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Recommended Reviews - Quintonil
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This was a bucket list destination for me for a while because of it consistently being listed as one of the top restaurants in the world. I thought that the service was absolutely impeccable... I've never seen such meticulous, detail-oriented service at a restaurant in my life. Each plate and cocktail was a real piece of art as well, not just because it looked good but because of how creative they were with ingredients, technique and preparation. Despite these qualities that are certainly characteristic of a two Michelin star place like this, I left fairly disappointed because the food itself didn't taste that great. Usually places like this you're going to have dishes you don't like, some that are okay, and some you'll remember for a lifetime. But none of the plates here were memorable and a lot of them actually were incredibly salty. Plus the cost of the meal was around $800 after initial deposit + bill, and it's not a great feeling walking out after paying that much and feeling like it wasn't worth it. If I were to pick a couple of dishes I enjoyed the most it would be the pickled clams with caviar, leek and potato, and the pibil pork tamal with young corn cream. The cream on the tamal tasted like crema but was made out of something ("young corn"?) that crema is not usually made out of, which was impressive. The pickled clams were very unique, quite an enjoyable way to have clams. The most beautifully presented dish of the night was the lettuces from Tepotzotlán which was consumed by carefully dipping each piece of leaf in a sauce with a bunch of things I've never heard of ("sikil pak, Cuadro cheese and celeriac bushi"?). Despite the presentation and creativity, the taste was mostly just nutty and salty and it got pretty redundant eating it. We noticed a table next to us that just decided to not finish it. I was leaning towards more of a three star rating here just because of the unimpressive flavors paired with the steep price resulting in a poor value meal. But the quality and professionalism of the service and overall operation was truly impressive and earns them an extra star. The interior of the restaurant/ambience wasn't particularly impressive either, but every detail of the restaurant from the service to the table cloths to the bathrooms was carefully considered. Overall though if you're looking to be blown away by the taste of the food and just have a really solid, Mexico City-style meal, I wouldn't recommend this place for that. I am not sure who I would recommend this place to honestly.
Pre-work: you need to make a reservation online and the holding fee is $9000 pesos. This is subtracted from your final food bill later. Came in for a weeknight dinner. Arrived little early, so figured we'd check in. Deskfront help was a little snotty / had attitude, but whatever. We waited in the bench out front till our exact time when they called us in. Obviously they wanted to make us comfortable and had plenty of staff helping us. All the table staff were nice and accommodating. JP was our main server, explaining each dish as they were brought to the table. Lighting was in general dim but detail lighting brightened the table. We ordered 2 cocktails and 1 mocktail along with water (Evian). Place was not at 100% capacity. Bar area was full, but few tables closest to the entry door were empty. Seems this place has a constantly changing chef's menu. Ours was 10 courses over about 3 hours! I can't begin to go thru each dish's specific details, but standouts were the sea trout (Steelhead trout from Baja California, adobo de chicatana, seasonal mushrooms pickled in fig leaf) cooked Japanese style and later found out had roasted ant crumples on it (added a tad of spicy kick); Tuna pescadilla, lacto-fermented mushrooms and chintextle de chapulín Lime pickled tomatoes tostada, jícama kimchi and fennel. Fried escamoles, tomato caldillo and guajillo. 2-3 dishes were so-so, but in general food was of high quality, detailed and subtle tastes. I liked that they were using bugs in various dishes, as they explained to us After all those dishes were consumed. Photos have the bug menu used. Note that none of the dishes were obviously bugs. The bugs were used as fine topping or mixed into sauces. Value...eating at this type of place isn't totally about value. There is some price elevation for the name brand. For the dinner set we had, I feel that the price was beyond the actual value. Would I come back again? Considering there are other similar level places in CDMex, probably not. Would I suggest this place to others, yes, but I would explain the price value ratio and let that other person decide if it's for them or not. The cost would of course be the biggest factor. Price per person, w/ tip included was definitely above $100 per person. Attached photos have the menu we ate from as well as each dish's photo.
One of the best dining experiences I've ever had! Service is impeccable and what I would expect for a restaurant like this. Ambience is elevated but not pretentious. Every dish activated taste buds that I didn't know existed. My favorite dish might have been the coconut ice cream with sea moss and caviar!
Lives up to the hype. Wasn't a perfect meal but it was damn close to it. Mind blowing starters such as the tuna tostada. A life altering salad. A trout course that will change your mind in you have an aversion to fish. At the end they'll present all the insects you consumed which is off putting but honestly they were delicious. A must
Possibly the best meal of our lives. And we've eaten at Michelin-starred spots all over the world. Quintonil. Just wow. Walked in for a late lunch on a Wednesday and got greeted like family. The host actually sat with us for a minute, asked about our Mexico City trip, made sure we felt welcomed. Set the tone for everything after. Did the 12-course Menú del Chef + the 9-pour Maridaje Horizontes wine pairing. Theme of the meal was corn and chiles and they ran with it brilliantly. The opening "snacks" -- handheld bites including a pescadía misión and a buñuelo -- already had me sold. Three and a half hours, start to finish. Never once felt long. Just felt right. I told the team early that I'd heard about their bug courses, and Fernando our mesero quietly took care of it. Never mentioned an insect once during the meal. That kind of attention. Started with cocktails too -- the Bésame Mucho and the Cenizas. Both excellent. Beautifully made. Bryan got the duck. I got the rib eye. Both perfect. Like, perfect perfect. Halfway through, they walked us to the kitchen. Watched Chef Vallejo work. There's a counter dining setup in the back where you can sit and watch the whole show -- we'll be back for that. The detail -- they were measuring chair distances. I watched a server measure where the glasses go on a table. As a business owner I was floored. Then at the end, the team gently let us know that yes, we had eaten the bugs. Probably more than one course. Already loved it. Still loved it. A fun(?) surprise. They also handed us a printed booklet with the meal's theme, the courses, and a list of restaurants they recommend in the city. We're going to half of them. Sat in the front dining room. Smaller, calmer. The back courtyard is pretty but gets warm in the sun -- front is the move. About $350 USD per person for the menu, $150 for the wine pairing, plus cocktails and tips. Not cheap. Worth every peso. My new favorite restaurant in the world. 5 stars across the board.
