Wow, where to start…read more.... Well, if you find yourself lucky enough to be visiting Yucatán you have to stop at this restaurant located in the sleepy town of Tixkokob located approximately 15-20 minutes outside of Merida. Yeah it's a bit out of the way but if you want the best cochinita pibil in the state, dare I say- the country of Mexico- this is the spot. Sure there are other spots in or near Merida but hands down this was my favorite. We were heading back to Merida from a day trip to the town of Isamal and had planned our early super to be here. The restaurant itself is a jewel located in the town and once you walk into the restaurant you feel as if this restaurant can be in any major metropolis with vast quantities of 5 star restaurants. The restaurant is beautifully decorated both inside and outside- if you have a chance take a walk around the outer patio and see where the ovens are located where they made your meal. Now the food! Well let me say that if I could have eaten the metal tray that the order of cochinita pibil came on I would have done so! The pork was very flavorful and moist and the consome (broth) which is from the pig itself was so delicious. Fresh corn tortillas come with the order as well. I didn't want this experience to end but there is only so much goodness one can handle. We also had the guacamole and the mofongo to start and share. These were also tasty. All around the service (as with every other place we visited in Yucatán) was top notch with the friendliest of people. The hostess also gave us a tour of the grounds and explained the history of the location. Side note: as we finished our meal and we're preparing to leave the Mexican singer, Yuri, showed up with her entourage. :)

Wasn't expecting such a fancy place. Bf is a huge food watching his YouTube channels and found this…read moreamazing spot. Everything is made frEsh sO you need a reservation. We made it 2 days in advance for a Sunday at 1 sO we could watch them take out the food from the ground traditional Mayan style!! Amazing place and amazing food!!

Easily one of the most beautiful restaurants in Mérida. People told me, whom had been to Mérida…read morebefore, that i had to go the Apoala so it was definitely on my list! Buddy and I sat outside and I order a cocktail and the eh brought us out super bomb chips and two different kinds of salsa, the green one was better I think! I hadn't had a piece of meat all week so I went with the steak, it was really great. The black mole sauce on it made it for me but the meat was cooked absolutely perfect. If I was by myself or with a women I would've ordered more honestly, kindof wish I got to try more of the menu... but still had a wonderful experience. The staff was ofcourse super friendly!

I love Apoala, and not just because it's one of the first time I've eaten crickets! The food is…read moreOaxaca's rather than Yucatecan, so it's a good way to explore other Mexican cuisines in Mérida. The drinks are well-made as well. We always have a great time eating here and sitting outside to look out on the square--very romantic!

Off the beaten path but well worth the visit Prices are…read morereasonable. The food is fresh and delicious and servings are huge Very friendly hard working small staff Highly recommend

Hidden hole but I went with my Yelp reviews and it was delicious!!! We had Micheladas, perfect and…read morethe shrimp ceviche. We ordered the small so beware of plate sizes! It also had either octopus or calamari but it was delicious. I had the coconut shrimp. Wow! She made it in her cast iron skillet and it was sweet and crispy and yummy. The salad was so good! Shredded carrot, tomato, green apple and avocado. Husband got chicken ala Mexicana and he said it was very good. Friendly staff!

Bestt place for tradicional Poc Chuc in Merida. Always a must when visiting here. Come during the…read moreweek, there's a line around the block on the weekend. They also serve other tradicional plates, everything here is authentic and delicious.

Poc chuc y los frijoles colados eran muy deliciosos!…read more Well worth going out of the way for a visit

Absolutely fantastic. Handmade tortillas served in a traditional gourd vessel - everything here is…read morethe best. I have eaten here about 11 times but can never get beyond the poc-chuc - I cannot say enough good things. If you are in Merida, go to La CHaya Maya (there are two locations). You won't regret it.

Whoa, this place is popular!…read more Hubbers and I are so glad we came through the exact time we did because if we waited ten minutes, we would have had to wait another 20. We were seated and given menus immediately so they're efficient with their time! Since I'm a first timer, I wanted to take my time with the menu. While waiting, they gave us complimentary chips with 2 kinds of bean dips, pico de gallo and red sauce: all very tasty! We've had to ask for a second serving! I've had huevos motulenos a few times, so I wanted the other version: huevos divorciados de la chaya maya. (Fine, I'll admit, I got it because I thought it was funny.) All I asked is if it was spicy (it's not) and that's all I know about the dish. So it was almost like a surprise dish for me. HUEVOS DIVORCIADOS DE LA CHAYA MAYA: I left it up to Hubbers to pick which ones I might like. He chose relleno negro and pipian - and he chose well! Broke the sunny side up yolk and mixed it in the relleno negro, added with the crispy texture of the chips: YUM. Did the same for the pipian, with its nutty flavor and creamy texture. Even the pumpkin seeds added taste. Sooooo goood! I made sure to empty that plate. LOS 3 MOSQUETEROS YUCATECOS: Hubbers' choice. This is a pretty plate! I got to try the pureed plantain (a first for me!) and that was tasty! Had a teenee taste each of the three dishes and also delicious. FOOD: 5. SERVICE: 4. VALUE: 4. PARKING: I didn't notice any parking lots, so can't comment on that, but there is street parking. Could be a challenge. OVERALL: 4.50 (bumped it up a little.) And the cherry on top: there's a lady making fresh tortillas. And they are delish! A crowd formed outside waiting for seating. I truly understand why. They really are popular! An amazing first run! Highly recommending!

