Restaurant in Mexico City, Mexico
Michelin value, easy booking, go back.
Plonk earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025 and delivers above its $$ price point in Hipódromo, Mexico City. The drinks program is the reason to go back: the venue's name comes from wartime wine ration slang, and that unpretentious, drink-focused identity runs through the whole experience. Booking is easy, making it one of the better-value Michelin-recognised options in the city.
Yes — and if you've already been once, you have good reason to go back. Plonk earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025, which in Mexico City's crowded dining field is a meaningful signal: this is a restaurant that delivers above its price point. At the $$ tier, it competes directly with places like Rosetta and Comedor Jacinta for value-conscious diners who don't want to compromise on quality. Plonk is the better call if drinks are central to your evening.
Plonk sits on Iztaccihuatl 52 in Hipódromo, one of Mexico City's most walkable and restaurant-dense neighbourhoods. The name carries a specific story: during the First World War, French soldiers received a litre of wine as part of their daily rations. The Australian soldiers fighting alongside them didn't understand the French term for it, so they started calling it "plonk" — a corruption of pinard, the soldiers' slang for cheap but functional wine. That etymology is worth knowing because it tells you something about the venue's positioning: this is a place that takes wine and drinks seriously without taking itself too seriously. The name signals unpretentious, democratic access to good drinking.
That framing matters for repeat visitors. If your first visit was about the food, your second should be structured around the drinks program. Plonk's editorial angle is its bar and wine offering , the kind of program that earns a Bib Gourmand not just by cooking well but by building a room where drinking is part of the point. For a $$ restaurant in Hipódromo, that combination is harder to find than it sounds.
The Bib Gourmand recognition from Michelin (2025) applies to the full experience, and in Plonk's case the drinks offering is central to that experience rather than an afterthought. Wine programs at this price tier in Mexico City tend to be limited by margin pressure , most $$ spots offer a perfunctory list with little by the glass. Plonk's name and origin story suggest the list is curated with intent. For a return visit, this is the thing to probe: ask what's open by the glass, work through the list with a bit of patience, and treat the drinks selection as a reason to stay longer rather than something to resolve quickly at the start of the meal.
For context on what's available in Mexico City's broader drinks scene, our full Mexico City bars guide covers the city's cocktail and wine bar options in detail. Plonk occupies a different niche from a standalone cocktail bar , it's a restaurant where the drinks program has been built to match the food rather than compete with it.
If you've been to Plonk once and are deciding whether to go back, the answer is yes under two conditions: you're going with someone who drinks wine, and you're not in a rush. The Hipódromo location rewards a slow evening , the neighbourhood has enough around it that you can extend the night in either direction. Esquina Común and Máximo are both in the area and worth knowing as alternatives if Plonk is full, but neither carries the same drinks-forward identity at this price point.
Google reviewers give it a 4.5 from 316 reviews , a solid signal that the experience holds up across a range of visits and diner types, not just on good nights. That consistency matters more than a single high score.
Booking at Plonk is rated Easy. For a Bib Gourmand venue in one of Mexico City's busiest dining neighbourhoods, that's a genuine advantage over harder-to-book peers like Pujol or Em. A few days' notice should be sufficient for most nights, though weekends in Hipódromo fill faster than the week. For a spontaneous dinner, it's worth trying , the booking difficulty rating suggests walk-in capacity exists.
Hours are not confirmed in our current data. Check directly with the venue before arriving, particularly on Mondays and Tuesdays when many Mexico City restaurants close.
Plonk is one data point in a city with a deep restaurant field. If you're building a full Mexico City trip around food and drink, our full Mexico City restaurants guide covers the range from street-level to fine dining. For hotels near Hipódromo, our Mexico City hotels guide has current options. And if you're extending into Mexican wine country, Animalón in Valle de Guadalupe and Lunario in El Porvenir are both worth the trip. For regional Mexican cooking beyond the capital, Levadura de Olla in Oaxaca and KOLI Cocina de Origen in Monterrey are strong options in their respective cities. If you're travelling from the US and want to benchmark against what Mexican cuisine looks like stateside, Alma Fonda Fina in Denver and Cariño in Chicago both represent the category well.
