Carmela y Sal

Breathtaking food. Impeccable service. No attempt to turn the place into a nightclub with a DJ blasting stupid dance music -- thank you! Ceviche was outstanding, as was the jicama and sea bass. Lots of creative veggies, sauces, plantains in unexpected places. Food was inventive and delicious. Service was extremely attentive. Dessert was, alas, a bit of a letdown. But don't let that dissuade you -- just go!

Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a letdown. A couple stellar dishes, the majority so-so. Pros: beautiful room, friendly service and excellent and beautiful cocktails (sorry no photos). The corn risotto and beet salad were exceptional. I don't want to use the word cons, but given the reputation and price point, quite a few other dishes missed. The short rib was tender and nicely braised but honestly lacked any x factor to make the dish unique. We thought the ceviche was over cooked in the lime, and the rose mole and ancho chile dishes lacked balance. Perhaps we didn't order the right dishes but this meal wasn't overly impressive.

The food was amazing. Top 50 places I’ve been. My short rib had a ton of flavor and could be cut with a spoon. Also the beat appetizer blew my mind. The only knock is that I wanted to give a bigger tip but they preemptively did 15%… I still would come back. I was with native Spanish speakers and the waiter always responded in Spanish but I am pretty sure he understood everything I said.

We had a delicious dinner on a Sunday night, ushered through the menu by Adan, who was exceptionally knowledgeable and professional. Rating this one is hard! My partner said 4.5 on food, I say 5. We stopped in without a reservation and were so glad we did! Adan recommended the coconut tostadas to start (one of us is a vegetarian), they were creative and absolutely delicious! Also had the house guacamole, which was very flavorful with tasty little blue corn 'pillows' to scoop up all the avocado goodness. Main course Adan steered me to the pink mole, which was phenomenal- flavorful, innovative, very very satisfying. My partner had the Sea bass, which by all accounts was delicious, if not particularly innovative. A 5* meal amd we will be back again next time we're in CDMX.

Genuinely the best meal we have ever had. The service was absolutely amazing and the food was incredible. We had the tasting menu and everything was so delicious and flavorful. 15/10 overall. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to have an amazing meal.

While the food was delicious, I did get food poisoning. I believe it was from my steak. I ordered is medium and it came pretty rare. I should have said something but I figured it will be fine. The staff and ambience was incredible thou!

Ok I am so impressed with this place. I had a two top in the back and I had the best server Omar. He told me a story about the soup and it involves beans and kings and queens and was just amazing. He suggested the tasting menu and it surely delivered ... the short rib was like BBQ and the see bass was amazing ! I got the mango for desert and again out of this world

I can’t say enough about the service in Mexico City but especially this place. I’ve been here twice, recently to celebrate a birthday, and our waiter and the manager were such a delight. One of my favorite things from what I tried was the jicama salad. It’s clear the chef thinks about all of the ingredients of the dish and how they will interact with each other both in flavor and texture.

Wow. Definitely one of the better meals I had in CDMX! Absolutely enjoyed every single dish we ordered. Solid flavors with nothing much to complain about. Definitely get the "lying" tostada. You won't regret it! One has a light refreshing flavor while the other is smoky and flavorful. Very impressed! The guacamole was on the daily special menu and it was fantastic. The elote risotto style was very tasty and I LOVED that they were very generous with the garlic. Yum! We ended up sharing our beef rib entree and it was delicious. It comes with tortilla and you can assemble your own taco. Restaurant is very popular so it does get pretty loud. When we were there, there were several groups of large parties too. Service was good and the servers speak English decently well. Definitely recommend!

Such a great restaurant for a casual date night or to celebrate. The staff were very welcoming and helpful when deciding on what to order. They also were very attentive to our needs and ensured everything was going well. The tostadas and esquite were amazing and something I still can taste and savor. The pollo en fideo seco was more food than I imagined. It easily could be two meals if you were to take some home. Because we were celebrating a birthday they even brought us out a dessert as a nice treat.

