Very interesting tour. Usually it's not my thing to go to such tour but I have to say I really loved it. It's the best tour of fabrication on something I have ever done. You can taste all along the tour the different phases of the cacao until it become Chocolate and then try the different chocolates and their famous and delicious browni. The tour was very well done and super interesting. Totally recommended!

We stopped by El Quetzal for a chocolate tour ($10pp) and found the tour very interesting and informative. While the Yumbos one we did in Quito was slightly cheaper, this tour was by far the superior. Definitely recommend stopping by if a chocolate tour sounds like something you might be interested in.

Our whole group LOVED the chocolate tour! So interactive, educational and tasty 😋 the chocolate was great as well, we fell in love with Salt and Pepper variety. Bringing some back as gifts to family and friends.

We did the chocolate tour. I really can't think of a better way to spend $10. Our guide Sergio was great, and taught us tons about chocolate, from growing the plants to processing all the final products. It ends with tasting quite a bit of chocolate, and doing a fun experiment. All of the chocolate products that we tested were fantastic, and we wished we had more space in our luggage so that we could bring home more than we did. Everyone there was very friendly, and there was a nice modern vibe to the place. We tried a coffee from the cafe on our way out, it too was delicious.

Easy walking distance from center park. Tour was amazing! It's fascinating how good cocoa tastes before corporations get ahold of it and do their thing. Fantastic flavors used, such as salt and pepper, ginger, chillies, coffee, etc. Highly recommend.

I’ve taken lots of chocolate tours but this one really stood out! Fantastic guide - thank you Sergio! The lunch at the restaurant was also great.

Chocolate heaven!! Sergio, our guide, introduced passionately and heightened our knowledge of the subtleties and properties of cacao and accompanying ingredients that go into chocolate making. A well-planned tour and generous sampling, make for a great and delicious experience! Highly recommend!

El Quetzal the Mindo. Is one of the best places to visit. I had the chance to visit this place with one of my passengers from Latvia. We couldn't find a better place to learn more about the Ecuadorian Cacao. Sergio our guide was amazing! This place will show you a new and different perspective about Chocolate. Plus you'll be able to taste several chocolate combination. I can't wait to came back.

Wonderful tour! If you are in Mindo you can't miss it! There are tours in both English and Spanish. Our guide Sergio gave an entertaining and educational tour. And the cherry on top is the delicious chocolate tasting. Don't forget to visit the gift shop and stock up afterwards and grab a latte or mocha for the road. I wish that I had more room in my suitcase to take back more delicious chocolate.

Great tour. Miguel was a wonderful guide! The tastings were delicious. Highly recommended!

Really enjoyed the chocolate tour, Sergio did an excellent tour. Tasted a lot of chocolate and a brownie. It is nice that the tour takes you outside to see chocolate growing and they explain the chocolate making process.

My friend and I did the chocolate tour and then had lunch on the porch. What a delightful afternoon walking the grounds and learning the process of getting chocolate from natural cacao. After the chocolate tour, we had a delicious lunch including quinoa risotto and a pork chop to die for. Highly recommended!

Charming Cafe with Unique Cacao Twist Review: El Quetzal de Mindo offers a delightful atmosphere with a good vibe, making it a nice spot to unwind. We tried both a hot cacao drink and a cold cacao fruit drink, the latter using the white flesh of the Cacao fruit pod. While both were enjoyable, they were slightly pricier compared to other Cacao shops in Quito. The cacao had a more bitter taste compared to our experiences at other local shops. The cafe also provides food options and chocolate tours, which unfortunately we couldn't explore this trip due to time constraints. Perhaps on our next visit, we'll have the chance to delve into these offerings. Overall, a charming cafe with a unique cacao twist, making it worth considering for a future visit.

Really enjoyed this tour. Very informative, beautiful place and delicious chocolate. Also the best lunch Ive had in Ecuador so far. Highly recommend

The chocolate tour was very interesting and informative. Good length of time and activity and plenty of tasting. I understand why great chocolate costs more, and why it’s worth it!

