"Holbox doesn’t need a PR team, viral TikToks or, frankly, this restaurant review to stay relevant. It’s got uni-topped tostadas and plush scallop ceviche to do that job. For years, this Mexican seafood stall in Mercado La Paloma has executed mariscos with razor-sharp perfection, relying exclusively on chiles, citrus, and natural ocean brine to turn simple, high-quality seafood into little presents. And for years, we’ve sprinted back to this counter like screaming kids chasing an ice cream truck, ready to hurl our money at what will undoubtedly be the highlight of our day. Even today, when hour-long weekend lines spill out into the parking lot, every meal at Holbox still sets the bar for the next restaurant we visit, and 99% of them can’t live up to it. photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp Anybody who is familiar with mariscos could read Holbox’s menu and know exactly what they’re going to get. But the difference here is that small touches make these Mexican staples feel luxe. A ceviche mixto has its usual components, only it’s prepared with notable finesse. After soaking in lime juice, the soft pulpo, sea bass, and shrimp disintegrate with the pressure of about two chomps. Raw shrimp in Holbox's aguachile sit in a pool of tart serrano marinade, as their fried heads peek up from the surface like synchronized swimmers. Peanut salsa macha gives a taco dorado with queso chihuahua and kanpachi a distinct smokiness. Everything, from the salsas to the raw scallops to the grilled fish, comes together seemingly intuitively. And you get courtside seats to watch it happen. At Holbox, the best seat is at the bar, where you’ll watch whole fish get charred in grill baskets, and cooks carefully assemble tostadas with tongs while you dab your salsa-covered hands with paper napkins. Even after a semi-recent expansion, Holbox’s coveted counter seats are still competitive, but you can reserve one during their twice-weekly tasting menu dinners—an eight-course experience that delivers much more than just a front-row view. Snagging a reservation is admittedly tough, but your patience is rewarded with a mix of Holbox’s signature raw dishes like white seabass ceviches, plus exclusive dishes like abalone tamales filled with smoky plantain mole. photo credit: Jessie Clapp No matter how fancy you feel eating premium seafood, there’s no hiding the fact that you’re inside a noisy mercado. Sounds of vendors tossing pad thai and frying flautas echo in your ear. Chichen Itzá (a stall from the same chef) is next door serving Yucatecan classics like juicy cochinita pibil, while Komal, a tortilleria/taqueria that’s run by a Holbox alum, makes fresh tortillas for the restaurant a few rows over. But even during the busiest midday rush, Holbox remains the market’s center of gravity—and no amount of commotion can distract from that glorious bluefin tostada on your plate. It’s the small details that stick with us—the vibrant orange color of Santa Barbara uni or the way the blackened salsa macha tickles your nose with toasty chile smoke. Or the contrast of showing up in a baseball cap and jeans straight from the airport to toss back juicy blood clams glammed up with pico de gallo. When pristine Baja seafood of all kinds is singing kumbaya on the same plate, there’s nothing to hide behind. Gimmicks, crowds, and fancy lighting are just distractions. Seafood like this speaks for itself. Food Rundown Tasting Menu Holbox’s twice-weekly tasting menu includes eight seafood courses and costs $130 per person, which is a reasonable price for what you’re getting. The first half consists of raw dishes from the á la carte menu (don’t be shy about asking for their house salsas to add some heat), while the second half covers cooked dishes unique to the tasting menu, like abalone tamales with a plantain and abalone-infused mole or poached spiny lobster paired with a fish sausage. Those exclusive dishes, plus the fact that you get a reserved seat at the counter, make the tasting worthwhile, but it also speaks to Holbox’s consistency that the á la carte experience is equally superb. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Tacos Thoroughly explore this section of the menu. The classic Baja fish has a crackly, light fry. The scallops in the scallop taco melt the moment you bite in and are made more interesting with sweet fennel and punchy xcatic chiles. And then there’s the incredible smoked kanpachi taco, where sharp, salty queso chihuahua clings to savory, smoky fish. It’s perfection. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Ceviche Mixto Before your brain has time to process this ceviche’s citrus zing, the fish, shrimp, and pulpo will basically have already dissolved in your mouth. There's also some nice, prickly heat from an arbol-guajillo salsa. photo credit: Jakob Layman Kanpachi & Uni Tostada By itself, the silky, fatty kanpachi ceviche on top of this tostada is excellent. But eaten in combination with the creamy avocado salsa and sweet uni, it's almost offensively good. If you're getting one dish at Holbox, this is it. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Pulpo Asado This grilled tentacle would make a marbled steak jealous. It comes with some nice char, is tender enough for a fork to slice right through, and looks extra hot with the pepian sauce (which is nutty and mildly sweet, albeit a tad forgettable). photo credit: Jessie Clapp Shrimp Aguachile Welcome to texture central. A zippy lime-chile-cilantro marinade cures and softens raw shrimp, while fried shrimp heads provide some crunch." - Sylvio Martins
