mlgb

I won't post the link since often they get deleted anyways but English language Mexico News Daily has an article from January 2023 about Oaxaca restaurants.

BTW my experience at Casa Oaxaca mentioned there (and recommended in one of the Fodor's Oaxaca trip reports) was less than stellar. Lot of server focus on large tables of suits.

My Tripadvisor review
Slow to acknowledge, slow to take order. Make a big show of the salsa, but then you get no tostada save the one that is offered with some cheese on top (half per person). Finally asked for some tostadas "like the other tables" after I was finished with my main (no one ever checked back after serving it). I had chips and salsa for dessert. Plus, I had to refill my own glass with an 80 MXN bottle of still water. The food was okay (black mole on turkey) but not a pleasant experience trying to get anyone's attention.

Several of the most recent TA reviews also mention poor service.

baldone

We've often wanted to try Casa Oaxaca due to the hype. Maybe glad we didn't? On our recent trip, we did attempt to go to Los Danzantes, a place we've enjoyed both in Oaxaca & Coyocan. It was booked for a wedding on the Saturday we arrived. The center & tourist andadores were jam packed with people. So we just went upstairs to the German restaurant that wasn't busy. Turkey sandwiches. Not what you'd expect from Oaxaca. But we were tired and didn't want to fight the crowds. So it was OK. But this trip, we had most of our dinners in Reforma, which is off the radar of most tourists. The article also mentioned expat favorite, La Biznaga. Always liked it, but it's been a few years. Likewise El Catedral. We had our 25th anniversary dinner there with a number of Mexican friends we've known for years. That was 2001. 50th approaching quickly, lol. Might have to do a replay. If we live that long.

progol

I have to agree - Casa Oaxaca was good, but not “wow”. It just wasn’t special. The owners of our hotel love it and got us a reservation despite it being fully reserved on the website which was why we decided to give it a try. We don’t usually go to the hyped places so we weren’t hugely disappointed but it still surprised me that it is so hyped.

We had eaten at Levadura de Olla the night before and much preferred it, and it doesn’t get the hype of Casa Oaxaca.

bald0ne

Acclaimed & renowned international food critic (and Desperate Housewives & soap opera star) Eva Longoria, highly recommends Casa Oaxaca. Lol. Must be her Corpus Christi heritage.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/e...co-restaurants

zebec

We've reached the point where 'hyped' restaurants just aren't worth the effort anymore. All the best eateries on our recent Italian trip save two, were ones that we'd never heard of.
I am done. the Wahaka

ekscrunchy

Wish this article had come out before my last visit! Thank you for the mention.

Agree about Casa Oaxaca restaurant. Did like the hotel, however. When I was there, the hotel had a different address than the rooftop restaurant.
Los Danzantes was disappointing. Personal experience was that most of the restaurants in the touristic centro area were less than memorable.
Had 2 dinners at Origen..one very good, another just okay. (Hope I am remembering correctly..think I wrote a TR about that trip--we combined DF, Puebla and Oaxaca city.)

La Teca had a much more local feel (out of he center but walkable), but this is food from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Very good but not sure I would return. I don't remember any great meals on my most recent trip, which was about 8 years ago now....I liked the food better at the markets including Sunday market of Tlacolula. I love Oaxaca city but believe there is not a big local restaurant market, so most restaurants are geared to tourists ( including domestic tourists) and it shows...just my personal opinion.

mlgb

In my trip report I mentioned El Quinqué Oaxaca. It is definitely tourist/expat oriented but I found the food reasonably priced, service good, and variety of healthy options is always nice.

My favorite though was the Restaurante Colibrí - Sierra Norte on Hwy 175 (Oaxaca-Tuxtepec) where their wild mushroom plate was available and recommended by my birding guide.