La Playa Mexican Grille: Savor Authentic Tex-Mex and Seafood in Port Aransas

La Playa does not open until 5 pm and they do not take reservations. It’s very casual cantina style restaurant but you’ll see some people dressed in nice shorts and button down shirts. At 3:45 pm they will put a clipboard on the door where you write your name and then leave or walk across the street and kill an hour at the souvenir shop. But you have to be back a little before 4:45pm and wait for your name to be called to be seated. The food is good. I had the crabmeat enchiladas ($17.99) and the wife had the shrimp stuffed enchiladas de Camerones ($16.50). Both dishes were good. Our tab for two with one margarita and two Mexican beers was about $76.00 before tip.

We were down to Port A for a week. We love the food at La Playa so much, we ate there Tuesday AND Thursday! My absolute favorite is Crab Enchiladas. Ate them both nights. Our Thursday server, Sally was exceptional! The Margarita went down just right. When we visit, La Playa is dinner at least once. The arrive an hour early to put your name on the seating list and returning before 5 is well worth it, as is cash only. When we first started eating there, you could get on the list about 15 mins early. Too many know about this gem!

This was a very excellent restaurant. I have eaten Mexican food in so many very premium restaurants and this was just a wonderful experience. The service and food was so good. Stuffed jalapenos with pheasant , wrapped in bacon, was oh my. The fresh made at the table Guac , amazing. Grilled fish out of this world. Oh and the Margaritas were fantastic. One thought about their unique process to sign up for the restaurant. You have to go and sign up at 4pm for a time. We went at five and make sure your whole party is there. Then at 5 they opened the doors and the lead us to our table ready to go.

Where do I even begin? If you come to port a - please do your self a favor and stop here. Ask for Angie - she is the absolute best and a gem of a human. We ate so much and my first time ever having Black Drum fish and they cooked it PERFECTLY! We came to port a for my daughters 16th and Angie and La Playa started the weekend off so amazing. It was great food, great atmosphere and honestly who even cares that's it's cash only, it's been like that for 20 years. And I love it. I love that place! We tried to take pictures of our food but ate it too fast

Love everything about La Playa. This came as a recommendation and we love a good fajita plate with a house marg. Wednesday night at 6pm had AN HOUR wait so just beware— the wait was worth it. They are very high tech and have a list of names and will yell your name out the door when your table is ready:) we drove around the island on golf cart for an hour and came back to being third in line. Great business model honestly, they know what they’re doing. When seated there were waters, chips and salsa waiting for us. $9 for a 20oz margarita (mind blown) and less than $40 for a trio fajitas plate for 2!? In what world!?? Anywho, go here!!

Update on older review: Best Mexican Food in the area, not just Port A. Numerous seafood selections. Friendly staff and excellent service. This place is run the way a restaurant should be run. Crab Enchiladas (pictured) are excellent. Island Pepper (pictured) is an interesting take on a Chile Relleno and equally as good, the fajita steak on it is tender and very favorable. I don't think you will go wrong with anything on the menu. Opens at 5 pm, limited seating and nearly always very busy so expect a wait. Cash only but there's an ATM on the premises.

We've been going here for 5 years and my husband's first wish on the island is to hit La Playa! Margaritas are top notch, lil pricey but comes with a kick! The pablano wrapped in fajita is my favorite! Only drawback is it's super small. They put a clipboard on the door at 4pm. When they open at 5 they do down the list until the restaurants full. After that it's an hour or more wait. Oh and cash only! ATM on site though.

Best Mexican food restaurant on the island! But you gotta WAIT to get in! It’s worth the wait! You get some great attitude from the hostess. Lol You either deal with it or go someplace else. Get there at 3:45 pm to write your name on the list. Then comeback at 4:45 to get called in. If you miss your call, you will get crossed out. Once you’re inside the waiters are nice and the hostess is a sweet lady! We ordered the beef enchiladas, crab enchiladas, kids meal chicken fajitas, and kids meal beef fajitas. Man, ALL of it was good! Kids meal was like an adult meal! Wish I had taken pictures of theirs. I highly recommend coming here! I look forward to my next visit next summer!