I was hoping for...more. First, the service was the highlight. Friendly, accommodating, and attentive. The ambiance was nice, with a large stone fireplace and overall farmhouse vibe. We were the only diners there but it was a Thursday evening, so I suppose that was it. That said, felt lonely. The food...feel sad to say this but meh. We got the 5 course tasting menu. There was no printed menu of the dishes so pardon the simple descriptions; this is all I can remember. The first course was vegetables on a puree of white beans and fennel. EXCELLENT. 2) Fried rabbit on a mayonnaise sauce. OK, putting something fried in mayonnaise without any acid is just too rich on rich. 3) Fish in a puttanesca sauce. Now, I don't like puttanesca, so there's that, BUT my fish wasn't cooked properly. Not seared and rare in the middle, but just undercooked. 4) Chicken in a sauce I can't remember. SUPER juicy and perfectly cooked but the seasoning and sauce...big meh from me. 5) Oy. I really didn't like this one. Lemon verbena flan in a honey-like sauce with fresh cherries. The cherries were lovely but otherwise...sugar on sugar on sugar. Yikes. Don't make this again...ever. Start over. Overall, felt overpriced for the quality of the food. Would skip this one. read more

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Two of us went here on a Thursday night. Most places close early in Valle de Guadalupe so we made a 6 PM reservation. Most places are also outdoor seating only, which can get very cold. Not here. Upon arrival, we were the only ones there (it was the off season), but eventually the dining room filled up. We were greeted by a pleasant hostess and seated next to the real fireplace. Very cozy atmosphere with a cabin-like feel. Here, you feel at home. The 5 course pre-fixe menu for about $2000 MXN/person is the only option. The menu changes daily based on fresh and local ingredients. They will make substitutions for allergies, but thankfully that never applies to me. Everything we had was delicious. There were really 6 courses, a pre-dessert before the dessert. Highly recommended. I would definitely go back. Reservation requires a deposit. Plenty of parking. read more

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Was incredibly fortunate to have been able to enjoy their anniversary menu. I honestly don't have the words to describe how fantastic each plate was. They really showcased the local produce, seafood and meats and it was so beautifully presented. This is a must-visit for anyone planning on spending some time in Valle. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Meh- was expecting more for the $ & the hype. Asked for a printed menu- nope. Dishes were put in front of us & we had to ask what they were... Wine pairing was sub par. Lamb ragu with pappardelle was a winner & chicken was amazing, but we were full by that course & asked to take it home. When the bill arrived, I asked about the to go box & waiter shook his head no. Like they didn't save it- no offer to replace it or take it off the bill. read more

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My partner and I made it a point to go to Laja on our last trip to Valle and we were so happy we were able to get in. We made a reservation about a week in advance, and only a 4:30 time slot was available- so book in advance. Prix Fixe Style Dining They have a prix fixe menu and beverage pairing for around $120 USD each so we both did that. We got 5 courses (see attached menu) with a variety of cocktails, beer and wine tastings paired. At first the food was smaller portioned and I was left wanting more...but I had to be patient because once we reached the 4th course I realized I would be ok. Favorite food items Sourdough, kefir, cucumber, kalamata olive! - I could eat the roti with kefir for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for the rest of my life and be happy! Horse Mackerel - 4 different dishes- 3 utilized mackerel. 1 was a veggie side Favorite drinks - THE BEET COCKTAIL! - Vaca Choyera wine (if you're a natural wine freak like me you'll love it) I am giving Laja 4 stars instead of 5 because I feel like every dish should be a standout dish with prix fixe and some fell short. They got a lot of things right though. I like how everything is locally sourced from their farm. I support sustainable farm to food businesses and I hope they are around for many many years!! read more

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From the very beginning of this dining experience we felt so very welcomed to Laja. The restaurant itself feels like you're dining in a friends cozy yet elegant home filled with family antiques and flowers from the garden that you can view from the patio. Be prepared to take your time, and savor the complex and well balanced chefs tasting menu. We especially loved the octopus/potato/chorizo appetizer and the delicate corn soup filled with baby zucchini/broccoli. Even the salad with kale/warm roasted tricolored carrots/peas and string beans with a light dill dressing was truly incredible. The main course of melt in your mouth roasted pork, whipped potatoes, shiitake mushrooms in a savory sauce of miso & saffron topped with shishito peppers just made us so happy. This chefs truly takes his time time to give the guest an experience and we were welcomed to the kitchen to thank Jesus for a job well done. Go, you won't be disappointed, and we will be back to this lovely gem! read more