We really enjoyed the quality of this tour. The guide was VERY knowledgeable. The chocolate was the best we've ever tasted & the lunch was excellent...We strongly recommend this place.

Did the chocolate tour only while here. Multiple tour times, just check the website. Brazilian Sergio was pure quality as a tour guide. The whole thing is very complete. You go from procreation to chocolate bar. Worth it.

We absolutely loved this chocolate tour! Sergio was our guide. He spoke English and was just wonderful. I have 3 children 9,11,and 13 years old. They have done chocolate tours before, but this one was their favorite. We paid $10 per adult, kids 12 and under were $5. Sergio really explained everything and showed the whole process with great samples to taste. We tried a whole cacao, different states of chocolate, brownies, and even some tea. We also experimented with chocolate paste. The kids loved this part. It was fun to see everyone's reactions. It was awesome, fun, and delicious.

This place is not worth it. The rooms have no ventilation, fans, ac or anything. It feels like a cold steam room. All our luggage and laptops were soaking wet after staying two days. If they had some screens or windows that opened it wouldn’t have been anywhere as bad. The bathrooms were terrible. The reason for such a strong review is that this place is one of the most expensive places in Mindo. If this place was half the price I guess it would be worth it. OUR ROOF LEAKED TOO

Its a good place, but you have to go downstairs to get inside this place, beautiful plants and flowers, you can also eat very tasty food on the restaurant and see some beautiful animals at the evening.

Be careful at the main entrance, small cars or vehicles cannot pass the road. Only big trucks, I had to leave my car somewhere else. Rooms had spiderwebs everywhere and insects. And after the checkout they kick us out. We asked for a moment to stay with our kids at the pool, and they only “allowed” for 1 hour. For the price we paid I expected more sympathy. (A group of 10 ppl)

The frog concert was an amazing experience. We had a nice small group of around 6. The introduction was in English and Spanish so we learnt about the history of the area. Then the rest of the tour was in Spanish, but our guide was incredible and did translate names of species and other words so we could follow. The tour lasted an hour, was a great steady pace, only cost $6 and we saw loads of frogs, birds and creepy crawlies! We had read some negative reviews and were really unsure whether to still go, but having been I am sure the other negative reviews must be a mistake and referring to another tour?! They certainly do not reflect our experience and should not put anyone off!!

Perfect for our family of five. My boys loved swimming in the pool in the mornings and hunting for frogs at night. Breakfast was exactly the same each morning, so my only suggestion is to change it up just a bit. But the coffee was marvelous.

In the beginning it looked good but the service was horrible, the boat to have a breakfast in the lake was normally included in the price but they wanted extra money. Sadly we had to pay 12 dollars extra and this was a rip off. They were even being difficult about the maximum persons that could go on the boat. Also we had a cancelation of one person who was hospitalised and they didn’t want to give us a refund, even with the reservation we had to pay in full up front.

Mindo Lago has really pretty views. It is completely surrounded by forestry. Therefore, full of bugs, gnats, mosquitoes, and spiders. The drive way to the hotel is a dirt road, and some taxis may just drop you in front and walk down to the hotel which is like a 5 min walk. From the reception area to your room is also a dirt path, so be careful not to slip. It could definitely improve in some safety features, but the view is nice and the beds are comfortable. There’s no central AC and can be kind of muggy in the rooms, but bearable. And the frogs sing to you all night 😁

We had a great stay. An amazing hotel in the jungle. Clean rooms, really friendly staff, free frog tour around the hotel but unfortunately only in Spanish. Delicious food. Can fully recommend this hotel. If you have not a deep sleep don't forget your earplugs. Frogs can be loud.

Rustic, comfortable, quiet and clean. In a beautiful park like setting. Lots of birds just outside your room. Delicioso breakfast. Warm and friendly staff

Great lodge, stayed for 6 nights in total with two friends. The location couldn't be better - it's a bit hidden from the busy streets and has various trails to explore. It's very quiet at night, and rooms are very spacious and equipped with everything. The hosts of the lodge are very kind and helped us so much during our stay. We communicated mostly by email and the responses are very fast. Some services that I'd like to highlight: - Night tours looking for animals and reptiles - Rain boots for rent - Laundry room - Kindly let us use their umbrellas - Awesome takeout breakfast (sandwich, fresh fruit, snacks, water) as we had to leave the lodge before 5 am every day - Bird feeders

Just a wonderful place hidden in the midst of Mindo, the owners are super hospitable, the breakfast was a highlight ever morning. The birding was very good, with a lot of variety. Its a great place to take the family. I would highly recommend the Yellow House. One note bring cash, the ATM in Mindo, does not work.

Used only the trails but the cabins looked beautiful. Wonderful experience and I hope to come back and stay for a couple weeks. The trail is maintained, safe, and very easy as long as you have the right equipment and understand that the uphill climb will be challenging. Saw dozens of birds and was able to identify 18 different species in an hour with poor visibility in the off season. Don't mind the reviews that say they don't see any birds, if you know how to look and have patience, you'll see a multitude of species. Highly recommend.

We made a reservation for two nights there in early Oct. We liked it so much that we extended our stay for another night. Maria and her staff are the kindest hosts and we are lucky to get to know them. The stand-alone cabin is very spacious and comfortable. It has a big bedroom, bathroom and a terrace, with access to a kitchen downstairs in a separate unit. We spent a lot of time on the terrace watching the birds, and saw many including Toucans, motmots, different kinds of tanagers and hummingbirds, and much more. Apparently there is a potoo near the house where you have breakfast, but we discovered the location too late and missed it as it’s only there in the afternoon or early evening. We walked the trails twice and saw many birds. If you pay attention to the calls of the toucans, you are almost garanteed to see them on the trails. Also, one trail has many motmot nests on the side of the path and they fly out of the nests from time to time. Unfortunately we missed seeing the monkeys, but other people we met at the breakfast said they saw them just behind the house. BTW, as others have written, the breakfast is delicious. Also, for a very reasonable fee, you can have your laundry done by a lady onsite. We love staying there and plan to stay for at least a week next time we visit Ecuador.

I enjoyed my stay here. I had a nice big room with private bathroom for a reasonable price. The breakfasts were amazing with lots of hummingbirds feeding. The trail itself takes several hours and I didn't see many birds -- but I attribute that to my birding skills - the view on trail 3 was great. I like that the location is a bit outside of the town but everything easily accessible. They will arrange for taxis to pick you up if you want.

Its a good place to explore the birds of Mindo. The entry costs 7$. We started our walking tour around 7 AM and with moderate tempo it took us about 30 min until we reached trail 1. We then went to trail 3 with the main road which took us about 15-20 min. For Trail 1,2 and 3 if you just walk through it takes you about 10 min. As said we first went to trail 3 and then about 9AM to trail 2 and 1 since this is the thime when the monkeys wake up. We saw a couple of toucans, big butterflies, one motmot, some tanagers but unfortunately no monkeys. Its all about luck and how good your sight is that will allow you to see more animals. The walk was worth it, although the entry price could have been lower...

5 stars for location, hospitality, and bird-watching. You can bird watch right from your balcony. We saw toucans, motmots, tanagers, and many more birds. They also have a nice breakfast with scenic views and hummingbird feeders. It's a 10 minute walk to town so you can get there easily, but still be a little removed and in nature. Everything was very clean, but it's a rustic cabin experience so please be mindful of this. Also, the trails are very nice. Please note to get to the upper trails 1-4, you need to hike uphill for approximately 45 minutes. I would definitely stay here again. It's a very special place.

