Quintonil

Disappointing Service Ruined an Otherwise Great Birthday Experience I recently visited Quintonil during my trip to Mexico City, having also dined at Pujol and Rosetta. As someone who’s eaten at over 30 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, I was really looking forward to this one—especially since it was for my birthday celebration. The food was excellent: creative, beautifully presented, and a true showcase of modern Mexican cuisine with incredible ingredients. However, the service was by far the worst I’ve encountered at this level. I dined solo and was seated at the long communal table (third seat in). The group to my left was from Los Angeles, and the woman to my right was also solo from New York and I’m from Hong Kong. We all spoke English fluently. From the start, the waitstaff repeatedly skipped me while serving others first. Even after some diners had finished courses, my dishes still hadn’t arrived, and no one came over to explain or apologize. This happened consistently through the first five dishes. I ended up filming the situation discreetly because it was so noticeable and frustrating. Only after that did the kitchen seem to notice, and service improved for the remaining courses—no more skipping. At around MXN 7,000 (~$400 USD), I still left a 20% tip, as the staff deserved recognition for their hard work overall, and I didn’t want to penalize them unfairly. This level of inattention is unacceptable, especially for a special occasion like a birthday. The food is outstanding and worth praising, but the poor service completely ruined my mood and left a bad taste despite the quality on the plate. I hope this was just an off night, as the restaurant has an incredible reputation.