Top 3 Mexico City Grills

With an impressive meat-culture, grills in Mexico City are everywhere. They’re not all created equal, though. I set out to find the best ones and narrowed it down to three places based on ambiance, service, and– of course– the food. 

One of my recent favorite grill restaurants was when I was most recently in Brazil. It was a chain restaurant called Fogo de Chão within a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro called Botafogo. The steakhouse was top class service with a crystal blue view of the ocean.

As you know I’m now in Mexico City. There are of course plenty of grills in this area as well. One of the more famous ones I see in almost every nice neighborhood is Sonora Grill. With the help of a local, I’ll be covering everything you need to know about the grills Mexico City has and vetting recommendations for the top 3.

Meat Culture and Mexico City Grills

Steak is one of those foods Mexicans love (plus the churros in Mexico City). There’s a huge meat culture. Tacos, flautas, barbacoa, carne asada. It’s all beef! All of these are considered street food, one way or another. However, a well done steak is still limited to restaurants. Not any restaurant, though. Steakhouses and grills. 

Most of them are white tablecloth restaurants, so don’t expect to walk inside wearing flip flops and a sun hat. Not that there’s a dress code or anything but you’ll be turning heads for all the wrong reasons if you show up like you haven’t showered in days, which might be the look (not necessarily the case) that most travelers give off because comfort beats style any day. 

Inside, you’ll receive the best service and see why these grills have been in business for years. There’s great quality food, excellent service, juicy steaks, delicious salsas… What more could you want? Just be prepared to pay what it’s all worth because they’re not exactly cheap eats 

There’s a plethora of grills around the city (all of them swearing their the best ones in the city) so I was kind of curious to find out how they were all number one, supposedly. Without much hesitation, I decided to investigate which ones were the real deal. After all, if you’re going to spend a decent amount of money on some arrachera or even a Tomahawk while you’re in the city, it might as well be worth it. 

I asked around a bit and narrowed it down to the top 5 options, according to locals. However, it still seemed like a bit much and felt like I had to cross 2 off the list. The only way to do it was to try them all and narrow it down. Here were the five spots I visited: Sonora Grill, Palominos, Loma Linda, La Mansión, and Mochomos. Which made the cut? The first three. 

What was wrong with La Mansión and Mochomos? The first was too formal and the food was honestly just okay, whereas Mochomos felt more like a nightclub, especially at night. The food there was nothing spectacular either but it was spectacularly pricey. All in all, those are big NOs for me. 

On the other hand, Sonora Grill, Palominos, and Loma Linda, ticked all the right boxes. The service was outstanding, the ambiance was great, the place didn’t feel like a nightclub. The latter is more common than you think, believe me. Most importantly, everything on the menu was delicious– not just the steak. Whether you order a side of asparagus, chistorra, queso fundido, or aguachile, it’s all amazing. The drinks were also outstanding. Altogether, the place, menu, and pricing made sense. 

To help you select which one to visit when you’re in the city, I’ve broken it all down for you: 

1. Sonora Grill

Out of the three, this one has the most locations in the city and it’s no coincidence. Along with its fancier version, Sonora Prime, you can find it in every single nice neighborhood like Reforma, Nápoles, Santa Fe, Polanco, etc. 

They serve a mix of classic Sonora-inspired and international dishes with a fine-dining twist. It’s like elevated cantina comfort food. From starter to dessert, I found everything exceeding my expectations. The quality of the food was just incredible! Here’s what you can’t miss while you’re there: 

• Starters:
  • Shrimp aguachile: It’s not steak, but like I said, it’s all good here! It’s raw shrimp and scallops that are cured in a spicy green-chile based brine. Served with sliced cucumbers and onion, it’s the perfect starter. It also offers a refreshing, tangy, and spicy bite right before digging into a succulent fatty steak. 
• Steaks:
  • Akaushi ribeye: It’s a Wagyu cross from Kobe, Japan, and it has an unbelievable marble! It’s a hearty 800g so make sure to go easy on the starters before you get to this main course. Whether you get this steak or any other, they all come with a side. I recommend the garlic mushrooms or “esquites,” seasoned Mexican white corn. 
• Mixology:
  • Ikal: They’ve got a wide variety of Mexican-inspired cocktails and this one’s my favorite. White Don Julio tequila, Bacanora (an agave liquor), chile ancho liquor, agave syrup, and an all-natural hibiscus concentrate. It’s heavenly! To be honest, though, any of their artisanal cocktails are amazing. My next favorite one is called “Monkey Fruit,” which is made with Zacapa rum, coconut, and passionfruit. Even if you’re not a fruity cocktail person, they’ve got a great selection of traditional cocktails like old-fashioned, Moscow mule, and southsides. The mocktails are pretty good too, if you’re looking to go alcohol-free, which would be a shame. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonoragrill/?hl=en

