Las Quince Letras — Restaurant in Oaxaca

I am very frustrated. On a Monday afternoon, our party of four had to wait 45 minutes to get a table on the upstairs terrace- after having received confirmation for a reservation several days in advance. The hostess informed us, on our arrival, that the terrace was not even open until 2:30. We had reserved through the website, and, in the special notes section, we had specified a table on the terrace. The restaurant had our reservation but had not noted the request for the terrace. Nor had it informed us in the confirmation that the terrace was not open until half an hour after our confirmed reservation time with a terrace table. The hostess told us the restaurant did not really look at email reservation requests (!) and that we should have called. I had called originally from my Oaxaca landline make the reservation but the telephone connection with the person who answered the phone was very bad and I found it impossible to understand her, what with the background noise from the restaurant and the poor connection in the building.Cell service in the waiting area/ hostess stand is almost non-existent So, we next attempted the reservation button on the website, with a block for "Specific Requests"- written in spanish. I question why they bother to have a website reservation request if no one pays any attention to the details. The noise level in the downstairs dining areas is unbearable, hence the necessity of a table on the upstairs terrace. It's a popular restaurant and frequently packed, often with tour groups and large family parties. Upstairs is less noisy and one can converse with dining companions. We were thrilled when the terrace opened last year. This year, with the huge influx of visitors to Oaxaca, Las Quince Letras seems overwhelmed. Service is perfunctory and rushed, the food is pleasant but hardly exciting. The camarones del día were a major disappointment: the pale steamed/boiled, not sauteed as described, shrimp had little flavor and the presentation was not attractive. The trio of moles with chicken and pork was better but not outstanding. Warning (not noted on the website): the terrace does not open until 2:30-2:45ish. Unless you can deal with a truly extreme noise level, avoid the downstairs dining rooms. Too many tables too close together; diners end up having to use louder and louder voices to hear each other. Advice: book a table on the terrace for 4:00 - 4:30 on a week day. Don't bother with the shrimp or fish filet. The sopa de guías available only on the weekends is...

Not the best experience for us.

The food was okay, but we had expected much more after reading the other reviews. We ordered 2 dishes with mole, but it was amazingly bland. With my husband's dish, there was barely any rice (definitely not enough to fully enjoy the mole), and mine just didn't have any. I fully acknowledge that the menu did not say that my dish would have rice, but I had at least expected more veggies, because my plate now looked more like mole soup. For Mexican standards, we had waited a long time for our dishes, and I was quite disappointed.

However, what made our experience really bad, was the service. Our waiter (called M.J.) made us feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome. It took a while before we received cutlery, and when we did, I didn't get a spoon for my "mole soup". We asked our waiter for a spoon, but nothing happened. Eventually we had to ask another waiter (A., who was very kind and professional) to get one. Throughout our meal, M.J. kept passing by to take things away within 60 seconds of emptying then (e.g. bottle or basket)(not exaggerating the timeframe: I timed it after a while out of frustration). Where I come from, that's considered quite rude, because it makes you feel watched and like you should get out of the restaurant asap. I know this is different in other countries, however, so I would not hold it against him (what is considered rude in my country is not necessarily rude in others, after all). That was until he took my plate away before my partner even finished his. It is very awkward to sit at a restaurant table with not even a plate in front of you while your companion is still eating. I then reached out to the tortilla basket to take a piece, but M.J. came over to take my partner's plate (which my partner had barely finished) away and took the opportunity to take the tortillas away too. The cherry on top, however, was when he came over to clean the table WHILE we were still enjoying our drinks. I can't imagine anyone enjoys that and honestly never experienced this anywhere else.

Given that the food was only okay (taking the price into account) and the service made our experience worse rather than better, we were not planning on tipping generously. This is not the USA, where waiters don't get a salary and live on tips. In Western Europe, tips are based on the service quality, and I think that's fair. When M.J. was not happy with his tip, he became very unpleasant/rude on top of it all, making our experience even less pleasant.

Would...

Our breakfast spread at Las Quince Letras was a journey through Oaxacan flavors. We started with café de olla, a rich and aromatic coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo, which perfectly complemented the morning. The green juice was refreshing and made from locally sourced ingredients, highlighting the restaurant's commitment to freshness.

For those with a sweet tooth, the hot chocolate was a decadent treat, showcasing the complexity of Oaxacan chocolate-making traditions. The main courses were equally impressive: scrambled eggs with chorizo, tamales bursting with flavorful fillings, omelette a la oaxaqueña and enchilada fiesta oaxaqueña, each dish a testament to the kitchen's skill and dedication to authenticity.

A standout moment was when our friendly waitress, upon learning that my husband had never tried hierba santa, surprised us with a tetela made with this aromatic herb. This thoughtful gesture exemplified the personalized service and genuine hospitality that Las Quince Letras is known for.

The staff at Las Quince Letras are not just servers but ambassadors of Oaxacan hospitality. From recommending dishes to sharing insights about local ingredients, they enhanced our dining experience with their knowledge and warmth. The waitress who brought us the tetela made our visit truly memorable with her attentiveness and genuine care.

If you're in Oaxaca and looking for a place to enjoy a delightful breakfast or any meal that showcases the best of Oaxacan cuisine, Las Quince Letras should be at the top of your list. It's where tradition meets innovation, and every dish tells a story of flavor, culture,...