La Buena Barra CDMX — Restaurant in Mexico City

To be clear, this place probably deserves 5 stars, but I had a 3.5-4 star experience. The menu options looked fantastic, and several options include the kind of tableside razzle-dazzle (flames, dry ice) that the fanciest places deliver. The wait staff is VERY attentive and professional--they seem to be career waiters. You should definitely visit this place...just be wary that the staff might be a little pushy with suggestions.

My dessert (the molten caramel lava cake) and drinks (mezcal-tamarind something or other, espresso martini, glass of red wine) were definitely worthy of 5 stars.

And yet I regret my choices and the influence the manager and wait staff had upon me. Perhaps because my Spanish is poor, they had an English-speaking manger work with me much of the time. He--and the regular waiter--were always trying to suggest something...even if I didn't ask for a recommendation. I generally trust wait staff recommendations, and I enjoyed some of the selections, but they actively talked me out of my meat selection, and that was my biggest regret.

I'm from Texas, and when I eat steaks, I go big or go home. About 50% of the time I can eat a tomahawk in one sitting, and if there are leftovers, that's actually an even better outcome. I came here (alone!) to eat a fantastic fatty steak. I wanted the "Big Boy"--a 1.6kg Wagyu tomahawk. The waiter didn't seem to like that idea, and that's my first encounter with the manager who told me "sir, this is a very big steak" (well, DUH) and the waiter said he'd bring the cart around to prove to me how colossal that was. I think he thought it would dissuade me, but I only got more excited. He took the cart away and then the manger came back for their third attempt to dissuade me, by informing me of the price of the steak: 6200 pesos (USD$345). That's a lot but I've paid more for a steak this caliber at Ruth's Cris Steakhouse.

I was always fine with taking home leftovers, and the price is a lot but I see it as two or even three meals, but at that point I felt pressure that if I didn't finish that steak in one sitting they they'd have judged me for it. I took an alternative offering--the ribeye put on a salt block with flambe mezcal. And I was disappointed. It was much leaner than I like and the salt block kept cooking it past my desired medium rare, so it was more in the done range. I could also still taste the mezcal, and it subtracted from the fatty taste I was after. They were quick to make recommendations for me and they were very attentive to my table...but nobody asked me how my steak was, or else I would have given them my honest answer.

I came in there to eat the tomahawk, drink some bourbon drinks, and eat the churro, but I was talked into a flambéed rib eye (meh), an espresso martini (not bad, but not a bourbon drink), and the caramel lava cake (good!). I should have...

Overrated, overpriced, overhyped, and missing the point in more ways than one! I knew something just wasn't right when I saw the place was half full during prime time. Oh where to start? Service...you see waiters, many of them...yet no attentiveness and lack of awareness. You see managers, yet they don't seem to be directing anything nor anyone. When you have to fetch your server time and again because your drink (or lack thereof) is done and you wish another...or when you finish some poor excuse of grilled tortillas...in a place like this...please. Inexcusable. Wine list...minimal by the glass, very limited by the bottle then again I'm used to places with 500+ varietals. They could do better in this area. Full liquor bar, here they do have a pretty large selection of spirits...albeight served to a questionable measure. The complimentary tomato soup as starter was excellent. So you would think the rest would be as good or greater. The steaks....good in flavor but cooked to their desired temperature not yours. You're not even asked. Ribeye was of good quality and so was the skirt (aracherra). Preparation was good. Not superb but good. The grilled artichokes, very well prepared. The Cesar Salad...a magic show. Why do I say this. It is prepared tableside. You see the waiter very carefully adding all ingredients and showcasing excellent technique in preparation. You see all ingredients going in to the salad before your very eyes. Garlic, egg, olive oil, lime, salt, pepper, mustard, anchovies and parmesan cheese ( I would like to believe it was parma) and then....the magic happens when you taste it.....FLAVORLESS! And this is NOT the waiters fault. Mediocre ingredients yield a subpar product my friends. The presentation was great. But leaves a lot to be desired. The manager confessed the cheese base was done mid-day ( which explains the bland taste and soggy texture) the pepper....no punch as it was old. The place has great decor, interesting ambiance but lacks in substance and delivery.

I read many reviews...not putting anyone down but this place is a 7 out of 10. Many great places in Polanco and this city. This is not one I would think of first, or second...or many even...

We had an unfortunate experience here at this restaurant. The service was off. Out of 10 of us they didn't get 2 of our drink orders until I had to ask a manager for our drinks. Then I ordered my steak well done (yes I know well done isn't the most common) but it was burnt. There IS a difference between well done and burnt.I never return my food, I hate waste but it wasn't cheap and wasn't what I ordered. I told the waiter and he said that there was nothing they could do. Then the manager came over and said the same and that it would not be taken off our check and they would not make it right nor met us half way with a discount. Then after he left the waiter came very nervously telling me that they were going to take it off his pay if we kept persisting. I totally feel cheated and disgusted by their approach. After taking my plate they returned with it and asked if I'd like to finish eating it. Zero on...