I was in Oaxaca for a company retreat, and our group had the entire restaurant to ourselves. It was an incredible meal--so many standout dishes! I wish I had taken a photo of the menu, but honestly, the whole experience was unforgettable. If you're in Oaxaca on holiday, definitely check out this restaurant. ENJOY! read more

Wow, just wow. Hands down the best restaurant meal I had during my entire trip. 10/10 would recommend. Located centrally right by the zocalo is Origens. Came for my birthday and loved every bite: all dishes were perfectly executed and the layers of flavors wonderfully complemented each other. Service was top notch and the drinks were strong and delicious. Staff attentive and even changed out plates. I was impressed there was also an English menu - a rarity in the city. Such a gem of a place - definitely coming back again on my next trip. read more

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My husband and I had dinner at Origen on our first night in Oaxaca last week. While it was a good meal overall, it didn't wow me. We shared several dishes! The molotes de platano macho (with salsa de tomate rinon, camaron seco, chilcostle, crema, and queso istmeno) wasn't my favorite (it wasn't super balanced and tasted too sweet to me overall). The ensalada de quelites con gusanos de maguey and pesto de hoja santa was also okay (a good salad, but maybe a little overdressed between two sauces on the plate). The ceviche de pescado (with sikil pak) was one of my favorite dishes - definitely a highlight of the meal. The tamal of squid ink (with olive and octopus ragu and green salsa) was good, but the short rib with mole manchamantele wasn't my favorite (too sweet overall with the mole and the pineapple and the peaches). The dessert was really fun - hoja santa sponge cake with mezcal gel, cacao crumble, and cucumber sorbet! It was inventive and fun and delicious! I didn't love every dish, but the food was pretty good overall. But the drinks were good, the service was good, and the ambiance was good! It's a nice meal if you're in the area! read more

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Cute and chic bar off a street near the Oaxacan city center! They have a terrace which is for those seeking to dine at their restaurant but I came for their drinks and I'm so glad I did. I got a Mexican style summer aperol that bad passion fruit infused and honestly I would come back just for this drink! Very attentive server which I appreciated. The location is just so cute and caught my eye walking by! Definitely a place to chat over cocktails with great music! read more

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Walked here on a Thursday evening in early July 2023. We made reservations for this place a few months ago but there seemed to be a lot of open tables when we went - probably because foreigners have dinner a lot earlier than the locals do. We did not go for any of the tasting menus. We ordered the ceviche, potatoes, beets salad, and fried fish. The ceviche, potatoes, and beer salad was very good. The fried fish, however, was very bland. The sauce that it came with was good but did not have enough acidity. We had to ask for lemon to make the meal palatable. They accidentally charged us for an extra Corona beer but my fiance only ordered a Modelo, which was cheaper. They took off the Modelo instead of the Corona, which was pretty annoying. We each ordered a drink and ended up paying MX$1,335 for the entire meal for two people including the tip. They packed the fried fish and ceviche to-go but didn't pack the potatoes, which was the main dish we really wanted. When we got home we found an ant in the to-go box and just threw the entire thing out. Food was good but service was off. read more

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Origen was great, a little pricey but worth it. The building is also fantastic, make sure to explore. We enjoyed the starters more than the entrees. The scallop was my favorite. Also not your average guacamole so give it a try. Excellent service from Andres! read more

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Great coffee The coffee at this cool looking bar/café next to the Origen Restaurant is terrific - but it's a little pricey - more expensive than the other options in Oaxaca! read more

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Very original menú. Nice ambience. A little pricey. Excellent service. Be sure to make a reservation.

This was our last night in Oaxaca and.. what an utter disappointment. Our waitress started by telling us there was no wine list or paella or duck. All of these things are on their website. We never saw her again and had to flag down others to get drinks and our meals. The beet salad and ceviche starter were decent but it was a terrible way to end a group trip to Oaxaca. Fish of the day was so dry and food was cold. Terrible experience. read more

Origen - Ceviche appetizer - Oaxacan Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

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First night in Oaxaca! This was a beautiful respite after all the chaos on arrival. Andres gave us beautiful service, even though he was forcing me to practice my Spanish, when I was just so exhausted from travel, lol! Origen is a bit more expensive than some of the other restaurants we enjoyed and the preparation is more creative in some aspects, too. We loved the starters a bit more than the mains; one of our favorite things that was spicy yellow salsa that came with the 'chips' when we first arrived. We also enjoyed the Lengua de Res, the Guacamole con Chepiche, the Taco de Jaiba (soft shell crab taco), the Callo Margarita (scallop) and the Solomillo de Cerdo. If you're looking for a relaxing, well-prepared meal with great service in a beautiful building, head to Origen! read more

