Backstreet Cafe, Hugo's, Caracol Review

I came here for a dinner during an interview. It was amazing! It was relatively loud as the resident is bustling and busy but the food made it worth it. We had Empanadas Platanos which were empanadas made with plantains in the dough and stuffed with queso fresco and black beans. They were hands down the best empanadas I have had. The plantains deliciously accented the black beans. I would HIGHLY recommend this appetizer. For my entree I enjoyed an "undressed enchilada." This dish was composed of a homemade blue corn tortilla covered with red sauce, crema, queso fresco and delicious fall vegetables such as carrots, brussel sprouts, roasted potatoes and squash. I really enjoyed the fall flavors! For dessert I had the lime and passionfruit sorbet. It was just the right amount of tart and sweet to enjoy for dessert. It is clear that the chef places a significant amount of thought into creating recipes that have deliciously balanced flavors, and highlight various flavors in the dishes. Definitely would love to go back to this restaurant!

I went here for Houston Restaurant week. The food was so good I had to go back times. I highly recommend the lechon with a dark and stormy cocktail. Aside from the food the vibe is very nice. Kind of like a homey dinner party type of vibe. Definitely should go here

Mexican food and the scene at this spot is great. Really nothing but great experiences here, so I will be back.

I love Hugo's! Their food is delicious and their menu is full of tons of options that'll all amaze you.

DELICIOUS!! But very busy on a Sunday morning for brunch. The desserts are phenomenal!

Your typical TexMex joint. Probably more than you should be paying when you can get this food anywhere. Not impressed.

We had a private event and this was my 1st time visiting Hugo's (but it is a family favorite) I loved the atmosphere and the patio. The drinks were nice, i had the Paloma Rustica and berry mimosa. The service was superb. Our menu was small but I enjoyed our options. Definitely looking foward to visiting for dinner and try their other options. Staff was very professional and I appreciate how tidy they were. Very clean and welcoming overall.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant for it is true Mexican food and not the Tex-Mex found all over Houston - you can actually order fresh seafood here (like in Cancun). Scallops are one of my favorite seafood dishes at Hugo's. Be warned: the wait can be long.

Wow. Everything on the menu is great. Will come back to Houston just for this spot.

Blown away! Anything here is top notch but especially the duck! Sheeeeeeesh

The food was amazing. The fish tamales are out of this world!!

My wife and I love to come here for our special occasions. You can always count on everything being very good. I was very happy to see that HEB started carrying their food to go. I ve had more than a few times since Covid started

Everything was great quick lunch quite tasty. Staff was professional.

Great food, excellent service and convenient location! !!!++++++

Fantastic high quality Mexican food. Don't expect nachos and salsa here. Try the scallops or the octopus dish. They are awesome. My sister and I shared a variety of smaller plates so that we can sample more. Everything was so well prepared and so wonderfully flavorful. The service was also excellent. I travel to Houston each year and I always head to Hugo's. It has not disappointed me yet and it had been at least six years!!

Fresh food, great atmosphere, good customer service. Definitely coming back in the near future.

We called for a reservation for 8:00pm for my sisters graduation dinner. They closed at 9:00pm. As we were finishing up our dinner they literally flicked the lights off to give a sign to leace as they hovered around us acting impatient. When asking our waitress questions while ordering she seemed agervated as well. We spent $450 to be rushed through an important event and to be treated like an inconvenience. If I could give 0 stars I would. They shouldn t have taken the reservation if they were going to treat us poorly.

A lovely authentic space, exactly as pictured. I suggest the Pato en Mole, a crispy skin braised duck portion, deliciously seasoned and cooked to perfection, served with mole poblano and Mexican squash. Finished the meal with a traditional Mexican coffee infused with cinnamon and brown sugar! The wait staff was fabulous. Kudos to Miriam our wait person who made two (clearly) out-of-towners feel right at home!! Go. You will not be disappointed!

Very good plantain empanadas, but otherwise average food and service. Very noisy environment.

We came at 2:50 ten minutes before brunch. And we were told that we weren't able to get brunch because it was at 3 and they were going to take the buffet away. That was fine however they took like another 40 minutes for the buffet to be cleared. We ordered our food it it took so long for our food to come out meanwhile we had to sit and watch people enjoy the buffet while our food took more than forty minutes. They didn't even offer to bring an appetizer while we waited. Bad dining experience.

We arrived at our gate a little early and decided to go for a drink here. We walked in expecting a friendly greeting, but instead we were yelled at and embarrassed for walking to the establishment through the side entrance... and of all people this was the manager! However Victor the bartender was great! He recommended some drinks and made us feel better.

