We got the campechana, the ostiones asados, and the mariscos Al ajillo. The campechana was super fresh and served with chips, definitely satisfied my ceviche craving. (8/10) The ostiones asados were a bit too cheesy in my opinion, I felt like the toppings overpowered the flavor of the oyster instead of complemented it. (5/10) The Mariscos Al ajillo was very tasty and the seafood was fresh and they have a generous portion, enough for 2. (8/10) Overall, it is on the pricier side but it was worth a try for houston restaurant week. The service was good and the staff were very attentive. Also, the parking is garage parking. read more

Caracol - Mariscos al Ajillo - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Wonderful evening, made all the better by our great server Steve! The drinks were so fun (Paloma for my friend, naughty but nice for me), and our red snapper ceviche was so good as a starter (completely forgot about the chips). Pulpo hot starter was nice with tortillas (Steve was kind enough to give us 4 though it normally came with 3), and the crab tostadas were out of this world (huge lumps of very fresh crab!). My entree of duck leg was great with a relatively mild mole (they brought out habanero sauce to spice it up), and we finished with a Dulce de lèche cheesecake. Would definitely come back! Easy validated parking in the garage next door and complimentary valet to make your life easier. read more

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I had been begging my fiancé to have a date night and it turned out this is just what we needed! The food was incredible and that were very helpful with the menu. All of our food was fresh and very flavorful. My fiancé had been here a handful of times before and had had similar service. We will be back! read more

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Such a fun HRW menu. The corn soup and empanada were a cute paring. The cream of the soup complimented the empanada so well. The fish was mild in flavor and very flakey. The broth it came with added the salt component and it was all so very fun. Loved the play on flavors and the desserts were out of this world. Like so good. We got 5 desserts and none missed. Probably the best restraurant menu I've been to in a long time. read more

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In a sea of Houston Tex-mex, I wanted to try something a little more traditional. I found Caracol just across the street from the Galleria, where I was staying. It was about a 10 minute walk and it was difficult to find in the office building in which it was located. I later found out the sign is more facing the parking lot than for people walking. I didn't have a reservation, and wanted to sit at a table, but all of the tables were "taken" (even though empty) so my only option was at the bar. I will say when I left, there were still open tables. It worked out though as the bartender was great! I was on the companies dime so I had to be a little mindful of price. This place was on the pricier side. I started with a margarita and was just looking for a plain-ol' marg. There was only one that fit the bill and it was nothing special, and also quite small. I wasn't starving so I tried the lobster taquito which came with a pretty nice piece of lobster and some other stuff on a non-fried flat tortilla. It was delicious, but calling it a taquito was a bit much. I also ordered the wood grille ribs which were super meaty and fall off the bone good. There was a BBQ sauce that had some Mole notes and it was great to dip my meat into it. For a rib appetizer, it was worth it IMHO. They had a pretty awesome tequila collection too. I was sitting where the scotch was locations, so I couldn't see everything, but the red Clase Azul Mezcal bottle caught my eye, but not my wallet. All in all, it was a good dinner, but I think it's a one-and-done type of place for me. The manager talked with me a bit which was nice. The bartender and food servers were awesome. The main mis-step was not letting me sit at a clearly open table and the size of the margaritas. read more

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We had lunch during HRW and it was a delicious menu! Even my picky spouse loved his dish (brisket enchiladas). My shrimp tacos were amazing (not enough tortilla for how much shrimp they give you!), and the swordfish sandwich was devoured gladly by my friend. Margaritas were also well made and service was attentive. Very good experience. read more

I got the tlayuda de vegetales, which was done well, with nicely seasoned vegetables and a large serving size. The guacamole, salsa, y totopos however was a let down. The guacamole was underseasoned and wasn't finished between a group of 3. The salsa was pretty good. read more

Caracol - Tlayuda de vegetales - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

We stopped here for happy hour. Our second visit. Service was amazing and the food was some of the best I've had! Very flavorful! The patio is nice and the place is very romantic. Would be a great date night. read more

Caracol - Ceviche trio, quesadillas, taquitos. - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ceviche de chile Camaro - lime cured red snapper - flavorful and delicate. Comes with warm tortilla chips. If you're looking for heat ask for the house hot sauce then use it sparingly. read more

Caracol - Jalisco gin and tonic - delicious - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

My husband and I really enjoy the food, the staff and the ambiance of Caracol. We are currently trying the tasting menus from different regions of Mexico. read more

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I highly recommend making a reservation. Everything was soo tasty. And the service was great and fast. I had someone in my party who is vegan and they have a separate vegetarian/vegan menu which was really nice. They had plenty of options. Vegan or not vegan the eggplant was delicious. As well as the steak. Tuna tacos. We didn't have one bad thing! read more

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Great food, amazing service. We love to stop in for drinks and desserts (my favorite part of their menu). Great bartenders (we love Alex)! Love the vibes read more

Caracol - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Absolutely fab happy hour! Caracol never disappoints! Highly recommended you give them a shoutout..