Quintonil was truly an experience of a lifetime. Many people compare this place to Pujol, and I think they both are excellent places to visit for different reasons. They both offer tasting menus, but that's where the similarities end. Quintonil is a much smaller and intimate restaurant, with options to be sat in a dimly lit dining area, of the much more open and bright area in front of the kitchen (which is where we sat). I loved how open it was, and how close we were to the kitchen. Service was excellent, and everything you would hope for and more. Staff were so thoughtful and took the time to explain every dish, and even went as far as running next store to grab our friend's phone that he left behind. The level of attention to detail here is something I have never experienced before. Watching the chefs cook in the kitchen was like watching a ballet, everything was choreographed and in unison. On the food front, there were 11 courses of some of the most creative food I've ever had in my life. There were some items that might be the greatest bites of food I've ever had (the tuna taco and mussels immediately come to mind), along with some of the best trout I've ever had in the smoked trout dish. They do use insects throughout the meal, but they are incorporated in such fun and unique ways that you never taste them. Quintonil has mastered creative cooking and it really showed throughout the meal. I am so grateful to have experienced eating here, and can't recommend this place enough. It was a 4.9/5 experience for me, and think everyone should come here at least once in their life to experience Quintonil for themselves.
An absolute gem and so glad we were able to try Quintonil on our trip! It definitely was unique and lived up to the hype and compared to US prices (though yes US prices are extortionate), it was definitely worth it. We also each got a wine pairing, one was the 'world' wine pairing and the other was the 'Mexican' wine pairing. From started to the petit fours, and showing us the famous grasshoppers that they use in their food, everything was done great and so unique with mexican flavors. Service was impeccable and staff were all super friendly. I loved that at the end of the meal they also gave you their recommendations for other food / drinks / things to do around the area. Ambiance of the restaurant was really nice and it was cozy.
The minute you enter Quintonil the entire service staff is nothing but accommodating. I felt welcomed at every step I took into the restaurant. Despite being such a highly regarded restaurant, there was nothing pretentious about this place which I appreciated. Each course I tried had such a unique component. Every ingredient was included with so much intention behind it. There is a reason Quintonil is one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. THIS is an exceptional restaurant.
Our first Michelin star experience for my birthday and it was incredible! We loved most of the tasting menu dishes and service was amazing - always changing plates and silverware and refilling drinks. we sat at the bar and were able to watch the kitchen prepare all the food which was fun Towards the middle of the meal they let you see all the bugs you ate during the dinner which is a fun experience lol Overall we had a great time and expanded our ideas of food We left incredibly full which was amazing considering how small most plates were but there were plenty of them!
To preface, this was my first Michelin star restaurant and this one has 2 stars! I highly highly recommend getting a reservation many months in advance, they fill up quite quickly and far in advance. This meal is an experience. It is nestled in Mexico City surrounded by so much amazing food and food history. We had a reservation for two at the chef's table/bar - where you get to see all the magic happening. Upon entering, you are immediately received by the most attentive and fun staff. We were celebrating our anniversary and received some nice cards and a sweet dessert as a result. This was a 9 or 10 course meal and was incredible from start to finish. Of course there were some dishes we liked more than others, but all of them were innovative takes on classic Mexican flavors and dishes. All in all, this was the best meal I have ever had. The cocktails were also incredible. They offer a wine pairing to go with each dish but we elected to just get different cocktails along the way. If you can snag a reservation here, I would absolutely recommend it.
Easily a top 5 meal I've ever had. The highlights for me were: 1) Pibil pork tamal, young corn cream 2) Gordita de yuca and aged cheese from Ocosingo, Chiapas, chicharron de wagyu and chicatana ant, suero costeno and lemon balm mojo 3) Cactus paddle sorbet 4) Chileatole with wild mushrooms, mexican herbs 100% recommend the liquid horizons wine pairing as well
A Culinary Pilgrimage to Quintonil - #3 Restaurant in the World Quintonil in Mexico City's upscale Polanco neighborhood absolutely lives up to its reputation as one of the world's finest dining destinations. With its Michelin 2-star recognition and #3 ranking on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, reservations are booked out far in advance--rightfully so. Despite battling heavy traffic and arriving 20 minutes late, the staff handled it with utmost grace after I notified them by phone. I was seated at the kitchen counter, which turned out to be the best seat in the house, giving me a front-row view of the choreography and precision in the open kitchen. It felt like watching a live culinary performance. From start to finish, the service, cocktails, and progression of flavors were spectacular. I started with a cocktail/mocktail crafted from sencha tea, prickly pear, and tomatoes--refreshing, crisp, and beautifully balanced without being overly sweet. For the main course, I chose the duck with sweet mole, which ended up being my absolute favorite dish of the night--rich, soulful, and layered with flavor. The crabmeat croquette and deconstructed tamale were close seconds, both showcasing creativity and bold interpretation of traditional Mexican elements. And I have to highlight one of the most unexpected delights of the meal: a coconut ice cream topped with caviar. Luxurious, playful, and downright delicious. Towards the end, guests are given a beautifully designed pamphlet explaining the chili peppers used, the tasting menu, and a breakdown of the timed courses--a thoughtful touch that reflects the restaurant's dedication to storytelling through food. I left completely fascinated--by the flavors, the creativity, and the elegance of the entire dining experience. Truly grateful I had the chance to experience Quintonil. It's more than just a meal; it's a culinary journey that celebrates Mexico's ingredients at the highest level.
