Casa Banana
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Recommended Reviews - Casa Banana
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Second time at casa banana with friends and it did not disappoint again! We had the: * Grilled beets and goat cheese salad- a must! A simple dish but so perfectly seasoned. * fish carpaccio. Nice balance of flavors tangy and just right. * baked Brie with figs app. This okay for me. * mushroom risotto- a vegetarian dish, woukd recommend this and we enjoyed it! Deep flavors and a generous portion. * babaganush - served on baguette slices , flavorful. * skirt steak- a must do since it is an Argentinian restaurant. Grilled perfectly and seasoned well! Service is amazing, ambience is casual and dressy at the same time, restrooms are clean. Michelin resto. Would highly recommend!
We were a party of eight, with three vegetarians in our crew. We picked this place because it has a number of vegetarian selections in addition to various meats prepared mostly in the Argentinian style. On the whole, I would say we were not disappointed. Our main server was Augustin, I believe, and he was pretty helpful. He pointed out to us that we would automatically be served a type of focaccia, but we nonetheless ordered the focaccia with the eggplant hummus. A good choice as they are different focaccia. One of the vegetarians in our party commented how delicious they thought this eggplant hummus was and marveled that it isn't seen more often in India. We also had the roasted artichoke carts, which I think for our party of eight should've been sliced in half in the kitchen rather than brought out the way they were. The artichoke hearts are quite large and therefore pose a mouthful. We also shared a couple orders of the octopus salad The octopus came out perfectly prepared. I was able to point out how this differ from the octopus tacos we had eaten elsewhere the night before. Those octopus tacos arrived at the table, kind of rubbery. These were not. Another of the young members in our party commented that this was the best octopus they had ever eaten. Before I proceed, I should note that the cocktails are very well prepared here. I had the Lilli Velvet which has both bourbon and Lillet in it and is very smooth and refreshing. So much so that I enjoyed two over the course of the evening since it is also offered post-meal. While the younger adults enjoyed their cocktails, us older adults ordered a bottle of Malbec. I'm sorry to say I don't recall which one but it was enjoyable without being too strong on the tannins. The ribeye weighs 1 pound before cooking, and since another person in our party ordered it, we probably should've shared. I had inquired whether it would be well marbled, since this is grass fed beef, and was assured it would be. Indeed it was. Here however I must confess I prefer American finished ribeye that I get at Costco. The Argentinian version has some sinew in it. This made it rather unexpectedly tough at times for medium rare. A thick cut Costco ribeye is noticeably more tender and cuts like butter. Another of the members of our party had the flank steak, which was declared pretty good, but the acclaimed winner was the skirt steak. I would say go with that cut. In comparison to other places, there's not much to the decor that sticks out to make it distinctive. That is fine. Subdued lighting in the company of friends and good conversation with good food is all I need. The kitchen did an excellent job getting everyone's food out together. For a party of eight that is a good mark.
Ok so we're in Tulum and we do adore the mom and pop shops with the awesome food. But there's comes a time when we do fancy dressing up to go sit down in a nice restaurant to smash on some fancy plates. Welcome to Casa Banana. An Argentinian Steak joint that was highly recommended. So let's get to the food shall we. Bread with Babaganouj - Crust was nice and crunchy. Not hard, its like a well risen focaccia. Babaganouj is seasoned nicely, but eggplant is subtle. 7/10 Skirt Steak Empanada - Dough is perfect, the meat filling is nicely seasoned. I adore a strong empanada 8.5/10 Sweet Breads - Of course it's nice and tender. Sweet bread Flavors are good to go. One of the strongest sweet breads I ever had. 9/10 Chorizo - The flavors are great, the snap from the casing is present. A nice herbal finish. 8/10 RibEye - Seasoned very well, medium rare was on point. Stands up by itself. Chimichuri needs to more vinegar. Other than that. 8.9/10 The place has really nice aesthetics. Service was top notch. I would highly recommend. If you're ever in tulum. Do give this spot a proper go at it and let me know what you think. Hit that follow for more food and travel adventures by yours truly. Share this review with a smash mode buddy and thank you so much for reading along. I love you Mwah!
Dinner again for 12 please! Wow! Amazing restaurant ambiance for a bach trip in Tulum. Service was excellent. I love how open the restaurant feels, very spacious. You can get a sneak a peak at the wood fire grill process in the back of the restaurant. We had a few appetizers to share, all sizes of the dishes are definitely shareable to allow maximum experience of tasting all dishes. Food was very flavorful and filling.
