We were staying on the west end of Galveston, and decided on Tex-Mex for dinner. We selected Venados versus driving all the way to the seawall. The interior decor is definitely on the eclectic side, but we were quickly seated and given bowls of warm salsa and a lime cilantro dip with our chips. The salsa is a medium spice level, and was very delicious. But the lime cilantro dip knocked it out out of the park! I loved it! For our meals, I got the taquitos and they were delicious. My boyfriend loved his tacos! We were stuffed when we were done, and thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. They have lots of parking, and a large outdoor deck area if you want to sit outside. read more

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This isn't my first visit, been here several times when I visit Galveston Island. Love their house margaritas and chips. Their two salsas warm Both are delicious. I love the Messy Nachos that are huge. They have all the great stuff like sour cream, guac, lettuce and tomatoes, beans, jalapenos and lots of cheese!! You can add meat but don't think you'll miss it. Staff is friendly and helpful. It is Texas so lots of Country Music and sports. Think you'll be happy with your choice!! read more

Venados Cantina - Messy Nachos. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

I came to venados on a recommendation and sat at the bar by myself. The restaurant was very clean which I always appreciate & the bar had a good beach view. I got the boudin enchiladas and I highly recommend they were so flavorful and cheesy. The bartender was very sweet and kept a clean bar. I'll definitely be back! read more

Venados Cantina - Boudin enchiladas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

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Cadillac margaritas with shrimp and crawfish enchiladas for the win! We were staying at the state park, we gave this place a try since it was only a mile away. So glad that we did. Caden, our server, was excellent, the outdoor patio had a nice view we were very impressed! Hats off to them! read more

Venados Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

When we got there, we were told it would be 15 to 20 minutes for a party of 6. We waited the 20 minutes and asked again, and she said it was going to be 25 minutes. She then came to us and said she would seat us outside and that it would be a few minutes before anyone waited on us. After waiting for several minutes and no one coming out, we finally just got up and left. The service here is ridiculous. read more

We chose this restaurant because our rv park offered a special deal there. We received our chips and salsa right away and said we'd order drinks with our meal. After that, we waited a bit before anyone came back to take our order. Our food arrived shortly, along with our cocktails. The margaritas were good but kind of weak on tequila. Our shrimp and crawfish enchiladas were really good. The decor was nondescript, but it was early and kind of slow. read more

Excellent food and service! Boudin enchiladas were great! Our new favorite spot when in town. read more

Venados Cantina - Boudin Enchiladas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

Happy to finally have a GO TO spot on the West End! I was in Jamaica Beach area to check on my rental home the other day and had another great visit! I typically come down to check every other week or so as we enter into peak rental season. I almost always pop into Venados Cantina when I'm in the area, for a quick nibble and Happy Hour...I always sit at the bar where the bar attendants take GREAT care of me!! Fajitas, Wings and Margaritas are my favorites Also...Great place to watch games Best of all...5 minutes from my beach house! Darrell D. read more

First time headed that far west on the island. It was definitely worth the drive. Great food and service. They were short staffed so we couldn't sit outside. If we had the view of the water, it probably would have been a 5 star. read more

Been on vacay in Galveston 4 days now and this has been my family's favorite food experience thus far. Initially, we walked in and were told it would be about 25-30min wait because they were short staffed. I was bummed but we had already stopped at a few other restaurants downtown and were met with worse responses, so we decided to wait. After 15mins we were surprisingly shown to a table. Our waiter was amazing and super attentive. At the end he even apologized for the busy night with slow service but idk what he was talking about because I thought he did great. Appetizer - shrimp kisses ; my spouse said it was one of his top 10 favorite foods and I couldn't agree more. Kids Food - kids got the quesadilla and taco from the kids menu ; the cheese pull on my daughter's quesadilla was phenomenal but the taco was nothing special. Regular food - my husband and I both ordered the shrimp and crawfish enchiladas ; these were "to die for". I thought I was going to have to search for the seafood but I cut into the first enchilada and was immediately met with shrimp. I was impressed with how much shrimp and crawfish that were inside the enchiladas, though I don't think they would've been as good without the sauce they were smothered in, which was packed with flavor. Not going to lie, my husband immediately ordered 2 coronas thinking with how busy they were and how short staffed they were that it'd be a while before he'd be able to order another drink. He was wrong. I ordered a skinny margarita, which was worth every penny. Overall, the food was def worth the price and wait time. I do have to say that the interior could use an update on decor as it was surely lacking, but that didn't change my decision to give 5 stars. The food and service were so good that the decor didn't even matter to me. If I could remember the name of our waiter, i would call the restaurant to tell the owner that they have a good one on their hands. read more

Service 10 out of 10! We came for happy hour margaritas and snacks and it was fabulous! Highly recommend the mango frozen margarita along with beef fajita quesadilla! Trista was absolutely the best!! read more

