As we walked in, a patron who was leaving gave us the thumbs up and said "order everything" and so we did. Balthazar was our attentive server this evening. I think I had the best tortilla soup of my life here, cooked in a clay pot that's likely been stewing for years and that I'll never be able to recreate at home. Also, delighted to find huitlacoche quesadillas on the menu. These are the types of places that keep me coming back to Mexico. read more

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What a find! We wanted to try chapulines(grasshoppers) but the mole negro con pollo was so tasty! Everything was amazing. The tortilla soup didn't taste like we expected (as dumb Americans) but it was delicious! We will return! read more

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This place is in the historic center of town. It feels like you are walking into someone's home. The mole negro was the best I ever had! read more

El Escapulario - Mole Negro - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

Best Oaxacan food and service. My tlayuda out of this world Great service! Don't leave Oaxaca with out visiting this place read more

Best Tortilla Soup in the world!!!! The owner is such a kind lady! Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

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Excelente los moles, te traen tus tortillas para que te hagas unos deliciosos tacos, muy rico su champurrado, excelente servicio de la dama que cocina muyyy atenta read more

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La comida estuvo deliciosa. Ordenamos el mole negro, caldo de pollo, y sopa de tortilla. El servicio es muy profesional. read more

First meal in Oaxaca. Tried the mole combination and was super good. The meal was designed for two and came with two drinks- choice of beer or mezcal. They brought more rice and offered more tortillas. We actually started with a nieves mezcal which was like a snow cone with an adult twist and was refreshing and good. Didn't bother us, but do know that it is likely no one there speaks English. Gorgeous view from our table recommended. read more

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The tacos were fine I Persia on don't like that the woman purposefully didn't bring us back our change , grated it was only 2 pesos BUT that's not her call we sat and sat waiting and she wouldn't even return so we probably would have left more of a tip but if you're begging to steal our two pesos then that's all a you'll get would not come back that was just very strange read more

I hate to say this -- but I was very disappointed with El Escapulario. I took a leap of faith based on Yelp reviews and it was a huge letdown. Oaxaca is known to be a food mecca and home to Mexican moles. It's loaded with countless amazing restaurants and coffee shops all over town. So, i am bothered by sacrificing the chance to have great food for a place that is mediocre. I was most disappointed with the 5 mole sampler. This entree was supposedly for 2 people. But, the amount of food could barely satisfy one person. Furthermore, the quality was not that great. I found the chicken to be rubbery. Also, barely enough rice for even 1 person. If this had been a cheap "hole in the wall" price, I'd be okay. But, they charged 650 pesos for this entree. I have paid about the same price for really nice entrees and better atmospheres. If you go: This isn't a fancy place. More of a small, hole-in-the-wall. For the money, I think there are better options. Overall: read more

the food here was delicious!!! can't express it enough. it was very homey feeling and the lady who helped us was so nice and sweet. we got the mole sampler with chicken which was delicious. it was fun to try the different types of mole that i don't usually see back home. the sampler also came a shot of mezcal and a beer for each of us which was awesome and delightful. we also each got our own tlayuda. my friend for the simple one since she's vegetarian and my friend and i both got the sausage one. it ended up being a ton of food all together for the three of us. this place was super cute and i would totally go here again. read more

El Escapulario - tlayuda con salchicha - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

Chicken soup, enchiladas, tlayudas, and mineral lemonade are a must! Service was absolutely amazing. Came to eat here 2 nights in a row and will be back when I am back in Oaxaca! read more

El Escapulario - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

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A previous review said to here so we did and we didn't regret. Esther the wonder took great care of us. I don't like lots of spice so she made great recommendations. The mole pack with 6 different moles was nice . It comes with rice and tortillas , 2 beers 2 mezcal and a jarra /pitcher de aqua/ flavored water (oops we forgot that!) We ordered more food because we were still hungry . Try the crickets . read more

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The rating of 4&1/2 stars is misleading at best and borders on ridiculous. The people who gave this place 5 stars have obviously never eaten in a 5 star or even a 4 star restaurant. Starting with food - the black mole on my wife's dish was quite good. However, my dish was bland and at best a 3. Other people raved about the service and friendliness. The service was marginal and friendliness was nonexistent. As far as ambiance, I would rate it a1. Overall the place is a 3 star at best! John K read more

I waited till the end of my trip to write this review. It's confirmed - this was the BEST black mole I had in Oaxaca. Her mole is so complex - smokey, semi sweet but super savory. Hands down the best and I was on a mole hunt down for two weeks. Try the mole!!! read more

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This place is a gem. It's very modest and has a home appeal inside. The food is legitimately authentic and good portioned. I ordered mole negro with chicken and it was awesome. You won't be disappointed when you go. read more

