My all time favorite restaurant, bar none. I am over 70, and have been coming here for over 50 years....sadly left in 86 but have been back multiple times since then.....I'm planning a trip back to Texas in about 6 weeks just to eat here....shrimp are my favorite along with the Bombay salad and onion rings. Beautiful memories here. read more

This was our first time based on recommendations from family. We ordered the Avacado Salad, Fried Oysters and Fried Shrimp. The meals come with fries and their tartar sauce. All the food was great and even though half orders were huge. Where we had our problem was the lack of service. We waited 45 minutes for a table. Then 20 minutes to order anything because no one was assigned to the table. After the order was placed it was another 15 minutes for salad and 20 minutes the meals. No refills were offered for drinks. Suggest you make a reservation. Very large dining areas with a rustic appearance. read more

King’s Inn - Avocado salad - Seafood Near Me - Riviera, Texas

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When you first see the place I was thinking no way! It's old, kind of mismatched, in the middle of nowhere. The menu is short, all served family style, and amazing! Best fried oysters ever! The staff is nice but always running. read more

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My husband and I just ate here tonight. We had eaten here before and knew it great food but I hesitated because of the bad reviews. The food was excellent as always. Serves were friendly and seating was immediate. Food came out quickly. The bill did not include a tip. The building isn't much to look at but it is part of the charm. Has been in business since 1935 and is right on Baffin Bay. Don't hesitate to enjoy a true Texas ledgend. read more

Great food & Great Fellowship! Perfect atmosphere to sit & visit for awhile & pass platters of delicious food around!! read more

Kings Inn in Rivera, Texas serves some of the best shrimp, but the service was extremely disappointing. My husband and I stopped in hoping for a good lunch, but instead we left feeling targeted, harassed, and even threatened. Our waitress started off great, but things quickly changed. When we asked for simple items like cocktail sauce, lemons, or a refill of tea, she would say "sure" and then never return. Eventually, she came back only to slam the bill on the table with a forced smile. Meanwhile, the table in front of us received attentive service, refills, and all the condiments they requested. It was clear she either didn't like us or didn't want to wait on us, acting in an obviously passive-aggressive manner. From my seat, I had a clear view of the front of the restaurant, and I saw employees so relaxed and careless eating while waiting on customers, even the host and cashier, this made me worry they were capable of messing with customers' food. It was VERY disappointing--the WORST dining experience I have ever had. read more

Its a very rustic place by the water, the wait staff was welcoming, they even allowed us to bring our dogs in--:) I was told they could come in since very few people were dining at the time.. We had the Avocado salad and jumbo shrimp platter, tarter sauce was delicious --- great food.. well worth the drive read more

Food is awesome, but the weight stuff is terrible It is worth the weight I called in reservations the day before and I still have to wait 45 minutes up to you read more

We had the best meal. Everything cooked to perfection! Service was quick and efficient. Our glasses were refilled frequently without having to ask. Plain simple ambiance. Please remove your hats, no service otherwise. read more

King’s Inn - Fried orange roughy, fried oysters and gigantic shrimp, onion rings, French fries. Best ever tartar sauce. - Seafood Near Me - Riviera, Texas

Service was poor, at best. Server didn't come back to refill drinks. We had to wave down another server to help. Food was ok, but came out cold. This was not surprising considering the level of attentiveness... I really hope someone can rally this restaurant. Nobody does shrimp and Tartar sauce even remotely close. But, for the journey it takes to make it out there... ouch. Seeing such poor reviews, and knowing what it used to be... read more

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This place is run by hardcore management We were told to leave if we didn't remove our fishing caps So we had to leave because some of our party members had to check their vehicles and needed their lids on because the brutal sun and forgot about the chastising they got I have eaten here before and the menu is very limited and kinda pricey! Luckily there is another restaurant down the road that has a similar menu, that was more welcoming and happy to serve us food even when we walked in with our hats on, saved us some driving time during our week long visit to the Baffin Bay Area Kinda sad policy that a sawdust joint would turn down clientele eagerly wanting to eat and spend money there read more

King’s Inn - This is how the staff act if you wear a hat or fishing cap So we left, all 8 people - Seafood Near Me - Riviera, Texas