Venados Cantina - Sorry it's had gone but highly recommend! Fajita steak quesadilla - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

Venados was delicious! It was recommended by some locals and we are so glad we stopped! Boudin Enchiladas were amazing! The margaritas were good too. Our server was attentive and helpful. Both salsas were great. Kids liked the small arcade. The set up inside is a bit strange but they are doing the most with the location. read more

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I drove by this place many times and never went in. Had some friends that came to visit so tried it out. The food was good and I would go back. I was surprised that I would find good Mexican food in Galveston. I typically seek pizza or seafood. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Typically when I sit outside I always feel forgotten. Not here. Plus itself the beach, who wouldn't want to eat outdoors with a view and good weather. Recommendations: - The red fish special was good but not personally my fav. Was indeed a larger portion so worth the cost. - I tasted my friend's fajitas and ended up trading! The beef and chicken all delicious with perfect grilled veggies. Highly recommend as seasoned perfectly. - appetizer must have the chicharrones and queso! My fav and must try! read more

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The chips were good. The salsa and queso were watery and not very good. The margarita was good. The green chile enchilada was underwhelming. The tres leches was good. Service is kind of rude/annoying. read more

Service Was great, food, not so much. I have had better microwave mexican. Tasteless, greasy, amusement park mexican food. This is the third time that I have tried this place, done... read more

Inconsistent margaritas. Got charged for extra tortillas with fajitas. Need to remove 51% sign in bar.. no longer applies... it can encourage bad guys read more

First off... I REALLY wanted to love this place! We had just arrived and were hungry, and this was our first stop as it was closest to where we were staying. As a Midwestern transplant from Southern California, I CRAVE decent Mexican or Tex Mex food. When we head out for a short getaway, it is one of my first go to's. Venados, however, just wasn't it. The service was fantastic! Our server accomodated every need and request - and my wife can be a little picky - but she was AWESOME. We started out with Cadillac margaritas which were fantastic!! Sincere kudos to the bartender! The chips were perfect! Thin and hot - very good. The salsa? well... I expected more from Texas. They bring red and green and it is served warm, which for me was just OK. BUT... they did not seem to have a spicy option, and coming from the bland Midwest, that was a disappointment. Thankfully, they at least had Mexican hot sauce vs. Tabasco, which helped a little... My wife is a big queso dip fan, so she ordered that as well, with the ground beef, which was ok. She ordered the three enchiladas with ground beef, chicken, and cheese - and there was TONS of cheese. She thought they were OK. For myself, I am going to go straight for Carne Asada or Mahi Mahi - as it is not only my favorite fish, it is my favorite taco, So I ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos. I was not impressed and have had much better in WI and MN, sadly. The rice looked and tasted like it came out of a box, and the refried beans looked and tasted like they came out of a can. I have had MUCH better in our small town in MN. The worst part though, were the bathrooms. I don't like to mention this, but hopefully management will see this and make adjustments. Someone needs to tell them to not only do a better job of maintaining the restrooms, but also let customers/staff know that north of the border, our plumbing and sewers function properly. The trash can in the men's restroom was full, and not pleasantly. It was disgusting and one of the few things I don't miss about bout needing a gas station restroom in Southern California. We would return for the drinks and chips... but sadly, nothing else. read more

It was great! Notice all the clean plates in the pic! I had shrimp quesadillas and they were great! Parents came for the boudin enchiladas and loved them! Also they have non alcoholic beer if needed. Ali was our server and she was wonderful especially bc it's busy and we did not have to wait on much. read more

Venados Cantina - Patio - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

My only regret is that we didn't try this place sooner. This is our third winter on the island and only the first time trying Venados. This place is off the charts fresh and delicious. I never expected this from driving by. First off, the stuffed Jalapenos are house-made, large, crisp, and the best we've ever had. The dipping sauce has a citrus flavor that works wonderfully with them. The chips are on the light side, nicely salted, and served hot and fresh. They are definitely on top of their game here. My wife preferred the green salsa, and I preferred the orange-looking cup. Both had a nice flavor profile with a heat that was complimentary, not trying to show off. For the enchiladas, I went with the green chili chicken, which was tasty and had a nice browning to the cheese topping. I got mine with the refried beans, which were nothing special but nice and creamy. The rice they served with these was some of the best I've had at a Mexican restaurant, though. My wife chose the boudin enchiladas, which were packed with flavor. I will try that one next time. She also went with whole beans instead of refried ones, which were packed full of flavor and will be my preference next time. We enjoyed being able to turn this lunch into a dinner with our ample leftovers. This place is highly recommended. Check it out. As a bonus, if you're staying at the KOA, you get the queso for free with a wristband. read more

