Merkavá

I was so happy to find Merkava on Yelp on the last day of a week-long trip to CDMX. We were getting tired of Mexican food and looking for something different. This was the perfect option! We had the hummus appetizer and the pita was so warm and fluffy. Next up was the roasted cauliflower—perfectly seasoned and delicious! Finally, the wagyu kebab. I wasn’t exactly sure what I expected but it was surprising how fragile the beef was. So tender it fell apart! Everything tasted fresh, real, and healthy. Of course, I couldn’t resist a couple of cocktails to go with dinner. I started with Spicy Jerusalem at the server’s recommendation. Tasty and unique! The halvah martini was well executed and perfect for after dinner—with actual halvah for dessert. They presented it with small pieces toasted challah, cheese, and fresh figs. Overall, the food was delicious, the cocktails were creative, and we received excellent and attentive service. I would highly recommend Merkava if you are in CDMX!

This was the best meal I had in CDMX over the course of a week. The place has an innovative menu with many choices. The food was delicious, the presentation beautiful, the service good and the atmosphere festive, comfortable and upscale. The best dish was the eggplant. The cauliflower was delicious. Hummus was good as were the Brussels sprouts. Those were my favorite but other dishes were good too.

We stopped here for a late lunch and really enjoyed the experience. We shared the salatim platter - an assortment of seven small middle eastern salads and spreads like hummus, labneh, roasted vegetables served with warm, fresh pita. It was a perfect meal to go with a bottle of wine. Everything was flavorful and nicey presented. We sat outside at one of the sidewalk tables, which nice for people watching. The service was attentive, our waiter always seemed to arrive at the right moment. Prices were very reasonable for the quality - our total was about $1300 pesos including tip. Would definitely return!

I felt like I was in Israel. The food was so flavorful and fresh. The service impeccable. Only here for 5 days, but I think I need to come back. We had the Salatim plates, dessert and Turkish coffee. Definitely get the limonada!

First off, I love where this restaurant is located. So many beautiful trees and the walking path in the street, it's just so peaceful and quaint. People are just strolling by, just such a nice atmosphere. The service was on point and the food...still craving it. We ordered some hummus with spice and meat (can't remember exactly the name) and the lamb shank with rice. The lamb just melted off the bone. We both had mojitos which were on par in quality as the food. One of the best meals we had. We'll definitely return when we visit again. (Dogs were definitely welcome outside for sure, not sure about the indoor dining area).

We had a lovely evening here! We shared the garlic hummus, which was delicious. I had the lamb, which was fantastic and my husband, who is vegetarian, had the eggplant, which was served with two sauces and some chickpeas. It an elegant subtly flavored dish and was different than anything we've tried before. I tasted it and preferred my lamb!! I had a Morrocon tea, which was so pretty. Everything at this restaurant is so beautifully presented. Eating here is like a ceremony. A lot of thought goes into the meal. Our server. was outstanding and attentive.

Literally best smokey margarita and best cauliflower I’ve ever had. They’re also dog friendly. My fish was kind of boring. 4.5 rounded up to 5.

Very delighted to find such a nice restaurant. The appetizers were all very tasty and healthy. Do try the lamb if you like lamb. My favorite was the Turkish coffee. It's served table side and was just the right amount of sweet and savory.

Mediterranean food at its finest! We came for the Grandma's cake and decided that try an appetizer and it was one of the best things we have tried. Absolutely delicious! The location is really nice, lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The staff were very welcoming and helpful with ordering from the menu. 10 outta 10 recommend if you're in the area.

Horrible food and grossly overpriced. They quite literally served us a fish entree that smelled and tasted rotten. When we flagged the waiter and he took it away, the host and other waiters were smelling the plate and gagging and laughing. It was a Friday night and we were literally the only people in there. Should've taken that as a warning sign. The whole vibe felt creepy and off putting, especially considering CDMX is one of the best food cities in the world. Stay far away and go find some Mexican food.