Extremely Disappointing Experience - Good Food, But Not Worth the Treatment We had a truly disappointing experience at King's Inn on Saturday June 28, 2025. To begin, they opened late, which set the tone for everything that followed. When we finally got in, there was no greeting, no welcome--just a cold, uncomfortable atmosphere. The entire staff looked like they didn't want to be there, and unfortunately, that attitude carried into their service. We were the third group to be seated after they opened, yet we received our food long after others who arrived well after us. Our server, Sonia, was particularly unwelcoming and dismissive. When we politely asked for an update on our appetizers, Sonia became visibly upset, yelled at the kitchen staff in front of us, and said we were the reason she was asking. The food, when it finally came, was practically thrown onto our table, and Sonia looked visibly annoyed and angry the entire time. Sonia never came back to check on us, and when we asked for water and added an order of hushpuppies, those items never came. We tried several times to get Sonia's attention to ask for our bill, but Sonia completely ignored us. When I finally got her attention, she handed our ticket to another server to bring to us, without a word. I still don't understand why Sonia treated us this way--she seemed to dislike us from the moment we walked in, for no reason. It's clear she didn't want to be there, but that's no excuse to treat paying customers with such disregard. The food was good, but definitely not worth the frustration, disrespect, and lack of basic service. We won't be returning. read more

Went to take my Dad to have a nice lunch last weekend for a special treat. Got as far as being seated, however, was never given a menu, no water, no waiter ever approached our table. Restaurant was not busy so cannot imagine ever going to this place and get zero service. One very rude person stopped by, sat herself in one of the chairs and stated, "I'm not your waiter, but I guess I'll take your order"...rude is being kind to say the least. We didn't even have menu's, water or anything, so I guess she could not even see THAT!! Got up and took our business elsewhere..Shame on the Owner/Managers. read more

Love taking a road trip to Kings Inn it's definitely worth the drive and it has awesome views.

RUDE server. Slow service. Hot and moldy atmosphere. Server threw the food down on the table causing food to spill and she just walked off . I Do not recommend . read more

