ICÚ — Restaurant in Jalisco

We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and many special occasions at ICU, so when they invited us to preview their new menu and mixology concept designed for more everyday dining, we couldn’t say no. Think date nights, when the in-laws are visiting, or those “I don’t want to cook but want something great” nights.

The food is still as outstanding as ever, maybe even better, and the new cocktails are top-tier.

Drinks: I started with the Pineapple Punch. It tasted like a spa day, a tropical vacation, and a Guadalajara fruit stand all in one sip. Then I tried La Rosita with mezcal. It was like a perfect beach day in Yelapa but with boutique hotel vibes. Delicious. Whoever is behind the bar now, keep them forever.

Food: Chef Mauricio always accommodates my pescatarian preferences, which I deeply appreciate and is one of the reasons we return so often. We ordered family-style with friends and loved every dish. Among my standouts:

Mexican Carpaccio: A Mexican version made with panela cheese and cilantro pesto. Bright, fresh, and full of flavor.

Huacho Aguachile: Fresh, zesty, and beautifully balanced with smoked habanero salt.

Pulpo Quesadilla:I skipped the pancetta (my husband said I was missing out), but the octopus was perfectly tender, and the tortillas carried that warm, toasty aroma that instantly reminded me of strolling through Mexico City mercados.

Risotto: My favorite. Creamy, coastal, and rich with the flavor of the sea.

The new menu isn’t a downgrade at all. It keeps the haute Mexican flair but feels more relaxed and affordable for a spontaneous night out.

We have a place in Emiliano Zapata, and ICU continues to be our go-to spot for everything from special celebrations to casual nights...

Food critic here. Stars are given based on a combination of quality of food, authenticity, service and atmosphere compared to other restaurants in the city. I will talk here about the best since that is what everyone wants to hear .. We did the 9 course meal with the pairing. The things that gave me goosebumps were: the zucchini salad, the catch of the day, carrots, mole (hoja Santa) and chocolate tamale. The carrots, mole and chocolate tamale were absolute perfection!

Flavors go from mild to bold. The wine pairing unfortunately was not the best, but the ones that were a great pair, were the beer with the catch of the day and the wine associated with the carrots.

The tasting menu is a tribute to authentic Mexican cuisine, (elevated Mexican) with a Mexican wine pairing. We loved the authenticity of the menu. Even though the wine pairing was not the absolute best we still give in an 10 for the effort of pairing real Mexican wines. So 10 for authenticity! Best cocktail was the “ special cinnamon and rosemary cocktail” (a cinnamon drink that does not taste like Christmas) and the coffee “carajillo” which is a typical Spanish coffee similar to Irish coffee, served with alcohol. (You can order decaff) Loved that the overall flavors were not too salty and not too sweet, just perfect for savoring! Service is great, they have good knowledge of what they serve and very polite. Congratulations to the chef for the authenticity and the team for the knowledge and politeness. We think they deserve 5⭐️ compared to other...

"Corn" in the language of the Huichols Restaurante ICÚ ranks amongst Mexico's top eateries, Chef Mauricio Leal taking native ingredient and turning them into elegant bites across an 11-plate tasting for just under $85 USD per person.

Another local talent trained at Café des Artistes, Mauricio then refining his skills at 5-star Resorts in Mexico, it is inside a space built around living trees that dinner begins with small bites including a Tostada with Crickets before proceeding to a Beer Salad enlivened by Mexican Sour Cream.

Pleasant in terms of service, Monday evening finding the Restaurant nearly empty, line-caught Blue Fin dusted in Chilis proved a good match to clever Cocktails while Shrimp in Black Aguachile was more for looks than anything.

Upping the ante with a fried Squash Blossom stuffed with Cheese in Fish Head Soup, the flesh of that Sea Bass arriving next atop Corn with Pumpkin Seeds and Greens, fans of Ancho Peppers will love the complexity of Chef Leal’s Taco that starts sweet but finishes in notes of Cocoa.

Next melding Pork Belly and Cephalopod into two dynamic bites, the penultimate savory outpacing Steak to follow, palates are cleansed by simple Strawberry Sorbet before finishing the night with a velvety...