This place was great, from the moment we entered the door until the last moment when we exited. I wouldn't hesitate coming back here again. There is an option for a tasting menu, but we opted for the a la carte option. Everything we ordered was good, and by the end of the night, we were stuffed. The standouts you read about online, deserve to be shouted out. For instance, we had Tostadas de Mentira, and they were a cool experience. I never would have thought what they are if I didn't know or was told. Not going to get into to much details to keep it as whole for you as possible. Everything we ordered was good, and the staff was great. They had a birthday surprise for us too, which is greatly appreciated. Decent number of English speaking clientele, however. Also Spanish speaking cliente as well.

Came here for dinner and ordered a bunch of dishes to share with a group. Some of the dishes we tried were the smoked cheese, octopus tostada, plantains, sea bass, lamb, and the short rib. Most of the dishes were tasty, but the lamb was way too salty. The chocolate dessert we got was just ok. The fruit dessert was pretty good.

Such a good restaurant! There was this chili tacos with cheese if I'm not wrong and was amazing! My drink was with a coconut lemonade and was fantastic. The esquites and the pulpo tostadas also amazing, the only thing I didn't really enjoy was tuna and steak, too spicy, I can't remember the name. But overall great experience.

Feeling mixed about this place. Space is beautiful inside, as you'd expect from the neighborhood outside. Some of the dishes were fantastic- loved the jicama with pesto and grapes, fish was perfectly cooked. But others were not good at all- the greasy/hard to cut cheese, mealy esquites. I would have been fine with some menu hits and misses, but the service was terrible. We had a 7p reservation, were seated promptly, and then rushed by the staff throughout dinner. We ordered a bunch of dishes and they almost all arrived at once. The staff tried to take away plates before we had even tasted them all. We were still eating when the staff began breaking down tables and moving furniture for the next day's service. We were out the door in under an hour after sprinting through what should have been a relaxing dinner. No my speed, no thanks.

Great food but dinner was ruined by rude guest and their waiter at the next table to us. For whatever reason , the waiter was saying rude remarks about us with the obnoxious couple loudly chiming in. Night ruined. The waiter had short hair and glasses not to be confused with our waiter who also had glasses. He was excellent. The atmosphere is luxurious and loud. The clientele that is place attracts may be a bit pretentious and obnoxious. My experience may be skewed by this particularly loud and inconsiderate couple.

This is a fancy place. Nice seating and comfortable. This is a vegetarian review. The vegan tacos were fabulous. Wrapped plantains were amazing. The vegetarian tostadas were also absolutely amazing. The pink mole was not for me as it was too sweet. The corn cheese risotto was too tough to eat as the kernels were too hard. I would avoid that. The mango drink was amazing and comes with a mango slice. Can get either with or without alcohol. Unfortunately we did not get a mango slice with the second order of the drink. Servers come and serve you and split the dish up which is nice.

I was really looking forward to this place as it was our last night and the reviews were very, very high. While there were a few things I did enjoy, overall I felt the experience was lacking. Drinks: The drinks were just alright, nothing too special. The cocktail with Rose flavor in it was almost overpowering, perfumy if you will. Service: While they were very quick to switch out old plates and silverware for new, it almost seemed like we were rushed. A lot of the reviews mentioned that the service guides you on a journey, and I didn't get that vibe. Food: the Toast of Lies was very good. It's worth trying because it is so unique and the sauces are all delicious. The Esquite As A Risotto Risotto was good but so much of the same flavor, that by the end it lost its luster. The faux tacos were just ok. Very cool idea, but not a lot of flavor. It could have just been an off night but we weren't as blown away as some of the other diners.

Solid fine dining experience on a sterile strip just south of Polanco. I suppose I'm often inherently biased against that genre of restaurant, but the food was genuinely interesting and tasty, and I appreciated the level of accommodation to vegetarians. The best bite (not pictured) was the tostada starter, served with coconut and plantain toppings meant to emulate ceviche. The elotes risotto was another dish I would absolutely crave again. For my main I had the tacos made of peppers instead of tortilla. It was a visually striking dish, and I liked the balance of sweet and savory flavors, but at the end of the day, it would be the small plates I'd return here for.

