Restaurante Kinich Izamal

Glad we were able to check this place out as we’d read about it before visiting Izamal. The facility was impressive in size and the ambiance was excellent. Our drinks and appetizer were great but we were a bit underwhelmed by our entrees. This appears to be the largest dining establishment in Izamal and we appreciate their efforts to bring care to food they produce and that they are working to create a more sustainable food system!

We stopped for lunch on the way from Uxmal as we’ve heard about the Yellow City and googled restaurant for lunch. The place was buzzing but we got a table in five minutes. Service was friendly and efficient. We got the traditional appetiser of pumpkin seeds served with tortillas. I had soup de Lima which was ok and my husband had grilled pork, which was surprisingly good. We finished lunch under an hour and left quite satisfied. The prices were good as well. A detour? Yes. But it’s good to try something different!

Amazing traditional food, big portions and very cute atmosphere. The highlight was the Vendor Almendrado (venison / deer meat), the queso relleno was also excellent, we also had the papadzules kinich which are good but not as amazing as the first 2 dishes. I think one entree per person, drink and shared dessert could suffice and get you to a full meal, we had some food to go.

Beautiful lay out of a restaurant with an awesome atmosphere! The only reason I didn't give it a perfect score is because: 1- our table for 2 took almost 2 hours to get seated, but you can go to their bar 🍸 which is in the back of the restaurant. They have delicious drinks and small bites, like castacan(pork belly) tacos 🌮 and octopus🐙 hot dog which was bomb! 2- When we finally got our seats, they had sold out of all beef and pork options.. I was really looking forward to eating steak😐 They only had chicken and turkey only which I'm personally not a big fan of. In conclusion, I was pretty disappointed for waiting 2 hours for lack luster protein options. The bar had better food honestly.. It was still a great experience eating at this highly rated restaurant and the interior atmosphere is great! Lush greenery everywhere. Make sure to come early in weekends especially or else they will run out of a lot of items!

Kinich is an exceptional dining experience that honors Yucatecan cuisine. The flavors are authentic and thoughtfully prepared, using traditional techniques and local ingredients. Every dish feels rooted in history yet presented with care and refinement. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the service is attentive.

A polished showcase of Yucatecan tradition. Kinich is arguably a bit of a 'culinary museum' – yes, it is tourist-oriented and polished, but they do it with such pride and honesty that you have to love it. 🧡 It feels like a curated experience of local culture (a 'skanzen') rather than a hidden local gem, but they don't abuse their fame. The food is genuine, the prices are fair for the quality, and the service is professional. It’s the perfect place to enjoy traditional flavors in comfort.

Very touristic place with beautiful Mexican atmosphere including all its magic and culture. However food was just normal and okay, so for what we got it was quite expensive. Service usually in Mexico is much nicer, but in here it did not seem we got a lot of attention. I think this place is definitely overrated. But in general good and can recommend it.

They were really busy. A “50 minute wait” turned out to be almost 2 hours. At one point we asked how many tables ahead of us and we were told “9”. 20 minutes later we asked again and now the answer was “11” 🤦🏻. That being said, food and drinks are delicious. Worth the wait, servers are nice and the place is charming. Would do it again!

A must lunch stop in the yellow city ! Great ambience and even better food ! We had the empanadas de chhaya , Enfrijoladas and my new found love Jalapeno Lemonade ! You just cant go wrong with food in mexico ! You would really enjoy this cool Green environment after hot day outside.

We had lunch at Kinich when we were in Izamal for a few hours last week (on a tour from Merida), and it was a really lovely meal! The restaurant is gorgeous - very indoor/outdoor eating and traditional decor/design. Our guide told us it can get very busy (it's very popular), but we got lucky and got a great table on a Friday afternoon with no wait at all. The service was also great. The menu is traditonal Yucatecan, and I wanted pretty much everything on the menu. The menu contains notations for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and circular dishes (circular means "dishes that do not generate any waste when their residues are used as compost, recycled, or sold"). It has something for everyone, and you can tell that everyone involved in the restaurant really cares about the preservation and sharing of Yucatecan cuisine! We shared the Sikil P'ak (a dip made from ground pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, cilatro, and chives), which I always love - Kinich's version was great. I ordered the Papadzules Tradicionales (tacos filled with hardboiled eggs, wrapped in handmade tortillas, that are then bathed in a ground pumpkin seed sauce and tomato sauce) and a glass of wine from Casa Madera, while my husband ordered the Venado Almendrado (shredded whitetail venison, cooked in the pib, underground oven, and sauteed in a sauce made with almonds, chile de arbol, achiote, sweet chile, and onions) and a cocktail. The food was fantastic. Some of the best Yucatecan food we had on this trip! A really lovely meal. One I'd be happy to repeat if I'm ever in Izamal again!