Very delicious buffet but be ready to pay a hefty price. Nice views to enjoy the various food options. Service could be a tad bit more attentive but this was my first time donor counting this restaurant out just yet. read more

I came here for happy hour a few days ago. The parking options are valet or parking garage. The restaurant itself has a cool ambiance in the bar area. You can also sit on the patio for those vibes. The food happy hour menu was okay. My favorite was the brisket sliders but I ask for no beans. I also tried the tacos from the happy hour menu which I didn't like. The drinks from the happy hour menu are a hit or miss. I tried the porque no margarita and it was very tart. I ordered an extra shot to add some kick. The spicy pineapple Paloma was delicious. It has a mix of sweet and spicy but in a good way. I also tried The Greatest Margarita which was $32. This margarita was a hit! Lastly, the kids churro with a side of ice cream was delicious! The service was okay. Our waiter didn't have much of a personality. read more

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I went for hh and I would go back. Just make sure you're not looking for your typical Tex- Mexican food. The drinks are great on the regular menu, but not as strong on the hh menu. I had the porque and the Paloma. The porque was super tart and I wouldn't recommend. The Paloma was a really good blend of spicy and sweet. But the regular menu mezcal margarita is my fave! The sliders are tasty, you can't tell is brisket, but be aware they have beans on them. The ribs were ok, very tender. The quesadilla are made with corn, not flour - very ok. I do like the seafood toastadas. Last but not least, they have a children's size churro. And I here they're delicious I always sit at the bar and get good service. The ambiance can be a little stuffy and I definitely wouldn't come in there if I'm looking busted. It's fine dining, but you don't have to be super dressy. I usually see a lot of business professionals read more

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Went there on a Sunday for their brunch buffet. I always love breakfast food and love buffets because I can taste different dishes and not get stuck with just one main entree. And unlike some buffets where the food get cold just sitting there, the food was always freshly made and warm. And for desserts, also a wide selection to choose from. Even though it was a brunch buffet, the service was great. Always attentive and cheerful. read more

Ambience is very nice and clean and modern. Service was good kind of hard to get our servers attention at times. Not pictured are the drinks which were amazing. My favorite was the coco rita. The ribs and the crab fried rice were the best thing I ate. read more

Caracol - Guacamole, Salsa y Totopos - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I really hate that I forgot to post this review. I had my birthday there a couple of years ago service is great food was great ambience is great. I love their happy hour. Chef Hugo and his concepts are just amazing. read more

This was HRW stop #7 for me. One of the best stops so far. We had a reservation for 6:30 but can a little early to enjoy happy hour. We sat at the bar for happy hour. Bartenders were very welcoming and explained the drink menu and offered suggestions. Once it was 6:30 we moved to our table with no trouble. The waiter kept the great service going walking us thru the different menu options and add ins available. This HRW menu is four courses and is preset. You do have a drink pairing add on option with each menu. I picked the Nuestro Estilo menu. The first course was Sope de Camote a crispy masa cake, sweet potato, queso fresco, crema, salsa macha. Many different textures going on at the same time. Lots of flavor and the perfect size for an appetizer. The next course was the Tiradito de Medregal which was sliced yellowtail ceviche, cucumber, roasted jalapeño, lime juice, mint. This dish was very refreshing. The flavor didn't pop as much as I was expecting. Not something I would order again. The third course was the main dish and was the Costillas de Puerco. This was boneless pork ribs, scalloped potatoes, mole costeño, greens. The meat was so tender and juicy. The scalloped potatoes were cooked perfectly. They had that crispy crust and soft inside. The greens soaked up all the amazing flavor from the pork ribs. Definitely something I would get again! Finally was desert. The coco ball, that's probably not the right name lol. So many jokes went around the table about this desert. If you don't know it's a chocolate ball that comes with a wooden mallet. You use the mallet to break the ball to reveal the creaming inside. You get an idea of the jokes at the table. Four grown men acting like 13 year olds lol. Overall it was a great experience and plan on coming back. read more

