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    El Marinero

    4.1 (211 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Mexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order El Marinero Takeout or Delivery

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    EL MARINERO ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Torre Imperial (ceviche seafood tower)
    Brittany E.

    Craving seafood, the boy and I decided to check this place out for dinner while on our trip to San Antonio. We were crazy impressed with the service, quality, and portion size of the food. We split the seafood tower and oysters preparado. I don't think I've seen a more enormous portion of seafood for such a reasonable price. We actually took some back to the hotel because we couldn't finish it all! We would totally go back.

    IG: @foodsnoblegacy
    Andy M.

    We stopped by at El Marinero for a very quick lunch and really enjoyed the awesome food and lively, music filled vibe of the restaurant. We ordered shrimp tostadas and fish ceviche. Food came out super fast and seafood was fresh and delicious. Portions are generous, we took a box to go. There was a local Mariachi band playing, which made it extra fun and lively. Food: 4.5 stars Service: 4.5 stars Atmosphere: 4 stars Tips: Generous portions Great fresh seafood Casual vibe Low key spot Parking lot on the back

    Ceviche de Pescado
    Christina R.

    Stopped in on 4th of July as we were limited to restaurants in the area for a weekend getaway. This was minutes away from our stay and decided to give it a try. Quickly greeted upon entry and it was definitely a happening spot. Quickly seated and drink orders take for our party of 7. Service definitely felt rushed but our waitress certainly seemed over extended. There was nothing great about the service - we were never checked on after our food came to the table - no drink refills or anything of that sort so we just made the best of what we ordered. Chicken quesadillas - very well seasoned meat, a good amount of cheese, however extremely oily as oil was dripping all over with every bite. Regular fish ceviche - well seasoned, had good flavor, was a good side portion (medium), and had fresh avocado on the top. Waitress did come out with tostadas and Valentina for this dish which was great. Mixed Fajitas (beef, chicken, shrimp) - these are not traditional Tex-Mex style fajitas with sour cream, cheese, and pico to make your own tacos. This is more of mixed grilled meat with onions and peppers as well as tortillas. Meat was seasoned well and tasted great but my big complaint was for being a mariscos places, the shrimp was not cleaned. Between conversations going on my kiddos, I quickly ate one and felt the crunch grittiness and spit out the chewed up shrimp to see the black shrimp poop in my napkin. That's when I realized none of them had been cleaned. This kind of grossed me out and I didn't clean them out, just ate the beef and chicken on the plate. Beef torta - very well seasoned meat and fillings were ample. Margarita - very artificial/sweet tasting and not overly strong tasting. Not bad by any means but def could have improved in a few areas and definitely coupe improve service. As we were leaving there was a singing guitar player who'd just arrived which would be great for ambiance but the place has a bit of echo and with it being busy, it was already hard to hear so adding loud live music would intensify this. Wouldn't recommend for an intimate conversation or small kids or those sensitive to sounds.

    Nuh A.

    From the music to the food to the drinks this spot did not miss being from Houston I was always let down with SA Mexican food but this is the spot to be if you want some fire!!!! 10/10

    Dining room
    Danica J.

    The food was alright but the fries were GREAT but I feel as if the kitchen looked dirty and what I saw is that the plates aren't washed and there was a piece of parchment paper on top but you could tell that it was reused.The service was great and the servers are polite except they have a "give us your number and we will call you when your table is ready" type service. Even though no one is there and the music really ruins the ambiance, don't get me wrong it's great songs but it's overally loud and its as if the singers are screaming in your ear, but it's not their fault it's just that the restaurant is SO SMALL for them to be singing at that volume. But the one good thing about this place is the restrooms, they are well decorated and very clean.

    Angela M.

    recent visit to El Marino Seafood was fantastic! I was there during Lent and the staff were kind and accommodating. The rice was so delicious and perfectly complemented my meal. I could tell that it was made with care and attention to detail. In addition to the delicious rice, the seafood was fresh and expertly prepared. I could tell that the chefs take pride in their work and strive to create a memorable dining experience

    Mayra V.

