Visiting NY and stumbled upon Oyamel inside El Mercado. I was happy to find out it was one of Jose Andres' restaurants so I had high hopes.
The restaurant is quite large and very nice and quite empty. Needless to say, we were seated immediately. We ordered the Guacamole, Aguachile de Camaron (shrimp ceviche), Pescado Baja California (fried fish taco), Pollo Habanero (chicken taco), and the Tacos de Ribeye. The Guacamole was good, but a bit on the blander / plain side, which I did not mind, but just not as spruced up as some other places. The chips that were served were quite salty, to the point where I brushed off most pieces before I could eat them, but with the bland-ish Guacamole, it worked out.
The Aguachile de Camaron was visually beautiful, but unfortunately, it was really bad. It was SO fishy in taste that I could not eat it. Considering the very small portion compared to the $20 price, I tried eating it with the Guacamole, with the salsa, with the chips, but the fishy taste was just too overwhelming. Since I was in NY visiting, I stopped trying to get my money's worth as I was genuinely concerned that the shrimps were bad and I would get food poisoning.
The tacos were all good. The Tacos de Ribeye were probably my favorite. The ribeye was tender and well flavored. The fish taco was good as well. Interestingly, the fish tacos were not fishy at all, unlike the ceviche. The Pollo Habanero taco was just okay. Nothing special.
As for the service, considering how empty the restaurant was with only about 5 tables occupied, it was difficult to get any attention. The food was very slow to come, and I feel that with any restaurant, regardless of price point, I should not have to flag someone down for more water. But at a restaurant with these prices? I expected the service to be much better. The server was polite, but just very difficult to find.
An additional note. They do not have a restroom inside the restaurant. You have to walk out into the El Mercado and use the restroom there. A bit odd I thought.
Overall, this place was ok and fell short for me. I left the restaurant disappointed in terms of food and service.
We were sad to see Mercado leave this spot, but excited to try Oyamel we are big fans of the chef and enjoy the Washington DC location. The space is still grand and full of energy, we really like it. The service was super friendly and attentive as well. And the food was tasty, just not quite to the level we expected. We had the red tuna tostadas, mushroom tacos and mushroom empanadas. None of us enjoyed the tostadas very much it just didn't seem super fresh when I tried the tuna by itself. The hongo tacos were our faves and we'd definitely order them again. The empanadas were good, but just lacking some spice. That said, we enjoyed our meal and would probably return!
5
We were just walking by as tourists, looking for a place to have dinner, and decided to stop here — and wow, what a find. The service was absolutely outstanding, genuinely warm and attentive. Everything we ordered was delicious, but the lamb and guacamole were truly extraordinary. Even the salad was surprisingly good.
What made the experience even more special was our waiter, Nicolas Fernando — he didn’t just serve the food, he created a whole experience. He told us detailed stories about the ingredients, where the vegetables are sourced, how each dish is prepared, and even explained the differences between Spanish and Mexican cuisine. It truly felt like a mini gastronomic journey.
He honestly deserves every award this restaurant could give — he elevates the entire experience to another level.
The cocktails were also fantastic. Overall, an amazing place with incredible service — highly recommend.
5
Invited my friends to this place at the second time. What we love about Oyamel is freshness of food. The staff is highly attentive to possible allergies, I like that! I strongly recommend carnitas and tacos. I’d do tacos just a bit more crunchy if possible. These are delicious.
I’d pay attention to table cleanliness, I believe it must be cleaned properly before inviting customers. It’s not the best choice to try mexican food, it’s fancy and comfy. The cocktails 7/10. I’d prefer different aperol spritz, a bit more intense.
Overall, I’d definitely come back.
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P.S. in the summer time the restaurant opens the shades and windows, it’s fresh and spacious.
3
The food was a mixed bag. The tacos were too salty and nothing to call home about; the tortillas were also not particularly flavorful. The tuna ceviche was really good. The shrimp special was good, but not the sauce than the shrimps themselves, which were missing a crisp.
A couple of times different staff tried to take away a plate with food. The vibe is nice, but they were sitting a soccer match and the sound was blasted to the entire room and outside, which made it hard to talk. No restroom, you have to go to the market next door.
All in all, I thought it was expensive for the small portions and okay quality.