My Yelp brethren confound and disappoint me yet again. How can these aesthetically challenged dips bestow a paltry 3.5-star overall rating to a local staple like the King's* Inn? Call me a romantic misanthrope (or a misanthropic romantic), for I shall castigate these pinheads whilst professing my passion for fine dining. Yes, I consider the King's Inn fine dining; the plain, slightly ramshackle nautical setting belies some of the *finest* fried seafood in the Gulf Coast region, possibly anywhere in the country. "Character," when applied to the context of an established restaurant, is often synonymous with eccentricities, the kind embraced by locals but spurned by outlanders. The King's Inn is brimming with "character": menus available not on paper but in the server's hippocampus, no split checks, fried seafood ordered by the pound, and a house seafood/tartar "sauce" with the consistency of potato salad. Accept and embrace these eccentricities and I promise you will enjoy your meal...unless you're a snooty hipster or an aesthetically challenged dip. The King's Inn offers steaks and chicken tenders, but locals and (open-minded) outlanders flock here for the heaping platters of fried Gulf Coast seafood, all of it sourced locally. On our recent visit, my dad and I scarfed down nearly four pounds of food between us, a testament to our hunger and a compliment to the kitchen's prowess with the fryer. The colossal U12 shrimp were plump, crispy, well seasoned, and not the least bit greasy. The same held true for the locally caught black drum and oysters. The former, once unfairly maligned as a trash fish bordering on offal, was a treat in and of itself but paired especially well with the Inn's legendary seafood/tartar "sauce." Yes, let's discuss that tartar "sauce," arguably the restaurant's claim to fame. That mound of white paste might raise a few eyebrows, but I assure you it's delicious, an immediate hit with my dad and me. The "sauce" is a smorgasbord of ingredients, including mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, hardboiled eggs, anchovies, jalapenos, bell peppers, onions, Worcestershire sauce, and Saltine crackers (yes, seriously). The Saltines give the sauce its signature pasty texture and appearance, the jalapenos give it kick, and the anchovies and Worcestershire contribute acid to tame the richness. The tartar sauce pairs well with the seafood and the three slices of thick, juicy, ripe tomato that accompany it. If you are intrigued, I have included the recipe at the bottom of my review. If you follow my content (and you really should if you aren't), then you know I seldom review a place after a single visit. I was so impressed with my sole experience at the King's Inn, however, that I feel comfortable awarding a laudatory five stars. This place has been in business since 1935, so they must be doing something right! Do yourself a favor and ignore the naysayers. You know the ones to whom I refer: the grammatically and syntactically challenged Yelpers whose hasty one-star rants lack expressive ability and whose dark, blurry photos invariably include distracting garbage in the foreground and background. That last comment was particularly *misanthropic* (my apologies), so let me leave you with something *romantic*. I savored every bite of my meal and wish The King's Inn another 86 years of success! _______________________________________________________ *Yelp lists this place as "Kings Inn" sans apostrophe. This bothers me. Please fix it. _______________________________________________________ Pro tip 1: Look for the kitty cats that prowl the parking lot hunting for scraps. They seemed especially friendly to me, but then again, I am a cat whisperer...and my hands reeked of seafood. Pro tip 2: Visit nearby Chamberlain Cemetery and pay your respects to the King family, the individuals for whom Kingsville and the King's Inn were named. I conducted an instrumental trans-communication session there and reached the spirit of Captain Richard King via my Poltertune music box (video clips forthcoming). I review restaurants. I speak to the dead. I befriend feral cats. Behold, for I am the mysterious, inimitable Ryan M.! ______________________________________________________ The King's Inn seafood/tartar sauce recipe (yield 3 quarts): 1 quart of mayonnaise 1 quart of Miracle Whip 10 eggs, hardboiled and peeled 3 tubes of Saltine crackers 5 stalks of celery 1 jalapeno pepper (seeded to taste) 2 1/2 ounces of Worcestershire sauce Salt (to taste) 2 small bell peppers (seeded) 1 four-ounce jar of pimentos 1 two-ounce can of anchovy filets 1 large onion Fresh garlic (to taste) Finely chop the celery, jalapenos, bell peppers, anchovies, garlic, and onion. Add salt and Worcestershire sauce. Break crackers into small pieces. Mash the hardboiled eggs. Mix all ingredients together with the mayonnaise and Miracle Whip. Refrigerate and let sit over night. read more

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Food was delicious and service was great. I highly recommend this place AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT IN A WHEELCHAIR OR IN NEEDS OF A WALLET. Not very handicap accessible. For being in business for so many years, they could make it a bit more handicap accessible. Drove over two hours to finally bring my mommy to taste their food and it was so hard for her because the COMPACT wheelchair would not make it through the door way. I had to carefully get her off the chair and walk her into the restroom praying she didn't fall. Then to top it off, the one "handicap" stall had no grab bars what so ever. Or second trip to the restroom was worse because there were two ladies with walkers plus my mom in the chair trying to use the stalls. The other ladies and their families were having the same complaints as I did and were very vocal about the disappointment. As a caregiver and as those who need care, these small trips out are a bit of break from the hard times at home. The last thing we all want is to travel this far, pay add much as we did(@$200) and have such a bad experience simply going to the restroom. King's Inn, please do better! read more

Make reservations, first and foremost. Really nice place to eat, right off the water. Home cooked food, homemade tartar sauce. It is family style dining, so you get about a pound of what you order. Salad is great. Plenty of elbow room. Bathrooms are clean. read more

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Solid old school family style seafood restaurant. Shrimp Drum Oysters all very good. Jalapeño hushpuppies and the wonderful Avocado salad are also must haves. Enjoy!!! read more

It's GREAT....but not the BEST... tartar sauce is fine actually a symbol of the restaurant!!! Service was GREAT....now if your driving bye...yes Stop by but not to a trip. read more

Driving down to SPI and I read the reviews on YELP so we decided to stop by King's Inn and eat. First we walked in a party of 3 and the hostess would NOT sit us by a window as they only had large tables by the window!! Well the problem is that it was 1:30pm and the dining room at this place is DARK as it does not have many windows. So we got sat near the restroom. Then we scanned the menu on our phone as they did not give us paper menus. We ordered water with lemon and they forgot our lemons. Then we ordered the fried shrimp large which the waitress said was 10 fried shrimps we got 9 for $29.00, it came with fries. We also ordered the large onion rings which were NOT rings but greasy onion strings... yuck. The whole meal was over priced and did not taste good. We had eaten at a great BBQ in Mathis Texas, but had read the great reviews and made a stop just to eat here which is why we ate small. I do NOT recommend this place as it was too greasy for us. This place is like an AppleBees of seafood. read more