Food is exceptional and so is the service. Efficient and professional. They take care of you exceptionally well. A must visit place for a wonderful dining experience.

Wow! I have dined in roughly 40 restaurants in Mexico City, and this one, in my opinion, is by far the best. Food was amazing. My family is principally vegetarian and there was an abundance of options. Service was great. Will definitely be coming here again.

What a wonderful experience. From the service, to the food and finalized personal touch, I would HIGHLY recommend Carmela y Sal. We started with the beet salad: Delicious and flavorful. We ordered 2 orders of the plantain raviolis: WOW. Hadn't had like these and loved every bite. Our main meals were the fish risotto and short ribs: The risotto was delicious and light. The short ribs were good, but fall a little flat. It didn't have a wow effect. However, the presentation was nice overall. The Chocolate cake: Just right . Nice portion and paired with a light cream and custard crumble. The lemon mezcalita: On point and refreshing. We dined for a birthday celebration and was touched when the staff brought a birthday dessert. Glad we came here and would highly recommend to anyone especially looking to have an intimate dinner.

I don't give many 5 star ratings. In fact, if you check my review history, you'll find just a couple of them. I believe that a rating of 5 should be reserved for only the best of the best. Well, this place was one of them. I had the best meal I've had in a long time. The dishes were creative, unique, and oh so tasty! I have three nights left in Mexico City and will definitely come back here for one of them. The service was impeccable and the food tremendous. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Gave 1* for the great ambience and atmosphere and 1* for food appearance. The taste was ok. I had the octopus tostada. Lost 3* for the following: -Trying to upsell (they brought an appetizer to the table that we did not order and then asked if we wanted it. I asked if it was complimentary and he said no. I looked at the menu and it was around MXD 200. We felt awkward to tell him to take it back so we accepted it. I ordered a glass of red wine and he brought another one to try instead of the one that I ordered to try to upsell without telling me it was double the price. The waiter checked the 20% gratuity for our party of two without allowing us to choose. We asked if we can change and he said yes but it did make us feel awkward yet again). -They cleaned away food from the table too quickly.

Five stars and then some. Stunning place with a beautiful menu. Romantic enough for a date, classy enough for a special meal. What has impressed us so far is that in CDMX vegetarian options aren't an afterthought; there are unique and delicious options for vegans and vegetarians. My boyfriend had mushroom ceviche that was delicious, along with tacos de chile- the "shells" were literally peppers. They were so fantastic. I had a risotto style esquites dish and canelloni filled with conchita pibil. I've never had anything like it. So incredible. For all of this and two cocktails, about $50 (USD) Don't miss this place.

We had a truly wonderful and memorable experience for dinner. Once we stepped into the restaurant we felt that we were in for a real treat. And we quickly realized we were! The food was absolutely outstanding! We had a refreshing and delicious beet salad, the tostadas de mentira which were out of this world. So unique and accompanied by terrific homemade salsas to kick it up a notch. The short rib was incredibly tender and tasty. But equally if not more importantly was the stellar service from the team of Gabriel Ramos and Victor. Their impeccable attention to all the details and fabulous attitudes elevated our dining experience to 5 star service not seen in any restaurant in CDMX for the past week. We can't say enough about the food, service, and overall experience. Kudos to everyone who made for a wonderful night. Don't hesitate to book a reso and ask for Gabriel and Victor who will take your experience to the next level.

Unbelievably delicious. Some of the best cocktails we had in Mexico. Impeccable service. Beautiful formal space yet worked fine for an amazing meal with two young kiddos.

Service and ambiance was good but the food was a little salty. I would definitely give it another try.

La comida estuvo excelente y deliciosa! El servicio fue muy atento y un ambiente acogedor. Lo recomiendo.

Lovely Valentine's Day dinner at this spot. My favorite items were the tostadas de mentiras and the plantains. Negronis were good too! Service was top notch.

