Very fresh seafood selections. The paella had chorizo so it was a tad on the greasy side for my gut. You get a small cup of soup to start. And chips. I'll try the ceviche next time. David had great drink suggestions. read more

Holiday party #4 tonight...we met a friend of ours for a holiday party being held at Simar. While the Mexican seafood restaurant has been open for 4 years, this is the first time we have visited. The hostess provided tortilla chips along with ceviche, guacamole and salsa. We ate lightly as we were heading to a dinner holiday party. The appetizers were absolutely delicious. I got to speak with Chef Manny and and Carina, the general manager to gain some insights about the business. Mexican Cocina is based on the cooking method and seasonings. The foods can be cooked over fire, oven or in the stove. Their unique value proposition is that you can choose your seafood from the case and the restaurant staff prepares the food to your liking. The restaurant is very large with different size rooms for rental. For large party rentals the spend minimum is $1000 and during the week it is $800. Such a nice find relatively close to home...definitely will return... read more

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Not sure what happened here but this restaurant does not resemble the high ratings and reviews here on Yelp. Visited on a weeknight and left thoroughly underwhelmed. The bartender was very friendly and attentive to us but the food was very disappointing. We started with the ceviche tropical, which is consists of shrimp and fruit/veggies. It was very underseasoned and did not seem to be well marinated. Moreover, the dish had a fishiness to it that was a turnoff. The chips served with the ceviche had oil collecting on them (see photo). I've had good ceviche in the U.S. and Mexico and this was not it. The main entree was the Tacos Nayarit (fish tacos). The portions of fish were microscopic and also lacked flavor. The Spanish rice served on the side was the worst I've had in a restaurant. It was wet, old and gummy (see photo). The black beans didn't taste bad but they were superheated as if they were warmed in a microwave. Overall, the food was pretty horrible. So very sad as I was hoping to find a good Mexican seafood option in Austin. I was told that this restaurant is owned by the same folks that operate Casa Chapala, where I have had great experiences. Hopefully this place will improve over time. read more

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A nice place to stop in to have some seafood prepared Mexican style. Simar has more to offer than just seafood, but their main focus is seafood. I ordered the "Spring Salad" with no protein and asked for vinegar and oil on the side. It was fresh with lots of avacado and a nice flavor. For my main entree I ordered the "Chili Relleno". It is a large chili pepper that was filled with cheese and shrimp. This was made with perfection. You could taste the shrimp with every bite. You get two sides and I chose the black beans and veggies. I really liked the veggies they really complimented the Chili Relleno. The black beans were very good too. I didn't really like their complementary chips. The salsa was good but the chips were average. I sat at the bar since I was dining alone. My servers Dave and Lee were terrific. They pampered me sharing stories and adding to my dining experience! The astetics is sat up like a seafood house with lots of tables. The lighting was good, not too dark but still plenty of light. The main thing was everything seemed clean. Thank you Simar and especially Dave and Lee for making for a great Friday evening. read more

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This Mexican seafood restaurant is located in the Arborteum and slightly tucked away. It's a large restaurant with lots of seating and a kid's play area too. There is plenty of space for large parties as well. Service is helpful and friendly and the food came out quickly for us (the portions are pretty solid). We started with chips and salsa and a shrimp ceviche that really had a good tang (it is a good amount that could be shared by 4). From there we had a few hefty dishes: Grilled red snapper - just a half and not a whole! It came with some fried plantains and your pick of a side and salsa Grilled pulpo - a large order of octopus with choice of two sides Tacos De Res - three tacos dressed with two sides of your choice. The sweet potato, regular fries and grilled seasonal veggies were good sides and we enjoyed the entrees too. Would note that everything is prepared with a healthy dose of garlic. read more

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Nice Mexican seafood that carries Modelo Negra on tap in the summer! All the food was pretty good. Although felt kind of small portioned for the price. The soup in the volcanic bowl had a really good tomato based broth. Outside the mussels and shrimp, the other shellfish were kind of small. Like the clams and scallops. Service was good, large and nice interior with a lot of seats available. I would like to come back and try the fish or octopus. read more

