We went with the à la carte menu since it's completely different from the tasting menu to have more variety and flexibility. I wish we had come with a bigger group because there were so many other dishes I wanted to try. Wr Ordered: Pulpo en macha de chicatana - Favorite dish of the night. Perfectly cooked. Tartar de cordero - Also a favorite. Would order again. Ternera en su jugo de hongos Tostada raspada - We were told this is a crowd favorite and it was definitely fun dish Masa de yuca al comal - Really unique and worth trying. Great service and beautiful space! ¡Ya tengo excusa para regresar! read more

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One of a kind tasting menu! My husband and I tremendously enjoyed every bite served to us. And with service so impressive the dining experience just went rolling with excitement! Our server Francisco was fantastic. He explained every dish that came along and showed us with samples of where and how the dish was sourced. While each food item was very good, each one was beautifully presented with a "wow" and cocktails shouldn't be missed. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a simple and yet elegant atmosphere. We were able to say hello to the chef who personally came to our table! Another bucket list to consider when in Guadalajara! read more

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We went to Alcalde for my birthday. Upon arrival, the hostess didn't greet us, I had to initiate the conversation and let her know I had a reservation. For a high end restaurant like this, I expected a warmer, more attentive welcome. The meal itself was definitely unique, with beautifully presented and delicious dishes, some more memorable than others. Sitting at the counter was an interesting experience, as we could watch the kitchen in action and see the cooking staff at work. Our main waiter was attentive, and a few other servers, who were even more charismatic, brought out some of our dishes and added to the experience. I can understand why some negative reviews point out that a few dishes are just "okay," but there are also standouts that make the menu worth trying. Overall, it was a special dining experience, the ambience is just ok. read more

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Had a very nice tasting dinner that lasted nearly three hours. Service was exceptional. Food was mostly outstanding, with a few inconsistencies. The fish course was a bit over salted and heavy on the kaffir lime. The desserts were my least favorite, with flavor and texture combinatuons that did not work for me. Presentation was so beautiful. Incredible artistry. Bar service was also a highlight. read more

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Currently #51 on the S.Pellegrino list Restaurante Alcalde has been on the rise since opening. Owned by Chef Francisco Ruano, a veteran of noma, Mugaritz and El Celler de Can Roca, the idea is largely that of putting a modern signature on the foods of Jalisco without the boundaries of traditional Mexican cuisine. Offered a la carte or tasting, the later best received at the Chef's counter, guests are served blind to what's next across 18 plates by attentive staff happy to discuss techniques, ingredients and inspiration. Heavily influenced by prior places of stage, slimy Scoby on a rock almost straight out of Redzepi's cookbook, best bites included an Abalone Tostada and handmade Tortillas referencing fried Courgettes while Duck served rare and Desserts failed to reach the heights of Ruano's famous Coconut Ceviche. Note: no menu is presented for the tasting, even after repeat requests, and most plates are described in Spanish or heavily accented English. Those with allergies or intolerances should make them known when reserving as the kitchen is accommodating. read more

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I'm in Guadalajara for a few weeks and I like to do a tasting menu every now and then. After doing some research and asking the community it came down to this or Xocol, but Alcalde's reservations worked out better with my schedule. It was...not good. It's possible it may have been an off day, but I was really disappointed. My gripes: 1. There was no menu. Yes, I understand tasting menus can change day by day. But seriously no printed menu that I can reference there or afterwards? Even the menu online is outdated (almost a year ago). No cocktail menu (I was told by my server "I am the menu") 2. The upcharge for caviar was egregious. It's like $700 MXN extra and my server pushed it on me like a drug dealer. Like "the dish is not meant to be eaten without it" type of shit 3. Wine pairings were irregular and sparse (eg one wine across multiple courses) and not particularly congruent 4. Service was great in the beginning when they were selling me things and then immediately dropped off. All of this would be somewhat excusable if the food had been mind-blowing. Not a single dish was. They ranged from mediocre to good (oh, and the dish that "absolutely needed caviar")? No, it did not. Photos attached, can't tell you what anything is. And I paid handily for this FYI read more

