North Garden — Restaurant in Isla Mujeres

What a difference a day makes. I went here for breakfast on Wednesday the 17th after trying to get a bagel at the outside counter and was told because they were closed on Tuesdays, the bagels wouldn't be ready until the following day on Thursday. I decided to go sit down in the restaurant and had a lovely server whose name I do not recall. He had short dark hair and wears a blue shirt. I was served fresh homemade bread that came with the breakfast, the chorizo supposed to made in house and absolutely delicious. The service was amazing. The following day I went back to try to get a bagel and the girl outside told me they wouldn't be ready until 8:30 or 9:00. It was about 7:30 and I had to catch the ferry to the airport. The server I had was named Luis. I requested that my potatoes were crisped up a bit because They fry them covered so that they're soft and not browned, I'm from San Antonio and they do this in Mexican restaurants here as well. He said it was impossible as they don't have a deep fryer. I said it is possible you just need to put them on the grill and round that and he said it was not possible in a very condescending patronizing manner as if I was a moron and had never cooked a potato before in my life. On a side note, I worked in food and beverage for over 35 years. He brought out my breakfast which was cold, and tepid, potatoes were cold, certainly not crisp, sausage was cold. Not sure how this happenef as I had not been waiting that long. I then asked him if I could pay in American dollars. He said yes. So I requested that he bring me back singles and he said that might be very difficult for him to do, I only needed five. I know sounds a bit trivial but having been in the business for a long time there is some servers who are happy to please you and will do everything they can to make you happy and comfortable. There are other who servers who try to do as little as possible but convince you that everything they're doing for you is very difficult, so you're under the impression that they're really going out of their way to take care of you when they're actually doing absolutely nothing for you. Luis falls into the second category. It's really too bad because this is a great atmosphere and a good restaurant and management should make sure that all of their servers are putting forth the same effort. BTW, I called to get both their server's name so that I could compliment the server I had the day before but she did not know. She did confirm at the server working the second Day I was there with the red shirt and the ponytail's name was Luis. So I hope that...

Change isn't always a bad thing, as proved perfectly by having a breakfast at North Garden. Even a decade ago you'd be hard pressed to find a quality morning meal like this in the Mexican Caribbean. Fresh baked bagels and insanely good benedicts are all made here using quality ingredients and inventive flavor combinations. Yes I get we're all trying to have an authentic Mexican experience while on vacation, but there's only so many runny eggs in ranchero sauce and greasy burritos a stomach can take before real nourishment must be sought out.

Not that Mexican food isn't available here, it's just cooked with a lot more modern expertise and finesse to delicious effect. The chilaquiles for example are probably the most traditionally cooked thing on the menu, but the slow roasted tomato sauce and actual quality cheese elevate it to one of the best I've ever had. A full coffee bar and green smoothies were also both immensely helpful in negotiating the war happening in my stomach to a ceasefire.

The North Garden is just that, a beautiful garden just off of north beach. The jungle is integrated magnificently into the entire restaurant, and the vibe in the upstairs canopy truly made the meal. Our server was warm and genuine, never leaving us wanting for anything. Pro tip; get one of their delicious cocktails to go and bring it with you to start your beach experience on the right note, instead of being price gouged for a sour mix heavy catastrophe while there. This is the best stop your stomach could ever make when headed to or from the beach on Isla Mujeres, and was a true highlight...

Drinks: Very strong and tasty! We got basil and mint margaritas, pineapple and Serrano margaritas, and strawberry daiquiris. I would suggest either of the margaritas, specifically if you don’t want sweet drinks. Beware the Serrano Chile in the pineapple and Serrano margarita. It’s subtle but towards the end packs a punch! The daiquiris are very good as well, especially if you have a sweet tooth.

Service: Excellent! We got Andres and Luis. It was Andres first day and we could barely tell! He was super sweet, knowledgeable, and on top of our orders! Luis was clearly an expert and was humorous, efficient, and elevated our experience! We seriously loved having them as our servers!

Food: superb! We loved everything we ordered. I had the seafood boat which came in a pineapple. The pineapple juices really enhance the flavor of the dish. The steak fajitas were delicious as well! There is a bakery attached to the restaurant so I recommend trying a treat. They seem seasonable but if the chocolate cake is available I would recommend!

The ambiance is also something that needs to be mentioned. The restaurant is surrounded by ferns and trees which makes lovely shade and a wonderful green back drop to eat in. The restaurant is small though so there may be a wait for large parties!

Overall we love love love this place and can’t wait to be back! Especially to see...