This spot was recommended by our Airbnb host and we really enjoyed it. Lots of options for vegetarians. We ordered a few dishes to share. We were seated outside, but the patio area is right next to the street and a few street vendors wandered through selling items ... but nothing to aggressive or annoying. Next time we would select inside so it would be a little quieter. Staff was very attentive and all the food tasted great. This was probably the priciest place we dined at while in CDMX, but we felt it was worth it. We went mid week in April without a reservation and were seated right away, however, I would recommend reservations just to be safe. Neighborhood is charming for strolling before or after meal.

We came to this restaurant for dinner since we needed a bit of a break from traditional Mexican food. The owner is Jewish, his family is from Israel, and he's intention is to serve his take on Israeli and middle eastern food with a modern flare. When we got to the place they were pretty empty however they filled up pretty quickly as the night went on. We had reservations so we had no issues but I'm sure it can get very busy on weekends so I suggest calling ahead to reserve. We decided to order several dishes to share amongst three of us and started off with the Jerusalem bourekas or "empanadas", think more like middle eastern spinach pies. These were good and light, the cheese was not overpowering at all. We also ordered the roasted eggplant appetizer and the grape leaves stuffed with lamb. These two were probably my least favorite dishes, especially the eggplant, it tasted burnt and bitter. The grape leaves were just not that flavorful. Next we had the shishbarak which are supposed to be Iraqi ravioli. The ravioli were ok but the creamy sauce they were served with was pretty good. Lastly we ordered the fish entree which was pretty flavorful but there was barely any orzo to even be noticed. This was plenty of food for three people but we had to try their halva dessert since I read it was special here. Supposedly the halva was imported from Israel. They had two flavors, one chocolate and the other one was coffee flavor. The halva was cut table-side and served accompanied by fresh figs, Camembert cheese and toasted brioche like bread. The server told us to get a piece of bread and layer the other components including a piece of halva and eat it like a crostini. I was a bit skeptical at first but it actually tasted really good! Not sure if this is a traditional way of serving halva at all but it was interesting. I also had one of their non-alcoholic drinkgs, the shrab al loz, an almond drink with rose water and pistachios. It was really refreshing and delicious! The service was spotty, our main server was not the most attentive or friendly, but the other staff made up for this shortcoming.

Went there a few months, didn't enjoy the service. Too unorganized. Food was fairly ok. Didn't get a chance to re ore earlier! Ambience is ok, it's at the corner of a busy street.

Beautiful spot downtown Centro We decided to visit this place over a French restaurant nearby. Things I loved : The beets Garbanzo beans with lentils The Brussels sprouts We decided to order the 14 course taster to try a bit of everything since nobody was Al that familiar with the menu. The lychee drink was quite fruity and sweet. The rose and almond drink was also extremely sweet. I noticed at this place they tend to make their drinks very sweet. I liked that all the dishes were vegetarian based. It was nice not too feel weighed down with too much meat after eating.

Food was delicious. Best meal we had in Mexico City. Truly exceptional. Staff clearly take great pride. Love the little Amsterdam neighborhood. Tiny solo bathroom if I had to complain about anything.

Amazing quality food, ambience and location!!! Impressive. Definitely we'll be back .

Amazing food and service. Try everything! Wine by the bottle was expensive so we got beer. Excellent, excellent service and lively people. Saturday night was a full house and everyone looked like they were having fun like us.

I was thrilled to try some Israeli food in Mexico City when we visited a few weeks ago. We made a reservation OpenTable, and the day before our reservation, I was sent a text prompting me to confirm our reservation, which I did. We walked over to the area where the restaurant is, had a drink at a nearby bar, and then walked over to Merkava just before our reservation. When we arrived, it was immediately clear that the restaurant was closed for renovations. While we were standing there confused (we had a reservation and had confirmed it the day before), a man walked up who also had a reservation and was expecting to eat at the restaurant. We left and just picked a restaurant we had walked by on our walk earlier, but I was really bummed to not have been able to try Merkava. Things happen, but a restaurant continuing to take reservations (which led to an automated confirmation text, I imagine) when they are closed for renovations was a first for me. Our dinner at Merkava was supposed to be our first meal in Mexico City on our trip, and it was a major bummer to find out they weren't even open and to have to find a place to eat at the last minute. I definitely hope that they figure this out so that they aren't take further reservations while they are closed. Hopefully, I'll be in Mexico City again and can try their food - which I was so excited about!

