Blue Box Café Mexico City — Restaurant in Mexico City

You can still feel the newness in the air –for good and bad. Should this place have not been this new, I would have rated 3 stars…

This place opened not long ago, and my guess is things will improve rapidly –I hope, time might render this review obsolete soon but still some things are worth noticing.

By now, you surely know you need to book through TOCK, and that a $500 pesos ($25USD approx.) per guest deposit is required. So, moving on…

Right now, the service feels extremely welcoming and polite; since the very moment you enter the store, you get to feel the Tiffany glamorous ambiance. Staff seems excited about the Blue Box Café opening and they let you know, they share some tips with you, some recommendations, and gladly point you in the right direction. Let’s hope that kind of attitude remains once the café stops being a novelty. Once at the café the courteousness remains, but you begin to feel the staff’s nervousness and inexperience; nothing you can’t live with, just give them the courtesy of your patience and empathy. Servers are still not very knowledgeable about the menu nor skilled about the whole process, and probably still not even used to, or familiar with, the facilities. A parenthesis: waiters and waitresses having to go up and down the stairs for delivering and picking up the drinks orders is kind of impractical and a design flaw, that simple detail makes hot beverages to arrive lukewarm if not cold.

Regarding food, taste, preparation, and ingredients are prime quality, there would be no complaints here if not for the fact that coffee and food arrived lukewarm, most likely due to the aforementioned staff’s newness. We started with some mimosas, which were tasty but could had been chillier; we then asked for some coffee and croissants, which were brought with no butter nor jam service, and was not even offered/available; we followed with Benedictine eggs, and although I would have preferred salmon instead of Canadian bacon, they were on the very good tier, with a super fluffy muffin, perfect hollandaise sauce, and beautifully poached eggs; we wrapped up our visit with both desserts, the cheesecake and the chocolate éclair-like, which I would rank also as very good and of proper size –2 or 3 bites per person. Regarding prices, something around $1,400 pesos ($70 USD approx.) per person for what I just listed.

In this particular case, I think the venue and its décor are key drivers for luring people in and need to be up to expectations; you can’t deny people are visiting this place with their social media feed in mind. Unfortunately, though, I must report that Blue Box Café lacks a true Instagramable appeal. As you enter the café your gaze goes straight to the ceiling covered with dozens of Tiffany boxes, but as soon as you go beyond that, you realize there’s nothing else this place has to offer. Blue Box Café feels sterile and cold, the Tiffany hue and the white lighting, along with the mobiliary and the whitish tiled floor, add for an ambiance opposite from cozy. The coffee bar just upstairs, on the other hand, feels way cozier with its warm lighting and wooden floor and mobiliary, the whole of the dining room could have followed the style.

Last, but not least, accessibility. Ironically, the only part that is not wheelchair friendly is the main entrance to the store; there’s a small step which might give some trouble to sort out because of the double security door, but all in all, doable. Can’t understand how a ramp was not considered after such a massive revamping the store went through. Anywho, there’s a lift that will take you to the upper level of the store, where you can then take a platform lift to make it to the dining room. Although Blue Box Café can be considered spacious and comfortable, don’t forget to let your needs be...

I would advise waiting a few months before expecting a consistently high level of service at this establishment. My fiancé brought me here as a surprise before looking at wedding rings, but unfortunately, the experience was far from satisfactory.

I ordered first, and the server asked me about any allergies, to which I mentioned seafood and shellfish. When the food arrived, only my fiancé was served. Upon inquiring about my meal, the server informed me that I had not placed an order. I was taken aback, as I had ordered first. She took my order then, but there was no apology for the oversight, and she assured me my food would arrive shortly.

A few minutes later, she returned to inform me that the item I originally ordered 30 minutes earlier was no longer available. I requested to speak with management and opted not to order anything else. The server left and returned with the news that management would take care of the situation. However, she never returned to the table.

The Manager on Duty (MOD) served me, but was unaware of what had transpired, nor had he been briefed. I also asked for two complimentary glasses of champagne, as they are typically offered to all those shopping, which he seemed hesitant to fulfill but eventually did.

Additionally, the chef graciously sent out blini with caviar as a courtesy. Unfortunately, due to my shellfish allergy, I was unable to enjoy this. It was concerning that the server did not properly document my allergy, which could have posed a significant health risk.

Overall, while the experience was expensive, it was disappointing and far from what I would expect from a high-end establishment. I hope they take this feedback to improve their service in the future, but until then, I cannot...

Good for the 'Gram (and Maybe the Sweets) ⭐⭐

Let's be honest, a visit to the Blue Box Cafe definitely warrants a Instagram post or two – it's a stylish spot.

The Good (and Okay): Good for Photos: It's a visually appealing place. Food is Decent: The main dishes are actually pretty good. Sweets are a Treat: Their desserts are definitely a highlight. Burger Thumbs Up: The burger gets a solid nod.

The Not-So-Good (Definitely Skip These): Coffee Catastrophe: Seriously, avoid the coffee. Drinks Disaster: The other drinks aren't much better. Pricey (Duh): You're paying a premium for the name and the look. It's expensive for what you actually get.

The Bottom Line: Go for the experience and snap some nice pics. Stick to the food and the sweets. Steer clear of the coffee and other drinks. Your wallet will feel it, but your social media will appreciate...