We decided to come eat dinner here on a Friday night because we wanted that«hidden treasure» experience that was talked about in earlier reviews. Well, I have to agree to leave this«treasure» hidden. First we ordered beers for my husband and I and waters for our kids. We started with a large chile con queso. When our chips and salsa finally arrived, we still didn’t get our queso for a long time and by the time our server brought it out we already had an empty basket of chips. Well they finally brought us more chips when our queso was cold. Food was only okay, nothing great at all and my husband’s red snapper was WAY over cooked, just left a very dry piece of salted fish. Our beers came very spaced out in between. There was an annoying band of music that passed by our table wanting to play us songs for $$ which we politely declined. They were so loud we could barely hear our own conversation. When the server never brought us a check, I went to pay at the register and they had charged me for chips even though we bought a queso, AND they charged for the to-cups of water they brought for my kids, which I would have been fine if they just brought them in regular water cups of i would’ve known they are so broke they need to charge us for water cups and chips, which should be a given at any Mexican food restaurant. I have to give this place a one star for horrible customer service and in bad taste for the over charges. #sorrynotsorry#
Suky L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Corpus Christi, TX
Tried it last night for the first time. Delicious campechana cocktail. Server was really nice and prompt. Chips and salsa not that great but the filled to the top with seafood campechana was well worth the trip here. Hadn’t found a truly mexican food campechana in a long time. Will definitely be back
Laura A.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Early, TX
My dad ordered the shrimp cocktail and he said it had no flavor. And they charged me for a water!
Trish W.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dripping Springs, TX
I am pleasantly surprised by the food here. I’ve wanted to try this place for a while & am so glad I did. I’ll be back with friends for sure.
Pamela C.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Luling, TX
Is a waste of time don’t go thier. The food was nasty. The food didn’t have taste of nothing.
Ej H.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Austin, TX
Everytime I’ve eaten here I’ve gotten sick, the food is ok but not worth the sick feeling after
M M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Marcos, TX
No one in San Marcos does Mexican food like these guys. The menu has a lot to offer, everything tastes great, and the prices are very reasonable. And every time I have been in there the service has been excellent.
Jerica S.
Rating des Ortes: 2 San Marcos, TX
This place just didn’t do it for me. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish, maybe the cook was having an off day. I love Seafood and Mexican food, so I was hoping for something spectacular. It just wasn’t here at El Gulfo De Mexico. I may give it another try, because I didn’t taste their drinks. Better luck next time.
Bonny F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cedar Creek, TX
This is hidden treasure of San Marcos! It doesn’t come up often when you talk about Mexican food or Seafood but it should! When we want seafood we will head here over Red Lobster any day of the week. Must try’s are the civeche and shrimp cocktail. A small shrimp cocktail comes in a chilled glass filled to the top with at least a dozen shrimp mixed with fabulous cocktail sauce, diced onions, pieces of avocado, and some cilantro… tO DIEFOR! The caldo de cameron(shrimp soup) is so yummy and the perfect cure for a hangover. My all-time favorite is the whole red snapper… Be sure to ask for a side of their garlic sauce to go with it! Tonight we got a dozen oysters, small shrimp cocktail, whole red snapper, and a plate of the gar fish with two iced teas for $ 33 and there was plenty of untouched food left on our plates.
Jordana G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Austin, TX
Yum yum. A wonderful taste of gulf Mexican seafood. We generally order shrimp but there are many different types of fish dishes, as well as chicken and beef. Cold beer is served in frosted salt rimmed mugs. Good chips and salsa. Worth a visit if you are near San Marcos.
Jerry E.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Austin, TX
Holy Seafood!!! #1 in my book. Every bite practically melts in your mouth, especially the baked fish! Wow… words can hardly describe how the Delicious the baked fish was! Don’t let the outside fool ya, this place is definitely worth a try. Staff was very helpful and polite. Restaurant itself was exceptionally clean and casual. Prices were very reasonable for the generous portions that were served and very easy on the wallet. Give it a shot, I’m definitely going back to try the Shrimp Ceviche which I hear is Ammaaaaazzzzzing!
Matt K.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Spring, TX
Bad, bad, bad, it is not a Mexican restaurant. It is a greasy, poorly run fried seafood restaurant. Avoid this place
Kamni G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Jacksonville, FL
So the in laws were in town and ofcourse we went to the Outlet stores and eventually wanted to eat and not get caught on traffic. So we busted out the iphones and agreed to check this place out. It was easy to find and never again to be missed… there is a giant gun outside. Needless to say everyone took a picture of it. The order was as follows: We all got water, we were seated promptly but had to figure out if there was waitress service or not. The chips were oily and some not cooked all the way and the salsa. Hot sauces are on the other tables so we grabbed one, some hot sauce, salt and pepper later we had great salsa! So the order: Fried shrimp– exactly what one would expect, nothing special Stuffed rollenos– very bland but still okay. Breakfast tacos– for the vegetarian which she loved. They run breakfast specials everyday! Shrimp enchiladas-delicious! Never had it before but no regrets.
Sean M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Marcos, TX
After an evening tube on the river, my Lovely Bride and I stopped in for dinner. I’d heard good things about the place, but in my 9 years as a San Marcos-dwelling, Mexican Food-loving guy, had somehow never managed to visit. Overall, it was quite a nice experience. The atmosphere was that of a taqueria, but the emphasis on seafood makes it unique among the local offerings. My wife enjoyed a stuffed crab that was quite tasty, and I the Filete Relleño, a filet of mild white fish cooked in a foil pouch with onion, cheese, butter, seasonings, and pickled nopalitos. We like both dishes quite a bit, but favored the filete, which was unusual and quite tasty. The chips were mostly thick corn, but there were a few fried flour tortilla chips in there as well, which my honeypie quickly claimed as her own. The salsa was tasty, though not my favorite in town. The rice wasn’t standard mexican rice, but something more akin to paella — nice! The service was attentive without being overbearing and uniformly friendly. They have a decent selection of candies for dessert, as well as a freezer full of paletas — one of only three places I know of to get them in San Marcos. Worth a visit!
Brent R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Austin, TX
Very good mariscos. Big shrimp, fresh seafood. The rice is really good too. Micholadas are great. They’ve done quite a bit of remodeling since it opened and it’s really nice inside now. Down side is some of the dishes are made w/that fake butter oil crap and the salsa is a bit bland.