We stayed at Yellow house for two nights. The experience was wonderful. We loved everything there: the delicious breakfast, the awesome hummingbird feeder, and the trail. The shower is great and the beds are comfortable. Do not use the tap water to brush your teeth, use the drinking water provided instead. From the balcony, we saw more than 10 types of birds in 30minutes. We also hiked trails 1, 2, 3, 4 and a bit of trail #5. The trail is well maintained and the hike is wonderful. We saw a group of endangered Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin monkey at the end of trail 2, which is definitely the highlight of the day. The overview at trail 3 for Mindo valley is very nice. As for for birds, we saw more birds in the backyard from the balcony than from the actual trails. I hope we could come back again in the future and stay for longer. Communication with them is a breeze and the service is top notch. Highly recommended for birders in Mindo.

Staff and rooms are amazing. Great value for money. Showers could be better but it’s a great hostel and definitely recommend.

"La Casa de Cecilia Mindo falls short of expectations on several fronts. Firstly, the photos on the booking site paint a misleading picture, as the reality of the accommodations does not live up to the advertised standards. Additionally, the inconsistency of hot water is a significant inconvenience, detracting from the overall comfort of the stay. Furthermore, the cleanliness of the premises leaves much to be desired, with a noticeable lack of attention to detail. While the location may have potential, these shortcomings significantly impact the guest experience, warranting a rating of only 2 out of 5 stars."

Wish we could have stayed longer! Located a short walk out of town and by a river which is peaceful to listen to all day and night. The rooms can feel a bit small but the outdoor area surrounding the rooms are spacious and a great place to watch the hummingbirds. The host also arranged private transport to san Tadeo birding where he stayed with us explaining what birds we could see as well as providing binoculars. The breakfast was also great and they offer a laundry service for $5.

I was in a dormitory next to the door and the toilet. Not great, but ok. The location is nice, next to a river and in a quiet part of town.

This was the best place we found to stay in Mindo. The places that advertised that they were quiet and out of town were hard to get to and actually not quiet at all, had a lot less amenities casa de Cecilia was in the PERFECT spot. It is so beautiful, and the staff were super helpful and welcoming. The breakfast included in your stay is almost worth the price of staying. 10/10 would recommend.

Well located hostel with lovely outdoor facilities and spaces. The hummingbirds fill the grounds from dawn to dusk and the balcony section is a great place to chill with the river running beside you. Some improvements needed, no lockers in the hostel rooms is an issue, light curtains let the light blast in in the mornings, needs more places to hang and store items so rooms don't get cramped and messy. Overall a lovely stay, beautiful scenery is the winner for this place.

Beautiful place to stay. Located a bit outside of the village center near a stream, you feel like you are completely in nature. There is a feeder for the birds which attracts them to the area. The rooms are nice and clean and the shower is great. They also have a nice little kitchen for the guests. The hosting family is kind as well.

Cozy hostel nearly the center of mindo. Great atmosphere- the hostel is situated next to a stream. The rooms themselves are really comfortable. Lastly, the price is reasonable compared to other hostels in HostelWorld. Overall Great, I would highly recommend staying there when visiting Mindo.

The hostel is really pretty and in a great location. It feels peaceful and cosy. However, the bedroom was not as clean as it should be. The bedsheets felt unwashed and already sweaty. Reception service was also really inconsistent. Sometimes I wanted to talk to staff and no one was there.

Stayed here for 3 nights while visiting Mindo (which we loved) Pros - Water bottle fill up and shared kitchen - Towels replaced / room cleaned after two days - Amazing being in amongst the jungle and loved the humming birds - Great reception area to chill out in when it was raining - Super close to town Cons - Hard to find anyone at reception - Our room and only window looked over the reception area which was quite strange (ask for a room at the back!)

I stayed here a couple of months back. Absolutely love this hostel! It’s so homey and cosy with lovely dorms, showers and common areas. Cute pets too! The staff were so lovely and helpful. Highly recommend.

Really nice hostel - nice common area, small but well equipped kitchen, really helpful staff and modern rooms. It’s about 10mins walk from the bus stop. The only downside was that our room (private with balcony) felt and smelt a bit damp… it was raining and there’s no real door to the balcony (just a mosquito net) so the room got a little damp and cold. But I’d for sure stay again.

