Chef Gabriela Cámara’s acclaimed Mexico City seafood restaurant Contramar has launched its first U.S. location inside Fontainebleau Las Vegas, bringing signature dishes and a modern Mexican design to the Strip.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas just raised the bar for Strip dining. Cantina Contramar, the first U.S. branch of chef Gabriela Cámara’s famed Mexico City seafood spot, is now open. This isn’t just another import. The team set out to bring the real spirit of Contramar to Las Vegas, with a menu and design that nod to the original but fit the city’s energy.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas features a culinary collection of 36 unique venues, positioning Cantina Contramar among a diverse portfolio of restaurants at the resort.
Signature dishes and new additions
The menu brings over Contramar’s classics. Diners will find the signature tuna tostadas and the red and green grilled fish that made the Mexico City original famous since 1998. Cámara points out that the Las Vegas kitchen also added steak and several taco options. The goal is to reach more guests. The kitchen stays open to the dining room. Guests can watch the chefs in action. That’s a core part of Contramar’s vibe.
Cantina Contramar is already listed by local Las Vegas coverage as one of the restaurants participating in the Hospitality Charitable Foundation’s M.E.N.U.S. event, confirming its active presence in the city’s dining scene after its debut. Independent dining coverage in late September 2026 also continued to mention Cantina Contramar alongside other Strip restaurants, indicating its integration into the city’s active restaurant roster.
Women leading the project
The leadership at Cantina Contramar is all women. That’s rare for a big Las Vegas restaurant launch. Cámara has worn many hats—she advised Mexico’s president on food policy and appeared in the Netflix documentary A Tale of Two Kitchens. She says women have always been central to Mexican cooking. Still, it’s not common to see them running major U.S. hospitality projects. Las Vegas surprised her. She found more women in key roles than she expected, even though men still dominate at the top.
González Nieves, who helped bring Contramar to Fontainebleau, calls the restaurant a showcase for Mexican culture. That includes the architecture and the agave spirits. The drinks menu, built with Casa Dragones, is meant to pair with the seafood and spotlight Mexican ingredients.
Adapting Contramar for Las Vegas
Bringing Contramar to the U.S. took some changes. Cámara says the menu grew to fit local tastes. But the main idea stayed the same: fresh, approachable seafood in a lively setting. The Las Vegas space is bigger than the Mexico City original. That’s what the Strip demands. Still, the team worked to keep a sense of community and welcome.
Las Vegas keeps drawing top chefs and global concepts. Cantina Contramar joins a growing list of destination restaurants. The opening fits a trend of high-profile culinary arrivals in the city. Other new spots in the southwest and on the Strip have made headlines, as reported earlier.
What sets Cantina Contramar apart
This isn’t a typical casino restaurant. Cantina Contramar stands out for its women-led team and its focus on real Mexican design and hospitality. The space skips the usual Vegas flash. Instead, it uses materials and details that call to mind Mexico’s coast. The open kitchen and communal tables invite guests to relax and connect. The mood is festive.
Signature dishes, new menu items, and a design that defies easy labels—this is what Cantina Contramar brings to the Strip. Cámara and her team didn’t just copy a winning formula. They built something that honors both Mexico City and Las Vegas. For anyone after a fresh take on Mexican seafood, this spot is a standout. Las Vegas remains a testing ground for chefs willing to adapt and try something new. That’s clear here.
