Restaurante El Cardenal Mexico City Review: Lunch in the Historic Center

Restaurante El Cardenal is a long-running Mexican restaurant founded in 1969. I visited its Palma location in Mexico City’s historic center, inside a restored French-style Porfirian building.

I stopped here for lunch during my trip to Mexico City. Before I even walked inside, the first thing I noticed was how beautiful the building was. The main dining room upstairs was bright and spacious, with large windows letting in plenty of natural light.

El Cardenal ended up being one of my favorite restaurants from the trip, with the mole standing out most from the meal.

It was more expensive than some nearby restaurants, but I thought the quality of the food, setting, and service made it worth the higher price.

Interior of Restaurante El Cardenal

After walking through the entrance, I found a small dining room with only a few tables and access to an outdoor patio.

A staff member directed me to an elevator, which took me up one floor to the main dining room. I did not expect to take an elevator inside the restaurant, which made the layout feel unusual.

The main dining room was much larger than the space downstairs. It was open and bright, with large windows that let in plenty of natural light and a cool breeze.

The room felt casual, but it was louder than I expected. I could hear diners talking and staff moving plates and cups around the dining room.

Menu at Restaurante El Cardenal

The menu shown here is from my March 2024 visit. El Cardenal had one of the largest menus I came across during my trip to Mexico City.

There were hot and cold starters, salads, soups, seafood, meat dishes, traditional Mexican dishes, and several types of mole. The choices included beef, chicken, pork, veal, lamb, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and octopus, along with some meat-free options.

The menu also marked several recommended dishes. I had trouble deciding what to order, so I asked my server for a recommendation.

Bread

After ordering, but before my food arrived, a server walked over and placed a basket of warm bread and butter on the table.

The bread was airy and soft on the inside, with a crisp, crunchy crust. Even before I added any butter, the bread itself seemed slightly buttery.

While simple, the bread was delicious. El Cardenal makes its own bread, and the Palma location has a bread-baking area on the ground floor.

Arrachera Marinada

Following my server’s recommendation, I ordered the Arrachera Marinada, which cost 330 pesos during my visit. The English menu described it as a 300-gram piece of arrachera, or hanger steak, served with guacamole, sautéed nopales, and scallions.

The sear on the outside added color, texture, and a smoky flavor. Inside, the meat was tender and slightly bouncy, without any fatty or tough pieces.

Although it was cooked all the way through, the steak was not dry and was easy to cut with my knife. The seasoning seemed simple, mostly salt and pepper, which allowed the flavor of the beef to come through.

The guacamole was simple, fresh, and tangy. The nopales were tender with a slight crunch and lightly acidic from pickling. The dish also came with sautéed onions, which the menu listed as scallions.

A couple of roasted red peppers were mixed in as well. They looked like chiles de árbol, but I did not notice any heat.

Pollo en Mole Poblano

Of the several mole dishes on the menu, I ordered the Pollo en Mole Poblano, which cost 260 pesos during my visit. It came with rice and a choice of chicken breast or leg and thigh. I chose the leg and thigh.

The menu described the mole as being made with three types of chiles, including mulato and ancho, along with almonds, dried bread, and chocolate. It also noted that the dish was a little spicy.

The plate looked simple when it arrived, but the dark mole glistened under the lights. The chicken leg and thigh were tender and moist, and the rice was cooked well.

The mole was the highlight. It was thick, sweet, smoky, slightly spicy, and savory. It worked especially well with the tender chicken and rice, making this my favorite dish of the meal.

Service at Restaurante El Cardenal

Of all the restaurants I visited during my trip to Mexico City, El Cardenal had some of the best service.

From the time I arrived until I left, the staff was welcoming and attentive. Whenever I needed something, someone was nearby to help, and my server gave me recommendations when I had trouble deciding what to order.

I also noticed staff clearing and cleaning tables soon after guests left. The dining room looked spotless throughout my meal.

Conclusion

Restaurante El Cardenal was one of my favorite restaurants from my trip to Mexico City. The mole poblano was the highlight, but I also enjoyed the tender arrachera and warm bread.

The attentive service and beautiful dining room made the meal even better. It was more expensive than some nearby restaurants, but I thought it was worth the higher price.

I would return on another trip to Mexico City. If you are looking for traditional Mexican food in a beautiful historic building and do not mind paying a little more, I think El Cardenal is worth a visit.

Pros

• Rich and slightly spicy mole poblano
• Tender arrachera with a smoky sear
• Warm bread with a crisp crust
• Friendly and attentive service
• Bright dining room inside a beautiful historic building

Cons

• More expensive than some nearby restaurants

Last Updated on July 20, 2026