El Jefe Restaurant

Wow! What a busy place. We were leaving South Padre Island and wanted to grab breakfast for the…read moreroad. It took a few minutes to come inside and order the to go order. The order took 25 minutes because the kitchen was so busy. While waiting, I observed several locals coming in to eat, being greeted by the family who owns the restaurant. That was a good sign that the wait was worth it. The food was great, even on the road. Tortillas were perfect, not too heavy, but held the ingredients well. We opted for a few small tacos and a few large. Small is still BIG!! Barbacoa was delicious. The cheese used was more Velvetta like, but still not overwhelming or too rich. We will be back, hopefully to sit down and eat there.

If you're in Port Isabel, you have to stop by Isabel Cafe. It's one of those long-standing…read morehole-in-the-wall spots that locals clearly love--and now I see why. We ordered the small breakfast tacos on flour tortillas, and they were way bigger than expected (always a win!). We had the ham and egg, and the "con todo," and both were seriously delicious--fresh, flavorful, and super satisfying. The place itself is simple and unassuming, but that's part of the charm. What really stood out was the staff--so friendly and welcoming, they made the whole experience even better. Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to!

Migas with a fresh tortilla

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Mexiquito

4.0(98 reviews)

A true hidden gem in an unassuming restaurant. Words cannot describe how fantastic the breakfast…read moreburritos are here, easily the best we've ever had and our mouths are watering typing this out. From the sheer size of the breakfast burritos to the flavors, everything is fantastic and beyond what we ever could've hoped for stopping by here. The parking situation is not great as there's not many spots around the side, but figure out how to get in here if you can. The staff is extremely friendly and the interior is clean. We ordered a sausage and cheese burrito; chorizo, egg, and cheese burrito; and a cheese quesadilla. Every single thing was out of this world. We could write again how great the breakfast burritos are, but we recommend you just go and try it. By far one of the best hidden gems we have found in the state of Texas. Make the trip, it's worth it.

Trying new places in the area around SPI - 2 of 2…read more I haven't been to SPI and the Rio Grande Valley that often, but I've eaten at several of the casual eateries on the island and in Port Isabel. If wanting a reasonably priced and filling Mexican breakfast, it used to be Isabel's and Manuel's. Isabel's was much to my liking but I wanted to try somewhere new. Manuel's closed and it has supposedly reopened somewhere else. I'm not going to ask, "Mexiquito ... where have you been all my life?" I thought it was new(er), but was assured it had been there a long time. I didn't make it in for breakfast, but I did make it in for lunch. Inside, it is very different from Isabel's, where they have plainer walls, a lower ceiling, and fluorescent lighting. Mexiquito has the darker woodwork, the green and red colors found on the flag of Mexico, and dimmer illumination that some Mexican locales have. Mexiquito is right on the main drag, so I've obviously driven past it on previous visits to the area. I had one of the combination platters with rice and refried beans. I asked for chicken as the filling for my items inside tortillas. Remember that, if you don't specify the filling, it may default to ground beef. The platter was plentiful and it was fairly tasty. They also bring on the chips and salsa. I had a cup of coffee and a glass of ice water. It's good that I asked for the ice water. Normally, it's to cool down from the coffee. Here, they only feature one type of salsa and it was too hot for my taste. Another reviewer mentions it, so I think I'm on track. I was not going to go with 5 stars to begin with, but only offering that one type of salsa with that much kick doesn't make me a fan. Dial it down a little to something more "middle of the road." Otherwise, if you like spicier salsa, Mexiquito is a reliable eatery with friendly personnel and fair prices.

Taco and side of hash browns

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El Papa's

4.8(71 reviews)

0.5 mi

Breakfast/lunch place. It's a family run business that cares about the food they put on the table…read more We had breakfast and it was fantastic. The bacon is nice and thick, cooked appropriately. The eggs, chorizo beans, toast, and even the hash browns came out delicious. Ambiance/atmosphere reminds me of an old school country Mexican food place. Absolutely love it. Wait staff are friendly and personable. Prices are fair. Monday special (2egg, bacon, toast, hash browns, and beans for 6 bucks) is an absolute bargain IMO.

Delicious local restaurant serving hand made Mexican food. Service was so friendly. Almost all the…read moreguests seemed to be locals and most knew each other. It's a bit off the beaten path but worth cruising down Garcia Street for a touch of real Port Isabel. The prices are a fraction of what you pay in South Padre Island. Nothing fancy but a great experience.

Mama's breakfast from el papas!

