The 15 Best Seafood Restaurants on the Texas Coast—From Locals’ Favorites to Iconic Stops

Hop along the Texas coast and you’ll find it all—ramshackle beach joints dishing out fish tacos and fried shrimp baskets, polished spots serving oysters Rockefeller, and Mexican-inspired restaurants offering a proper ceviche. Bordered by Louisiana to the east and Mexico to the south, the Texas coast draws heavy influence from its neighbors when it comes to seafood.

The humble po’ boy, with roots in New Orleans, shows up at joints all along the shoreline. Fresh fish tacos, true to their Mexican style, come tucked into corn tortillas with crema, onion, cilantro, and lime. Barbecued crabs, a Southeast Texas specialty, are only found in a handful of places, while fried shrimp—thanks to the Gulf’s abundance—remains a staple everywhere you go.

Here, a look at our favorite seafood restaurants along the Texas coast, with recommendations on what to order:

First opened in 1911, Gaido’s has been a beloved fixture on the Texas coast for more than a century. The menu highlights Gulf shrimp, Galveston Bay oysters, and fresh fish, blending flavors from the South, Southwest, and Creole traditions that shape Texas cuisine. But it’s the oysters that keep Gaido’s legendary. You can have them just about any way you like—on the half shell, fried, charcoal-grilled, or deviled (fried and perched on top of deviled eggs). They also serve them Rockefeller style, baked with asiago cheese, or dressed up with any number of other flavorful toppings.

Address: 3828 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77550

Since 1976, Shrimp ‘N Stuff has given locals and vacationers a taste of the Gulf Coast. All shrimp is hand-peeled and de-veined in house, and everything is hand-breaded from fish filets to oysters. All the sauces are also homemade, and the remoulade sauce is a must. Most items here are fried, including shrimp, oysters, crab balls, and crawfish tails. You can also order a po’ boy or gumbo, seafood tacos, and shrimp salads.

Address: 3901 Avenue O, Galveston, TX 77550

Alfonso “Dirty Al” Salazar got his start shrimping alongside his father and six brothers. In 2003, after his son Cameron graduated from culinary school, the family transformed Al’s bait stand into a restaurant—Dirty Al’s. What began as a single spot has since grown into a family empire on South Padre, with Al’s other two sons now involved and several restaurants under their belt. While they’re best known for their fried shrimp, the menu goes beyond with po’ boys, blackened and grilled fish, and their signature Seafood Botana: a heaping platter of oysters, fish, chicken, shrimp, and fries big enough to feed two to four people.

Address: 33396 State Park Rd 100, South Padre Island, TX

The Redfish Wars of the early ’80s were a battle over commercial fishing rights along the Texas coast. Because of the conflict, Ernie Butler decided to step away from commercial fishing. In 1980, he and his wife, Corliss, bought a small bait stand and burger joint with a fishing pier on the Intracoastal Waterway. And Snoopy’s was born. Today, customers love the fish and shrimp baskets, and the restaurant will even cook your catch.  

Address: 13313 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 

The Stingaree sits right on the Intracoastal Waterway, and since 1986, it’s been a family-run business. Aside from fresh seafood, the views of East Galveston Bay here are beautiful. Seafood platters, seafood gumbo, fresh oysters done in five different ways, snapper, and shrimp, are all hot commodities here. Grab a Stingarita and head downstairs to DownUnder, where there’s live music and crawfish tails.

Address: 1295 N Stingaree Dr, Crystal Beach, TX 77650

Just outside of Houston, Gilhooley’s is a casual spot that’s been slinging oysters and fresh seafood since 1988. Choose from a multitude of different oyster styles, or go for a seafood boil with shrimp, crab, and sausage. The menu pulls inspiration from nearby Louisiana, so expect to see boudin, po’ boys, gumbo, and etouffee, among traditional seafood fare.