    Food was great. Personally for my family and I best seafood we had and didn't get sick from it. The service was great too. The environment was fun with live music. Highly recommend this place. The photos show what my family and I ate.

    Camarones Agua Chile "Verdes"
    Brianda C.

    The best Aguachiles I've had so far!!! Super super spicy and citrusy. Service was super fast and menu is straightforward. There isn't descriptions of the food so you need to ask waitress for further details. They have live music at night. Was pretty loud but at least the band was good!

    Mariscada
    Andrea I.

    Food here is great!! Me and my family have been coming here since they opened, they never disappoint. Fresh seafood and service is great always. The place is always clean and the music is good! Fully recommend!

    Dosarita
    Jody M.

    We love this place. My husband and I discovered this delicious place just west of downtown. Great drinks and food.

    Original Mexican food
    Jose C.

    Came here to celebrate my sisters birthday and the choice and selection looked amazing ! If you're a seafood lover this is the perfect spot for you. Give it up to my dad for finding the perfect Mexican seafood restaurant. Everything was cooked to perfection, nothing was burnt or undercooked. I defiantly want to come back and try more of the selection. I had to get the grilled fish since I just had my wisdom teeth pulled. But nice environment to be in. Very energetic atmosphere.

    MolcaCampechana de Mariscos

    Let's put it this way...this place NEVER DISAPPOINTS. Always a home run. I've been here many times. Just sad that it's my first time giving them the excellent review they deserve.

    Marcy C.

    Went for lunch. I asked fir lunch specials but they didn't have an actual lunch special menu. Just 3 choices. I ordered the mixed grill. Fajitas were good but the shrimp was a little funky. It was alright. Knocking it a star because there was a fly buzzing around- yuck! Lost another star fir service: asked the waitress for lemonade but she never brought them.

    Mochi molcajete

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 months ago

    Food service and ambiance was good. Good variety. Went with a group of 10. Food didn't take long

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    1 month ago

    Food was excellent. Service was good. Ambiance was nice. Tea was excellent. Great choices, nice variety of seafood.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was that good. I was starving and forgot to take a pic. Just know it was worth it .

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is really good. The ambiance was cool. A group of musicians were playing live music on the Friday I was there.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Its was really good customer service, fast food and fresh food! Definitely would go back again!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food and excellent service. The Pulpo Tostada was on point. Will recommend this place to people looking for Mexican Mariscos.

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I'll start with this, the food is good. However, the service sucked, it's hot as heck in there, and it's hella loud. Won't be coming back.

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    9 years ago

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    Eat Wit Yo Eyez

    Eat Wit Yo Eyez

    4.5(49 reviews)
    1.2 miFive Points

    A true gem! This is…read moremy fourth time eating here and each time they knock it out of the park! Whenever I'm in San Antonio, I have to eat here. The texture of fish is crunchy on the outside with a flaky, meaty texture on the inside . The wings are fried in a way that's just right. They are crunchy and the sauce adheres so well without making them soggy. The green beans, red beans, and wedges are great options for sides to accompany the fish and wings. It was my first time ordering from a place with this type of setup. It was so cool! I scanned my order on an iPad and open pops a locker door with my food. If you're in the mood for fried fish and wings...this place does not miss.

    I was looking for a pleasant place to take my mother as she wanted catfish and saw the photos of…read morethe food. When I came up to the place it wasn't a sit down place to eat, but that you have to order which was confusing as there were a lot of other restaurants within the small space. There was a guy there that was picking up wing and he stated that they were the best and big pieces. So he showed me how to order. And I place my order as it was Wednesday dollar day for wings so I order wings. I had the parmesan garlic, lemon pepper. Let me tell you they were so good, the wait was too long but worth the wait. It best to order online then go pick up. The restroom were locked so that is why I gave 4 and we weren't able to speak with no one. If you need any special thing or extras please write it I. The space provided because they don't give you anything but what you order no napkin just nothing else. Enjoy and hope the you didn't forget to order anything special or extra as you won't get it.

