Big Growth

Austin restaurateur spills the beans on new nightclub and massive expansion plans

The family behind one of Austin’s hot spots for micheladas and Michoacán-inspired Mexican cuisine is expanding its business, adding a new seafood restaurant and nightclub and opening additional locations of its popular taquerias.

Restaurateurs Gabriela and Arturo Bucio, who own and operate Mexican eatery Gabriela’s Downtown, are set to open their newest concept in the coming days, a new nightclub and bar called Mala Santa, located at 8505 Burleson Rd. near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. In a deal with the team behind downtown Latin nightclub Cielo, the Bucios will have co-ownership of Mala Santa, which is equipped to eventually host as many as 1,200 guests for concerts and entertainment events.

Within weeks of the club's opening, the Bucios plan to launch Seareinas, a new Mexican seafood restaurant and bar. Set for an early March opening, Seareinas is located at 6607 N. IH 35, in the space formerly occupied by the iconic ’Bout Time 2, which closed last year due to the pandemic.

Based on a queen-of-the-sea theme, the new restaurant will feature a menu of Sinaloa-style seafood, a full bar, an elevated stage for hosting live music and entertainment, an outdoor games court, and more than 6,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor dining space.

With the impending opening of Mala Santa and Seareinas, the siblings have also launched a restaurant- and bar-management company, aptly named Gabriela’s Group. The company will manage the new concepts; all Taquero Mucho and Gabriela’s eateries; their East Sixth Street nightclub and Latin music venue, Mala Vida; and Revival Coffee, the East Seventh coffee shop the Bucios bought and reopened in October after a pandemic-driven lack of sales forced its previous owners to close.

The launch of the new management company and seafood and nightclub venues comes as Gabriela’s Group is also planning to expand its two most celebrated concepts: Gabriela’s and Taquero Mucho. A second location of Gabriela’s is scheduled to open in late March or early April in the Southpark Meadows shopping center, while a second location of Taquero Mucho is set to open this spring at 11101 Burnet Rd., near The Domain. (As if that weren’t enough to keep them busy, the Bucios will also add a Mexican juice bar and fruteria adjacent to the new Taquero Mucho that will serve snacks, specialty drinks, and desserts.)

While the addition of the new concepts and creation of Gabriela’s Group mark significant growth for the restaurateurs, Gabriela is hinting that she’s far from finished expanding her family-owned empire, potentially even growing it outside of Austin.

“My team and I couldn’t be more excited to finally start sharing the news about our new restaurants popping up across Austin,” she says. “As we continue to expand across Austin and beyond, we hope to reach new audiences who are hungry for authentic and memorable dining experiences. Each project has been a true labor of love, especially after considering all that has happened over the past 12 months. Yet as we prepare to open doors to these new restaurants, I feel so grateful for the Austin community for continuing to support my team and me because without you all, none of this would be possible.”

Siblings Arturo and Gabriela Bucio

Courtesy photo

Siblings Arturo and Gabriela Bucio

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Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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