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We ended up having Dinner here on a Friday night in November after Thanksgiving. Didn't mind having the only option: 4 course Dinner Each plate was thoughtful. Not over the top in Flavor, but enough to know they took their time. Highlights were the Roasted Chicken, Dill Salad + Persimmons Plate. Worthy of a try! read more

My husband and I had the 8 course tasting here with the wine pairing and it was very nice. The service was good given how busy it was. The place with basically packed by the end of our meal! The dishes had long spaces in between, so altogether our experience was 2.5 hours. There were a few things I didn't love. The bread wasn't my fav, and the salad didn't really stand out to me. The spider crab soup was ok, but not spectacular. The scallop tartare/ceviche? was interesting in that it had different tastes in each bite due to the distribution of the different ingredients. That said, it had too much cilantro and other flavors that I wasn't a fan of. My husband liked it more though. I LOVED the squash tortellini that were served in a delicious savory broth. I also loved the sea bass with its crispy flavorful skin, and the tender, meltingly delicious lamb. Those were amazing. We were both pleasantly surprised by the orange ice cream with wine soup which was refreshing and delicious. The goat cheese mousse was a surprise favorite. The texture was heavenly and the ice cream was soft enough that it went together perfectly, with crunchy candied nuts as contrast. The flavors of the mousse and ice cream together were amazing. Overall, it was a really fun and casual feeling dining experience for a surprisingly reasonable price given that we also got to try 7 wines and got coffee. We enjoyed basically all the wines, as well. Would definitely recommend! read more

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We had a lovely dinner for a group of 20 of us. Service was impeccable, food, cocktails and wine were delicious.. And the atmosphere with huge fireplace and sparkling Christmas tree was really cozy. We had a five course tasting menu with a multi-colored radish salad, a delicious lemongrass soup with duck filled dumplings (so flavorful; my favorite dish), a yellowtail crisp with thinly sliced persimmon, and a yellowtail with mole, and a "floating island' desert. It was pretty loud inside with the acoustics, and too chilly to eat outside this time of year, but overall a really enjoyable evening. read more

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It was a last minute trip out to the Valle and luckily our group was able to book a table for four just a day ahead for a dinner at Laja. Driving into the the venue, we knew we were going to be in for a treat. It's a very intimate and cozy setting placed inside a old house but well kept house. Service was good, food and wine was even better. We opted for the 8 course starting menu, starting off with complimentary bread. First on the menu was a salad with vinergretre. Honestly the only bad thing on the menu. I also didn't care for the soup but it did taste good. But of everything, the lamb was spot on delicious with its sweet/savory potato-like sauce. The civeche was fresh and mildly-creamy and just melts in your mouth. Desert was of course, a show stopper. I'm a huge fan of coffee scents and this did not disappoint. I believe their menu changes often but You can't steer wrong with Laja. read more

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A truly special meal. Even though it's wine country, you HAVE to start with one of Gabriel's cocktails. Or two. They are exceptional. The food is thoughtful, fresh, and delectable. I only wish we had bigger stomachs to try more things. Shout out to Ivan who steered us in all the right directions. An exceptional dining experience. We will no doubt return soon. read more

LAJA is often called the French Laundry of Baja. Very beautiful restaurant with gardens supplying the fresh produce. They let my culinary group wander through the grounds and take photographs, enjoy the sunset. Impeccable service. Our menu that evening: Amuse Bouche Oyster with Chinese Cabbage Garden Green Salad w/Quail Egg Pan-roasted Grouper with Vegetables Local lamb with chard, onion puree and tomatillo Palate Cleanser Carrot Cake with goat cheese ice cream Chocolate with espresso ice cream If you really like a dish, you can ask for seconds, at no extra charge -- very unusual for a restaurant of this caliber. "Our portions are designed to please you, but if you liked any dish and want to try it again, please let us know, there is no extra charge." You are so sated and full that only person asked for seconds -- even though I was tempted. The palate cleanser was a cucumber gin sorbet, so delicious and refreshing. Definitely worth returning to Mexico just to dine here. read more

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We were excited to eat here after reading a number of rave reviews. Sadly, we were deeply disappointed in our experience. No one in our party enjoyed their meal and each of us were shocked at how bland and uninspired the food was. Every dish but for one was under-seasoned, cold, and flavorless. We paid over $100 per person for small portions of carrots, turnips, a mushy fried fish sandwich on white bread, melon, far too much bread, yogurt, jicama and a tasteless chocolate mousse. As we left and walked by other tables, we saw a lot of uneaten food and knew other diners must've felt the same way. This was truly one of the worst meals we've had in the Valle. Kind of feels like they stole our money. What we got was not even close to what we paid for. We will never return again! read more

Just got a quote for a catered affair from Laja. Compared to Fauna (which is known as the best restaurant in the valle) and Malva (fantastic and comporable), they are anywhere from 2-4.5x the price with nearly identical main ingredients on all of the menus. When I asked why that was (perhaps the ingredients sourcing, perhaps the preparation), especially since it came in $50 USD higher per person than they told me their pricing ranged, they told me that wasn't my place to ask. "If you can't afford it, maybe you should work with someone else". Horrible customer service! Hard to not feel like they were trying to take advantage of us. I hope you guys work to improve here, because your food is fantastic. I'm very disappointed by how you chose to treat us as potential customers. read more

I arrived at 7:45 without a reservation thinking that it would not be an issue for me to get a table but I was unaware that there was a month and a half wait in order to be seated at this restaurant. Antonio I believe he was the owner of the restaurant made space for us outside so that we can enjoy his restaurant. That was very kind of him. The menu gives you a choice of four course meal or an eight course meal. I picked the four course meal with wine. The four courses started out with a crab soup that had no cream or lactose in it and was completely a vegetable base. It was absolutely delicious and the pieces of crab were abundant. I was very happy to start the meal with a nice warm cup of soup and it was so cold outside. That was followed by a delicious white fish called Blanco which was set on a thin bed of spinach. I'm not 100% sure what tiny vegetables were cut in to the base of the fish plate but I do believe there were some non-spicy little red and green peppers and also possibly slices of cactus. It was absolutely delicious and I had to ask for more bread in order to wipe up the delicious leftovers on the bottom of the bowl. That was followed by a very simple ravioli stuffed with beef which was also quite scrumptious and light and easy to eat. The desert was an eclair which was not chocolate but coconut-based which was delicious with a nice hot cappuccino which was also served hot but perfect. The Decour is quite simple and reminded me of a place that I stayed in big sky Montana. The walls are made out of rock and the Decour is quite simple with no paintings hanging in the dining room and the kitchen directly off to the side of the restaurant. Our server was a young man by the name of Victor who is a local and grew up in an orphanage quite close to the restaurant. His demeanor and caring nature was very refreshing and quite sweet. read more

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Guadalupe Valley or Valle De Guadalupe, B.C., Mexico According to Yelp Search: Ensenada, Baja California Location: Very rural, a few minutes off main highway down dirt road (common theme for most spots in the area. Building and grounds are very rustic. Old farm house feel and very plain within, wooden furniture throughout. - The WEDDING from Game of Thrones could have been filmed here. Overall nice charm and feel. Food: All local ingredients (similar to most other spots in area). - European , French. I'd go as far to say New American but would never say Mexican. I think it's a good thing... A nice break from all the delicious Mexican food I've had. The BREAD was incredible. Not sure people realize how good it is, Crust perfect - soft within. I'd put it against anything I've had in Paris while on my Bakery hunts. Service: Absolutely sub par ONLY if compared to fine dining given the caliber of food. - No explanation of food. - They leave bottle of water on table for you to pour. - Staff not too engaging. - They do provide NEW silverware at each of the 8 courses, Very Cool. - 2.5 to 3 for hours for the 8 course non wine paring tasting menu. - Would love to come here once a week if I could. Notable Meals I've had in the area solely based on food on a 5 scale: - Lunch 5.0 Corona del Valle - Dinner 4.5 Laja - Dinner 4.5 Corazon de Tierra - Dinner 3.0 Deckman's - Dinner 3.0 Finca Altozano read more

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Our server Ivan was incredible, super helpful and the food was incredible! One of the most memorable dinners I've ever had. The sunset view from the patio was one of the best I have ever seen. read more

Ivan was the absolute best, the service, the food and the ambiance was unlike anything I've ever experienced- absolutely recommend

Another outstanding restaurant in Baja. The food and menu are outstanding but I have to take a point off for confused service, probably due to Covid. Still a must visit restaurant in the Ruta de Vino read more