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I visited Caracol for the first time last week to celebrate Houston Restaurant Weeks. It was easy to make reservations several days before for our party of 6 and I liked the automatic reminder text system the morning of the meal. Parking is either complimentary valet or the attached parking garage which Caracol will validate for. From the HRW dinner menu ($55), I went with the seafood menu and chose the oysters for my first followed by fish tamal for the second course. The shrimp on rice was the third course with the lychee and raspberry mousse cake for dessert. Each course was professionally presented to me and my table mates in a timely manner. Those three oysters on the half shell made me wish I ordered a dozen. They left me wanting more being wood roasted in chipotle butter, cheese and toasted bread crumbs. Oh my! The fish tamal was served in an amarillo mole sauce and was so smooth and satisfying. I would have liked a larger serving. The third course was the sautéed shrimp in garlic sauce sitting on a bed of creamy corn bomba rice. I believe there were 4 shrimp on the plate and each one with the rice were delicious. Finally, while the dessert was small, the lychee and raspberry mousse cake with some white chocolate and cream made for a sweet ending. During the meal, I quickly realized the quality of a dining experience at Caracol. Prices here are above average and attract an upscale crowd. The food was delicious, the table service professional and a restaurant I would be happy to return to. read more

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Very good food and nice staff. We had the fish and octopus, mole special and it was great. Advertised as spicy but it was spiced/well seasoned mostly. Well cooked. Just good. The octopus and shrimp ceviche (ceviche caracol) starter was good but needed acid. I asked for limes and when I added that to it it was great. The cocktails are good. The melon strawberry agua fresca was so so good. Our sister was nice and attentive. The water refills from staff were on point. Nice patio. Cute upscale, ambiance $30-$45 ish dishes. Overall, I liked our dishes and I would return to try others. read more

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Best Sunday brunch in Houston! We accidentally stumbled into it years ago during HRW. When we arrived, they only offered brunch rather than the HRW menu so we went for it. It offers high quality and delicious Mexican dishes. Tamales, Chile poblano, soup, ceviche, famous baked fish, mouth watering beef cheeks mole, fish collar, eat all you can oysters and a host of desserts including churros, tres leches, flan, macaroons and much much more. If you get lucky, they may serve lamb chops when dishes run out. Brunch include drinks (soda, ice tea). I always roll out of there. :-). Place is high end casual. Nice art pieces on the walls. Free valet parking. You can self park and your ticket validated. Service is always fantastic... they take away your plates promptly when you stand up for another round and fix your napkin. Price is reasonable ($42) considering the selection and quality of food being offered. read more

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So, PSA, why is no one talking about Caracol's Sunday brunch?! After my first visit, Caracol has slowly crawled it's way into my top 5 Mexican restaurants in Greater Houston (and being surrounded by Tex Mex and Mexican cuisine options, that says a lot). Thus far I've visited for a set menu Mother's Day brunch, dinner service, and most recently, their Sunday brunch buffet. Sunday brunch is offered at $42 per person ($15 for children), and for that price you receive live music, a beverage, and (of course) unlimited trips to enjoy some impressive James Beard award winning yum yums. To be fair, if you're a buffet enthusiast, you'll see a few of the usual fare. *The plates are modest in size *There are plenty of lower ticket items to fill up on (a few salads, lots of appetizers, guac, salsa, hot chocolate, and oh so many desserts) *the high ticket item selection was limited- fresh oysters and oyster shooters, a small scallop dish, ceviche, a few items with pork and 1-2 beef items (but high end cuts were not featured). So, why am I so jazzed about this buffet? The experience was perfectly choreographed. The waiters consistently removed and replaced plates and silverware. Waiters and waitresses waltzed the floor in pristine uniforms ensuring everyone was satisfied, everything remained fresh, and clean... no detail was missed, and above all, we were not rushed, but instead encouraged to enjoy each others company, and take the time to savor our meal. Although the high ticket items were limited, this buffet made it easy for attendees to try new foods by emphasizing familiar preparation for uncommon offerings, and elevating the conventional- familiar with beef cheek? Try it with OUR fresh homemade tortillas and freshly made habanero hot sauce, or mix it up with a few of our other offerings. Like fish? We're offering it in 4 different ways that may not cross your mind. Plus, everything, and I mean everything we had was elevated and delicious (even the complimentary birthday bread pudding, and I don't eat bread pudding)? Overall, if you love to sample, and you're a pinky's up kind of human, know that this is not your average buffet, and it's certainly worth a try! read more

