A little spot hidden off on a side street. All I can say is WOW. Our waitress Ana was fabulous. She was friendly and attentive. She explained each dish to us in detail. We chose the five course menu and it did not disappoint. I had the Icu spritz, which was refreshing and tasty and not too sweet. Each course was a fresh, modern take on classic Mexican dishes. The chicharrones to start were crispy with fresh, delicious guacamole. The blue corn tortillas and sopes left us wanting more. Each dish topped the last. If I lived here, this would be in my weekly rotation. You have to give this place a try if you are in PV. We will be back. read more

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We went to this restaurant on a recent trip to PV. My husband and i chose different tasting menus. The cocktails were fantastic. The different courses were very imaginative and creative. Our server was phenomenal and knew everything detail of every dish that we were served. The catch of the day and the beef entrees were our favorite. read more

Icú - Mexican Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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This was such an incredible meal. One of the best I've had anywhere in a long time. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. The staff was so delightful and attentive. We had a few amazing cocktails and the food was to die for. We ordered the tasting menu, which included about 6 main courses plus an amuse-bouche and two desserts. The tasting menu was based on corn (blue corn to be exact), so everything included a variation of corn (tortillas, masa, tamales, etc). Everything was so flavorful! We also found the restaurant to be fairly affordable, so it will not break the bank. I will definitely be going back next time I am in PV. Do yourself a favor and check this place out for an amazing dining experience! read more

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"Corn" in the language of the Huichols Restaurante ICÚ ranks amongst Mexico's top eateries, Chef Mauricio Leal taking native ingredient and turning them into elegant bites across an 11-plate tasting for just under $85 USD per person. Another local talent trained at Café des Artistes, Mauricio then refining his skills at 5-star Resorts in Mexico, it is inside a space built around living trees that dinner begins with small bites including a Tostada with Crickets before proceeding to a Beer Salad enlivened by Mexican Sour Cream. Pleasant in terms of service, Monday evening finding the Restaurant nearly empty, line-caught Blue Fin dusted in Chilis proved a good match to clever Cocktails while Shrimp in Black Aguachile was more for looks than anything. Upping the ante with a fried Squash Blossom stuffed with Cheese in Fish Head Soup, the flesh of that Sea Bass arriving next atop Corn with Pumpkin Seeds and Greens, fans of Ancho Peppers will love the complexity of Chef Leal's Taco that starts sweet but finishes in notes of Cocoa. Next melding Pork Belly and Cephalopod into two dynamic bites, the penultimate savory outpacing Steak to follow, palates are cleansed by simple Strawberry Sorbet before finishing the night with a velvety Chocolate Tamale. read more

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A gastronomical sensation! A place to celebrate . Exquisite tastes, ingredients each and all will tickle your palate. A a menu of variable tastings . The chefs behind this production are 5 star . Service impeccable. A night to remember .Heard winning , Atmosphere ! read more

Chef Mauricio and Chef Josue have created a little gem. Frankly the ambiance and decor leave an odd impression of simplicity and lack that punch of "here I am". What the restaurant lacks in ambiance it more than makes up in the complexity of the food that their kitchen puts out. The flavors are bold, experimental and frankly are spot on in presentation, taste and passion. The appetizers of tuna, flowers of squash, aquachiles were superb. Amuse Bouche lovely. The duck and the mole were odd at first bite but the mole developed in flavor and frankly was beyond one's wildest mole fantasies. The steaks were perfectly prepared and the stripped bass - 100% perfect in texture and flavor! Overall, an amazing spot for a true foodie in PV! read more

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Casa Kimberly/Iguana is awesome obviously... it's lavish. But... Icú...All I can say is WOW! An undiscovered gem to the naked eye. Very understated front just off the beaten path from several touristy restaurants. GO HERE! The food was incredible. Our waiter was SO knowledgeable of everything we ate and drank from the locally sourced tequila to every ingredient in our dishes. They surprise you with a few "start samples" which was great! We arrived late so didn't have time for the chefs tasting menu but they highly recommended it for next time with wine pairings. We had the beet salad, shrimp entree and the tuna filet. Their flavor combinations are so lovely with much thought going into the balance of it all. Though our shrimp was just slightly tough - but flavor...yum! Their plating is off the charts. The pride they have for what they create is extremely apparent and it's definitely one of the best restaurants we've eaten at in PV. Oh! They have REAL mango trees growing through the restaurant! Super cool. read more

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Amazing place Amazing atmosphere Good service Very good cocktails Highly recommended Don't miss this place read more