Lovely lunch! I stopped in with my wife and my parents while traveling through the area for a quick lunch. Well, I was slightly disappointed that the hours online did not match up their actual hours. That was the only point that they missed on The service was very friendly and warm. The atmosphere is open air with plenty of shade. We had cocktails, beer, appetizers, and several entrées. Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. While they were out a few dishes that we had hoped to try the substitutions were lovely.

What a beautiful restaurant located in the heart of Izamal! This is a must try place if you're in the area! This aesthetically pleasing place offers a variety of authentic dishes from the Yucatan state of Mexico. I ordered their Papadzules Tradicionales and Panuchos. They were absolutely delicious with unique flavor combinations that I had never tried before. The service here was top notch as well! They were extremely attentive and no one had us waiting for too long! I can't wait to visit again in the future!

The ambiance the food and the service is amazing! Kinich never fails to amaze! Fabulous local ingredients and great selection for all palettes. Great vegetarian options! The carne is delicious; nothing disappoints! A must go place to dine in Izamal!

I was visiting Mexico for the very 1st time. This was the 1st restaurant where I enjoyed the atmosphere and food. I enjoyed the cultural aspect of the restaurant. I tired Chaya for the very 1st time and they were so delicious. Reasons for Rating: +1 Excellent location and parking +1 Food taste really good +1 Customer service +1 Interior/atmosphere +1 Would return/recommend others

Huge restaurant space with lots of open air seating. Even though the seating is outside, there is plenty of shade and fans to keep things cooled down. The food was delicious. We had the deer meat DIY tacos which came with fresh tortillas. Definitely yummy. We also had the veggie papadzules and the sikil p'ak appetizer. The food is billed to be traditional Yucatán and it was all delicious. We enjoyed relaxing under the fans because it was such a hot day. Service was efficient - it worked like a well oiled machine. This is not a mom and pop little place but rather a large operation.

This place was really authentic, the food was great and so were the staff. First when we came in, we were led to a table with a highchair for my baby sister and four other wooden chairs. Speaking about my little sister, even though it was too big for her and advanced, there was a huge play house with swings, tiny rock wall, covered areas to sit and relax, and two slides. Everything was really clean and nice. The staff was generous and kind and gave us new spoons multiple time my sister dropped one, she even picked up her toys when they fell which was really kind of her. Our waiters name was Fatimah who was really kind and always checked on us so we gave her 20% in tips which she was thankful for. Foods I tried and recommend: coconut ice cream, cheese flan, carahijo, chicken marinated in orange, and if you want to make tacos they have women making tortillas in a hut which were delicious. I really do recommend this place.

Kinich is the first dinning experience I have had in the Yucatan that was both interesting and delicious. The use of pumpkin and squash in the dishes was delightful. We started off with their margaritas, yummy. Followed by the lime chicken soup. Which I will try to make at home. The kids food came out quickly and I didn't need to encourage my children to keep eating, and issue we have at home. By far the most expensive meals we have had in the Yucatan but worth it.

Friendly and generous staff. Best (homemade?) tortillas after 8 days of dinners and lunches between playa del Carmen, Tulum, Isla de Mujeres and Valladolid. Tasty sausage a la Valladolid, Tasty Chaya juice. Good homemade ice cream and flan. Welcoming environment.

Excellent, authentic Yucatan Mayan food. Everything was excellent and well presented. The special cocktail, carne asada, soup, and chicken marinated in orange were all excellent. We also got the special Mayan coffee prepared table side at the end. Service was top notch. Recommended.

We visited Izamal about a month ago. We spent a month in the Yucatan Peninsula and this was truly the best meal we had on our trip. My sister ordered the venado. I ordered the pollo pibil. Everything was so beautiful and delicious. The workers were so friendly. It was a wonderful experience.

A must on our annual trip to the Yucatan. We have been by twice and hope to come in once more before returning home. We were a party of 8, everyone enjoyed their meal selections and adult beverages. The staff are delightful and provide excellent customer service.

This place is considered one of the best restaurants in Mexico and they are correct. The day we ate here one of the palapa dining rooms suffered a fire and burned to the ground. We ate in the other one and didn't notice a thing. Great food and service even with a fire. Four of us ate lunch here on a day trip to Izamal. We started the meal with a very good guacamole that we shared. I had the Pok Chuk Kinich which was delicious. Nicely grilled and the pork tender. My wife got the Queso Relleno that she liked. Others got the Longaniza de Valladolid, a local sausage, and Relleno Negro, turkey in a black sauce. We finished with a piece of flan. At the end of the meal the manager took us to see the outdoor kitchen. Great dining experience.

