Lowkey: BYOB Restaurant Cafe Ynez in Graduate Hospital Has Some of the Best Mexican Food in Town!
Lowkey: BYOB Restaurant Cafe Ynez in Graduate Has Some of the Best Mexican Food in Town!
There is no shortage of Mexican restaurants and trucks in the city. Literally every neighborhood has at least one taco spot nearby. However, it takes a lot to differentiate yourself from a hipster taco stand to an authentic Mexican menu. Cafe Ynez in the often overlooked section of Graduate Hospital/Point Breeze is serving up some amazing Mexican dishes. Although the owners aren’t Mexican, the executive head chef Chef Juan Carlos “JC” Piña, who hails from Mexico City is whipping up magic in the kitchen.
Chef Piña uses the homegrown fare of Mexican cuisine to create traditional and modern dishes with bold flavors. I don’t put too much stock in Yelp reviews but the numbers tell the story. Nearly 5 stars with close to 150 reviews giving praise to the lunch, dinner, brunch and even breakfast options! That’s right, instead of pancakes head to Cafe Ynez for some breakfast nachos featuring corn tortilla chips topped with guajillo salsa, sour cream, cheddar and oaxaca cheese, pickled jalapeño, refried black beans, and fried egg. Tell me that doesn’t sound like something you want to make out with.
Lunch and dinner options such as shrimp ceviche (pico de gallo, pickled jicama, cucumbers in Choulala sauce, served w/ corn tortilla chips) and assortment of burritos are always crowd pleasers. They even serve a veggie burrito for you herbivores out there. The best part of it all are the prices. Cafe Ynez is super reasonable when it comes to prices. Sandwiches and burritos range from $8-$12!
If reading all this gotcha’ in the mood for some Mexican food, be sure to bring their favorite bottle of booze and pair one (or all) of the four new homemade mixers with the pocket friendly food.
Need some suggestions for some alcoholic drinks? Here’s a little cheat sheet: Mango Mint (suggested pairing: sparkling wine), Blackberry Lemon Thyme (gin or vodka), Bloody Mary (tequila or vodka), and Orange Margarita (tequila). So head over to 2025 Washington Ave. and try this place out!
Business Hours
Sunday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Monday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