A most amazing restaurant with a classic Mexican cuisine in a price fix menu. Each course was expertly prepared and styled. Our server carefully explained the dish, what we were tasting, how it was prepared and gave tasting notes. It is my new favorite for fine dining in PV. Bonus: they take reservations! Bravo! read more

This review is for the newly opened location on calle Carranza in the Romantic Zone. The former restaurant was the popular Merida Grill. This restaurant offers a TASTING menu. Choose from 7 or 9 courses. Wine pairing at an additional added fee. 3 chefs are present in addition to the professional & knowledge wait staff. As the courses are brought (BITES) to the table, the chef responsible for its creation comes to the table to explain the ingredients. All courses (BITES) are artfully presented. This definitely is a place to celebrate a special occasion or date night. My dining companion & I selected the 9 course with the added wine pairing. With a 20% gratuity added: $410. USD. I went home (starving) and ate a tuna sandwich. BITES are just that: a very small morsel of food served in/on an overly large plate/bowl. read more

Icú - Mexican Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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If you are in Zona Romantica - ICÚ is a stop you cannot miss. It is seriously a dining experience and some of the best bites o have tasted. Pictures In Order Below: Blue Tuna Tostada - the tuna melted in my mouth like butter and there were so many flavors and textures. Beautiful plating. Compliments of the Chef - a combination of an upscale tomale bite accompanied by a crisp with artful fresh veggies, truffle and citrus. Beef Short Rib - so tender and the beef was accompanied by a jus that was just as velvety as a potatoe purée. Blue corn tortillas brought this to the next level. Arroz con leche - Eyes rolled into the back of my head for this one. Warm rice pudding sits below a brûlée topped with a homemade ice cream with fresh berries dancing on top. read more

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This is really a hidden gem. One of the best restaurants I've visited in Puerto Vallarta's old town. At first we thought it might be a mistake as we were the only table in when we arrived. Soon realized the word just hasn't really gotten out yet as it's fairly new. We had the 7 course tasting menu with a matched wine pairing and it did not disappoint. Unlike some tasting menus we were full by the end as the portion sizes are small but certainly adequate. The chefs choices were brilliant and the wines paired perfectly. If you like Tintoque I'd suggest you try this one for a more budget-friendly but similar experience. The service staff was very good and the ambience was excellent with nice big trees growing up through the center. Nice lighting though a bit bright. My only suggestion really would be to do a bit more marketing and maybe offer a special street side offer to increase the traffic. Lastly it is more fine dining so some black or white tablecloths would be a really nice finishing touch. We will certainly return! read more

While staying at an all inclusive resort nearby I still found myself looking through Yelp seeing what was around us and stumbled across Icú which was walking distance from our resort. We came in on a Friday night and we were almost the only people there which is understandable since it's a whole panaderia going on, if you get me. Our waitress and waiter (yes we had two) were both incredible. So sweet to us and took time to give my husband a little Spanish lesson lol. The food was hands down the best we had in PVR. The blue tortillas were served just with salsa at first and wow we loved the flavor of both. Nothing better than those tortillas. We loved everything put in front of us and by the end of our 9 courses we were absolutely stuffed! I encourage anybody in the area to come here and try the tasting menu , it is well worth the visit. read more

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I'm a sucker for tasting menus. This place offers a 5 course tasting and a 9 course tasting. Of course I had to opt for the 9, with wine pairing, which came out to $2230/person (about $110 US). Unfortunately, between the 9 courses, only two really stand out. The tamal was excellent. And so was the snapper, even though it was slightly overcooked, and therefore dry. The other 8 dishes were good, but nothing memorable. In one case, my steak came out rare, but one of the other steaks came out well done. And at no point did they ask us for temperatures. It somewhat blows my mind they would serve two steaks side by side knowing they were not even close to the same temp, particularly considering by this point the restaurant was close to dead (of the 22 seats, we occupied 3 and there was only one other table of 4). A saving grace was the service. Our waitress was attentive and explained all the dishes to us. I was a little disappointed with the wine pairing. I knew many of the labels they served us and they definitely went on the cheap. I like the intimate ambiance but this was probably one of the worst tasting experiences of my life. read more

It may be unassuming but the food was some of the best flavors we had while in pvr! we went in at 7 on a wednesday and had an incredible experience! our waiter let us know times have been tough with covid so hop in and support them! location: in hotel district right across from the starbucks/porafinos/etc mall food: you can do a tastings menu or a la carte. we chose a la carte. - after ordering drinks we were offered fresh homemade tortillas and salsa - incredible and fresh. - my partner had the tamal, shrimp appetizer, and lobster tacos and loved it all. - my friend got the zucchini tostada to start (so fresh and with truffle oil that doesn't overpower the whole dish) and shrimp diablo. - i got the steak that was cooked perfectly they also had the best (and most affordable) wine list i've seen in PVR! overall - go now! read more