My bf and I felt a storm coming, so we came here for lunch just before it started to pour. The restaurant is all outdoors under a huge straw roof. The staff did a decent job keeping the water from splashing customers and flooding the floors. However, the strong storm wind blew a few glasses and chairs off the tables. The restaurant was well decorated but very low lighting. It was a bit difficult to read the menu when the sun was covered. Our server was very kind and attentive! Sopa de Lima: A Yucatan classic! It was surprisingly very light with a strong lime taste. Chicken was cooked pretty well and tortilla strip chips added a great crunch. Relleno Negro: A bit salty on its own, but when you eat it with the fresh tortilla and add salsa and beans, the flavors were absolutely perfect. The tortilla and beans cut the saltiness while the salsa adds an acidic zing. The egg was a bit rubbery and added interesting flavor to the dish. Complementary Tortilla Chips, Beans and Salsa: SO. GOOD. You can tell these were homemade fresh! I love how they come out as whole pieces, so you can break off what you want. The salsa was pretty spicy, but absolutely delicious. The beans were probably my favorite part of the meal. They went great with the tortilla chips, with the relleno negro and on its own! My bf and I shared these dishes and felt very full after. Overall, I would definitely come back to this restaurant for its ambiance, beans and tortillas.

Over all this place was good, the food was different but it was really good. We also had a pitcher of lemonade. Guacamole on the side and it's an outdoor place. Service took some time but it was over all good at the end. They took care of us properly and had a nice time.

Great place! Excellent Yucatán food... highly recommend! There were more people in the restaurant than in the city, the food is amazing!

Kinich provided the best service I've ever had at a restaurant. We had what seemed like an entire team of wait staff who seemed to know what we needed before we even thought about asking for it. I've had empanadas de chaya con Queso all over the Yucatán and these were the best, hands down. My husband had a chicken and vegetable soup that he loved and we also ordered the venado almendre, a regional dish of white tail deer and almonds cooked underground. It looked like a really small amount of food when it came out but actually it was just right. Everything was excellent.

This restaurant is so incredible. The ambiance is nice, the music is relaxing and the service is great. The food is spectacular; my sisters and I got salbutes y panuchos de pollo and they were so yummy. The servers were extremely attentive. I would definitively come back!

Delicious Yucatano food and a lovely environment. The entire restaurant is open (much like the famed convento courtyard just a few blocks away) We were seated quickly and had great service. This is definitely a tourist spot, but that doesn't mean the food isn't fantastic and true to the local cuisine! One (very touristy) awesome feature is that there is a thatched roof hut where you can watch local women making tortillas - that soon end up on your table! They give a complimentary appetizer of hard tortilla and frijoles to dip it in, as well as a (muy!) Picante Verde salsa. I tried the Cochinita Pibil, a classic Yucatano meal and it was so so delicious! I recommend this dish to anyone wanting to get a real taste of the area. I also had the house Blanco which was extremely smooth and rounded out (I was even told I drank like a Mexican when I was seen taking a shot and following with lime - haha!) Loved Kinich and would definitely return if I ever end up in Izamal again.

We had a delicious lunch here. Chaya drink and lemonade were both tasty. Cochinita Pibil was fabulous. Dulce de papaya was a dessert treat. Well run highly rated restaurant that deserves its ratings.

Great food, drinks, and service. Their mezcal Jamaica cocktail was just what we needed on a hot day!

Incredible restaurant and dining experience! Not to be missed. The ambiance is amazing, great service and music and the food is out of this world. Try a bit of everything! You won't be sorry. Closes around 6:30pm.

Flan de queso de bola was the best flan I have ever had. Mind you I love cheese! My husband got the coffee flan and loved it! Our food was pretty good too, but the ambiance was more favorite. My husband got the empanadas and we really liked them but they are definitely an appetizer size. I got the papazules they were good once I added salt and habanero salsa. The kids shared a chicken soup and I loved that the waitress offered to split it in two bowls for them to share. The kids playground makes me want to come back, cuz my little ones who were so happy to have a playground to play at! I would give a 5 but I'm going to rate it a 4 cuz I think the quantity of food could improve for the price paid.

We were driving from Cancun to Merida, we anted to eat a Kinich, when we got to the restaurant, it was almost time to close, thank you to the manager and our servers Erica and Jesica, we had the best meal in our 9 day trip, the restaurant is beautiful, the food is amazing, the service was incredible, they made us feel so special, thank you for allowing us to have dinner even though it was ten minutes to close. We love everithing

Best place in the middle of Izamal! Perfect to enjoy Yucatan meals and calm atmosphere. I loved the Mayan decoration. Great service!

Great restaurant in this quaint town. It was quite quite full since it's located right as you enter the city but the food is well worth the wait. The beans they Bring out with the tortilla chips were delicious. Hubby had the cochinito pibil and he was humming throughout the meal, he said it was that good. I opted for the rice with fried bananas and a single panchula. It's pretty much like a typical sope. We had the agua de Chaya and although it smells like you just cut your front lawn grass it was actually pretty good very refreshing!

