with? Excellent, The restaurant itself is a bit utilitarian, observation, not a complaint. Recommendation, understand what you are going for, and if you are properly disposed and open minded. embrace the adventure. read more

If you are going to Santiago, this is a must do! This is more than a restaurant, it's art, service and an experience. The four of us paired our 15 courses with the wine and the pairings were excellent. One member of our table was allergic to shellfish and she had a special dish prepared for each course. The service was top notch, the food was unique and also tasted good. I enjoyed the presentation of each dish. Watching the chefs in the kitchen through the glass wall was mesmerizing as they looked like artists who were trying to achieve perfection with each creation. read more

See all

Food 4.5/5.0 Service 4.5/5.0 Value 3.0/5.0 Decor 4.5/5.0 Overall 4.5/5.0 Borago is very controversial. It is very understandable why. They take serious risks with the menu. It is designed for uniqueness and not to win "blind taste tests". To some extent I get the hate, because I very much agree that it is important for food at this caliber to be both interesting and taste delicious. There was, in particular, one very bitter quila-wrapped end to a dish that would likely turn off many diners. But they know this and have decided to keep it on the menu, so that should give you an idea of how these guys roll. I like it, but not everyone will. read more

This was my group's last meal after our 16 day trip in South America. It was certainly a treat to experience Boragó before we had to head to the airport later in the night. Upon arriving, we were seated in a dark private room. The ambiance was set. We wished we could sit at the main dining area to see what was going on but we got a secluded experience instead, perhaps some might enjoy this secluded experience better. We got a 14 course meal and all of us paired it with wine or juice. The consensus was that the meal is like visiting a museum and enjoying different pieces of art, although the pieces may not be to your taste. Personally, I was very impressed with the stories and presentation of the dishes, but I was expecting more regarding the taste as nothing really blew my mind. A lot of the dishes are based on seafood and this is probably the most seafood I've ever tasted in one sitting. If you love seafood, this meal is definitely for you! I'm indifferent. I do regret ordering the juice pairing since a lot of it was similar to kombucha or had a strong fermented or herbal taste. The drinks were simply not my cup of tea. Regardless, the service and staff here were splendid. They treated us well and even took us into the kitchen to take a picture with everyone! This will be one of my most memorable meals for life. read more

Borderline 4.5-5 stars? No real issues with the food. Their focus of the menu this season was on a Chilean tomato. While I applaud the use of tomatoes a few dishes, I felt that a description or explanation of how each course tied to one another was needed. The tomato theme also wasn't very prevalent across each dish. I kind of wished there was some way to tell a story through the courses instead of haphazardly thrown together. I loved how each course had ingredients from all parts of Chile and told that story, I just struggled with the introduction of tomatoes as an opener. My suggestion: open with letting guests know the menu is about Chile with an emphasis of Summer. This season's main focus in a few dishes being the tomato- while starred in a few dishes, it won't be in every dish. Courses 1- opener of summer plants dressed with dressing & tiny tomates Courses 2,3 - tomato cracker with chilean clover and chaura disguised as watermelon, lobster with tomatoe coated cracker and dried tomatoe wings disguised as a butterfly Courses 4,5,6 - abalone with rose petals in a been wax conch, potato milcao 'bread' with butter, razor clam cucumber ceviche in cheese cantaloupe Course 7,8 - dried tomatoe stuffed with fish, sour Paine watermelon ceviche Course 9 - bellflower with corn sauce and caviar Course 10 - the only warm dish as a lamb with a cracker coated in cream with 'leaves' in the essence of a summer tree Course 11 - yummy strawberry dessert and greens as leaves Course 12,13- bright lime icy slurry with cream, vanilla ice cream sandwich with fragrant rose petals. Course 14- minty nitrogen balls (a great palate cleanser!) Least favorite dish #7&8: dried tomato stuffed with some sort of fish accompanied by a melody of other various small tomatoes topped with a cold soup that was the Paine watermelon ceviche. This dish was way way way too citric and sour to my liking. I struggled to finish this one. The dried tomato was good but the ceviche was too much. Most favorite dish#9: Chilean bellflower with corn sauce and caviar. This one was the most unique and great in all aspects. The nationalistic quality of Chile shone through with the national flower aspect. The corn sweet and savory corn sauce cuts really nicely into the deep salty caviar coupled with the delicate bright crunch of the flower petals and green mint medley; this was perfection. All in all , I would definitely return whenever I visit Santiago again. Docked half a star as I personally and 100% subjectively wished for more warm dishes; most dishes were served cold and ceviche style. While I understand its a summer menu and hot weather calls for cooling foods, I would have loved a few warmer dishes besides just the lamb and warm potato milcao! read more

