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    El Bucanero

    3.9 (775 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Seafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    El Bucanero Photos

    Business Info

    EL BUCANERO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Quesadilla Nortena
    Chung S.

    El Bucanero was recommended to me by an associate who loves seafood. My husband and I stopped by El Bocanero for a recovery meal after a long run at Hardberger Park. When we arrived, we thought the restaurant was not yet open, but to our surprise we found the restaurant was filled with people happily chatting and eating. What a good sign for a tasty meal. :) We were quickly greeted and escorted to our table. We are offered menus with an extensive list of food and drink options. I love soup so I ordered the Seafood Soup. It was loaded with seafood (fish, shrimp, squid, etc). It was pipping hot, just the way I like soup and so delicious. My husband ordered the Quesadilla Nortena. He really enjoyed it but it was so large that he had to take half of it home. While the service was very good and our meals were tasty we were seated close to the bar pick up area so it was a little bit distracting. Also, we noticed an outdoor patio in the back but nobody sat outside except for the staff taking their breaks. It may be due to the cooler weather. It's not a fancy place but we will definitely come back to check out their other seafood dishes.

    Sylvia A.

    Went to El Bucanero tonight and decided to try the fajita skillet... and yeah, it was not it. First off, the skillet didn't even come out sizzling, and the meat definitely wasn't fajitas Super disappointing. If that's their version of fajitas, it might be a supplier issue. Lesson learned --next time I'm sticking to my usual there: the mini tacos. On another note, the ambiance and customer service is great.

    Mojarra Chicharrn
    Maida T.

    Good variety of Mexican seafoods.huge portions great service. Absolutely worth to try. I love the ambiance.

    LOVE this restaurant! We have come twice when in town for soccer tournaments. They are always so welcoming and handle our big party with ease! Food is amazing, service is flawless and the atmosphere is so fun! Busy place & we love it!!

    Oysters in half shell, green aguachiles, and fried fish
    Daisy K.

    Wish the dishes were more consistent. Ordered the aguachiles verde last week and it was absolutely delicious this week it was lacking a bit of flavor. Fried fish could have been less salty. Overall, could use with a bit more consistency throughout and staff could be a bit more polite. But nonetheless, ceviche and aguachiles are delicious.

    Cucumber Top-tier
    Emily A.

    I don't think I've shared a review for this restaurant yet. I've dined here a couple of times, and if I recall correctly, my first visit didn't quite meet expectations--though it's worth noting the place was fairly new to the San Antonio scene at the time. Each visit has offered a different experience, but one thing that's remained consistent is the restaurant's vibrant atmosphere. I had completely forgotten--there was a live Mariachi band playing as we walked in, which added so much energy to the place. We were seated immediately at a booth, with no wait at all. The booth itself was really unique, featuring artwork that made it feel like we were underwater. The menu is heavily seafood-focused, but I opted for the mini tacos, which came with toppings and pinto beans. They were absolutely delicious! I also treated myself to a high-end cucumber beverage that paired perfectly with the tacos. All in all, it was a great visit. We enjoyed the food, the ambiance, and the service.

    Drink menu

    I don't normally leave 5 star reviews but this place is amazing! Reasonably priced high quality seafood with fun twists! The drinks are novel and quite good. A beer that doubles as an hors d'oeuvres (Michelada with shrimp and cucumber garnish). The oysters are fresh, and the peel and eat shrimp are wonderful and plentiful! You have to try it.

    Ceviche Hawaiano
    Melissa S.

    Un festín para los sentidos. La comida no solo se saborea, se celebra: cada plato tiene alma y un toque de magia. Además de porciones gigantes y con mucha sazón... El servicio es tan cálido que uno se siente invitado, no atendido. Y el ambiente... una burbuja de buena energía, una vibra como caribeña y detalles que te sacan de la rutina de la ciudad... Un lugar al que se llega con hambre y se sale con el corazón lleno.

    Nelly L.

