(Updated 12/27/2021) Description and review of Tequila Museo Mayahuel, an upscale Mexican restaurant located in Downtown Sacramento.
A friend and I recently enjoyed dinner at Tequila Museo Mayahuel (Mayahuel for short) prior to attending the theatre. Mayahuel (pronounced My-ah-well) is located at 12th and K Streets.
A Bit About Mayahuel
The menu at Mayahuel features Mexican cuisine as it would be prepared in Mexico. Menu offerings represent a variety of different regions and states.
The venue also features Mexican art and is home to one of the few tequila museums (Tequila Museo) in the United States. As I entered the reception area the first thing I saw was a beautiful Dia de los Muertos display – very appropriate for the time of year.
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I had made advance reservations and was seated immediately. There was a reception going on in the back room so I opted to be seated a bit further back in the dining room. My friend arrived shortly afterwards.
Menu/Service Review
I ordered a glass of white wine and my friend ordered Mayahuel’s signature cocktail – the asi sabe mexico (fresh watermelon, cucumber, lime and tequila with tajin chile on the rim). I was pleased with what I viewed as a generous pour of wine. My friend was disappointed with her drink – she said it tasted more like cucumber than anything else. Perhaps it is not the best time of year for watermelon.
We ordered the chips and salsa along with guacamole to start. The chips and salsa were good. In particular I liked the salsa which was very flavorful – but not “hot”. The guacamole was freshly mashed avocado, and a generous portion to boot, but it did not taste as if any seasoning had been added. We both like avocado but agreed the guacamole could have used a bit of something.
Our dinner arrived a minute or two after we were served our chips, salsa and guacamole. Here we were, having barely had a chance to eat a chip and dinner was served. The timing was a bit off and I felt rushed. Other than that the service was friendly and attentive.
My friend had decided to order a small plate for her meal – the bocaditos de mexico (described as six savory individual bites showcasing the creative and diverse flavors of Mexico). That particular small plate is not something she would order again.
I ordered the carnitas uropan which had a generous portion of tender pork – some of which I shared with my dining companion as her small plate had proved a disappointment. My dish was served with three tortillas (choice of corn or flour) along with salsa, guacamole and beans.
I have dined at Mayahuel a number of times over the years and as a general rule have found it to be pretty good. I guess it all comes down to what your order.
When we finished our meal we found ourselves with lots of time to spare so we adjourned to the Esquire Grill to have a drink before we made our way to the nearby Community Center Theater.
Updates
(9/29/2021) Mayahuel was awarded a Michelin Guide California “Plate” in 2019, meaning that the food is judged good but doesn’t meet the criteria for a star. Unfortunately, Mayahuel lost it’s Plate designation in the 2021 Michelin Guide California. No awards were made in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Comments on Mayahuel?
What has been your experience at Mayahuel?
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I had dinner with two companions at Mayahuel for the first time fairly recently, but cannot remember one single dish we had. I only remember that all three of us were unhappy, the waitress never came back after delivering the food, and it became harder and harder to have a conversation as the bar filled up with the tequila crowd. The good news is that they certainly got us out of there quickly so we were early for our show at The Crest. I thought the prices were also a bit high for unmemorable food and poor service. Maybe we would have liked it better if we added in some tequila?
Thanks for your insights Melissa.