Bésame sits in the heart of downtown New Orleans' Arts District, directly across from The Saenger Theater. It's built around Latin-style tapas, pairing fresh Gulf seafood with flavors and techniques drawn from Mexico and South America.
Chef and owner Nanyo Dominguez was born in Puebla, Mexico, and started cooking at age ten. He spent sixteen years cooking in New York and California, worked under chef Aarón Sánchez at Paloma in Connecticut, helped open Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans, served as chef de cuisine at Tito's Ceviche & Pisco, and partnered at Espíritu mezcaleria before landing at Bésame.
The menu moves across Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Yucatan, Oaxaca, and Mexico City, with ceviches, guacamole, empanadas, arepas, crispy cauliflower, pork tacos, and paella among the dishes reviewers mention most. The bar program leans into Latin American spirits — pisco, Bolivian brandy, mezcal, tequila, and rum — built into a cocktail list that includes a well-regarded margarita.
Regulars describe it as a hidden gem given its downtown location, citing consistent food, attentive service, and accommodation for dietary restrictions.
Chef and owner Nanyo Dominguez was born in Puebla, Mexico, and started cooking at age ten. He spent sixteen years cooking in New York and California, worked under chef Aarón Sánchez at Paloma in Connecticut, helped open Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans, served as chef de cuisine at Tito's Ceviche & Pisco, and partnered at Espíritu mezcaleria before landing at Bésame.
The menu moves across Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Yucatan, Oaxaca, and Mexico City, with ceviches, guacamole, empanadas, arepas, crispy cauliflower, pork tacos, and paella among the dishes reviewers mention most. The bar program leans into Latin American spirits — pisco, Bolivian brandy, mezcal, tequila, and rum — built into a cocktail list that includes a well-regarded margarita.
Regulars describe it as a hidden gem given its downtown location, citing consistent food, attentive service, and accommodation for dietary restrictions.