What an experience! We literally made travel arrangements in accordance to our reservations. This place is truly magical. No words can describe how delicious the food was to how incredibly kind every single staff was. I will definitely be visiting again
Fantastic tasting menu experience. A few of the highlights: Mussel: one of my favorite bites of the evening. So much happening in a single bite. Best mussels I've ever had. Steelhead trout: fish was cooked perfectly!! Perfect smokiness and the flavors just kept evolving in my mouth. Mushrooms and sauce paired perfectly with it. I was actually a bit disappointed by the ribeye course. The mole was fantastic, but it really overwhelmed everything else on the dish. I'm sure the ribeye was cooked perfectly, but I really could not taste it or the chorizo over the mole. All the other courses were fantastic. Loved the Mamey tart, lobster, butternut squash salad, and oyster. Service was impeccable and similar to other 2* and 3* Michelin experiences. The staff were very warm and thoughtful. We had a nice view of the open part of the kitchen, and it was cool watching the chefs work. When our waiter heard we were going to Oaxaca next, they even provided us with a list of Quintonil-recommended sights and restaurants to visit! Bathrooms were nice albeit a bit small. I would rank this below my favorite fine dining restaurant Sezanne, but it's still a strong contender! read more
Quintonil Overall Rating: This is one of the greatest meals I have ever had the privilege of experiencing. Saying food is the key to my soul doesn't even begin to describe what Quintonil accomplished. The talent displayed across these 12 courses was extraordinary. Anyone who says fine dining is repetitive simply hasn't experienced a meal like this. Every course was thoughtful, artistic, and technically brilliant. This wasn't just dinner. It was culinary storytelling at its highest level. I WILL BE BACK! 12 Course Tasting Menu $350 Mexico City is one of the greatest food cities in the world. You can find incredible meals at every price point, and for the longest time I convinced myself I didn't need to explore its fine dining scene because I could find similar cooking elsewhere for less. I was wrong. Quintonil is in a league of its own. The chefs showcase Mexican ingredients and flavors in ways I am still thinking about. Every dish had a purpose. Every course built on the last. Every bite felt intentional. It is rare for a tasting menu to leave me with so few critiques, but this one did exactly that. They have earned every one of their two Michelin stars, and if they ever earn a third, I won't be surprised. Service Sitting at the chef's counter gives you a front-row seat to the choreography behind a world-class restaurant. Watching the kitchen move in perfect rhythm, seeing the precision behind every plate, and experiencing the flawless coordination between the culinary and service teams felt like watching live theater. Every detail was executed with care, making an unforgettable meal even more memorable. Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Please try these restaurants and form your own judgments--it's what I would do. read more
1 month ago
There are great restaurants, and then there are restaurants that remind you why a truly exceptional meal can become one of the highlights of an entire trip. Quintonil was firmly in the latter category. We eat at a lot of ambitious restaurants and have experienced some extraordinary tasting menus over the years, so our expectations were high. Somehow, Quintonil still exceeded them. Easily one of our top restaurant experiences of the year. From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional. Our sommelier, Paz, was phenomenal--enthusiastic, incredibly knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to talk about wine. She went into wonderful detail about the bottles, producers, regions, and pairings. Our waiter, Erin, and Elena, who was part of the support staff, were equally wonderful. The entire team managed that difficult balance of being polished and precise without ever feeling stiff or rehearsed. Dinner lasted about three hours, yet never felt long. The atmosphere is sophisticated but remarkably warm and intimate, which made even more sense when we learned the restaurant had once been the chef's home. We had the Our Mexico tasting menu, and there simply wasn't a weak course. The lime-pickled tomato tostada was a beautiful opening; the mussel tartlet with mole de mar was intensely flavorful; and the fried escamoles were fantastic. The seafood courses included kampachi, oyster and blue shrimp from Tampico, followed later by steelhead trout from Baja California. One of the most visually memorable dishes was remarkably the lettuce course. The lettuces were arranged like a wreath, delicately and almost precariously balanced around the bowl, with sikil pak pumpkin-seed sauce below. It was architectural and beautiful--the sort of presentation that makes everyone stop talking just to look at it. The avocado-bean tamal with Wagyu chicharrón was fantastic, as was the rib eye with chichilo negro, pico de gallo and huitlacoche. The cactus paddle sorbet was a perfect reset, and dessert continued at the same level. By the end, we couldn't identify a single course that felt like filler. Everything had a purpose and everything belonged. What elevated Quintonil from an exceptional meal to a truly memorable experience, though, were the personal touches. At one point the staff brought over their recipe book for us to look through. Even more remarkable was the personalized time card the staff had used to track the progression of our dinner. At the end of the evening, they gave it to us. We've never had another restaurant give us the actual time card used to orchestrate our meal. They even handwritten wine and bar recommendations for us. It was a phenomenal little souvenir from the evening. That is ultimately what Quintonil does so well. The food operates at an exceptional level, but there is also a generosity to the entire experience. You leave feeling that the people taking care of you genuinely wanted you to have a wonderful evening. Five stars without hesitation. Quintonil wasn't simply an excellent dinner in Mexico City. It was one of those rare meals where the food, wine, service, setting, and dozens of tiny acts of hospitality came together perfectly--and one of our favorite restaurant experiences of the year. read more
