Overview: Cafe Tulum opens on Friday, September 4 at 3210 Grace Street NW in Georgetown, D.C., offering a seafood-focused menu with Japanese influences. The venue features a cocktail program centered on natural fruits and specific spirits including mezcal, vodka, and tequila.
The Full Story
Mexican restaurateur Juan Dracoulis envisions the location as a plant-filled respite for guests to relax over small plates. The 50-seat space incorporates an eco-villa aesthetic with bamboo, hardwood tables, ceramics, concrete flooring, and earth-toned palettes. Leading the kitchen is Sous Chef Gerardo González Sánchez, who brings expertise in both Japanese and Mexican cuisines. Dracoulis notes that the food respects the product, drawing inspiration from his travels to Japan while maintaining a connection to Tulum’s coastal roots.
The menu highlights include roasted octopus with potatoes, guacamole with tostadas, spring rolls stuffed with cucumber and shrimp, and hamachi tiradito. Seafood remains a primary focus, featuring dishes like scallop ceviche with lotus root, oysters, tuna tostadas, yellowtail sashimi, and seafood-stuffed chile relleno.
Production & Profile
The cocktail program emphasizes quality ingredients, with drinks built from natural fruits rather than frozen components. Specific offerings include a cucumber-basil vodka, watermelon mezcal cocktail, classic margaritas, and palomas priced around $12 each. Mexican Coke bottles are served alongside the cocktails. The bar features a matte-black finish and is accented with leafy elements.
Brand & Industry History
Dracoulis relocated to D.C. from Mexico eight years ago and previously operated Maiz 64 on 14th Street NW, which opened in 2021. That location suffered fire damage in 2024 and never reopened. He currently runs Rabbit Taco in Tysons Galleria. The new venue aims to be affordable and casual, distinct from fine dining, allowing guests to visit twice a month.
What This Means
The opening reflects a shift in the Georgetown dining landscape, which has seen significant turnover with fresh faces moving into the area. Recent arrivals include two steakhouses in the past year alone. Dracoulis plans to change the menu twice a year, introducing hot plates and soups during winter months. Thursday hours are closed to the public for private events, a strategy he notes is key to running a restaurant successfully.
Consumer Takeaway
The dining room operates Monday through Wednesday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday until midnight, and weekends starting at noon until late. The space offers a social environment suitable for sharing small plates with friends or family in a relaxed setting. Vacation hats hang in the bathrooms and murals of palms frame the dining room to match the soundtrack of EDM and Latin music.
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