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Breakfast taco with bean, cheese, egg, and potato.

Los Cabos

3.4(71 reviews)

P A I N F U L It…read morepains me to even recall our brief encounter here. We ordered an appetizer & a side of French Fries as just a snack to tide us over till dinner. What a joke. To start with, there weren't many tables with customers, and sufficient staff was on the floor. We were greeted with scowls and crappy attitudes. Not very welcoming if you know what I mean. So after ordering, we got our mozzarella stick that were hot and tasty, but, a BIG But...... We were served an oval plate, not platter with about 10 french fries that didn't even cover the plate! Are you kidding me? Plus they were not even hot. We expected a huge heap of fries, most restaurants serve!! And I think it was $6.99! We were speechless. Never again. WHAT A J O K E !!!!!

For it being Saturday and 1:30pm I love that we were seated rather quickly! Looked clean but…read morebathrooms needed a lock that worked. The food was decent, we had fried shrimp and it was tasty. The tartar sauce was too much Mayo more than anything. Fries didn't taste fresh but were alright for a last minute lunch spot. Our waiter was kind and patient, somewhat attentive. Idk if I would go again but if you're looking for something quick and decently priced for the island area, this will be your spot.

Menudo special with Barbacoa tacos

Grilled chicken salad sooo delicious

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Surf and turf stuffed baked potatoes

El valle Tortilleria

4.4(12 reviews)

0.0 mi

We were pressed for time and we drove up to the drive thru. It was 10:30 in the morning and we were…read moretold that they did not have breakfast tacos so we ended up getting two barbacoa tacos at 7$ a taco...tortillas were homemade but the tortilla itself was drenched in grease...The restaurant itself was packed so I'm willing to give this place another shot, Hopefully I'll get the chance to stop here again in the future and dine in...

Out of tamales by 1:00!! Get there early because they're…read moregood! Speaking Spanish helps.

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Outside menu sign...

Into the Blue Restaurant

4.4(59 reviews)

•$$

Ok. Checked in here during visit to SPI. There 2 pics but we got 4 different meals. Everything…read morewe ate was awesome! Beef and chicken enchiladas with verde and rojas, and Tacos were amazing. This is not a big place. It's kinda dicey looking on the outside and inside but the service was awesome as well. Do yourself a favor. Eat here and enjoy life!! Update alert : we bought a dozen tamales home with us yesterday and they are bomb AF. U don't want to miss these. They are awesome! TY! YUM!

We visited the new Los Fresnos locations in search of a new restaurant. It was early on a Friday…read moreevening so there weren't too many people there, so that's good because we didn't have to wait to long for our orders. The ambiance and vibe inside was relaxing and comforting. It's not a big place, it only has a few tables. We ordered iced tea to drink and got some chips and salsa as appetizers. The salsa tasted homemade and not too spicy, which is good. As main entrees, I ordered the quesadillas. The menu has them as either shrimp or chicken quesadillas, but the owner was gracious enough to make them just with cheese, since I don't eat meat. They came with a side of salad and rice. My husband got the fried shrimp and it came with fries and coleslaw. Both dishes tasted fresh and tasty. It is advertised as a seafood restaurant, but their breakfast menu is more extensive, so we might come back to try their breakfast items. Everything we ordered was good, I'm glad we gave this new restaurant a try. The original location was in Port Isabel and have since moved to Los Fresnos. I'm glad they did. We will certainly be back again and recommend it to friends and family.

02 - Christmas Dinner Event - Middle Table Arrangement

03 - Christmas Dinner Event - Right Table Arrangement

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Logo

El Buen Pescador

3.9(111 reviews)

0.8 mi

•$$

Went in for to go grilled fish and rice and were blown away by how good it was!! HUGE portions!!!…read more 1 order was 4 large filets! Couldn't be more pleased!!! Located in little strip center in front of Walmart with NO sign but it's right next to Subway so definitely go in and give it a try!! Tres leches cake was great as well! Highly recommend!!!

This place is way over priced and their food is mid at best, also just experienced what has to be…read morethe most unprofessional situation I've ever encountered at a restaurant. So the owners son was running around all over the place and came up to our table to offer my Son cookies. I kindly told the boy no thank you and hand him his cookies back. Shortly after that the owner walks up to me shouting "don't f#@cking touch my son!" After telling him, "I didn't touch your son I just gave him his cookies back" he then threatened to get into a physical altercation with me repeatedly saying, "You wanna go outside or what?" As I mentioned the food is definitely not worth the price and the ownership needs serious improvement on their customer service.