This was a bucket list destination for me for a while because of it consistently being listed as one of the top restaurants in the world. I thought that the service was absolutely impeccable... I've never seen such meticulous, detail-oriented service at a restaurant in my life. Each plate and cocktail was a real piece of art as well, not just because it looked good but because of how creative they were with ingredients, technique and preparation. Despite these qualities that are certainly characteristic of a two Michelin star place like this, I left fairly disappointed because the food itself didn't taste that great. Usually places like this you're going to have dishes you don't like, some that are okay, and some you'll remember for a lifetime. But none of the plates here were memorable and a lot of them actually were incredibly salty. Plus the cost of the meal was around $800 after initial deposit + bill, and it's not a great feeling walking out after paying that much and feeling like it wasn't worth it. If I were to pick a couple of dishes I enjoyed the most it would be the pickled clams with caviar, leek and potato, and the pibil pork tamal with young corn cream. The cream on the tamal tasted like crema but was made out of something ("young corn"?) that crema is not usually made out of, which was impressive. The pickled clams were very unique, quite an enjoyable way to have clams. The most beautifully presented dish of the night was the lettuces from Tepotzotlán which was consumed by carefully dipping each piece of leaf in a sauce with a bunch of things I've never heard of ("sikil pak, Cuadro cheese and celeriac bushi"?). Despite the presentation and creativity, the taste was mostly just nutty and salty and it got pretty redundant eating it. We noticed a table next to us that just decided to not finish it. I was leaning towards more of a three star rating here just because of the unimpressive flavors paired with the steep price resulting in a poor value meal. But the quality and professionalism of the service and overall operation was truly impressive and earns them an extra star. The interior of the restaurant/ambience wasn't particularly impressive either, but every detail of the restaurant from the service to the table cloths to the bathrooms was carefully considered. Overall though if you're looking to be blown away by the taste of the food and just have a really solid, Mexico City-style meal, I wouldn't recommend this place for that. I am not sure who I would recommend this place to honestly. read more
2 months ago
Pre-work: you need to make a reservation online and the holding fee is $9000 pesos. This is subtracted from your final food bill later. Came in for a weeknight dinner. Arrived little early, so figured we'd check in. Deskfront help was a little snotty / had attitude, but whatever. We waited in the bench out front till our exact time when they called us in. Obviously they wanted to make us comfortable and had plenty of staff helping us. All the table staff were nice and accommodating. JP was our main server, explaining each dish as they were brought to the table. Lighting was in general dim but detail lighting brightened the table. We ordered 2 cocktails and 1 mocktail along with water (Evian). Place was not at 100% capacity. Bar area was full, but few tables closest to the entry door were empty. Seems this place has a constantly changing chef's menu. Ours was 10 courses over about 3 hours! I can't begin to go thru each dish's specific details, but standouts were the sea trout (Steelhead trout from Baja California, adobo de chicatana, seasonal mushrooms pickled in fig leaf) cooked Japanese style and later found out had roasted ant crumples on it (added a tad of spicy kick); Tuna pescadilla, lacto-fermented mushrooms and chintextle de chapulín Lime pickled tomatoes tostada, jícama kimchi and fennel. Fried escamoles, tomato caldillo and guajillo. 2-3 dishes were so-so, but in general food was of high quality, detailed and subtle tastes. I liked that they were using bugs in various dishes, as they explained to us After all those dishes were consumed. Photos have the bug menu used. Note that none of the dishes were obviously bugs. The bugs were used as fine topping or mixed into sauces. Value...eating at this type of place isn't totally about value. There is some price elevation for the name brand. For the dinner set we had, I feel that the price was beyond the actual value. Would I come back again? Considering there are other similar level places in CDMex, probably not. Would I suggest this place to others, yes, but I would explain the price value ratio and let that other person decide if it's for them or not. The cost would of course be the biggest factor. Price per person, w/ tip included was definitely above $100 per person. Attached photos have the menu we ate from as well as each dish's photo. read more
One of the best dining experiences I've ever had! Service is impeccable and what I would expect for a restaurant like this. Ambience is elevated but not pretentious. Every dish activated taste buds that I didn't know existed. My favorite dish might have been the coconut ice cream with sea moss and caviar! read more
Lives up to the hype. Wasn't a perfect meal but it was damn close to it. Mind blowing starters such as the tuna tostada. A life altering salad. A trout course that will change your mind in you have an aversion to fish. At the end they'll present all the insects you consumed which is off putting but honestly they were delicious. A must read more
6 months ago