Service was great, but that's where it peaked. The appetizers were underwhelming. The cocktails had me stopping at one. The main dish was so bland, I kick myself for not seeing the red flags. When we arrived we were the only ones there. Soon two other groups came in but all of them were American. I see the hypocrisy being American myself. But I believe that any place that has customers who are mostly non locals is probably not a great place to eat. We ordered the plantain dumplings and ceviche for appetizers. Main dishes were the beef tongue and barbacoa plates. read more

Origen - Ceviche appetizer - Oaxacan Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

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We'll run ,well executed fine dining. Two of us on a Friday night, the place was never full. Service very professional but not overbearing. Really attentive, good English too. We got one 4 course tasting menu, ceviche, quail, , plantain dumpling , lovely dessert of fruit and tomatillo in a pear tomato sorbet . Everything was excellent , the squab was kind of a joke though , only one leg was served. Maybe 2 bites? I ordered from the menu 3 courses, plantain dumplings, beetroot salad and catch of the day. The sea bass was a large portion, thankfully , as we had to make up for the sorry ass quail leg. Good selection of wine and spirits w a full bar , and really lovely 2nd floor dining room , w windows overlooking the street. Comfortable pace and no pressure at all to vacate , all for about half of what is might cost at home, or less. read more

We were so excited to try Origen & have the Menu Degustation with wine pairing tonight. I had the Vegan option & my husband had the Seasonal option. On paper both menus looked great but to say we were disappointed is an understatement. I hate writing mediocre reviews but tonight was disappointing to say the least. The restaurant itself is beautiful with many nooks & crannies for diners. We had a great table overlooking the street and it had a balcony where you could stand for a better view. The five course tasting menus for both vegan & seasonal lacked seasoning for every dish. The ingredients did not merge... separate entities for every dish. No cohesion at all. The wines paired well and were good, but that was about it. We left deflated and unfortunately, No I would not recommend Origen. Our bill was $250 which was overprice considering the mediocrity of the dishes. The staff were good attentive and patient considering our lack of the Spanish language. read more

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Heard great things about this place. The hostess was not friendly or very communicative. The chef was great. The zarandeado fish plate presentation looked nice but flavor was lacking. I had rib eye and it was cooked to perfection. Drink cocktails were lacking also. Nice presentation but basic flavors. They gave us some mini empanadas that were very tasty. The dessert of flower of Jamaica was awesome. So it was an okay experience but I would not come back. So many other places to try. read more

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absolutely a different type of meal worth trying. In fact, my last time there they had two different degestation menus offered. all of the foods are very gastronomically, appealing with a significant variety of tastes and textures. The ambience has a real good feel, and the staff can accommodate you in English, Spanish and they are even tolerant of some bad Spanglish they have a very capable bar staff serving anything from local favorites to old standards and some prettydecent Mezcals. When you combine all of this with about a two minute walk from the Zocalo? I think it's a no-brainer to dry. read more

Our group of 8 were seated in our own room so it felt like private dining. We went with their 6 course menu option and it was all very good. The meal never felt too rushed or too slow and the quality of food was fantastic. There weren't any particular standouts but it was overall an enjoyable experience. read more

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Origen has wonderful duck confit enchiladas in mole negro sauce, as well as fish in mole negro sauce. They offer wines from outside Mexico. https://origenoaxaca.com/ read more

Food: We ordered 5 dishes total between two people - 2 apps, 2 entrees, 1 dessert. It was enough for 2 people. - wild greens salad with agave worms: this was good, would recommend - fish ceviche: Big portion, drenched in recaudo negro sauce - we could have done with way less sauce - margarita scallops - This was probably our favorite, although a bit too salty and lacked nuance in flavor. - grilled octopus - Good texture of octopus, super tender. Too salty and not too much flavor beyond that. - tomato pear sorbet - interesting dish, flavorful sorbet but too much whipped cream Drinks: This was probably the best part of the night. We got the mezcal sour and picante. Service: Service was unfortunately a big weak point. We're not one to care about this usually, but it was exceptionally slow and non-attentive. The waiter changed 5 times, never offered to fill our water glasses once throughout three hours, it was difficult to get refills for cocktails, took our food away early, and it took about 45 minutes to even get our order in. If we didn't track someone down to ask for the check, we probably would have been there for another hour. This overall put a huge damper on the meal we were really looking forward to. read more

