Maximiliano Bistró

Maximiliano Bistró is chef Ernesto Zamora’s restaurant on Calle Gobernador Ibarra: brunch every day of the week, a lunch service until 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and a coffee bar and cocktails alongside. OpenTable describes an open kitchen built around local ingredients, where food, mixology, specialty coffee and wine are meant to work as one experience, and says the concept draws on Emperor Maximilian’s influence on Mexican cooking. It’s on the 799-peso list of Tijuana Restaurant Week 2026, which runs through Nov. 12.

The vibe

Expect a polished, relaxed dining room rather than a party. OpenTable lists the style as casual elegant and splits the space into a café area, a dining room and terraces. Atly, a guide built from visitor reviews, mentions elegant decor and a spacious terrace, and its summary describes a quiet, family-friendly place with soft music. OpenTable’s amenity list adds a cigar room, an outdoor smoking area and a dog-friendly policy.

The food

Positive Mayo’s chef profile sums up Zamora’s approach at Maximiliano as contemporary, bold and refined Mexican cuisine. OpenTable links to the menu rather than publishing it, so we can’t list dishes and prices here: a green-apple aguachile shows up in a diner’s photo, and recent reviewers single out the brunch, the coffee bar and the presentation. The bar serves cocktails, beer and wine, there are gluten-free options, and takeout is available, according to OpenTable.

Who’s cooking

Zamora grew up in Sinaloa and moved to Tijuana at 18, according to Positive Mayo, which says he holds a master’s degree in culinary arts and studied pastry in Barcelona. He’s active in the city’s food scene: Positive Mayo connects him with the Tijuana Sin Hambre charity, and in December 2025 San Diego Red named him, as founder of Maximiliano Bistro, among the organizers of a free festival of food from Mexico’s northwest on Avenida Revolución.

What to expect

Brunch is the main draw. OpenTable lists brunch from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, plus a lunch service from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday. You can book on OpenTable, which showed reviews from late September 2026 when we checked. Weekend brunch is listed among its features, so reserve ahead if you’re going with a group.

Prices and entry

OpenTable’s price bracket is 310 to 500 pesos per person, and it lists American Express, Mastercard and Visa. Visitor reviews quoted by Atly complain that extras were expensive and that the bill didn’t match menu prices, and Atly’s notes say parking is charged separately, so check the bill and ask about parking when you arrive. For Restaurant Week, the restaurant is on the 799-peso tier; the campaign site doesn’t spell out its menu, so ask when you book.

Getting there

The address is Gobernador Ibarra 9721 (postal code 22044), on the same street as Diner House. Put the full address into your taxi or ride-hailing app. OpenTable lists a private parking lot, while Atly’s listing gives conflicting parking information.

Good to know

• Phone: 664 199 0010 (OpenTable).
• OpenTable lists the dress code as formal, even though it describes the style as casual elegant; neat clothes are a safe bet.
• Dogs are welcome, according to OpenTable; ask for a terrace table.
• Hours can change, so confirm before you go.

More places to eat are in our Restaurants guide and guides, and what’s on this week is on the calendar.