Possibly the best meal of our lives. And we've eaten at Michelin-starred spots all over the world. Quintonil. Just wow. Walked in for a late lunch on a Wednesday and got greeted like family. The host actually sat with us for a minute, asked about our Mexico City trip, made sure we felt welcomed. Set the tone for everything after. Did the 12-course Menú del Chef + the 9-pour Maridaje Horizontes wine pairing. Theme of the meal was corn and chiles and they ran with it brilliantly. The opening "snacks" -- handheld bites including a pescadía misión and a buñuelo -- already had me sold. Three and a half hours, start to finish. Never once felt long. Just felt right. I told the team early that I'd heard about their bug courses, and Fernando our mesero quietly took care of it. Never mentioned an insect once during the meal. That kind of attention. Started with cocktails too -- the Bésame Mucho and the Cenizas. Both excellent. Beautifully made. Bryan got the duck. I got the rib eye. Both perfect. Like, perfect perfect. Halfway through, they walked us to the kitchen. Watched Chef Vallejo work. There's a counter dining setup in the back where you can sit and watch the whole show -- we'll be back for that. The detail -- they were measuring chair distances. I watched a server measure where the glasses go on a table. As a business owner I was floored. Then at the end, the team gently let us know that yes, we had eaten the bugs. Probably more than one course. Already loved it. Still loved it. A fun(?) surprise. They also handed us a printed booklet with the meal's theme, the courses, and a list of restaurants they recommend in the city. We're going to half of them. Sat in the front dining room. Smaller, calmer. The back courtyard is pretty but gets warm in the sun -- front is the move. About $350 USD per person for the menu, $150 for the wine pairing, plus cocktails and tips. Not cheap. Worth every peso. My new favorite restaurant in the world. 5 stars across the board. read more
Quintonil was truly an experience of a lifetime. Many people compare this place to Pujol, and I think they both are excellent places to visit for different reasons. They both offer tasting menus, but that's where the similarities end. Quintonil is a much smaller and intimate restaurant, with options to be sat in a dimly lit dining area, of the much more open and bright area in front of the kitchen (which is where we sat). I loved how open it was, and how close we were to the kitchen. Service was excellent, and everything you would hope for and more. Staff were so thoughtful and took the time to explain every dish, and even went as far as running next store to grab our friend's phone that he left behind. The level of attention to detail here is something I have never experienced before. Watching the chefs cook in the kitchen was like watching a ballet, everything was choreographed and in unison. On the food front, there were 11 courses of some of the most creative food I've ever had in my life. There were some items that might be the greatest bites of food I've ever had (the tuna taco and mussels immediately come to mind), along with some of the best trout I've ever had in the smoked trout dish. They do use insects throughout the meal, but they are incorporated in such fun and unique ways that you never taste them. Quintonil has mastered creative cooking and it really showed throughout the meal. I am so grateful to have experienced eating here, and can't recommend this place enough. It was a 4.9/5 experience for me, and think everyone should come here at least once in their life to experience Quintonil for themselves. read more
9 days ago
An absolute gem and so glad we were able to try Quintonil on our trip! It definitely was unique and lived up to the hype and compared to US prices (though yes US prices are extortionate), it was definitely worth it. We also each got a wine pairing, one was the 'world' wine pairing and the other was the 'Mexican' wine pairing. From started to the petit fours, and showing us the famous grasshoppers that they use in their food, everything was done great and so unique with mexican flavors. Service was impeccable and staff were all super friendly. I loved that at the end of the meal they also gave you their recommendations for other food / drinks / things to do around the area. Ambiance of the restaurant was really nice and it was cozy. read more
3 months ago
The minute you enter Quintonil the entire service staff is nothing but accommodating. I felt welcomed at every step I took into the restaurant. Despite being such a highly regarded restaurant, there was nothing pretentious about this place which I appreciated. Each course I tried had such a unique component. Every ingredient was included with so much intention behind it. There is a reason Quintonil is one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. THIS is an exceptional restaurant. read more
1 year ago
Our first Michelin star experience for my birthday and it was incredible! We loved most of the tasting menu dishes and service was amazing - always changing plates and silverware and refilling drinks. we sat at the bar and were able to watch the kitchen prepare all the food which was fun Towards the middle of the meal they let you see all the bugs you ate during the dinner which is a fun experience lol Overall we had a great time and expanded our ideas of food We left incredibly full which was amazing considering how small most plates were but there were plenty of them! read more
To preface, this was my first Michelin star restaurant and this one has 2 stars! I highly highly recommend getting a reservation many months in advance, they fill up quite quickly and far in advance. This meal is an experience. It is nestled in Mexico City surrounded by so much amazing food and food history. We had a reservation for two at the chef's table/bar - where you get to see all the magic happening. Upon entering, you are immediately received by the most attentive and fun staff. We were celebrating our anniversary and received some nice cards and a sweet dessert as a result. This was a 9 or 10 course meal and was incredible from start to finish. Of course there were some dishes we liked more than others, but all of them were innovative takes on classic Mexican flavors and dishes. All in all, this was the best meal I have ever had. The cocktails were also incredible. They offer a wine pairing to go with each dish but we elected to just get different cocktails along the way. If you can snag a reservation here, I would absolutely recommend it. read more
Easily a top 5 meal I've ever had. The highlights for me were: 1) Pibil pork tamal, young corn cream 2) Gordita de yuca and aged cheese from Ocosingo, Chiapas, chicharron de wagyu and chicatana ant, suero costeno and lemon balm mojo 3) Cactus paddle sorbet 4) Chileatole with wild mushrooms, mexican herbs 100% recommend the liquid horizons wine pairing as well read more
1 year ago