Almost certainly yes , the drinks-forward identity of the space and the Bib Gourmand-level pricing both suggest a bar or counter setup is part of the room. That said, seating configuration is not confirmed in our current data. Given the booking difficulty is rated Easy, it's worth calling ahead to ask specifically about bar seating if that's your preference.
Nothing formal is required. Hipódromo skews smart-casual , the neighbourhood is relaxed but not scruffy. At the $$ price point with a Bib Gourmand recognition, you'll fit in with clean casual or a light blazer. No dress code is specified by the venue.
Yes, with the right framing. It's not a celebration-in-white-tablecloth sense , the $$ price point and Hipódromo setting are relaxed rather than formal. But a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition and a drinks program built with intent make it a strong pick for a wine-focused birthday dinner or a low-key anniversary where the meal is the occasion. If you need grandeur and ceremony, Pujol at $$$$ is the better call.
Tasting menu details are not confirmed in our current data. At the $$ price tier, if a tasting menu exists it would represent strong value relative to peers. The Michelin Bib Gourmand is awarded specifically for good cooking at a moderate price, which supports the case for committing to a longer format if one is offered. Ask when booking.
Rosetta is the closest peer in price tier and neighbourhood polish , go there if you want Italian-leaning creative cooking. Comedor Jacinta is also $$ and Mexican-focused, worth trying if Plonk is full. If you want to step up in ambition and price, Em at $$$ is the next logical move. Expendio de Maíz is a different kind of experience , more focused on corn-based Mexican tradition , and worth a separate visit rather than a direct swap.
Group suitability is not specified in our current data, but at $$ pricing in Hipódromo, Plonk is likely manageable for small groups of 4–6. For larger groups, call ahead , the combination of a drinks-forward program and easy booking suggests some flexibility. For groups needing a private room or guaranteed larger capacity, Em or Pujol may offer more structured group options.
Specific dietary accommodation information is not confirmed in our current data. Mexican cuisine at this level generally handles vegetarian requests well; vegan and gluten-free adaptations vary by kitchen. Contact the venue directly before booking if dietary restrictions are a firm requirement. The easy booking difficulty means a quick call to confirm is low friction.
Plonk serves Mexican cuisine at a $$ price point, which typically means a menu built around shared plates and seasonal ingredients — formats that can usually accommodate common dietary needs with advance notice. check the venue's official channels before visiting if restrictions are specific or severe. The Bib Gourmand recognition suggests kitchen care, but confirm details with the restaurant.
Plonk is on a residential stretch of Hipódromo at Iztaccihuatl 52 — neighbourhood venues at this price point ($$ Bib Gourmand) tend to be compact, which means larger groups can strain the room. For parties of 4 or fewer, booking should be straightforward given the venue's Easy booking rating. Groups of 6 or more should check the venue's official channels to confirm capacity.
Plonk is a $$ Bib Gourmand in Hipódromo, one of Mexico City's most relaxed and walkable dining neighbourhoods. Nothing in the venue record suggests a dress requirement — come presentable but don't dress up for it. Neighbours like Rosetta or Quintonil at higher price points call for more considered outfits; Plonk does not.
Rosetta in Roma Norte is the closest step up in ambition — still accessible but more chef-driven, and harder to book. Comedor Jacinta offers a similarly approachable price point with strong local credentials. Pujol and Quintonil operate at a different level entirely: tasting-menu format, significantly higher spend, and weeks-out booking lead times. If you want Bib Gourmand value with easy access, Plonk is the stronger call over the two tasting-menu heavyweights.
Yes, with a caveat: Plonk's $$ pricing and Easy booking status make it a low-friction choice, but the occasion has to match the format. It's a better fit for a relaxed birthday dinner or a celebratory drink-focused evening than for a milestone that calls for ceremony. For occasions that need a grander frame, Pujol or Quintonil justify the extra spend and advance planning.
No tasting menu is documented in the venue record for Plonk. The Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025) recognises good food at moderate prices — typically an à la carte or set-menu format rather than a multi-course tasting sequence. If a tasting menu format is your priority, Pujol or Quintonil are the more established options in Mexico City.
Bar seating is not confirmed in the venue record, but Plonk's drinks-forward identity and Hipódromo neighbourhood positioning make counter or bar dining plausible. The venue books Easy, so securing a table is unlikely to be the problem — but if bar seating is specifically what you want, verify directly before visiting.
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