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Waited 1.5 hours for our food and it was lackluster. I'm disappointed given we heard such great things but it ended up being our worst meal and worst service of our trip. read more

Very cool restaurant with an interesting layout. Starters: Plantain Dumplings - 4/5 Broccoli Salad - 5/5 Mains: Grilled Octopus - 4/5 Postres: Honey Brownie - 5/5 The restaurant itself is beautiful, airy, and old world. The food is good. The broccoli salad is absolutely phenomenal. It is a must order. Broccoli, steak tartare, and a delicious sauce. The best thing on the menu. The honey brownie was really good too. Sweet, and satisfying but not overly sweet. I love octopus but felt the main dish was smothered with too much sauce and not enough flavor or spice. Dumplings were okay, a tad on the dry side. read more

I spent two months in Oaxaca and this was the best meal I had during my trip. I got the plantain dumplings and the potato gnocchi and both dishes were 10/10. Delicious food, friendly staff, great atmosphere. read more

Origen - Potato Gnocchi - Oaxacan Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

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Overpriced, disorganized w their menus (my friend and I booked a 4 course tasting) we got there, we had different menus. No problem, we don't care what's on the 4 course, we just want it. We were then told nope, you booked it a month ago, but you can only do the 6 course, since it's 7pm, and the 4 course is only for 6pm. Never heard of such a thing in my life. Seemed like a scam. So what did we do, we shared 3 items. They lost out big time from us, and glad we didn't do a 4 or 6 course meal, the food was just ok, for that price! Pretty ambiance. Nothing remarkable. read more

this was an amazing place. it was my favorite after alfonsina. those two were heads and tails above everyone else. favorites were the black ceviche, the duck, and the tongue. beautiful interior too. read more

Origen - Oaxacan Near Me - Oaxaca, OAX

The place is cute, the food and service below average. The food had a very bland taste, the pasta was dry and the mole had a very liquid consistency. The service was slow also. I was be ey disappointed with this place read more

I've dined at Origen twice and both meals were exemplary. First time, I had their beet salad -- absolutely exquisite--- and pork tenderloin which was well balanced and very comforting. Second time, I started with their magical platano croquettes stuffed with quesillo. Then I had their soft shell crab taco which sounded better than it tasted because the crab was dramatic but not crispy. Finally, I had their shrimp pozole which was beautiful, fresh and very tasty. read more

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A good time. Highly recommend the ceviche and the duck! The tongue was good as well, just a little under-seasoned for my taste. read more

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On my recent trip to Oaxaca, I was in search for restaurants doing something different other than tlayudas, memelas, empanadas, tamales, etc., and came across Origen. Discovering the creativity and full flavors of Oaxaca on a different level are surely on full display at this simple yet, complex restaurant. For my meal, I decided to choose the degustation of the house tasting that was priced at 1,250 pesos. Certainly not a bad price for all that was to come. You are started off with two house-made tortillas that are left to crisp on the comal and are accompanied with a yellow salsa that is velvety smooth and not overly spicy- something very pleasant. Their amuse-bouche for that evening consisted of "Octopus Carnitas" atop of a small piece of tortilla that was crisp and accompanied with avocado puree and cilantro flowers. A great way to start and awaken the palate with the bright, clean, and acidic flavors! The first course was a fish ceviche with a recaudo negro "black" sauce that was accompanied with heirloom cilantro, avocado puree, radishes, and blue borage flowers. What seemed a little intimidating at first was nothing but a continuation of the welcoming with again, bright, clean, and fresh sea flavors. The second course was a wild greens salad with agave worms and hoja santa. At first glance, it just seemed like a nicely constructed salad- upon eating however...I was taken aback by the flavors and textures that the salad packed. The addition of chapulin mayonnaise and regional cactus tuna tied everything together perfectly! The third course was a green pozole with shrimp. The vibrant green color, heirloom corn and tenderness of the cooked shrimp are what certainly stood out from this dish! The fourth course was Beef tongue with chichilo mole sauce, white bean puree, and roasted vegetables. At this point, every dish prior had paved the path for this rich, yet light entree. Tender tongue and complex chichilo mole provided nice character to the degustation. The palate cleanser was a pineapple "granita like" snow with just a sprinkle of chili powder to help cleanse the complexity of the previous dish. Certainly a cleanser that was not too sweet, but just right for the grand finally. The last and final course was a dessert composed of rehydrated hibiscus flowers and pennyroyal ice cream. What seems like an odd dessert, definitely helped tie everything together as it was light, creative, and flavorful. Origen is certainly paying tribute to Oaxaca and its ingredients with their offerings and creativity. Give it a try, taste, and see the artistry from a different perspective! read more

