My friend suggested this place. When I seen it was Latin American with a hint of Caribbean, I was…read moreimmediately turned off. However, you don't just a book by its cover. The food was good. The vibe was everything. Our waiter, Chelsea was amazing. Super personable and overall sweet. She definitely added to the experience. Ya'll... this place is amazing. The vibe, the decor, the music, everything was great. The food was amazing. The drinks strong. I looked at the menu before arriving and I was just going to get a drink. But no. They have an all day brunch on Sundays only. Definitely take advantage of that. They have bottomless mimosas with your choice of a specific meal item for $50. It's a great deal if you're a mimosa person. I am. I will be returning.

This has been on my list for a while so I'm glad I got a chance to dine in at Mamajuana Cafe during…read morethe ACHE conference with a group of about 17 on a Monday night. Our assistant made the reservation and despite a conference being in town, alongside a CHEER competition and the kickoff to the Rodeo, I was genuinely impressed with how smoothly everything went. Even with a large party, the staff handled our orders with ease. There was no confusion or delays and our food came out in about 15 minutes, which again, is pretty impressive given our group size. Everyone ordered something different, and there were no complaints across the table about the food. I got the stuffed red snapper, and it was flavorful. You can tell the kitchen knows what it's doing. The staff were also friendly and the restaurant is very spacious and well maintained. As expected for a downtown spot, parking is what it is, so plan accordingly (weekdays are better). But overall, the efficiency, service, and quality of food made this a great experience, especially for a large group.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in town, specially because I'm from South America and the…read moretaste is splendid and delicious, super tasty. The people that worked there are always super nice, I recommend you to go with no doubt. The whole place is always clean, shining with I love.

The service was slow, but it was well worth the wait. The steak sandwich had steak, ham cheese,…read moreegg, lettuce and some other ingredients as well. Loaded and so good.

Xochi is located at the Marriott Maquis in downtown Houston and specializes in upscale Mexican…read moreOaxacan cuisine. They have several moles that they incorporate in their cuisine and can accommodate vegetarians. Tacos dorados ($16) - These crispy tacos consisted of chicken picadillo, crema, and queso fresco all served with mole coloradito. The mole had a smoky flavor with a bit spiciness. It had really great flavor. Coliflor ($9) - This side dish was made of roasted cauliflower steak all served on a cauliflower puree. The puree was so rich and creamy, it felt almost like mayonnaise. Pulpo ($24) - The octopus was grilled perfectly and was firm and had excellent flavor from the red tomatillo salsa and confit tomato. Purple potatoes rounded out this dish. It's served with chorizo, but I don't eat pork so they prepared it without it. Atun tatemado ($38) - This consisted of seared pepper crusted yellowfin tuna, wild mushrooms, huitlacoche, potatoes, and mole amarillo. The tuna was extremely fresh and the seared crust had excellent flavor and paired nicely with the tangy and tart mole. Cacao ($20) - What an amazing dessert! This white chocolate cocoa pod, contained on the inside chocolate texture - tejate foam, passion fruit chocolate cloud, chocolate criollo soil, chocolate sponge cake, some cherry sauce, and pieces of chocolates. The presentation was impressive and the taste was extraordinary, with so many unique types of chocolate and fruit combinations. Valet is $11 and the server will add the charge to your bill if you provide him with the valet ticket. Overall the food is outstanding here and the service is friendly and informative. The creative cacao pod has to be one of the best desserts I have ever tried. Xochi is a must visit for anyone coming to Houston!

I want to make this short and sweet. This is an expensive dinner experience, but also well worth…read morethe money. Service was very kind and professional. Ambiance was fine, not really intimate but still very classy. The drinks are absolutely top notch. Not one drink that we ordered from their cocktail menu missed the mark. All the food we ordered was absolutely exceptional. My wife's Pulpo dish was gorgeous and the octopus was cooked perfectly. I can't think of a better tuna dish I've had in my life than the Atun Tatemado. The Tlayuda de Res was a stunner and something I will definitely order next time. The Taquitos were cooked nicely and the chicken inside was not dry or under seasoned. Loved their Queso Fresco. Super creamy and refreshing. The only bite of food that was kind of a miss for me was their Sea Bass Ceviche. Tasted a bit fishy for my preference. All in all, absolutely delicious! We definitely recommend Xochi!

Came here on Cinco De Mayo and Taco Tuesday and the tacos were KILLER!! My only problem is I only…read moregot 5! Be warned the Asada is a little on the salty side but I loved that!

the service is slowwwwwww…read more this is not a street taco place. the bar is nice but the food side is slow no urgency and got on person working 4 different stations. the ambiance is okay , but it's not giving the right energy with the slow service. m

I went here with a group of friends during their happy hour, they do have complementary valet…read moreparking which was great because it's so easy to get overwhelmed in that area around that time on a Friday night. Our server was super attentive and he made sure that everyone's food and drinks came out at the same time even if someone came in later. I had the nachos with beef fajita and chicken, and I thought it was pretty good, it has the same set up as nachos from Pappasito's and my only complaint was that I asked for a side of sour cream to go and was charged a dollar for it. So if anything keep in mind that if you request an extra or even a condiment on the side, you might get charged a small fee.