A Culinary Pilgrimage to Quintonil - #3 Restaurant in the World Quintonil in Mexico City's upscale Polanco neighborhood absolutely lives up to its reputation as one of the world's finest dining destinations. With its Michelin 2-star recognition and #3 ranking on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, reservations are booked out far in advance--rightfully so. Despite battling heavy traffic and arriving 20 minutes late, the staff handled it with utmost grace after I notified them by phone. I was seated at the kitchen counter, which turned out to be the best seat in the house, giving me a front-row view of the choreography and precision in the open kitchen. It felt like watching a live culinary performance. From start to finish, the service, cocktails, and progression of flavors were spectacular. I started with a cocktail/mocktail crafted from sencha tea, prickly pear, and tomatoes--refreshing, crisp, and beautifully balanced without being overly sweet. For the main course, I chose the duck with sweet mole, which ended up being my absolute favorite dish of the night--rich, soulful, and layered with flavor. The crabmeat croquette and deconstructed tamale were close seconds, both showcasing creativity and bold interpretation of traditional Mexican elements. And I have to highlight one of the most unexpected delights of the meal: a coconut ice cream topped with caviar. Luxurious, playful, and downright delicious. Towards the end, guests are given a beautifully designed pamphlet explaining the chili peppers used, the tasting menu, and a breakdown of the timed courses--a thoughtful touch that reflects the restaurant's dedication to storytelling through food. I left completely fascinated--by the flavors, the creativity, and the elegance of the entire dining experience. Truly grateful I had the chance to experience Quintonil. It's more than just a meal; it's a culinary journey that celebrates Mexico's ingredients at the highest level. read more
What an experience! We literally made travel arrangements in accordance to our reservations. This place is truly magical. No words can describe how delicious the food was to how incredibly kind every single staff was. I will definitely be visiting again read more
A truly 5 star experience in every way. One of the most original and incredible culinary experiences I've ever had. Truly memorable food and some of the best service of my life from an extraordinary team. An evening I'll never forget! read more
We came to Mexico City for a quick culinary trip - Quintonil, Pujol, Contramar, plus Handshake Speakeasy. Quintonil was our first stop. Located in the upscale Polanco neighborhood, the outside was unassuming, but the interior was modern and intimate. We had the kitchen counter seats. The minute we sat down, they made sure the service was impeccable. The progress of meal was intentional. The meal started with a bowl of light chileatole (a Mexican soup), moved onto two small bites of aged yellowtail and plantain buñuelo. Next up was this beautifully presented mussel tostada in one bite - this was my favorite bite of the entire meal, I've never had mussels presented to me such a beautiful way, and yet tasted even more beautifully. Then after smaller bites, courses moved onto slightly larger plates including melon salad, pipian verde (green mole) with corn tostadas, gordita yuca (Mexican corn cake) stuffed with wagyu. This middle three course is when I started getting quite full. I thought some of the texture/flavor combinations didn't work. Next up were their mains: branzino, followed up cactus sorbet as pallet cleanser (one of the best pallet cleansers I've ever had). Then Pork tamal, then rib eye. This is where I thought it all went downhill. Branzino lacked flavor, which could be intentional? I had to eat it with the pickled green beans in every single bite. There was also some cauliflower cream on the plate, which I thought served absolutely no purpose, didn't add any flavor or texture, it was just a pile of mush... I didn't eat the pork tamal, I was saving room in my stomach for rib eye. And per my husband, it was good. Now here comes the rib eye, it should be the climax of the meal, and it felt short of expectation big time. The meat was chewy, period. I don't like chewy rib eye. I can go to a non-Michelin-stared restaurant and get better cooked meat than this. Desserts were coconut sorbet with caviar and Mexican cornbread with a lot of mush on it. I liked the sorbet, but can't get my head around the second dessert, it was once again, a pile of mush. One thing unique about Quintonil is their way to incorporate insects into their meals. After you have had them, the wait staff brought out the cases of the insects being used in the ingredients of the meals - no, you don't see any actual bugs in any of the dishes. They either grind them up and put them in sauce, or incorporate them into the some form of the ingredients that you absolutely could not tell. Overall, I'd say every course at Quintonil served a purpose. Every aspect of the experience speaks a two Michelin star caliber. Some dishes I personally didn't like, it could be a personal preference, so you'd just have to try it yourself. We also went to Pujol one night later. I can safely say this - Quintonil blows Pujol out of the water. read more
1 year ago
What. An. Experience. First of all, it's creative food without a pretentious atmosphere. The service was impeccable. Attentive but not overbearing. The staff walked you thru each course kindly and answered all questions gracefully. We didn't go work a wine pairing (we had mezcal tasting plans that evening) but the cocktails we selected were well done. Sometimes you just want to bite the bullet and experience what chefs are doing with various ingredients and this didn't disappoint. Solid price point for a double star (especially since we're from NYC). CDMXs food scene doesn't disappoint. And Quintonil is no different. Make reservations WAY ahead. At least a month. And enjoy. read more
This was such an awesome meal. We sat at the bar and it was like a front row seat to watching Chef's Table. Food/service/ambiance was exceptional. We chose the Mexican wine pairing and it really elevated the experience. My only note would be I wish the meal had ended on the caviar and crème fraiche dessert! It was such a knockout that everything after just kind of didn't seem as great and the chocolates could've been a nice take home treat for later. read more
There is a reason why this restaurant has a list of accolades. Quintonil was the most perfect meal, presented by a very polished staff with high quality and meticulously chosen ingredients. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation time and the restaurant was still closed. We all accumulated by the doors until they opened. We were the first to arrive and they were sure to seat us first, even though there wasn't an organized line. We opted for the lunch tasting with one of each wine pairing- one set from Mexican wines and one of wines around the world. We had so much fun trying out the different dishes, but I will highly recommend eating breakfast prior to the tasting as it was a lot of wine! If you are on the fence, you should do it. Totally worth the trip and experience. read more
