Xelas by El Sazon

Have been very eager to try to this place and it did not disappoint! I am gluten free and was very happy with the amount of options I had here, including desserts. The alcoholic drinks were excellent and very different compared to other places serving the same type. Ex: a margarita here isn’t loaded with sugar and premixed. Theirs was very light and refreshing with a decent amount of alcohol. We only had one appetizer which was the guacamole with pork belly and WOW. Delicious. As for the main entrees, our group ate every single last thing on our plates. The flavor combos were outstanding and we left full, but not to a point of being uncomfortable. We got 2 orders of the churros which were light and fluffy, and the chocolate cake. The cake was fruity and sweet but just the right amount of chocolate too. For someone who is from Guatemala, this place felt very special, authentic, and welcoming. Please give this place a try and support small local businesses.

We did the tasting menu and were really pleased with the outstanding food and drinks. A great option for fine dining and a reasonable cost relative to other tasting experiences in the TC. Very approachable! The tacos were out of this world and the tasting had a great mix of wine, cocktails and NA drinks. I would go again and am excited to go back to try their normal menu (anything to get my hands on more of their quesabirria). I am also excited for it to warm up and try their patio as it can get very loud inside the restaurant.

Came in from out of town and wanted something different. We're from St. Louis which has a very vibrant dining scene as well so finding a unique option is always a challenge. My girlfriend and I did the taco omakase tasting menu with drink pairing and were blown away by the flavors, presentation, passion and enthusiasm from every staff member we encountered... And of course - -the value. If you live in Stillwater and haven't tried this place yet you are missing out - and for those in Minneapolis - it's a 25 minute drive to experience something you'll surely not find anywhere else in the city.

Absolutely delicious. El Sazon has never made a wrong move as far as I’m concerned, and this elevated version is a stand-out addition. Everything we had was excellent. My very favorite single item was the root vegetable dish that came with the short rib. It was layered like a lasagna, was crispy on the exterior, and was just so clever and tasty. The pork shank was also killer. But honestly, across the board it was great.

The food was astonishing. We had 3 dishes that we shared. The mole negro was rich, savory, a little salty and the plantain was a little sweet and was topped with watercress for a little bitterness. It was the best and most surprising dish as it packed a lot of complex flavors on 1 plate and the mole was flawless. Then we had a crispy tortilla topped with their excellent house made sausage, beans that were refried and flavorful, cheese, radish, watercress. It was fun to eat and quite good. The churros were so light they practically floated off the plate. I usually avoid them as they are rarely worth the calories. Theirs were well worth it. Came with a caramel sauce and a glass of choc milk. Drinks were refreshing, not overly sweet and everything is made in house. The space is light, open, pretty and the service was excellent. What a great addition to the Stillwater restaurant scene. We gave the food and service an A. Certainly 5/5. Get to Stillwater and support this gem.

The food was amazing! Every bite was rich, complex, and interesting. I can't wait to go back and try all the other dishes! My only complaint is that it was cold in the restaurant. I hope the new owners see this and the other reviews that say the same thing and make some adjustments. If it was warm and cozy in the restaurant, that would have made the experience even better.

A must try new restaurant in Stillwater! The menu is Mayan-inspired and was full of surprising dishes. We loved trying so many new flavors; especially the variety of corn tortillas! Outstanding! The mix of unique ingredients and attention to detail on the presentation made it. Plus great prices overall making it easy to sample a lot of dishes. The vibe was lively, with great music. We sat in a booth, but were impressed by the beautiful bar and will be back for cocktails. So happy to have this gem in Stillwater!

The food was ok. We stopped by when they first opened and were excited about eating here. While the food wasn't horrible we felt it lacked flavor. The portions were small as well. However, the drinks were top tier. If I'm in the area I would definitely stop for drinks.

We enjoyed Xelas on opening weekend. The renovation of the restaurant interior was well done, but could use something to block the draft from the front door. The old fashioned was smooth and delicious. Well stocked bar. We enjoyed the Guacomol appetizer, Chochinita, Pepian de Pollo, two small plates, and two desserts for our party of three. The food was aromatic and well presented. The staff was attentive and well versed about the dishes. On the pricier side, but worth the cost. Definitely make a reservation.

Xelas was popping on a Saturday night. Luckily, my sister-in-law got us reservations. We were seated in a corner booth which gave us a great view of the restaurant. Our server was very friendly and welcoming. I do think they're a little understaffed as I only saw one bartender for about 80 seats. Even if the drinks were slow they were really good. I got a Sik Pak, which is a Mayan riff on a Mai tai. I really liked it. My husband got the NA tamarind mocktail and loved it. It was tangy and not too sweet. The food was delicious and well priced for the quality. I think my favorite dish of the night was the mole negro. A sweet plantain smothered in a rich and complex mole sauce. I would come back just for that. Everybody in our group really liked their entrees. The pollo my husband got was moist and flavorful. My pescado pachay was a delicate sea bass steamed in a banana leaf. The flavors were perfectly balanced and whatever puree came with it was delicious and complimented the fish. My brother-in-law got the cochinita pibil, which was a huge portion and could easily be split between two people if you got a couple smaller plates. My sister-in-law really liked her hilachas. The meat was tender and the sauce was deep and tangy. The only disappointment was the desserts. We got one of each and none of them were worth ordering again. They were very bland. If anything, I would save the mole negro for dessert. Our entire dinner for 4 people came to $265, which is crazy when you consider that included 4 alcoholic beverages, several small plates, 4 entrees, and 3 desserts.

They do have parking which is great! The inside is absolutely beautiful and I love the vibes overall. Staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The chef makes some amazing dishes using traditions from Guatemalan & Mexican heritage. Everything was FANTASTIC! The drinks were definitely a hit. I enjoyed some of the best n/a beverages I've ever had while dining here. This is a must visit spot in Stillwater! Looking forward to visiting again!

Guatemalan & Mayan cuisine YES PLEASE!! Delicious! I was fortunate to enjoy a fantastic meal at this new restaurant. We did not have a reservation & we were tight on time but we settled into seats at the bar and were able to savor every bite! Aesthetically the space is uncluttered and neutral with a few vibrant murals showcasing Quetzals The lead bartender Daniel is both knowledgeable & personable he gave great recommendations for cocktails. Wine & food. The owners visited with us and remembered my husband had been in on another evening. They have successfully created a warm & welcoming experience. Beverages: water was kept full which is important to me. The Ole Verde was unique & delicious and the wine a perfect pairing for my husband's entree. Food: Mole Negro, Tlacayo(mushroom & masa dish) Pescado Hilachas Guineo & Cacao A solid five star experience! Looking forward to returning soon to enjoy additional creations!

My only fear for this great new place is that the next time I want to go, I might not be able to get in! They really transformed this location. Murals, good background music, great bar setup. We started with some of the cocktails off of the menu. I'd had their remake of the Old Fashioned which uses some aged rum... so good. My wife had the mojito which was fantastic. For starters we had the Mexican sausage and the Sikil Pac (a dip). Both were so good! I had the Cochinita Pibil (braised pork shank) as my main course ... amazing. My wife had the Sopr de Pato (duck confit on a thick corn shell) and my mouth is watering again just writing this. Fabulous. Daniel, our bartender and server was awesome. Really helped us understand the drinks and the food menu. This place is so good. Can't wait to go back. Tomorrow? So fun to have such a good new place open up.

My was the Guatemalan Sausage! SOOOO GOOD! Staff was very friendly and helpful! The food was very good, but I felt it was over priced. I really enjoyed my meal, but I was less enthused when I compared what I paid here versus other restaurants of similar $$$. Also, I'm unfamiliar with Mayan cuisine as it relates to Mexican... but I expected a lot more spice. There wasn't any spice for any of my dishes. Otherwise, the salsa and guacamole were very good. We paid $42/person with zero drinks (20% tip included). If it was $25-$30/person, I'd be back here often.

Wow! Wow! Opening night at Xelas was absolutely amazing. I am thrilled that I was able to chat with Karen and the team about each dish that was brought to our table and welcome them to Stillwater. The chefs, bartenders, and servers were all so kind and happy to be there. Each dish is carefully crafted and beautifully plated, I almost don't even want to eat! But trying the food is the next best thing about it! Every bite is full of flavor and happiness. I am so excited to visit them now that I have a location minutes from my home. Please go try their delicious menu. You will not be disappointed!