See all

Botagó is one of the most amazing restaurants I have ever been to. It was a 17 course meal with about 8 courses of wine! Awesome! There was no specific theme to the courses other than celebrating the food of Chile, from north to south. Service was perfect with each person bringing out a course giving a short history of the food and a description of the course. The restaurant is beautiful - big and spacious with the kitchen visible to all diners. Everything flowed flawlessly. The only complaint - following our meal they declined to help us get a taxi saying their usual source was on vacation. I would have expected a little more help from a restaurant of this caliber. But if you have a chance, go! read more

See all

Most of the reviews for Boragó are quite polarized (loved it or hated it) and I think our experience was a bit more nuanced. The food was exciting and fun, and the service was mostly seamless. One tip - since we were driving back from the restaurant my girlfriend and I decided to share 1 wine pairing and 1 juice pairing, and I'm so glad we did! The wine pairings were good, but in many ways the juices were more original and several were really lovely. We generally had a great time at Boragó, but it fell slightly short for us for two main reasons: 1) they set high expectations for managing dietary restrictions and didn't do a great job following up 2) the food itself was generally tasty but not delicious For dietary restrictions, my girlfriend and I are both lactose intolerant, but not allergic. When I made the reservation they had a long list of dietary restrictions and I picked dairy. A week before our reservation someone reached out via WhatsApp to see what kind of controls they needed to put in place, and I explained that neither of us would die but we would prefer to avoid it. I also said that I understood it was a fixed menu, and if it was too difficult to make substitutions we would be happy to just avoid certain courses or take lactase enzymes. They said they would take care of it, and at that point I was impressed how on top of things they were. When we actually arrived for dinner, they asked again about restrictions, and I explained that we would prefer to avoid dairy. Things started out well, and for the first several courses it seemed like they were in fact adjusting the meal composition for us. They said that they had left out the cheese in one dish and replaced it with some kind of potato and almond purée, which we certainly appreciated. However, toward the end of the meal it seemed like communication had broken down somewhere. They served us a few dishes with ice cream and didn't seem to have any sense that it might be an issue. We didn't press the issue and just avoided the ice cream in those courses. Their treatment of our dietary restriction didn't ruin the meal for us by any means, I think it was just a bit of a bummer since they had set expectations so high initially. At this caliber of restaurant I think the general expectation is that they have restrictions totally dialed. For point 2), I would just reiterate that the food was fun, interesting, and tasty, but it generally fell short of delicious. Almost all the courses were trying to mix a variety of flavors, and the one that tasted the best was probably the simplest - just a piece of lamb that was beautifully cooked, nothing else. I think the chef is pretty explicit that his goal is to highlight the endemic culinary potential of Chile, and I totally support that. My point is - I've seen other restaurants balance a particular vision with a desire to make the food as delicious as possible, and I think that balance wasn't quite where I wanted it to be at Boragó. Would I recommend it to a foodie visiting Santiago? Absolutely. Would I go back? Maybe, but I'm certainly in no hurry. read more

Boragó - One of the mains with lobster, spinach, and saffron flowers - Chilean Near Me - Santiago, RM

See all

Great experience! Everything from the service to food presentation, wine pairing and atmosphere was excellent! Dining here is an fun experience. The menu consisted of 15 courses and we included wine pairing, meal lasted about 3 hours. Our server was very friendly and attentive and explained every dish we received and it was fun to see the dish. This chef is not only creative in creating the dish but is also an artist in how the food is presented. If you're a foodie or an adventurist you will love this place and I highly recommend giving it a try. I suggest making reservations in advance to make sure you can get a table. Give it a try and I think you will enjoy food and experience! read more