I am baffled by the 4* rating of this place. The ambiance is stark, the service marginal and the food tasteless. With so many fabulous restaurants inOaxaca dining here. From the moment we walked in, I should have known this was not going to live up to its ratings. The owner quickly seated us, but then we never saw her again. My husband's dish looked great. He had a stuffed chicken breast with mole. It was completely lacking in flavor and the chicken was dry. My chicken mole was good, a chicken thigh. I ordered a vegetable salad. It had lots of great veggies but nothing to flavor them. They were simply steamed with no seasoning. If we would have seen a server, we could have asked for salt, which would have helped. A definite disappointment. read more

Should have been open and wasted people's time by not at least leaving a sign! Even said directly they would be open and then did not. Very poor business practice. read more

Authentic Oaxacan food in a charming restaurant The owner is patient and welcoming The green mole was light and flavorful The vegetarian enchilada in a dark rich mole was delicious Also tried a dish with grasshoppers and other authentic dishes A wonderful experience Highly recommend this restaurant read more

Great spot for lunch and charming servers. Everything we had was good and a definite value. Get the orange juice with mineral water! Huge and satisfying! read more

El Escapulario - Sopa de guis y sopa de tortilla - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

Great place we discovered first time in Oaxaca. Located on second floor. Not crowed on a Monday night. Ordered the sopa de tortilla that comes out steaming hot in a clay pot. Also the mole coloradito and mole zegueza. Delicious moles. Service was great. We got caught in a thunderstorm and they made sure to make us feel comfortable while we waited. Highly recommend. They have English and Spanish menus. read more

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The absolute BEST food in the city of Oaxaca that I've found during my time here. The staff accommodated for my family of 6 and treated us with so much kindness and love. The chef Tete was so sweet and you can tell her food is made with nothing but love! Will definitely be coming back :) read more

We both loved this place and it's definitely in contention for our favorite meal in Oaxaca, which is saying something. I had the mole coloradito and my friend had the mole negro. She brought us some lovely mezcal as we enjoyed the meal and had a great chat. A local friend recommended it on my first trip to Oaxaca and it's always a joy to come back read more

This place is a hidden gem with a great view if you get the table next to the window. Its little and cozy, Esther is a great host and cook. She took our order and cooked it herself, being able to communicate to her the specifics of our likings made our experience much more special. Her wonderful motherly attitude made our dinning a wonderful experience. The chocolate con leche was perfect, along with the chilaquiles! The serving size is quite large, and that's perfect for breakfast! The prices are also very pocket friendly! Would come back! read more

El Escapulario - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

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Great place to eat. Entrance looks like someones house and you have to go up to the second floor. They have grasshoppers and giant ants on the menu. We got a table with a view of the street. Very cool. Chile relleno with grasshoppers was spicy. I chose to open the chile and eat the contents. The Tlyuda in the picture was huge and delicious as well. The hosts were super nice. read more

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Got the tasting menu of five moles. It was awesome. Esther chose the ones that were her favorites and they were the best moles I've had the entire time I've been in Oaxaca. Coming here again for breakfast. Amazing! read more

I love the food and I love the owner even more. They gave me the best food and a terrific 2nd floor view. Don't miss this place while in Oaxaca by going to another non authentic restaurant. Try the coloradito and the seltzer lemonade. read more

We came for a late dinner and sat on the second floor by a large open window. All felt very covid-safe--there was only one other couple there, and they were seated far from us. In terms of the food, Chef Esther hit it out of the park. We asked for the degustación of 5 moles to be modified to try the 7 classic moles of Oaxaca, and Esther wowed us with a platter of 9 delicious moles! It was so hard to pick our favorites, as we each had a different one. I loved the mole rojo, estofado (green tomato, sesame), and manchamantales (peanut, pineapple, and more). My dining companion from Mexico was amazed by the complexity of the mole negro. Bottom line--eat here, get mole, and meet Esther. She is a treasure. read more

El Escapulario - Cena de 9 moles (un orden especial) - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

This was our first stop in Oaxaca and the best welcome to the City! I can't say enough great things about this place. The mole is AMAZING, soooo sooo good and they make the best "sueros" which is basically beer with a ton of lime and salt. So refreshing and delicious! Esther the owner is super nice and welcoming she gave us great tips and tricks about the City and helped us get a taxi. So much hospitality and kindness! I can't wait to visit El Escapulario again! read more

El Escapulario - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

No nonsense. Portions are generous. Service was good. Our host was not into small talk. That didn't matter because the food spoke for itself. She knew it. We had the huitlacoche quesadilla, the mole negro with veggies substituted for meat (mole likely had chicken stock), and the mole amarillo con setas (oyster mushrooms). These were the best moles we had during our stay. I ate at least a dozen tortillas to sop up all that delicious mole. Unforgettable. read more

Wow wow wow! So fantastic! Vegetarian and meat eaters alike love the creative and delicious dishes we ate tonight we have been in town for one week and this was all of our favorites! read more

