This is a good place for oysters / happy hour. Oysters are half off during happy hour making them some of the cheapest in the city and definitely some of the most delicious. The other happy hour dishes are good also. The roast oysters are equally good. I can not add much more than what others have said about the Sunday brunch, but a great oyster feast. read more

I've been several times for brunch and dinners. Plus: Amazing food. Buffet even has oysters. Areas of improvement: I've been annoyed at the dessert table. They just don't bring out new goodies. We waited an hour for the churros to come out again and we just finally left. For such a high caliber restaurant, I'm disappointed when their tres leches bin and their flan plate are empty! That's why I'm dropping a star. read more

I've been wanting to go to Caracol for such a long time (and work right down the street), so I can't believe it took me so long to check it out! Glad I finally did. Pros: 1. The food. My coworker and I needed some good food and some strong drinks after a rough day at the office. We shared the Baja Ceviche (scallop ceviche with mango, papaya, cucumber, and jalapeno) - super simple, fresh, and delicious. After staring at the menu for a while, we decided to try the Carnitas de Atun (seared tuna tacos) and the Empanadas de Saragalla (spicy hashed fish turnovers with cilantro cream). The tacos were great - a big chunk of well seared tuna in each of the three taquitos. And the empanadas were great, too - really different from other empanadas I've had. (I wasn't too surprised we loved the food. The folks behind Caracol also manage Backstreet Cafe, Hugo's and Prego, which are all amazing.) 2. The drinks. We tried three different tequila based drinks while we were there. And enjoyed each of them, although my favorite was the Caracol rita. 3. They serve the full menu at the bar. 4. The decor - classy, but understated and simple. 5. Service was great. Cons: 1. A little pricey. We had two drinks each, the ceviche, and two small plates - $50 each with tip. 2. Valet only as far as we could tell. Complimentary, but make sure you have cash for a tip. All in all, we loved our night out at Caracol. It was just we needed after a long day at the office - good food, good drinks, great time with a good friend! read more

This is the spot I was looking for! What a wonderful lunch we just had!! We had the chicken poblano and the roasted chicken meals. Amazing food!! This is a foodie paradise!! The relleno was topped with a pumpkin seed sauce that was flavorful and healthy! On the roasted chicken plate was a skewer of roasted and then fried new potatoes that were also delicious! Their presentation was excellent, the food was served at the proper temperature and great service. We will definitely be back!! read more

Caracol - This is the chicken relleno with pumpkin seed sauce. Not at all spicy but delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I really liked the enchilada dinner. For the table we had oysters, spare ribs and some taquito type dish. Everything was good, I wasn't a huge fan of the oysters. I think it was the consistency. We had a couple drinks but the drinks had to be serverely watered down because I couldn't taste any liquor. But for the price, the meal was good. The ambiance was great also, will definitely recommend to friends. read more

Always love coming here, stopped a while ago but if your looking for great food and an amazing experience with the workers try it out it's worth its money. read more

Went here with a large group. Good news the food was awesome, bad news we got put into a back room with no windows. The food made up for it however and eating with a large group was a great chance to try most of the menu. However, the main dining room, they had a few seemed hopping and vibrant. If I go back, will be sitting there for sure. Some starter favorites were the Ceviche Yucateco, a lime-cured red snapper with achiote, citrus, avocado, cucumber, serrano pepper. The Chipirones, containing a house-made green chorizo stuffed squid, chanterelle mushrooms, tomato-habanero sauce, with crispy kale . Had a nice fresh squeezed guava drink to go with it. I Didn't go wrong with Tacos de Pescado Estilo Baja, a crispy fish tacos with Napa cabbage and some chipotle mayonnaise, that I asked for on the side. You never know how generious they may be with this stuff. The table also enjoyed the chile Relleno de Pollo, a chicken and Chihuahua cheese-stuffed poblano pepper and an amzing green pumpkin seed sauce. Folled by some slow-cooked tender short rib, with wood-roasted butternut squash, molotes de frijol, and an ancho mole. I think they called it Birria Mascota. We ordered almost all the deserts, but this one stood out. The Platanitos Flameados. A rum-flambéed Dominican baby bananas, with crème fraîche, rompope, and Mexican vanilla ice cream. So So good. Wasn't drinking that night, but I'm sure it would have gone good with something. read more

