"A newcomer to the Austin Mexican scene, this Bouldin Creek restaurant’s kitchen is helmed by chef Jay Huang and his team, which sources its culinary inspirations from the Yucatán, and more specifically, the region’s Lebanese, pan-African, and Portuguese cuisines. This leads to a gluten-free menu featuring a variety of raw and cooked items, including the exceptionally flaky coconut flatbread paired with a cumin, cilantro, and basil chimichurri, as well as crudos and aguachiles. Additionally, the menu offers branzino paired with xnipec, a spicy sauce. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services. Go for its $35 tasting taco menu during happy hour from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Inspired by the jungles of the Yucatan, Nômadé is a Mexican restaurant that feels like a Tulum-meets-Tatooine resort. Earth-toned and accented in stone, the space feels a little futuristic, where staff clad in matching brown tunics whiz about carrying plates of chilled oysters with habanero mignonette and sizzling shrimp over a bed of pineapple pipian. Order a flight of mezcal to go with the seafood platter you just ordered, then dive deeper into the menu of crudos, ceviches, and other Yucatan specialties. The food might not blow you away—it takes a backseat to the experience that feels like you’re actually in Tulum —but it’s all solid enough to keep you ordering more." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs
"The Bouldin Creek Mexican seafood restaurant offers many semi- and full-private dining areas. There’s the indoor Casita with a raw bar for up to 30 seated guests, the covered alfresco Cantina for up to 28 seated guests, and the outdoor Garden with cabanas, all with various cocktail and food options." - Erin Russell, Nadia Chaudhury
"Feel like you’re actually in the Yucatán at this breezy coastal Mexican seafood restaurant, from the team behind Japanese restaurant Lucky Robot. Don’t miss out on the crudo or the fish. And bonus: everything is gluten-free. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Inspired by the jungles of the Yucatán, Nômadé is a Mexican restaurant that’s part Tulum and part Tatooine. The resort-like space feels a little futuristic, with earth tones, stone accents, and woven lanterns. Staff clad in matching brown tunics whiz about carrying plates of chilled oysters with habanero mignonette and sizzling shrimp over a bed of pineapple pipian. Order a mezcal flight to go with the seafood platter you just ordered, then dive deeper into the menu of crudos, ceviches, and other Yucatán specialties. The food is solid enough to keep you wanting more, but it ultimately takes a back seat to an experience that evokes a buzzy spot somewhere off the coast of Mexico. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary photo credit: Nicolai McCrary photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Food Rundown photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Drinks Nômadé offers a handful of signature cocktails—including this one with coconut fat-washed tequila, charred banana, and creme de banana—that are good, though not as exciting as their descriptions make them sound. The biggest strength of the drink menu is the excellent selection of mezcal, tequila, and sotol. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Panucho This classic Yucatán dish consists of a refried tortilla stuffed with beans and topped with a small mound of cochinita pibil. It’s surprisingly filling, creating a good—if robust—start to the meal. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Scallop Crudo The crudos and ceviches are the highlights of Nômadé’s menu, and this scallop crudo swimming in a shallow pool of coconut leche de tigre is no exception. There’s a small orange wedge under each slice to help create perfect little bites of buttery scallop and citrus, all in a creamy, tangy sauce. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Charred Pulpo The octopus is cooked perfectly, and the fried chickpeas it’s served with add great texture. This is one of our favorite hot dishes on the menu. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Pork Entomatada This is a bone-in pork chop served over a bed of salsa and grilled vegetables. Ours was a little overcooked, but it’s seasoned well and served with enough pickled vegetables and salsa to make a satisfying plate." - Nicolai McCrary