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Phenomenal food and cocktails. Excellent service. Beautiful location. Been wanting to check this place out for a while since seeing it on Latin America 50 Best Restaurants. It didn't disappoint. Looking forward to visiting again on my next trip to Guadalajara. read more

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I was very excited to try Alcalde after reading about the head chef's background including training in Spain and at Copenhagen's Noma restaurant. We were seated at the bar, which gave us a view of the kitchen. We watched the kitchen staff work seamlessly to prepare each dish. Our waiter guided us through the menu, explaining the origins of each unique dish. We sampled a variety of foods, including pickled hibiscus flowers, insects, aged duck in mole and guava sauce, and a popular Jalisco dessert called buñuelos. We ordered the wine pairing and were excited to get some white Mexican wines from Ensenada, along with a couple of mescal shots. A succession of incredible desserts brought the meal to a satisfying end. Celebrating my birthday at Alcalde was a memorable experience. The dining was exquisite, and the ambiance was beautiful, truly a unique and delicious experience. read more

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Fabulous Meal! We ordered 3 appetizers to share. Braised Veal and Octopus with Mole for entrees. Rice pudding for dessert. Aside from that: the house bread is delicious and served with a cultured cream instead of butter or olive oil. I was raving about the tang in the sour cream and assumed they made it in house because it tasted very special. We asked the waiter and he said it was made from a farm near Ajijic. I couldn't understand him and he said, well, do you know where Chapala is? OK, yes, I do! I live there! Did I leave with the name of sour cream maker? Sadly, no. I'd laugh if they said Sello Rojo! White mole tartlet for an amuse-bouche, made my palate zing. Lastly, a very wonderful palate cleanser before dessert, it had cucumber and some frozen bits of the sea and seaweed in it and maybe something else? Perfect few bites to take away the mole and braised veal before diving into the most memorable bowl of rice pudding the world has ever seen! Service was incredible. We arrived (very) early; we were planning to walk around a bit but my shoe broke and we were seated and had a cocktail. This kitchen works on an early (4:30?) and 7PM seating schedule, so we didn't expect to get anything before the dinner bell rang. The servers all have a great rhythm of working together, checking on guests and (without asking) they explained every dish in detail. We ordered à la carte, but other diners were gorging on the 10 course tasting menu and the servers never missed a beat. I read a few reviews where people said the service checks were an annoyance and I didn't find that to be the case at all. I think they are very good at reading guests and knowing when to fire the next dish and allowing us time to talk and moan and make other inappropriate noises for a fine dining establishment. Wine: They have an extensive wine menu and it features global winners. We noticed (but couldn't afford) the Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé bubbly that we served at our wedding dinner. Also Shafer's Red Shoulder Ranch was represented...we named our dog Tucker after a dog we met at that winery 23 years ago! A little serendipity interwoven with the choice of this restaurant. The wine list was pricey. I would be happy if they offered a few less expensive but highly rated wines in their selection. The cocktails were also expensive. Small glasses and one of the fancy giant square ice cubes. I understand pricing a specialty cocktail made with specialty liquors at a more expensive price point, but I can (and do) make a Negroni at home with the same alcohol that they use in the restaurant. Value: I didn't mind the pricing on the food. When you get a chance to eat locally available ingredients prepared by a master globally-experienced chef* like this, it's worth the price! If you are visiting GDL from a foreign country, you'd find this place a great value compared to pricing in your country. Ambiance: It's a nice small restaurant with comfortable chairs and tables. You can see what's going on in the kitchen when you walk by (or if you are seated for a special Chef's Table Meal). The restroom is upstairs from the main dining level (which is one flight up) and they had nice soap and lotion and cloth towels for hand drying. *If you haven't read about Chef Ruano, you might want to go to their website and read his bio. Impressive. I was fan-girling a bit. read more

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Such an amazing dinner. Every course was prepared so elegantly and the presentation everything. I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Guadalajara. The staff and service was impeccable. The ambiance was nice and welcoming. read more

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What an amazing treat to have dined here, one of the top 50 restaurants in the Latin America region. The food and the ambiance was perfect, and the staff are fully bilingual. Our waiter, Sam, was incredibly well-versed in the wine pairing and curated the entire meal, while allowing us to order an a-la-carte supplement as well. My absolute favorite part of this dining experience was how on-point the pairing was, I'd say that about 50% of the pairing were excellent, 5-10% were extraordinary. We also got the opportunity to sample some rare tequila that matched well with the dishes. My least favorite dish was probably the last meat/warm dish (sausage-based), but that is due to my salt-averse taste buds. Overall, let loose your belt and your wallet (depends on how many mixed drinks you get) and have a fantastic time! read more

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I've eaten here 5 times and it never fails. It's criminal that a restaurant can be this good. Food, staff, wine and atmosphere, it has it all. Food created with so much ambition and fuck you attitude. Can't wait to come back. read more

This place is phenomenal! A very well balanced menu with such amazing dishes. My favorites were the macadamia nut tart, the tyaluda and the ikura dish with caviar/uni. Caviar on flan was also such an incredible combination. The ambiance is elevated homey bistro vibes. Sam my server had great recommendations for cocktails. Honestly a top restaurant in all of Latin America. read more

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Absolutely fabulous, 12/10. Everything was so chic and pretty and amazing and creative. Great food and great space. read more

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If you sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen they require you do the ten course tasting menu. But it's definitely worth it. I did the tasting menu. Each dish had a very unique and local inspired flavors. Dishes vary in size from one bite to full plates. I went at 7pm on a Wednesday and didn't need a reservation. read more

Alcalde - Snack to start - Mexican Near Me - Guadalajara, JAL

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We made the reservation a few months in advance and we were so excited to try Alcalde. This experience did not disappoint. We did the 10 course plus the wine pairing. Some reviews state the pour was small but it was quite nice and just enough. We enjoyed every dish and our server Samuel was incredible. He really took us on a culinary journey and every bite was delicious. I highly recommend. read more

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Third time and Alcalde didn't disappoint. I served off the menu this time and everything as delicious.

Severely disappointed in the 10 course tasting menu. There were 3 'fresh' courses, 4 meat and 3 dessert courses. Of the 4 meat courses - 1 was fish crudo, 1 was ants, 1 was pork, worms and crickets and 1 was little bits of tongue. I don't eat pork so the team removed the pork just leaving the worms and crickets. I like eating bugs, no problem there, but to remove and not replace with a more substantive meat I find lazy and discourteous to the large population of people who don't eat pork for religious reasons. Negligent truly. The final dessert course was 1 piece of gelatin with smoked agave. To be included in the tasting menu... again I think it's lazy. You have 10 moments to tell a story and for your final taste you decide to deliver 1 soft bite of sugar? Just call it 9 courses and give the marshmallow complimentary. Many of the courses were 1-4 bites which I actually enjoy because it allows you to truly taste without it getting too full but at some point it's like ok what am I paying for. Especially since there weren't any robust meat dishes (given I don't eat pork and they just removed it) I thought some dishes were exploratory and unique, I thought some dishes were boring and lacking flavor and some dishes had poor presentation. I would not recommend the tasting menu and am frankly confused how Alcalde got such recognition over its neighboring fine dining competitors. read more

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The food here is an experience of culture & ingredients that stimulate your taste buds like never before. The flavors take you on a journey that's rarely seen in high end restaurants. Service was great, with attention to every single detail, love how they explain the food courses & how to eat them. They kept bringing new silverware & clean the table after each course. Ambience was fancy with instrumental background music. Everyone was dressed up fancy, but I went in my workout clothes without any issues. Also they were fully booked for dinner, so I ended up going early at 3:30pm and got seated right away. read more

Alcalde - Lentil flautas with lobster - Mexican Near Me - Guadalajara, JAL

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Alcalde,is a Must if your in town. Thank You to The Chef and his crew! Very eclectic cuisine :) We enjoyed every flavor and texture. To start we ordered Aguachile verde de camaron, & "No tetela" de hongos, For entree we had Pulpo acompañado de berenjena japonesa, Pieza de lechón al horno con mole barranqueño, Pescado alcaparrado con alcachofas y crema untuosa de papa. We had no room for desert we even forgot we had ordered it, But it was soooo delicious we finished both. For desert we ordered Arroz con leche servido con helado de canela,& Tarta de queso Stilton, helado de triple vainilla y trufa rayada. Must try both!!! Thank you to our waitress she was knowledgeable and attentive. Thank you to the other gentleman whom was also helpful making sure we had full glasses of water throughout our dinner. read more

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Can't say enough good things about this place. Well designed interior. Incredible food. Friendly, attentive and informative staff. The experience was just perfect. Came for my partner's birthday and did the tasting menu with drink pairing. Super creative and beautiful dishes. Definitely THE spot for a special occasion. read more

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Came here after seeing it on Latin America's Top Restaurants list. We were greeted and seated right away with our 7:30 reservation. When we sat, we found that the QR menu was all in Spanish. I understand basic Spanish, but because of the uniqueness of this food, we found it hard to figure out what we wanted. The servers did speak some English, so we asked for recommendations. We ordered 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 drinks. I wish I could remember what everything was, but again with the language barrier, that was difficult. My cocktail had tequila, and was described as a balanced drink - not too sweet, not too savory. It did end up being right in the middle, and I enjoyed it. The crispy beef appetizer was different than anything I have had before - very light. While not bad, I probably wouldn't order it again. My husband had the pork entree. The meat was very tender and the plate was presented nicely. My octopus was cooked perfectly. The sauce was a little heavy, but still tasty. I think the only reason for not going with 5 stars is just the prices in comparison to other delicious Guadalajara restaurants. While still a good deal vs what we would have paid in the US, it was our priciest meal of our trip. Overall helpful service, pristinely clean, and beautifully presented food. read more

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This place thinks it's all that. Snooty staff that maybe hate their jobs? No smiling, no passion, just over hyped place with nothing on the menu to blow you away for the amount of snoot you need to put up with to eat here. Maybe it's a hot spot for locals who want to impress. Spend your dollars elsewhere. Do go see the art collection in the many rooms. And check out the architecture next store at sister restaurant Octo. read more

One of the best restaurants in GDL. We had the 8 plates from the chef. And I'm glad we did. Everything was so tasty Uno de los mejores restaurantes de GDL. Escogimos los 8 tiempos del chef. Y fue la mejor decisión. Todo estaba riquísimo. read more

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Alcalde was a great choice while being in town and wanting great food. The service was great, the Ambiance is relaxed nothing too crazy and the food was definitely different. You have to be willing to try new things if you want to participate in the tasting menu. read more

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An absolute dump fire. Start to finish zero service and food gross. The place is clean and that about it but my cup w water smelled bad.

The food and service was definitely an experience. Every food item we received was unique and popping with flavor. read more

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From to start to finish everything was great. We did the tasting menu with caviar. (No need to add the caviar didn't add much). Think it was about 7 courses. Favorites were the curry dish that you make tacos. Fish in clam shell. Drink were good, got a paper plane and old fashion. read more

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Yeah, this is the place. Party of 7 guys here on a business trip, but there were lots of couples dining as well. We ordered a bottle of wine to start and Ricardo crushed the presentation. He brought out 3 bottles from the cellar and gave us a run down on them to make sure that the one we ordered was the one we really wanted. Then he came out with a decanter and poured with the precision of a master sommelier. Every movement was perfect and his presentation of the wine was top notch. Bravo. The bottle didn't last long and we all switched to beers, and they had a killer West Coast IPA that we went into next to go with the appies that Ricardo had recommended. The risotto and bone marrow, the shrimp aqua something, and the pork jowl were all amazing, but once the entrees arrived, there wasn't a dry eye at the table. Everyone either ordered the suckling pig or octopus and devoured it all in silent bliss. The epic finale was, as we were leaving the restaurant, Ricardo was at the door to wish us a pleasant evening and gave us each his card. Who does that? Bravo, Ricardo and we will back to do more damage to your wine cellar and promise to order desert next time. read more