Brunch at this place is awesome, get a reservation as early as possible since the place get very busy after 12. Café de la olla just like mi grandma coffee, the black corn taco is deeeelicious , everything there is awesomeness. read more

This is a nice little lunch place in the Galleria area that has enough style, swagger and class to attract the business class lunchers in the area. Modern and artistic environment, white tablecloth atmosphere with crisply dressed waiters and great service offer a luxe feel to an everyday meal. I've been here twice already, and to be honest, I would give it 3.5 stars. The first time, I came with a couple of girlfriends, and the food was delicious. We shared pork tacos, fish tacos, and the chile relleno. Everything was well-seasoned, carefully thought out and were good portions. One dish included a side salad and rice. Another, refried black beans and cactus salad and green dressing, In all cases, each plate had lots to offer, and then some. And since it was one of the girls' birthdays, they came out with a piece of dulce de leche cake with a candle and chocolate writing. And let me tell you: this dulce de leche cake was AWESOME. They must've made it with corn flour, because it was dense enough to hold its own (like corn bread), but still light enough to be a cake. It was delicious. The second time I came, I went with Hubbs. He got the fried oyster tacos and I got the deconstructed enchiladas. These were "meh." My enchiladas were meat and other things, beautifully placed, on layers of cut corn tortillas. Since it was drenched with red sauce that had been soaked up into every possible crumb, every bite tasted exactly the same. Hubbs' fried oysters were fresh, delicious and perfectly crispy, but it only came with the tacos and rice. No salad? The beans? Nowhere to be found. How disappointing. We asked if we could get the dulce de leche for dessert, and since it was an off-menu item (and they had sold out), we weren't able to. So we just thought, "Why not go for the choco coco" or something to that effect. This dessert was so fun. It's a chocolate hollow ball that you get to crack open with a small wooden mallet (like a real coconut). Inside was chocolate pudding(?), custard and whipped cream. It was a treat, and I'm glad we got to try it at least once. No matter how great or "meh" the food is, this place was always packed from like 11:30-1:00. Once 1:01pm hit, it was completely empty... everyone had gone back to work. I heard their HH is worth checking out, so maybe I will. Otherwise, I wouldn't come here on a weekend. It is a little pricey for the portions they give, and the last experience was just okay. read more

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We've been to this place twice and it's been wonderful both times. Impeccable service and the food is super-consistent in presentation and flavor. Definitely one of Hugo's best. read more

Though we waited around 45 minutes to be seated with a reservation, the manager quickly brought out a tray of oyster appetizers for our table as compensation. They also gave us two orders of chips and guac on the house. The server was accommodating and quick. The food was good, but I guess it just wasn't really for me. Honestly, it just didn't seem up to par with the prices, but the generous portions of fresh seafood must have been the reason behind the price. The flavors were decent. Nothing amazed me. Overall, if you have the money, the freshness and good portion sizes make Caracol a place to visit. Otherwise, I'd much much rather go to their sister company, Backstreet Cafe. read more

I really can;t get enough of Caracol. Their Sunday Brunch is amazing with great and NOT SO LOUD live music, the food is delicious and fresh, the service impeccable! the decor is lovely and amazing art work hanging over their walls. My favorite cocktail is the Hard Sun.. again LOVE their brunch! read more

Caracol - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Houston. The servers have always made us feel really welcome and the food is consistently on point. Omg their cocktails are bright and smooth! I've celebrated many birthdays here and all of my guests have always been over the moon with the food! read more

Caracol - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Amazing Happy Hour! Prices and food quality were outstanding. Our waitress Gloria was incredibly attentive and personable. Highly recommend if you love fresh seafood! read more

