I recently had the misfortune of dining at Cochineal.
First off, securing a reservation was impossible. Their online system showed no availability, and countless phone calls went unanswered. Deciding to take our chances, we walked in to find the place nearly empty—8 out of 10 tables were vacant, and there were multiple open seats at the bar. Yet, the host insisted they had no availability for the entire evening. The only option offered was to share a table with another couple.
During the two hours we spent there, not a single additional patron walked in. It’s clear they were fabricating scarcity to create a false sense of exclusivity. As we passed by the kitchen, we noticed the cooks texting on their phones—hardly the mark of a reputable establishment.
Every dish was excessively salty and downright unpalatable. For the prices they charge, one would expect at least a semblance of quality or creativity, but this was far from the case.
Our server appeared to be under the influence, offering lackluster attention and forgetting basic requests like water refills. Their overall attitude was indifferent at best, making the entire experience even more unbearable.
Cochineal is a complete scam, thriving on deception and delivering nothing but disappointment. Save your money and sanity—dine elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Melissa Larose
Hands down one of the most amazing dining experiences! We are foodies and love trying all kinds of places and this spot wins out from even some of the Michelin star places we’ve tried!!! What a gem and everthing we tried was spectacular!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot with Our Bread, Toshi's Date Pudding with Rum Sauce, Steak Tartare, Steak
Jessica Jones
Food was great, the 20% service fee and expected additional 20% tip felt ridiculous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Jordan Bennett
Great experience and food. Service was great. The chef owner came and spoke to me multiple times !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Isaac Bate
Don’t be put off by the weird 1 star reviews. Marfa has a population of like 1800 people to draw from - of course the staff aren’t trained exactly like the staff at La Gavroche… but they’re perfectly nice, helpful and competent people, and you’re in Marfa, for goodness’ sake! It’s a miracle there’s any food at all.
Food is absolutely excellent. Wish I had room for dessert - next time!
All that said - please get rid of the 20% service fee + tip screen. It’s such a self inflicted wound, doesn’t make anyone feel good (especially if you don’t notice it - feels duplicitous). Just charge 20% more for the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Avalon Kandrac
We came to Marfa for the weekend from Dallas and I knew I wanted to try this spot. We did the regular menu seating and not the tasting menu. We had a delectable meal! Escargot was amazing along with the steak. The bread was a must as well. The ambiance here was great. Our entire meal took about an hour, service was fairly quick and the food was served promptly. I am glad we went with the regular menu rather than the tasting menu. I would recommend a stop here if you are coming to Marfa!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Brooke Vega
Had a terrible experience here yesterday, I’m mad I even have to give them 1 star. Indoor atmosphere is awful, the tables are too close and it was hot. Oh! And to be considered fine dining you must have a friendly waitstaff, and they were very rude and stuck up. The moment we sat down there were tons of flies everywhere landing on us and our table. The food was okay nothing spectacular, but thanks for telling us 5 times that “these herbs are from our garden”, that does not make your food look or taste any better. They also automatically include a 20% tip to your bill, and I’m obviously happy to pay that but they need to step it up and have that fine dining quality service. This is definitely not “fine dining”, it’s a total scam. Go to Margeret’s or another friendly and more affordable place with surprisingly better food.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Serge Romo
I was extraordinarily disappointed by this place. The Maitre d' was remarkably rude and unaware. The inside of the restaurant is full of flies. Our waiter was fine; I think he had recently started. The food is good, but that's the minimum bar to clear given the price. Overall, don't believe the hype. This place is wack, uninspiring, and mediocre. Silver lining: drinking game where you take a shot every time they mention the herbs being froom their garden.
Cristin Damon
I been to a few James Beard recognized restaurants and this is by far the best experience I’ve ever had. The ambience is exactly what you’re looking for when you vacation to Marfa. The service was engaging, the menu is approachable and the food was perfectly balanced and portioned. Can’t say enough good things about this place. Will be making a trip back for sure!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bread House Made, Steak
Rebecca Kovacs
Food was good and the atmosphere was cute and cozy, albeit a bit too dark. Service was a bit below par from what I would expect for the price and food quality. They do charge an automatic 20% tip, despite your party size, so something to be aware of - the table next to me was not happy about it. The place fits in with the pretentious vibe of the town. I would go again, however, if I ever found myself in Marfa once more - I would just lower my expectations a bit.
