This is a unique and must-visit restaurant in Mexico City. Few places embody so much history, consistency, and warmth.
El Danubio restaurant was founded in 1936 and will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026. Its cuisine has been enjoyed by several generations of Mexicans and tourists eager to experience the best food the city has to offer.
At El Danubio, tradition and quality are non-negotiable. It’s not just a place to eat, but an intimate gathering spot that has been frequented by leading figures in culture, politics, and entertainment. The restaurant’s legendary cuisine is sought after by thousands of residents of the capital.
El Danubio Restaurant: How One of Mexico City’s Oldest Establishments Came to Be
In 1936, Basque chefs José Aranguena Zatica and Víctor Amundarain took over a space that had previously been a German beer hall. The restaurant was located in the city’s Historic District, at 3 Uruguay Street. There they founded El Danubio, with the goal of introducing the cuisine of their homeland, based on the quality and freshness of the ingredients, the abundance of food, and the camaraderie found both in the kitchen and at the table.
During those years, the Spanish Civil War and the Franco regime forced thousands of Spaniards to flee their homeland. Many of them found refuge in Mexico. President Lázaro Cárdenas implemented an asylum policy for those persecuted by Franco. Although El Danubio is not a direct result of the exile, it is part of a cultural exchange between Mexico and Spain that took deep root during that era.
In 1947, José Aranguena brought his nephew Juan Mirena from the Basque Country to help out at the restaurant. After some time, following the founders’ return to their homeland, Mirena took over management of the Danubio. It was he who established it as one of the most renowned and prominent restaurants in the Historic District.
For 90 years, El Danubio has been a witness to the city’s history. The menu has retained its identity for nearly a century. Generations of diners have dined at their tables.
A tribute to the sea, tradition, and the unintended museum
The Danubio offers a menu featuring more than 50 seafood dishes. The most iconic and sought-after dishes are the prawns and the green soup. The latter is made with garlic, parsley, shrimp, sea bass fillet, scallops, and crab. Diners also enjoy camarones palmera, a glass of shrimp with house-made mayonnaise, or cangrejo moro. The average price per dish ranges from 300 to 400 Mexican pesos.
The space is simple, warm, and intimate. El Danubio is always bustling with families, groups of friends, and businesspeople looking for a moment of relaxation, good conversation, and delicious food. It’s the perfect spot for long, leisurely meals—one of the greatest pleasures for restaurant lovers.
The walls of the Danubio serve as a living museum. In 1983, Octavio Paz started the tradition of leaving a written dedication on a cloth napkin after a meal.
“To the Danube, which knows that cooking is
the first and last of the human arts” — Octavio Paz
Since then, the list of signatories has included figures such as Jacobo Zabludovsky, Rocío Dúrcal, Rufino Tamayo, Silvia Pinal, Pelé, and many others.
Filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu wrote: “That same day, his first tooth fell out and he bit into his first giant shrimp at Danubio. ‘This is my favorite restaurant,’ my son Eliseo told me earnestly. ‘I agree,’ I said. And then we toasted with our Sidral Mundet.”
There are more than 800 signed napkins on the walls. The Danube is a place of fine dining and shared memories.
After lunch
El Danubio is located at Uruguay 3, in Mexico City’s Historic District. After lunch, it’s worth taking a stroll through the streets of Mexico City’s Historic Center. If you take the Eje Central, you’ll soon reach the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the iconic Madero pedestrian avenue, which leads to the Zócalo.
Discover other legendary restaurants in AW Magazine.