This is a charming wooden box. Think Oslo does Guadalajara. It is very romantic and suitable for a proposal of marriage or one that your spouse shouldn't know about. Colored globes hang down evoking Christmas at your beach house, and, of course, the best part of Christmas is ripping into the carefully wrapped packages and tearing them open with your teeth. You'll have the same intense joy once the food starts coming. If Guadalajara is the Paris of Mexico then Alcalde is the Taillevent of Guadalajara. Prime real estate are the breeze kissed balcony tables overlooking a busy but beautiful tree lined boulevard. Watch the Federales go Code 3 while sipping a cool one. The Vibe: Who goes there? Upscalers, Uber hailers, and timid tourists tired of eating at The Quinta Real Hotel where they're staying up the street every night. The Staff: Attentive, pleasant, efficient, and genuinely interested in making sure your experience is memorable. It was. They are happy to please you in two languages which is more than I can say about mis tres Chihuahua's who enthusiastically ignore me in any language. The Bar Program: Ask and ye shall receive. Hey, it's Mexico. Margaritas, please. I dove into a Tamarind version the color of a Chocolate Labrador. It was as sweet as my Grandma and as Sour as my Step-Father. Tequilas, Mezcals, and a tour of Valle de Guadalupe fill out the spiral notebook booze and wine list, that is longer than a US Immigration Application. The Food: I heard the food was good here. Now you're hearing it. Well, it isn't good actually. It's fabulous. If Alcalde was in LA or New York you'd be beggin' for a table 60 days out on Tock and happy to sit by or in the restroom. Keep your paws off the double crisp Tortillas in the basket served with Crema (Mexi-sour cream, smooth as fresh sheets and peppery tangy.) Okay, go ahead. Have one, but just one. The Special of the day was Scallop Ceviche with just a trace of Lime shining through. Diced Jicama, Radish and a brunoise of Celery were all along for the ride and all bathing luxuriously in a Vanilla emulsion. Now, you may grab several more crispy Tortillas to scoop a Scallop with. A fresh Garden Salad rivaled anything The French Laundry grabs from their own nearby plot. Listed as seasonable greens and vegetables, it was an Hieronymous Bosch hill of lovely leafy baby jewels punctuated with micro herbs and an angle's soft touch of vinaigrette. It was like eating the nursery's nursery. Next there was a fresh Cheese of Chef's choice Tamale settled in a cuddle of creamy corn and Anaheim Chili Sauce served with sauteed Spinach, Almond bites and Macadamia Nuts. The dish read like instructions on how to use the toilet in a Japanese Hotel room but it tasted like the winning entry at the Bocuse d'Or. It was simply divine. Do not dally, have the tamale. Finally, the piece de resistance took center stage. A baked Suckling Pig in a lake of Mole as black and dark as a Trump future. It was so good I asked for a straw to slurp it and then used my shirt tail to sop up anything I missed. I eventually got to the mound of Risotto next to the Celery Root puree inside a Grape Leaf. (Think Mexi-dolma). This was a explosion of taste and texture appropriate for a King, Drug Lord or the dining table on Olympus. The pig skin was cracklin' crunchy, the meat moist, this was porcine perfection. This place should not be missed by rational adults. The worst thing about bidding farewell to Guadalajara is waking up far from Alcalde. read more

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The main dishes weren't very good. We were pretty disappointed. It's pricey and not worth the money we paid to eat here. The octopus wasn't cooked very well. I just wanted to write this quick post to warn any other travelers from coming here. read more

I can't say enough of this restaurant! Not only is the food and drinks outrageously good but the ambiance, staff is amazing. You're not just getting superb food but also an experience. My son brought me here for my birthday, definitely a moment to remember. read more

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The value for money is great, around 900 pesos for a 7 course tasting menu. The menu is executed at least 2 star Michelin level. Service is also great. The only weakness is their restaurant decor is not as impressive or private as some upscale restaurants in the US. But the food is stand out, it doesn't sacrifice innovation for taste and they are not scarier to add a little spice to their food read more