All you can eat (fish & shrimp). 1st round (garlic flavor)

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Now open in new location! Strip mall in front of Walmart.

Calacas Tacos & Beer

4.4(104 reviews)

3.0 mi

the group i was with each had a different quesadilla and each tasted great! the tacos were good-…read moreslightly pricey for just one BUT they have meals where it comes with 4 and it's fairly priced. don't skip out on a limonada or a michelada; they make the meal!

Went for girl dinner and ordered all appetizers. Fun spot and big menu. 4 stars instead of 5…read morebecause they don't have real silverware.

Pineapple lemonade

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House made Salsa Verde and Salsa Roja (both a good slice to it, the green having the stronger kick)

Manny's

5.0(2 reviews)

omggg loveee it sooo much one of the best tacos i have…read morehaddddd and not to mention there are so many options of beer lovee the smirnoff prepared sooo muchhh food to choose from

Before crossing the causeway en route to South Padre Island Texas, stop by Manny's in Port Isabel…read more Manny and his sons will greet and seat you amongst the tourists and locals as this is a "HOT SPOT" for authentic mexican cuisine. The dishes are true to the tradition and the tortillas are hand-made daily, (all 250 of them). If you are looking for an over-priced, fancy motiff, and average flavour, this is not the place for you. If you appreciate mexican flair, photos of the "Rat Pack", Sly, The Crooner himself, Scarface, and "The King" you are DEFINATELY IN THE RIGHT PLACE at Manny's. You must arrive early as Manny closes for siesta promptly at 2:00 p.m. Tell Manny Cinzia sent you!

Shrimp plate

Menu

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Joseph C.

3

41

17

2 years ago

Food Did NOT meet my expectations as compared to the reviews. Food was average to a tinge above and the atmosphere/ambiance is fine. Service was average. The portion sizes were small and beans/rice were cold. Left very disappointed and dissatisfied. Portions need to be bigger. read more

Billy T.

23

20

13

3 years ago

If you love traditional Mexican food, this a great place try!

El Jefe Restaurant - mexican - Updated October 2026

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Isabel's Cafe

4.6

(215 reviews)

Wow! What a busy place. We were leaving South Padre Island and wanted to grab breakfast for the…read moreroad. It took a few minutes to come inside and order the to go order. The order took 25 minutes because the kitchen was so busy. While waiting, I observed several locals coming in to eat, being greeted by the family who owns the restaurant. That was a good sign that the wait was worth it. The food was great, even on the road. Tortillas were perfect, not too heavy, but held the ingredients well. We opted for a few small tacos and a few large. Small is still BIG!! Barbacoa was delicious. The cheese used was more Velvetta like, but still not overwhelming or too rich. We will be back, hopefully to sit down and eat there.

If you're in Port Isabel, you have to stop by Isabel Cafe. It's one of those long-standing…read morehole-in-the-wall spots that locals clearly love--and now I see why. We ordered the small breakfast tacos on flour tortillas, and they were way bigger than expected (always a win!). We had the ham and egg, and the "con todo," and both were seriously delicious--fresh, flavorful, and super satisfying. The place itself is simple and unassuming, but that's part of the charm. What really stood out was the staff--so friendly and welcoming, they made the whole experience even better. Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to!

El Papa's

4.8

(71 reviews)

Breakfast/lunch place. It's a family run business that cares about the food they put on the table…read more We had breakfast and it was fantastic. The bacon is nice and thick, cooked appropriately. The eggs, chorizo beans, toast, and even the hash browns came out delicious. Ambiance/atmosphere reminds me of an old school country Mexican food place. Absolutely love it. Wait staff are friendly and personable. Prices are fair. Monday special (2egg, bacon, toast, hash browns, and beans for 6 bucks) is an absolute bargain IMO.

Delicious local restaurant serving hand made Mexican food. Service was so friendly. Almost all the…read moreguests seemed to be locals and most knew each other. It's a bit off the beaten path but worth cruising down Garcia Street for a touch of real Port Isabel. The prices are a fraction of what you pay in South Padre Island. Nothing fancy but a great experience.

Kikis

4.2

(9 reviews)

Good good fresh and staff very friendly. Their charro beans are really great. My wife gets the…read morebig bowl.

We had the tacos and fajitas. The food is good. Pretty quiet when we went. But a view of the water…read morewas nice. The service was good. No margaritas, which wasn't a big deal, but if your looking for Marg's to go with your meal, it's not here.