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We went back to Caracol this past Wednesday with a larger group. In previous review I basically said next time I was going loco crudo and this I did, ordering the conch, scallops, and Kobe tri-tip. They were very shareable, but were so good I hogged most of all 3. Sue me. This time we also ordered dessert, getting the strawberry empanadas. I highly recommend them. The service was very friendly but a bit more uneven than my previous visit. It took a bit too long for dessert to come out. Our entrees were slow also, but our waiter explained that the whole fish we ordered accidentally fell and they made a new one, which held everything up. I would have preferred that he told us right when it happened instead of after everything came out. My wife went today for lunch and had impeccable service, and we had perfect service on our first visit, so I'll chalk up the Wednesday unevenness as a hiccup. On a Sunday for lunch will be when we try to go again. Still 5 stars for me. read more

Went there with a group of friends a couple of weeks ago, and we had a great time. The service was outstanding, as well as the drinks. I had the sangria and a seasonal mojito. My wife had one of their special margaritas, and it was great. The margarita was shaken and served at the table. Flavors were very fresh and natural. The food was also outstanding. We only shared several appetizer (antojitos). We started with some chips and salsa and some chicharrones. Then we had campechana (sort of seafood cocktail), flautas, ribs, mussels in broth, and short ribs in salsa de mole. Everything was great, and the flavors were fresh, simple, yet memorable. But the dish that kept us fighting over for more was the short rib in salsa de mole, we had to order a couple extra orders. The meat would come off the bone by just looking at it. It was served with fresh made warm tortillas. The flavors of the mole were very complex, yet well balanced. Dessert was alright, but with such a great meal, we did not pay much attention to it. Will definitely visit again. read more

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Overview: I came here for Sunday brunch. I would call this high-end authentic Mexican food. Restaurant is slightly hidden from the busy streets of the Galleria area. The place is nice and the wait staff was nice as well. Brunch is buffet style, they have a separate area for desserts and another for fresh oysters. I personally didn't enjoy the food as much, maybe it was the flavors for me, but my gf really enjoyed it. Food: The entree foods that I enjoyed were crab cakes, enchiladas, octopus cocktail, and raw oysters. For desserts, I enjoyed the flan and tres leches. read more

Caracol - First brunch plate - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Four of us did a "tapas" meal trying a variety of items. The snapper cervechi, guac, Some seafood apps and shared entrees of duck and whole snapper. The highlight was the margarita with jalapeño and the duck was solid. Everything else was kinda average or just a bit odd. The whole snapper was way over cooked and very dry. read more

Caracol - Outdoor seating - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food here is amazing! It is so modern and presented like works of art. The portions were generous without being overwhelming or wasteful. The flavors that the chefs put together are beautifully blended. The only thing keeping me from giving a 5th star is the service. While the service was friendly, it was rather slow. I appreciate not feeling rushed but towards the end of the meal it switched over to a feeling of being ignored. Maybe the other half of the restaurant was starting to fill up to keep the waitress from being able to come over more frequently, but we still felt a bit ignored at the end. Food is amazing and beautiful though, definitely check this place out! And my dessert came with a wooden mallet to crack open the chocolate sphere. So much fun. read more

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Best brunch in town. Authentic and flavorful cuisine. Absolutely one of my favorite restaurants! I highly recommend the buffet style brunch on Sundays. Totally worth try at least once. read more

Caracol - Chilaquiles! - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

I am a fan of Hugo's. We went to Caracol for dinner expecting good things. First, I believe there is no other parking, besides the valet service. Once inside, the ambience is nice. Large windows letting in a lot of light, spacious areas for seating, even by the bar and outside. For the mojitos they offer cranberry and pear. Not bad! I had the sangria, which they will make a pitcher at your table, if you so desire. It was pretty good as well. So drinks - check To start off, the other people I was with had the wood grilled oysters, which everyone at the table seemed to enjoy. I had wanted the fried calamari, but they were out of it that night. We had instead the grilled octopus salad. Apparently, they are known for this salad. It's really more of octopus and potatoes with a garnish of greens. Why it's in the salad section is beyond me!? Anyway, disappointing. They leave the skin on the octopus, which is kind of rubbery. The inside meat is very tender, it would really increase the greatness of this dish if they removed the skin! For dinner - butterflied red snapper. The fish was cooked very well. No complaints about that. The seasoning though is just ok. It's a seasoning I feel they over use, because it seemed like it was on almost everything they served. That being said, I tried the pork chop and it was delicious! The mole sauce and the meat complimented one another very well. A friend had the grilled pineapple desert and had good things to say about it, but I didn't get a chance to taste it. I think I tried someone's chocolate bar desert and that was pretty solid. Recommendation: worth trying. I would venture back and try something else before completely making up my mind. read more