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Trying to beat the heat I stopped in for happy hour on a Friday. The atmosphere takes you away from the Austin traffic and Texas heat. Suddenly it feels like you're in a beach town in Mexico, from the tropical margarita flavors to the fresh cucumber ceviche they bring out with chips. To top it off there is a cup of fish consume to drink out of an espresso cup. It is truly charming, the only thing missing is a beach. Next time I am returning with an appetite to try the ceviche tropical. The coconut margarita is fantastic, I would love to be sipping that out of a coconut someday. read more

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I'm an outlier I suppose based on these reviews but some of the less exuberant ones have the same themes in common with our experience. The food was just not good. Stale chips uninspiring guacamole. Chips were from a bag I'm sure. They were red and black and just looked underwhelming. The guac also tasted bland and premade. The Mahi ceviche I wanted to like but corn and fillers and tiny frozen shrimp made the dish sad. It also tasted fishy. It's not supposed to. The arrechera was borderline inedible. Chewy - in fairness I ordered it medium and it might have done better with more char but nothing about it was good. They use inside skirt which is inexpensive and simply not a great cut. tostones on the side were good. The live sax music was way way too loud and gave off a lounge vibe I don't get so we sat on the patio which was fine. Service was fine. Sauces brought to the table were dirty. Wife's spinach and mushroom enchiladas in her view were "sad" (lo ciento!). I wish them luck and perhaps an off night - I won't go back and candidly a seafood place in Austin is just a tough thing to pull off at a family price point I'm guessing - perhaps folks who have been to Veracruz know much better than me. read more

Seafood Mexican style needs to be done well. Simar nailed it. The guac and shrimp appetizer was fantastic. Don't know if the jalapeños they came with were supposed to be hot or not. Those with our serving were nearly sweet but was a great taste combination. The server brought out an espresso cup size of seafood broth - delicious. The chips and salsa are full size corn tortillas with 2 types of salsa. For mains we had the Tres Amigos and the Shrimp Tacos. It was easy to feel transported to a beach in Mexico they were so good. The flavors are perfect. Bright and colorful. Open, bright and airy with good music that's not too loud. We will come back for the unlimited buffet! For dessert we elected to try the flan and the Tres Leche. The flan was a bit thick and doughy but tasty. The Tres Leche was very good perfectly made. read more

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Wow! Walked into this stand alone restaurant at 5:30 to hit Happy Hour. I was the only person there! Why??? Great menu, easy to access location, clean, spacious, and GREAT service. Just because it was just me for awhile anyway, I was treated like a long standing regular. Very welcoming. My friend showed up and we were treated to small cup of warm shrimp veloute. Delicious!! Hot chili sauce dip, cucumber pico de gallo and salsa followed with warm crunchy tortillas for dipping. We had ordered drinks and they were so delicious we ordered the same again! Mexican Martini and a Tamarind Smoky Old Fashioned ...I asked for it shaken and up....Mmm Dinner was fresh, delicious, pretty and well prepared. This is a sleeper that people need to get on board and check out!! read more

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Simar is actually the best family-friendly spot I have been to in Austin. With two young children, going somewhere for happy hour and getting home before bedtime is perfect. We got a table on the back patio next to the kids play area and it was close enough to watch the kids and sit and enjoy our food at the same time. The play area is very cute and have toys appropriate for kids between one and four. some of the toys are kind of old and broken, but that's OK. I would love to donate more toys so that other families are able to enjoy this experience. The happy hour menu has some appetizers, tacos, and of course: drink options . We got a few things but ended up ordering a grilled octopus entrée which was not on the happy hour menu and the market price by weight. It ended up being $60 for about 5 tentacles . Very delicious. We also got an order of their fried hamachi! It was huge. And $$$ lol Margaritas were very good and just the right amount of alcohol . They have a full bar so other libations were had. My kids were happy and I was happy. This was such a great outing. read more

