Museum of Yucateca Gastronomy — Restaurant in Mérida

Tucked in the heart of Mérida’s historic centre, the Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca (MUGY) stands as a charming tribute to the region’s rich culinary legacy. My wife and I, always eager to delve into authentic cultural experiences, decided to pay a visit to this beautifully restored colonial building one sunny afternoon, after a slow stroll through the cobbled streets around Plaza Grande.

From our starting point near Calle 60, we walked past pastel-hued façades and leafy squares, absorbing the relaxed rhythm of Mérida. The streets were alive with local vendors and families gathering for lunch, and as we turned onto Calle 62, the soft hum of city life gave way to the welcoming courtyard of MUGY. A shaded archway opened into a spacious patio where the sound of trickling fountains and rustling leaves immediately set a serene tone.

We were warmly welcomed and given the option to sit either in the open-air courtyard or under the covered verandas with traditional Yucatecan décor. We chose the former, surrounded by tropical plants and rustic elegance. The service was attentive yet unhurried, allowing us to savour the experience. Our lunch featured a variety of Yucatán classics, including cochinita pibil, relleno negro, and panuchos, but the real standout was the queso relleno, a dish that speaks volumes of the region’s blend of Mayan roots and colonial influence. The combination of the Edam cheese, subtly seasoned ground pork, and the delicate white k’ool sauce created a balance of savoury, creamy, and sweet that felt truly unique.

Following our meal, we had arranged to join the museum tour, simply by asking at the restaurant entrance upon arrival. Our guide led us through a small yet carefully curated collection that traced the evolution of Yucatecan cuisine. One of the most memorable sections was the life-size recreation of a traditional Mayan village at the back of the property. There, young women dressed in huipiles prepared fresh tortillas over a wood fire beside underground ovens (píib), offering a glimpse into ancient cooking methods that still endure today.

As the tour concluded, our guide recited a few Bombas Yucatecas, playful rhyming verses rich in humour and charm, traditionally shared at gatherings and celebrations. It was a delightful touch that left us smiling and added a personal, almost festive note to the cultural experience.

MUGY is more than a place to eat, it’s an encounter with history, heritage, and hospitality. We recommend arriving by midday to enjoy the full ambience and book ahead if possible, especially during weekends. While there’s no separate ticket fee for the museum, the guided visit is subject to availability and should be requested at the entrance. Accessibility is good throughout the main areas, though the Mayan hut path might be a bit narrow for wheelchairs.

In the end, this stop gave us not only a delicious meal but a genuine appreciation for the cultural depth of Yucatán’s cuisine, an experience we’d happily repeat and wholeheartedly...

Our curiosity was at its peak regarding this restaurant. Although we have learned to be cautious, there is still something catchy about the name, where it is almost understood that it is something unique, like a museum that has unique and unmatched pieces, in this case its dishes.

The restaurant is efficiently attended and its staff is extremely attentive and helpful. The decoration is simple and striking, without being ostentatious or opulent. Certainly the restaurant is a busy and bustling place, which makes it extremely attractive and eye-catching, as the good atmosphere and relaxed atmosphere of the diners invites you to sit down and relax. The lively music gives that unique touch to Merida, which leads us to listen to the beautiful notes of the Yucatecan Trova and to remember its great masters.

At the point when we visited this restaurant our children were definitely more reluctant to try traditional food, however with the help of the waiters and good suggestions we were able to overcome this challenge with relative ease and get the little ones to give us the opportunity to enjoy dinner. It is important to mention that it was captivating to see how the children reacted to the Trova, and how their interest turned to the live music. After asking if the children could sit on the patio near the musicians to drink their refreshing drinks we were able to finish our dinner without incident, even after finishing our food we were able to sit down with the children on the patio to enjoy the music.

The dishes are prepared in a traditional way and are delicious, however, and I mention this with all due respect and at the same time with the intention of being clear and critical, they do not offer any extra touch that can distinguish the cuisine of this restaurant above other establishments in the city of Merida or the State of Yucatan. I mention this not to be arrogant or to disparage the quality of the dishes, but to make it clear that the boldness of the name does not provide anything extra or exceptional to the flavors offered in the dishes. The dishes, especially the most emblematic ones, are well prepared and certainly stick to the traditional recipe, which is understandable. However, personally I was eager for something daring that could perhaps provide something additional and creative to the already exotic and delicious flavor of Yucatecan food and to be honest I was left wanting it. I thought that this establishment could take...

Despite the great reviews, I can’t recommend this place. The south of Mexico has great food to offer, but this restaurant is not one of them (at least what we tried)

While the drinks were delicious, the food (we had the MUGY special) was with way too much salt - and apart from the salt, did not have much other flavor. All three plates, except the cochinita, tasted much like a very salty chicken stock. Combined with the tortilla, it ended up as a rather dry eating experience. There were no sauces (as you may expect from other parts of the Mexican cuisine) to help that..We ended up not finishing our meal and not even wanting to take it home. Maybe due to the many positive reviews, and the fact that we took the restaurants special meal, we felt greatly disappointed. We haven eaten at much better at many other places across Mexico… Only our appetizer the lime soup was good (which we both finished). Sadly, they brought the appetizer/soup at the same as the main dish, which led to us finishing a hot soup fast just for the main dish to be cold before we could even start it.

Similarly, the service was rather a let down too. While were greeted friendly and promptly given a table of our choice, it went downhill from there. My girlfriend, walking with crotches and a broken ankle, immediately asked for a glass of water upon sitting down. She was exhausted from walking in the Mexican heat. However, nothing happened, even after asking several times more. Only after complaining to not one, but two waiters, our request was answered. Notably, this was at the end of our meal, just before the check. Even then, the waiter answered us rather passive aggressively, being annoyed with us asking for a simple glass of water. Interestingly, waiters frequently checked in on us trying to upsell other products like sides or cocktails to us.

At the end, after being asked how and if we enjoyed our meal, we explained our concerns in an honest, but respectful manner. A young waiter, ensured us he will call the head waiter to talk to us. Indeed he came, asked us where we are from, why were are here, and then brought us the check. Nothing else… we would have wished for a better support.

After a rather bad experience, we naturally felt like a low tip - which was received with mockery from the waiters nearby. What a pity....