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The kale was absolutely the most amazing thing I have ever put in my mouth. WOW. My husband and I went here on a whim. We had a bunch of the small plates and left here very full. I can't wait to check the brunch out. Service was great. We sat on the patio right away at 7:30. The only reservation we could get inside was 9:30. We will be back. read more

Caracol - Muscles - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Awesome customer service. Our waiter was Carlos and he explained the menu very well for our first time. We started with the calamar y pulpo ahumado which was delicious. Then we ordered the ceviche de coco which was also delicious followed by mariscos ajillo and cañíta de puerco which had the pork falling off the bone. Everything was perfect and our waiter got us 3 orders of margaritas on the house. I would definitely recommend. A wonderful experience read more

BEST brunch spot ever. Like ever. I've also come on a regalar day and they've got options for everyone. I don't eat meat so it was easy for me to create a plant based meal. My bf loved all the seafood! read more

Great people, good food, good service, good prices, recommended. The restaurant is located close to the galleria area in Houston Tx.

This happened last night at Caracol, my car vandalized and broken into, my laptop, legal documents and valuables were stolen in front of the valet and nobody saw anything, I am beyond myself with anger!!! The management knew about this problem and yet have soñé nothing to remedy it. read more

Caracol - Vandalism !!! - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I love coming to Caracol for special occasions; I've been here for both their New Year's Eve dinner and Houston Restaurants Weeks menu. The space is beautiful, the people are very friendly, and the food is delicious. I'm vegetarian, and I always have plenty of options (and my meat-eating friends do too). As a heads up, the portions for the New Year's Eve dinner are pretty big, especially because there are multiple courses (but it's all so good); the portions for Houston Restaurant Weeks are a little more manageable. Caracol does their vegetables really well, making unique dishes and flavoring them really well. On the New Years menu, the main dish was a black rice with roasted vegetables that was delicious. I've also had a pear salad (NYE) and a tomato salad (HRW), both of which were clean, refreshing, but also very tasty. The *only* thing that I've had here that I wasn't a huge fan of was the cauliflower steak, which was the main dish on the HRW menu this year - but I also don't know if I've ever had a cauliflower steak I really like, so that's not on them. Lastly, I love the el coco for dessert, which is a chocolate coconut shell filled with coconut buttercream, coconut ganache, coconut streusel, and whipped coconut. Uh, yum. You get to crack it open, which allows me to fulfill my inner child, and I can never not order it. I always leave Caracol happy and full, and you better bet I'll be back the next time I get a chance! read more

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The service is very cordial, if a little slow on a busy Sunday evening. We ordered several appetizers, the Ostiones Asados were delicious with a crisp Parmesan crust served in a smoking hot skillet. The Taquito de Langosta was delicious! The Repollitos Asados were a pleasant surprise (who would have thought that roasted Brussels sprouts and chimichurri =AMAZING?!). We also had the Chicharrones de Calamar which was served with a spicy chili sauce and the grilled octopus and calamari with the same delicious sauce...fantastic. The octopus was incredible tender and a wonderful smoky flavor permeated the dish. Great food and a nice ambiance. We will come back for more :) read more

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Best brunch buffet in town. Seems expensive at first. But other than drinks EVERYTHING is included. Fresh oyster and scallop bar included. Desserts included. Mexican chocolate after meal included. We also ordered coffee and it was not added to the bill - maybe it is included also. Parking included. Make the best brunch and best value in Houston. read more

Definitely one of my go to places for happy hour. The ostiones asados are a must, roasted oysters with chipotle butter crack. El coco for dessert is equally fun and delicious, you get to smash the chocolate coconut shell with a tiny mallet...also good for stress relief. I think I've tried just about everything on the happy hour menu and you really can't go wrong. read more

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Great atmosphere, good service and good food. Ordered the 2 for 22 (lunch special) ceviche salad and the tuna tacos. read more

Caracol - Tuna tacos - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant with delicious Mexican coastal cuisine prepared fresh and well plated. Options available include hot and cold tapas, large plate entrees with various protein or vegetarian selections. A wide variety of desserts and after dinner drinks to complete the experience. Another Uptown favorite! read more

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Visited this restaurant for the first time on a Friday night and it was hectic. Service was poor but the food was great!