Place is really nice and food presentation was awesome but not the greatest tasting food.

I've been to Hugo's a few times now and always enjoyed it. Great menu with exquisite flavours and a number of items you won't get many other places in Houston (chapulines, anyone?) The last time I went was for an event which was in the back room, and it was lovely, but the people could barely be heard over the general noise coming from the restaurant - the walls didn't reach the ceiling. So not a good place for an event with a speaker, but as a restaurant, FOR SURE.

Real regional Mexican food. High quality ingredients and beautiful presentations.

This place is a local tradition but I'm changing my review of 5 stars to 4. Service is getting bad last couple times I've went. It's such a great place I always go for birthdays, out of town gueats and other type events but maybe not the next time if service keeps going down.

fine spot for tasty mexican food. staff is always super even when they have a full house. there was quick, helpful, and friendly service.

This place has been here for more than 17 years and still has a line on weekdays. It shows the consistency on the management and food quality. Service was wonderful for they make you feel like home. Like

This place is the real deal. And by real I mean truly authentic central Mexican food and not the tex-mex(which I also love) that is all too common around the area. Service was great as expected from a little bit of a higher scale restaurant, waiter was knowledgeable about the menu and handed out several great recommendations and the ambiance and lighting was quite nice. I came with a party of 5 and each of us enjoyed our meals and all sides were also up to par. My father(who is mexican) even compared their mole sauce to his mothers,even giving it a slight edge over his old favorite, which is the highest compliment one can receive for a Mexican dish. All in all Hugo's was a great upper scale restaurant that uses great ingredients for great food. Try this place out of you are getting tired of going to a steakhouse for a nice dinner.

Everyone knows this is the best Mexican restaurant in the city and has been for years. Always delicious & reliable.

Like the brunches at Hugo's, excellent food and good variety.

This is the best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. The food here is at the Michelin Star level but still retains the authenticity of Mexican cuisine. If you re new to Mexican cuisine, get the sampler and you will be convinced. I could eat the fish tamales again and again and again.

Decent food and decent service. Got the Huarache con Huevos for brunch, and it was the definition of mediocre. Service was spotty, and they brought another table's appetizer to us, and there was a 15 minute period near the start where I didn't get a refill on my water (to be fair it was completely fine after that though). Might try it again, as the dinner menu looks good but the price tag definitely didn't match the quality.

Our server was a bit pompous, but gave great commentary with his recommendations. The atmosphere was lively, albeit noisy, and our meals were delicious. I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to revisit, although Hugo's will likely fall off of my radar.

An amazing restaurant with an amazing story. Great service and great. With all the great Tex-Mex it is awesome to have a central Mexico flavor.

They have a few vegan options..wish they had.nine dairy milk.foe coffee tho

Hugo's is a Houston staple and its good reputation is well deserved. One of the most rewarding places to dine on the city

I dined here last night with a group of colleagues and had a fabulous time. It had been several years since dining here, and I might have forgot how delicious it is. There were so many tempting dishes to choose from and luckily, I was able to try almost everyone's dish at my table. I would say you cannot go wrong with any of their seafood dishes. The shrimp with pistachio mole was outstanding. The grilled octopus appetizer was also very surprisingly tasty and cooked perfectly. To drink you also cannot go wrong with a house margarita, shaken at your table to perfection, not overly sweet like many margaritas in this city. The service is always incredible and they are never too far from reach if you need anything. The atmosphere is lively and decor is upscale and clean. A great spot to take anyone for a special treat. Cannot wait to return. Make sure you go hungry!

Fabulous food!!...one of the best brunches in the city...if you haven't been...you're missing out

Let me describe in detail.I walked in and the person in the reception was sweet and quickly fixed up with a spot at the bar counter . The bartender was very friendly and gave me somerecommendations as I browsed the menu . I went for the mezcal Old fashioned which was quickly prepped up and I loved the flavor . The charred red chili on top was an excellent twist, the flavor exploded as I went through the last few sips . They offered complimentary peanuts that went well with the drink. In the meantime I got the tacos , which I must say, were undoubtedly the best tacos in Houston. Their tortillas are magic ! I can't place if it's truly blue corn or not but it's delish af.The octopus was grilled to perfection. If it's stillOn the menu , please go for it. Overall the vibe is perfect and the food is unforgettable. A Houston gem !

The food at Hugo's weekend brunch tries to mimic the experience of eating at a mercado in Mexico. Whilst everything is freshly made I felt that the food lacked soul and character.