3-4 stars for the food, 1 star for the dining experience, settling on 2. The food was mainly good. The hommous dish with garlic was my favorite, while she loved the fried chicken skin tacos. The roasted cauliflower was kinda healthy, a bit crunchy and not greasy at all, but it would taste way better if you used more olive oil and baked it for longer. I don't love lemon butter sauces, used here on the fish, they used the same sauce at Quintonil and i didn't appreciate it there either. The experience is bad. We were sat outside, not our choice, and the stream of people approaching for money is relentless. Which we could handle until the rapper, who with loud speaker in one hand and mic in the other stood directly behind us and went on and on and on. Staff ignored and it was awful. I realize in terms of privilege, I'm way better off than the wait staff, the panhandlers and the rapper. But in terms of whether you'll have a nice time as a customer here, which is the point of the review, no you won't.

Very nice decor and interesting escape from the room game to enter the top floor. Food was good. A bit pricey. Portions could be bigger. Very nice staff and cool to see them cooking with an open kiton the top floor.

It's no surprise to anyone that Arab restaurants are growing more and more popular every day, nada having options for every budget. Merkava might be one of the top tiers en Mexico City, with its eclectic decoration mixing new and old, Merkava announces intself as an Israelí restaurant and the creative mind behind the concept is the recognized Daniel Ovadia (I have reviewed many of its restaurants in my feed). The quality and flavor of the food is really good, specially when it comes to vegetarian options, the wine list is really good, I specially recommend the Ukrainian ones.

While visiting CMDX for my birthday , I booked Merkava for dinner and it was delicious. We had just eaten a few hours before so I went light and chose the hummus. It was sooo tasty and my sister has the matzo ball soup and the portions were really bog which we loved! No one was able to finish their food but the wagyu skewers. Overall 10/10 and there service was great as well & cocktails did not disappoint.

Despite being excited due to recommendations and write ups, I was very disappointed. Almost all of the dishes were bland. The hummus had little garlic, not enough lemon and no cumin. The tahine that came with the meat dish has no taste at all. The meat was boring. The ten peso taco I had for breakfast had more flavor.

It was awesome to be able to get Israeli food in CDMX. However the food was ok, and the QR system was a bit difficult to order from. I liked all the salads you are able to order but they really weren't enough for two people to split.

Popped into Merkavá on a random Thursday for lunch, and didn't regret it at all! Great place, with very attentive staff, and tasty food. The knafeh comes with pistachio ice cream topping, which I've never seen before, but can't complain! Highly recommend this place.

Todo lo que comimos y bebimos en Merkava estuvo delicioso, entramos sin saber exactamente que encontraríamos pero con antojo de comida mediterránea. Nos sorprendió gratamente que los platillos estuvieran tan deliciosos, además de estar muy bien presentados. No es un restaurante económico pero el servicio y la comida lo valen. Kudos!

Delicious food!! And excellent service!! Wish I could eat two more meals here but I'm in Mexico City only for 2 days.

What a truly enjoyable meal. Everything was delicious. We had the whole chicken. The kebab. The 14 course appetizer. The bread service. Hummus. Everything was awesome! So glad to have eaten here while in Mexico City!

I'm Persian so super nit picky with Middle Eastern dishes. That being said, they did a nice job creating their versions of the cuisines and incorporating the right things.Atmosphere and service was wonderful too. Drink: rose and pistachio almond drink. Very creative and delicious. Had the right amount of flavors plus horchata-esque texture. The bread service was ironically my favorite. Fresh made rolls with 3 dips. Would get again. The Turkish style flat bread with stuffed beef and an overeasy egg was alright. Wouldn't order again. Roasted cauliflower with dip. Really was looking forward to it, but it was ok. It was a bit overspiced with za'atar yet somewhat bland at the same time. Overall, experience was nice. Would go back just for the atmosphere and to give a couple more dishes a shot.

As vegetarians, my friends and I got the 14 piece mezze since everything included was meatless. There aren't many other vegetarian options to be honest. The 14 piece mezze was SO MUCH FOOD. We got slightly laughed at by the waiter when we ordered that plus a hummus for 3 people but hey, we were hungry. The food itself was delicious and very authentic. We felt so bad not being able to finish it. The pita was ridiculously soft and fresh. It had a slight sourdough taste unlike the bland grocery store pita. All the food was fresh and yummy. 5 stars for food. The only negative was the restaurant itself. I loved the decor and the atmosphere. However there was no air conditioning and the few fans were not very powerful. Being a long restaurant with an open kitchen and sitting in the back, the air was very hot and still. It got quite uncomfortable after a point. If they install a few more fans, this would be a five star place!

We were just wandering, hoping to find something other than Mexican food with outdoor dining, and stumbled on Mercava. What a find! The food is very authentic and beautifully (& lovingly) prepared. Persian rice, baba ganouj, delicious lamb dish. Service was also very nice, staff was very warm & welcoming.

This place is incredibly rude. I came up and asked for a table and the host with a black suit told me there was no room here although there were plenty of tables. I am not giving my money to this establishment, sorry. I asked why I couldn't sit and they said all the tables are full when they clearly were not. Then when I walked back over they told me they could clear a table for me for someone who was leaving. No thank you, I don't deal with this type of service. Awful. They also gave a table to a group who just walked in and when I pointed that out they made some lie about reservations.

I was very impressed with this restaurant. The lighting is pleasing and it is a very comfortable place to spend an evening of good food and service. We were honored to have the chef come to our table and introduce herself and help interpret the menu for us. Everything we ordered was fresh and unusual. The garlic hummus was delectable as were the selection of 7 items we chose from the item menu. These included brussel sprouts, probably my favorite, prepared beets, zucchini, baba ghanoush and spicy eggplant with tomato. (ok this was my favorite). We also had an order of pelmini which was excellent. All around great experience here.

An absolute treasure of a restaurant in Condesa. Awesome made to order hummus and delicious pita. Not to mention a variety of authentic Israeli dishes. This is a labor of love restaurant and it shows. So do your part to support such a heartfelt endeavor and go try it.

We serendipitously discovered Merkavá for the soft opening. I recommend it without hesitation. The food was surprisingly authentic, and incredibly well prepared and presented. The service was magnificently attentive, and the interior was indistinguishable from a high-end restaurant in Jerusalem (even down to the stone in the walls). I went with my cousin who is Israeli and very particular about his Israeli food. I've never seen a foreign Israeli restaurant he was actually happy with, in 10 years across 3 countries. Until our meal at Merkavá, that is - he was so impressed he went to personally thank the chefs and owner after our meal. I'm sorry to be leaving back to the US a day before the final opening - I know I'll be back here anytime I'm ever in Mexico City again.

Delicious food and lots of vegetarian options. We got the sampler of 14 items and everything was amazing. Really enjoyed trying out all of the options. Pita was fresh and warm - best I've ever had! We really enjoyed the regular hummus, but there are many kinds you can try out. Also I highly recommend the cauliflower dish. It has unique spices and was cooked perfectly. Servers were kind and food was quick. Highly recommend.

We ordered the 14 salatim dishes and one main dish for lunch, which was the perfect amount for two hungry people. Everything tasted fresh and delicious! The service was great and the price was reasonable. Would absolutely come back!

Delicious food highly recommend the mackarela not available always... great presentation on their dishes

Not typical Middle-eastern food, more specifically Israeli food. It should be $$$$ (not $$), because the food portions are small and overpriced. Service is slow mainly due to the kitchen.

As a traveler who's spent a lot of time in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, I was overjoyed to find Merkava on my most recent trip to DF. The interior is exquisite...I love the reclaimed wood, arched glass doors and the limestone accent wall (in suit with the Old City). The food really stands up! Admittedly, I was weary that Levant cuisine could be successful here, but the hummus masabacha and mezze were pretty spot on. Pita is AMAZING. Light and airy....be prepared to order A LOT of this for your lebne and tahini. The only thing about this space is that I sense it's still trying to figure out if it's a more fancy full service/cloth napkins spot...or a more casual, dig-in-hard-and-eat-with-your-hands place reminiscent of small cafes in Jerusalem. Regardless--- if you're familiar with this food, be prepared for all the flavor you hope for...and if you're new to it---most definitely give it a try!