An absolutely stunning Hostel. The rooms were clean and calm. The hostels policy of being a quite place was perfect to go out an enjoy the jungle and spot animals early. Though we also hada lovely evening out. The atmosphere is just breathtaking

Best hostel I ever stayed at! Very clean, very calm, quiet, and surrounded by nature. No shoes inside so the floor stays very clean too. Loved every minute here! Very affordable prices. Eileen, the host when I arrived, was so nice, attentive, and helpful! They have games, tv, kitchen, comfy beds, towels, etc. Couldn’t have asked for a better night.

I loved staying at the Cinnamon House, though I would never come back during the weekend, because it was way to crowded. Lot‘s of loud, annoying, selfish Americans to hear through the thin walls. Because they just care about themselves.

Very interesting tour. Usually it's not my thing to go to such tour but I have to say I really loved it. It's the best tour of fabrication on something I have ever done. You can taste all along the tour the different phases of the cacao until it become Chocolate and then try the different chocolates and their famous and delicious browni. The tour was very well done and super interesting. Totally recommended!

We stopped by El Quetzal for a chocolate tour ($10pp) and found the tour very interesting and informative. While the Yumbos one we did in Quito was slightly cheaper, this tour was by far the superior. Definitely recommend stopping by if a chocolate tour sounds like something you might be interested in.

Our whole group LOVED the chocolate tour! So interactive, educational and tasty 😋 the chocolate was great as well, we fell in love with Salt and Pepper variety. Bringing some back as gifts to family and friends.

We did the chocolate tour. I really can't think of a better way to spend $10. Our guide Sergio was great, and taught us tons about chocolate, from growing the plants to processing all the final products. It ends with tasting quite a bit of chocolate, and doing a fun experiment. All of the chocolate products that we tested were fantastic, and we wished we had more space in our luggage so that we could bring home more than we did. Everyone there was very friendly, and there was a nice modern vibe to the place. We tried a coffee from the cafe on our way out, it too was delicious.

Easy walking distance from center park. Tour was amazing! It's fascinating how good cocoa tastes before corporations get ahold of it and do their thing. Fantastic flavors used, such as salt and pepper, ginger, chillies, coffee, etc. Highly recommend.

I’ve taken lots of chocolate tours but this one really stood out! Fantastic guide - thank you Sergio! The lunch at the restaurant was also great.

Chocolate heaven!! Sergio, our guide, introduced passionately and heightened our knowledge of the subtleties and properties of cacao and accompanying ingredients that go into chocolate making. A well-planned tour and generous sampling, make for a great and delicious experience! Highly recommend!

El Quetzal the Mindo. Is one of the best places to visit. I had the chance to visit this place with one of my passengers from Latvia. We couldn't find a better place to learn more about the Ecuadorian Cacao. Sergio our guide was amazing! This place will show you a new and different perspective about Chocolate. Plus you'll be able to taste several chocolate combination. I can't wait to came back.

Wonderful tour! If you are in Mindo you can't miss it! There are tours in both English and Spanish. Our guide Sergio gave an entertaining and educational tour. And the cherry on top is the delicious chocolate tasting. Don't forget to visit the gift shop and stock up afterwards and grab a latte or mocha for the road. I wish that I had more room in my suitcase to take back more delicious chocolate.

Great tour. Miguel was a wonderful guide! The tastings were delicious. Highly recommended!

Really enjoyed the chocolate tour, Sergio did an excellent tour. Tasted a lot of chocolate and a brownie. It is nice that the tour takes you outside to see chocolate growing and they explain the chocolate making process.

My friend and I did the chocolate tour and then had lunch on the porch. What a delightful afternoon walking the grounds and learning the process of getting chocolate from natural cacao. After the chocolate tour, we had a delicious lunch including quinoa risotto and a pork chop to die for. Highly recommended!

