We visited Camello for a Galentine's dinner on a busy Saturday night, excited to try the new high-energy Mexican concept. Unfortunately, the evening fell far short of expectations, largely due to significant growing pains that seem typical for a restaurant that's only been open a couple of weeks.
Service was extremely slow--even accounting for it being a brand-new spot on a packed weekend. We waited over 30 minutes for our initial cocktails, which arrived terribly out of balance. The Oaxacan cocktail sounded delightful as a lover of spirit forward cocktails. Unfortunately it spirit-forward and overwhelmingly heavy on agave, with no detectable grapefruit and so imbalanced it was essentially undrinkable. To play it safe, we switched to simple tequila sodas, but those took another 30+ minutes to arrive.
Our appetizers fared a bit better but still needed refinement. The watermelon salad was decent, though it felt under-seasoned and under-dressed--it could benefit from a heavier hand with the dressing, more cheese, microgreens, pepitas, a sprinkle of coarse flake salt, and extra lime for brightness. The Tuna Tiradito had a promising concept and delicious dressing, but execution fell short: the serrano or jalapeño slices were far too thick and overpoweringly hot, making it hard to enjoy subsequent bites or taste anything else. The red onion was also cut too chunky, and the tomatoes tasted slightly fermented, suggesting inconsistent selection or freshness.
Compounding the issues, basic table setup was overlooked--no plates, silverware, or napkins were provided before or even with the food. We had to ask twice for utensils just to eat what arrived. Our server came across as inexperienced (using casual phrases like "what's up" at the table), and the overall staff seemed undertrained for the upscale, high-energy atmosphere the restaurant aims for.
After the drinks and apps alone took well over an hour, we decided to cancel the rest of our order rather than wait longer. The manager did step in to handle our drinks and offered a sincere apology, which was appreciated.
Camello has a lot of potential with its bold design, agave-focused bar program, and ambitious menu, but right now it feels like the kitchen and front-of-house teams are still finding their footing. We'll give it time to smooth out the kinks and might try again in a few months once things settle. For now, I'd suggest managing expectations if visiting soon after opening--especially on busy nights. read more