Xochi
Quick info
About Xochi
Xochi is an Oaxacan restaurant in Houston, set at 1777 Walker St. A downtown destination for Oaxaca-inspired dishes, plus cocktails and wine, the menu spans 160 items across a mains range. Two popular dishes anchor the lineup: Ostiones De Lujo and Tlayuda Hongos, both marked as popular on the menu preview. The third popular item, Chocolate Caliente, rounds out the list of highlighted offerings. Reservations are advised for this downtown spot.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingPaid parking lot · Paid street parking · Valet parking
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible car park · Has wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Good for kidsGood for kids · High chairs available · Has kids' menu
- DietaryServes organic dishes · Serves vegan dishes · Serves vegetarian dishes
Menu & Prices
160 dishes · mains $4–55Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention guava cheesecake, mole negro, churros with chocolate and tlayuda de pollo.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention guava cheesecake, mole negro, churros with chocolate and tlayuda de pollo.
Customer Review Summary
Xochi draws consistent praise for its elevated Oaxacan cuisine, with the mole tasting menu singled out as a standout experience, described as a beautifully presented, multi-course showcase of complex moles. Diners also highlight the churros with chocolate, the guava cheesecake, and the Tlayuda de Pollo as memorable dishes, while the Sunday buffet earns repeated mentions for its variety and festive atmosphere, often accompanied by live music. The service is frequently described as attentive and knowledgeable, with staff making thoughtful recommendations. A recurring note across several reviews is that buffet items are often served at room temperature rather than hot, which diners feel holds back an otherwise excellent spread.
Customer Review Summary
Xochi draws consistent praise for its elevated Oaxacan cuisine, with the mole tasting menu singled out as a standout experience, described as a beautifully presented, multi-course showcase of complex moles. Diners also highlight the churros with chocolate, the guava cheesecake, and the Tlayuda de Pollo as memorable dishes, while the Sunday buffet earns repeated mentions for its variety and festive atmosphere, often accompanied by live music. The service is frequently described as attentive and knowledgeable, with staff making thoughtful recommendations. A recurring note across several reviews is that buffet items are often served at room temperature rather than hot, which diners feel holds back an otherwise excellent spread.
Featured reviews
- mishelle phillips
“Our group gave Xochi a solid 9/10. This was actually my second visit, and one of the reasons I wanted to come back to Houston. The food is memorable, unique, and beautifully executed. We spent about $180 before tip for our group, and overall felt it was well worth it. We ordered the memela, molote, cauliflower, tlayuda, tacos dorados, and enchiladas de pollo con mole negro. For dessert, we tried the churros with chocolate, the corn ice cream with whisky, and the blue corn atole. The standout dish for me was the cauliflower. It was absolutely incredible and one of the best dishes of the night. The churros continue to be my favorite thing on the menu and are worth saving room for every time. The memela was a hit with our table, especially with our friend, who travels frequently and eats Mexican food all over the world. He was very impressed with the quality and authenticity of the food. The molote was the only dish that didn’t wow me, but that’s purely personal preference. My husband wasn’t as enthusiastic about some of the dishes as the rest of us, but he absolutely loved the cauliflower and the corn ice cream dessert. My daughter cleaned her entire plate, which says a lot. Our friends also ordered a mezcal that was excellent and paired beautifully with the meal. Xochi isn’t the cheapest meal you’ll have in Houston, but if you’re looking for elevated Oaxacan cuisine, creative flavors, and an experience that feels special, it’s absolutely worth a visit. We’ll definitely be back.”
- SRS
“Wow, this place was amazing. Went the first time for happy hour. Great drink variety. I had a skinny Mezcal margarita, tweaked to my preference. Many other HH options priced in the $10-$12 range, which was. a good value. We ordered most everything off of the HH food menu (as in, nearly EVERY item on the HH food menu) to give it a try. Our server, Francisco, boasted this was the best Mexican (Oaxacan)food in the USA. Now, after 2 visits, I’m sure this was absolute fact. Francisco suggested we return for the Mole tasting menu. I’m so pleased we did. Here is the review. People unfamiliar with Oaxacan food tend to think of Mole as spicy chocolate sauce that you buy in a jar in the Mexican section of the grocery store, or see as the most common mole on menus in Mexican restaurants; however, the mole variations are numerous, which is why the tasting menu at Xochi was such a great experience. It was also well-priced for a 5 course meal ($85 pp plus your drinks, tax/tip). As an award-winning dinner splurge, this was great value. I’ve spent more on a 3- course meal that couldn’t touch this in quality, presentation, or knowledgeable and professional service. I’m posting the tasting menu, and the photos I took- minus the first course (sorry but I ate it before I decided to take photos for a review). It was beautiful. Made with blue corn and wrapped in a leafy triangle on a beautifully creamy bright green mole. You’ll see 2 desserts in the photo because we were celebrating, so we got an extra one. Both were great. The chocolate cake listed served on the tasting menu was bliss- truly death by chocolate. Enjoy!”