My partner and I planned our entire Big Bend National Park-Marfa trip around the tasting menu at Cochineal, eager to experience the cuisine of a James Beard award-winning restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience was highly disappointing, and the price was not worth the poor service we received.
We spent the day at Big Bend and began calling the restaurant as soon as it opened at 5 PM to see if we could push back our reservation, for which we had already paid a deposit. No one answered the phone. Fifteen minutes before our reservation, we received a call from the restaurant informing us that they were not busy and we could push back our time. We arrived on time and waited over 18 minutes before being greeted by our server, Caroline, to get our drinks.
When I asked Caroline to go over the tasting menu, her response was odd, confused, and uncomfortable. We asked if we could order additional items off the à la carte menu, but she said no because everything was timed, and we had reserved the tasting menu. This didn't make sense, as they took so long to greet us and get our drinks. We wanted the tasting menu but also additional food since we practice fasting, and this was our only meal of the day. I've never heard of a fine dining establishment denying customers the opportunity to spend more money, especially when they were not busy.
When we asked for coffee, Caroline said they had espresso but gave a rude response when we asked for an Americano. My partner was so turned off by her attitude that he wanted to leave, regardless of the deposit we had paid. We received better service for half the price at Margaret’s the night before. When asked for a tequila menu, Caroline brought over just three tequilas, even though we saw more at the bar. I had to get up and show her what I wanted, which was a very odd interaction.
The food was good, but the overall experience with our server was terrible. We were so excited to try this restaurant, but from the beginning, it was a mess. I’m extremely disappointed in the management team for not providing their server with better training. When experiencing a tasting menu at this high of a cost, the server is part of the overall experience and should be there to provide whatever we need within reason, like drinks and answers to what’s on the menu. Save your money and go elsewhere in Marfa.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Chris Eyo
We were passing through Marfa looking for a nice sit down. The space is cute and quaint. Overall it was just missing that something to bump to 5 stars.
The food was good. I did enjoy everything I ate, but few dishes made me go… woah. The bread was good. The gazpacho was really good. The roasted vegetables were okay, they did not do anything that I thought was remarkable. Now the escargot…. I could’ve had another one of those. That was the star appetizer for me. 10 out of 10. If I had had some extra bread to dip in that sauce ooooo it was so good. Now… when they took the apps away, the stack of dishes did collapse and did get all over the floor and some of our clothes/bodies. No problem! I was not fazed at all, accidents happen. It did take them about 45 minutes to clean it up off, despite staff continuing to walk around/over the spillage. That was odd to me. We also hadn’t received our drinks until well into the appetizers, and not at the same time. That component of the service was a bit off to me, a little nonchalant. Next came the mains. For me the order of favorites went lamb > pasta > trout = risotto. All very good! I thought the entrees shined much more than the apps. I’d order any of the entrees again. I thought the cheapest one (a veg dish) being $30 was a bit high for what/how much it was, but the flavors were there, nonetheless. I was starting to see the James beard quality come out. Dessert I was holding on for something to WOW me. The bread pudding got the closest. The fruit puree was delicious and the cold cream paired with the warm bread was a perfect contrast. The date pudding didn’t do it for me, but I think that’s just because the flavor wasn’t for me personally. my friends loved it.
Overall, strong dishes. They were very good with being mindful of our various dietary restrictions/allergies. Service was a teeny bit clunky and the dishes were a smidge more expensive (e.g. $20 cocktail before tax + tip) than I would have priced them, but I would definitely go again and try some of the other dishes.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Escargot with Our Bread, Vegan Board
Daniel Houy
This is an upscale hidden gem in west Texas. Very unique and flavorful food that is always changing. Chef uses locally sources meats and produce so it is all very fresh. There is an extensive wine and cocktail menu as well to pair with your meal.
Dietary restrictions: They ask first off if there are any dietary restrictions and will accommodate you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quail, Bread House Made, Emincé De Nilgai, Steak
Al Oeste
Absolutely fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roberta F.
Pleasant outdoor dinner! Friendly but unprofessional and not very attentive service (for the bill at the end of dinner I would expect a higher level of service). Good cuisine for the American level of that area. Good bread but short leavening which created little eyelet, very good meat but cooked in a messy way (that good product doesn't need too many condiments). Interesting baked artichokes but harvested too late. Glasses of red Pinot noir excellent proposal!