We stopped by Simar Seafood Cocina right at 5:30 on a Wednesday to catch the tail end of happy hour, and overall had a great experience; though it has been one of our more expensive date nights. From the happy hour menu, we ordered one chicken taco and one asada taco. Both were fantastic! great flavors, perfectly cooked, but it's worth noting it was literally just one taco each. Definitely more of a snack than a meal. We also got six oysters at $2 each, which were solid but didn't quite have the briny freshness you get from Whole Foods' oyster bar. Still, tasty and well presented. The mahi-mahi ceviche was a highlight. Super generous with the fish and the veggie-to-fish ratio was spot on. You're definitely getting a hearty portion there. The calamari appetizer was good, not mind-blowing, but it did its job and worked well as a shareable plate to start with. We grabbed a beer from the happy hour list and a mixed drink from the regular menu. All said and done, the bill came to around $75. That felt a little steep given that half our order was off the happy hour menu, which is why I'm knocking off a star. That said, the service was excellent, it was attentive, friendly, and made us feel welcome. All in all, Simar has a cool vibe, solid seafood, and is worth revisiting for happy hour, just maybe don't expect a budget night out. I also think that when we come back, I would like to try some of the other items on the menu as I've noticed that a lot of the five star reviews were about the foods that we did not order. read more

Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

Not sure what to say about this place it would have much more potential, the sea food was not that great, we ordered the civeche 2 kinds and to be honest it was not fresh at all. The ambiance was nice and fresh, the service was meh, margaritas was good! read more

Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

We took our family out to have lunch at Simar after shopping nearby. It was a Saturday right at 1 and the place was pretty empty. We got to pick our seating, we chose the "outdoor" which is still enclosed. The place is beautiful inside and I love the little cups of their Simar caldo they bring out right away with homemade tostada chips. So good! We ordered the ceviche which was really good, the pasta with their creamy Simar sauce and some fish tacos. I wasn't really impressed with the pasta or fish tacos. I want to go back and try their other specialty seafood plates. read more

The decor was so pretty and spacious! We went on a Sunday morning and it wasn't busy at all. They also have a kid play area near the outdoor dining. There was only one waitress, but she was really helpful and attentive. She was really knowledgeable about the menu items and answered all our questions. The food did not disappoint. The chips and salsa was so good. We even asked for extra salsa. The little cup of Caldo Simar was also good. It was just a broth. For the starter we order the shrimp ceviche called Ceviche Azteca. It was very spicy even with the side of fried tortillas and crackers. Ceviche Azteca ($18) includes: shrimp, lime, soy sauce, sesame seeds, pico de gallo, and cucumber We also ordered the Tacos Nayarit ($17). This included three fried or grilled tilapia fish tacos with cheese, topped with pickles onions, carrots, and red cabbage. It also comes with a scoop of rice and beans. The food was delicious and fresh. read more

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This is an amazing restaurant with welcoming staff and awesome menu. I can hear for a Yelp event and was fortunate to sample some of their seafood and other food and drinks. It's very spacious and tastefully designed. The staff is quick and friendly and everything I sampled was delicious. I was greeted by a margarita and was able to also sample a few other drinks from the bar. The ceviche was tasty as well as the oysters. The tacos were yummy as well as the shrimp and red snapper. The tres leches looked amazing but quickly ran out by the time I got through the line. I did sample the flan which was tasty and the yogurt which is something I'd have for breakfast but it was very good. It's located in a huge shopping center. So finding it was a challenge but it does stand alone near the access road. I just needed to wind my way to the back of the center as I wasn't coming up from that access road. There is a driveway you can enter if you're in the far right lane and know it's there. This is a great place for a party or to bring the family or come for a date. It's really a fabulous place. read more

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Good Spot to eat. The Salmon was very fresh and my daughter said her chicken quesadilla was delicious and favorite of all time. read more

Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was extremely excited to attend this event. Thanks to Tomas and the staff y'all did a wonderful job and those QR codes with our pictures was the icing on the cake. I must admit as much as I drive on 183, I have never noticed this place. We'll I'm glad I do now, I have never had the appetizers we were served and I must say everything was delicious the fish Tacos are to die for I loved the engagement among everyone the staff were amazing I will be back this place is a diamond in the cut . Tomas thanks again, you & your staff are appreciated read more