Maybe we tried them out on an off day, maybe it is a busy season. But as the first experience in a new city, this failed to leave a good impression of the place. Reservations can be made via OpenTable. If you are local, walk. Parking, driving in and around this area are a hassle because it's one narrow lane. (Side bar: Got a few judgy looks from the front desk as we ran to tell them we were there but needed to change out of our flight clothes). Most of whatever we ordered they seemed to be out of. Mind you, we are vegetarian/pescatarian. So the menu is already limited for people like us and then they were out of a majority of vegetarian dishes. Out of artichokes, out of lasagna, out of the good drinks marked special. The server started with telling us all things they were out of. Then when we tried to pick items, they were out of those too . So we just did some drinks and desserts. The dessert called textures of chocolate lacked its namesake, textures, flavor was alright. Drinks were ok. We still paid quite something for just 3 items and water, and service. Overall, a let down.
If you're looking for something in Tulum's beach zone that'll please your palette, you can't go wrong with Casa Banana. There's a lot of tables and the service is attentive. You'll find Argentinian inspired dishes on the menu. Drinks, appetizers, entrees, it's all good. I liked the empanadas, but the standout for me was the octopus salad. The octopus is grilled perfectly and paired wonderfully with the asparagus, baby potatoes, and light dressing. The bar has a lot of unique cocktails to choose from. Try the hot balam! I also had the lamb risotto, but I think the sea bass fillet was more impressive. The size of the fish is a lot, and it has a potato puree on the side with a little bit of veggies. Casa Banana is expensive, but the service and quality is worth it.
Best meal we had in Tulum! Great service, great food. Everywhere in Tulum is extremely overpriced but this place was WELL worth it. All American cocktails available (old fashioned, martini, etc) Steak empanadas were incredible, as well as our duck ravioli and short rib (huge, perfect for two!) We couldn't finish. First place I will return to when I come back! Second would be Taboo.
Had a great large group dinner here this past weekend: staff were tremendous with planning and ensuring everyone was taken care of including moving us under the canopy when the rain started pouring. Everything we ordered was delicious. Chorizo, White Fish Carpaccio, the grilled Leeks, Empanadas were all great starters. The sweetbreads unfortunately felt over cooked and just lost all texture. The skirt steak was perfectly cooked and paired really well with the chimmichuri. the restaurant is beautiful with an open fire grill rocking in the background. Drinks were not bad. All in all you can tell why this place has been a staple in the hotel zone in Tulum. Keep up the great work team!!!
This was one of my favorite dinners in Tulum! Locals told us Casa Banana is known as one of the best restaurants in Tulum (quoted as "legendary"). It was delicious. We really enjoyed everything we had. The ambiance is in the middle of the jungle which was pretty cool. It is located on the hotel strip and pretty close to all the other popular clubs and restaurants. It was a short walk from our hotel, Ahau. The prices are a little expensive but we found everything to be worth it. I would definitely come back here again, it was delicious!
2 years ago
Myself, my boyfriend and our young adult children all attended dinner here. This place is top-notch. Not only is the food absolutely delicious but the service and ambience is second to none. If you are looking to indulge a little bit, this place is definitely worth every penny. Our table had the ribeye and filet mignon. I have the red snapper which was cooked to perfection. All of the appetizers were so well thought out and the presentation was even more thought out. I love how they presented us with new plates and silverware after every course. It was a wonderful recommendation and we were thankful to have experience such a delicious meal. read more
4 years ago
Came here on our last night in Tulum. One of the bartenders, Elliot at The Mulberry Project Bar located in La Zebra recommended Casa Banana, & WOW am I glad we listened!! It was absolutely amazing! Everything was incredible, the meat was beyond tender, & juicy , it was perfection! Empanadas were excellent (both types), the flank steak was perfectly cooked and oh so tender and flavorful. The beet salad was to die for, as was the baked cheese with fig. The drinks were delicious, and the desserts were perfection. All the sides were divine as well. I cannot rave enough about this marvelous restaurant!!! read more
5 years ago
Amazing Place, very nice atmosphere, great menu, good music and outstanding service, starting from the warm welcome from the hostess, and continuing whit the cocktails and the exceptional appetizers and main courses, we had to start the home made Argentinean chorizo, and it was really great, and also the "Mollejas" (sweetbread) cook to perfection, then we had the best "churrasco" served with home made mash potatoes. Dinner was superb, great Chef. Highly recommended. read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