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We were on vacation in Galveston Island and Venados Cantina was the first place we stopped. Sat at the bar for a couple of cold beverages. All the locals were very friendly and recommended many place to eat while on vacation. We returned to Venados Cantina many times during the week. Atmosphere was very casual, the service at the bar & dining was very good. The Mexican food was very good, but so was the hamburger. There is also a large outdoor seating area with a roof overhead for the really warm days. Great place for families. read more

First and last visit to the restaurant. Aesthetic and vibe is great. Sat pretty quickly. Served drinks, salsa and chips also quickly. Took awhile for the waiter to get our order. No specials until after 4pm. Which is fine. Asked for suggestions and didn't really get a response. Ordered queso with ground beef. Flavor was good. Consistency was a bit funny. Salsa was delicious tho!!! Mahi mahi tacos - 6/10 Shrimp tacos - 7/10 Bucks burger - 4/10 (compared to school lunch) Fajitas 4/10 - flavorless Wait time... - 2/10 (over a hour with empty tables, 1 refill, waited 15 mins for ticket) read more

We ordered shrimp tacos and chicken fried steak. The chicken fried steak was probably the best item. Served with mashed potatoes and elote corn. The corn was way too salty and not eaten. The tacos were good but also quite salty. Probably won't return read more

Service was good, food was okay nothing special wasn't hot I would say warm but my wife soft tacos she liked them they were good. I had green chili enchiladas was good just not hot. Bar was bad I just had a beer can't mess that up. Wife had margarita it was like just water a shot bad bad, also across was other customers and they sent three of their margaritas back I ask for the waitress to remove my and she did. We were told it was a very good place but for us we won't be back. read more

We stopped for margaritas and appetizers. We were not disappointed. Server was excellent and the margaritas magnificent. Soggy chips cost a star. The bacon wrapped shrimp are delicious. Cool place. read more

Venados Cantina - Margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

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Was reading reviews, lots of comments on how good Boudin Enchiladas , must of been employees hyping up this place because it was not that good at all. The boudin enchiladas were bland , the sauce was "nasty" . The queso , chips hot sauce okay ! Music was way too loud . Save your time and money and head to Salsas on Seawall .... Sooooo much better read more

I have so many good things to say, where do I start?!? First, if you want the best margarita, ask for Sara at the bar to make you a special Cadillac Margarita - so strong and delicious! Second, I hope they are still running the soft shell crab special because it's amazing! 2 soft shell crabs with mashed potatoes and the best asparagus I've ever had. And last, if you like spicy, you have to ask for the special secret spicy salsa. It was chef's kiss! And to top it all off, the entire staff was wonderful and attentive even though it's Friday night, and they are slammed. Ally came to check on us multiple times even though we aren't her table, and our server Josh was hustling like nobody's business being awesome! You can't go wrong with the food, drinks and service! read more

Venados Cantina - Cadillac Margaritas made by Sara - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

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Hands down the most overpriced food for the quality.. Guessing they take advantage of people not wanting to drive down Seawall into town With tip my bill was 100 for two entrees and only one alcoholic drink. That did include cheese dip as appetizer. Will not be back, I'll make the drive! read more

Amazing food and staff quesco is the best oh the pizza is also a must try we go there at least once a week

Delicious! Great food, prices and service. Real margaritas and local ambience. Must try: chicken quesadilla, queso, tacos. Poppers were spicy but tasty. read more

I can't believe I haven't stopped here before ! Ice seen it so many times yet never quite made it. Today I changed that! Parking: There's tons of parking ! That being said, I went on a cloudy day during the week. I imagine this place (and parking lot) can get packed on a weekend in the summer ! The Space: There's tons of seating, including bar seating, booths, and tables. They also have a patio though no one was out there when I visited. It wasn't overly large inside despite what the outside seems like (or maybe I didn't explore far enough) There was a significant area for some video game systems, airhockey, and Foosball. There's also tons of TVs around playing sports or some show. Food: You are served chips & salsa when you sit down. They're fine but nothing to write home about. I ordered a burger because that's what I was craving but I feel like the Mexican food items are probably more popular. The burger was delicious! The toppings were cut thick and very fresh (which is rare these days!). The meat was flavorful and juicy. Honestly the best burger I've had in a while ! Service: The hostess let me pick where I wanted to sit and had my drink /chips out to me quickly. She didn't visit me too much which I appreciated but was there whenever I needed something. Price: I had a water and the chips were complimentary. So with just the burger/fries my total was just over $15. It was delicious and I don't feel like the price was unfair but it could be high for some considering I got only 1 item. I imagine I'll be here again if I'm passing by but doubt I'll go out of my way. That being said - who knows because that burger was amazing. read more