Google Maps: https://g.page/SonoraGrillPrimeRoma?share

2. Palominos

When it comes to ambiance, Palominos is definitely less upscale and flashy than Sonora Grill. However, that doesn’t make it any less good. In fact, Palominos has been in business for 48 years– which must count for something, don’t you think? It’s only got two locations in Mexico City, but it has several more in the rest of the country. 

Like Sonora Grill, its cuisine is also heavily influenced by the state of Sonora. It comes as no surprise because Sonora is like the Texas of Mexico when it comes to meat and grill culture. 

Despite this similarity, though, the two restaurants’ menus couldn’t be more different. Even though Palominos is one of the best grills in the city, its cuisine remains quite traditional and simple— which is reflected in the interior decor of the place as well. If you’re thinking about going here, here’s what you should get: 

• Soups:
  • Caldo de queso: Translated to “cheese soup,” caldo de queso is an authentic Sonoran dish consisting of a delicious tomato-based broth, diced panela cheese and potato, and a little bit of Anaheim chile. It’s a very light starter and something you’re unlikely to find outside a Sonoran restaurant, so don’t skip it!
• Steaks:
  • Tomahawk: Beautifully aged and served on the bone, this tomahawk is a real showstopper. It’s also served with a baked potato, creamed spinach, and charred green chiles. It’s pure perfection, just go easy on the starters so you can leave room for dessert. 
• Dessert:
  • Coyotas: This is a traditional Sonoran dessert, a true rare gem outside of Sonoran restaurants. It’s made from a very thin and flaky pastry enclosing a quince and Manchego cheese filling. Served warm with a little bit of vanilla ice cream, you’ll want to pick up every last crumb. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palominospalmas/

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/rsY4xeQLLwxp8Yae8

3. Loma Linda

This place has been in business for nearly a hundred years, beating Palominos and Sonora Grill by far. Unlike the latter ones, Loma Linda only has locations within Mexico City. There’s not a whole lot of them either, with only 4.

Ambiance-wise, it’s a lot like Palominos. They’re definitely fancy places, don’t get me wrong, but they’re way more family-friendly than Sonora Grill. Something else that sets it apart is that it’s inspired by Argentinian cuisine and techniques so there are other dishes on the menu, which was a nice change from the other grills. What did I order? Check it out: 

• Starters:
  • Empanada: I had two, minced meat and creamed spinach. Although I am a huge meat-lover, the spinach one just won me over completely because it wasn’t excessively rich. They’re only 55g so I’d say you can get two of them and still have enough room for a juicy steak and dessert. 

• Steak:
  • Picaña: The portions are nowhere near as generous as those in Sonora Grill, where I got an 800g Akaushi rib eye. At Loma Linda, the grilled picaña was only 400 g and for a similar price to the rib eye. It was still amazing, though! Just pointing out some facts. You can choose from a selection of sides but I recommend the in-house salad, the dressing is delicious. 
• Dessert:
  • Alfajor: This traditional Argentinian dessert earned its spot on the list for being extra crumbly and decadent with its dulce de leche interior and coconut exterior. If you’ve never tried them, now’s the chance because they’re incredible! Just because it’s a sandwich cookie, it doesn’t mean it can’t be unforgettable. 

The next time you’re in Mexico City, try them out and let me know what you think! Or if you’ve already been and think I missed a spot, make sure to let me know which one it is in the comments. I’m definitely going back for more the minute I get the chance. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restlomalinda/?hl=en

Google Maps: https://g.page/Loma-Linda-insurgentes-cdmx?share