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I have liked Caracol on previous visits, but of the four Hugo Ortega restaurants in town that I've visited at least a few times, this one consistently gives you the least amount of food. It's like they're determined to skinnify the Houston population. Thanks? Drinks here, like other restaurants in the group, are delicious and pull their weight. Their palomas are weak, but palomas are supposed to be weak, er, refreshing. Their peach margarita is both refreshing and punchy, pun unintended (read: not like fruit punchy, just decently strong). Let's talk about this year's Restaurant Week menu. I do feel a little catfished because their menu on the Restaurant Week website shows the pairings but doesn't mention additional cost. Obviously they would charge extra - but surely they would mention that, no? No, no, they didn't mention it anywhere. And in case you're wondering, it's $32 additional for the pairing, which is about the price of two and a third cocktails at Caracol. My friend and I both got the middle course - Entre Las Ondas, or the seafood selection - because of the oysters, and because the left course's main was pork ribs (not really worth it for a $55 dinner in my opinion). And while the presentation is beautiful and I'm sure the ingredients fresh and top quality, that's unfortunately my main impression of this summer's Restaurant Week menu at Caracol: Not worth it. The most enjoyable part of the food and drink was the margarita (not pictured) with the oysters second in tow (although... do you see how tiny one of my oysters was?). The dessert had a weird undertone to it. As for the service - I have to say the hostess made me raise an eyebrow. I walked in, and she didn't acknowledge me for a full thirty seconds. She wasn't on the phone, there was no one in front of me or near me, and she couldn't bother to smile or say, I'll be right with you. Just flat-face, unwanting to be there. Bad first impression for the night. That said, the waitstaff is excellent. Our waiter was particularly classy. In summary, I would say: 1 star for the hostess, but 5 stars for our waiter; 3 stars for the food and 5 stars for the drinks, and that averages to be 4 stars for a $193 dinner for two people with 3 drinks after tax/tip. Free garage parking with a validated ticket. read more

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I'm sad I've gone this long without reviewing caracol. This is one of my wife and I's favorite date spots. The Happy Hour is good value and the oysters are great. Honestly... I couldn't tell you if the entrees are good. But we've had almost all of the appetizers and I don't think there's one we haven't loved. We eat Tapas style when we go because they're all so good. Taquitos, ceviche, grilled oysters, all of it is amazing. This reminds me that I need to go soon... read more

I had the pleasure of dining at Caracol during Restaurant Week, and it was an ok experience! The ambiance was lively and vibrant, setting the perfect tone for a girls lunch. I was happy to see they were also baby friendly. The Restaurant Week menu offered a great selection of dishes that showcased the best of Caracol's cuisine. Props to the chef. We liked the food. We started with the ceviche, empanadas, fish tacos, and tuna which was fresh and bursting with flavor--a true highlight of the meal. For the main course, I opted for the elote soup, chili relleno and steak which was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. The accompanying sides complemented the dish wonderfully, adding depth and texture to the plate. The dessert was a delightful ending to the meal--a decadent and rich tres leches cake that was just sweet enough without being overwhelming and the chocolate ball was fun but not edible. Service was friendly but sketchy. The waiter gave us free items in hopes of a big tip! They also Forgot our oysters we ordered. Other than the weird service Caracol made Restaurant Week special, offering an outstanding food experience. read more

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Absolutely fell in love with Caracol. We decided to give it a try for date night and we are so happy it did not disappoint. It is a bit pricey but we thought it was worth it. Although the food portions seemed a tad "small", we were all satisfied at the end of dinner. Ambiance was nice. Busy Saturday night but our server was very attentive. They constantly worked on cleaning our table as well as refilling our water. For appetizers we got guacamole as well as Ostiones Asados. They were so freaking good. The chips that came with the guac, also very good and tasted very fresh. They were also sweet enough to make two little tacos out of the lobster taco they offer and it was amazing. The tortilla was also great, can def tell it was homemade. Although I can't remember the exact names, we ordered the whiskey sour, ranch water, mezcal drink as well as 2 different margaritas and no one had anything negative to say. Entrees we're delicious!! Desserts were wonderful! All in all, we'd be more than happy to go back. Thanks Caracol for a great dinner. read more

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I've been here multiple times to celebrate special occasions with my family. Food quality and flavor, freshness, have always been excellent. Only the raw clams from the brunch buffet were a bit fishy, but aside from that, I've never had anything bad here! read more

Friendly service, happy hour is the bomb! Classic mojito $8! It's light and refreshing. We ordered a lot (maybe a bit too much, I blame "happy hour") we had Baked Oysters, Ceviche De Chile Canario, Crispy Rolled Pork Tacos, Oyster Shooters and more. We love PULPO AHUMADO, we ordered it twice! The octopus was really tender, the corn tortilla was soft, warm and flavorful. My partner and I were fighting over the sauce, it was smoking with a small kick. Be careful with the oyster shots, it's pretty spicy. The only thing that I will skip in my next visit is the crispy rolled pork tacos. Sorry... other than that, I'll definitely come back for the food and the service. read more