Probably the best Mexican food in the city. And I have tried many, many Mexican restaurants. This is one of my top places in the US. Their drinks are very interesting and good too. Love the mezcal options. Bruch on the weekends is good too. The live music at brunch is cool. The churros at brunch could be fresher/better, but everything else is sooo good. So much variety. Their sister restaurant Xochi in downtown is also really good and interesting. Don't sleep on the crickets, they look weird butt are really, really good! Wish they had their seasonal menu all year round! The wait for brunch can get very long just f.y.i.

Place is nicely decorated, wait is about 45 minutes on weekends, make sure to make a reservations in advance. Casual dress recommended.
Definitely worth the visit. Ordered lamb dish w/ tortilla (was alright), grilled seafood, etc. Service was super though.

It was, very good everything, good service, and excellent food

Blackberry mojito, octopus appetizer, cheese empanadas, and barbacoa entree made for a delicious dinner with family.

A great traditional Central American and South American restaurant. Great food and not spicy if you have issues with heat. The desserts are great and unique as well. Must visit if you are in the area.

The food was different from TexMex, quality was good, flavors were good. Prices were comparable, between $15 and $30. Only thing I would suggest is some fresh drinks that are non-alcoholic.

Best family place to go out and have a nice meal and also has the best margaritas ever.

Great restaurant! My wife and I have enjoyed many memorable occasions here. The service, food and drinks are top notch. Good options for vegans and vegetarians and the tequila selection is very nice. Muy Bueno. The new year's celebration gathering was exquisite

Even the kids' food was excellent. They had enchiladas and empanadas. We loves the sauce for the lechon and the barbicoa.

My husband and I come here WAY TOO MUCH!!!! It is outstanding every single time! Carlos is our usual bar tender and server! He s INCREDIBLE and we love to watch him do his thing with all the amazing cocktails he makes. He is ridiculously talented and his drinks are so beautiful and taste like heaven.
The atmosphere is very inviting, Very good lighting, clean and cozy.

We always start off with a Bloody Mary, ceviche, fresh chips and salsa and guacamole. Then my husband gets the grilled octopus and I get the shrimp tostadas. Then we get the lobster tacos and sometimes the flautas depending on how full we are. My husband as does the Mezcal flight and we have learned so much about it from Carlos. He is so knowledge about all the alcohol.... I guess that s why he got the IRON BARTENDER award!

We always end with an amazing chocolate mousse dessert and a chocolate martini and leave super happy.

We will come back again and again. If you have not been, you need to go asap. I promise you will not be disappointed. This place makes my husband and I so incredibly happy and we crave it all of the time!!!

Every bite was well thought out. One of our favorites

I had been here before and had forgotten until today, how much fun this menu is!

Best Spanish cuisine rendition ever. Amazing braised lamb shanks

Awesome appetizers, escargot, calamari and steaks with excellent service staffs.

Hugo s popular Mexican cuisine is great for people who love authentic food. I decided to try the short ribs. The meat was a little fatty, but it was tender. The cornbread that came with this dish was so delicious I wanted to savor every bite. The Brussels Sprouts and Chips and Dips weren t bad either.

One of the best Mexican restaurants in Houston, staff very friendly

Great food and wonderful atmosphere. I went with three others for a business meeting. The place was quite lively but I was still able to hear everyone. The food was quite small portions, as common in most high end restaurants, but was quite good. You could eat and stay within your weight watcher points! We didn't have dessert but the hot chocolate was phenomenal!

I will give Hugos 4 starts because the food is very good, the service is amazing, the restaurant is beautifully decorated, I love how they paid attention to even the smallest details. Only one thing for me the food is extremely overpriced. Other than that everything is perfect!

Most amazing brunch imaginable! And the service was astonishingly fantastic

Great service. Good food. A bit pricey. Self parking is a bit of hassle, ask them about complimentary valet parking because you arrive
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I like Caracol better but this is the original and you can't go wrong!

Extremely delicious and phenomenal attention, it is my favorite restaurant. Mexican food with a mega super seasoning.

Damn! My wife and I met some friends for Sunday brunch and were blown away by both the selection and deliciousness of everything we tried. From the tamales to the incredible tres leches cake there wasn't anything that wasn't grea! Highly recommend!

Best Mexican food in town. Very authentic and ingredients used are of high quality. I went there to have seafoods. Fish and shrimps were very fresh. It is expensive though, but worth every penny.

The service and the food were both fantastic. Unique takes on drinks and dishes made this a great experience. I will hopefully be back soon!

By far the best ambiance for a Tex-Mex restaurant in this area. Love love love their potato tacos, goes well with any of their awesome margaritas

Food was great. I enjoyed the ceviche most. Desserts were good as well! Went for my birthday and was offered a special strawberry shortcake! Service was a little bit slow.