Came here for a weekend brunch with a large group and honestly was disappointed. They have a very…read moresmall brunch menu and they didn't have the entrée I originally wanted so I went with the Barbacoa omelette. The waiter spoke very highly of it but I wasn't impressed. I feel like my food was probably sitting for a while because it wasn't hot. The omelette itself didn't really have any flavor nor did the potatoes. The most flavorful thing on the plate was the avocados and fruit. I didn't even really feel like it was an omelette. Looked more like a bunch of meat wrapped in an egg cover vs everything being nicely mixed together. I took it to go because I didn't want to throw it away there. The service was very slow. I'd say it took a little over an hour for me to get my food and some people in the group waited longer. One of the girls waited for quite a bit and then the waiter told her they don't have the item she was waiting for. Waiting 1 hr to be told your meal is isn't available is crazy lol Waiter was nice though and comped the other item she ordered. Overall, I'd say I wasn't impressed with Gloria's brunch for sure. Maybe I'd try them again for happy hour at their other location.

The mariscada is one of my favorites. However they do skimp…read moreon the chicharron when you order it with yuca. Not worth it. The service is very friendly. They have naughty list of people on their walls on who not to service lol

Good loroco and fantastic beans lots of cortido and sauce, obviously my review is solely based on…read moretheir pupusas

In H town for a few days this was my first dinner on my list to try in downtown. Great experience…read more Service was on point. Hostess was incredible and our server took great care of us with some quick draw recommendations. Nice setting with a view of downtown. Quiet, which was perfect for catching up with an old friend. We got sushi, apps and a steak. All of it was awesome. Short rib tacos were awesome. The Angry Scorpion Roll was my personal fav. Can't go wrong.

Came here for my wife's birthday last weekend because all she wanted was a good steak. And that's…read moreexactly what she got! The restaurant is on the third floor of the Four Seasons hotel. It's warm, cozy and perfect for a date night. The staff is super attentive and nice, they really made sure we had the best dinner possible. We got the filets, potatoes three ways and asparagus. The steaks came with their homemade chimichurri sauce that I honestly could have just drank. It was so good and the perfect addition to dinner. The potatoes were a fun take on mashed potatoes with an absolutely unreal oxtail gravy. They brought out a sundae with a candle to celebrate the occasion and it was the best ending to a wonderful meal.

We came here after leaving Little Woodrow's because the bouncer recommended this one rather than…read morethe taco truck across the street. The taco truck is in the parking lot across from the bike and scooter rentals. We were pretty hungry so we ordered a lot of food for the four of us right after the bar closed. The lady taking our order recommended the beef pupusas. The portions were pretty big It was my first time ever trying pupusas and they were pretty good. I liked that they weren't too doughy, but you could taste the refried beans and flavor of the masa. The pupusas were covered with beef, which had good flavor. If you're in the area give them a try.

I always come late night and they always take care of me after a studio session. Always fresh and…read morecrispy! And i love the red on the truck! Go shop with them!

More than amazing atmosphere and drink. It feels like every shot is a double. The only place in…read moretown to be if you speak Spanish on a Friday night.

I wish I would've discovered this place sooner! They have happy hour until 9pm and all their happy…read morehour food and drinks are $5. The drinks were super strong and the food was sooo flavorful! The ambiance was nice and the waiter was attentive. I got the nachos with chicken and beef and it was 100/10. Def will be returning

It took me over a year to realize Gusto Gourmet was more than just a cute cafe but a legit option…read morefor Venezuelan cuisine. Their unique position as one of the only Venezuelan spots in the loop becomes even more niche when one realizes that part of the menu is also Mediterranean / Middle Eastern (#1). If that's not Houston in a nutshell, I don't know what is. The place sports a casual vibe with a clean and bright interior. It's been practically empty with every visit, but I suspect the takeout game is strong here. There is limited parking in the back of the restaurant and the narrow alleyway entrance is somewhat easy to miss. Food wise, I am not disappointed. Their cheese cachapa is the stuff of dreams and includes a number of stuffings from ham to shredded chicken / beef. My vote is for their pabellón, which is a nice combination of shredded beef, black beans, and sweet plantains. For cheese lovers, the double cheese is perfectly indulgent with the sweetness of the cornmeal. The main draw for me was the arepas, which is something I missed having had so much of it back in NYC. La Pelua (shredded beef, mixed shredded cheese) is one of my go-tos, but my all-time favorite is the reina pepiada, a shredded chicken mixed with avocado topped with sprinkled salty white cheese. It's a staple in the Venezuelan arepa game and while their version is very solid, I'm just extremely thankful that it's available. Their breakfast platters are a big draw, which mainly consist of scrambled egg combos paired with arepas and various proteins. I think their yuca buñelos, tequeños, patacones, and especially their mandocas are incredibly underrated. The latter is practically dessert since it's mashed plantains with the cachapa stuffed with sugar and cheese. While they're not known for their empanadas, I do think their cazon (#2) is unique and their potato and cheese is always hearty. The shredded beef is a nice alternative to their arepas or arepitas (side) and make for an excellent snack on the go. Fans of Venezuelan cuisine who find themselves in the inner loop owe them a visit and I highly recommend calling ahead of time to ensure they have items available and to get a jump on the wait time for takeout. They are a slept on gem in the neighborhood and one that I hope sticks around for a very long time. _____________ (#1) The owners are Venezuelan and Syrian. The sweetest couple. (#2) Dogfish? It's really a mini shark.

Great Venezuelan food! I have celiac (gluten-free) and I'm vegetarian and they have multiple…read moreoptions available. They even have a gluten free fryer separate from a regular fryer, which is great! The restaurant itself is very casual, few tables and friendly staff at the counter for helping decide. I tried the caxapa with cheese, 3 empanadas with various fillings, and the plain mini areas. All the items were good especially the caxapa and the empandas, though I think the combination of items I picked was definitely fryer-heavy. The sauces they were served with with are also a nice accompaniment. We got to go and excited to try out more of their menu!