South Padre Island Restaurants

Good food and service. Great view of the bay, especially at sunset. The interior is cooly decorated with all sorts of beach paraphenilia. There is a pier you walk out on. There is a place you can rent jet skis and plenty of sea gulls to feed.

Favorite Dish: Good pasta dish.

The excellent bayside location of this tropical-theme bar and grill, along with the slick brochure, ,made us eager to try Amberjack's for dinner. We had a good table with a great view of the sunset over the Laguna Madre. However, the service was not as attentive as we would have liked.

Favorite Dish: I had the fried seafood platter, and Karen a shrimp with pasta dish. Both of us thought our meals to be mediocre, especially for the price we paid. It was not that the food was exactly poor, it was just not exceptional, in a setting that deserved much better.

This restaurant sits out on the end of a pier in the Laguna Madre. It has a lively bar and smallish restaurant area. There is usually some live entertainment on weekend evenings.

UPDATE: The restaurant has changed ownership and is now called Pier 19. I haven't tried it and can't comment on the current menu.

Favorite Dish: There are several items on the menu above and beyond the normal seafood offered by most restaurants.

This place has a cozy family-oriented atmosphere. Do not expect elegant dining or refined service. Great breakfast specials, including several different kinds of sweet buns, bear claws, etc.
During the day they also offer all-you-can-eat fried fish at a good price. This is a good substitute for Marchan's White Sands (see my Port Isabel pages) if you don't feel like crossing the Causeway.

UPDATE: ROVAN'S IS PRESENTLY CLOSED, A SHAME!

The inside of this restaurant is very quaint- it resembles a courtyard of an old Mexican Colonial house. Very informal but excellent Tex-Mex food.

UPDATE: This Bigo's has closed and a different restaurant occupies the building which I haven't tried. The original Bigo's in Brownsville is still open in Brownsville at 464 Paredes Line Rd. The fajitas they serve make it worth the drive.

Favorite Dish: Several varieties of fajitas are the best choice- especially the ones covered with mushrooms and cheese!

You must go to the Radisson's Windjammer Rest. with its glass walls it has the best view. Very affordable too. Weather is great it is Dec 20 and 80 degrees today. Welcome to paradise!

Favorite Dish: Mexican Food buffet with beef and chicken fajitas, chef on hand, enchiladas, rice, beans, salsa, etc. are the best!

I ordered a frozen margarita and my husband ordered a beer (mug size). It cost us $18 for two drinks. I would not recommend eating or drinking here despite the romantic atmosphere. The buffet was upstairs and it was $19.99 per person.

Way overpriced for the quality and service

Favorite Dish: n/a

This is the best restaurant we ate at during our stay on South Padre Island. We held our wedding reception here and everyone loved it. The service was exceptionally good and they had a table set up exactly where I had requested it.

I would drive 13 hours back to South Padre just to eat here.

It's a fun family atmosphere and the tables are exceptionally roomy

Before you leave, be sure to sign up for the deep sea and/or bay fishing. The fishing company set up outside the restaurant were more than worth our money.

Favorite Dish: It's hard to choose between the jalapeno stuffed shrimp and the coconut shrimp. The sauce they give you with the coconut shrimp is to die for.