Went to dinner with friends, and made a reservation originally for 7 pm for 7 people, our party ended up being downsized to 5, called ahead to let them know the party size was going to change and they were great about accommodating the change. We wanted to wait at least 2 weeks after opening to check this place out just to let them get into the swing of service and I think it was the best call, they have a strong sense of their menu and it seemed to be popping off when we arrived and people showing up around 8 pm for dinner. When we got there our server was great at letting us settle in and giving us time to look over the menu when deciding what we all wanted to share, when we asked for recommendations she tried to give us a rough idea about what was going to be enough for all of us to share. The restaurant's vibe seemed to hone down on the culture by adding the artwork and having a section of the restaurant with a bigger table seem like an art gallery. The murals on the outside and inside entrance are great additions to adding color to the restaurant. Especially with the clean white and beige aesthetic of the interior. Liked their lighting, it's the right amount of bright to be able to see everyone around you and read the menu, especially with most restaurants deciding to do dimmer lights around dinner time. Waiting time for drinks did take longer than 10-15 minutes but the server was attentive, they also seem to only have one bartender for the whole restaurant and bar area at the time of us being there. 3/5 cocktails were served at the table, while we waited for two cafe con ron to be made. They don't seem to have their cocktails batched so it made sense that they were taking their time. Overall we all arrived at 7 pm and ended up leaving at 9 pm. We asked our server if the kitchen was okay with preparing a dessert to go, 5 minutes before closing and they did say yes BUT WE HAD ALREADY had dinner and our dessert, we would have been more than okay if the kitchen had said no but they were nice enough to do it. We appreciated our server, she never seemed to rush us out or made us feel like we were taking too long or bothering her. We felt super comfortable knowing that their staff is Latinx. They also tried to help my friends with the pronunciation of the dishes when ordering. All our food was shared amongst 5 people -- For drinks (COCKTAILS DE LA CASA & ZERO ABV FUSIONS) we got: Oro Verde (Not Pictured), Margarita Maya (Not Pictured), Jade Mojito (Not Pictured), and Cafe con Ron. NA's-- Tamarind Punch, Guava Fizz (Not Pictured), and Cariño (Not Pictured). PERSONAL FAVORITE: Cafe con Ron cocktail, on the sweeter side compared to the traditional espresso martini, and the Carińo NA cocktail For appetizers (FLAVORS TO BEGIN) we got: the Ceviche, the Guacamol, and the Guatemalan Sausage PERSONAL FAVORITE: the Guatemalan Sausage For entrees (PLATO FUERTE) we got: the Cochinita Pibil, Hilachas, and Calabaza (pumpkin), PERSONAL FAVORITE: the Calabaza Additional Dish (BEYOND MAYAN) we got: a Tlacoyo For dessert (POSTRES) we got: Papaya & Vainilla and Guineo & Cacao - TOGO/Not pictured My friends and I enjoyed all the art on the walls and the dishes. A nice addition of food and culture to Stillwater, would want to go back to try more of their dishes, we hope to see their cocktail and bar program grow a little more but these are some really strong drinks to start! Can't wait to see what other dishes they might add to their menu come spring and summer time. We hope to continue seeing them flourish and we will be back.

OmG !!!!!! Absolutely one of the best in this part of Minnesota. Ahhhhmazing !!!! Food = Love !!!!

We love El Sazon and have been excited about Xelas opening here in Stillwater. We went for dinner on their second official night. The restaurant was full but service and pacing was spot on. I would not have guessed they just opened if I didn't know. Everyone was very gracious and seemed genuinely happy to host us. The food was outstanding and definitely something different for the area. We had an app, the cochinita (pork shank) and a couple of the small plates, as well as two desserts. Everything was fantastic. The guac was more filling than most with the chicharones providing some protein. Both desserts were great with the elote being especially unique. The cocktails and mocktails also were impressive. It's clear a lot of thought was put into them. Overall, we are happy to have Xelas in Stillwater and highly recommend.