Xochi Houston: Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan Restaurant at the Marriott Marquis
Date Published
Xochi (pronounced "so-chee") is the Oaxacan restaurant chef Hugo Ortega opened inside the Marriott Marquis Downtown Houston in 2017, and it has been a fixture of the city's dining scene ever since. Located at 1777 Walker Street, Xochi is the fourth restaurant from Ortega and his wife and business partner Tracy Vaught — a focused tribute to the moles, masa, and mezcal of Oaxaca, Mexico. Ortega won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2017, the same year Xochi opened, and the restaurant remains one of Downtown Houston's most decorated dining rooms.
Xochi Houston at a Glance
Named after Xochitl — the Aztec goddess of flowers — Xochi devotes itself to the regional cuisine of Oaxaca, a state that anchors much of Mexico's pre-Hispanic culinary tradition. Ortega grew up in Progreso, Mexico, and the menu reflects deep, specific research: house-ground cacao for chocolate service, daily-made tortillas from heirloom corn, and quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese) pulled in-house. It is the kind of restaurant Hugo Ortega built his career toward — alongside the original Hugo's on Westheimer, his Gulf-Coast-focused Caracol, and the long-running Backstreet Cafe in River Oaks.
What to Order at Xochi
The menu rewards an unhurried table. Start with the mole flight — Xochi makes seven distinct moles in-house, from the inky negro to the bright amarillo — and let the kitchen pair them with house masa. Other signatures worth ordering:
- Tlayudas — Oaxaca's signature crisp-edged corn flatbread, topped with quesillo, asiento, and your choice of meats.
- Infladita de Conejo — a puffed blue-corn tortilla with rabbit, refried beans, and coloradito mole.
- Ostiones en su Concha — wood-roasted Gulf oysters dressed with mole amarillo.
- Barbacoa de Res de Zaachila — braised beef cheeks with masa dumplings, slow-cooked in the style of Zaachila, Oaxaca.
- Chocolate cart — finish with a tableside service of house-made Oaxacan chocolate, served hot with water or milk.
The Mezcal and Cocktail Program
Xochi's bar is one of the deepest mezcal lists in Houston — well over 100 bottles, organized by agave variety and Oaxacan pueblo. Bartenders are generous with side-by-side flights if you tell them what flavors you're chasing (smoky, vegetal, mineral). Beyond mezcal, look for harder-to-find Mexican spirits like sotol and raicilla, plus cocktails built around Oaxacan chocolate, herbs, and house-made infusions. The wine list is short but smart, with several Mexican producers and Spanish bottles that pair well with mole.
Hugo Ortega's Houston Restaurant Family
Xochi is part of H Town Restaurant Group, the company Ortega and Vaught built across more than three decades. Each restaurant pulls from a different region of Mexico: Backstreet Cafe leans on Vaught's American comfort cooking, Hugo's draws from interior Mexico, Caracol focuses on Mexico's coastlines, and Xochi is the Oaxacan chapter. The James Beard Foundation has recognized Ortega repeatedly — Best Chef: Southwest in 2017, multiple semifinalist nods for Outstanding Restaurateur — and Xochi has appeared on Texas Monthly's and Alison Cook's top-restaurant lists nearly every year it has been open.
Visiting Xochi: Reservations, Hours, Parking, Dress
Xochi sits on the ground floor of the Marriott Marquis Houston at 1777 Walker Street, directly across from Discovery Green and the George R. Brown Convention Center. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for dinner and weekend brunch — book through OpenTable or by calling the restaurant at (713) 400-7330.
- Address: 1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010 (Marriott Marquis Houston)
- Hours: Lunch and dinner daily; brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Dress code: Smart casual — no shorts or athletic wear at dinner.
- Parking: Valet at the Marriott Marquis entrance, plus self-park in the hotel garage. Several public garages on Walker and Rusk are walkable. For event-day rates and street-parking rules, see our guide to Downtown Houston parking.
- Price point: $$$ to $$$$ — expect $80–$120 per person for dinner with a cocktail.
- Reservations: OpenTable or direct call. Book 1–2 weeks ahead for Saturday dinner.
Where Xochi Fits in Downtown Houston
Xochi anchors the southeast corner of Downtown's hotel-and-convention cluster, two blocks from Discovery Green and a short walk to Toyota Center, Avenida Houston, and the new Post Houston. If you're putting together a weekend in the city, Xochi is the kind of meal that earns a top slot — see our roundup of the best restaurants in Downtown Houston and our two-day Houston itinerary for the surrounding stops worth pairing with dinner here. Locals considering a move to the neighborhood can dig deeper into our guide to living in Downtown Houston.
The Bottom Line on Xochi
Xochi is the Houston restaurant to choose when you want to taste a single region of Mexico in detail — moles, masa, mezcal, and chocolate, prepared by a James Beard Award-winning chef and his team. Whether you're in town for a convention at the George R. Brown, taking out-of-town family for a memorable dinner, or finally booking the anniversary table you've been putting off, Xochi delivers an experience that few Downtown restaurants can match.
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