I should have stayed here. My nearby eco-inn didn't have dinner. I was traveling the Ruta Puuc and visiting Uxmal, so this place made for a convenient, tourist-quality stop. My meal had high quality ingredients, well-prepared and both local specialties and standards. Service was excellent, and the atmosphere is pleasant with a high patio and dark wood decor. The parking lot is a bit small, but just ask if you need help finding a spot. read more

I never want to leave this place! Gorgeous property with an incredibly warm and welcoming staff (fluent in English). The casitas are awesome, very clean, have a very comfortable bed and hammock for lounging, strong WiFi, and AC! The restaurant on the property is also very good - breakfast is included with your stay, but you can add dinner and pool side drinks, or even a picnic to fuel your adventure day. read more

See all

We had a lovely stay in this simple b&b in the middle of the jungle. Now I'm back in London I find myself thinking back to the cosy comfort of our cabin. The hammock over the swimming pool was divine and the a/c and fan in the cabin were both so cooling. We experienced a dramatic thunderstorm one night and loved the excitement whilst feeling safe and cosy in our private cabin hidden in the garden. The restaurant was great - lovely included breakfast and good choice of menu items for lunch and dinner. Very close to Uxmal and Kabah. Highly recommended. read more

See all

Absolutely delicious. Great spot on the puuc rut. The name says it all. Eat the pickled onions. read more

The Pickled Onion - Absolutely DELICIOUS FOOD. And the name.. eat them pickled onions. They BANG! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Elena, YUC

See all

Ms. Pickles is a lovely woman who followed her heart down to the Yucatán originally to teach English. What she didn't know was that is was going to wind up being an adventure by opening a restaurant, bar and eventually a bed & breakfast called The Pickled Onion. With only two other "hotels" near the little town of Santa Elena, and several ruins to see nearby, her b & b has slowly, but surely become the best vacation spot around. If you like to be nondescript and anonymous, this isn't the place for you. If you don't mind having a "house mom", so to speak, Valerie Pickles and her eight cabanas, pristine pool, lovely eatery and friendly staff of eleven are all going to make this a welcoming place to eat and lay your head. Our breakfast every morning, consisted of fresh cut fruit, coffee, fresh fruit juice iced (different variation every day), moist banana bread, toast, honey, yogurt and granola. Eggs were available for extra cost and usually came with fried ham, flavorful tomatoes and a potato hash brown triangle all on the side. Make sure to mention that you only want eggs, if that's the case! Dinner every night (which was not included with the room), was delightful! There were absolutely no complaints from anyone in our group of nine. I ordered the same thing two nights in a row, the Chaya Tacos. The three corn tortillas were fairly small and laid flat on the plate with sautéed Chaya (which is a plant leaf similar to spinach), feta cheese, and sun dried tomatoes. The plate also came with a tiny, teaspoon sized scoop of mashed yucca or potatoes (not sure which), some plain white rice and steamed vegetables. It was kind of a big dish, so two tacos were sufficient enough for me. The waitstaff was good with their English, very helpful and funny. The huts reminded me of the cute, little yurts in Oregon except they have the palm tree branched roofs, instead of whatever they use up north. This helped keep the air within the cabanas cool, while the mosquito lining between the wall and the very tightly made, thatched roof helped keep out as many bugs as possible. On the interior of each of her eight huts, one wouldn't know whether it were a fancy, semi-upscale Mexican hotel or a resort on the beach (minus the sand and water). If you want an experience and not just a glance through your window... The Pickled Onion is your spot. Extra Notes: ~ there is a newly built platform (with triangular shaped sheets adorned over the top, to protect you from the sun or the rain) for yoga or meditation. I would guess at least six people with their mats could fit... ~ the food is unforgettable and carries some of the Yucatan traditions as well ~ there is no air conditioning... BUT before you decide it's a no-go, just know that each little hut has latched screened doors along with several windows and ceiling fans creating a whirlwind of fresh Yucatan air flowing through to cool you off. I slept peacefully every night surprisingly, because usually cold air is on demand by me, in order to have a proper rest. ~ if you happen to get bored of ruins and ceynotes, there is a cacao (raw chocolate) museum within fifteen minutes from the b & b. (This was one of the highlights of my trip so far.) read more