May be the best Middle Eastern we've ever had. The food was definitely better than anything we had in Israel. Good variety excellent service. Everything was great.

Really wanted to love it and it was very very close. The service was great, the dishes were gorgeous. But it wasn't the best Mediterranean food I've ever had - admittedly I have really high expectations. Still, it was delicious and fresh, so four stars.

To die for !!! Amazing fish , roasted cauliflower , Tapas best Lebanese food in mexico !!!amazing attentive service a must go !!!

Good food, but quite expensive. Nice design of the place, great hygiene measures. The fresh bread rolls are amazing. Portions are not that big.

Their salatim were delicious - and all vegetarian! Great menu, great flavors... trendy digs... cocktails were on the sweet side but their white wines paired great with the food we got. Great option if you want food on the "fresher" side after eating heavy in CDMX!

Searching for an Israeli restaurant to celebrate Hanukkah in MexicoCity and we happened upon this gem. Everything from the house made labneh to the date/nut dessert was exceptional. And the service was even better. Great selection of Israeli wines too. Love the decor, music and will be back to try everything on the menu!

Great find walking around Condesa.Menu was vegetarian friendly. All dishes were outstanding, especially the roasted cauliflower and Boreka. Service was very good and helpful with translation. This was my best meal in =Mexico City

I had seen the place before but never tried it. Tonight was the first time I did enjoy their great cuisine. Everything was very good. The waiter explained to me all the steps for preparing the green tea correctly (and he was right: it was delicious). Very good service and food. I will certainly return.

Enjoyed a delicious, long meal with my husband on New Year's Eve at Merkava. The food reminded us of our travels to the mediterranean with many small dishes like hummus, warm pita bread, cous cous and tabouleh with an Israeli salad. We ended with a perfect turkish coffee and a french toast dessert. They have only been open a month and the best is yet to come. Looking forward to a recommendation from the sommelier on some great wine next time!

Went here for lunch today and was served by the rudest waitress I've encountered in Mexico City - and I live here! From the moment we sat down till our food was served, it felt as though she did not want us around. Wasn't sure what her problem was, but it immediately sullied our experience. I had the hummus and then left, since we weren't feeling too welcomed. Very limited options for vegetarians.

This newly opened restaurant by Daniel Ovadia is already one of the finest in the city. With a completed renovated space on Condesa's beautiful Av. Amsterdam, one of the best-trained staffs in the city, superb food quality and clean, homey ambience, this hummusiva & Jerusalem kitchen is not to be missed. We started with a selection of salatim including seven wonderfully prepared small dishes of tehina; baba ganoush with eggplant, tehina, parsley, onion and lemon; beets with tamarindo, lemon and cumin; and lentils, chickpeas, lemon, mustard, fennel and cilantro. All were fresh, delightful and beautifully presented. Next was matzo ball soup, which included a kreplach and mini-croutons. Not quite the way my grandmother prepared it, but great comfort food nonetheless. This was followed by kibbeh nayyeh or raw kibbeh (steak tartar), which was presented beautifully, atop a thin-crusted pita ball, and filled with a perfect cream. Desert consisted of a delightful French toast babka, a traditional Eastern European coffee cake that takes a full day to make. Topped with chocolate and chocolate ice cream, it was truly a mesmerizing experience. Just when we thought nothing could top this, the server brought out a beautiful, authentic, Turkish coffee ibrik, or server, which was placed on the table burner and simmered as we watched. As not commonly understood, Turkish coffee is a method of preparing unfiltered coffee--there is no special type of bean. Merkavá could not have prepared a better tasting, more authentic and well-presented Turkish coffee. The tea preparation was equally beautiful and tasty. Service could not have been more accommodating, attentive and well-informed. Don't miss this outstanding restaurant!

I've visited Mexico City 5 times, and this is my favorite restaurant in the entire city. We were visiting for only 4 days, and we went twice. The food is SO good and the prices are very reasonable. I love love love this place.

This is a overcharged place and the food in only ok. There are better places to eat this kind of food in the city. Skip it. Besides the service is awful.