Kokoro Tulum — Restaurant in Quintana Roo

Beautiful venue, good sushi, most of all the sashimi... but there are some things to note:

1. you probably need to get there by either walking the road that stems from Satélite Sur and parallels Av Concejo Ciudadano.... --that road is a dirt road full of holes and puddles, making it hard to navigate (slippery!) especially since there is no street lighting. Should you choose to get there (or back) with a taxi, be aware that you get charged outrageously: 200mxn for 5 min drive (something that costs 30mxn in Bacalar).

2. The Omakase was priced differently on the menu they showed than on the menu I read online: it now costs 2200 per person in stead of 1600. If you realise that you can actually get a full tasting menu for that kind of money at Kuuk in Mérida...why bother coming here? Especially when the meat was chewy (tuna and beef) and not everything was up to par.

3. When I asked for a non-alcoholic drink, they said they could make one of the cocktails non-alcoholic. On our bill, the drink showed up as a full cocktail of more than 200mxn. Quite excessive for some lemonade and nopal juice...

4. The order wasn't timed well. We ordered an Omakase and after 3 nice dishes, we had to wait quite a long time to then receive 2 dishes almost at the same time.

5. I was looking forward to a nice dessert -as I saw on the menu matcha ice-cream or tempura ice-cream. However, to my disappointment, the dessert of the Omakase was just a scoop of odd-flavoured strawberry ice-cream which had quite large ice-crystals in it.

On top of it all, they show a recommended tip of 15% on your bill... something I find off-putting in all cases. If I like a restaurant, I'm eager to tip. If it has been wonderful, I'll tip you a lot! However, if you're already presuming a tip when your service has been lacking..?. ugh.. that really leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

My conclusion: if you must do Tulum sushi, come in for a bite or two (some sashimi or nigiri), check your bill and hope for the best. If you are looking for just a great night worth your money: go some place else like the Tulum...

Stylish serene setting "in the middle of the jungle". We really enjoyed our time, good vibe with some proper interaction with the waiter. But one particular thing has left a bitter aftertaste: after getting the bill for 1050 and leaving 1500 in the folder, I was asked whether I want any change back or if I was happy to leave the extra as a tip (a 50%, x'cuse me?). As a person who's been working in restaurant business for over 10 years now, that just genuinely shocked me (imagine how a regular civilian could have reacted). After a short confusion I replied that a 200 back would be nice (that left the waiter with almost 30% tip, am I correct with the math?). "Well, might be just cultural difference, not a big deal", I said to myself (while it actually IS a big deal, completely unacceptable in a "high end" establishment like yours). I probably would never even write this review, if the waiter at least would have brought the dreadful change back to the table themself, or at least would have said bye when we were leaving (the venue had some 3-4 tables sat at the moment), but we were left completely ignored at our way out. That just felt like a silent "get lost now, you...

I absolutely understand why this restaurant has earned its perfect 5-star rating - the attention to detail and passion they put into every dish is simply incredible. The presentation alone was breathtaking, from the artfully arranged oysters topped with silky salmon sashimi and vibrant ikura on rustic wooden boards, to the elegant sashimi tartare with quail egg yolk served on sleek black plates. But this wasn't just beautiful plating for show - every garnish, every delicate carrot julienne, every component worked in perfect harmony to create a complete flavor experience.

The quality and freshness of the ingredients was outstanding, with fish that practically melted on the tongue and caviar that added perfect bursts of briny richness. You can taste the difference that genuine passion and expertise make - this is culinary artistry at its finest. The restaurant has completely exceeded my expectations and earned every one of those five stars. This is an absolute must-visit for anyone who appreciates exceptional Japanese cuisine and the kind of attention to detail that transforms a meal into an...