Bajlum — Restaurant in Chiapas

-- FYI - This is the real location on Google Maps. There is another location marked to the left of this that is labelled as just "Bajlum", referencing this restaurant, but it's in the incorrect location as it's at the end of the driveway to Hotel Villa Mercedes. --

This restaurant was an experience. They explained everything to us as we ordered and as the food came out so that we had the full picture and appreciation for the cuisine and what they were trying to achieve. They said that they had been researching the historical Mayan cuisine and putting their own modern twist to what they had found, with constant tweaks based on customer feedback. I'm a vegetarian and was well catered to (I can probably say the same for vegans). I ordered the wild tomato spaghetti which was soft and delicious and the tomatoes were 👌🏻. The people I was with (meat eaters) ordered the group fondue set which consisted of marinated cubed meat to be fried in the fondue pot (wild boar, turkey, rabbit, venison) and regional herbs, condiments and fresh tortillas to accompany the meats.

I should also mention the free starters that came out before any of this that consisted of a large, crisp and thin corn tortilla and yuca chips accompanied by a super hot habanero sauce and special wild mushroom (from the region) crema.

They also had seasonal agua de frutas, offering guanabana (soursop), carambola (star fruit), guayaba (guava) and a pineapple mixed with local wild herbs (missed the name, but it had a mint like refreshing taste). All were delicious. I was so impressed because it was the first time in my week in Chiapas that I wasn't choosing between horchata, jamaica, lemon/orange with chia (not that there's anything wrong with those options!).

The service was awesome although we were lucky enough to have Mexican friends and Google translate with us to help with...

Dinner here was THE best dining experience we've ever had! The combination of quality of the food, family service, history and education of the Mayan and indigenous peoples, and support of the local peoples make this a truly unique experience.

The food: most unique and delicious menu using only ingredients sources through indigenous population living in the nearby jungle. Quail in cacao with ants, wild dear with pesto made of a variety of jungle leaves, cocktails of mescal and local fruits. We were scared that "local pre-colonial" would translate to weird, gross, or bland but every dish was truly delicious.

The family/mission- Francisco is the owner/patriarch that explains the source and significance of each menu item and ingredient. His wife and son run the kitchen and his daughter heads the wait staff. They refer to this as The Project because the mission and scope of this is far more than just a restaurant- they partner with the local indigenous population to source the ingredients from the jungle and seem to have things structured so that wealth is distributed throughout. Francisco takes care to relate ancient Mayan stories to the current menu.

We learned far more in a dinner here than we did during our guided tour of Palenque. This really is a must for anyone who has travelled here to learn or experience the ancient Mayan and/or indigenous people.

Our two families with 4 kids total were warmly welcomed and accomodated. Our picky eaters were shockingly stoked on eating such a variety of unusual foods. The place is tiny so make a reservation. We ordered the 6 course tasting menu which isn't on the menu but we strongly recommend. This is a hidden jem. More expensive than our 45peso taco lunch in town (Dos Hermanos was amazing in its own way) but still an...

The phrase “Mi casa es tu casa” doesn’t seem to apply when a shot of tequila Jose Cuervo Plata 0,5L costs 170 MXN, almost the price of an entire bottle at the store. Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations either. The arrachera de venado was dry and bland, lacking flavor altogether.

They claim to support the Mayan community, but I found it hard to believe. It felt more like an excuse to justify their unreasonably high prices for food and drinks that are nothing special.

When I politely asked why the tequila shot was so expensive, the owner became defensive and said I was being “disrespectful.” On top of that, they added an extra tip to the bill without consulting us, instead of leaving it up to our own discretion. Typical Mexican scum.

To me, it seemed like they were trying to fool customers with fake kindness while overcharging for a mediocre experience.

Overall, it was a mistake to dine here. I’m giving 1 star in hopes that fewer people will fall for this overpriced and...