Host: Do you have any food allergies? Us: No. Host: And are you ok with the bugs? Me: (hesitating)...Can I not have bugs? Host: Ok, but they're all ground up so you can't see them. Me: I will try it then. Host: If you don't like it your server will eat it for you. =) Quintonil is the 9th best restaurant in the world and boasts 2 Michelin stars. We booked the 9 course tasting menu which was innovative, beautifully presented and tasty. We also shared the "around the world" wine pairing. I listened very carefully as each course was brought out and if I recognized it had insects, I took a bite and then passed it to my better half. I scarfed down the main course of meat asking quickly if the black exterior was a sear? Later I learned it was a bug rub. Well, I got through it and even enjoyed it when I had no clue what it was. Only four of the items had the bugs which we learned are quite a luxury and very pricy. Everything was quite delicious. Our favorites were the butternut squash salad, the stone crab and blue tortillas, beef caviar with coconut sorbet. Service was impeccable, as would be expected. Reservations available on Tock with a pretty hefty non refundable deposit ($5000 pesos). read more
4.5/5 I did enjoy the meal! The worst part was the cocktails! But every restaurant we tried in CDMX (including Pujol) doesn't have good cocktails so I did not have expectations.. Maybe should have tried wine pairing. I feel like great cocktails only exist in bars here lol Every dish was quite balanced its consist level (like Pujol I feel like some were really good and some were really bad). My least favorite was the palette cleanser Prickly Pear Snow. They said it's the only dish that has been the same from day 1 (oopsy) but it tastes kinda like soap... Learned from other reviews to say no to the champagne they "offer" upfront. I'm glad I tried the insects without visually seeing them! read more
Hands down one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. If you are in the city, this is a must go, no questions. Well worth it! To start off service was impeccable and very attentive. The staff were really great in explaining the dishes and the pacing was perfect. Loved sitting at the counter to see all the dishes being made. The mezcal drink was recommended and it was by far one of my favorite drinks ever. No lie when I say every dish kept getting better and better. Favorite bites of the night if I had to choose was definitely the tamal and dessert with caviar. It's a lot of dishes, but I didn't feel too heavy after the meal. Hope to come back someday because everything exceeded my expectations. read more
An almost perfect meal. Every fish is perfect size every bite was delicious. Staff was amazing the place looks so nice and looking at the chefs cook and prepare us daunting! But worth all the accolades! The smoked trout made me almost fall off my seat. It was a lot of food but I was not bloated or too full. Expensive? Hell yes but if you can get the reservation you go. read more
The short: one of the finest meals I've ever had. To expand.... This is a place that lives up to the hype. I've been celebrating my 50th for the past week, dining at Michelin stared joints and upscale places to commemorate the occasion. I've had some very expensive meals that were not up to expectations so I entered Quintonil with mild enthusiasm wishing I hadn't made all these reservations with pricy deposits... wanting for some street tacos and things that taste good without the pomp and pretention. This place is the real deal. Upscale takes on Mexican classics were executed with style and precision that had me wanting more. Each dish had purpose and while sometimes playful and fun, always delicious. The service was welcoming and felt genuine, never overbearing or absent. They struck the perfect balance. This is one of the great all around meals one can experience. read more
1 year ago
This is a Michelin star restaurant and one of the best in Mexico!!! Their dishes are seasonal and the menu varies as well. Stellar service and ambiance as you would expect, the food is truly unique and sensational. read more
3 months ago
This was the best meal I had in Mexico City! As soon as I landed, I changed and headed over to my lunch seating. The ambiance is beautiful and airy, and the entire staff was so professional, kind, and made my experience so special. When they heard it was my first time in Mexico City, they brought out a list of recommendations that are "Quintonil approved", which was so thoughtful! Every single course I had, was mind-blowing. I don't even know if I have a favorite since each bite was delicious. However, some top bites were the mussels, strawberry dessert, and the lobster. As I'd told the servers that I didn't drink, they brought out two mocktails that were so delicious and also a sparkling tea from Copenhagen. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Mexico City. Thank you to the chefs and wonderful staff! read more
Absolutely incredible and 100% worth the hype. I really struggled to decide between Quintonil and Pujol for our tasting menu dinner in Mexico City. In the end, I decided on Quintonil and although I obviously haven't tried the alternative, I feel confident I made the right choice. I had a bit of trouble making my reservation because we were planning to be in CDMX the second week of January and apparently they were revamping their reservation system, but I persevered and was able to get a 7pm Thursday evening reservation for a party of 4. I don't want to say too much about the experience because I was delighted going in with minimal knowledge but everything from the atmosphere of the restaurant to the food to the service was perfection. Upon being seating our waitress, Vivi (who was outstanding), asked if we had any dietary restrictions. I opted for the vegetarian option, my husband requested no shellfish and our two friends went with the regular chef's menu. I am not a vegetarian, but I find that I typically prefer the veggie option at tasting menu restaurants, and if there is a meat dish that my husband thinks I will love he lets me have a bite. Sometimes the vegetarian presentations