    Ordered the mango aguachiles and was okay. Went in for lunch and I feel I was overcharged but was already running late to even review and call someone back to let them know. Definitely not a 37$ meal. However I'd still go back and try some of the other dishes.

    Tilapia plate
    I L G.

    Wow! What fun this place is? I had the sea bass and it was well prepared and absolutely tasty. The service was excellent and I even learned a little Spanish. But my favorite part was the mariachi players. They were on point and LOUD! Loved it!! Can't wait to come back...SOON!!

    M A.

    Food is so good and fresh. It will not disappoint. The churro truck is also awesome and delicious.

    CUSTOMER SERVICE !!! Everyone is so incredibly nice and always greets with a smile!! Food so so great and never leave hungry! 10 stars

    Calamari Frito
    Ricardo J.

    We came here on 02.18.24 for the first time - I had been wanting to come here for years after being told about it by a friend. This location (one of three) is in a nice Hill Country setting, dirt parking lot and oak trees included. On a Sunday, we found a crowd. Benches are all along the covered porch, in anticipation of lines. We walked into an enormous dining area packed to the gills with people. I mean, PACKED. The place was hopping! After intense review of the insanely populated menu, our amazing and super friendly server took our order of fried calamari and two large seafood cocktails. The fried calamari was good but a little dry. It came with a delicious house-made hot sauce and seasoned cucumbers and tomatoes. My date had the large shrimp cocktail and I had the large shrimp and octopus cocktail. You definitely get what you pay for with these. They were enormous and packed full of seafood, as well as pico de gallo and a tasty cocktail sauce. We barely could finish these - actually, I finished mine and there was plenty left of the other cocktail. Every dish we saw coming out of the kitchen looked amazing, and that the place was as crowded as it was with locals, that said a lot. For the food, that there was so much that sounded good, and for the five-star service, we are definitely wanting more visits in the future.

    Yum! Tostada de camaron "aka"

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    19 days ago

    Super delicious food the service is amazing. I will continue to come here for many years.

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    Page 1 of 20

    El Bucanero Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Bucanero

    Will you be open on Thanksgiving Day?

    Yes

    Do they have a gluten free menu or GF options?

    Don't think so

    Do they allow pickup orders? Or is it a strictly dine in?

    Yes. El Bucanero has pickup orders.

    What kind of fish is the whole fish?

    The regular whole fish is Tilapia but they offer a whole red snapper for a higher price as well.

    Website doesn't have prices on their menu. What are the prices like at el bucanero san antonio?

    Prices are from $7.99 lunch specials to $30. As others have said it is well worth the money spent in quality and the amount of food. El Bucanero is one of those rare finds where all the seafood is good. I always ordered the octopus and shrimp soup… Read more

    View All 7 Questions

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    Eddie V's Prime Seafood

    4.5(956 reviews)
    1.2 mi
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    My wife and I ate Easter Brunch here on Sunday…read more She ate from the prix fare menu and was impressed with the selection and food quality. I ordered from the dinner menu and was impressed with everything that I ordered. The lobster truffle mashed potato's were absolutely amazing!! Maddie was our server and she did a great job. Friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable.

    My husband and I celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary at Eddie V's Prime Seafood Restaurant. We…read moredecided to go early and sit in the bar area to avoid the crowds. It was a great decision. We were sat in a small booth. Our wait staff immediately brought over a long stem rose and rose petals to add celebratory touches to our table. We were also able to buoy foods and drinks from Happy Hours along with the full menu options. Everything we ate was so fresh and delicious. The service was excellent. And we were able to spend some time chatting with the Manager. It was so nice to eat at a nice slow pace without feeling rushed due to a crowd waiting for a table. The Prime Steak Tataki was a tad salty to my taste but it was perfect with the crusty bread. We enjoyed lobster, shrimp and an assortment of oysters. We initially had our eyes on other food items but we quickly got stuffed. We will have to come back again, very soon! We love Eddie V's! Best wishes to Manager Michael's upcoming engagement with his fiancée.