King’s Inn - Seafood Near Me - Riviera, Texas

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My family has been going to The Kings Inn for a very long time. We was in town for a funeral and decided to stop and get something to go. My father had not seen the owner Mr. Ware in some years and they both got to catch up a bit. Thank you Mr. Ware for what you did it was not expected. The food was delicious as always wish I could put 100 stars I recommend coming to The Kings Inn for all your seafood the shrimp is to die for it's the best ive ever had. read more

Food has been consistently good for 70+ yrs. Service...as fast as they can. Usually packed. Great old historical bldg on Baffin Bay. read more

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First, the fried shrimp were very good. I've only had better at Goodys in Houston and at my house. They are expensive, 9 for $30 but big, 3 bites per shrimp. The tartar sauce was different but good. The cocktail sauce had a hint of BBQ sauce to it but was good also. My wife's catfish was cooked to what I consider done but she likes it thin and crispy. I helped her polish off her catfish. I would come back just because of the great shrimp. read more

I love this place, food and service are exceptional; the store next door is a must; the cheesecake is delicious;

Very expensive lunch for one person at Kings Inn Riviera Texas! $30.00 This restaurant only does family style serving. Do not come here by yourself! I was told this place was awesome, I thought it was just Okay. read more

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Waitress was incredibly rude, demanded I remove my hat and when it was explained that I wear my hat due to a disability resulting in photophobia which could cause seizures, migraines, and additional eye damage, and that it is a reasonable accommodation as required by the ADA, she stated she didn't care and refused to serve us unless my hat was removed and we were ordered to leave. On our way out my coworker notice the majority of staff, including wait staff, were wearing baseball caps. This is absolutely ridiculous treatment if the public, discrimination , and not the last they will be hearing from me. read more

So when we are anywhere near here, we always stop and always enjoy the food and service. Always consistently good and hot! Love Kings Inn and their food service and casual environment read more

The food was really good and great service. I'm Not a huge fan of the tarter sauce it's very different but again great seafood read more

This is my 3rd busy yo this place and the seafood is fantastic. Let me start off by saying there are no menus at the table, only recited by server or posted outside in the waiting area. Men are not allowed to wear hats inside the building, there's even a sign that says so. You can only order seafood by the pound, except the fried shrimp, family style only, no combos or plates. You CANNOT split the check, there's a sign when you walk in. The tartar sauce is what has me coming back. It's got a good kick and it's addicting. The hush puppies are delicious. Ive never had fried drum, it was also delicious. A hearty fish fried in a cornmeal batter. The fried shrimp is jumbo and it's also in a cornmeal batter, which is great because I hate when places use thick batter. The meals come with a plate of French fries. The waiter came over to take our order and bring our drinks but didn't come back till our food was ready to serve. Our drinks were empty by then. He was okay. read more

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This was my first visit to this part of Texas. The staff at King's Inn was friendly, efficient, and helpful. The food was delicious. There was an extensive selection of seafood at reasonable prices. The ambiance was delightful and this restaurant is located right on the Gulf. read more

2-1-2024 2:00 PM approximately Excellent, excellent, excellent! My husband and I ordered a small order of onion rings, hush puppies, French fries(came with entrees), oysters-floured and fried along with fried shrimp. I asked that everything be lightly fried. The oysters were fried and seasoned perfectly and tasted delicious. THe shrimp were plump, along with being seasoned perfectly and fried to perfection. The onion rings and hush puppies were made from scratch and delicious. Our server was a very pleasant and nice young lady. She was very attentive and kept our drinks filled. I highly recommend King's Inn to people who are looking for great tasting fried oysters and plump fried shrimp. The 5 stars I rated today were in all areas of service and food. read more

We have been visiting King's Inn for years. Two things you can usually expect is mediocre service but great food. Our latest visit was horrible. The waitress was rude, didn't take into consideration that our guests were new to the restaurant but expected them to know what they wanted without a menu and the food was BLAND. After speaking to multiple family members from the area, this seems to be the new standard at King's Inn. You had us for 30 years, but we are not coming back. read more

I love the avocado salad! It is a long wait but worth it! Fish is fresh, ambience is nice and calm.