We had a delicious dinner at this little restaurant. It was the best we had in Oaxaca. It's in a second floor location. The tastes are deep and memorable. The owner takes one's order and serves. We went to two other acclaimed Oaxaca restaurants. This was number one. Manchamantel with chicken is off the charts. The pork estofado en Chile rojo also a wow. read more

First stop/meal when getting to oaxca and holy moly lost for words!! I ordered a Michelada and it was perfect (not for you if you don't like spicy) for me it was just right! So tasty and full of spices & my dish was to die for I ordered enchiladas with mole, Esther made them just right. The hospitality & food get 2 thumbs up!! read more

El Escapulario - Chicken mole enchiladas oaxaquenas - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

This was where I had my first dinner in Oaxaca, and it was perfect. Right in the El Centro, across from the Templo de Santo Domingo. After the other couple left, we got to snag the excellent window seat. We had the mole tasting platter, 5 different moles...we still talk about this meal months later, and will probably continue to for years. The owner was very friendly and enjoyed talking to us (especially my Spanish speaking fiance). She even told us that celebrity chefs and come to her restaurant to ask how to make mole like she does! read more

El Escapulario - 5 mole tasting platter! Excellent! - Mexican Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

So great. The menu is a great representation of Oaxacan cuisine. Can't wait to come back and try more. read more

I rarely write reviews but considering how much I rely on others', I figured this place definitely deserves one. We arrived to Oaxaca after a 6 hour bus ride and we were pretty hungry. This restaurant was a short walk from our place and had great reviews so expectations were high. The sign for the restaurant could have easily been missed so keep your eyes peeled. You walk upstairs and grab a table yourself. The sweetest lady will come over and answer any and all of your menu questions. We ordered a jug of cucumber water with no sugar but she added lemon to give it a little something extra. It was large and hydrating and fresh. We ordered two tortilla soups which came out piping hot. The soup had lots of homemade corn tortilla, delicious Oaxacan cheese and avocado. The broth was so tasty with just enough of a slight kick. The portion was large enough to enjoy with another appetizer option. We were so hunger that we both ordered the 'tlayuda sencilla' which was very large but also tasty. It's a very thin and crispy tortilla with a thin spread of black beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa, avocado, and both queso fresco and the Oaxacan stringy cheese. I could only eat about half but I was sad leaving the rest. It's large enough to share if you're ordering something else as well. It could've had more beans but it was still tasty. The sweet lady offered us both a shot of mezcal. We originally turned her down but then decided to go for it. I told her I felt a cold coming on so she put some lemon in it and told me it would make me feel better. :) she was very sweet! Our total bill came to about 20 USD. She didn't charge for the mezcal shots. Bear in mind this place is CASH only! My husband had to walk over to the ATM. The food is made to order so be patient. I'm sure the mole is delicious and I can only imagine their chilaquiles for breakfast. We are going to try to squeeze in another meal there, hopefully. Super authentic. Don't come here expecting anything fancy and you won't be disappointed! read more

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Hola chicos. So this place is really amazing. You're gonna get home cooked Oaxacan meals, served up by the cutest lady (she might remind you of your abuela or tia--I'm Italian and she still reminded my of my aunt) who uses all authentic recipes. Ive been there a couple times and everything there is great. I also recommend getting an Indio suero, so refreshing. There is absolutely no reason to not go here if you visit Oaxaca, and if you did go and you chose not to eat here, you should feel stupid. read more

Mom and Pop restaurant except there is no Pop Having traveled Mexico for the last half century we had never been to Oaxaca. This was our first shot at traditional Oaxaca fare. Was not disappointed with the food, service and limited ambiance as we scored a the only open air view window table. Will return again during our 10 day stay. Soups are a must. Entries are diverse,traditional and prepared as would any caring Oaxacan Mom. Not fancy but good home cooking at a reasonable price.p read more

Not honest! My husband and I ate there a couple of nights ago. I ordered a VEGETARIAN version of one of their famous moles, the one with chicatanas (ants) in it which is a Oaxacan classic. (By the way, the restaurant prides itself for offering vegetarian versions of their dishes.) The server pointed out to me that while I ordered a vegetarian mole, instead of pork or chicken, this mole had ants (non-vegetarian) in it. I said that was okay but appreciated the warning. (How thoughtful.) The mole was delicious and VERY spicy. I was half way through my dish when I suddenly chewed on something which was not a vegetable - it was a piece of pork. So, obviously, the "vegetarian" version of the dish consisted of vegetables with some heaps of the mole already pre-cooked with pork heaped on top of them, with the hope that the diner won't notice. That is pretty awful and simply dishonest. read more

If you are reading this, do yourself a favor and come here! Delicious and authentic Oaxacan meals. I ordered the estufado verde and it was delicious! Also dont forget to try un suero. Great service and delicious food! read more