My husband and I found a last minute place to have dinner. Really glad we decided to try out! Really incredible food and service! We really can't say enough of this place! I had the chicken breast dish and my husband had the pork dish (he said it was the best dish he's ever had!) We can't wait to come back.

Went in for a celebratory dinner on our trip to Mexico City and this place blew our mind with their presentation for one. Their Ceviche with a hint of coconut was delicious and they had a good mix of vegetarian options on the menu too (something we struggled with in Mexico). The dessert was a delicious way to bookend this wonderful dinner.

This experience was fantastic. We came for a large business meeting and the restaurant easily accommodated our more than 10 people at a long dining table that was comfortable and spacious with individual seating. They are observing COVID-19 precautions and greeted us with hand sanitizer. From there the wait staff was extremely attentive and gracious, and attended to our every need. The drink selection was outstanding and very uniquely styled. It is a testament to the menu which has lots of quirky little sayings and really puts you in the mood for a fun time. The food also did not disappoint. Every single appetizer, entrée and dessert were delicious, and we continued to share them throughout the night.

Food service and ambiance were all excellent. Highly recommend for a special culinary experience.

Simply amazing! I recommend ordering all courses for the full experience, I wish I had! Start with their original cocktails- with or without alcohol- they are bright and joy filled. Every dish, even the chocolate dessert, offered an elegant balance of spices, giving you an experience of aromatic and smooth. The bite comes from the two spicy condiments they offer. My friends, who are world travelers, said he wished he could purchase them and fly them home. Our dishes ranged from the octopus taco to the shrimp Alfredo to the tongue. Every one was supremely happy with their dishes. I plan to return in days.

One of the best meals I had in Mexico City: the food catered to my group with many different dietary requirements and tastes. Every single thing we ate was delicious. I recommend the tostadas de mentiras (vegan), jicama con pesto, fetucinni con camerones (one of the most delicious fetucinnis I've ever had) and the chocolate cake. Eat here, you won't regret it!

The food was fantastic and the vibe was so cool! Very luxurious and intimate feel!!!!!

Carmela y Sal was definitely a highlight of our trip to Mexico City. We went here with non-vegan family, trying to find a nice place that had options for both omni and vegan diners. The space is beautiful, with tasteful decor. It seemed like a lot of business people go here for dinner and drinks after work, so it had a professional vibe. The menu is like a book, an artful story of the chef's inspiration for all of the dishes they make. We started off with cocktails, which were incredible. I had the hoja santa, a refreshing concoction of tequila, white wine & hibiscus. My boyfriend and his dad both had (more than one) of the ahumado, which was made with mezcal, black tea, and almond & hazelnut liquors. It was served in a smoking bell jar, complementing the smokiness of the mezcal. Their vegan options were all delicious. Our server was knowledgeable about what veganism entails and helped me decipher some items that were unclear & avoid ordering something that I wouldn't eat. We had to try the liar tostadas, of course, which may have been the best thing I ate on the entire trip. How they make the coconut taste like that is beyond me, but I want to know who I can bribe to teach me! A close second was the carrot salad - I can't remember what they called it exactly but something along the lines of "the ugly carrot." On the menu, it said it was one of the chef's favorite dishes, despite seeming unappealing in text. We loved it. The carrots are sliced in ribbons and cooked lightly so that they're soft like noodles, but still have some bite. It's served in some sort of sauce made with their almond cheese and served with sliced almonds and arugula. Finally, we tried one of their specials - coconut chicharron tacos. The filling was very similar to the liar tostada topping here, but it was topped with some greens and avocado. We finished off the meal with the mango coconut dessert, a decadent and fresh treat that I wish I could have a thousand more times. This place is well worth splurge, but still such a steal if you're used to the US dollar! Can't wait to come back.

Just delicious! We had the sea bass and shrimp fettuccini as well as drinks and appetizers. Fabulous food presentation and quality.

Exceptional, culinary experience. Unique foods, and you feel like you're going on a world tour of Mexico, with the most divine and unique foods served. The atmosphere is beautiful, and the service was incredible. The attention to detail was unsurpassed. I believe this place deserves to be in the Michelin guide and rated at least one star.