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A great spot to try some authentic seafood and some steak. Ordered their family platter with Fried whole Red Snapper and it was one of the best I have had in ATX area. They also some live music on certain days, worth going during that time to make it a fun evening! read more

This place is a kind donor to the Austin Rodeo!! I attended the annual Christmas Party and fundraiser a couple of weeks ago and was so impressed with the variety of the menu, I took pictures! I am glad I did so I can include in this post and you can see for yourself!!! read more

Simar - Camarones Momia Ceviche Azteca Ceviche Azteca Ceviche Azteca Ceviche de Pescado Mahi Chile Relleno Camaron Al gusto Caldo Simar Pasta Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I love the idea of Simar. I grew up in Mexico City and there's nothing like a Mexican seafood restaurant. The seasoning and flavors are decidedly different from the white tablecloth establishments and absolutely wonderful when well executed. These are happy, colorful, bustling places. Simar is almost there - ambiance and friendly service, for sure... but there were a few swings and misses that took it down two notches. I ordered a classic margarita but was served something with tons of sour orange juice in it. Ugh. My seafood soup was a winner but all three of my companions thought their fish filets were quite overcooked. We all agreed that the ceviche was delicious. read more

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I don't understand this one. The place is huge but also reminds me of a hotel I went to in the 90s in Florida. Lots of people have said to go here so we finally gave it a try. Two completely different entrees and they both were some sort of fish that looked like they were cooked with the same mystery stuffing. We couldn't tell you the difference in our sauces and questioned if we got what we ordered. Then being who we are, we questioned ourselves and if we even remembered what we ordered. All in all, we will not be back. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good. And you really shouldn't question anything when eating fish... read more

We went on a Wednesday evening. We walked in and the place was pretty empty. There was a host and one server. We came in for a few drinks and appetizers. They service two salsas. One is Smokey another is cucumber based and refreshing. They also have little soup shots for you that were really good. We got the queso which is great but comes with way too little bread. I would also recommend more tostadas with the salsa it was cute and ocean themed. The calamari was good but had a lot more filler than calamari. I do think they got the happy hour nachos wrong. Overall flavors were great and the server was just the sweetest. read more

Simar - Soup shot - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

Service and food was absolutely fantastic! The freshest fish in Texas. Lots is seating...they bring hot sauce to the table with your meal (you don't need it- the food is perfectly seasoned) read more

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Highly recommend checking out this hidden gem! I was a little nervous to try this place since I hadn't heard anyone mention it, but I was pleasantly surprised. FOOD: First of all, their menu is huge! They also have so much complimentary food: tortillas and crackers with salsa, a small cup of lobster-based broth, and bread with butter. We ordered the ceviche tropical, paella simar, and tacos nayarit. Not a weak dish in the bunch! Their ceviche had a nice subtlety from the jicama and sweetness from the mango. The paella was a huge portion, very shareable with another person. Their tacos were solid fish tacos. SERVICE: Our waiter was very attentive! PARKING: Plenty of parking in their lot! read more

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Wow! We had a fantastic lunch at Samir! Their shrimp tacos were delicious, great margaritas (especially the jalapeño infused tequila margarita)! The service was also excellent! We will absolutely eat here again!! read more

Simar - Shrimp Tacos Gober - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I highly recommend this restaurant! We went there for my Mom's bday and I'm thankful she introduced us to this place! As soon as we walked in we were amazed by how the ambience instantly transported us to a beach house. It's decorated so CUTE! They have lots of seating and even a big table that fits 14 people. It's a great shape so that everyone can feel included in the conversation (it's not your typical long rectangle arrangement). The seafood is SO FRESH and SO DELICIOUS!!! I'm a big fan of ceviche and they have so many different types to choose from! I ordered a tuna ceviche tostada and a aguachile verde tostada; they were both incredibly DELICIOUS and tasted so FRESH! My husband got the paella and was not disappointed! We came with a party of 8 and the service was EXCELLENT! Our waiter was so patient and helpful! My mom was worried about the spice level of a soup and they brought us all samples of the very tasty broth! On top of all this, they had a separate room where my 4 year old and 9 year old could play while we waited for our food! I can't say enough good things about this restaurant! If you love fresh seafood, this is the place to try! read more

