Sonora Grill — Restaurant in Mexico City

I was staying nearby and dropped in to specifically try the Hamburguesa Wellington burger aka, the Beef Wellington Burger, since I’ve been trying burgers around town. The Hamburguesa Wellington is a burger patty cooked simultaneously inside of the bread. I’ve known of the concept but never had a burger this way. The fixings, minus the cheese, are also inside the bread. Service was quick but a bit too…aggressive. I was barely seated and asked what I wanted to drink before receiving the menu while simultaneously chips and salsas arriving via another guy as they were moving my table setting to place the app while club music was blaring at 5pm. Since I came for the burger, I had planned on having a beer if there were any local artisan selections, however I didn’t see any and as soon as I asked for some time to look over the menu , the waiter disappeared. By the time he came back I just decided to get a glass of wine so I could relax. When the burger arrived, it was delivered near my table but just left on the serving stand as the server walked away. Soon after my waiter returned and acted surprised that it was there. He called another guy who came over and plated it before me. However, he then took a large syringe and injected liquid cheese into the burger. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. It would’ve made a great video if I’d had some idea what to expect. At that point he looked around and called for a knife. The knife brought was dull as he found when he started to cut the burger. Again, I wasn’t expecting that. When he realized how dull the knife was, he picked up my table knife and cut the burger. He was quite pleased with himself for this feat. And again, I wasn’t expecting that. The burger itself was quite tasty and the insides, including the pickles and fixings were steaming hot. I had to be careful and let it cool before digging in. A cold beer would’ve been nice at that point. Instead I had to order another glass of wine since it had taken so long for the burger to arrive. It was an interesting culinary concept and I’m glad I tried it. For the price I’m not sure I’d recommend Sonora Grill for a burger or steak meal when there are other...

I've reserved a table using OpenTable, about 2 hours before the opening time. They were aware of the reservation and gave me and my colleague a window table. Very good.

Ambiance was perfect. However ambient sound was House Music (I like it, but incompatible for lunch hours and the business vibe around) and since i was kinda close to the speaker, too damn loud. I would settle for a smooth jazz or ambient/chillout soundtrack. That would have been better.

It took a while to attend to us and give us menus. However the waiter came eventually and gave us menus, and brought us the free nachos with the spicy sauces. Be very careful before trying the dark ones (they are very spicy).

Meats are the speciality, and there are big cuts that you can share with 3+ people. I think the sharing is more worthwhile if you have a big party (4 or more).

We ordered the Aracherra steak, that it's like a Skirt Steak (US) or Vacio Steak (Argentina/Uruguay) or Fraldinha (Brazil). It's marinated and apparently “sous vide” seasoned. It's very tender but the flavor reminded me of pork sausage, not a steak per se.

Side was a portion of French Fries with parmesan, that was ok.

Desserts were offered, they were very big, but since i didn't have any more room in my stomach to eat i passed on that, and went to the coffee part.

Coffee was a Nespresso that i could have made at home. This was the most disappointing part of the meal. The Nespresso cup was dirty so was the cup holder. Coffee was ok, as any Nespresso would have done. I still don't agree with restaurants making coffee with wholesale/supermarket consumer machines. I want something hand made or professionally made. Not something i would have...

Have you ever been on vacation, feeling both your wallet and your waistline getting uncomfortably heavy? Well, look no further than Sonora Grill—it’s practically a crash-course in weight loss!

I made a New Year’s resolution to drop a few pounds, and on day one, this fine establishment served me their signature Mango Ceviche and Wagyu. Talk about results: I started hurling right when I left the building. I’d managed to throw up eight times in half an hour, which left me parched and begging for water. Sonora Grill kindly offered me their top-shelf tap water at no charge—apparently, that’s the extra kick you need to lose that stubborn holiday weight. I declined, however; I have my limits, and fainting on a sidewalk in Mexico City seemed like a much more thrilling story.

Next thing I knew, I was checking into one of the most exclusive overnight accommodations in town—a local hospital. IV drips, top-notch nursing staff, an uninterrupted stay… Talk about VIP treatment! Sure, I missed out on touring the pyramids of Teotihuacan and visiting the Anthropology Museum, but just think of the money I saved by not paying for those tours.

After all was said and done, Sonora Grill achieved what years of street food in India and Egypt never could: my very first hospital stay in over a decade. If you’re looking for a quick, albeit extreme, way to shed a 15 pounds and pinch some pennies on sightseeing, this place has you covered. Bon appétit!

P.S. They will promise you a refund and not honor it. When you do a charge back on your credit card, they will fight it! Still cheaper...