Food was amazing! We ordered the "fake" tostadas, and I was amazed at how much they made the coconut taste like fish and pork!! Unbelievable! I also orders the white fish wrapped in mata Santa, to die for! Overall amazing food and very nice upscale environment, recommend!

My friends and I had a great dining experience. The service was among the best I have experienced, and food was excellent. The lighter bites were the highlights, such as the tostados and the ceviches.

Recently visited Carmela y Sal on a weekend trip to Mexico City following a friend's recommendation and the food and cocktails were amazing! I am giving this four stars instead of five because the service seemed slow to me as there was a long delay at being given the menus and for the drinks to be served and I must say I was disappointed because two of the dishes I wanted to order had queso panela in them and apparently they were not available that day because of an issue with the distributor delivering the wrong product? Still can't get over it... We ordered the frambuesa (raspberry, vodka, roses and violets) and the mango (rum, orange, sesame seed and chile) cocktails are both were delicious. The ceviche and the octopus and shrimp tiradito were both great as well as the cochinita pibil stuffed pasta and the short rib. The main reason I would return for would be the banana dessert as well as the tropical one. Never had one like either of them!

Must eat here! Some vegan options, even some desserts. Ordered coconut tostaditas, jicama with pesto, Negroni, and mango with tapioca in coconut cream dessert. Everything was delicious! Great customer service as well.

Went for lunch last week. Great idea to share appetizers, they are amazing and very creative. Second courses are very good. Desserts are great. Overall, a great experience. Will be back soon!!

Wow this place was absolutely delectable. We came here for our last dinner in CDMX. You know a place is good even when the salads are incredible. We had the beet salad, which if you love beets, this was the best beet salad we ever had, it had puffed quinoa and candied almonds in it. For my main, I had the Short rib and it was incredible. The sauce was extremely flavorful and it came with a side of zucchini. Also it came out to be relatively cheap, about ~$25 a person. And we got drinks and apps!

We had a dinner here with my Mexico City work colleagues. We took the private room upstairs which also afforded us a great chance to see the kitchen at work! Be sure to order the "fake tostados". Fantastic. I had the Robalo (sea bass) on a bed of puréed mashed potatoes and it was outstanding. Very good wine list for every taste and most budgets! Service was steady and professional.

I travel to Mexico on a regular basis once a month. This restaurant was recommended to me and it didn't disappoint. One of the best meals I've had in Mexico. Everything from the "tostadas mentira", the ceviche and the main dish I had which was the canelones de cochinita pibil was amazing! Definitely on my list to come back next time I'm in town, highly recommended!!

Great restaurant. The place is nice and modern. The crowd is business and few Lady's from the area. The food is top notch. The Sope with Octopus's and chicharron is superb. Also the cochinillo and ceviche was good. Make reservations with days ahead. Gets busy.

I'm not quite sure what all the hype was about. The beet salad was pleasant, but the sea bass dish seemed uninspired and the roasted pork with corn tortillas and "bean soup" couldn't stand up to most decent Mexican restaurants in California. Sorry, I think you shd pass on this overpriced and corporate looking restaurant.

Good food, poor service. Service was a miss from the start. They couldn't find our reservation at first and acted like there was nothing they could do even though we were showing them the confirmation email. Finally they found it in their system. Slow service. Close to an hour before first dish arrived. They didn't remove the unused wine glasses until we asked them to halfway through the meal. Then another 15 minute wait for the check after we asked for it. Food was tasty.

Lovely space & venue. Excellent service. Cocktails were just ok. The fettuccine was uniquely special. Cochinita canelones was also a delightful surprise. Didn't give it a 5 because the jicamas con pesto had too much dressing (tasted like mayonnaise); tostadas de mentiras and chocolate cake dessert were also just ok. Although the mostachon tropical was memorable.

I just finished enjoying the best meal of my life this evening at this magnificent restaurant. The food was exquisite - flavorful without being overpowering or fussy. The atmosphere is relaxed but stylish. The service was attentive without being intrusive. This is a must for anyone visiting CDMX!