Food was excellent. However the waiter spoiled our experience by begging for tips. Said he gets paid $2 an hour, I guess he meant peanuts. American workers take up your poor wages with your employer and the owner of the restaurant and not with your customers or tourists. Owners of restaurants - the world has moved on to fair wages for hospitality workers. Pay them fair wages and prevent them from begging for tips and spoiling our experience at the end of a lovely meal. Cheers.
What a difference a day—and a few steps—can make!
Yesterday, I followed the group to a nearby restaurant without checking Google first. While we were being seated, I noticed the 4.3 rating from more than 3,000 reviews and thought, “Well…we’re already here.” Unfortunately, the experience matched the rating.
So today I did what I normally do: I let the reviews help pick the restaurant.
Xochi was sitting at 4.6 stars with more than 4,200 reviews, making it one of the highest-rated restaurants in the area. After eating here, I completely understand why.
I went with the three-course meal, and it was outstanding from beginning to end. Every course had layers of flavor, the ingredients tasted fresh, the presentation was excellent, and everything felt thoughtfully prepared. This wasn't just food on a plate—it was the kind of meal where you find yourself slowing down because you want to enjoy every bite.
The staff were friendly and attentive, the atmosphere was fantastic, and the entire experience felt polished without being stuffy.
I've learned over the years that when a restaurant maintains 4.5+ stars with hundreds or thousands of reviews, there is usually a reason. Xochi is a perfect example.
4.6 stars from 4,200+ people—and they got this one right.
If you're staying or visiting downtown Houston and can only choose one restaurant in this area, Xochi absolutely deserves to be on the list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Easy 5 stars from me...
Walked in around 8:30 p.m. while staying at the Marriott Marquis (located in the lobby. They also have their own valet if you're simply dining in and not walking down) for work, so this seemed like a no-brainer. There was a good amount of seating if I'd wanted a table, but the place was also pretty full for a Monday -- love that for them! I opted for the bar so I could eat and watch baseball. Priorities.
I tried the HRW menu:
Entremés -- Memelita (4.5/5). Toasted masa pancake, roasted pork rib, refritos, crema, queso fresco and salsa de albañil. So good!
Plato fuerte -- Enchiladas of the Day (4/5). Shredded chicken enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce, topped with sliced onions and queso fresco, served with rice with peas and refritos. The tomatillo sauce has a tiny kick to it. I love a subtle kick. It's mixed with serrano and they call it salsa paloma. I also like my food spicy, so this level of heat may not be enough for everyone -- but I thought it was just right. The rice was nothing special and tasted a little old, but the enchiladas were STUFFED. Always appreciate when a restaurant doesn't skimp on the filling. The chicken reminded me a little of tinga, which I'm absolutely not mad about.
Will I make it to the third course?!
Postre -- Pastel de Guayaba (4/5). Guava cheesecake with guava compote, hibiscus sorbet, hibiscus cream, strawberry gel and a vanilla cookie tuile. The sorbet was a bit tart and I wanted more from the guava cheesecake -- subtle flavor. I did like how crumbly and thick the crust was!
And somehow.... yes, I made it to dessert.
AT
Ariel Turca
Aug 14, 2026
We came to Xochi for Houston Restaurant Weeks, and it was absolutely worth it! The food, service, and atmosphere were all excellent from start to finish.
We tried the empanadas and ceviche, followed by the barbacoa and enchiladas, and everything was delicious. Dessert was the perfect ending to the meal, and the alcoholic beverages were just as impressive.
The service really stood out as well. The young man who kept our water glasses filled was exceptional, he was incredibly attentive and made sure we never had an empty glass throughout our entire meal. That level of attention definitely did not go unnoticed!
Overall, we had a wonderful experience and would absolutely return. Xochi was a great choice for Houston Restaurant Weeks and is definitely worth trying!
So glad we chose Xochi as our first HRW experience this year! They knocked it out of the park. Much much better than last year. This menu was memorable and very delicious. Our waitress was excellent. Very attentive, very well paced, and she explained every dish as it was brought out. I remember last year being rushed through our meal but I did not feel that at all this time. The decor is very modern. I was happy to be seated on the hotel side as it was quieter in the back and less hustle and bustle. The shrimp empanadas were absolutely amazing. I didn’t think I would like them so much. The pulpo had so much flavor. And the desserts were exceptional as always. My only disappointment was that apparently I would’ve paid less and gotten bigger portions on the appetizer if I had ordered the same plates directly from the menu. This I realized after the meal. Happy to donate to charity but I thought this was a miss on their part. Overall , great start to our HRW!