Bacanora

Even though my partner and I went overboard with the amount of food we had ordered, we had a very good experience here and I understood why they were so popular, because I could only grab a reservation for 11am since all other times have already been taken. Pretty much as soon as the restaurant opened, it was almost full, since the place was pretty tiny. And it pretty much remained that way on that Sunday. Pretty much every item was a hit, in terms of both quality and amount. The aguacate used a type of chiltepin cheese which was representative of Sonoran culture, and that provided a good spicy flavor to the dish. The cucumber salad was defined by salsa macha, which offered a different kind of spice, along with the vinaigrette that provided a hint of sourness, and then with the queso bits that neutralized the flavor a bit. The carnitas torta was huge in size and very flavorful. The escabeche mayo made all the difference because together with the tender carnitas, it was just juicy and succulent. The birria had an abundant amount of meat, which sometimes could be a hit or miss for consomé in general. I thought it was very appropriate for tortillas offered on the side as a result of the way they made the consomé. My partner had the pulpo con chorizo and had good feedback about it, citing its overall tastiness and how there was an abundant amount, as well as how the eggs and beans were made nicely. Since we sat at the first table next to the door, I sometimes stepped outside to enjoy the sunshine after that nice meal. I also want to mention that our server Loghan was very nice and even offered to customize a mocktail for my partner upon learning about their allergies. It was very nice for my partner and I to finally have some Mexican food since a lot of Mexican spots in our home of Minneapolis were closed at the time.

Don't miss this place. The food the service and the cute ambiance is unforgettable. I tried so many dishes and everyone was as refined and bold and punchy and flavourful and subtle all mixed in one. All the textures sweetness saltines sour and smoky and umami on every plate was just amazing. Best Mexican food maybe I've ever eaten and definitely the best meal I've had in a few months. Don't miss the short ribs, the mango and scallop salad was the winner for me… Also the octopus the street corn and anything at the skilful grill master is gonna throw over that fire will blow your mind. Highly recommended for a date for a chill night with a friend for a unique dining experience anytime. I would come back here any night of the week… In fact I think I'm looking for a table now for tomorrow lol thank you to the wonderful bartender for the selection of drinks and my first shot of Fernet-Vallet. Definitely bringing a bottle of that home from Trevor's liquors

We had this place on our to-go list ever since we moved to Phoenix & we were finally able to secure this reservation to celebrate my wife’s birthday! Sunday brunch did not disappoint! All items ordered are pictured. The burrito was ordered as the carne asada but they did deliver us a bean burrito that belonged to the table next to us instead. They quickly fixed the issue and were very professional about the mixup! The drinks were tasty and a must-try. Definitely planning on returning to try more items on the menu.

Bacanora has become a bit of a local sensation. It is rather difficult to find upscale traditional Mexican food in the valley so it was exciting to enjoy a fine dining experience. The good: Overall the experience was excellent. The steak was fantastic and perfectly prepared, the chicken was also flavorful and delicious. Both came with sides and so while not inexpensive they did feel like a decent value for a shared group. The drinks were especially well done. The house wines were both enjoyable and paired well with the meal. For those in my party not drinking they spoke highly of the mocktails as well. In the middle: The appetizers are all quite good, but the value for your dollar didnt seem especially good. We had the Elote and Aguacate. They were relatively simple in terms of the ingredients but demanded a rather high cost. While I enjoyed them both, I didn't find them to be a great value for the money. The not so good: The restaurant has a 90 minute max per table. The food does take a reasonable amount of time to prepare, but by the time our 90 minutes was up, we were still eating. We did not appreciate being rushed to finish our meal. It did detract for the experience. Compounding this is that there is only a single restroom. During the meal there was almost always 1-2 people waiting to use the restroom, so you will unfortunately have to lose some of that 90 minute time limit in order to wait to use the restroom. Final thoughts: Bacanora seems to have winning menu and upscale Mexican food is something to be savored and enjoyed. There is only minimal nitpicking as far as the value of the appetizer menu is concerned. Unfortunately demand seems to have out scaled their small location and long reservation waits and a time limit on the table detracts from the experience. I think Bacanora in a larger location that allows some breathing room and additional time to enjoy the meal would elevate this into a 5 star dining experience.

Bacanora is a quaint and relaxed restaurant serving Mexican food in a way most people have not seen it. They use chiltepin, epazote, and other native ingredients and cook up dishes with a deft hand. The service is good and attentive and so casual that you imagine the staff are just pals that opened a restaurant. And somehow that is a nice thing because you feel relaxed and cozy. It really makes this restaurant special. The only negative is that the desert feels like an afterthought. Like it is thrown together just because they have to offer it. If they pulled in a pastry chef that really thought out the dessert this place would be a truly special restaurant