We love Caracol. The ambiance, food and service is always excellent. Gloria has been our server almost every time we visit and she's friendly, attentive and treats you like family. Guacamole, campechana, oysters, tuna and cocktails never disappoint. read more

Caracol is such a great place--but I tend to love all of Hugo Ortega's creations, so it comes to no surprise that each time I come here, it's such a pleasurable experience. Everything on the menu is so tasty. I can literally just point my finger blindly and be happy with whatever they bring to the table. This last time, my husband and I shared the guacamole, salsa & chips (fresh ingredients and delicious home style chips!), taquitos tronadores de carnitas (honestly, I could have a dozen of these as a meal!), taquito de langosta de Cabo (yes, it's only one, but it's oh so good!), mariscos al ajillo (all the seafood is so fresh and plentiful, this dish is a definite protein overload, but in a good way!), birria masota (falling off the bone short rib--doesn't get much better. The ancho mole is such a nice change from the typical short ribs you can find around town, gives it a subtle international flair), and charred Brussels sprouts, which were a perfect accompaniment to all the protein. Their margaritas are delicious! If you're looking for a step up in "fancy" from Hugo's (which is already date-worthy), this Latin-seafood fusion will definitely impress! read more

Amazing food. Just amazing. And the presentation is lovely. Every drink from the perfect marg down to a regular is well crafted. By far my favorite dish are the tuna tostadas and all the different ceviches which are surprisingly savory in taste and not nearly as fishy as others. Go to njce and different seafood spot. read more

Caracol - Perfect margarita on right. Regular on left. - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I came here for happy hour with a date and just loved everything about my experience here! Their happy hour apps and house wines were exactly what I wanted. I would strongly recommended the duck masa cakes, the lamb lollipops and the oysters. A few glasses of wine and this tapas loving eater was a happy girl. I also tried the quesadillas (mushroom, zucchini and chicken), which were subpar even though they were recommended. The men at the bar are very attentive and nice. I will definitely be back to try their full menu. read more

My local client recommended this place and I'm sure glad he did! Really great place with a great ambiance and fresh seafood. We started with the ceviche and grilled octopus. Both were good if a little small to share between four of us. I wanted an entree from the restaurant week menu but not the full restaurant week 3 course meal and they wouldn't accommodate so in the end I had the seafood salad. It was delicious with plenty of seafood and a really good dressing. My colleagues had the fish tacos which they really enjoyed. My main complaint is that it was freezing in there! The A/C must have been set in the 60's. It might sound like a welcome break from the Houston heat but all of us said it was several degrees too cold. read more

We had brunch reservations for 12:30, but unfortunately arrived at 12:47 due to the rain. According to the hostess they have a strict rule where after 15 mins you can no longer be seated and must wait. We were never notified of this rule upon reserving. The hostess was not understanding and we're told we would have to wait for another table outside. They didn't have any of their soups from their online houston restaurant menu. They changed their menu but didn't update it online. The food we ordered off the HRW menu (brussel sprouts and oysters) and those were delicious. They food from the HRW menu were okay. Not great but not terrible. You can probably find better costal Mexican food else where. The servers were really nice! The only reason I came was because their sister restaurant, Xochi, was amazing. However, I'm not sure if I would recommend this place. read more

If you want to try a place that doesn't boast the traditional Mexican menu then this is the place for you. This restaurant is delicious. The service is excellent. I dined in a group of 13. We had multiple appetizers, multiple entrees and multiple desserts. We all tried a ton of different food and everything was awesome! I only posted a few photos. Our group pretty much tried the entire dinner menu and the entire dessert menu. So good! You won't be disappointed if you eat here. read more

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