See all

Stopped for lunch, was not disappointed in the least. Started with the queso fundido, I had an Horchata, and then moved onto the main course. My wife ordered the pollo alcaporrado and I had the lomitas de Valloidoid, both were fantastic. Great views, a nice afternoon, in a perfect setting! read more

See all

Came by recommendation of my tour guide. I thought I was going to eat pickled onions but came to realize it's the name of an establishment. I was looking for Yucatan food. Overall was still good. This restaurant has outdoor seating and is attached to a hotel. Food was delicious though and I felt the food was light not heavy in fats, a good eat on a hot sunny day read more

See all

Charming Restaurant Serving Delicious Yucatecan Specialties in Santa Elena - Wonderful Dinner! I ate dinner at The Pickled Onion Restaurant on the evening on November 23rd with a friend. We were staying at the B&B of the same name for the night and this restaurant was located on the property. The restaurant is located in the small Mayan village of Santa Elena, situated perfectly along the Ruta Puuc, between the ruins of Uxmal and Kabah (approximately 1.5 hours south of Merida). The restaurant is situated at the front of the B&B grounds and seating is on a nice outdoor covered patio, overlooking the surrounding jungle and highway. The ambiance was fantastic and there was a very cozy, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. I ordered the Greek Salad. It was absolutely delicious, well prepared with fresh quality ingredients and the presentation of the plate was beautiful. My fresh Chaya juice was also fantastic! The menu has a good selection of dishes and they serve a variety of traditional Mexican meals and Yucatecan specialties along with salads and other international favourites. The staff were friendly, professional, prompt, attentive and charming. The service was excellent and the owner of the B&B and restaurant, Valerie (a Canadian-English expat), was also very pleasant, warm and welcoming. If you are traveling along the Ruta Puuc, I highly recommend this restaurant and B&B! Both were absolutely amazing and I look forward to returning one day to experience this paradise and oasis in the jungle once again. read more

We stayed here for one night after visiting the ruins at Uxmal. The cabins are all very nice with a refrigerator, coffee pot, drinking water, and a comfortable queen sized bed with mosquito netting. Also was able to get a good wi-fi signal in our room. The only draw back is the rooms were a little dark and could have used a reading lamp. Also, be aware that the toilet area has no door so be sure to travel with someone you are very comfortable with :) The grounds are all nicely manicured, food in the restaurant was good and the included breakfast was a treat. All the staff were friendly and welcoming. Be aware, that if you inquire about a room via the website you might not get a response. You can however, reserve a room though Booking.com. read more

Very unfriendly, unhappy place with nice gardens. The two waitstaff boys did not utter a word to us, and looked terrified if we asked them a question. The grounds are undeniably gorgeous--I wanted to take a look around, and an older woman comes flying out from behind a door, rudely asking what I am doing. I explained that we just had lunch at the restaurant, may we look around at the plants? She was completely rude, and indignant that we assumed we could walk the grounds that is apparently for B&B guests only (the place was empty, as well as the restaurant, except for one other family) even though we just patronized the restaurant. I assume she was the owner. No wonder the two waitstaff boys were terrified! read more

Ordered two appetizers and a Paloma. Delicious. Great service. Sadly the owner wasn't around to chat with. In fact, I was the only customer.

After our first week in Mexico - we finally had our first really great meal here. The waitstaff were excellent - they were on top of everything. It's not a big restaurant of course, but the food seemed to just fly out of the kitchen. Everything we ordered was tasty and beautifully presented. Other restaurants serving Yucatecan food will often give you a serving of some meat, with some onions and maybe some tortillas. Here, the food is more sensibly presented with a few garnishes and sides such as asparagus, mashed yuca, traditional tortillas and, of course, the pickled onions. If you're passing through Santa Elena - you should definitely check it out. read more

We are able to sit down with the owner and our tour guide. Had excellent lunch and great conversation. A must to have Mayan cuisine. You have a chance to meet the owner. Make sure you talk to her about her humble beginnings. She's a great person and an excellent business person thanks for having us read more