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The ambiance is subdued without any load decorations or colors. It creates a very relaxing space with a hint of modern elegance. Aucoustics allowed for normal conversation. Serveice was authentic and attentive. In the current environment of entitlement and uncaring staff, this place is uniquely refreshing. Felt comfortable, and never wondered when I would see my server when i needed something. Food was next level. Given the look of the place and the pricing, I expected status quo and was not expecting what I received. I was presented initially with "chips and salsa," but Wow, it was so far beyond the standard. The setting had round corn chips about 4" diameter that you snapped off pieces for dipping. Came with 2 sauces, both excelent, and a small cup of broth. Totally unique and a standout. I ordered a soup, Caldo Simar, a seafood "stew". It was a brown broth with a small amout of spice and loaded with seafood. There was fish, shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, and the big surprise, octopus. Damn that soup was good and under $30, crazy. Ordered a fairly complex drink, Caipirinha. Here again, they " next leveled" the drink by adding mint. OMG that was refeeshing. I can't wait to be hungry again so I can explore the menu more. Will be back!! read more

Simar - Caipirinha and Caldo Simar soup - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was so hungry that I did not take pictures. The food is good, and the service is attentive. I especially like the Tres Leches cake. It was not too sweet. read more

Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

Don't order the Mahi Mahi. It was a very thin piece of overcooked and dry fish. The fact that was drenched in sauce made no difference. Almost any other dish in the menu would have been a better choice. Other than that, the service was excellent. The place is certainly worth second chance. read more

Omg this place is such a nice vibe with excellent service the staff was so friendly and very welcoming it felt really good getting service like this from a family own restaurant the tacos and ceviche and oysters was my favorite items to try from this event also the margarita was soo delicious read more

While on a business trip, I had a hotel near this establishment. The food and rink was delicious. The service and ambiance was exceptional. I will definitely return if I am in the area. read more

Had a fantastic meal there. Took advantage of happy hour pricing and ordered a calamari appetizer. It was the best ever! The house martinis are really great too. I had the chili relleno in cilantro cream sauce. It was heavenly! Great atmosphere. They have a room for a private party if you wish. Definitely going back. Great food. Reasonably priced. read more

I honestly was just looking for a restaurant close by the movie theatre that was was fast, casual & friendly and gotta say Simar was that & more! Came here in on a not so busy early evening and was greeted as well as seated promptly. Looking around the restaurant was huge and noticed it had a Mexican seafood atmosphere. As for the food everything was wonderful from the complimentary shot of fish stew to my entree the paella Simar which was filled with a ton of chicken, seafood & chorizo in every bite. I washed it down with a mango margarita which was fresh and sweet but balanced out with the salt rim. Can't say enough how attentive the service was here as almost the whole staff checked in on us during our dining experience. They also had some happy hour food specials which we didn't partake in but may try next time we're in the north Austin area! read more

Simar - Mango Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Mexican seafood! I've been waiting for, truly, years for Austin to get a place just like this. The oysters were so fresh. The guacamole was perfect! And the ceviche!! The ceviche is made up of very high quality fish and such a thoughtful blend of spices. read more