Amazing Place, very nice atmosphere, great menu, good music and outstanding service, starting from the warm welcome from the hostess, and continuing whit the cocktails and the exceptional appetizers and main courses, we had to start the home made Argentinean chorizo, and it was really great, and also the "Mollejas" (sweetbread) cook to perfection, then we had the best "churrasco" served with home made mash potatoes. Dinner was superb, great Chef. Highly recommended. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
My boyfriend and I decided to eat here on a whim after it caught our eye walking down the street. The restaurant has a great outdoor/indoor-classy-backyard jungle feel with a nice ambience. The food and craft cocktails were amazing...there's something about wood-fired cooking that takes dishes to another level. The service was impeccable and made for an overall awesome experience. I highly recommend! read more
5 years ago
Just come here. Awesome vibe. Really, really great proteins. Cannot go wrong. All of tulum has the same cool slightly different fun vibe but this place stands out for flavor. read more
4 years ago
Came here for dinner and it was our absolute favorite! I wasn't sure what it would be like from the pictures but it's gorgeous and at night it's just an amazing vibe- the restaurant was packed, the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly, and the food was amazing! We got passion margaritas, we shared a pear salad, got a side of mashed potatoes, a side of cauliflower, and then split a ribeye with chimichurri sauce and that was all so amazing & plenty of food! It was also our anniversary so they gave us 2 complimentary glasses of sparkling wine! Very beautiful place, definitely make a reservation here! read more
6 years ago
How nice was to have dinner here, where we had delicious dishes, amazing drinks and outstanding service. The atmosphere was great and you can tell managers care, always walking asking how the experience has been so far. We enjoyed so much so we decided to came back for drinks at the bar 2 nights after we had dinner. I recommend this place if to anyone who is traveling to Tulum. read more
5 years ago
Went there twice in the past three months and both times had an amazing experience! My first time was a quick stop for some refreshments, and they were so unique and balanced! Went there last week again but for dinner. And let me say, the food id exceptional!!!!! I'm not a salad person but the roasted beet with goat cheese salad has to be the best salad I've ever had! For the main course, I ordered the Skirt steak, and husband ordered the lamb risotto. The steak was done to perfection and very flavorful. The chimmichurri was such a delicious addition. The lamb risotto to my surprise was so flavorful and was pure comfort food The servers were very courteous and recommended us the best on the menu. The ambiance is beautiful, and most of all, they play AMAZING MUSIC. We shazamed all the music to bring it back with us hehe Will def be coming here next time were in Tulum. My all time favorite restaurant in Tulum. read more
4 years ago
My favorite spot in Tulum! Went twice during my stay. The steak is cooked perfectly. The service was also wonderful. If you're craving some steak while in Tulum this is the spot to visit! read more
5 years ago
The vibe of the restaurant drew me in ... beautiful candlelit atmosphere and chill music. Food set up and presentation are pretty, but the food was mediocre to say the least. I was expecting so much better especially with their elevated gringo prices. My total bill was $90 US (just me) for one drink, a bottle of water, beet salad and mushroom risotto. All vegetarian. Expect to pay double if you want meat. read more
6 years ago
10 years ago
The ambiance at Casa Banana is lovely, the price point on food is not. We had rezzies at Hartwood but with the strong storms they were closed :( that's when places with roofs actually benefit. They are able to still provide service on wet evenings. We decided to dine here for dinner but I can't say it was my favorite. In fact, it was probably my least fav experience in Tulum. Although the setting is nice, the service was very slow. The passion fruit margie was not my favorite. Perhaps, I should have done with a glass of red wine. The beet salad was abundant and probably the plate I enjoyed most. The chorizo sausage was also good, not great! I was already full once sharing these two, but had also ordered the Whole Fish. This dish is also massive, and can easily feed two people, maybe even three. I couldn't put much of a dent in it solo but it was ok. The cauliflower was very good! My son ordered steak skewers which he seemed to enjoy and my boyfriend went with a steak, both finished all of their meal. Expect to pay for bottled water everywhere in Mexico, even if it's flat. This took some getting used to for me and it's not inexpensive. I'm never one to mention price when it comes to food, because I love it so much really I'm not great at putting a monetary value on something you chew up and very shortly after discard but something about our total bill and food just didn't match up to being "worth it" in my book. As we walked back to our hotel it was hard to imagine how much we'd just spent in pesos or had we paid USD on a meal that nothing really stood out about. I felt it was a waste of money, which is not something I ever am happy doing. I've had much more amazing Argentinian food in LA at a fraction of what our meal at Casa Banana cost. All in all, I'd skip this place even if the weather is bad and other places are closed. I'd say grab a cab to/from downtown to enjoy some very inexpensive tacos. read more
