I’ve been to Cenote a handful of times and I will go again; maybe not this month, or next month, but sometime in the future. Would I recommend it to tourists or friends? Definitely not. Several bars and restaurants of similar status in Victoria are much better.
The night I went Cenote, a few musicians played, and I thought it was fun, despite the fact that I generally dislike live music at pubs/restaurants. The musicians played some popular covers, such as Outkast’s “Hey Ya,” and many patrons (including myself) sang along. I ordered a Phillips Analogue 78 Kolsch, which is always a treat. It’s a light beer with a balanced malt-to-hop ratio.
The big however at Cenote is that the service was very weak. Only one server and one bartender were on shift. When two people ordered a beverage at the same time, often one patron would receive their drink long before the other.
I ordered a cocktail next, which was called The Devil’s Workshop, consisting of Hendrick’s Gin, Campari, Pimm’s No. 1, Black Walnut Bitters, muddled mint, and fresh lemon. It was delicious… when the server eventually served it to me.
When we decided to leave, the bill took an inappropriately long time to get to our table. We had to walk across the room and speak to the bartender about settling up.
Cenote is good when it isn’t too busy, or when it isn’t understaffed. The drinks all received good reviews from the patrons at my table, so it’s clear Cenote has good products. But service has the ability to taint the overall experience, and Cenote only gets 2.5 shots out of 5. A passing grade.