Pujol Mexico City Review: What We Loved (and Didn’t)

Pujol offers two tasting menu experiences: the Omakase Taco Bar and the Traditional Tasting Menu.

Both experiences have four seating times available, with slightly staggered slots. Two in the afternoon and two in the evening.

We went with the 1:30 pm Omakase Taco Bar Experience for four reasons:

✅     #1- Intimate, Casual Vibe 

We love the more intimate, casual vibe of sitting at the bar and chatting with the staff throughout the meal. Our waiter, Alex, was fantastic and made the whole experience even better.

And no need to worry. You’re not stuck on bar stools for over three hours. The countertop is low, and the seating is comfortable with proper chairs.

✅     #2- The Iconic Dish

The Bar Menu features Chef Olvera’s iconic Mole Madre (more on that later!).

✅     #3- Tacos! 

The taco takes center stage here, and since we’re big taco fans, this was a huge plus.

On that note, if tacos are your thing, check out my self-guided taco tour featuring some of my favorite spots in Mexico City!

✅     #4- Exceptional Design 

The restaurant’s design is gorgeous. Very mid-century modern, which we love. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in tons of natural light, and the landscaping is lush and beautiful. The centerpiece? A tree growing right through the floor!

We purposely chose a lunchtime reservation so we could enjoy all that beautiful ambiance in the daylight.

Past reviews mentioned that drink pairings were once included in the Omakase Taco Bar Experience. Maybe that was true at some point, but not anymore.

The Mixed Pairing now costs $2895 (~$166 USD).

My husband quickly crunched the numbers and didn’t see much value in the steeply-priced pairing. With seven drinks, two of which are beer and sake, it averages out to about $23 USD per drink.

That’s a tough sell, especially when you hear what was actually served.

I, however, got caught up in the excitement and confidently declared I wanted to try the Mixed Pairing.

Looking back, that was my mistake. The value just wasn’t there, but hey, that’s on me for making the wrong call.

Our Mixed Pairing included the following drinks:

#1- House Maragarita (not pictured): Refreshing but after having the perfectly executed house margarita at Contramar it did not quite hit the mark.

#2- Nami Tokubetsu Junmai Mexican Craft Sake: We were first introduced to sake at Sake Bar Yoramu in Kyoto many years ago, and we love it! It was very fun to try the first Mexican sake, whose production was guided by Japanese consultant, Mr. Munetaka Nakashima from Nakashima Sake Brewery.  

#3- Quinta Da Lapa Alvarinho (Portugal): Dry, bright, citrusy, pleasant. Love a good Alvarinho, and we really do enjoy Portuguese wine after doing a few Portuguese wine tours. Retail cost: 7 €/bottle.

#4- Maceracion Macabeo Ecologico (orange wine from Spain): Fresh, dry, orange citrus. We first tried orange wine in Slovenia. It’s fun to try wines that you would not normally pick.

#5- Monopolio Lager Clara: Took some sips, but I’m just not a beer person.

#6- G ran Centenario Cristalino Tequila: Ultra smooth, well-crafted tequila. This goes down way too easily.

#7- Sweet Dessert Wine (not pictured): I missed taking a photo of the last wine while we were served outdoors on the terrace. I’m assuming it was a late-harvest sweet wine?

The drink combinations were interesting and fun to sample, but for the price, they didn’t quite deliver the value we expected.

We’re not wine experts, more like wine travelers, and love exploring different wine regions. On our first visit to Mexico City, we discovered some fantastic Mexican wines at Wine Bar by CMB, especially those from Valle de Guadalupe.

It would have been great to see some of those unique Mexican wines included in the pairing lineup.

Oh, and if you’re a cocktail lover, be sure to check out my review and ratings of the Best Cocktail Bars in Mexico City!

Taco Bar Experience: $3995 (16% tax included)

Mixed Drink Pairing: $2895

Total: $6890 (~$400 USD/person) * does not include tip

Worth it? I’ll let you know later in my Final Thoughts section.

What should you wear to a fine dining experience in Mexico City?

It’s probably more casual than you’d expect.

My husband was surprised when I opted for dark jeans, but I felt perfectly comfortable especially at lunchtime. Some women wore dresses, but nothing too fancy or cocktail attire. My husband kept it simple with a collared shirt and pants. 

I really appreciated the relaxed vibe. Dinner might be a bit dressier, but for lunch, casual-chic felt just right.

No Resy. No Open Table. No Tock.

Book directly through their official website.

Yes, you are going to need to book in advance. We booked just shy of 3 months before our trip!

When we booked, there were only a handful of open slots left. For these kinds of experiences, we book the restaurant first then our airline tickets.

Sometimes a last-minute reservation will pop up the day of if there’s a cancellation, so you could get lucky.

The restaurant will call you a few days before your reservation to reconfirm. Make sure you take this call!

On their website, it states “If it is not reconfirmed 24 hours before, the restaurant reserves the right to cancel your reservation. It is important to have your answer when we call, text or email you.”

Our reservation was at 1:30 pm.

Around 3:30 pm, we were moved to the gorgeous outdoor terrace to enjoy dessert and an after-dinner drink.

We ended up chatting with a lovely group of fellow travelers and didn’t leave the restaurant until 5 pm.

Here’s what we were served during our Omakase Taco Bar Experience:

At the end of our meal, we were told to take our dinner napkins home as a parting gift. A thoughtful touch since they’re made from agave fiber.

One thing to note is the Omakase Taco Bar Experience didn’t include one of Chef Olvera’s signature dishes: the baby corn with chili mayonnaise and Chicatana ants.

If you’ve seen Chef’s Table (Volume 2), you’ll know exactly which dish I’m talking about.

If that’s something you’re hoping to try, I believe it’s included in the Traditional Tasting Menu. Also, no crispy warm churros, which honestly left me a little disappointed.

I’ve heard the Pujol kitchen has a comal for tortillas and a brick oven pit for barbacoa. I really wish they’d included a barbacoa taco like they’ve done in past menus.

It would have been great to see the kitchen itself, like we did at Hisa Franko. Watching the magic happen behind the scenes always adds to the experience.

If you’re reading this, you’re clearly serious about foodie experiences, so you won’t want to miss my ultimate 7-day Mexico City foodie itinerary.

When it comes to where to stay, Polanco is a solid choice. It’s upscale, stylish, and right next to the gorgeous Chapultepec Park. Plus, it’s home to Pujol, making it incredibly convenient.

But if you want to elevate your trip even more, I highly recommend staying at Casa Izeba.

This charming gem puts you right in the heart of a vibrant neighborhood packed with incredible local dining spots including one secret foodie experience.

Trust me, it’s a stay you won’t regret.

As first-time visitors to Mexico City, skipping Pujol would have felt like a missed opportunity. Almost like passing up a foodie pilgrimage.

Trying the famous Mole Madre was a highlight, especially since it had been aging for 3,264 days when we visited. There were a few other interesting dishes, but if I’m being honest, the meal didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Maybe I’m a little jaded since we’re no strangers to fine dining. When I compare it to other memorable foodie experiences at similar price points like Sawada in Japan, Hisa Franko in Slovenia, or Maido in Peru, it just didn’t hit the same mark.

Absolutely worth doing once, but not something I’d rush to repeat.

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Questions about our Pujol dining experience?

Let me know in the comments below!