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Great service and delicious food. We enjoyed their seven course meal. The Mahi Mahi, New York steak and octopus course meal was our favorite. Their handcrafted cocktails were amazing. Make sure to order their carajillo as it is delightful. To top it all, their chocolate tamale dessert and mousse dessert were perfect. Ana, Christian, and Derwin took great care of us and made sure to attend to us. Make sure to make this spot a must go. read more

We did the seven course tasting menu to kick off our honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta and it was AMAZING! Every dish and wine pairing was outstanding. We were stuffed by the end but every single dish was absolutely delicious! If in Puerto Vallarta this is a MUST! Don't miss it. read more

This gem is not closed and is very open for business! Had an amazing 7 course meal with complex combination of ingredients and distinguished flavors. Staff was great, presentation was beautiful and most of all the quality of food and dishes were top tier. Highly recommend and will be coming back to diner here. Hopefully we will have Victor serve us again. Not only did He shower us with extra delights like unique mezcal tastings and chocolates but was also very knowledgeable on the dishes and ingredients used. read more

Our waiter was amazing and super cute. The food is shockingly amazing for such an unassuming place. It's a tiny space but the tables are large and we didn't fee crowded. While we didn't do the tasting menu we were a party of 5 and ordered many things off the a la carte menu so we could try a bit of everything. I'm sure the tasting menu is great! Catch of the day - beautiful Tamal of the day - unique Cheesecake - decadent Atmosphere - simply chic read more

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Accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant while wandering the streets of PVR and it did not disappoint. It is more like fine dining, rivaling any restaurants in the USA but without the pretentiousness. The meal was astounding dish after dish and drink after drink. We had 2 drinks, 3 starters, 2 mains, and 2 desserts and the total was $2,400pesos = $160 with tip and tax. We started off with two immaturely curated cocktails that used local ingredients and it definitely was poured very strongly. We were buzzed before the appetizers came out. The star of the night was the shrimp aguachile which is explained to be like ceviche. It was amazing! I highly recommend this dish. We also had pancetta tacos, foie, mahi mahi, octopus, and two desserts. Every dish was phenomenal! Take your time and go check out this restaurant. read more

Icú - Ice cream sandwich with chocolate mousse - Mexican Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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I wanted and expected to love Icú, having picked it for my birthday. Unfortunately, I didn't walk away very satisfied. Many of the dishes were very similar, using the same flavor profiles without any interesting variety. The chef's plating technique is great, as each dish looked terrific, but the flavors and textures fell flat. With the design of the restaurant and name, I expected it to be Mexican/Japanese fusion, but it is mainly just "Mexican gourmet". There is some French/New American influence, like the short ribs (which were sadly not cooked long enough to be tender). The service was just ok, cocktails were unremarkable, and the pacing of plates wasn't great. I am generally all about quality over quantity, but I was disappointed with the quality aspect -- so I will say portions are small and prices are high relative to the quality. read more

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Well deserving of 1 Michelin star and on a path for a second. Best tasting experience I had in Mexico. Food was innovative, creative, but most importantly it was very yummy. I have been to many 1 and even 2 Michelin star restaurants that have not delivered to the standards of Icú. 3 people enjoyed the 9 course meal and two of us enjoyed the 5 course with wine pairing. Wines were all Mexican and of high quality. Space is small and intimate so it fills up fast. Make sure to reserve early to not miss this incredible dining experience. A well deserved 5 stars. read more

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Food was great , service amazing - even came up with kid friendly quesadillas , ambience was inspiring - with trees growing to the top throughout. Highly recommend , especially for an elegant adult dinner. read more

We enjoyed a prefix 6 course meal here on Christmas Eve that was delicious. The presentation was perfect with each plate and the drink pairing was a good choice. The space is small so you likely need reservations but it has great ambiance. The waitress and wait staff were all very polished and extremely friendly. This was by far the best meal we had in Puerto Vallarta - would highly recommend! read more

Icú - Mexican Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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This by far has to be one of the best high end restaurants in puerto vallarta. One of those weird sensations of feeling home while having an amazing food experencie! Best customer service runned by the owners just great in every aspect. A must when in puerto vallarta!! read more

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Icú is a MUST try when visiting Puerto Vallarta!! We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of food, service, and ambiance. Víctor Manuel and Lupita were great!!! The stuffed zucchini flowers appetizer was amazing. We started off dinner with cocktails and complementary snacks and had an amazing meal. Definitely adding it to list of favorite restaurants in PV! read more

