Yerba Santa Mérida is a contemporary restaurant and cocktail bar at Paseo de Montejo 473 in the Zona Paseo Montejo, the tree-lined boulevard of early twentieth-century mansions that anchors Mérida’s northern cultural corridor. Rather than a traditional cochinita-and-poc-chuc kitchen, Yerba Santa works in modern Mexican technique, with a raw bar, seafood and meat plates, a seven-course tasting menu, and a serious cocktail, mezcal, and wine program. It draws diners who want a polished evening on the city’s most famous avenue.
What to Expect at Yerba Santa Mérida
The menu at yerbasantamerida.com is organized into sections that read like a progression through the evening: Raw Bar, Del huerto (from the garden), Street food, Del mar (from the sea), Tierra (land), Para compartir (to share), a meat-free section called Libre de carne, and a dessert list titled Mi dulce pecado. The raw bar leads with coastal ingredients. Ceviche Balam combines octopus cooked in seawater, port shrimp, and local catch cured in lime with cucumber, serrano chile, and cilantro, while the Tartar de atún pairs tuna and avocado with garlic-toasted potato crisps and citrus sauce. The Tiradito Celestún, named for the Gulf coast fishing town west of Mérida, uses thick-cut salmon with avocado pearls and onion ash.
The drinks list is as detailed as the food. Beyond house creations and classic cocktails, the bar organizes its spirits by category, including tequila, mezcal, gin, vodka, rum, whisky, and brandy and cognac, with wines split into white, rosé, orange, red, sparkling, and dessert. A seven-course tasting menu is priced at 1,690 MXN, and the restaurant also runs a separate space called El Minaret, which has its own page on the official site.
- Ceviche Balam (365 MXN): Octopus, port shrimp, and local fish cured in lime, with cucumber, serrano chile, and a ginger-scented house marinade.
- Tartar de atún (385 MXN): Tuna and avocado with garlic-toasted potato crisps, finished in a citrus sauce with cilantro sprouts.
- Tiradito Celestún (335 MXN): Thick-cut salmon with avocado pearls and onion ash, named for the nearby Gulf coast town.
- Menú degustación, 7 tiempos (1,690 MXN): The kitchen’s seven-course tasting menu, described as a gastronomic journey without borders.
- Cocteles de autor and destilados: Signature house cocktails alongside deep tequila, mezcal, gin, and rum lists plus wines by color and style.
Yerba Santa Mérida at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Paseo de Montejo 473, Zona Paseo Montejo, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico |
| Neighborhood / Area | Paseo de Montejo, Mérida’s north-side boulevard of mansions, galleries, and hotels |
| Operating Hours | Mon–Wed 2–11 PM; Thu–Sat 2 PM–12 AM; Sun 2–10 PM |
| Admission / Price Range | $$$ (upscale). Raw bar plates run roughly 335–385 MXN; tasting menu 1,690 MXN |
| Recommended Visit Duration | 1.5 to 3 hours (longer for the tasting menu) |
| Nearest Transit / Parking | Paseo de Montejo is served by city buses and Va y Ven routes; taxis and rideshare are the easiest option, with metered street parking on side streets |
| Official Website & Phone | yerbasantamerida.com | +52 999 802 2908 |
Visiting Tips, Getting There & Nearby Pairings
The kitchen opens at 2 PM, so a late-afternoon visit offers the quietest dining room and easy conversation with the bar team; Thursday through Saturday evenings run later, until midnight, and are the busiest. Reservations are available through the venue’s online booking page and are worth making for weekend dinners and for the tasting menu. Yucatán evenings are warm, so smart-casual clothing is a safe choice. Getting here is simple from Mérida’s centro histórico: Paseo de Montejo runs northward from the Monumento a la Patria, and a taxi or rideshare from the Plaza Grande takes roughly ten to fifteen minutes. Parking on the boulevard is limited, so arriving by car service is less stressful. Access details such as step-free entry are best confirmed by phone before arrival, as many converted mansion venues on the avenue have steps at the entrance.
The restaurant sits within a short walk of several of the avenue’s landmarks. The Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, the Palacio Cantón (home to the Regional Museum of Anthropology), and the Monumento a la Patria are all along or near Paseo de Montejo, making an afternoon museum visit followed by an early dinner an easy plan. Sunday mornings the boulevard closes to traffic for the Bici-Ruta cycling and pedestrian event, which pairs well with an afternoon meal, since Yerba Santa opens at 2 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the opening hours and best time to visit Yerba Santa Mérida?
Yerba Santa is open Monday to Wednesday from 2 to 11 PM, Thursday to Saturday from 2 PM to midnight, and Sunday from 2 to 10 PM. Early evening is calmer, while Thursday to Saturday nights are the liveliest.
How much does a meal cost and do I need a reservation?
The restaurant sits in the $$$ tier. Raw bar dishes cost around 335 to 385 MXN, and the seven-course tasting menu is 1,690 MXN, with prices listed in Mexican pesos. Reservations are available online through OpenTable and are recommended for weekend evenings.
How long should I plan to stay?
Budget about 1.5 to 2 hours for a la carte dining with a cocktail, and closer to 3 hours if you choose the tasting menu with wine pairings or spend time at the bar.
Is Yerba Santa suitable for vegetarians and what is the dress code?
The menu includes a dedicated Libre de carne section and a Del huerto vegetable section, so vegetarians have real choices. The atmosphere is upscale-casual; smart casual attire is appropriate. Call +52 999 802 2908 to ask about specific accessibility needs.
When planning your Merida travel guide or browsing verified restaurants in Merida, pair this stop with standout local spots including Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel + SPA, Cheen Cocina Yucateca, Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel, and Quinta Montes Molina (0.2 km away).