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Not what I expected. But definitely not in a good way. I had researched this chef and this restaurant as well so I was excited to do the 14 item tasting menu. I think this was the biggest mistake I made. The items didn't pair well in a tasting menu and there was no chemistry. I have heard how the head chef Francisco Ruano is pushing the bounds of Mexican cuisine. I'm whole heartedly a supporter of that mission which is to take what is a very misunderstood and under appreciated cuisine to a higher level. However I think sometimes it's best to walk before we run. The chef takes risks with his dish selections in his tasting menu. Some are a hit some are average but there are some that are an absolute miss and I think that is the main issue here. There is no need to make someone eat rotten fruit in order to get them to appreciate or understand the diversity of Mexican cuisine. In all honesty the regular menu items are better than those on the tasting menu. In the end the tasting menu was a rather disappointing experience. The suckling pig was a really good dish and the Jericalla desert was actually amazing. I wish this chef and the restaurant all the best of luck but I just feel like they are missing the target on most of their dishes and the style in which they prepare the dishes on their tasting menus. Also LA Times and Eater food critic Bill Esparza recommends this place but I would still say it's a caution sign for me. read more

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Alcalde is everything you can hope for. The service was top notch. Emiliano was superb as was Samuel. The restaurant was tastefully decorated. The star of the show was the good. Dish after dish blew me away. The flavors were robust but balanced at the same time. The artichoke and coconut dish by far were my favorites. read more

Everything was perfect - an exceptional experience and wonderful tasting menu. Sam, our waiter, was knowledgeable, pleasant, funny. I'd like to return to GDL if for no reason to dine at Alcalde again. read more

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A delicious meal perfectly paired with a classy and reassuring ambiance. We came here for my birthday dinner, and easily made reservations through open table. Our hotel was seconds away, so getting here was a breeze. There was no wait once we checked in with the host, and we were seated immediately. Our server spoke English well and was able to recommend some dishes and drinks while we started to eat the crusty bread with a soft spooned pat of seasoned butter. From reading reviews, we went in wanting the ensalada nopales. It arrived first, along with the scallop ceviche. While the salad was good, it was not totally to our tastes. The ceviche more than made up for this, especially with the tostadas that accompanied it. Both dishes were plated beautifully as well. Next was the gordita requeson, served in a familiar verde sauce with nuts. Once we cleaned the plate, our entrees came out- the lamb special and the octopus. Both were amazing and we struggled to pick a favorite. I noticed that the tomato broth tasted a little of pork, making the small end of the octopus resemble a chewy piece of bacon. After a spoon of guava sorbet for a palate cleanser, we shared the jericalla, topped with a spoon of vanilla ice cream and a blanket of powdered nuts. The creamy texture of the jericalla was a standout, and although we did not order other desserts I would highly suggest ordering this. Our meal came to $1800 mxp (~$100 usd), beyond worth it for the quality of food and service and mind boggling for us as americans. Tasting menu as of september 2019: $1400 mxp for 11 courses for each person. We didn't order this but we weren't able to find this info on yelp or their website. read more

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My trip to GDL went up a few notches due to this dining experience. Everything about this place is great- the ambience, food, service! Go try it. read more

Exceptional. Nice space with fun open kitchen. Server was great. The tasting menu could be mixed with the ala carte, which allowed us to try almost everything. Wine suggestions were excellent(Mogor-Baden Cab!!) We had 20 dishes in total so too much to detail. Standouts included the two insect dishes ( for which Alcalde has a well deserved reputation) which included the ant tetelas and green curry with crickets. The pork with mole and suckling pig were perfectly prepared. For deserts, the macerated hibiscus with rosemary ice cream and chocolate tamale can't be missed. Worth making a trip. read more

I really had a hard time figuring out the star rating for this review. Was it 3? Was it 4? I don't feel I can give it 5 stars but there were definite standouts!! First, we did the tasting menu. I can't even tell you how many courses, but we requested that certain dishes be included in the menu--the traditional mexican ones. The mole, the suckling pig, the tamale, the tortilla soup and a nopales salad. We might as well have just ordered these dishes (for satisfactions sake) but we did want to be surprised...but we were so full at the end it was making me physically ill. It was also a little quickly paced, not enough time to take a break between courses. We asked them to slow it down and give us a break. It might have been that we were there on a Monday night and it wasn't super busy...but we still felt it was rushed FOR SO MUCH FOOD. read more