Not impressed food overly salty. Not imaginative. We had a guest from out of town come in and planned in advance to eat at Laja weeks before which was our first time. I have been to Deckmans and Animalon before and for the price of Laja expected our 8 course wine tasting paired menu to be on the same level as the aforementioned however it was not. We ended up paying roughly over $100 with tip per person for 8 course wine pairing and the food was overly salty and unimaginative. I would not come back nor would I recommend this place to others. The setting is nice one of the few (maybe only) all indoor 8 course meal venue with great atmosphere and protected from the elements. But food is not good for the price. Also we ate nov 2 and we still were served the October menu. Squash ravioli was too salty, duck was dry and tasteless. Risotto was too salt read more

Laja - Desserts were good - Modern European Near Me - Valle De Guadalupe, BCN

Girlfriend and I ate dinner here the other night while we were in the area for a wedding. The location is very appealing, a small house set back from the road and in the local foliage. The inside is very clean and modern but with a rustic finish from. The bar, tables and chairs. The setting was very quiet. There was no background music so when there was a lull in conversation at all the tables, it was a bit eerie. We both ordered the four course dinner with wine parings; between the two of us we tried all eight dishes offered. The first two courses, four dishes, were good, though not spectacular. The highlight of the evening was the third, I guess main, course. I had the local catch which was deliciously tender while she had the beef which could be cut with a fork. For dessert, the sorbet was melted while my fennel cake was very tasty. The wait staff was friendly, but very slow sometimes and the pacing of the meal left something to be desired. Overall the food was good, not sure if worth the cost due to the lack of atmosphere and sterile service we received. Would consider coming back if we were in the area but wouldn't come out of our way to eat here. read more

Laja - Menu from August 2017 - Modern European Near Me - Valle De Guadalupe, BCN

Had the 8 course meal with wine pairings. All courses were delicious except for the Lechón. Meal was pretty filling. read more

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Laja is a very nice restaurant. Service is outstanding and food is exceptional. Why 4 stars? The wine that they use to pair the food isn't great; it could be much better having all these wineries around them. If you're not dining alone, definitely do the 4 course meal and share the dishes so you can try the entire menu. read more

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Laja is one of the most beautiful places in Mexico, the food is really poetic, the experience in global is amazing, the place service and wines.. If you love food this is a must. I come here often and always wnat to come back. read more

Laja - Ravioles de Calabaza con elote dulce - Modern European Near Me - Valle De Guadalupe, BCN

Had a fantastic lunch at Laja. Extremely relaxing and a great tasting menu. We did the four courses with the wine pairing and it was perfect. Highly recommend. read more

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Incredible food with wonderful service. Local organic ingredients. 4 course lunch with pairings made for a perfect afternoon. Highly recommend with easy reservation process online. read more

I booked a reservation more than 2 weeks in advance and specifically chose the vegetarian option. I emailed the restaurant 3 days prior to our reservation and specified that although I chose vegetarian, I do eat seafood and would welcome seafood as part of the prefix meal. I received a response for the restaurant saying they would be happy to accommodate my request. We arrived and there was only 1 other group dining at the restaurant. We ordered cocktails to start and then the wine tasting to go along with each course. The first 3 courses were fantastic and the wine with each course was delicious. Then for the fourth course they brought out duck served 3 different ways. Our waiter disappeared and left us not knowing what to do. Finally our waiter came back to check on us , and we told him that we had ordered a vegetarian course. At first it seemed like he didn't believe us, until I showed him the email. Then he went back to the kitchen and asked the chef to prepare something vegetarian for me. We had to wait for my vegetarian meal to be prepared, and this kind of ruined the flow and ambience of the evening. Our waiter was apologetic and admitted it was their mistake. We tried to be gracious and accepted their apologies even though it was disappointing. The food was delicious and the waiter gave us great service, unfortunately this oversight/mistake put a huge damper on the evening. Our waiter said they comped the cocktails, but in honesty for a meal that cost $150 a person I feel there should of been more of an effort to compensate for this mistake. I have very mixed feelings about this restaurant. Although the food was delicious, for the amount they charge for a meal this big of a mistake should never have happened. It was very disappointing. The restaurant is not only about the food, but about the total experience. Not being able to get a vegetarian course like I had ordered put stress and anxiety on us. I most likely will not come here again. read more

