Big 7 Travel

"7 Of The Best Places To Eat In Mexico City: El Hidalguense - Barbacoa is a heavily seasoned slow-cooked meat that is cooked underground. Typically made from beef or lamb, it’s native to the Central Mexican state of Hidalgo and is an El Hidalguense speciality."

Tasting Table

"Open only Friday through Sunday, this restaurant must spend the rest of the week studying the art of Hidalgo-style barbacoa: mutton that is wrapped in agave leaves and slowly steam-roasted over mesquite wood. Like all good BBQ restaurants, you can order by weight here, then fashion tacos with all of the fixings from the meltingly rich meat."

Lonely Planet

"Slow-cooked over aged oak wood in an underground pit, the Hidalgo-style barbacoa at this family-run eatery is off-the-charts delicious."

Fodor's Travel

"This restaurant has been serving Hidalgo-style barbacoa to grateful Mexico City residents for over 15 years. On weekends only, fresh lamb from owner Moisés Rodríguez’s Hidalgo farm is roasted for 12 hours over mesquite and oak in an underground pit, then served in charred agave leaves. This is barbacoa heaven."

TrumptheFoodie

"What emerges is an intensely flavorful meat that falls apart when forked. It’s served on charred agave leaves and straight from the parchment paper it was cooked in to preserve all the flavor. I will be thinking about this delicious barbacoa for months to come."

Patricia Harris

"Soon we received two servings of meat wrapped in the maguey leaves used to cook them, along with blue corn tortillas, and three salsas. It was DIY from there. Diners have a choice of ordering their meat lean or with fat, “Take the fat,” our server advised, “You will like it”. She was right."

Jason Jenkins

"If you’re a meat-eater and unfamiliar with barbacoa, then this is a must-try food in Mexico City. Barbacoa is slow-roasted mutton, wrapped in leaves and slow-cooked overnight. The result is fall-off-the-bone deliciousness. On of the most famous barbacoa restaurants in Mexico City is El Hidalguense. Just go there."

Anne Roderique-Jones

"A classic choice for Hidalgo-style barbacoa, owner Moisés Rodríguez serves lamb from his farm, roasted over aged mesquite and oak in an underground pit and then presented in fragrant charred agave leaves. Accoutrements include fresh-made tortillas, citrus, and salsas to assemble the perfect lamb-stuffed taco."

Daniela Galarza

"The 38 Essential Mexico City Dishes and Restaurants: Barbacoa at El Hidalguense - There's a long menu here but locals know to order the barbacoa: farm-raised lamb from Hidalgo roasted for at least 12 hours — right in front of the dining area — and served in leaves charred from the flames."

Anais Martinez

"You can expect a really tender and smoky meat coming out of the pit. And when I say really tender I mean really tender. A good place where you can get all of the in la Roma neighborhood is La Hidalguense, a 2 floors restaurant that only opens Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (yes, is that good) and it’s usually really busy so getting there early would be a good idea."