Hugo Ortega was born in Mexico City and spent part of his childhood in rural Mexico herding goats, and he credits his grandmother as the main influence on the cooking at Hugo's. He opened the restaurant in 2002 with his wife and business partner, Tracy Vaught, and it became the flagship of their H-Town Restaurant Group. The Montrose dining room hums with families, first dates and business dinners. Go for cabrito, roasted goat pulled from the bone in garlic salsa, or arroz a la tumbada, a brothy rice crowded with seafood and chorizo. Aguachile made with hearts of palm shows how well the kitchen treats vegetables, and squash blossoms arrive every spring. Ortega won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2017, his sixth year as a finalist.
What to expect
- The room is a 1920s Joseph Finger building that kept its original tin ceiling.
- Parking is valet only.
- Sunday brunch is a big buffet, with live music.
What to order
- Cabrito (roasted goat with garlic salsa)
- Arroz a la tumbada
- Aguachile de palmito
- Squash blossom specials in spring
- 2002Since
- Hugo OrtegaChef
- Hugo Ortega and Tracy VaughtOwners
- H-Town Restaurant GroupGroup