On of the top restaurants in Oaxaca City. Great food, great service and great atmosphere you cannot go wrong spending a night dining here. Their mole with duck, ceviches and desserts are superb. I will definitely return to Origen when I'm back in Oaxaca. read more

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Amazing food and drinks! Servers are great. The 6 course prefix was reasonably priced at 1100 pesos. The ceviche was one of the best I've had, beef tartar was flavorful, fish was not my favorite ( but one average dish out of six isn't bad!), pork belly mole was so tender and amazing, deserts were great. They made quality accommodations for our food allergies and preferences and they were very accommodating when we mentioned we had an early flight and sped the courses up. Really, this place is actually a must eat when in Qaxaca! read more

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Can miss the entrance if you're not paying attention. It's on the closed street meaning only foot traffic. Hosts were friendly and spoke English if needed but I recommend brushing up on your Spanish. Ordered a mezcal tonic and a picante. Mezcal tonic was interesting can't say I will order again but it had hibiscus + rosemary that added a nice touch. We received a tamale appetizer gratis. Ordered our appetizer I chose ensalada con guisano and wife had the sopa. Both appetizers were tasty. For mains I had the scallops and she the fish dish. Definitely tasty food. read more

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Not good at all. The food was less than ok for everyone in our group. The chips were fine but the sauce they served it with was so spicy it was inedible. The guacamole was odd and made with a ton of dill making it not good. We had to ask 2 times for chips to go with the bowl of guacamole they brought us and left us for 10-15 mins with no way to eat. The potato's appetizer had so much thick aioli on it that it was like frosting and not a good taste or visually appealing at all. The tamale with oyster mushrooms and mole was not good.. the mushrooms were over cooked and barely any. The hostess was nice as was the sommelier but the servers were borderline rude- dismissive and very inattentive.. would not recommend this place at all. There is so much good food in Oaxaca but this was not it at all. Very disappointing. read more

Delicious cuisine and the first time I saw a Mexican IPA on the menu, which was great. We got the potatoes and duck with cranberries, faro and mole for our Mexican thanksgiving. It was delicious and enough for two people. For dessert we got the yogurt with figs and honey which was also great. Highly recommend this place for any occasion. read more

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Great spot at the Benito Juarez market for buying moles sealed and acceptable for travel and passing customs, plus a large assortment of mezcals. read more

This was our best meal in Oaxaca, and that is saying a lot. Tasty cocktails-try the mezcal old fashioned and the chef's tasting menu. Lovely reasonably priced wine list too. The shrimp ceviche with aqua chili and cucumber salsa was a delicious start, but the standout was the lamb ribs--oh so good. The dessert a small warm chocolate lava cake with delicious chili sprinkled on the side of the plate was a perfect combination. The cool ice cream was rich and just enough to finish the meal. The service was excellent and the jazz trio was as good as any I've heard. read more

Review #100 celebrates one of my favorite restaurants in Mexico, Origen by Rodolfo Castellanos. Now if you've been to Oaxaca and did not succumb to the mystical experience of eating here, you may want to ask yourself if you were there at all. Origen focuses on showcasing the best Oaxaca and its diverse people have to offer. From its farms, ranches and coast the food on your plate will be local, vibrant and steeped in culinary tradition. My dining experience, began with Origen's Mezcal Sour a twist on the classic Pisco Sour. The depth of flavor added by the smokiness of the mezcal and manzanilla (chamomile) will prepare your palate for the bold flavors to come while releasing you from the worries of the day. For starters I had the guacamole and hummus both will make you want to dedicate your culinary life to the perfection of these two simple but yet demanding dishes (side note: jicama and hummus, match made in Aztec heaven). I continued my mystical journey with their octopus salad. Grilled and seasoned to perfection the octopus melts away bringing forth an ocean wave of aromas that let you know that the coast is only a three hour drive away while the greens and avocado remind you that your still on solid ground. My main course was quail and mushrooms but the star of the dish was the mole. I've had mole allover Oaxaca and I most say Rodolfo's mole makes the earth shake. Dessert, this is where I apologize to you because I didn't write down the name or the ingredients but I did snap a photo so look at that. As if the meal was not enough the amazing thing about Origen is how unpretentious it is. From the moment you enter you feel at home, at ease and that makes all the difference. read more

