KOLI - N.L.: Fine Dining Redefined in Monterrey

The food is among the very best in the city and the service is also excellent. Plates are creative adaptations of actual regional cuisine, with modern techniques. A very small detail, staff is not very good at adapting to even minor requests out of script.

This is such a gem! One of two Michelin Star restaurants in MTY and it's definitely one of the better ones I've been to. Definitely beats out places like Alcalde (GDL), Esquina Común (CDMX), and Pujol (CDMX) for me. I think it's quite different from Pangea as well, which is neither good nor bad. There's definitely a lot more reference to local cuisine and I think the menu is more innovative/tries to play with new tech and ingredients. The desserts and apps they served were the standouts for me. The actual restaurant is also a much more intimate, quiet space vs. Pangea which was quite big and loud. A big plus for me was there extensive options for pairings with the meal; my partner doesn't drink alcohol and it's one of the few menus I've seen with a dedicated non-alcoholic drink pairing, and they had 4 different types of alcohol based pairings you could choose from (cocktail, spirit-based, wine, and premium wines). Some small downsides would be some odder serving decisions and some small miscommunications. There were some small mistakes made based on assuming what we meant rather than going by what was actually said/requested in the reservation. Nothing big though and I would 100% recommend eating here if you're in MTY.

If you're looking for more than just an ordinary dinner, this is the place. The way they play with flavors and the presentation of the dishes is truly amazing. I highly recommend trying the 13-course menu; it's absolutely worth it.

Great experience with attentive service. Lovely ambiance, albeit somewhat devoid of personality. Wine pairing is great and complements the dinner nicely.

Service was good, attentive and polite. Variety of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks and pairings. The venue was cozy and modern. Great to seat next to the open kitchen to see the action. Overall, the nine course menu was good, relatively well balanced, although some dishes could improve (too much jocoque in general and the chocolate dessert was super pretty and original but very overwhelming with sweetness and chocolate could not even finish eating it). Loved the name of the dishes and the whole explanation for each.

The food it is outstanding and the service and food explanation shows the dedication of all the staff. I would go again.

I had a pleasant experience at this restaurant overall. The service was excellent—staff were attentive, friendly, and made sure we were well taken care of throughout the meal. The atmosphere was welcoming and comfortable, which added to the positive vibe. As for the tasting menu, it was decent but not particularly memorable. The flavors were fine, but nothing really stood out or wowed us. It felt like the kitchen played it a bit safe, and I found myself wishing for a bit more boldness or creativity in the dishes. Still, for the great service and solid experience, I’d definitely consider returning. Just don’t come expecting a culinary revelation.

During our quick long weekend getaway to Monterrey, we made it a point to visit the 2 Michelin star restaurants in the city. Koli was our stop #1 of 2. The reservation process was very easy on their website and there were quite a few open spots within a few days' notice. We were treated to a 13-course prefix menu. While I cannot name all the dishes, the highlights for me were the creamy appetizer in the eggshell shaped container inside of a bird'a nest, the charcoal ball thingy, and the green volcano shaped dessert accompanied by a bat's habitat inside of a glass ball with added sound effect. Each dish came with its own set of custom shaped utensils and unique backstory was beautifully narrated by the waiters. I cannot get over how over the top the presentation was throughout this entire experience! For 2000MXN (~$100USD as of Feb 2025), this was an experience that cannot be missed if you visit Monterrey.