Acamaya
Acamaya offers a sophisticated seafood-forward Mexican culinary journey, blending Mexican traditions with Louisiana influences. Award-winning cuisine ...
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries
Acamaya
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Acamaya offers a sophisticated seafood-forward Mexican culinary journey, blending Mexican traditions with Louisiana influences. Award-winning cuisine in a chic setting.
Book in Advance
Make reservations easily online or by phone to secure your spot at this popular establishment.
Explore the Menu
Order from each section to explore the diverse and expertly crafted flavors Acamaya offers.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Mexican (Seafood-focused)
Price
$$$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Seafood-Forward Mexican Cuisine
Indulge in premium ingredients and distinct flavors. A seafood-focused Mexican menu that delights the senses.
Chef Ana Castro's Culinary Artistry
Award-winning Chef Ana Castro's innovative dishes blend Mexican and Louisiana flavors, earning national acclaim.
Stylish Ambiance
A sleek, thoughtfully designed space channels contemporary elegance, creating an inviting neighborhood vibe.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Menu
Most Popular Items
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book in Advance
Make reservations easily online or by phone to secure your spot at this popular establishment.
Explore the Menu
Order from each section to explore the diverse and expertly crafted flavors Acamaya offers.
Try the Signature Dishes
Don't miss the sea bass ceviche, hamachi tostada 'al pastor', and lump crab meat sopa.
Visit During Off-Peak Hours
Consider visiting during less busy times for potentially quicker service and a more relaxed experience.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book in Advance
Make reservations easily online or by phone to secure your spot at this popular establishment.
Explore the Menu
Order from each section to explore the diverse and expertly crafted flavors Acamaya offers.
Try the Signature Dishes
Don't miss the sea bass ceviche, hamachi tostada 'al pastor', and lump crab meat sopa.
Visit During Off-Peak Hours
Consider visiting during less busy times for potentially quicker service and a more relaxed experience.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Acamaya is lauded for its exceptional, creative Mexican seafood dishes and warm hospitality, with many hailing it as some of the best Mexican food they've ever had. Standout items like the blackened flounder and scallop ceviche receive high praise. While the food and ambiance are generally praised, some diners found the prices a bit high for the portion sizes or service, and a few noted specific dishes like the carne asada were not as strong as others.
"The food was fantastic and the service was great! I think that blackened flounder might actually be one of the best things I've ever eaten. The other small dishes were also great, but the flounder was mind blowing. At the end of the night, the cafe de la Hoya was a perfect treat, but the masa tres leches had a weird texture to me. That being said, the masa tres leches was very good, it just was not like any other tres leches I've had."
Pedro Estrada
"Our meal was great, I think we were just expecting better food and better service for the prices. Our cocktails were absolutely amazing and the flan was one of the best desserts I’ve had in my life. I would come back just for those things and skip having dinner there. The restaurant itself was very clean and beautiful. Best food item we had was the scallop ceviche."
Mollie Mascaro
"I’m visiting from San Francisco and have even traveled to Mexico, but this is hands-down the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. The restaurant is mostly pescatarian, which makes it such a gem to find. The aguachile was bright and tangy, the sweet potato mole was bursting with flavor (I could eat it every day!), and the tamarind agua fresca was perfectly refreshing. On top of that, the decor is so stylish — and for once, the food actually lives up to the vibe."
Ann Koppuzha
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Acamaya specializes in seafood-forward Mexican cuisine, blending Mexican traditions with Louisiana flavors. It's largely a pescatarian menu.
Yes, reservations are highly recommended due to the restaurant's popularity. You can make them online or over the phone.
Diners rave about the sea bass ceviche, hamachi tostada 'al pastor', local lump crab meat sopa, and the blackened flounder.
While primarily pescatarian, Acamaya has dishes like the sweet potato mole that can cater to vegetarian or vegan preferences.
The restaurant features a sleek, thoughtfully designed space with a contemporary elegance and an inviting neighborhood vibe.
Yes, the cocktails at Acamaya receive high praise, with many guests calling them amazing and a reason to return.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
Best New Orleans Restaurants
There are the dishes that send your eyebrows upward at first sight, like the painterly aguachile or the arroz negro topped with mussels that look like a display of emeralds. And there are the dishes that don’t appear far removed from what you’d find on a grandmother’s stove in Mexico City (at least until you take your first bite), like the luxuriously rich acoyote beans or chochoyotes, thick with Louisiana lump crab meat. Ana Castro, already one of the most gifted young chefs in New Orleans, really finds her voice at this stylish, seafood-focused restaurant, which she owns with her sister Lydia.
The 25 Best Restaurants In New Orleans - New Orleans
When Mexican spot Lengua Madre closed, there was a gaping hole in the New Orleans food scene. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long for the chef to open Acamaya in Bywater, which focuses heavily on seafood and might even be better than Lengua Madre. The thick and soft sopes are still around, this time topped with crab and whatever seafood is in season.
Top New Orleans Restaurants You Need to Try in 2025
Co-owners and sisters Ana and Lydia Castro bring their culinary artistry to the Bywater with this sophisticated love letter to Mexico City and coastal Mexican cuisine. After captivating diners with her innovative tasting menus at Lengua Madre, Chef Ana (Food & Wine's Best New Chef of 2022 and a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: South in 2023) offers a more casual yet equally enchanting à la carte experience at Acamaya. The sleek, thoughtfully designed space channels the contemporary elegance of Mexico's capital while maintaining an inviting neighborhood vibe that fits perfectly into the Bywater's artistic fabric.
Where Gordon Ramsay ate in New Orleans while filming | Where NOLA Eats
One of New Orleans' newest restaurants, Acamaya serves a fresh take on Mexican seafood in the Bywater. Ramsay shared a photo of himself with the owners, Lydia and chef Ana Castro. The New York Times recently dubbed Acamaya as one of the best restaurants to eat in the U.S. right now, and the trendy spot was featured on the Times-Picayune's 2024 list of best restaurants in New Orleans.
Latin Food GUIDE - VIVA NOLA
A contemporary Mexican seafood restaurant that brings design elements and flavors from their natal Mexico City to their now home, New Orleans. Chef Ana Castro has been nominated to several awards and has been a finalist to the James Beard Best Chef Awards. Location: 3070 Dauphine St New Orleans, LA. (504) 299-3477
The 10 best meals we ate in New Orleans this year
A table at Acamaya with plates of, from left, charred okra, chochoyotes, a sweet potato and the arroz negro. In the back, an al pastor swizzle is served in a hand-sculpted mug. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit