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    El Pirata

    4.5 (11 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    El Pirata Photos

    EL PIRATA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Agua Chiles Verde $20 (did not care for flavor)
    Alicia V.

    Decided to try something new tonight. This place is small but cozy. It holds about 5 tables and a bar that seats about 3-4 people. The service was great, fast and friendly. We ordered the prepared oysters ($18 for 6), which had wonderful flavor with everything added, and the aguachiles verde ($20), which was "soupier" than expected and the flavor of the chiles was strong and not enough flavor for me and my boyfriend. We both had the balazo drink, but for $11 I was hoping for more than 4 shrimp and skinny slice of celery stick. Not much choice for children as my daughter doesn't eat chicken nuggets or fish. I ordered her a side of rice which looked like half a cup and was charged $3, though the rice was also very flavorful, I expected a little more than what they gave.

    You have to visit this place!
    Donna Y.

    It is a rare day when you can be the first to add a business to Yelp and give it's first review!! THIS LOCATION IS A SWEET LITTLE SECRET ESCAPE! Clearly a restaurant prized by the locals, Mariscos Al Pirata is an authentic Latino dining establishment. The restaurant will seat approximately 20 people. Upon walking in, you should expect to be greeted by an amazing young man, the son of the restaurant owners. He will gladly guide you through the menu (all prices include tax) and ensure you find just the right dish. I am reviewing two trips in one post because I went back for a second visit almost immediately! It's just that good! First trip, the table ordered: Pescado a la plancha: Grilled fish with salad, brown rice, potato salad. The fish arrived and the grilled coloring was super appetizing. We couldn't wait to dig in. This plate is served in half sizes...which is recommend because it's a lot of food! The potato salad is creamy and is a nice compliment to the grilled fish. We found that eating the fish alongside a fried corn tortilla really brought out the smokey flavor. Pescado Madraso: Fish, shrimp, calamari, and crab steamed together in a foil pack with red sauce. This was enough to feed all four of our guests at lunch and it was decadent. This is highly recommended but come hungry as it does not come in half sizes. The sauce has a little spice and it was a crowd pleaser. All the forks kept dipping back for more! Caldo de pescado: This soup comes served in a VERY LARGE PORTION. Imagine a salad bowl size of soup because that's what you'll get. There is at least 2 full fish filets in this yummy soup. The seasonings have an old bay flavor and the soup includes lots of veggies. If you ask for extra bowls, they will bring them to the table along with a serving ladle. Second trip: Pescado a la plancha: REPEAT THE ABOVE REVIEW. Still excellent Pescado al mojo de ajo: Garlic Fish...this was pretty good. It came with sliced steamed garlic over the top. Served with the same sides as previously mentioned. It was good but we both agreed the a la plancha was the winner today. I love love love horchata. If it's served, I always try it in my quest for the best horchata in the metro. The horchata was served in a large cocktail glass and it was pretty good. Maybe not the best...yet...but good nonetheless. Just a word on the "feel" of this restaurant. As soon as I sit down, I feel immediately transported to another place. Somewhere close to the shore. Almost as if I was invited into someone's family dining room. Comfortable. Casual. A note: There is a large condiment selection on each table. They appear to be well-used. :)

    Scott T.

    Mexican grandmother in sparkly bejeweled hat. Check. Single restaurant operator chef, waitress, cashier etc. Check. Jarring deep blue table tops. Check. Walls adorned with miscellaneous sea and fishing related bric-a-brac. Check. This place is a hoot. Mexican pirates you say? Alrighty. El Pirata is one of what seems to be a growing movement of Mexican seafood restaurants in town, as evidenced by their competition across the street and a still relatively newcomer on Kansas Ave. Tiny, slightly... no, quite tacky interior, Univision blaring away at a south of the border The Hunt rip-off, modest menu that clearly shouts, "not your typical taco joint." Come here expecting seafood, not tripe or pastor tacos. The mixed seafood caldo (soup) I had for lunch was not cheap at $18 + tax but worth it in my opinion. Nice chunks of whitefish and at least a dozen shrimp in a spicy savory tomato infused broth sprinkled with chunks of carrot, squash and count 'em, not one, but three bay leaves. Nearly impossible to finish monster of a bowl of spicy soup. I didn't finish mine, nor did the much heftier man sitting nearby. We both laughed and agreed when I shoved my bowl away at the end of the meal proclaiming, "no mas!" Large bowl of flat fried tortillas and Saltine crackers, plenty of juicy limes for squeezing into the soup which I did. Yea, I'd come back here. This place is a trip. The food is solid, and for nothing extra you get to experience a sort of bad 80s style Mexican seafood joint that only KCK can produce. Priceless. If you don't like a proper tacky joint, keep driving. Plenty of places on Southwest Blvd. serving dishes covered in melted orange cheese and drinks with salt on the rim. If you come: No chips and sauce, thank you, thank you. Corona and most of the bad American beers you'd expect. Plenty of Clamato on hand for Mexican red beers. Bring your wallet. Some of the fare is not cheap. Delightful lady working the joint, a real gem of a gal. The ceviche tostado at around $7.00 will be mine next time I return. And for the more adventuresome, they have a dish called Viagra weighing in at $22.00. I'm not making that up. She blushed when I inquired and said it's sort of an everything they can load up into one caldo and spiced extra hot. I stopped there.

    Storefront
    Lisa R.

    This is a tiny little Mexican restaurant that specializes in seafood. We stopped in for a quick bite and ordered a small plate of ceviche and they bring you a basket of saltines and tostadas. They serve Mexican sodas in bottles, some beers, and had some candy at the counter. Their menu is pretty basic and without pictures, so I'd like to go back and try some of their other items. The entire restaurant is decorated in kitschy sea related items...shells, fish, nets, lighthouses.

    Second page of the menu :)

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Food was very good and generous portions. Cooked fresh to order. Relaxed and clean restaurant- recently remodeled.

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    The Parker Hollow

    The Parker Hollow

    4.4
    (36 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    My husband and I have been here a few times now and loved it each time. The bar has become a…read morefavorite with superb staff and such a cool downtown vibe. We have followed chef Justus around town and the food here is exactly the kind of culinary dream I'd hoped for in Parkville! Each meal has been nothing short of amazing. And i cant forget to mention the divine oyster bar with something new to try every time!

    Slow. Relaxing. Unhurried. Feels like a place that has existed for decades. Feels good here…read more The oysters we had were the best we've had in the Midwest. Easily. I mentioned the sort of oysters just as a reference (and yes I was asked this) We each had one of the following: Aphrodite, Birthday Girl, Blackstone. Delicious. Like a mouthful of the sea in one bite. We also had the Molten Scallop and Shrimp Dip. Warm. Deep flavor. A stick of butter? Maybe. Who cares? Yum. Butter soaked crostini. Oh yeah, cocktails. That came first. I had a Saffron Honey Manhattan. Super balanced. She had a Rose Spritzer. gin, lemon, St. Germain, and... stuff. She had the Norwegian Ocean Trout. Expertly prepared. Perfect skin. Perfectly medium and soft. So good. More nuanced than salmon? I had the Chicken Fried Halibut Clavicle. I would normally order lighter and more toward raw or lightly cooked dishes. Having someone prepare an underused part of a fish... in the Midwest? I had to do it. Photos won't do that plate justice (because it was deep fried), but let me put it this way: if you're a "white meat" chicken person, you're probably happy with a halibut filet. But if you're a chicken thigh person... this is your order. Clavicle bones are angular and sorta fluted so a lot of the meat is contacting bone. Insanely moist and flavorful, but just as snow-white. Atop a bed of country mashed potatoes and sage gravy, and collard greens. Loved it. More food than the photo shows. Wow. I didn't expect that. Must have been a large fish to begin with. The counter downstairs looks cool, but the view from above provides a grounded sense of space for downtown. This place looks good on Parkville... but Parkville looks good on this place. We have lived here 13 years and have longed for a proper place to occupy the best physical space in the street. Nailed it. A great date night made better by our experience here.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Molten Seafood Dip & taste of a bass
    Molten Seafood Dip & taste of a bass
    The Parker Hollow

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    Swifts Cajun Cuisine

    Swifts Cajun Cuisine

    4.3
    (45 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    Service was friendly and attentive! She was helpful and willing to answer our questions! We could…read morereadily see everyone was welcomed warmly-- regulars and visitors like us too! One side has the bar area, and the other side of room is dining tables. Feels open but not separating. The food was truly exceptional!! The seasoning was spot on-- so tasty and with that zing of heat that is just right!! We would most definitely return on another trip through the city!!

    Swift's Cajun Cuisine Food Truck Review…read more I tried Swift's Cajun Cuisine and ordered the fish with fried rice and shrimp. Unfortunately, the food was just okay for me and not something I'd personally return for. The fried rice was a bit spicy and it actually tasted like it picked up several different flavors from the grill it was cooked on. I also added shrimp after placing my order and was basically charged a dollar a shrimp, I received five shrimp, but honestly, that extra purchase wasn't worth it for me. The chicken was the best part of the meal and was actually pretty good. However, I bought the chicken intending to give it to my daughter, who has a fish allergy. After purchasing it, I asked whether the fish and chicken were fried separately and was told they use the same fryer and peanut oil. That's definitely something I should have asked beforehand, so that part was my mistake. Overall, I didn't really enjoy the meal enough to feel it was worth coming back for. This is just my personal experience and taste but unfortunately, Swift's Cajun Cuisine food truck wasn't a hit for me.

    Photos
    Dining side
    Dining side
    Smoky Salted Carmel Apple Cider
    Smoky Salted Carmel Apple Cider
    A Gin Fusion. It's not on the menu yet

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    A Gin Fusion. It's not on the menu yet
    Pearl Tavern

    Pearl Tavern

    4.1
    (367 reviews)
    17.3 mi
    $$

    So glad we tried this place! Being from Florida and going to a seafood place in a landlocked state…read moreis not usually something I do. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was amazing, full of helpful info about the menu. He told us how the seafood comes in fresh. He recommended oysters to us, and since it was our first time, he threw in a couple of his favorites at no charge. It was also happy hour, and we took advantage of the specials, ordering the cheddar biscuits drizzled with honey and the colossal cocktail shrimp. They really were huge and delicious. We also enjoyed half-price oysters. My husband loved the crushed cocktails We split the mahi-mahi, and we loved how he told us about the fresh fish that had never been frozen and whether it was wild or farm-raised. The mahi was incredible. You could tell it was fresh. We enjoyed the potatoes and the BéreBlanc sauce. This is going to be a place that we will end up becoming regulars at. So happy to have tried it!

    Pearl has a great happy hour every day, from 3-6 with dollar oysters from 3-4. They also offer…read moresome of the best seafood in the city. My dad always gets the fish and chips. Huge pieces of beer battered Cod. I don't think I've ordered the same thing twice. The Fresh Sheet shows what is available fresh, then the full menu features prepared seafood. The seafood Boil and Ciopinno are prepared as they are, so no modifications. The service is attentive, but on my last visit I had to request additional utensils for the Raw Oysters. Dessert is house made and delicious. The servers bring around a tray like at M & S Grille and McCormick and Schmick's. I prefer the upscale feel to the dining room to the bar and cocktail tables.

    Photos
    Nice dining area.
    Nice dining area.
    Grilled Oysters
    Grilled Oysters
    Oyster Rockefeller

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    Oyster Rockefeller
    Penny’s In The Village

    Penny’s In The Village

    4.2
    (91 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Family-owned & operated

    After driving 10 hours from Texas we were tired and HANGRY!! A short Yelp search had us heading to…read morea quaint little village in Missouri! Tucked away in a cute shopping district is Penny's! We had no idea what we were walking in to but I am so happy to have found it! As you walk up you are greated by colorful upside down umbrellas with flowers inside, the water feature and the outside dinning! If it wasn't so hot I would have demanded sitting on the patio! As we were promptly seated in started hearing a "tink tink" sound and looked up. Yall!! The cutest glass hummingbirds were hanging from the ceiling. It was stunning!! Ok, the food!!! I had the crab fried rice which my husband had to help me finish because it was a huge amount! Share if you can but with the understanding you might fight over the last bite. If you still have room after dinner get the butter cake! Ladies, it is worth the calories! The waiter was prompt and had us with drinks in no time! This is an absolute do again if we are ever in the area!

    We came here because hubs wanted Thai. We tried to make a reservation at Bamboo Penny but it was…read morefull because of the concert series that was happening in the green space right across the walkway. The restaurant is nice and quaint. It wasn't super busy at the time we got therr which was good. Service was amazing, just like it is at Bamboo Penny. We both ordered tye Pad Thai. Mine with no peanuts with chicken and steak. Hubs had peanuts and chicken, steak, and shrimp. He also had a drink that looked like water but definitely wasn't. He said it was tasty. I had a Coke. Overall, a nice substitute if you can't get to Bamboo Penny. The only thing that was different was I wasn't offered the different sauces/spices to add to the Pad Thai.

    Photos
    Shared plates, Salads,Soups
    Shared plates, Salads,Soups
    Ka-nom-jeeb (Thai Dim-Sum)
    Ka-nom-jeeb (Thai Dim-Sum)
    Inside

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    Inside

    El Pirata - seafood - Updated August 2026

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