Mayahuel — Restaurant in Houston

Had the pleasure of dining at this newly opened fine dining establishment during opening weekend, and can I just say that if the way they start is any indication of what is to come then they are doing a bang up job!

As with all new openings in the hospitality industry, there were definitely some kinks to work out with service. That is why one star was reduced for service in this review. We got in at the time of our reservation, but it took about 20-30 minutes to get a food menu and we specifically had to ask for additional menus for each person at the table rather than just the first one menu and one drink menu provided. No biggie! They promptly served us cocktails upon request and things improved a lot from then on. Main other gripe was a lack of serving spoons for a table clearly trying a lot of the options on the menu and eating family style.

Onto the atmosphere, the music and general ambiance of the place were superb. The tunes were not too loud or offensive, yet they were contemporary or sufficiently recognizable for anybody that listens to radio frequently without actually listening to pop/rock mainstream stuff. Most patrons were dressed quite well, with a number of very sleek, stylish dresses seen all around us. Clearly this is a place people will go to see and be seen.

Now for the food. Chef has done a great job engineering a menu evocative of some of the finest restaurants you can go to in Mexico City presently. The owner, Omar, clearly has poured a lot of time and energy into making the concept work well, and it was impressive to see him check in on our table multiple times throughout the night. Of the various options on the menu, we tried all the appetizers and taco variations. The bigger plates were on the back side, and by the time we may have been ready to try those we were already full. Of everything we tried, my favorites were the Aguachile, oyster caviar poboy bites, and tuna tostada. The al pastor mushroom tacos were something special, and the pork belly did not disappoint. The desserts were a lot like several of our favorites served at Casa Oaxaca in Oaxaca de Juarez, but had decent spins by chef. It is a bit disappointing to see that the ingredients in the desserts were not on the menu, but we took a chance and did not regret it.

All in all, we will return and have no issues with telling others to give this place a try. ...

I haven’t had this bad of a dining experience in Houston, ever, and I’ve lived here for over 30 years and love eating out. It was so bad that we didn’t order entrees and left to eat elsewhere.

Firstly, the service was subpar. The waiter seemed new, assumed we wanted $8 bottled water although he only gave us flat or sparkling as an option and didn’t disclose anything that they were out of so 2 of the drinks we attempted to order were unavailable. I honestly wasn’t even that bothered by the service though considering I worked in the industry for years and understand being new.

Onto the food… the bread and tortillas were just odd. The butter had no flavor, came in the tiniest dishes which wasn’t even enough for a 1/4 of the bread that it came with and we also couldn’t taste any difference between the two butters. The watery salsa you’re supposed to eat with soft tortillas was odd.

We also ordered the tostada, croquettes and hamachi.

Tostada - the tuna was so fishy, salty, grey on the bottom and the way they cut the fish was so appalling we couldn’t finish the bite.

Croquettes - item we disliked the least, but tasted very beefy and fatty which was extremely overpowering in such a small bite.

Hamachi - absolutely no flavor. I love hamachi crudo and order it basically at any restaurant that has it and this was extremely disappointing.

The most disappointing part about all of this is after we relayed this feedback to the manager, considering this restaurant is new and the Houston restaurant scene is ruthless, we were met with defensiveness and also were told “the chef said nothing was wrong with the food so maybe this kind of food just isn’t for you” which is just flat out rude and insulting. I’m a well traveled person, having frequented Mexico City and this restaurant is the poorest reflection of Mexico City’s food I’m shocked that there are so many good reviews. People are truly missing out on the beautiful food Mexico City offers.

I would not eat here again even if they improved the food and service, purely because I’m not going to entertain or give my money to a restaurant who can’t take genuine feedback and insults their customers. Also, the prices they are charging for the most mediocre and small dishes is...

Had the best girls’ night here! The whole experience was so thoughtful from beginning to end. The space is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Sleek, modern, and warm all at once. I valeted for $8, which was super easy and made arriving stress-free. Loved the convenience of the digital communication for the valet. The dining room is stunning, and I loved being able to see into the open kitchen!! Watching the team work felt almost like a live performance. As someone who’s a little particular about food safety, I really appreciated how transparent and spotless that felt! The open bar setup is also gorgeous. LOVE that back wall. I’d honestly love to come back just to sit there for a drink.

Service was exceptional. Every staff member we interacted with was SO warm, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu. They asked about allergies right away and helped guide us through the best choices. We started with the pan y tortillas and the bluefin tuna tostada. The pan came with three salsas, all beautifully balanced and packed with flavor. I could’ve happily made a meal of just that! The tuna tostada was bright, fresh, and elegantly plated. We were all super impressed with the presentation on that plate! Everything tastes super fresh. Like I could pick up the avocado, the cilantro, the citrus, and the cucumbers! For my main dish, the carne asada was to die for. Perfectly cooked and every aspect of the dish came together in a way that complemented each flavor wonderfully. We ended with a coffee dessert that was bold and rich!

The cocktails were also excellent!

Overall, everything from the ambiance to the food and drinks to the service was on point! It’s the perfect spot for a date night, special celebration, or just a night out with friends! Can’t...