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This review is for their Sunday brunch. My family was in town in Houston for the week during New Years and we wanted to start off the year right. So on 1/1 we made brunch reservations at 12:30pm for 4. We arrived at 12 and they were able to sit us right away. I love that they offer handbag holders so we didn't have to put our handbags on our chairs or on the ground. The brunch buffet was amazing. They had a huge variety of seafood and Mexican food. My family loved their raw seafood bar which included oyster shooters and raw oysters. We also loved their ceviches, tamales, chilaquiles, and eggs Benedict on top of a corn bread. But honestly everything was so good, done right, and full of flavor. My parents absolutely loved it. Even their desserts were good. I love that they offer Mexican hot chocolate which was delicious. For desserts, there were scones, chocolate truffles, mexican flan, tres leche and sweet fresh fruit. We were all very happy. We paid about $200 for 4 people. We thought pricing was pretty fair. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. Service was excellent. We got a smaller table for us 4 but they were really good about clearing our tables and getting whatever we needed. My husband wanted fresh made eggs and they made sure to cook some just for him. They also noticed my birthday we a few days ago and got me some ice cream with strawberries. It was nice. Parking is valet or your can park in the structure and get it validated. read more

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Returned to this location after couple of years with a positive attitude, but this time the food wasn't as fresh as expected (the lobster). Tried the recommended dishes. The desserts however were as good and creative as I remembered, saved the day! The staff and ambience were ok. read more

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I thought the food here was overall fantastic. We starred with the ribs, octopus and chorizo tacos, and the oysters. The oysters were hands down my favorite of the three with the ribs coming in a close second. The oysters had a nice crunch on top that took away from the sliminess of the oysters. The ribs were fall apart good. I was glad that the sauce was on the side because a little bit went a long way. I liked the octopus more than I thought I would. It wasn't chewy at all. It was definitely some of the best octopus I've had. For a main dish, I had the creamy shrimp and lobster. This dish was amazing! The shrimp were cooked perfectly and paired great with the creamy rice. I could eat it all day long! For dessert, we had the chocolate ball (I never saw the name of the dish and I didn't order it. My friend did.) It really wouldn't have been my pick as I'm not a huge fan of coffee flavor. But it was good for what it was. It was very rich and I was stuffed at this point, but I was able to have a few bites. For drinks, I had the sangria. While tasty, it didn't stand out to me. I would try a different drink next time! The hot chocolate was fantastic though. read more

The wood grilled makes the food taste amazing, Luis did awesome service and the place is beautiful, music was at perfect level, I will visit again read more

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Amazing food, sat at the bar had amazing service and drinks made by Kelly, great Ambiance, felt welcome to be eating in such a great place! read more

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We came in at 6 (had reserved ahead of time), so we had the option of ordering from the happy hour menu. Our server was really nice and checked in on us frequently. It wasn't loud/noisy for the time, so it wasn't hard for me to engage in & understand conversation. We got the Ceviche Trio from the happy hour menu (tortilla chips w/ snapper ceviche, traditional ceviche, and shrimp ceviche) and the Pulpo Ahumado (smoked octopus w/ corn tortillas) as appetizers. The octopus was amazing and the ceviche was refreshing and delicious. I got the Mariscos al Ajillo as my entree and my dining partner had the Robalo con Mole Amarillo, both of which were really good. The salsa verde on my entree complemented the seafood perfectly. For dessert, we got the famous El Coco (a coconut-chocolate ball). We expected it to be 'heavy,' but it was much lighter than what we anticipated and left us feeling very fulfilled. Delicious food and great service! read more

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Great, service, lively atmosphere as well as great food. Good variety menu and very easy to go outside your comfort zone and try something you haven't tried before. It was a great experience. We will definitely be back. read more

I absolutely LOVED this restaurant. We had initially had reservations for a table but decided to sit at the bar. Happy Hour is an amazing deal. The bar staff is so friendly and offered great advice on what to order. My favorite was the ceviche, absolutely melt in your mouth and the pork ribs were too. Highly recommend this place for service, atmosphere, the works. And go during happy hour - you can't beat it. read more

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Our server, Jose (sp?) delivers care and service beyond expectations. We felt special when the manager, Humberto, came by to show his appreciation and he even shook and poured my margarita! Wonderful evening for both of us. read more

Food, Service, Ambiance? Yes, yes & yes!!!!! From the chargrilled oysters, to the entre comprised of shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp, scallops, and octopus, to the dessert and coffee; OUTSTANDING! read more