Address: 222 9th St, San Leon, TX 77539

Just a block from the Seawall, Fish Company Taco uses corn tortillas (made daily) as vessels for their fresh Gulf seafood. Global flavors are presented in the form of a Korean taco with gochujang, kimchi puree, sesame seeds, and cilantro, and the Vietnamese taco comes with carrot, nuoc mam, onion, mint, and Thai basil. The Dirty South is a must, as it comes with Zapp’s Cajun Crawtators potato chips, corn relish, and pimiento cheese. A daily crudo special is also a must try, and don’t forget to wash it down with aguas frescas or a cocktail.

Address: 1914 23rd St, Galveston, TX 77550

Started in 1985, The Boling Pot specializes in seafood boils. Tie on a plastic bib and enjoy the bounty that’s dumped across your table: crab, shrimp, sausage, crawfish, corn, potatoes, and more. Get it done Cajun style for extra spice, and make sure to get some boudin, gumbo, or red beans and rice to start.

Address: 201 Fulton Beach Rd, Rockport, TX 78382

With tiki shack vibes, Castaway’s is a beloved establishment in Port A, specializing in hand-battered and fried seafood plus gumbo and jumbo grilled shrimp. There’s also seafood boils and oysters, plus plenty of items for landlubbers such as burgers, steaks, and salads. The cocktail menu is impressive as well. Splurge on the Coastal Bloody Mary: a meal in itself with snow crab, shrimp, bacon, and veggies.

Address: 337 N Alister St, Port Aransas, TX 78373

Aside from a restaurant, Los Tortugo’s is also a seafood market, where you can buy raw seafood by the pound and take back to your place. Raw shrimp comes in by the boatload, and you can also buy fresh ceviche in bulk alongside freshly caught whole fish. Fish tostadas, fried shrimp, and oysters on the half shell are all popular in the restaurant.

Address: 318 E Queen Isabella Blvd, Port Isabel, TX 78578

Under the bridge by the marina, Dorado’s serves delicious seafood dishes with views of the Intracoastal Waterway. Weekend brunch is always a hit with seafood-stacked bloody marys and breakfast tacos, and always-changing specials include seafood pastas, beer-battered fish, and grilled daily catch with rice and veggies.

Address: 135 Shark Ln, Surfside Beach, TX 77541

A smidge more inland in Nederland, The Schooner is a family-owned restaurant that’s been serving Gulf seafood since 1947. They’re known for their barbecue crabs, a misnomer for fried crabs doused in a seasoning blend usually made of pepper, garlic, and sometimes, Cajun spices. They also have an oyster bar, gumbo, grilled and blackened fish dishes, and shrimp done numerous ways.

Address: 1507 US-69, Nederland, TX 77627

Overlooking the Houston Ship Channel, the Monument Inn Restaurant has been in business since 1974. Their fried shrimp is a popular item here, or you can get the Famous All You Can Eat: cold-boiled shrimp, oysters on the half shell, fried catfish, shrimp, oysters, stuffed crab, French fries, and dinner rolls. A bonus? Cinnamon rolls are served with all dinner entrees.   

Address: 4406 Independence Pkwy, La Porte, TX 77571

Specializing in seafood boils, the Crazy Cajun kicks things up a notch with Cajun-spiced shrimp, crab, sausage, corn on the cob, and potatoes, all served literally on your table. During crawfish season, you can get a boil with crawfish added into the mix, and kids can have their own non-spicy boils as well. Other Louisiana-inspired dishes include shrimp remoulade, gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish etouffee.

Address: 303 E Beach St, Port Aransas, TX 78373

Inside the Ramada by Wyndham & Suites South Padre Island, Mariscos Playa Azul Café brings a Mexican spin to Gulf seafood. Ceviche tostadas, shrimp and fish tacos, and shrimp aguachile with mango are all found on the menu, plus there’s Mexican shrimp cocktail, breakfast tacos, fresh seafood pastas, and non-seafood Mexican dishes, too.

Address: 6200 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597