IL MaXimo — Restaurant in Ensenada

Where do I even begin? Came here on a Saturday and was blown away from every aspect of the restaurant! It is located right on a Main Street in the center of Ensenada, there is a parking area dedicated to the restaurant which made perfect and simple. The outside is very welcoming almost like you are entering someone's house...which in all honestly is what the experience was from start to end. Massimo (the owner) is such a great host, you can tell he loves what he does and pays so much attention to each detail of the restaurant. He greeted and had a great table reserved for us, he is fully Italian (speaks it too) and has an amazing deal of experience in the food industry having traveled the world and work in the most prestige restaurants and hotels. You can tell that his menu was inspired from all around and infused well with the classic Italian dishes. We started of with a recommendation of his, a Nebbiolo wine Roganto which was paired perfect with every dish (seafood included). We ordered a few dishes and asked for suggestions...while the food was cooking Massimo was so kind to show us the whole restaurant or better yet what he calls "his home". My favorite part the lovely patio in the back (still under construction) can't wait to eat outside next time! We started off with a few appetizers each one was amazing! My favorite is the bone marrow and the Tuna topped with the pickled watermelon. For the entrees honestly they were all amazing and the portions were good size, ended up taking the pappardelle with the lamb home...which tasted so good even the next day! We ended the night with dessert...banana Nutella tiramisu & the rose panna cotta (which was an amazing surprise) both are a must, they were great for sharing! And to top off our evening Massimo came by and offered us a taste of him homemade chocolate-cello OMG!!! Only had 3 days in Mexico..and Il Massimo was worth making 2 trips so we came back the next day and discovered their Gnocchi which was the highlight of our trip...they were like clouds in a creamy parmesan sauce with prosciutto on top. I could eat 10 of this dish! This place is a must when visiting...the best part is the prices, so take advantage and save room...

Do not let the understatedness of this lightly decorated 8 table restaurant fool you. This might be the best restaurant in ensenada... My wife and I dined here for her birthday and when we arrived they greeted us by name and had our table waiting. We chose to use the physical menu but they had digital available in english and spanish. The meal began with an amuse bouche of chevre with a house made jam delivered to the table by chef massimo himself. To start we ordered some house white wine, escargot?!?!, and a caprese salad. I would never have expected a french dish in an Italian restaurant in mexico to make it's way onto a menu let alone come so deliciously prepared in a complex brown butter sauce that beat anything we had in Paris. The heirloom tomatoes in the caprese tasted like they had just been picked that day and the mozzarella was deliciously smooth and creamy. For the main course I ordered a seafood pasta and my wife ordered the flank steak (the dishes have authentic italian names I can't remember). The black pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente and the seafood tasted like it had not been in the ocean more than a few hours ago. My wife's steak was cooked to a lovely medium and came plated beautifully with vegetables on the side. For dessert, we had a spectacular housemate gelato with cherries and the well recommended apple butter cake. The meal finally ended with our choice of chocolate, citrus cream, or orange aperitif. It's the subtlety in the details that make this place so special. The way the servers fill your water glass from a bottle on your table when you're running low. The way chef massimo tries to speak to every table that walks in like an old friend without a hint of snobbiness then helps bus the table. The way every ingredient in the dish is present in the flavor and something as simple as a brussel sprout next to a steak is beautiful. Brava...

I've been to this restaurant three times now, and each time I have been deeply impressed by the quality of the food and service. This is probably my favorite restaurant in Ensenada for this type of dining experience.

FOOD - The food is among the best Italian I have ever had, maybe the among the best in general. The truffle pasta is to die for, and I love the tuna steak as well. The seafood appetizers were great. The desserts are unique and delicious (I've had the lemon lava, chocolate lava, the homemade gelato and the pig, which is adorable and delicious and really a dessert;).

SERVICE - Outstanding. The wait staff are patient, quick, very professional, and in general a pleasure to be around. The owner and head chef will also occasionally stop by to say hello, and he is lovely and very generous.

AMBIANCE - We always sit on the back patio, which has a lot of nice greenery and is usually fairly quiet. The space heater makes it nice for cooler days, and it's a relaxing, cute place to enjoy a meal.

PRICE- Very reasonable. I have usually shared all the dishes I've gotten; for example, my husband and I shared an appetizer and pasta plus drinks. I always think, when I see the food, that I'll want more afterwards (especially after I take a bite of the truffle pasta!), but I've been very full and content after each meal.

Overall: can't...