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    Eddie V's Prime Seafood - Live music trios.

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    Arenas Marisqueria Lounge

    Arenas Marisqueria Lounge

    4.6(181 reviews)
    3.8 miStone Oak
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    If you enjoy a fusion between Mexican and seafood then you most likely will find Arenas Marisqueria…read morea nice place to dine. It's located in a shopping center in the Stone Oak area with plenty of parking, even though we went late on a Friday night. The indoor dining was clean, spacious and enough tables to accommodate several parties. Live music for entertainment made for a relaxing time. The indoor lighting had a slight blue tint to provide more of a layback experience. The coconut shrimp appetizer was a good choice and very tasty. The Mojarra Chicharron, whole deep fried Tilapia, was not only delicious, but the presentation was perfect. Precut fried chunks placed on top of the fish made it easy to dip in the sauce and eat. Wifey went with the Pasado Del Rio, filet of Salmon, with lemon butter. It was well prepared and had a good blend of flavors. The prices were fair compared to other upscale seafood restaurants with entrees in the $20 range but also offer some Chef specials up to $75 for a shared meal. The service was adequate even though our server had a large table next to us. Others stepped in and picked up the slack, thus saving the night.

    We came here for the Blanton's food pairing. The food they served here was absolutely fantastic!…read moreSeafood from the gulf and tonight they also had jazz music. Servers were attentive and friendly. Loved the clean lit bar and restaurant areas. Great adult food and date scene!

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    Arenas Marisqueria Lounge - Storefront

    Storefront

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    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

    4.0(1.6k reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$$

    I've heard about this chain and it didn't disappoint as far as the taste and quality of the food…read more However, the food was a bit more pricey than I expected for a place like this. It did have a good price for cocktails which was nice though! The espresso martini was great, however the beans were a bit chewy. I switched to an old fashioned made with Buffalo Trace and it was delicious though. Service was kinda spotty with my waiter disappearing quite a bit. Maybe they see a table with one diner and think they're not going to get a decent tip. I had to ask another server for something at one point which should never be the case. The food was good though. It was hard to decide and since I was on a budget with a work expense, I had to choose wisely and put the booze on a separate tab. The salad was good and fresh and their cajun French dressing was bad. I switched to ranch and was able to enjoy it. The Catfish dish was delicious and came with shrimp, lump crab and oysters. Nice portion size and I was mostly satisfied. The sauce was pretty good for being outside of Louisiana, but still not "authentic". Is anywhere outside of LA great though? Luckily, it was walking distance from my hotel so easy to get to from there. It's on a "frontal" road so you may be driving in circles if you venture here on your own. I'd probably see what else San Antonio has to offer if I return to the area though as it didn't blow me away.

    I came here for my birthday on Friday evening. I had reservations and waited about 15 minutes to…read moreget in. We looked up the menu and saw a few of our favorites missing but thought maybe it was a mistake. But no... no mistake... they have removed the Jumbo Shrimp and grits from the menu!!!! what kind of cajun restaurant worth their salt doesnt serve shrimp and grits? the kind that is commerical. Oh the saddness. It's lent, its my birthday... and i cant enjoy even the dirty rice bc that has meat and pork products apparently. . so thats out. i ordered blackened fish but since I cant have dirty rice i got a side salad instead - for an extra charge of course- sans bacon (that should make up the extra charge imho) the side salad was the star of the show bc the blackened fish was so salty i couldnt even finish it. gained 2 lbs on the scale from the salt. but the best thing i ate: crab and spinach dip appetizer. Had it not been for this jewel I really would have cried. I didnt order dessert bc i was so sad.

