Mexta Restaurant Review: I Wouldn’t Recommend It
Well, I already shared my TL;DR in the title, so I’ll go ahead and cut right to the chase about the new Mexico City-inspired restaurant in downtown Austin: Mexta isn’t going to be on my Best Restaurants in Austin list, at least for now. Here’s my review of Mexta where I’ll share both the (very) good and the not so great.
I decided to go to Mexta because I needed a date night spot in Austin to visit on a double date with my husband and my sister and brother-in-law, and Mexta has been on my radar. It’s a new(ish) modern Mexican restaurant from two CDMX chefs who have pretty impressive resumes.
About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheWacoThings.com!
Mexta: Quick Facts
Type of cuisine: high-end Mexican with some Austin influences
Chefs: Chef Jonatan Gómez Luna Torres and Chef Mikel Alonso Garcia
Opened in: March 2024
Location: Congress and 6th
Mexta’s Chefs Both Have Michelin Stars
Both Mexta chefs Mikel Alonso Garcia and Jonatan Gómez Luna Torres recently won Michelin stars for their restaurants in Mexico City!
Mexta was recognized in the Michelin 2024 guide as a “distinctive” restaurant in Austin. (Not quite a Michelin star, but still worth visiting.)
The Gorgeous Buildout
Mexta is in the Littlefield Building on Congress and 6th St in downtown Austin. (Btw - who else remembers the last restaurant to be in this space, Simi Estiatorio? It opened in 2021 and shuttered a few months later with $700,000 in unpaid rent and staff announced their checks were bouncing!)
It really is a beautiful restaurant space, with soaring ceilings, a neutral palette, and a statement bar in the middle.
First Impressions
We were all greeted at the front and immediately led to our table. Everyone at the restaurant was friendly and welcoming - all good there!
The restaurant describes itself as a “concept that celebrates the magic born when authenticity encounters innovation, where history and contemporary flair merge seamlessly.” We were excited!
Which is why it was a bit strange when our server came to greet and welcome us and told us a bit about Mexta: “we’re an authentic Mexican restaurant, so we’re not really like those “Tex-Mex” restaurants you usually see in Austin.”
Uh…no duh?
I thought it was a strange way to kick off the introduction. We weren’t exactly expecting to be brought sizzling beef fajitas and a a giant bowl of yellow queso with rotels in it.
The Food: Where Mexta Shines
This is the only factor the Michelin Guide looks at when they’re reviewing restaurants (they don’t factor in service or ambiance), so it makes sense that they added Mexta to their guide: the food really was unreal. Absolutely flawless, very interesting, and something that intrigued me. There were so many interesting flavors and textures. A few standout dishes that we tried:
16 - Hour Sous Vide Pork Belly with "Encacahuatado"
Peanut sauce, chayote, pickled onion, green beans, and roasted cauliflower puree.
Tikin Xic Salmon
Xni-Pec, grandma's black beans, roasted plantain puree, green salad, avocado, and habanero sauce.
Hamachi Tiradito
Tamarind sauce, ginger, chipotle meco, soy, and charred chipotle mayonnaise.
Roasted Cabbage with Green Pipián
Slow-roasted in hazelnut butter. Roasted pumpkin seeds and green pipián.
The Service Was Lacking
I recognize that it’s hard to hire in the hospitality industry right now. But with the ambiance, the prices, and the food quality, I just didn’t get what I wanted.
Here’s what I was hoping for: as every dish was set at our table, I wanted an explanation of the dish. I want to know what makes it special, any interesting ingredients that were used, or at least a quick point-and-tell of which salsa is which.
Here’s what I got: each dish was placed on our table with a “here’s your ___” and then we were left to eat it. This is totally fine at a casual restaurant, but at an upscale splurge-y spot, I’d like a bit more interaction with the food!
For instance, we were very hungry when we arrived, so we decided to quickly order Real One Guacamolé, which is a $19 starter. We added corn tostadas and house salsas for an additional $4. When the appetizer arrived, a small-yet-beautiful guacamole dish was placed on our table, along with a small tray with with 4 tiny bowls of different types of salsa and 3 large corn tostadas. We were told “here’s your guacamole” and left to eat it.
Well…why is this guacamole $19? What makes it so special? And apparently the house salsa comes with 4 little bowls, and I would have loved to know what was in them. And 3 tostadas for 4 people? It would have been nice to know that it comes in a trio in advance so we could ask for more.
We eventually got someone’s attention, asked for additional tostadas, and asked what the salsa were. We were given a serviceable explanation, including level of heat. But for a $23 bite for the table, all of that should have been given at the start.
When I say I wouldn’t recommend it, I just mean that when someone asks for the best date night/special occasion spots in Austin, I’ll recommend Barley Swine or Uchiba or Hestia, but I wouldn’t add Mexta to the list.
While the food was truly amazing, Mexta was lacking the extra “sparkle factor” that I needed. I was especially aware of this because I ate at this restaurant on the same weekend, and there was such a stark contrast in my experience there versus at Mexta.
Restaurants are in the hospitality industry because that’s why we dine out and spend hundreds of dollars on a meal: we want to be hosted! It goes so far beyond a phenomenal gastronomic experience (which is why I don’t always agree with the Michelin Guide, which only ranks based on food and not on ambiance or service or plateware.)
Mexta has the opportunity to be AWESOME, and I’m excited to see if they rise to the challenge in this competitive restaurant city of Austin. After my first impression, though, I wouldn’t recommend it to friends or family as one of the all-time best restaurants in Austin right now.
Mexta Restaurant | WEBSITE | 106 E 6th St Suite #110, Austin, TX 78701
Related posts:
The 30 Best Austin Restaurants in 2025
The 30 best restaurants in Austin right now, from $4 street tacos to $200 tasting menus.
Read More
My Guide To the Best Restaurants in Downtown Austin
Downtown Austin is an absolute treasure trove of terrific places to eat and drink. But…
Read More
17 Best Restaurants With A View In Austin
Searching for a restaurant with a view in Austin is pretty common because – let’s…
Read More