An Absolute Scam – Avoid at All Costs!
I recently had the misfortune of dining at Cochineal.
First off, securing a reservation was impossible. Their online system showed no availability, and countless phone calls went unanswered. Deciding to take our chances, we walked in to find the place nearly empty—8 out of 10 tables were vacant, and there were multiple open seats at the bar. Yet, the host insisted they had no availability for the entire evening. The only option offered was to share a table with another couple.
During the two hours we spent there, not a single additional patron walked in. It’s clear they were fabricating scarcity to create a false sense of exclusivity. As we passed by the kitchen, we noticed the cooks texting on their phones—hardly the mark of a reputable establishment.
Every dish was excessively salty and downright unpalatable. For the prices they charge, one would expect at least a semblance of quality or creativity, but this was far from the case.
Our server appeared to be under the influence, offering lackluster attention and forgetting basic requests like water refills. Their overall attitude was indifferent at best, making the entire experience even more unbearable.
Cochineal is a complete scam, thriving on deception and delivering nothing but disappointment. Save your money and sanity—dine elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Hands down one of the most amazing dining experiences! We are foodies and love trying all kinds of places and this spot wins out from even some of the Michelin star places we’ve tried!!! What a gem and everthing we tried was spectacular!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot with Our Bread, Toshi's Date Pudding with Rum Sauce, Steak Tartare, Steak
Food was great, the 20% service fee and expected additional 20% tip felt ridiculous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Great experience and food. Service was great. The chef owner came and spoke to me multiple times !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Don’t be put off by the weird 1 star reviews. Marfa has a population of like 1800 people to draw from - of course the staff aren’t trained exactly like the staff at La Gavroche… but they’re perfectly nice, helpful and competent people, and you’re in Marfa, for goodness’ sake! It’s a miracle there’s any food at all.
Food is absolutely excellent. Wish I had room for dessert - next time!
All that said - please get rid of the 20% service fee + tip screen. It’s such a self inflicted wound, doesn’t make anyone feel good (especially if you don’t notice it - feels duplicitous). Just charge 20% more for the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We came to Marfa for the weekend from Dallas and I knew I wanted to try this spot. We did the regular menu seating and not the tasting menu. We had a delectable meal! Escargot was amazing along with the steak. The bread was a must as well. The ambiance here was great. Our entire meal took about an hour, service was fairly quick and the food was served promptly. I am glad we went with the regular menu rather than the tasting menu. I would recommend a stop here if you are coming to Marfa!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Had a terrible experience here yesterday, I’m mad I even have to give them 1 star. Indoor atmosphere is awful, the tables are too close and it was hot. Oh! And to be considered fine dining you must have a friendly waitstaff, and they were very rude and stuck up. The moment we sat down there were tons of flies everywhere landing on us and our table. The food was okay nothing spectacular, but thanks for telling us 5 times that “these herbs are from our garden”, that does not make your food look or taste any better. They also automatically include a 20% tip to your bill, and I’m obviously happy to pay that but they need to step it up and have that fine dining quality service. This is definitely not “fine dining”, it’s a total scam. Go to Margeret’s or another friendly and more affordable place with surprisingly better food.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I was extraordinarily disappointed by this place. The Maitre d' was remarkably rude and unaware. The inside of the restaurant is full of flies. Our waiter was fine; I think he had recently started. The food is good, but that's the minimum bar to clear given the price. Overall, don't believe the hype. This place is wack, uninspiring, and mediocre. Silver lining: drinking game where you take a shot every time they mention the herbs being froom their garden.
I been to a few James Beard recognized restaurants and this is by far the best experience I’ve ever had. The ambience is exactly what you’re looking for when you vacation to Marfa. The service was engaging, the menu is approachable and the food was perfectly balanced and portioned. Can’t say enough good things about this place. Will be making a trip back for sure!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bread House Made, Steak
Food was good and the atmosphere was cute and cozy, albeit a bit too dark. Service was a bit below par from what I would expect for the price and food quality. They do charge an automatic 20% tip, despite your party size, so something to be aware of - the table next to me was not happy about it. The place fits in with the pretentious vibe of the town. I would go again, however, if I ever found myself in Marfa once more - I would just lower my expectations a bit.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
My partner and I planned our entire Big Bend National Park-Marfa trip around the tasting menu at Cochineal, eager to experience the cuisine of a James Beard award-winning restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience was highly disappointing, and the price was not worth the poor service we received.
