Holbox, 1*, Los Angeles

One of my favorite restaurants anywhere in the US is Holbox. Some people might not consider it fine dining, but the technique, focus, and ingredients that go into their dishes, along with their numerous accolades definitely puts it alongside the best restaurants in the country. There are two options for dining here, you can do a la carte (which is what most people do) or you can do their tasting menu which is $130 and runs on two nights a week for just 8 seats. It’s inside of a market (Mercado La Paloma) and the other restaurants there are also quite delicious, Chichen Itza was the chef’s parents’ place and Komal was born out of Holbox.

Highlights on the food:

• Of course, you have to get their uni and scallop ceviche, served in an uni shell. Super fresh and bright and just a great way to start the meal

• Their shrimp and scallop aguachile is another great dish, fried shrimp heads, a really tangy and sharp aguachile to make it very refreshing, and wonderfully tender scallops

• A very underrated dish is their sopa de mariscos which is hearty, warming, great for the wintertime, and features their fish sausage which is their way to use up all parts of the fish

• You of course have to try their tacos, my favorites are their smoked kanpachi taco which has a creamy gooey inside with the melted cheese and their octopus taco (pulpo) that has a tender octopus paired with a squid ink sofrito

• Their tostadas are very special because they use a technique called tostada raspada where they scrape off half the tortilla to make it even crispier, so definitely get a tostada

• Even their raw seafood like their clams, oysters, etc. are wonderfully delicious on their own

Overall, this is a place that’s gotten a lot of attention over the past couple years, but is a place that, without fail, I will visit every single time I’m in Los Angeles because it’s that good and accessible.

If you want to see more I have a new deep dive video on it out as well 🙂