Carnal Cocina Artesanal

Absolutely loved our experience at Carnal Cocina Artesanal! This spot offers an elevated take on Oaxacan cuisine with bold flavors and beautifully presented dishes. We tried three standout items: Taco el Mercado: A generous portion on a handmade tortilla. The guacamole was creamy and fresh, and the chapulines added an amazing crunch and depth of flavor. Lengua a la Veracruzana: The beef tongue was perfectly tender with just the right bit of crispiness. The tomato chili sauce complemented it well, and the handmade tortillas were a great touch. Aztec Duck: This was the showstopper. Perfectly cooked duck with a rich chocolate mole and cactus jelly — the combination was absolutely explosive on the palate. Served with a crispy huarache that tied it all together. The service was attentive,

Michelin worthy food without the price tag. It's so authentic and flavors are so bold. I love octopus and I've never had grilled octopus so tender that it tastes like fatty fish. The staff is awesome, vibe is super casual (byob) dining hall style bench seating. Say hi to your neighbors. The place is small so make resy or come early. It's a slice of Mexico City🇲🇽

If you're browsing the reviews to convince you to try it, just know I have been back for their dinner service on three separate occasions and can't wait to come back for brunch. The first time here, it was a very busy night. The only seat left was at the bar. However, the staff were very accommodating and even stayed open later to serve all guests. As a seafoodie, the dishes that keep me coming back are the pulpo a la diabla, tlayuda de tsajo (tuna), and sopa de mariscos. The taco de chicharron is huge and also one of my favorites, especially with the pickled nopales served to top it off. Each dish is prepared to perfection, with complex flavors shining through. My compliments to the chef! The service at Carnal makes you feel at home, warm like so with your tios and tias. Flor was incredi

My partner and I just moved into the wonderful city of Highland Park and we’ve been busy exploring all the fine eateries. Gotta say after experiencing Carnal, it is a standout. One of the finest dining experiences we’ve had since coming into town. Outside it’s not much to look at, inside about the same but with spacious ceilings - black. There were some nice accents and had a really good vibe. We were quickly greeted by the host Issac? Really cool and friendly, and we began to explore the menu. It was small but had some select standouts, we decided on the tlayuda, duck in mole, and octopus. They are working on their liquor license but the host encouraged us to pick up our own at the liquor store across the street - flask. No corkage fee. So we did. The Tlayuda came it first, this one like

Carnal is a spectacular addition to the food options in HLP bringing tradition Oaxacan fare to the neighborhood. My husband and I came here from brunch on a Saturday, not crowded at all and dined outside on the sidewalk. Food was outstanding and portions were more than enough for left overs. I had the chilaquiles with beans and mole, he had the chefs carnolito plate. Highlight was also the passion fruit agua Fresca. So so good! Also loved the salsas and earthen dishware. Please check it out!