Taquito Palace

3.0

(10 reviews)

WOW! Nothing fancy here, just some bad ass street tacos!! Taquitos are small but are packed full…read moreof flavor and well worth the price! I had 2 bistek, 2 pastor, and 2 desebrada tacos. All served on a tiny corn tortillas and dressed with queso fresco, cilantro, onion and a slice of avocado. The red and green salsas were delicious as well! The green one is the mild and the red one is more roasted/smoky and pretty spicy! I'll definitely be back to try the tortas and tostadas. Do yourself a favor and tickle them tastebuds!

Really awesome tacos de bistec. Really friendly service, and frijoles were delicious. If you love…read morespice, the red salsa is spicy and perfect in the tacos and beans.

Elva's Mexican Restaurant

4.6

(37 reviews)

We stopped here on our way out from SPI as it was very crowded in Port Isabel and boy were we glad…read morewe did! First, you should know this is a put your name on the list if there aren't any open seats kind of place. It's a little small but I found it to be very cozy. Second, the food was absolutely delicious and you got BIG value for the cost. I had the Carne Guisada and Pazole, both of which were tasty and the servings were huge. The tortilla was bigger than my head and freshly cooked. My husband got the Huevos Divorciados and he just kept saying "this is exactly what I wanted!", my little ones got the standard breakfast and taquitos. Everyone was very happy with the meal and I am so pleased we decided to get a bit away from SPI/Port Isabel so we could discover this place! Highly recommend!

Elva's Restaurant does have good food; however, my recent experience with service was…read moredisappointing. The owner's daughter who served us had a very unpleasant attitude. I requested regular cream packets for my coffee and was told none were available. When I went to pay my bill, I noticed a full box of the same cream packets behind the counter. When I politely questioned the inconsistency, the response was dismissive and unprofessional. As a customer, I expect honest communication and respectful service. If an item is available, it should be offered--or at the very least explained--without attitude. Good food alone doesn't make a great restaurant; customer service matters just as much.

Piedad's Restaurant

4.2

(18 reviews)

If you. Blink you miss it. The restaurant looks empty, but decided to try something other that your…read moreusual stripes tacos. The prices for a taco seem pretty high, however the flour tortilla is about the size of a plate and it comes with 3 eggs. The corn tortilla tacos are cheaper. If you don't want to wait for the food to be cooked , they also own the Gas station on the corner and they have the flour tortilla taco ready. Tacos in my opinion are tour generic tacos nothing really special. The corn tortilla tasted like the ones that come in a bag I was expecting more of a home made flavor. I ordered the chorizo with egg and in my opinion was very greasy. The salsa is more like a pace salsa. Another taco that was ordered was the machacado with egg. As per my friend, it was good but not as filling since it was a small tortilla. Have to try the tacos again but now on flour tortilla.

This has to be the prettiest little restaurant in town!!! I've eaten here a number of times for…read morelunch and dinner and the food has usually been pretty good (like the chicken Monterrey and the jalapeno poppers) and they have cool regional dishes like nopales con camarones (cactus with shrimp). The staff is so friendly and the colorful decor always brings a smile to my face. This time, however, I decided to try their breakfast and was somewhat disappointed. I'm more of a milk and cereal type of gal, but the BF really likes to eat breakfast out so I always try to find great choices. The other places in town were super crowded and, seeking something a bit more peaceful, I suggested Piedad's. The restaurant WAS peaceful with only a few other patrons and the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains created a cheery ambiance (so many breakfast restaurants are just plain dreary). My eggs a la Mexicana were alright, but the beans were kind of bland. (I kept loading on the salsa just so they would have some taste). The hash-browns were sliced nice and thin, but were under-cooked and a bit mushy. The BF had the eggs and chorizo and it was pretty flavorless as well. He also had a bean and chorizo taco and it was about the same. BF said they must have used the brand of chorizo that doesn't have much flavor. Each of our meals came with a large flour tortilla and those were just fine. We both ordered orange juice and were served HUGE glasses, but the juice tasted like that thin, almost soury kind from the convenience store that I avoid. I'll be back to eat here again, but next time I'll pass on the breakfast and come for lunch or an early dinner.

Nautico Island Grill

4.6

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•$$

This has to be one of the BEST meals I have ever had in my life! I highly recommend this place! The…read moreservice was wonderful as well!

I was looking for a different place and looked up Nautico. Read the positive reviews & thought…read morewe'd give it a try. Oh my! The service and the food were both exceptional. Truly pleased overall. Highly recommend this place.

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