See all

Hospitality, location, ambiance....all great! Presentation is very good! But personally, I though the food is practically inedible. I wouldn't come back but if you want to go for the experience, this is the place for you. read more

Boragó was easily one of the best fine dining experiences in my life. The food was exceptionally crafted with the most unique, local Chilean ingredients artfully done in beautiful displays dish after dish. The service couldn't be more friendly and genuine - the chefs would actually come present the dish to you and explain the ingredients/effort they put into it. I'd say the dinner was more an interactive art show than simply a meal. This place deserves a visit ANYTIME you're in Santiago. You'll be wow'ed. Definitely deserves a spot in the top 50 restaurants in the world and to be designated as one of the best restaurants in Latin America. read more

This week we dined at Central, Mayta, Mido in Lima and Olam in Santiago. We finished our tour at Borago, which was the greatest restaurant disappointment I've ever experienced. I appreciate the love for local ingredients, I'm even fine having interesting food to taste local ingredients, but 13 of the 15 meals were not edible. I kept hoping the next dish would be better, but just disappointed each time. I even still had hope by dessert, because I had read so many amazing reviews of this place. But... dessert was as inedible, revolting taste. Edit: three hours later, I was puking and had diarrhea all night. Turned worse, pooping blood and fever. Two days later I finally feel okay. Never go to this place, this is your warning. read more

Perfection. If you enjoy food as art (and not just a meal to satisfy a hunger) then you must find a way to enjoy Boragó: where art, design, and experience meet gastronomic bliss. From start to finish, the chef, kitchen staff, and servers deliver an unparalleled experience. Each course was a surprise and a delight. Keep you phone handy because you WILL want a photo of ever single dish put in front of you. Oh...do get the wine pairing. To neglect it is to neglect 50% of the entire experience. read more

Boragó - Chilean Near Me - Santiago, RM

See all

If you're thinking about going, just go. It's worth it, you'll remember it. The food is exceptionally plated and produced. If you've made it this far, just keep going, all the way to the restaurant. Ask questions, be curious about your food, the story, and your experience. You'll be delighted read more

See all

The unique dinning experience, chef pre set a 18 courses Chilean food for his guests every night, we were there with a party of 7 people on 2/3/2024, we had their summer menu, every dish came out with its own amazing presentation. With T&T, we spent over $1600 US dollars, I would say it worth to go once of your lifetime. read more

See all

Absolutely amazing! The dishes will surprise you. Be prepared to be mesmerized through the visual, the smells, and the tastes!!!

Service and Ambiance was great! Presentation was over the top amazing, but the food was mostly inedible. I would not go there for the food but more for the experience. read more

The presentation of the food was absolute beautiful amd the wines were good. That is the best I can say, oh the people who worked there had wonderful English. The man next to me said all of the people who gave this restaurant good reviews "must be psychotic." In other words, they have had a break with reality for the food was awful. Whatever new age cutting experiments the chef was going for failed miserably! My husband has eaten a fruit bat in Palau and said even that was better than his food tonight-he didn't throw up after eating the fruit bat but after this dinner he did. I am a vegetarian and I think my food was better than his as I disliked only 75% of what I was served. I was looking forward to a nice meal after being in Patagonia for over two weeks unfortunately this was not it. read more

Amazing. There are no words for the wonderful evening. 3 1/2 hours for 15 courses, paired with wine or non-alcoholic Kombucha.

Hands down the best dining experience we have had to date. If you are in Santiago, splurge on Boragó-- you won't regret it. The service was top notch-- in particular our sommelier, John Mero. Everyone was so incredibly friendly and we truly felt like they wanted us to be there and share their passions with us. From bringing us into the kitchen to meet the team to showing us the meat that had been roasting for hours outside, we felt so special the entire night. The dining experience and wine pairing was one for the books. Course by course we were blown away by the detail, flavor and thought that went into each dish. The delivery was seamless, the wine pairings complemented each dish so effortlessly and everything we tried was unlike anything we'd had before-- I mean c'mon, there was a dessert shaped like a sheep! My fiancé and I still talk about Boragó today and hope that you'll be able to share in such a noteworthy visit. read more

