All about Cienfuegos Restaurant in Mérida (2025)

When I first walked through Cienfuegos’s doors in Mérida, I immediately knew I was somewhere out of the ordinary. In my book, Cienfuegos is hands-down the best-designed restaurant in Mérida – but more on that later.

Cienfuegos literally means "a hundred fires." The restaurant is located in Plaza Mangus, a small shopping center on the northern edge of Mérida. On the menu, you’ll find grilled cuts like

• New York steak,

• ribeye,

• porterhouse, and

• tomahawk,

all priced by weight. There’s also a selection of seafood, including tuna, salmon, squid, shrimp, and crawfish, as well as salads, tostadas, and tacos. At Cienfuegos, your meat is presented on a wooden cart and expertly carved at your table.

You can have lunch (opening hours from 1:00 pm) or dinner (Sundays are only open until 8:00 pm). It offers an very elegant atmosphere, though, like many places, the background music can be quite loud.

TripAdvisor awarded Cienfuegos with the Travellers' Award.

If you order a tomahawk steak, it arrives hanging on a rack, while flames rise dramatically from the wooden cart as part of the presentation.

That’s usually the moment when phones come out to capture the show. Once you confirm that the steak is cooked to your liking, it’s time to dig in.

Prices

Cienfuegos is one of Mérida’s most sophisticated dining destinations. The drink menu is extensive, featuring an impressive selection of wines – you can, for example, savor an Opus One from Napa Valley for 30,000 pesos.

Of course, there’s also an array of classic cocktails (Margarita, Old Fashioned, Mojito, Negroni...) alongside a diverse range of whiskey, tequila, mezcal, rum, gin, vodka, and single malts.

Meat is priced by weight, ranging from about 35 to 55 pesos per ounce, and the serving process is quite an experience. When we last visited with our 13-year-old twins, we ordered a steak for them to share, and it was more than enough.

Pricing by weight is always a bit of a thing – if you’d like a little heads-up, check out my article on the 100 Grados Steakhouse.

A Striking Design

As promised, a few words on the design. I didn’t manage to snap that many photos myself, but you’ll find tons of killer shots over on Amazing Architecture.

Arkham Projects nailed the building’s form, and Estudio Montevideo’s interiors elevated it – together, they turned raw materials and shifting light into pure artistry.

One side of the building is a rugged gabion wall filled with volcanic stone, while the opposite façade shimmers with 75,000 handcrafted black clay tiles that playfully catch the sun’s rays.

Inside, I paused in that narrow courtyard between the two walls and watched steam curl from the open hearth – an invitation, it seemed, into the restaurant’s soul.

Above me, a soaring wooden canopy arcs overhead in organic waves, as if grown rather than built, echoing the roots and branches of Mérida’s beloved álamos.

Moving past the intimate stone-altar bar (“la buena espera”), I found myself in the main dining room, where every texture – burnt-wood paneling, polished concrete floors, hand-woven textiles – felt deliberately chosen to deepen the experience.

Estudio Montevideo’s interiors balance warmth and drama: candlelit tables sit beside a glass-fronted wine cave, while a sculptural “charred” wall swings open to reveal a hidden lounge.

As a guest, I felt both enveloped by the space and free to explore its many layers. For me, the architecture is undeniably the restaurant’s crown jewel – an immersive canvas that transforms a simple meal into something memorable.

Cienfuegos Online

Here’s where you can find Cienfuegos online:

• Cienfuegos website

• Cienfuegos on Facebook

• Cienfuegos on Instagram

Plaza Mangus Shopping Center

Plaza Mangus is an upscale shopping center located in the Santa Gertrudis Copo neighborhood in northern Mérida. It features a selection of high-quality restaurants and bars, including Cienfuegos, Aura Rooftop, and Sushi Club Mérida.

While the plaza has a modern, avant-garde atmosphere and is pet-friendly, it doesn’t offer much beyond its dining options. Opposite the plaza, you’ll find Los Trompos, another recommended dining spot.

It remains open until 3:00 AM, making it a popular spot for late-night dining and socializing. There're several nearby bus stops, including Santa Gertrudis Copo and 690 / Santa Gertrudis Copo.