    Photos
    Eat Wit Yo Eyez - After you get text saying it's ready, show phone to screen

    After you get text saying it's ready, show phone to screen

    Eat Wit Yo Eyez
    Eat Wit Yo Eyez - Outside area

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    Outside area

    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

    4.0(1.6k reviews)
    5.0 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.

    Photos
    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
    Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

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    Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen

    Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen

    4.5(241 reviews)
    1.9 miGovernment Hill
    $$

    We were a party of 12. We were immediately seared. Ma Harper herself came out, greeted us and spoke…read morewith us then went to the kitchen to drop the fish. Before we left she took a photo with our group. This lady and her food are amazing! What an honor to have been able to spend time with her!!!

    Simple southern lunch at a family owned restaurant sounded good. Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen peeked…read moremy curiosity. Ma Parker prides herself on family, giving people second chances and a decent meal for a reasonable price. Everyone who came in for lunch paid Ma Harper respect and was treated like family. The decor is die-hard NOLA with tons of memorabilia. The booths and chairs are old but the food is made with pride and love. The fried shrimp po-boy, fully dressed on a perfect NOLA roll was a must try. A small side of red beans and rice was also included. The sandwich was packed with crispy fried shrimp, but the normal remoulade sauce was replaced with ketchup / mayo mixture, not savory. The red beans and rice were fine but lacked real flavor. I am glad I gave Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen a chance. Many of the frequent flyers here, obviously love this neighborhood staple. Ma Harper's has a big heart and I wish her continued success. Dining here is more than food, it can also be about love and feeding people. Thanks Ma Harper for a memorable experience.

    Photos
    Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen
    Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen - Shrimp po boy

    Shrimp po boy

    Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen - Some of Ma's trophies, Favorites, special for the day...

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    Some of Ma's trophies, Favorites, special for the day...

    La Jaibita - Oysters

    La Jaibita

    4.2(13 reviews)
    2.1 miLos Angeles Heights

    La Jaibita only excels in its atmosphere; I would not recommend spending your money here…read more First impressions of the restaurant gave me hope that the food would be as good as the decor and character of the restaurant. It was very clean and I liked how new everything looked. They play some decent Latin music and there's a sort of trendy vibe to the place. The workers were friendly and polite. However, those are the only redeeming qualities about this restaurant. The food was subpar at best. We ordered their fried fish with fries as well as a tortilla soup. I also ordered one of their five dollar fish tacos just to try them out. The fish plate strangely comes with a slice of garlic bread and overcooked fries (I like crispy fries, but these were like biting into sticks of wood). The fish taco was probably the best tasting thing from this restaurant (the bar is pretty low), it's a filet of fried fish topped with a slaw-like sauce and sliced avocado on a corn tortilla. I did enjoy it, but I felt the price was a bit steep for what you get. The tortilla soup lacked flavor as if the chef was scared to add seasoning. Maybe if you are going for the drinks then this place would be okay. I cannot speak on their alcoholic beverages. But there's one last thing that sealed it for me and made it certain I wouldn't return. They have a "cash price" vs a "card price" on their receipt, cash being less expensive. I pay cash and I'm brought incomplete change. I suppose they do not carry coins. I am left with bland mid tier food, hard fries, and robbed out of my change. Listing cash vs card price on your receipt that basically encourages paying cash, then not having complete change when a customer pays cash is a very dull business practice. Eat here if you feel like taking the gamble. Would not recommend.

    Newly renovated Mex/seafood bar n restaurant. Edgar makes a mean margarita. Nachos so unique. Not…read moreregular chips. White toasted cheese. Delish!!!!!

    Photos
    La Jaibita - Bar

    Bar

    La Jaibita
    La Jaibita

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    El Marinero - seafood - Updated May 2026

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