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Beautiful and creative food with lots of unusual flavors. My favorite was the fish ceviche in a black sauce. I appreciated everything but didn't love all of it. I would definitely go back for that ceviche, though. read more

To my view this place definitely is gaining an upper hand in town. Each Item is uniquely presented in colorful and delightful for the palates. Table services were extremely fine, and English speaking friendly! Here I quote another reviewer for Origen："If Thomas Keller, Wolfgang, Nobu, Emeril, Julia Child and James Beard had one night in Oaxaca, this is it"... Oaxaca, México . read more

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Ok I was hesitant to write this review because I don't have anything positive or nice to say about Origen. We were excited and With all the good reviews and hype that Origen has for being top notch, so we left it for our last dinner night in Oaxaca city. Keep in mind I am an excellent cook and my palate is diverse and sophisticated but I must be honest to myself and to you if I'm going to review. In a "nutshell" My husband truly was the only person who finished his meal, pozole verde with shrimp and he enjoyed it very much. I ordered pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon and my daughter had blackened "fish of the day" tasted similar to salmon). I don't recall the specific dish names but I've added pics. We tried but couldn't eat and enjoy our foods, we just didn't like the flavors or combinations. I don't mind paying $$$$ when I can eat and enjoy delicious foods. It just didn't happen. Origen fell short in every possible fashion. The decor was blah and boring, the servers were extremely slow and wondered about the room looking often confused. The dining chairs were mixed materials ours were plastic. I'm just sorry I fell for the overly rated exaggerating reviews. There are so many more reliable options, Oaxaca is vibrant has so much to offer; and I will return to Oaxaca City but as for restaurant Origen it will not be a future contender from my experience. read more

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The soft crab tacos were the best fancy tacos I have had in years! I came to Origen because they had an awesome display set up for Day of the Dead. And I was intrigued. When I got into the dining room and saw the awesomeness of the classy atmosphere, I felt a bit underdressed, but they served me anyway. I chose the tacos as I hadn't had a taco since arriving in Mexico and was super pleased. The only downside was that the Malbec I ordered was served cold. I don't know if this is a Oaxaca trick, but I prefer my red wines to be room temperature. So that was the one drawback. I would definitely recommend this place to any foodie visiting Oaxaca. And if you're looking for e a great place for date night, it's especially suited for you! read more

Origen is the masterpiece of Chef Rodolfo Castellanos. The second floor dining room is broken up into separate spaces. Because it was a slow Sunday night, we were able to sit in the main dining room by a main window. The upholstered rose colored chairs, the brown linen napkins and the wood tables highlight the colors in the surrounding art. It is just beautiful. The service is exquisite - interestingly, all male. Not that it matters, it was just surprising. We weren't terribly hungry, but we wanted some snacks. The restaurant serves complimentary tortillas al horno with a salsa de chile canario. While I know it to be a very hot chile, I did not think it was that hot. We also ordered some guacamole (60 pesos), which was served with four crisper chips and was outstanding. The avocadoes here are so flavorful, and the guacamole was seasoned with just the right amount of lime and salt. It was topped with the cepiche herb, which is one of my new favorites. It has a lemon flavor. We also split the soup of the day (80 pesos). They were kind enough to make two cups of soup out of the bowl. The cup had a little roasted cauliflower and tomato as well as cilantro, garlic, pumpkin seeds and some flower. The waiter then poured the purple sweet potato and cauliflower puree in. It was perfect - light, fresh and perfectly seasoned. While we did not need dessert, we could not resist the "orange bread, ice cream coffee, cinnamon dry meringue" (110 pesos) description. Thank goodness! It was a bowl with a slice of orange scented quick bread topped with a quenelle of coffee ice cream and little cracker walls of cinnamon meringue. With two flowers on top and a few raspberries and some peanuts on the side, it was beautifully decorated. It was then finished with coffee flavored cream poured at the table. OMG. It was like intentionally melted ice cream as the sauce with still frozen ice cream. The cinnamon and orange both worked beautifully with the coffee. It was delicious. read more

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