Bistrola 57 — Restaurant in Mérida

We went there for breakfast. Ordering was unusually difficult, because the waiter kept interrupting. He tried to communicate in English although I spoke Spanish to him, and he clearly didn’t understand what I was saying when I responded in English. The fruit platters had only pineapple and papaya, although the pictures in the menu also had watermelon and cantaloupe. We weren’t given a choice between orange juice and grape fruit juice, even though it was stated in the menu. After getting the fruit and orange juice, the waiter brought a basket of stale bread rolls from yesterday, and stated with a completely disengaged attitude that there was no toast left. We were there at 8am - one hour into breakfast service - and there were only three other tables being served. Wheat I asked why he didn’t mention the lack of toast before we ordered, he sent someone to get toast. We ordered eggs either bacon. Two orders of sunny side up and two orders of scrambled. He asked us how done we wanted the sunny side ups, and we said medium. The eggs we got were the runniest I’ve ever had in a restaurant. The scrambled eggs came with shredded ham in the scramble instead of bacon on the side as ordered, and the waiter spent a while arguing that ham and bacon are the same thing. He finally agreed to taking them back, and after what seemed like ages, we had scrambled eggs with bacon crumbled in the scramble. The potatoes on the side were so spicy our daughter cried for like 10 minutes after trying them. Positives: the scrambled eggs were cooked well and the orange juice was good. Pretty much everything else was awkward, weird and bland. He even seemed confused that we didn’t leave a tip. Our kids ate basically nothing. We...

Hugely disappointing experience. To begin with, a large sign outdoor boasts that they serve the “best cocktails anywhere”. I make it a point of sampling margaritas in every new restaurant I try and the one served here was way below average, tasted more like sour margarita mix, and very little tequila. The food order took a long time in coming and when it arrived, one of the orders was wrong which resulted in another 20 minute wait while we had to sit through 80s disco music and watch reflections from a mirrored disco ball twirl from the ceiling. It felt like being trapped in a David Lynch movie. By the time the food arrived I had consumed most of my partner’s pizza because I very hungry so we asked to have my order wrapped up for take out That resulted in another 15 minutes just to have the food put in Styrofoam containers. But wait, there’s more. The best was yet to come. When the bill came it was for $1045 pesos (before tip). This was for one appetizer, one small 2 for 1 pizza and 2 mediocre margaritas. To put this in perspective, a couple of days earlier we had dined in a beautiful restaurant called Central 61 that served extraordinary Mescalitas, a ribeye steak cooked to perfection and a Caesar salad to die for and with tip that bill only came to $900. Something seems...

Bistrola 57 se encuentra en una ubicación privilegiada del centro de Mérida, con una fachada atractiva y una esquina que invita a entrar. El ambiente al llegar es prometedor, y el lugar cuenta con un menú variado que incluye comida italiana, hamburguesas y cortes.

Sin embargo, nuestra experiencia fue decepcionante. Pedimos una hamburguesa que llegó con la carne aún cruda, y un fettuccine cuya salsa estaba diluida y sin sabor. Los meseros mostraron poco interés en el servicio, más atentos a la única pantalla del bar que a los comensales.

Lo más grave fue al visitar los sanitarios. Para llegar a ellos, hay que cruzar un patio y pasar frente a la cocina, la cual tenía las puertas abiertas, en malas condiciones de limpieza, y con el personal distraído, riendo y conversando como si se tratara de un mercado. Entiendo que durante la jornada laboral pueda haber momentos para bromear, pero primero deberían enfocarse en las necesidades y áreas de oportunidad del servicio, hacerlo con discreción, puertas cerradas y cuidando la limpieza.

Al entrar al baño, el olor era tan fétido que casi vomito. El bote de papel estaba repleto, apilado como si hubieran armado una pirámide; el inodoro estaba sucio, y en general, el baño se encontraba en condiciones deplorables.

Como profesional del sector farmacéutico, me preocupa profundamente que un baño tan insalubre esté ubicado junto a la cocina: representa un grave riesgo de contaminación cruzada. Las bebidas fueron lo único rescatable. Lamentablemente, no volveré a este lugar.

Review in English (2 out of 5 stars):

Bistrola 57 is located in a prime spot in downtown Mérida, with an inviting corner and an attractive façade. Upon arrival, the atmosphere seems promising, and the place offers a varied menu including Italian food, burgers, and grilled meats.

Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. We ordered a burger that arrived undercooked, and a fettuccine with watery, tasteless sauce. The waiters showed little interest in service, more focused on the only screen at the bar than on the customers.

The worst part was visiting the restrooms. To access them, you have to cross a patio and pass right in front of the kitchen, which had its doors wide open, was visibly dirty, and staffed by employees chatting and laughing as if it were a street market. I understand there may be time for jokes during a shift, but the team should first focus on service needs and areas of improvement, and do so discreetly, with doors closed and proper hygiene.

When I entered the restroom, the stench was so bad I nearly vomited. The paper bin was overflowing, stacked like a pyramid; the toilet was filthy, and the overall condition was unacceptable.

As a pharmaceutical industry professional, I am deeply concerned that such an unsanitary bathroom is located right next to the kitchen. It poses a serious risk of cross-contamination. The only redeemable part of the visit was the drinks. Sadly, I will not return.

日本語のレビュー（2/5 星）:

Bistrola...