and flavors can feel like an afterthought but I was really impressed with all of my dishes and felt like they really held up to their meat dish counterparts. Each dish served with a description of what you were eating and why it was on the menu often accompanied by a presentation of the ingredients like the huitlacoche, cacti and insects. Favorite dishes included the tamal, chileatole and tostada but we really did love the entire meal. The coconut sorbet with caviar seemed like a weird choice but the flavors were incredible together. At the end of our meal Vivi gave us a little information packet along with a customized copy of our menus. When I got home I discovered the service notes on the back of my menu that gave me a little insight into how precisely our evening had been coordinated. Truly impressive. Well, so much for not saying too much about our experience. Oops! So happy that we were able to get a reservation and experience this special restaurant in Mexico City. read more
This will be a concise review because Quintonil has 2 stars and ranked 7 in the top restaurants as of 2024. Service: spectacular! Staff was really attentive and explained the entire dish. Good discipline Food: okay so this is a hot take... I thought the dishes of the November 2024 tasting menu was good, but they were too salty for me. I had to really push myself to want to finish the main dish (which was such a fun idea though). Also, there are insects in the food. You won't really notice until they tell you... have fun with it and experience it! There is so much history and story to the foods of Quintonil Cocktails: very strong. Good recommendations. The staff knew exactly what to provide to us after we described what we wanted. They offered a cocktail pairing for the tasting menu... while we love alcohol, it would have been too much. I was glad to just have done the 3 cocktails for the tasting Restrooms: super clean. It comes with toiletries! Such as toothpicks! Nice touches: when we were done with the tasting, they provided us a little booklet to explain Quintonil and the food. You also have a print out of the menu... and the menu will be personalized to the dishes with modifications that you had! I thought that was such a memorable touch. We also got the ticket with the timing of our dishes out of the kitchen. So much details that I love from high end restaurants Reservations: I believe I was able to reserve about 2 months in advance via opentable. For the tasting menu, I had to pay in advance and then paid for the drinks in person Overall, the experience was over 3 hours so leave some time for this! Upon leaving, they provided us pan de muerto for day of the dead. This was such a fun surprise. And the pan was soooooo good! read more
Two Michelin stars and numerous awards well earned. This is amongst the best meals esposa and I have had anywhere on any continent or in any country! Atmosphere is chic and elegant, but not cold. There are several tables along with a handful of bar seats (to view the kitchen). The staff are stellar: knowledgeable, prompt, courteous, friendly and yes, even humorous. Not stuffy. Our group of six opted for the 10-course meal with premium wine pairing. If you're considering dining here, you probably don't care about price, but if you must know, our bill was just shy of $900. The pace was relaxed; our meal lasted about 2.5 hours. Each course stood alone as a work of art, beautifully presented and well timed. Six servers simultaneously placed our six plates in front of six people. It was a sight to behold. All foods were bright and fresh, bursting with flavors. Nobody left a crumb. We all oohed and awed with each smell and taste. There were so many layers of complexity. I could see faces and minds racing trying to take it all in. The wines shone through and paired perfectly with each course. Some of the wines are not available for purchase anywhere (believe me, I checked). They aged from 1997 to 2019. Rather than list each course, just look at my pics. All in all, this was a world class experience. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more
Currently (2025), ranked the #7 restaurant in the world. Two Michelin stars. 9 course tasting menu. The chef is clearly very innovative and progressive. All of the dishes were intricately prepared and beautifully presented. Staff was professional and attentive without being overly "stuffy". The reason for four stars instead of 5 is that I've had better tasting food at much cheaper price. But definitely a great appearance. read more
Ambiance - we were immediately greeted by the hostess and led to our table. Every staff we passed welcomed us. The restaurant is cozy and classy. Service - our server offered to take all our jackets and purses and placed them in a rack specifically for our table. We were a party of six. Six servers brought each of us each course and a staff assigned to our table explained each course. Although we did not opt for the wine pairing, the sommelier suggested excellent local wines for us to try. When I accidentally dropped my napkin on the floor, an attendant immediately picked it up and replaced it with a clean one. The attention to detail of the staff is impeccable. Our request to have a picture with Chef Jorge Vallejo was graciously granted and in fact, they brought us to the kitchen to have a picture with the entire kitchen staff along with the chef. Food - we seemed to have an endless parade of creatively curated dishes, the flavors of which were all unique and delicious. The pacing of the service was unhurried and relaxed. It took four hours to finish the entire meal! In the end, they even showed us the insects that were used with the ingredients. Of course, we were asked in the beginning if we were willing to be adventurous and eat insects. They were grounded and incorporated so well in their sauces that we would never have known they were part of the ingredients if we were not initially warned. The adventure was worth it! What a wonderful treat! It is no wonder they are ranked seventh in this year's World's Best restaurants. read more
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More info about Quintonil
Av. Isaac Newton 55
Col. Polanco IV Secc
11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Mexico
Polanco
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55 5280 1660
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http://www.quintonil.com/
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