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    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

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    Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen - Calamari

    Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen

    3.8(508 reviews)
    4.2 mi
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    Met relatives at Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen on the outskirts of San Antonio. One of three…read morelocations, the decor is a wide open space with a non-discrip theme. It reminded me of a previous space that now houses a restaurant. It was fairly busy on a Thursday night, reservations were suggested. Our service started with the grilled oysters, spinach, bacon, cheese and seasoning. They were good but not great. The blackened grilled trout with dirty rice was one of the entrees. It was flavorful and a very good dish. The grilled red fish with crab meat, grilled shrimp, tomato, garlic, serrano peppers, and creamy buttery sauce over dirty rice was our other entree. It was tasty, not over-salty, and quite tender. The dirty rice was good but not great. The food at Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen was good but not memorable. I was not sorry we tried them but also don't feel drawn to return. The decor and setup of the restaurant felt like a temporary pop up with no individuality as to who they are. There was nothing unique about the entire evening. I would hope you would give Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen and chance and make up your own mind.

    Gave this spot a try on the weekend around 2 pm. There was only one other table in the whole…read morerestaurant. Because it was very dead there was only one server in the whole restaurant. He was attentive but very minimal. I got the oysters david for my appetizer, which was very mid. Basically, oysters and cheese baked with no extra flavor. For entree, I ordered the surf and turf because I needed some red meat. Meat came out very rare when I asked for medium rare. The tart lemon wine cream sauce was okay, but not the best. The mashed potatoes, however, was the best out of the meal. Warning about this restaurant: they charge you an additional 8% food tax on top of regular taxes. This is a huge red flag!

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    Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen - Grilled oysters

    Grilled oysters

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    Silo Elevated Cuisine & Bar

    Silo Elevated Cuisine & Bar

    4.0(484 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Celebrated our anniversary here and had a fabulous lunch experience! Note: it's a double decker…read moredining experience- Nonna Osteria restaurant sits on the bottom level or take the indoor elevator up to dine at Silo Elevated Cuisine and Bar. We were immediately seated and Jamie, our server was friendly and attentive. Actually the entire staff was excellent. We opted for the prix fix luncheon menu - so worth it! Your choice of main with salad or dessert orrrrrrr for +$3 you get all 3! Our server asked us if we wanted bread, and we said yes. The complimentary breads were nice and warm- a mixture of freshly made white and a dried fruit nut bread. The dark bread with dried fruit/nuts was my fave and highly addictive lol Ordered : Baby spinach salad with Brie on the side- fresh spinach drizzled with a light vinaigrette and sprinkled with pieces of dried fruit and bacon. The breaded/fried Brie was ooey gooey goodness. Hubby had the Classic Caesar and he enjoyed it. Both salads were decent large bowl portions. Grilled miso glazed Atlantic salmon- fresh, earthy, healthy, and delicious! A good piece of salmon cooked to perfection in a mild miso glaze and topped with an avocado relish. Everything (the quinoa, toasted cashews, grilled bok choy, and salmon) paired and blended so well together. Pure delish. I was completely full afterwards, but hubby had some space for dessert. Choices for dessert were limited to 3 - crème brûlée, chocolate mousse, or toasted coconut mousse pie. We chose the dark chocolate mousse- absolutely beautiful! Dark chocolate was sinfully good, cocoa nibs added a slightly crunch, and the berries were fresh and plump. We were happily stuffed. Service was excellent and food delicious. We would definitely revisit.

    Absolutely amazing!…read more I was here with some family from out of town for a dinner on a Monday night. We had a reservation and were seated as we arrived. The interior is kept very clean and the tables were set in advance for our party number. As for the food, it was PHENOMENAL! We were able to take advantage of the Monday 50% off wine special, which is a steal for a good bottle of wine. The server was friendly and was able to quickly ask around to find answers to all of our questions. I ordered the salmon-dairy free. It was possibly the best salmon dish I have tried to date. Everything was flavorful and seasoned to perfection. I was the only person in my party who had not been here before, but safe to say, I will be coming back!

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    Silo Elevated Cuisine & Bar - Interior 5/2026

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    Silo Elevated Cuisine & Bar - Special add-on lobster tail. Delicious!

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    Special add-on lobster tail. Delicious!

    El Bucanero - mexican - Updated May 2026

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