- Hanh Nguyen
“Today is my husband’s birthday and I wanted to have him try something new but good. Xochi was just that. We were very happy with our meal and first time Oaxacan restaurant. Our waiter was very warm and friendly and our food was very good. We sat in the terrace as it was nice and breezy outside. My husband got a chocolate dessert complements of Xochi for his birthday. It was very nice of them .”
- Bodies By Farny
“Each time I’ve come to Xochi has been early before the crowd hits but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the service, ambiance, food and drinks. The TLAYUDA DE POLLO | roasted chicken, mole negro, quesillo, refritos, greens was really good and filling I also loved the duck confit tacos and guava cheese cake the corn mezcal drink was amazing definitely my favorite of them all. The service is quick and prompt they’ve very accommodating and knowledgeable. The manager even suggested the jalapeño mezcal marg and I really enjoyed it. The mole was great and the quality of the food always tastes good. I really enjoy the level of service and quality of food and ambiance. I look forward to coming back and exploring more of the menu!”
- Jonathan Celestino
“Wonderful experience. Only downside was the parking but definitely worth the trouble. Food was amazing and service was phenomenal. Food was served in a timely manner. Had the Octopus which was tasty, me personally would char the octopus a bit more. Glass of water was never less than half empty. Definitely coming back soon!”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Chic downtown destination for Oaxaca-inspired dishes, plus cocktails and wine.”
- Has fast service
- Has great beer selection
- Serves great cocktails
- Serves great coffee
- Serves great dessert
- Has great wine list
Amenities
- Has wheelchair-accessible car park
- Paid parking lot
- Accepts reservations
- Has outdoor seating
- Dogs allowed
- Has no-contact delivery
Show more amenities
- Offers takeaway
- Serves dine-in
- Good for kids
- Serves vegan dishes
- Has bar on site
- On-site services available
- Service options· 1
- Offers delivery
- Offerings· 15
- Serves alcohol
- Serves beer
- Serves cocktails
- Serves coffee
- Serves comfort food
- Serves happy-hour drinks
- Serves happy-hour food
- Serves healthy options
- Serves late-night food
- Serves organic dishes
- Has private dining room
- Serves small plates
- Serves spirits
- Serves vegetarian dishes
- Serves wine
- Crowd· 2
- Good for groups
- Popular with tourists
- Pet-friendly· 1
- Dogs allowed outside
- Highlights· 8
- Has fast service
- Has great beer selection
- Serves great cocktails
- Serves great coffee
- Serves great dessert
- Has great wine list
- Has live music
- Serves local speciality
- Accessibility· 4
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Does not have assistive hearing loop
- Family-friendly· 2
- High chairs available
- Has kids' menu
- Planning· 4
- Brunch reservations recommended
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Usually has a wait
- Dining options· 7
- Serves brunch
- Serves lunch
- Serves dinner
- Has catering
- Serves dessert
- Has seating
- Has table service
- Popular for· 3
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for dinner
- Good for solo dining
- Facilities· 1
- Has toilet
- Atmosphere· 5
- Cosy
- Romantic
- Trending
- Trendy
- Upmarket
- Parking· 2
- Paid street parking
- Valet parking
Location
How Xochi compares to nearby restaurants
- Xochi · This shop4.64,161 reviews
Mentioned in reviews: guava cheesecake, mole negro, churros with chocolate
- 1,448 reviews0.2 mi
Mentioned in reviews: ahi tuna nachos, cheesesteak egg rolls, bread pudding
- The Nash4.3261 reviews0.3 mi
Mentioned in reviews: cauliflower hot wings, four cheese ravioli, tres leches cake
- 819 reviews0.4 mi
Mentioned in reviews: lobster bisque, crab cakes, lobster ravioli
Xochi This shop | Hearsay On The Green | The Nash | The Palm - Downtown Houston | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6(4,161) | 4.3(1,448) | 4.3(261) | 4.4(819) | |
| Price | $30–90 | $20–50 | $30–90 | $20–30 |
| Distance | — | 0.2 mi | 0.3 mi | 0.4 mi |
| Open today | ||||
| Vegan options | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Vegetarian options | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Good for kids | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
Similar restaurants nearby
How this listing is sourced
Hours, contact details, and amenities are sourced from publicly available business data and re-checked regularly. Listings are ranked independently — no paid placement.