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First off, typical dilemma..it's a Saturday night in Austin, the land of restaurants that close at 9:00pm and out of no where we find this wonderful new restaurant called Simar Seafood Cocino! From the moment you walk in the humble decor is what makes the restaurant so welcoming. Then...BAM you smell the amazing aroma of Grilled Octopus! The Staff is wonderful, warm and welcoming. The dining area is clean and very sanitary. And most importantly , if you have a purse there are purse and bag hangers at each table! I would like to be the first to say that there is Nothing at this restaurant that wasn't absolutely delicious. When you first walk in you freshly deep fried whole corn tortillas as chips! In addition it's paired with a fresh cucumber salsa that's highly refreshing. The red "burnt" salsa features roasted peppers, that is one of the best salsas I have had. Now onto the the food: Amuse Bouche:Everyone gets a little sip in a cup of Lobster Broth. It's delicious and sets the tone for the meal. 1.) The Grilled Pulpo!-Octopus... THE BEST GRILLED OCTOPUS in AUSTIN! This Grilled Octopus will set you back about $50 bucks. But it is a whole grilled octopus, and is grilled to soft perfection. The octopus is served with perfectly grilled vegetables and buttered vegetable rice. 2.) The Coconut Shrimp!!!! Move over Hula Hut, this fierce set of 6 delectable Coconut Shrimp is soft, can be cut with a fork, not too sweat, perfectly breaded, and served with a mango Chile sweet and sour sauce. This Coconut Shrimp is the best I have had in the continental Us and let me tell you, I've been around. Lol 3.) The Clam Chowder- It's buttery, creamy, full of clams and potatoes and herbs. The potatoes are not overbearing and the salt is perfect 4.) the Paella- Delicious, could use more saffron 5:) Peche Veracruz- Get the aioli sauce! Soft, deep fried, delicious. This is by far one of the best restaurants I have been to with a lovely server named Isabella. I done out a lot, and the quality of servers has declined in terms of personality and just good attitude and helpfulness. The service here from everyone especially ours is the best service we have received in a long time. You just go here and try everything, it's sure to be a new favorite! read more

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Food was good, great service and good atmosphere, margaritas fantastic definitely give them a try

Let's just cut to the chase the other 5-star reviews are spot on. Simar serves wonderful fresh coastal Mexican seafood. Peace out.... But, Yelp is telling me that I'm leaving you hanging so here goes.... Starters: Flat bread and dipping sauces arrived with a small side of fish broth. We had to hold back on the bread as we were going to ruin our lunch. The sauces were not hot but favorable with a tad bit of heat. Their ceviches come highly recommended so we ordered their Tropical Ceviche. This is shrimp with mango and chilies. To be honest we were expecting a bit more on the flavor side but it was still good. We inquired as to why they did not offer a combination ceviche (shrimp, scallops, fish...). Our server said that could accommodate that request, next time. While waiting for our entrees to arrive we did see their Coctel Simar go by and it is a fine looking shrimp cocktail. We thought it was a bloody Mary. Next visit for sure. The table next to us ordered grilled octopus. The diner remarked that it was cooked perfectly, next time. Their paella dish looked awesome as well, next time. There will be a few next times. I ordered the Swordfish Al Tajin. Their description: Swordfish rubbed with chile-lime salt grilled and served with coconut shrimp served with rice and salad. I must say the summer salad was a perfect starter for this entree. The swordfish was a healthy portion spiced perfectly and cooked to perfection. If you have cooked swordfish you know that it could turn rubbery in a heartbeat. The coconut shrimp were large and not fried/dried at all. Plus 1 ordered the Pasta Simar. This wonderful dish includes homemade flat ribbon pasta, jumbo shrimp, and a creamy poblano sauce. I can't describe how rich and savory this dish was. We both immediately noticed that the pasta was made in-house. This and that: There is a full bar with a number of tropical-themed drinks offered. Their servers are knowledgeable and will assist you with ordering. They also offer a pretty generous happy hour. We are already planning our next visit.... read more

Simar - Swordfish and shrimp pasta - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

Customer service was the best! The food looks and tastes great! Their aguas frescas taste amazing! Overall the atmosphere was great. 10/10 recommend going to Simar! read more

Simar - Tacos Gober - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Very nice place. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting, and the staff is very friendly in offering great service. The starters: started with a small complementary cup of sopa (soup) de seafood... amazing. The salsa was very different and the pica de gallos incredibly fresh. The main dish: I had the Fillet Huachinango Veracruz (mesquite grilled red snapper with Veracruz sauce) and fried plantains and grilled veggies as my sides (comes with a choice of 2). The fish was Very tasty. The Veracruz sauce was super fresh and original. The sides were quite tasty as well. I highly recommend this restaurant. If you're looking for Tex Mex or typical Mexican, it is not that. This is the real deal... lookout Fonda San Miguel , you've got competition. read more

Simar - Seafood Near Me - Austin, Texas