First time here and it was amazing! The food is absolutely delicious and portions are perfect size. Can't wait to go back again on my next trip to Puerto Vallarta! read more

Great spot! Got home from vacation and showed all my friends/family pictures from this place. We really splurged and only spent about $100 total for me and my girlfriend. read more

We were so happy we found this gem in the hotel zone north of the main part of town, a 10 minute walk from our hotel. Two of us shared the 9 course tasting menu; even though each course is small, with 9 courses there was plenty of food. Another person in our party enjoyed the 5 course menu by himself. They have creative seasoning and sauces that don't interfere with the flavor of the fresh ingredients; the seafood courses were especially good. Artful presentation to set off the great flavors. Nice cocktail and wine selection. Don't worry if the courses arrive in a different order from the menu. And do alert them if you want to avoid too spicy (piquante). They adjusted when I asked for that. Definitely worth paying a bit more, for food that was far above average. read more

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I haven't written a review in ages but Icu was so amazing, that well, here it is: This restaurant could hold its own with any restaurant in San Francisco. And it cost about 1/4 of what the equivalent meal would have cost in San Francisco ($75USD for 2). We were there mid-week in the low season so it was extremely quiet, only 3 tables occupied. This made the ambiance was a little awkward. And they were training a new server who had to go get the regular server to help him explain the food. Those were the was the only non-amazing things. Even with that, the food was soooo good and it was so unique for a "tourist town." Think Gary Danko in SF in menu, food quality and patrons: Although it's in a tourist destination, you have to know about it, the food is so good you want to crawl into the plate & roll around in it, and the patrons are special occasion locals (the other tables spoke Spanish) & foody-ish visitors (us). I have exceptionally high standards for risotto. Their risotto tied for 2nd best ever, with Gary Danko's risotto. While that is what originally linked the two in my mind, overall, Icu was very similar. Which is really the highest praise I can give a restaurant. Oh -- and the bartender comes to the table. My partner was impressed with his drink. And that's very rare. read more

Highly recommend this little escape from the hotel fair. Was incredibly yummy both the food and cocktails. It is a set menu for the night that changes regularly. Very small but great atmosphere and the food and service are fantastic. read more

Wow. Just wow. 5 of us (with a lot of dining experiences) ate at Icú tonight. It was not just the best food we'd had in Puerto Vallarta, it was as good as I'd had anywhere, including places 5 times more expensive around the US and the world. 2 of us had the 5-course fixed price (one with a substitution!), all 3 had a la carte. Every dish tasted special, portioned just right and beautifully served. There were many unexpected treats and discoveries, with all the flavors mastered. We tried a lot of the menu and everything was excellent. The ambience (once inside!) was clean and modern, plates were gorgeous. The staff was fully attentive (admittedly on a light night). One server struggled a bit with English (most were fluent) and a wine selection that wasn't as it should be, but got the manager to smoothly step in where needed (he replaced the wine straightaway). Service throughout was delightful for our vacation-casual gang--no pretension here. If you aren't a fan of really good dining, you should skip it--this isn't a pretty-good-food-and-plenty-of-it experience. For PV it may be on the higher side (960 pesos/US$50 per person, tax/tip/1 drink each included), but it was more than worth every peso/dollar. Well worth the short cab ride out of downtown PV too! Get your reservation and go. read more

Amazing! We live in Chicago, which is a great restaurant town. Icu is as good as any. Wonderful staff, lovely atmosphere and fantastic menu. Everything was delicious. Unexpected flavors. The kindest wait staff. Chef came out to greet us before we departed. Highly, highly recommend this place. We will return again, very soon. read more

Outstanding! Modern and fresh vibe, absolutely delicious food, great service. Very creative menu, chefs very personable and wonderful. Highly recommend! read more

My 5-course meal at Icu was superb - flavorful, nuanced, fresh, delicious. The service was excellent, the staff helpful and knowledgable. We went at an early hour, and it wasn't crowded at all -- but it certainly deserves to be! One wouldn't go to Icu for a traditional Mexican meal or setting -- rather, it's quite striking and contemporary -- but for a meal that stands out, and is, in fact exceptional. read more

My husband and I just had a marvelous dinner at Icu. We shared the starters of beet salad and a marlin tamal and for our main dishes were the pork belly and the octopus. The service was excellent and the atmosphere comfortable chic. We highly recommend for a romantic dinner or one shared with friends and family. read more

The crusted beef filet melts in your mouth...some of the best service and food I've ever had. Thoroughly enjoyed finding this gem of a restaurant and looking forward to coming back again! read more