Great family style restaurant. No individual plates. Everything is family style and served on platters. MAKE SURE YOU GET A RESERVATION! Otherwise you might have a 30-60 minute wait. The Avocado Salad is very refreshing! They also bring out a plate with sliced tomatoes. (Ask them for Ranch dressing) the fried Shrimp is very good as is the Catfish. read more

The hostess was incredibly rude! I called to add a person to my reservation and ask when the cutoff would be to make adjustments to the reservation if needed. The hostess started saying I had already changed my reservation twice (this was the first time I called to change it) & that the max people I would need to bring was 12. I told her she couldn't tell me I had to bring 12 people - she said, 'yes I can! This is a family owned business and this is how my grandpa has been running it, so call back when you have 12 people!' And hung up on me. Just so the Kings Inn family knows, that's not how you run a business... read more

The food here is great, specifically the shrimp and fried drum. The serving sizes are huge, and their homemade horseradish sauce seemingly gets spicier the more you order. The service is fast after you get through the line to get a table. read more

Here's the deal with this place: there is only one recipe, the seafood sauce (tartar sauce, just don't call it that). Seafood caught, seafood cooked. That's what you get. Fresh seafood is not supposed to be salted. The only flavor you will taste is fresh. You can salt and pepper yourself if you like. This place is popular. Expect to wait a long time or make a reservation. That's the deal. That's not their fault. Example: the salad dressing is just oil and lemon juice. Example: shrimp are breaded and fried. The seafood sauce (aka tartar sauce) is not JUST mayonnaise and pickles. It's made with cracker meal and is more like a pâté, a spread. Locals seemed to mix it with ketchup, I'd also recommend that. They serve beer. I don't judge places by the whole experience, but by the quality of the food. The quality of this food is top-notch. It's caught. It's cooked. What else? read more

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I've been a customer of King's Inn since 1958, when I attended parties with my parents. This restaurant is the gold standard for fried Gulf Coast seafood and trimmings. Everything they serve is memorable, but the Waldorf Salad and onion rings are indescribably delicious and borderline addictive. This establishment runs like a well tuned machine but has the feeling of a family reunion, very welcoming ! read more

Driving back to San Antonio from the Rio Grande Valley, I detoured by tiny Riviera, Texas (near Kingsville and adjacent to fabled Baffin Bay). Having never tried either, I was torn between King's Inn and the newer Baffin Bay Seafood. I decided on the legendary Kings Inn, established 1934. Being close to Kingsville, they generally have a long wait, however, I arrived between lunch and dinner. I really wanted to love this place, but sadly, I can't say that I did. The restaurant is very well staffed and I was greeted and seated promptly. My Server, Brandin, took great care of me and was very friendly and helpful. Their menu has only 1 type of combo plate. It contained frog legs and oysters which I wasn't in the mood for. I opted for a combination of fried drum and shrimp (not realizing you can only order half orders or full orders). As such, I spent way too much money (over $30 including beverage but without tax and tip) and ate way too much. The best part was the excellent tartar sauce I dipped the Captain's Wafers into. The fries were ice cold and limp. Brandin offered to bring more fresh fries, but I declined. I originally wanted their homemade onion rings, but they wouldn't do substitutions even for an up charge. You have to buy at least a 1/2 order of those as well. I had never eaten black drum (locally sourced) but found I am not a fan. I'll take red drum (redfish) any day. Not enough flavor and too rubbery. The shrimp, while very large and good flavor, were a bit chewy and overcooked as well. Having recently eaten Shrimp at Doc's in Port Aransas I guess I got spoiled!). I didn't really care for their batter. No veggies, bread or salad were served. All are a la carte. I was served a nice, big slice of fresh tomato, however. Overall, I was glad I gave in to my urge to experience a piece of Texas history on the water, but I can't say it's in my Top 5 seafood establishments. read more

King’s Inn - 1/2 order each fried drum and shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Riviera, Texas