See all

We recently traveled to Santiago for a wedding and decided to tack on a few extra days to explore the city and surrounding wineries. To commemorate the last evening of a fantastic trip, we decided to visit Boragó. As one of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, we knew in advance that we were in for a fantastic experience, and I am happy to report that it exceeded our expectations. First and foremost, the service was absolutely outstanding. From the moment we arrived to the minute we left, the staff was extremely friendly, professional, and attentive, answering our questions and describing each dish in expert detail. It felt like a literal army of servers was there, devoted to making the experience special for the relatively small number of guests. We also appreciated the gorgeous view of the mountains from the all-glass back of the restaurant, and the disciplined, bustling, open kitchen. All the dishes were unique, beautiful, and leveraged local Chilean ingredients. Even the water came directly from Patagonia and was harvested from rainfall. While we preferred some dishes over others, the overall meal was truly a work of art, and we are so glad we were able to try Boragó. In lieu of a traditional dish-by-dish ranking given the eclectic and diverse nature of the meal, please find the dishes in the order they were presented below as well as some brief descriptions/comments: Dinner: 1. Changle Mushroom and red murtillas from Valdivia: A party in my mouth, this crispy mushroom puffed cracker was topped with salty and sweet bursts of a berry-like fruit called a murtilla. It tasted like nature 2. "Sea Sunstar" of Jibia and Pulmay smoked in Tepu: The sea star was a scallop while a drinkable soup was inside the wood. The Pulmay broth was a touch too fishy for my taste, but it was so much fun to eat 3. Cremoso of rock clovers and rock onions: This caviar-like crisp may have turned me into a caviar person. The creamy bright cremoso perfectly complimented the salty pops from the caviar 4. Char grilled loco over Chilean Espino: Another fun presentation 5. Crudo of deer aged on bee's wax and cured on peumo tree: This was like a deer jerky. It was like nothing I have tried before. 6. Milcao cooked "al rescoido" and pajarito butter: Their take on bread and butter, the "bread" was made from thinly sliced potatoes. It was piping hot, a little crispy, and absolutely delicious 7. Chilean morel and Kollof roots broth: Soooooo rich and savory 8. Hot ceviche of Diguene, served on tepu roasted apple custard treated as a cheese for over a month: A warm mushroom ceviche that was very salty with lots umami. The "cheese preparation" was crazy and added a nice funk. 9. Patagonian lamb cooked "a l'inverse" and a year around the fig tree: We could see the lamb roasting on open coals outside. It was so juicy and flavorful. The "fig tree" was a bit hard to cut, but added a nutty pop of flavor Dessert: 1. Semifreddo of Rose of the Year of Atacama desert: This was one of the prettier dishes of the night, with the dessert being a chocolate ice cream butterfly. The rose flavored wings were crispy and pronounced but not overpowering 2. Marraqueta bread and Cucumber pebre: While a bread-flavored ice cream is novel and the cucumber sorbet was refreshing, the two together were a bit odd. This was not a sweet dessert. 3. Loyo mushroom, Seaweed and Maqui wild fruit: This was like a mochi bite in the shape of a mushroom, with a good balance of sweetness and acidity from the Maqui fruit 4. Cold Glacier: So much fun. A chilling pop of vanilla with dry ice causing your mouth to literally puff out smoke as you eat it. A satisfying conclusion to the meal - J read more

See all

BORAGó is the reason to come to Santiago! Hands down it is the most eccentric, artistic, authentic and affordable meals in the world. Anywhere from Paris to LA or New York, and all the smaller cities in between, BORAGó exceeded our expectations and wowed us. In fact it made us continually argue throughout the meal that there was no way our 17 course meal was on 80,000 Chilean pesos (about $125+,-USD). We started with "rain water" from Patagonia; water that never hits soil, so no minerals and delicious. Then we embarked on a sensory journey through 17 courses too much much to explain... other then you must go!! The service was effortless, transparent and no doubt orchestrated like an opera. Reservations are made online, well in advance. Our extra treat was meeting chef-owner Rodolfo touring the kitchen, the test-kitchen/lab and chatting briefly. read more

See all

Got severe food poisoning from the shellfish which was mostly presented raw. The lamb was cooked on a spot from 10 am and we could see birds landing on it. The presentation was beautiful but this is an art installation not food. Especially when it makes you super sick. read more