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Camping at the State Park? Venados makes it easy! We arrived with enough food to last a week of our two week vacation but there was no need. We could have eaten at Venados every day and not packed a thing. The restaurant is on the highway, a lovely beach walk from our camp. We were here to walk on the beach so getting there was a pleasure. But if you had to drive, you'd probably pull into their parking lot in under 5 minutes. Great Happy Hour! Beers for $3! And the food is sensational - much better than we expected because the prices are so fair. The quality of the food is what you'd expect at an upscale Mexican restaurant and the portions are generous. From the warm salsa and chips to the hand-made guacamole and the extraordinary and delicious Boudin Enchiladas (a chef speciality you can only try at Venados, The Official Home Of The Boudin Enchilada!). We always dined with our dog on the outdoor patio, but we went inside to wash up. There were never smudges on the doors and windows, the bathrooms were always spotless - the toilets and basins freshly scrubbed - and the table condiments had no fingerprints or residue from the previous customer. All signs of cleaning being constantly in progress. Finally, the servers were always cheerful, knowledgable and respectful - they made us feel welcome. Venados employees also host community events which patrons are invited to attend. With Venados the State Park feels like an RV resort. read more

Venados Cantina - Crazy Messy Nachos w/Chicken Fajita! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

Venados Cantina is located on the westside of Galveston rrrrright before you get to Jamaica Beach. We dropped in on a very chilly holiday night and the place was lit up and the parking lot rather busy. That's always a good sign. It's a Tex-Mex eatery with some Cajun options. It's a casual, family-friendly establishment with waiter service (more tween/teen friendly with their arcade games)... or belly up to their bar to watch a game on one of their many TVs. They have frozen margs, beer, wine, and full bar. My girlfriend and I split the fish taco dinner plate; my beau had the boudain enchiladas. You heard that right - boudain enchies. For me, the food was average; fries came out cold and chips were a bit stale. But the fish tacos and sauce were good. read more

We checked in with the hostess and were told there'd be a 45-minute wait -- fine, no problem. Our party of four headed to the bar, ordered, and paid for drinks, and honestly, the bartender was the only saving grace of the night. After that, things went downhill fast. We went out to the patio to wait for our table. Fifteen minutes later, our party was finally called. Chips and salsa were already on the table -- great start, right? Wrong. We finished our drinks and waited patiently for a server to at least bring us some water. Thirty minutes later, still nothing. Not a single server came by or even acknowledged us. What made it worse? A waitress walked past the table in front of us three times without so much as making eye contact. Completely ignored. Fed up, we walked out. As we left, the hostess said "thank you" -- we couldn't help but reply, "We never got waited on." Such a waste of time. Terrible service, and zero respect for customers. Definitely not coming back. We ended up at West way grill and pizzeria... the food was DELICIOUS.. pizza was wonderful and the burgers were huge !! Super nice staff and servers ... should have started there instead of wasting our time at Venados read more

Magnificent Margaritas, fantastic food, recommend boudin enchiladas (YES boudin enchiladas). A marvelous meld of Mexican and Cajun cooking. read more

Venados Cantina - Best borracho beans ever - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

Our first visit here and some things were good while others were subpar..... We were seated and given menus but it was probably at least 10 minutes before we were otherwise acknowledged. When we did get a server, she was attentive and helpful. (But maybe write the orders down...She came back to reconfirm with me whether I wanted enchiladas or fajitas.). Salsa was nice and spicy but the flavor was a little off. We don't like salsa served warm but I know others like it, so you do you. My enchiladas were tasty with a good amount of chicken. Melted cheese on top which was good, but the sauce was minimal to nonexistent so they were a tad dry. Overall I'd recommend. Husband got the Cali burrito (side note, why is this in the Texan section of the menu?) and was not a fan. He said the meat was tough. We would give them another try. Would be a good place for happy hour drinks and apps on the patio. read more

Venados Cantina - Chicken enchiladas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jamaica Beach, Texas

Yummy food and great drinks! Fun time to sit and watch the beach and visit with people!

Venados surprised us with the Chiccharone and guacamole. Amazing! Service during Lonestar rally was excellent, servers were friendly and the food was perfect. Glad we stopped in and enjoyed dinner. read more

We took a friend from out of town to Venados for his birthday lunch. The fajitas and margaritas did not disappoint!! They even brought out a piece of Tres Leches cake for him with the birthday song! Well done Venados!! read more

We took a large group (13) here and I think we threw them a bit of a curve as they had two other large groups come in just before us. They worked hard to assemble tables and, although a little tight, fit us in with only a small wait. Our waiter was amazing - he kept everyone's order straight, kept our drinks and the chip baskets filled and generally treated us right even though they were really busy. The food was Good. Not amazing but good. Pretty typical Mexican fare. If you're on the lower part of Galveston island, no need to drive all the way into town for Mexican fare. read more

Very busy but wait staff nice. Had a laid back sports bar feel. Large portion very delicious had fajitas and mahi mahi fish tacos. Cadillac margarita worth it over house margarita read more