This place is something very special. We spent a magical evening here under some light rain and had…read morean amazing night. Anna (Ana?) was our server and took great care of us. We had a variety of dishes which were all great but the mole was the star of the show. Beautifully done. Bonus- there's a bookstore also ran by the owners of the restaurant above the main dining room. You can't miss this place on your next visit to Merida EDIT: We loved this place so much we decided to come back again on our last night. As before, the service was amazing and I was able to pick up some great art and architecture books as well.

Great, flavorful, made onsite delicacies : excellent mole, chips and guac to die for, and colorful,…read moreshaded outdoor dining. Will return

ECONOMICALLY DELICIOUS - We all want to save some coin every now and then, and even by Merida…read morestamdarss Los Platos Rotos is an affordable spot. Most dishes if not all are under 120 pesos and generally speaking the food is quite good. The menu seems to rotate and as its an open air place it could get hot at times, but it is a cute lunch place with friendly service and solid food worth a shot. Happy eating from John Seeto!

Service was quick and the food was hot. Difficult to find with our GPS but eventually found it…read more Outdoor, covered seating. Ordered the huevos rancheros and they didn't disappoint. The cafe with piloncillo was the best! They have daily specials but we ordered from the regular menu. The broken/chipped plates are clever.

Visitors, you must go eat here. We found many foodie places with fancy, tasty, tiny bites that were…read moregreat on a vacation trip. This place is more focused on authentic, well made simple Mexican food, generous portions, excellent service and drinks, and best prices. We ordered arrachera tacos, one order with cheese, one order without. The plates arrive with extra tortillas and enough meat to have 4 tacos, and you will eat all four. Bonus tacos! Best margaritas in town. Best service of anywhere we ate; very attentive to every need. One outdoor screen showing local sports. Lots of local people-watching, scenery, and positive vibes to take in right on their main strip, Paseo de Montejo. This restaurant proves you don't need to be pretentious and fancy when you have amazing authentic local comfort food and treat your customers like royalty. Glad we saved this place for last but... next time we'll go there first. Visitantes, tienes que ir a comer aquí. Encontramos muchos lugares para amantes de la comida con pequeños bocados elegantes y sabrosos que fueron geniales en un viaje de vacaciones. Este lugar está más enfocado en auténtica comida mexicana simple y bien hecha, porciones generosas, excelente servicio y bebidas, y los mejores precios. Pedimos tacos de arrachera, una orden con queso, una orden sin. Los platos llegan con tortillas extra y suficiente carne para tener 4 tacos, y te comerás los cuatro. ¡Tacos de bonificación! Las mejores margaritas de la ciudad. El mejor servicio de cualquier lugar donde comimos; muy atento a cada necesidad. Una pantalla al aire libre que muestra los deportes locales. Mucha gente local, paisajes y vibraciones positivas para disfrutar en su avenida principal, Paseo de Montejo. Este restaurante demuestra que no es necesario ser pretencioso y elegante cuando se tiene una increíble comida reconfortante local auténtica y se trata a los clientes como a la realeza. Me alegro de haber dejado este lugar para el final, pero... la próxima vez iremos allí primero.

The bistec tacos are soooo good! The portion is quite ample. The order comes with two tacos and…read morefour tortillas. I had to eat some bistec before I could double up on the tortillas to actually pick it up. I actually tried the habanero salsa which is common for this area. Just a bit will add amazing flavor; just don't overdo it!!! We also ordered a side of beans which came with tortilla chips. Since the beans had chorizo I couldn't eat them. Hubby said they were amazing! Also amazing is the service. Our order came out very quickly and our waiter was fantastic. This is a relaxed restaurant that is quite clean. You can eat inside or outside.

I can't speak for any of the food, but this is a super cool spot to hang out for drinks and live…read moremusic. Picnic bench style seating, and plenty of it. There's a very small "dance floor" between the live band setup and the bench seating. Lots of beer and cocktail options. Definitely a younger crowd. Service isn't bad, but be patient. This place gets busy.

Slow service and the mixed drinks were weak. Felt like we ordered juice and water. Terrible…read moreexperience and never will go back.