(From January 2011) Everything’s made from scratch at this unpretentious local cafe. The chicken-fried steak earns its reputation with thick, tender, well-seasoned beef in a hearty crust, and the hand-cut steaks are deliciously cooked to order and bargain priced. Friday night’s seafood buffet is heavy on the fried stuff, but the Southwestern salmon is flavorful and fresh. Sides include outstanding yeasty dinner rolls and country-style veggies; the green beans simmered with bacon are wickedly good. Skip the peach pie and have a slice of the decadent Jefferson Davis coconut custard topped with pecans. Beer & wine.

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(From August 2011)

Lobster et Fromage sounded not only uptown but irresistible, so we ordered fresh-squeezed orange juice and read our paper until the platter arrived. The gigantic omelet came brimming with cream cheese, garlic-sautéed Maine lobster, and diced tomatoes, all topped with Brie and a champagne cream sauce. To boot, there were diced potatoes and a crisp English muffin. That fine breakfast pretty much guaranteed a future return to this bright, sunny Louisiana import. 

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(From November 2011)

Decorated like a Mexican hacienda, the Donkey is the place to go for fresh Mexican food on the island. Our favorite dish is taquitos al pastor, chopped pork that has been marinated in pineapple and spices, grilled, and served on corn tortillas topped with fresh onion and cilantro. In the mood for seafood? Try the blackened red snapper topped with ixtapa sauce, a light white-wine cream blend. And because this place is owned by Dirty Al’s, you simply have to sample the famous fried shrimp. Live music on weekends. Bar. 

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(From August 2011)

Even when it’s not oyster season, this New Orleans–style bistro wins our vote for the Island’s best seafood value. Our order of shrimp diablo delivered a dozen perfect tails in a sultry tomato cream sauce, while our companion’s blackened snapper arrived perfectly flaky without a hint of dryness. 

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(From September 2010) A South Padre institution, Blackbeards’ has long been known for its giant onion rings and excellent seafood. On our recent visit we tried the Fantail special, otherwise known as a shrimp po’boy; it was piled high with crunchy fried shrimp and served on fresh homemade bread. We love the blackened snapper too, lightly sautéed and served with vegetables. If you’ve had a good day fishing, bring your catch in and have the kitchen work its magic (fish tacos, maybe?). Pair your dish with a margarita and you have a piece of island paradise. Bar.

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(From December 2010)

First and last impressions count, and both were good at our weekend brunch at beautifully restored Brennan’s. Our starters of shrimp-and-okra gumbo and perfectly fried green tomatoes topped with lush crabmeat were both winners. Things got wobbly with an entrée of shrimp and grits, a case of overgrilled shrimp and too many ingredients vying for attention. Still, a great finale of precisely tart lemon meringue pie garnished with blueberry coulis and fresh blueberries left a sweet taste in our mouths. Bar.

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(From June 2011) All-you-can-eat catfish draws loyal locals to this unpretentious surf-and-turf spot, where combo platters pair the name-sake fish with everything from jumbo shrimp and stuffed crab to ten-der frogs’ legs and oysters (a succulent delight, and just as good tucked into a po’boy sandwich). There’s also a respectable selection of grilled seafood, hand-cut steaks, and CFS, as well as a 21-item salad bar and a bottomless pot of bacon-infused pinto beans. Be sure to save room for a slice of Tootie’s Buttermilk Pie. Beer & wine.

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(From February 2011) Executive chef Blythe Beck—whose Naughty Kitchen had a brief run on the Oxygen network—can run as scandalous an operation as she wants if the food is as good as the meal we recently en-joyed. Mushroom soup attained new heights with a hint of vanilla and the addition of fried wontons (!). Then the evening really began, with chicken-fried American Kobe steak (heresy!) accented with bacon redeye gravy. The accompanying buttery whipped potatoes were surprisingly ho-hum; the real star among the side dishes was a jazzy version of slow-braised mustard greens studded with tiny morsels of onion and bacon and finished with a dab of brown sugar. The decor is as spare as the food is rich. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

The best way to enjoy the Milburn family’s fine Galveston seafood is at sunset at a table looking over the bayou. A cordial waiter delivered the best flounder we’ve laid a fork to, plus succulent boiled shrimp and buttered lump crab. The bread pudding in bourbon sauce almost made us tipsy. Bar.

Thursday, September 16th, 2010, 2:59 pm
Wayne says:
I love Clary’s, but I have to say it not what it once was. The service is still great, but the food has gone very much downhill. The vegetables tasted as if they had come out of can and been heated up. I regret to say it but I think Clary’s day is gone.

Sunday, May 9th, 2010, 12:28 am
jackie says:
The service is wonderful and the food is superb

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(From February 2012)

With a witty, extensive, and generally spot-on seafood menu, restaurateurs from Monterrey and Mazatlán have brought Mexico’s west coast to the north side of San Antonio. After you grab a seat at a sidewalk-cafe table or the sleek bar, explore the raw side of the menu (oysters on the half shell, a sea scallop aguachile) or sample street-style antojitos (like tiny tacos of achiote fish or battered shrimp with cabbage and tomato). Then get serious with one of chef Jesús Vargas’s innumerable seafood specialties, from coconut shrimp to a whole octopus marinated in soy and chipotle. Bar.

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