**EXCELLENT FOOD IN TULUM** We couldn't get reservations for Hartwood, so our tour guide recommended this place. So glad he did. Serving up classic Argentinian-style cuisine, the food here is simple, fresh and delicious. LOCATION ========= Part of the Nueva Vida hotel. On the main road, would need to bike or taxi. AMBIANCE ========= Romantic, but busy. Lots of candles and good boho energy. FOOD ===== ARGENTIAN SAMPLE PLATTER Meats, olives, eggplant, and that delicious cheese! RATING: 4/5 CATCH OF THE DAY Probably one of my favorite fish dish experiences of ALL-TIME! The side dish flavors (sweet potatoes, omg) and the uber fresh catch-of-the-day taste from a wood fired oven = unbeatable! RATING: 5/5 DESSERT ======== FLAN Not too sweet, a bit thick. RATING: 4/5 COCKTAIL ========= Get anything with mezcal or tequila and you're set. OVERALL ========= Great urban rustic menu and nice cocktails (not too strong for me). A bit pricey for Mexico (around $70-$80 USD for dinner for 2 with cocktails), but worth it. RECOMMEND for dinner in Tulum. read more
11 years ago
Why wait hours for Hartwood, when you can have a fantastic meal at Casa Banana. Don't get me wrong, the food at Hartwood is incredible, but the attitude and wait makes for an exhausting experience, especially on vacation. In contrast, Casa Banana had friendly staff, which made the inattentive service here a bit more forgiving. There was no wait when we went for lunch and breakfast. And the food was up there with Hartwood as the best I've tried in Tulum. You can tell a place is good when the salad dressing blows your taste buds. Their Warm Octopus Asparagus Salad did that for me and more. The tenderness of the octopus rivaled my all-time favorite, the asparagus was cut and prepared well, and the honey chili dressing was love at first bite. My love affair was short lived when I tried the side salad on the Steak Milanesa. Wow, this dressing was somehow even better! Not sweet, just perfectly satisfying, lemony tang. Their chips are also excellent. Fresh chips are pretty much everywhere in Tulum, but these were standout for the crunch and thickness. The next day, I had the Huevos Rancheros for breakfast. Not as jaw-dropping delicious as lunch, but very enjoyable nonetheless. My only complaint here was the amount of time it took to get the check, and the general difficulty when trying to flag down staff. read more
3 years ago
Heard this was a really good place in Tulum.. Ordered a pizza (not hard to mess up) -- the sauce was ketchup and mayo. I cried a little. Oh, and its cash only, which made it a bit tough. Service and ambiance were great. I went to lunch and the concierge told me it should be better for dinner but i really did not wanna give it a second try lol. read more
9 years ago
We stayed at the hotel across the street, and this restaurant is their free breakfast place. So the review is only for their free breakfast. I like their bread. It seems like coming from that wood oven, so it is baked right. And their banana bread is very moist. But their eggs are just okay, very plain and just a small portion. And that's it for the breakfast. Well, all I feel about Tulum is that it is an overated white hippie expensive city. read more
6 years ago
Not quite impressed by this place, unfortunately. Probably because we ordered the wrong dishes? Especially disappointed at the steak - flavorless and extremely difficult to bite (asked for medium, tasted like well-done). Sauce for the seafood skewer was greasy and bland. Ceviche was ok. I even left with hunger. Bad experience, will not come back. read more
8 years ago
The food was off the charts. First night in Tulum and we stumbled upon one of the best. The steak and chicken skewers were consumed by the kids in and instant. The catch of the day (snapper) was so flavorful and light and served with amble veggies. The mashed sweet potatoes were creamy and amazing. The flan for desert was some of the best I've had and the service was flawless. Ambiance is everything you could hope for in an open air kitchen/dinning arrangement in the jungle. read more
6 years ago
Food, service, ambiance 10/10. From the host to the server assistant the service was amazing. All of the servers recommendations were great including the bottle of wine. The food was incredible way better than a lot of the overhyped, overpriced Instagram spots in Tulum. We shared a lot of the dishes and it was the perfect amount. Good portions for the price. Ambience was great, dim lighting and good music. It was raining but the restaurant is covered so we were comfortable during our meal. We've been to all the popular spots in Tulum and this one was far better. Definitely will be back next time I am in Tulum! read more
9 years ago
Cool vibe like everything else in Tulum The food was excellent although our service ok.. we asked some simple questions that our server was not able to answer. For example: how big is the steak? We asked since we were considering sharing it between 2 people. Our server inform us that it was a one person portion. Luckily the table next to us had ordered the same thing and it was a plate with two steaks about 8 onces a piece. We cancelled the second order They only take cash so come prepared. They do have an ATM right outside but it charges about a 7dls fee and not always works. read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
11 years ago