Kinich is the perfect place to enjoy real yucatán food in a calm atmosphere. The restaurant is amazing and highly recommendable during your stay in Izamal. We tried the papadules and empinadas, both were fresh and delucious. A must try! You won't regret!

A must go!! It is a very nice place, the decoration and music are amazing, you can see the ladies making tortillas in a little kitchen. I didnt think it was pricey at all, the food was amazing!!! Try the deer with almonds! Very worth it!

This is the best place you will find in this lovely town to have a wonderful meal, the place looks super nice and the food is always perfect, the staff is always smiling and happy to have you in their restaurant, I love this place!

One of the best places in Mexico, great service ! The food was outstanding. Este lugar tiene un excelente servicio y la comida 100% regional con sabores originales

Kinich, Taste of Izamal. One of the most traditional places in Yucatan is the Kinich,"solar face" restaurant in the magic pueblo of Izamal It is located in a renovated house in the historic center of Izamal. The food is great, typical from the region like the cochinita pibil which was outstanding. The place is lovely, great staff and well set out in the outdoors under a huge palapa. The menu promises so much with a great range of traditional Yucatec cuisine. And finally to enjoy your meal either romantic or just to relax there is always live music like trios genre with the tunes of ballads and boleros. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=robQDr6XZK4

After visiting the Monastery and walking around the town, we stopped here for lunch and were not disappointed. I had the Lomitos de Valladolid (diced porn in a tomato sauce) and my wife had the Filetea ala Yucateca (Steak marinated in achiote and citrus). Both our meals were delicious and a generous amount of food. Very nice ambiance, service was perfect and the price was right $700 pesos (~$36 USD) including tip for our lunch and 4 drinks

After a long day of travel this restaurant hit the spot! The chicken pibil was the best I tasted. The limonada was refreshing on such a hot and humid day.

Delicious Lunch! Lovely Restaurant with Pleasant Garden Setting & Serving Authentic Yucatecan Cuisine in Izamal! I ate at Kinich El Sabor Restaurant for lunch during my day trip to Izamal from Merida on November 20th. The restaurant is open from 12 to 9 pm daily. I ordered the papadzules and Jamaica juice. Both were so delicious, fresh, made with high quality ingredients, and beautifully presented! The papadzules were the best that I tasted during my Yucatan travels. The menu had a variety of authentic Yucatecan cuisine and the prices were reasonable. I really enjoyed the pleasant setting with the lush green garden in the centre of the restaurant and the palapa palm leaf rooves covering the dining area. The service was also excellent and friendly (FYI - the serving staff only spoke Spanish). I arrived at the restaurant exactly at 12 pm when they opened and was the only person there at the time. I definitely recommend eating at Kinich during your visit to Izamal!

Beautiful beautiful Mayan restaurant! Our tour of the golden city lead here by horse carriage! The restaurant is outdoors and surrounded by walls and beautiful rocks and plants. The woman were dressed in white dresses with flowers and made fresh tortillas on a wood stove! The whole feel of the restaurant made you feel like you were in their home! They let us sample some of their tequila made in there town only you can buy a bottle for $25 usd for the light or $30 usd for the dark aged! We bought the dark and scared to open it since you can only get it in this town lol the food was sooo good but watch out for the very very very hot dip they bring out it's kinda a green brownish color! It's a killer! They have the best beer here also! This place is a must if your in the area :)

Delicioso. A must go. If you are visiting Merida you need to visit Izamal and eat here as is a tradicional Yucatecan food and is so great.

How about ZERO stars?! Completely off the charts bad. Just a tourist clip joint with a beautiful Yucatan atmosphere. The food was as poorly prepared as any meal I've had in Mexico. It could have been exacerbated by a tourist bus that had just dumped off about 40 cruise ship fatties (Carnival I think) on a port-of-call trip to see authentic Mayan ruins and eat in an authentic Yucatan restaurant. The chicken pibil was a gloppy joke. The paunuches were tasteless and had black slimy lettuce. Yuck. Without a doubt the worst meal of my one month trip.

Traditional cuisine in a very well kept restaurant that caters to tourists. The ladies who work here are all very kind and friendly! Try the unique venison dish and eat lots of the fresh corn tortillas.

Lo amé! And I haven't eaten yet! If you're really looking for authentic Mayan-Mexican food this is the place to be") Provechito!

This place is a little upscale for the town and neighborhood. When I was there, there were no tourists groups from cruise ships, so I cant comment on that. Food was good, well prepared. Some traditional dishes and some innovative additions. Not spectacular but certainly looked like the best options in town.

We really enjoyed our dinner at Kinich! The place is beautiful, with an authentic atmosphere and great regional food, it was was one-of-a-kind for us

it was ok a touristy spot nothing special but an ok place to hang while off of the ship