We spent the day at Big Bend and began calling the restaurant as soon as it opened at 5 PM to see if we could push back our reservation, for which we had already paid a deposit. No one answered the phone. Fifteen minutes before our reservation, we received a call from the restaurant informing us that they were not busy and we could push back our time. We arrived on time and waited over 18 minutes before being greeted by our server, Caroline, to get our drinks.
When I asked Caroline to go over the tasting menu, her response was odd, confused, and uncomfortable. We asked if we could order additional items off the à la carte menu, but she said no because everything was timed, and we had reserved the tasting menu. This didn't make sense, as they took so long to greet us and get our drinks. We wanted the tasting menu but also additional food since we practice fasting, and this was our only meal of the day. I've never heard of a fine dining establishment denying customers the opportunity to spend more money, especially when they were not busy.
When we asked for coffee, Caroline said they had espresso but gave a rude response when we asked for an Americano. My partner was so turned off by her attitude that he wanted to leave, regardless of the deposit we had paid. We received better service for half the price at Margaret’s the night before. When asked for a tequila menu, Caroline brought over just three tequilas, even though we saw more at the bar. I had to get up and show her what I wanted, which was a very odd interaction.
The food was good, but the overall experience with our server was terrible. We were so excited to try this restaurant, but from the beginning, it was a mess. I’m extremely disappointed in the management team for not providing their server with better training. When experiencing a tasting menu at this high of a cost, the server is part of the overall experience and should be there to provide whatever we need within reason, like drinks and answers to what’s on the menu. Save your money and go elsewhere in Marfa.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
We were passing through Marfa looking for a nice sit down. The space is cute and quaint. Overall it was just missing that something to bump to 5 stars.
The food was good. I did enjoy everything I ate, but few dishes made me go… woah. The bread was good. The gazpacho was really good. The roasted vegetables were okay, they did not do anything that I thought was remarkable. Now the escargot…. I could’ve had another one of those. That was the star appetizer for me. 10 out of 10. If I had had some extra bread to dip in that sauce ooooo it was so good. Now… when they took the apps away, the stack of dishes did collapse and did get all over the floor and some of our clothes/bodies. No problem! I was not fazed at all, accidents happen. It did take them about 45 minutes to clean it up off, despite staff continuing to walk around/over the spillage. That was odd to me. We also hadn’t received our drinks until well into the appetizers, and not at the same time. That component of the service was a bit off to me, a little nonchalant. Next came the mains. For me the order of favorites went lamb > pasta > trout = risotto. All very good! I thought the entrees shined much more than the apps. I’d order any of the entrees again. I thought the cheapest one (a veg dish) being $30 was a bit high for what/how much it was, but the flavors were there, nonetheless. I was starting to see the James beard quality come out. Dessert I was holding on for something to WOW me. The bread pudding got the closest. The fruit puree was delicious and the cold cream paired with the warm bread was a perfect contrast. The date pudding didn’t do it for me, but I think that’s just because the flavor wasn’t for me personally. my friends loved it.
Overall, strong dishes. They were very good with being mindful of our various dietary restrictions/allergies. Service was a teeny bit clunky and the dishes were a smidge more expensive (e.g. $20 cocktail before tax + tip) than I would have priced them, but I would definitely go again and try some of the other dishes.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Escargot with Our Bread, Vegan Board
This is an upscale hidden gem in west Texas. Very unique and flavorful food that is always changing. Chef uses locally sources meats and produce so it is all very fresh. There is an extensive wine and cocktail menu as well to pair with your meal.
Dietary restrictions: They ask first off if there are any dietary restrictions and will accommodate you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quail, Bread House Made, Emincé De Nilgai, Steak
Absolutely fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pleasant outdoor dinner! Friendly but unprofessional and not very attentive service (for the bill at the end of dinner I would expect a higher level of service). Good cuisine for the American level of that area. Good bread but short leavening which created little eyelet, very good meat but cooked in a messy way (that good product doesn't need too many condiments). Interesting baked artichokes but harvested too late. Glasses of red Pinot noir excellent proposal!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
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