It seems that Casa Banana is known as the backup plan when you can't get a table at Hartwood, which is a shame. The food, ambiance and service here are so stellar that it deserves its own reputation! Like many nighttime spots in this area, most of the dining space is out in the open, with just some dim sexy lighting to set the mood. This makes it a little hard to see your food, but it's better than a lot of other places! The staff is great about accommodating your party, whether it's an intimate table for two or a big group at one of the long communal tables. Beware: the tables right by the open oven can get quite warm, so if it's a hot night it might be worth waiting for another table. Anyway, on to the good stuff: the food! A beet salad with goat cheese. Sounds super generic, right? I can't tell you how many of those I've had in my life, but this one stands out as one of the best. I don't know what it was about it - probably the quality of the ingredients. After that I knew I wanted a steak. I wasn't completely familiar with all of the cuts listed, so the server kindly helped me out based on my preferences. I like a marbled steak, so I went with the rump, and boy was it marbled. I'd venture to say fatty. That's fine with me, but in a more well lit place I'd be able to eat around it so I wasn't getting mouthfuls of fat in some bites. That was a bit gross but overall the steak was so delicious. And as you can see from the photo, it was HUGE! I could barely get through one of the two pieces that came out on the sizzling platter, and ended up gifting the other piece to the dog at my hotel (a travesty, I know, but unfortunately no fridge in our room!) My husband ordered the lamb risotto from the chef's selection section of the menu and absolutely loved it as well. All of these dishes were wonderful when washed down with their delicious specialty cocktails. This was one of the more upscale and sceney meals we had in Tulum and it was a lovely and romantic date vibe. I can't recommend this place enough! read more
11 years ago
For all you Heart____d fans ... or those who think they want to stand in line to eat mediocre food - Take Note! You're missing the boat, friend. You need to bag the waiting line and get down the street to Casa Banana. Tried it on our third trip to Tulum (and kicking ourselves for waiting so long). The atmosphere is amazing and the food the best on that street. (Casa Banana is on the jungle side of the street - STILL - NO BUGS!) The hostess seated us immediately, and someone came to explain the cocktail menu and take our drink orders within 2 minutes. The drinks were creative and they didn't break the bank. They have a super upscale wine list as well - very nice selections (best Ive seen in Mx). The dinner menu was wonderful - all sorts of choices, steak (its an Argentinian steak place, folks), seafood, chicken - anything you want. We went with a few different apps - all of which we could have ordered more of and called it dinner - and then mains. I had steak and have been trying to recreate it ever since that night! It was a beautiful skirt steak and it was seasoned to perfection and grilled to my liking 100%! We enjoyed beautiful desserts and listened to the music and relaxed the evening away. Pro Tip: If you're going in the warmer months, sit on the 2nd level (its just a couple of steps up), near the bar - you will be away from the grill (take a look at it - it's large ... its HOT). read more
9 years ago
Came in a little late.. they had already stoped serving breakfast but still the bar tender and served made us freshly squeezed juice I believe it was called recovery delicious we also enjoyed for a late breakfast prosciutto bruschetta & arugula salad, and an onion pizza. This was one of the best bruschetta's I have ever had. Amazing, and equally great service . Great job! read more
6 years ago
11 years ago
Our dinner at Casa Banana was the best that we had on the beach road. We were staying nearby at La Zebra and Casa Banana was just a few minutes away we decided it would be a good spot for dinner. We arrived at about 6:30 and there were just a few other couples dining. I guess we showed up just in time because by 7 a few large parties arrived and the dining area was getting pretty full. We started with sharing an excellent spinach salad, I had the rib eye and my wife had the skirt steak. Both meats were prepared perfectly and were melt in your mouth tender. The meat portions are HUGE and we could have shared one steak between us - fortunately they were able to wrap up our leftovers which we took back to our hotel for breakfast. This was definitely the most expensive meal of our trip, coming out with tip to over 1600 pesos and the food, great service and ambiance made it well worth it read more
Underrated spot that offers a very solid selection of carefully prepared Argentinian food. Great service, music and food. Awesome whole fish & steak. With hearty sides (photos provided!) and massive portions. Comparing against the others: We all felt that it was generally better than Hartwood as well (even though that place is also pretty awesome). A must visit if you're heading to Tulum. Trust me on this one! read more
6 years ago
More info about Casa Banana
Carretera Tulum Boca Paila Km 7.5
77780 Tulum, Quintana Roo
Mexico
Directions
984 191 0792
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http://www.casabanana.net
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