As a frequent visitor to South Padre Island I have come up with a little dining review for those making it down this summer. These are where the locals go, not many tourist.

#1 WANNA WANNA BAR & GRILL(Best finger food, shrimp, fish,oysters, drinks and watching on the island)

#2 Dirty Al's/Daddy's (Owned by the same people, but Daddy's cajun food rivals any place in New Orleans)

#3 Cap'n Roy's (Award winning shrimp recipes and real, not texmex, mexican food)

Breakfast - Isabel's in Port Isabel. Simply the best breakfast around.

If you want to do some Bay Fishing, contact JR. Scanlan at Jim's pier. Great Guide!!!

Have fun.

It's not how you hit the hole, It's how you wiggle the worm.

Palm St. Pier Bar & Grill is a great hole in the wall as well. Great burgers and all you can eat fish.

One of my favorites spots out there.

Rovan's on South Padre for Breakfast.

Blackbeard's for a good burger (or just about anything else).

If you want good Mexican food drive into Brownsville (Bigos) or Harlingen (Pepes, Los Asados).

Mexican food, Manuels and Isabels are very good for lunch. Both in PI, more of a Valley/Tex-Mex slant, and are only open for breakfast and lunch.

There is a place in PI, I haven't been for a while but it was also very, very good when they were on, Mexquito's on Garcia St.

Also, Jesse's Cantina had some dishes that were pretty good back in the day. Some Enchiladas and the Carnitas were the best I had ever had outside of Mexico.

Is Palmetto Inn still open? I was always partial to that place.

Rovans is history I think and it had been terrible for about 5 years or more. To me it was never good after Ronnie and Van sold it to the guy that went commercial in the extreme.

Wanna Wanna's is just about the best place you can go..as mentioned great fried shrimp and oysters..get some horseradish dipping sauce a few ice cold beers and youre set!! Damn that makes me hungry!!
There used to be a place at Jim's pier that served the biggest best breakfast tacos I have ever had..think it was called Manuels. They were closed in summer 2007...are they back open? Did not make it down to the island last year..gonna make this summer visit that much better!!

[This message has been edited by victory (edited 4/17/2009 2:12p).]

Funny thing about Dirty Al's is it used to be just a bait stand and we'd give him some of the bonier fish we caught like bonita or blackfin tuna for him to sell to tourists/use as mystery meat. Used to be just a bunch of salty dogs having a beer there after fishing tournaments at the Sea Ranch.

Now his son worked for the Pappas family in Houston and has become a pretty good chef. It's been fun watching Al's grow.

Another good place to catch a beer and watch the boats come in is Dolphin Cove Oyster Bar back there in the trailer park.

Brewery is also a good place to take your catch and have them cook it up for you!

Manuel's

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Funny thing about Dirty Al's is it used to be just a bait stand and we'd give him some of the bonier fish we caught like bonita or blackfin tuna for him to sell to tourists/use as mystery meat. Used to be just a bunch of salty dogs having a beer there after fishing tournaments at the Sea Ranch.

Now his son worked for the Pappas family in Houston and has become a pretty good chef. It's been fun watching Al's grow.

Another good place to catch a beer and watch the boats come in is Dolphin Cove Oyster Bar back there in the trailer park.

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Ain't that the truth.


I have known Al for like 20 years, he used to even buy some of the "used bait" he sold back when the unlucky angler didn't have much luck. I always cringed at the thought of him running a resturant, LOL. But, man he has done well and the times I have eaten there it has been plenty good.

He has like 15 kids or something. He has really worked hard and done well for himself. He persevered after years of having the park try to kick him out. It is always good to see something like that happen.

wanna wanna is great to kick back, listen to a little music, enjoy the sea breeze, and just let the day go by slowly. DAMN i miss it now

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There used to be a place at Jim's pier that served the biggest best breakfast tacos I have ever had..think it was called Manuels.

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Sounds like a great idea but I got on a day Red Snapper trip out from Jim's Pier and had the breakfast tacos before leaving.

I couldn't stop throwing up.

RGV AG - it has been nice seeing Al's grow. I've known him since I was about 12 years old (16 years) and he was always really nice to me and my dad. I used to hang out in front of his place when not fishing/cleaning the boat.