This restaurant was one of the reasons I chose to visit Santiago during my vacation. I had a phenomenal dining experience here. The 16 courses we had were all visually stunning, presented Chilean ingredients in a Novel way, and were overall delicious. At these kinds of restaurants you're not going to love the taste of every dish which is ok, I personally hated the flavor of the tofu ice cream, but for the most part dishes worked well for me. My mother can't do gluten so they were able to accommodate that pretty well. We got wine and juice parings at our table. The juice was super unique and not something I see that much of in American restaurants. The wine was good but didn't feel like a great value to get. I went to Alinea and in I think I had a better meal here, great that it only costs about 40 percent of alinea! read more

See all

Service was excellent and food was beautiful, but flavor combinations were not enjoyable. Some were downright disgusting. We've eaten at many of the restaurants that are on the "top 100" list and while this one's food deserves to be there visually, it does not taste-wise. I would have given this three stars, but then a few hours after dinner, we all ended up with vomiting or diarrhea. Since it was all of us who got sick on the same timeline, I called and reported it to the restaurant that night and they claimed they'd never heard of anyone getting sick in the past...yet now I see other reviews mentioning people getting sick on a similar timeline to us after eating there. Perhaps it is an ingredient we aren't used to digesting, but regardless, I'd warn against eating here as a tourist, as such sickness has the potential to really ruin a vacation! read more

Coming here is a unique experience. It is all you expect from a restaurant that is featured in the "World's 50 Best" list. The staff was extremely qualified and proactive, doing everything within their reach to make you have the best experience. We opted for the 16 course menu with wine pairing. For each course, one of the cooks would come and present it, which I thought was a really nice thing, coming from the hands which make it, and also giving these starts the exposure they very much deserve. Technique and presentation were impeccable, really flawless. They try to explore the "endemic" ingredients that the country provides - local shellfish, local vegetables, local seaweed - combining their unique flavor with great technique, and transforming these ingredients into something out of a fairytale. All of the wines are also from Chile, from different regions of the country. Most of them have a very different twist from the usual sensations you would find from that specific grape. To finalize, the place itself has an amazing concept, which I loved. It's a single space all colored with the same grayish-blue, with a lot of spaces between the tables. Combine it with the great lighting, provided by the huge glass wall with a view to the hill right in front of it. Amazing experience, 10/10. read more

See all

This restaurant ranks as one of the best restuarants ive been too in the whole world. Nothing is overrated here in thIs little gem. All the accolades, praises, michelin stars and honors such as being counted amongst the ranks for san pellegrinos worlds 50 best restaurants are all extremely well deserved. This is what fine dining should be. Whatever they charge, it is guaranteed to be worth every penny and you wIll look back at the time you ate here fondly. read more

Do I recommend this business? Unequivocally, YES! To say this was a unique experience is an understatement. The creativity was mind-blowing! Who thinks of a bee - shaped savory confection made of Chilean alfalfa and truffle, reportedly, two weeks in the making. It was served "flying," suspended at the end of a wrapped metal frame, giving the illusion of buzzing above a beautiful bed of bright orange flowers, the color of California poppies. Dazzling and fun, and dee-lish-us. The 13-course wine pairing meal delighted the senses - service, presentation and gastronomique quality equally exceeding expectations. A restaurant of the highest order, without doubt. read more