Charming Cafe with Unique Cacao Twist Review: El Quetzal de Mindo offers a delightful atmosphere with a good vibe, making it a nice spot to unwind. We tried both a hot cacao drink and a cold cacao fruit drink, the latter using the white flesh of the Cacao fruit pod. While both were enjoyable, they were slightly pricier compared to other Cacao shops in Quito. The cacao had a more bitter taste compared to our experiences at other local shops. The cafe also provides food options and chocolate tours, which unfortunately we couldn't explore this trip due to time constraints. Perhaps on our next visit, we'll have the chance to delve into these offerings. Overall, a charming cafe with a unique cacao twist, making it worth considering for a future visit.

Really enjoyed this tour. Very informative, beautiful place and delicious chocolate. Also the best lunch Ive had in Ecuador so far. Highly recommend

The chocolate tour was very interesting and informative. Good length of time and activity and plenty of tasting. I understand why great chocolate costs more, and why it’s worth it!

We really enjoyed the quality of this tour. The guide was VERY knowledgeable. The chocolate was the best we've ever tasted & the lunch was excellent...We strongly recommend this place.

Did the chocolate tour only while here. Multiple tour times, just check the website. Brazilian Sergio was pure quality as a tour guide. The whole thing is very complete. You go from procreation to chocolate bar. Worth it.

We absolutely loved this chocolate tour! Sergio was our guide. He spoke English and was just wonderful. I have 3 children 9,11,and 13 years old. They have done chocolate tours before, but this one was their favorite. We paid $10 per adult, kids 12 and under were $5. Sergio really explained everything and showed the whole process with great samples to taste. We tried a whole cacao, different states of chocolate, brownies, and even some tea. We also experimented with chocolate paste. The kids loved this part. It was fun to see everyone's reactions. It was awesome, fun, and delicious.

I had a lovely dinner here, of grilled chicken breast, which came with rice, fries, and salad. It was prepared freshly and quickly and tasted good. The only reason that I only have 4 stars is because it cost $7, when I ate a very similar meal last night elsewhere, which only cost $2.50. I wouldn't hesitate to eat here again though and I'd recommend this place to anyone.

MINDO, EC — What can we say? The seasoning and sauces prepared at this humble little restaurant are fantastic. Truly, you'll find authentic Ecuadorian cuisine here. . The service is friendly and accommodating, and both locals and travelers enjoy a great meal with soup, entrée and juice for $5 during the lunch hour.

Lovely ladies in this restaurant. Very typical. Good portions and great attention.

All good, delicious

(Translated by Google) The food is super delicious Lunches at $3 And bolones at $1.5 They have an exquisite coastal style flavor There is no parking, but you can park on the street. (Original) La comida es súper deliciosa Los almuerzos a $3 Y bolones a $ 1,5 Tienen un sabor exquisito estilo costa No hay parqueadero, pero se puede estacionar en la calle

(Translated by Google) We ordered fried fish in garlic sauce - the fish was swimming in the sauce, it was reasonable. In addition, we ordered a dish with meat - it was really dry, we didn't eat it. It was not like the picture. (Original) הזמנו דג מטוגן ברוטב שום - הדג שחה ברוטב, היה סביר. בנוסף הזמנו מנה עם בשר- היה ממש יבש, לא נאכל. לא היה דומה לתמונה.

(Translated by Google) The food leaves a lot to be desired, from the coffee that tastes terrible... the only good thing is the attention of the owner. Not at all recommended (Original) La comida deja mucho que desear, desde el café que tiene un sabor terrible... lo único bueno es la atención de la dueña. Para nada recomendable

This was one of the best vegetarian restaurants that we had in town! You can taste the love and care within the meal. They were so accommodating too! They had gluten free options and vegan options. They prepare the food right on spot and it is so delicious! I can’t recommend this place enough. I had the quinoa veggie burger, salad and fresh juice. Everything was fresh and delightful. We will visit again before we skip town! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Great veggie food in Mindo! The portions were nice and big and the food was delicious. All comes with some fried plantain chips and a drink too. Not the biggest or most modern interior (and their kid was sat on the only free table so we had to go on a bench) but we went twice and loved the food. One area of improvement could be the menu - the descriptions are great but the low resolution black and white photos of the food aren’t legible.

