3 Best Restaurants in South Texas and the Coast, Texas

Dirty Al's Bait Stand and Seafood Kitchen

$$
Dirty Al's serves fresh seafood but in a noticeably informal—and sometimes rowdy—environment. This place gets packed with pilgrims who have heard about its delicious fried shrimp and reasonable prices. The people-watching is often fantastic.

Sea Ranch

$$
This is one of the pricier restaurants on the island, and the seafood here is worth it. The view of the returning boats late in the day also draws people for a drink on the outdoor deck. The restaurant prides itself on the freshness of its fish, especially the house specialty, red snapper. This is not a place to wear your bathing suit or shorts.

Water Street Seafood

$$

Voted "Best of the Best Seafood" in Corpus Christi for 14 consecutive years, this restaurant pulls in the locals and piles on the tourists who enjoy Gulf seafood and Texas steaks with a little kick of South Texas flavor. Fish is fresh, never frozen; the sushi bar is not intimidating; steaks provide a worthy balance to surf-and-turf combinations; and all the sides (like smoked Gouda mac and cheese) and sauces (andouille cream; crab-and-crawfish nueces) are creative concoctions made in-house. The same menu is offered at lunch and dinner.

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