As you can probably tell, I never post reviews on Yelp--mostly because I intensely dislike Yelp. I felt it necessary to use it on this occasion because of my experience dining at Borago last night. My problem with Borago is not with the food, which was mostly very good, and ranged from off the mark (the razor clams and squid ink) to the sublime (the purple potato with butter and the lamb). Nor is it with the price of the meal, which was probably quite high by Chilean standards but would have been a steal in New York City. Nor, even, is it with the waitstaff, who were friendly and attentive and conversational in a way that reminded me of how most servers in American restaurants are often too beaten down from the demands of the job to be able to regularly muster the effort to go "above and beyond" for their customers. Even the 'complimentary' (and expensive, and not very good!) champagne for which, we later realized, we'd been charged, didn't entirely ruin what was otherwise a thought-provoking and delicious experience. The reason I'm writing this review is because of Borago's handling of my sister-in-law's dairy allergy. My sister-in-law is highly, deathly, allergic to dairy, making dining out a challenge. However, one of the reasons we chose to eat at Borago was because of our belief that she was in good hands, and that the whole crew, from the waitstaff on up to the executive chef, would make sure she could enjoy her meal just like the rest of us. While our servers and the kitchen did seem to make a real, good faith effort to keep dairy out of her food, they utterly failed to do so; only her EpiPen and several doses of prescription-strength allergy medicine, which she'd fortunately brought with her, prevented a trip to the ER. It's unrealistic for someone in my sister-in-law's position to never have to worry about their food being contaminated; that's not how the world works, and nobody knows this better than she. But--and unlike her experiences in restaurants in the US--the managers and chef/owner of Borago were neither willing to accept responsibility for their error (they blamed her reaction on the "exotic Chilean foods" to which we apparently were not accustomed), nor were they willing to make any assurance that they would work in the future to prevent this kind of screw-up from happening again. Our meal is over and, luckily, my sister-in-law is OK. But this restaurant will undoubtedly receive many more customers over the years with serious allergies; how many more times will they both fail to take the necessary precautions to prevent food contamination and, when this inevitably happens, fail to take any responsibility for it by admitting fault and then working to change their protocol for preventing it from happening in the first place? I thoroughly detest the use of Yelp and similar sites as a modern means of extorting businesses into making amends for imagined slights. But nothing about our experience was imaginary, and the stakes for people like my sister-in-law are high. I implore Borago to change their standards for hosting people with allergies, and I would strongly suggest anyone with a food allergy or intolerance eat elsewhere when in Santiago. read more

This was quite an experience. Amazing different foraged food, extremely well Paired with some spectacular fruit juices . We had the 8 course meal and it was not cheap but it was quite an experience! read more

Surreal experience. This is not just food, it is Art!! The service is incredible, with all the waiters/cooks & sommeliers extremely coordinated, attentive to details, and working as a team as if it were a Theater Play... all quietly, using head & hand signs between themselves to communicate. Tasting menu with wine pairing was amazing. They use ingredients that grow only for 3 or 4 weeks out of the year in Chile's nature, and consistently adapt their menu to it. Truly one of the World's Top 50 restaurants! read more

This was an amazing experience, we had such a fun time during our 16 course meals. Service was top notch and the food excellent and different and it was ample of food to fill the tummy. Top 50 restaurant in the world according to the Washington post. I think thats where the rating come from... read more

Horrible choice. I would advise anyone visiting Santiago to skip Borago. The food was not memorable and the experience was disappointing. Maybe it was an "off" night, but given the reputation and price point there should not be off nights. The staff was pleasant but sloppy: accidentally mixing wines (we did the tasting menu w/ pairing), bringing new dishes out far too quickly, and serving a dish with shellfish after being told about an allergy (which they asked about when taking our order). I was left scratching my head after the meal when the Borago host insisted he call us a new driver as he could not get a hold of the driver our hotel had arranged for us. Of course, when we got back to the hotel, our original driver was there waiting for us and explained he never received a call from the restaurant. It was only a few dollars, which the hotel covered out of courtesy, but a bizarre tactic (to I assume make a commission) from the Borago host. Stunned that this would happen at a restaurant of this "quality", suggests something larger is off. Overall, I was left with the feeling that the quality may have been there at one point in the restaurants lifetime, however, the chef and owners have moved on and are using the restaurants reputation as an ATM while they can. Note: We visited the restaurant 2017. read more

Utterly a failure. A few dishes in the 16 course menu were very good BUT the majority were just awful mostly in taste. This place has no Michelin stars and shouldn't receive any. The presentations were interesting but the food, the herbs and spicing made it just awful. read more

This was the best meal of my life. It actually wasn't close this was the greatest. What was amazing was that my mind was blown multiple times during the night. Every time I thought these guys couldnt get any crazier they did in a good way. I recommend the Chilean wine pairing which was shockingly good choices. Rene one of my servers provided over the top service and I was lucky enough to meet the chef Rodolfo Guzman who was down to earth, humble and inspiring. This is what genius looks like. Enjoy it. read more