Overview
If you've been to Bali over the last decade, chances are you've heard someone suggest Motel Mexicola for a meal with a side of tequila, which can end up in dancing on the tables to the Macarena. Motel Mexicola has a way of turning a regular outing into an unforgettable experience, something visitors of their Seminyak and Canggu venues will know firsthand.
Now, in 2026, the company has branched out to Bingin in Uluwatu, bringing Mexican and nothing but good vibes to Bali's Bukit Peninsula area, located across from Alchemy and a few doors down from the beloved Drifter Surf Shop Cafe.
When Motel Mexicola first opened its doors in Semiyak back in 2013, it took its cues from Mexico City. Branching out to Canggu a decade later in 2023, the sequel channelled the Yucatán. Now, its third instalment in Uluwatu, over two years in the making, is drawing on the surf towns and free spirits of Baja California.
"This project was born from a strangely familiar connection between Baja California and Uluwatu," says Mexicola founder and co-owner, Nicolaza Que Pasa, in a press release. "For me, Baja has always represented a different side of Mexico – fresh, wild, unpretentious and deeply connected to the ocean. It's a region where seafood is eaten straight from the water; where wines grow from unlikely desert soils; where meat charred over open flames is an event."
Behind the new menu is Culinary Director, Manuel 'Manu' Santos (ex-Barrafina, London), and Head Chef, Veracruz-born Manuel Bernal. You can expect street-food go-tos, sharable plates and tacos in the mix, as well as a series of new seafood dishes like smoked tuna empanadas, prawn aguachile, and a tuna and scallop tiradito. The hero? Their dedicated, custom three-metre grill burning a blend of locally sourced rambutan wood and coffee wood — like the butterflied char-grilled snapper, lobster Tijuana-style and prawns smothered in a creamy, chile-fragrant zandareado marinade.
Behind the drinks menu is Mexicola's Group Beverage Director, Denny Bakiev, who has created a list that speaks to Mexico's cocktail culture, from Margaritas to Palomas or perhaps something new from their Bar Baja section, like The Cantarito or The Padre Kino, which tops red wine with pandan and blood orange soda.
Motel Mexicola opens its doors on July 22, a huge 2,500-square-metre, indoor-outdoor venue that lives up to, if not outdoes, the aesthetic promises of its neighbouring predecessors in Seminyak and Canggu. Led by architect Carlos Cole of Mexico City studio Sensibilidad Aplicada, the venue draws on Baja's majestic Spanish missions to create a site of rough stones, endless archways, enclaves, fountains and, in true Mexicola fashion, shrines. Aussie artist Brent Smith has also gotten involved on the project, adding his signature touch throughout the walls of Motel Mexicola Uluwatu, and more than 65 custom tile designs are scattered throughout.
Motel Mexicola Uluwatu is now open at Jalan Pantai Bingin No. 08, Uluwatu. Head to the website for more information.
Images: Supplied
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