We did the 8 course with wine pairing menu and it was amazing! I'm giving it 4 stars because I think the wine pairing could have used a bit of work. However my husband absolutely loved all the wine (his words... "be open minded"), so to each their own right? The service was spectacular. The entire meal lasted about 2.5 hours. A nice steady pace which didn't allow you to get too full. Very modern, clean atmosphere. I will need to come back here every time we're in the Valle!! Reservations highly recommended. read more

With so many options of fantastic restaurants, this one really stands out. amazing food, wine and experience. service was top par. it is truly one of the best restaurants in Valle de Guadalupe. do recommend to make reservations. read more

For the price, I was disappointed by the experience. The food was fantastic, that's for sure. We got the 8 course meal with the pairings. But the place was empty, and when there's no music, it just felt ... off. Blank walls and silence was not what I was expecting for $240. The few people in there were in gym clothes. We went to Deckman's the day after, and for half the price, all of our senses were delighted with the ambiance, gorgeous views, the smells, and of course the food. I never want to give the impression that I didn't enjoy the food, but I planned this meal for my anniversary, and was not impressed. read more

Came here for my girlfriends birthday. The staff was extremely attentive, clearly enjoyed talking about the food. Even the bar tender was courteous about my vegetarian diet and my girlfriend who eats meat (as they prepared separate food w/o meat for me, and even remembered not to use worm salt on my margarita!) The veggies from their farm were amazing. And to top the night, our DiDi driver didn't arrive, and the owner had our server drive us back in their own car to our hotel in town and no charge! read more

Food is really good, BUT menu is small (not that that's bad, because most small menus are AMAZING), and this place just never reached the expectations that I'd heard from friends and reviews. The space could be amazing but the lights are way too bright and there's no music. Kinda hollow. Similar to a small cafeteria. And if the food were perfect it would be ok, but it wasn't. Wine was good. Olivia is 100 times better!! I realize I'm spoiled coming from NYC and living in Los Angeles but this place didn't even come close to top 1000 restaurants read more

Dinner on 5/12/2018. Group of 8 paid $922. No price on drinks. Food was okay, the best dish was cheese soup. Don't waste your time, go to Deckman's. The food taste great, good sized servings and the price is right on. read more

Coming from California, Laja was a perfectly good meal but not spectacular. We did two four-course tastings (with one wine pairing) and was able to try the entire menu, which was nice. The wine pairing was also generally good and we liked that they primarily served Ulloa wines, which from my understanding is also run by the folks at Laja, but not grown in Valle de Guadalupe. The ambience is also quaint - a large room filled with lots of wood - but we missed that it wasn't outdoors, which is one of the real treats of being in Valle de Guadalupe. There were a lot of overhead lights, making the room very bright and not romantic. The food itself was generally okay; we had an extremely salty soup appetizer and mediocre desserts. The two main courses, however, were delicious though unoriginal (e.g., sea bass with fennel). Service was also fine, but be prepared for some potential communication issues due to language differences. Total cost for two was about 120 US dollars, including tip. You should try this place out, but keep your expectations tempered. read more

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Awesome restaurant! Highly recommended! Went for my wife's birthday after reading some reviews on here. We were not disappointed one bit. We had the 8 course meal. Every single dish was amazing. It's also worth mentioning how great of a service they delivered during our dinner. The staff was on point. Great food and excellent service. We will be coming back here for sure! read more

Fantastic meal in Valle de Guadalupe. The restaurant itself is charming- cozy farm house feel with minimal decor, very simple. Food was outstanding and a great value at under $100 per person for 8 courses with wine pairings. My husband and I enjoyed every course and tried some intriguing new wines. Service wasn't exceptional, but satisfactory. read more

Laja is by far my favorite restaurant. The experience is great. Restaurant has been in the area for 13 years. I have heard it be said, if you have not been to Laja, you have not experienced EL Valle De Guadalupe. Be prepared to spend $ read more

Great food, great service and a phenomenal experience. They were very accommodating for our large group and we had a wonderful time!

Not sure how this place has only 4 stars. Great service. Amazing food. Worth every penny/peso. Thank you for an incredible introduction to the Valle food scene. read more

I was very disappointed with this restaurant. I was looking forward to experience new taste bites but the lack of flavor to every dish was frustrated. For the price one is paying for the 8 course meal with the wines it didn't exceed the standard what this restaurant claims to be. El Cielo, Bruma, Finca Altozona and others have artistic dishes and the flavors are uplifting to the soul. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to any of my friends and also it took over 3 hours to complete the course, our bottom was beyond hurting with such pain. read more