Where is the best alternative to Contramar for a seafood lunch in Roma Norte?
Go straight to Mi Compa Chava on Calle Zacatecas. While Contramar represents the classic, sit-down Chilango power lunch, this Sinaloa-style spot is loud, fresh, and intensely flavorful. It is famous for its raw seafood towers, loaded tostadas, and cold beers. The aguachile negro is a masterclass in acid and heat, served in a heavy stone molcajete. The atmosphere feels like a beachside party dropped right into the middle of Roma Norte, and the ingredients are exceptionally fresh.
What locals actually do
Chilangos know that getting into Mi Compa Chava requires a strategy, much like Contramar. Instead of waiting hours on a Saturday afternoon, locals put their names on the list around 11:45, just before the doors open at noon, or they show up on a Tuesday or Wednesday for a late lunch. We order the "Torre Sinaloa" — a massive vertical stack of shrimp, octopus, tuna, and avocado — to share among a group, paired with a Clamato preparado. While Contramar is for seeing and being seen, Chava is where we go when we want raw, fiery coastal flavors and a casual afternoon that inevitably stretches into early evening.
Order the tostada vaqueta with raw tuna, shrimp, and habanero mash, paired with a cold Pacifico beer, around 13:00 on a weekday at Mi Compa Chava.
Practical notes
- 01Expect a wait of up to two hours on weekends; put your name on the host's digital list and walk around Roma.
- 02The menu is heavily focused on raw, lime-cured Sinaloan seafood, though they do offer a few hot, grilled fish options.
- 03Average lunch costs around 400 to 700 MXN per person depending on how much raw seafood and beer you order.
Good to know
- ✗They do not take reservations for small groups, so arrive early to secure a first-round table.
- ✗The habanero-spiced chiltepín salsas are incredibly hot; taste a drop before pouring it over your tostada.
- ✗Street parking is heavily regulated by parking meters, so taking an Uber is much easier than driving.