Huniik — Restaurant in Mérida

Basically, we had a nice evening. However, I would like to give a critical but fair critic for the restaurant. At this price, the expectations are high and unfortunately they were only partially met. I'll share my experience with you:

This starts the day before. We came to Huniik on the spur of the moment and wanted to enjoy dinner, but we were told that this was not possible because the menu is always adapted to the different requirements of the guests. But we could make a reservation for the next day. We couldn’t do it in the restaurant but they provided Wi-Fi to make it online and we were looking forward to our table 24 hours later.

We were only able to choose a table at 6pm because the restaurant was “fully booked”, they said. When we made our reservation, we had to give details of certain foods. My girlfriend and I are pescatarian and asked for this to be taken into account. You also have to leave credit card details in case you don't show up.

The next day at 6pm. We received a friendly welcome and had a very good welcome cocktail of mescal, bitter orange and lime.

Our menu was served relatively quickly and in a nice pace. The wine list does not specify the grape varieties and the region and unfortunately the staff is not trained enough in wine. There was no sign of a sommelier.

We asked for a recommendation of a natural wine and after two wines were recommended to us, the service staff came up with two completely different conventional wines and which we had to choose from. It was only after we asked again that they opened a bottle of natural wine that was a little too warm.

Basically, the service was quick and we never had empty glasses. But at $1800 for the menu, water should be included. It isn't.

Which brings me to the most important point of my review. The menu. Basically, it was amazing how well Yucatan cuisine fits into fine dining, good flavours and fixed skillful craftsmanship. Nevertheless, we had a pastry made of cornbread with almost every course, tortilla 2 times, ice cream cone made of corn - I would have liked some variation. To get two times fish tacos in a 5-course menu is not the modern interpretation of good Mexican cuisine for me, and from an owner who has cooked at Noma himself, I would have liked a bit more refinement. Corn can be more than a tortilla or cornbread and except of the icecream cone the menu was kind of foreseeable.

Now we come to the absolute no-gos of the evening:

Two courses with gelatine (gelatine is extracted from the bones of cows or pigs) and one course with chicken broth! As mentioned before, we only eat fish and no meat at all. This is really not the kind of service and what I mean by "adapting the menu". I am a chef myself, have learned and cooked in some of the most famous houses and was simply gobsmacked by this lack of knowledge or in the worst case, this ignorance.

This experience was crowned with the clearing of our glasses, which is generally understood as kicking out, although 3 of the 5 tables were still empty. So much for the "fully booked" restaurant.

Overall, unfortunately, simply too little trained staff, a very hardworking and technically fit kitchen with a little too little ingenuity and a little too high prices for drinks.

At $6,000 for dinner, unfortunately, everything has to be right and you can't change the waiter in the middle of the evening and clear our glasses if the restaurant is empty.

Overall, we were a little disappointed with the evening. But it’s all about...

this was unquestionably the worst fine dining experience we've ever had. the food we were able to eat was excellent, but the comprehensive failure by the front of house staff made us leave the restaurant before we even finished the courses in the menu.

we made reservations for Huniik well in advance and confirmed with the restaurant no fewer than three times, including the day before. upon arrival, we were told that there would be a delay but that our table was available. we were shown to the back of the main restaurant, which is another restaurant that was hosting a party at the time (dj, large speakers, etc.). we were left there for about 20 minutes without any contact, and when we went to the front to check on our table, staff informed us that they would be ready for us soon.

about ten minutes later when we checked again, we were told that the table had been given away by the head chef to a personal friend, and we would have to sit in the back restaurant where the party was ongoing.

we reluctantly agreed, seeing no alternative. upon being seated, we were told a different story about why we ended up eating in the midst of a party instead of the quiet dinner we reserved: the folks that no-showed for the first sitting arrived at the time of our reservation and staff gave them our table, an action that somehow could not be changed or rectified. we then were forgotten and did not receive our first course until a full hour after our reservation time. when we did receive courses, they arrived erratically and the presentation was rushed. also, beverage pairings were not provided until asked for--if wine had not been consumed when a new pairing was to be brought, staff consistently did not bring the new pairing with the course.

the food we received was excellent, but the party got wilder and when the music got even louder and people started dancing within inches of our table, we had to leave without eating the last two courses.

I'd go elsewhere...

Easily one of the best dining experiences of my lifetime. I have been to some of the best restaurants in Tokyo, Paris, Rome, CDMX, etc. and I cannot believe I am so lucky to have Huniik in my own city of Mérida! The service was outstanding, with individual attention from the minute the door opened, starting with a welcome cocktail and a brief introduction to the restaurant. I’m so happy for the tasting menu—all I had to do was listen, taste, and wait for the next outstanding course. Sometimes chefs can get a little ridiculous with their tasting menu creativity. That is NOT the case here. Chochinita Pibil, except, with mussels?! Sounds crazy—it was out of this world. The creativity was amazing, and worth it with every dish, and creativity includes both flavor and presentation. Every dish explained in detail by the staff and presented professionally. From the smaller beginnings to the lamb chop “main” to the multiple desserts—there is not a negative word to say. Get ready to spend some money—it’s not cheap. And for Mérida it’s certainly expensive. But if you are ready for an experience and a special occasion, it is worth it. Chef Roberto, don’t go anywhere please! I’m coming back and...