For better or for worse, Mago offers up a unique fine dining experience done to a T.

Any restaurant that prioritizes fresh, local ingredients is a boon to the local scene.

Menu was fantastic with fun, unique flavors. The only downside for our tasting was the two protein dishes, the cod and duck breast, were the weakest of the bunch. Not to say they were bad! Just lacked the complexity of the other dishes.

Some fine dining restaurants make you feel like family, others offer service that is politely attentive and swift in retreat. This restaurant offers the latter. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a matter of personal preference, just something to note. The service was impeccable, friendly, and then out of the way. Cold? No. Warm? Also no.

I would definitely recommend getting the supplement, ours was by far the best dish of the night.

I would also strongly recommend the drink pairings, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. They are deeply thoughtful and felt like an inseparable part of the menu.

This review may feel very critical for a 5 stars, but since everything was done impeccably, only imperfections stood out. Would come back in a heartbeat!

A casual Colombian restaurant that gets serious with the tasting menu.
Fun beverage pairing that includes wine, sake, and cocktail.
Service is adequate, but they are learning and trying.
The weekday tasting menu is probably a better deal. It costs more on the weekend.
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The mission statement on the website sounded admirable: The tasting menu is cheaper on the weekdays to make it more accessible.

We were seated at the chef’s counter, which offers a direct view of the kitchen. We quickly decided on the tasting menu and the beverage pairing with an add-on Dungeness crab dish. After a relatively long period of waiting, we were presented with the food.

There are some highlights! But sometimes, I wonder if some dishes need an extra boost of flavor. First were the finger foods. We love the plantains that contrast brilliantly with charged allium. The arroz de coco brought to mind arancini but with a thin crust and coconut flavor. The tostada with amberjack brightened by the kiwi. The arepa was flavorful and puffy, but the butter beans seemed lacking. A general complaint: Please give us a wet napkin or something to wipe our fingers after finger foods!

The larger format blue shrimp was cooked to perfection, but the veins were in some pieces. The achiote ponzu was amazing, but the romanesco might be a tab overcooked.

Dungeness crab guacho, honestly, is a little disappointing. The components are done well, and it is an homage to the regional dish, but it just tasted…fine.

The fish dish was a counter-example of that. I am not sure if there is a traditional dish where it drew inspiration, but it was an elevated dish that we thoroughly enjoyed.

The cilantro and pineapple spread that came with the bread had such a bright flavor we couldn’t have enough!

The grilled pork is definitely the highlight of the evening. It was carefully tended by a chef over the grill, and it was flavorful and juicy. The carrot was grilled slowly until it was almost dehydrated. The intense sweetness and texture worked very well with the pork.

The first dessert course, the banana custard, was terrific. The sweetness was counterbalanced by the subtle sweetness from the caramel. The dish was not overpowered by bananas, which so often is the case. The coconut and lime foam on the top provided a contrast and relief from the custard.

The final dessert course was a bit too sweet and heavy for us. We were told that it was inspired by mole. I like the concept.

Overall, we enjoyed the food. For a meal at this price point, maybe we expect a little more. However, I saw a kitchen with a mission that served some brilliant dishes. I saw service staff striving to be better despite some oversights. Maybe Mago needs to think about where it wants to position itself, but I am rooting for them.