Best food in Mindo! They have very good vegan dishes. Large portions and everything is prepared with care on the spot. The Ceviche, was great. Also the one with fish. But I recommend the vegetarian... Also I had the sorbet ice! A must have....

Hands down the best food in Mindo, and one of the best in the entire country! Mechita, Oswaldo and their family take amazing care of the place, providing excellent Ecuadorian food in vegetarian/ vegan format. Their passion for experimenting with new flavors mixed with their extremely warm hospitality makes Mishqui Quinde a must visit!! And don’t miss their incredible ice cream too (ask them!)

Best food in Ecuador! I was so so excited to try typical food veganized. The Encocao was delicious and very filling. Aji was delicious too, and so was the special fruit drink that came with the meal. The owners are really friendly. I wish I would have had more time in Mindo to go back here and try all the dishes!

Fantastic service, lovely place and great vegetarian food. Loved the quinoa burger, the veggies, and the homemade chicha.

Fantastic delicious vegetarian and vegan food, inspired by traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. Friendly staff and the chef is lovely. Absolutely recommended, we'd love to come back!

one of the best meals I had in Ecuador. excellent vegetation food options!

Decent pizzas that are made fairly quickly in the wood fired brick oven. They tasted better hot, and less as they cooled, but as far as Latin American pizza goes, this is a top spot. They have many competitors in town, but if you go here, you won’t be disappointed.

Excellent! Delicious pizza, thin crust, fresh ingredients.

I was a little hesitant to spend the amount I did on a pizza but I couldn't be more wrong. The pizzas were absolutely delicious and tasted very authentic. Would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to fill their belly.

Friendly staff and v tasty food. Reasonable prices too. Pork chops were yum.

This place is worth a visit. The pizzas might just be the best in all of Ecuador...they are good...really good. Not cheap though. If you travel on a budget or might be pizzas out, they also serve both a rather cheap daily menu with soup, main dish and drink for about 3-4$...there other dishes are also really good, and feels like good value.

Had the Trucha Frita - tomato salad, trout,rice and patacones. Everything was delicious. Went back had the Lomo de la Piedra ( my steak was over cooked an tough) but it was flavorful and juice. The french fries was great .

Hands down the best food I've had in Mindo. You can order whatever there is on the menu and you can't go wrong!

Excellent steak on a hot rock. While it wasn't cooked to the way I wanted it... It was still flavorful and not hard as a rock. Almost like a filet mignon. It comes with a lot of food on top of that. The attendants don't speak English but they are more than happy to try. They also have a Spanish/English menu. For a foreigner... Way too good of a price for what I got.

Easily best and most authentic food in Mindo! It's not a fancy or showy restaurant, but we saw lots of local here so decided to give it a try. The soups are a MUST ORDER. Fried fish was amazing. All the sides (salad, rice, salsa, patacones etc.) were perfectly done too. Prices are also "local" prices - that's to say much cheaper than other restaurants. We ended up coming here twice during a 4-day stay (my husband wanted to come a 3rd time lol), the other fancier looking restaurants were not up to par and they were more expensive.

We visited El Chef during a day trip to Mindo, the place was suggested by our guide and we were not disappointed. We had sea bass and the steak served on a hot stone. Both were delicious and serving sizes will satisfy even the most hungry. Prices were modest in comparison.

Excellent steak at El Chef, the rest of what we ordered was fine, can park right out front as well for convenience.

Dry. So dry. Low quality meat. I asked for medium-rear , I showed him a picture to be clear.. got rubber. If you respect your steaks , skip this one. It was very bad and we fed the street dogs with it (at least they enjoyed it).

Wanted to go to Mindo Lago but they were not serving people that were not guests, so, we arrived at “El Chef” and tried the “Carne a la Piedra”, simply put, the best steak in Mindo, period!

I was there 25 years ago. If its still working, so its probably good!

Steak on a stone is great but order it less done than you usually get as it cooks more on the hot stone as you eat it. Prices have risen too high and they mix up the orders often