Let me start by saying I'm originally from Lexington so i don't frequently have the opportunity to stop by. But let me also point out that i have roots from Nayarit and family who loves a nice Mexican seafood dish. We've done the drive from Lexington to Louisville a few times just for this. ( my moms a huge aguachiles fan.) This review is based solely on my last visit (9/15/15) Anyway, i stood by the entrance waiting to be greeted for a good 5min. (May not seem Long but when your eating alone and waiting to be seated, its a bit mich) Having the already seated guests even turn their heads looking for the server which amplified my frustration and embarrassment. once she saw me greeted very nicely and seated. I sat down and she went back to run food. She was the only one working it seemed. I asked for a water and what you would think would be brought out with the tostadas y salsas.. it wasn't. I Let it slide given she was the only one working the floor. placed my order as well as a milkshake to tie Down my hunger. My the time the food came out i had already finished BOTH my drinks and yet no refill was given, not even in water. I had ordered a spicy dish so i HAD TO make it known to her that i needed water. After her friend can't to the bar, i was forgotten.... wrote this long review with her not styling by until i flagged her down. .. did i mention the was only 2 tables. Que lastima, comida buenisima pero con que ganas si el servicio es mediocre
(1)
Nick H.
Went here last weekend with my girlfriend. It is a Latin seafood restaurant with a varied selection of food and beverages. We started off with the fried calamari (awesome) and some Carta Blanca beers. She good the shrimp Diablo style, while I got prawns done beach style. Both entrees were great and they provide a wide variety of sauces. Overall it was a very good experience, but only two minor gripes. The service was pretty slow, there were several stretches where we did not see our server. Also, we had a Groupon but were informed the did not take them on Sunday.
(4)
Heather D.
It's Sunday. It's 1:30. It's gaslight festival in j-town. This place is practically empty. The entry way was odd. I think they may have expanded. There's one door blocked off and woven shades hung over all the windows. There's a continual ringing noise near the front as we enter. We are seated by a very polite hostess and promptly served by a very patient waitress. The menu is seafood/ Mexican hybrid. It's unexpected and makes for an interesting mix as we attempt to order. They are out of the catfish. Meanwhile the ringing still has not stopped. Now someone begins to play random notes on a trumpet. At this point, we've decided this place is exceptionally bizarre. So here's where things take a turn for the better. The table salsa is flavorful but extremely spicy. Like make-your-nose-runspicy. Then, the random trumpet notes turns into violin notes. The next thing you know there's a full blown mariachi band on a small stage. Good singers too. It's so loud we can't talk, but I start laughing and can't stop. Our food comes out quickly. I got the shrimp spicy devil style. It is EXCELLENT. The shrimp are bathed in a savory spicy tomato-based roux. Served with excellently seasoned rice, refried beans, a lettuce mix, and tortillas (I chose corn). I turned that shit into a bad ass shrimp taco. It was awesome. My husband got the grilled fillet. It was nicely cooked but the citrus flavor was a bit off-putting. Still, decent overall. It was a very bizarre dining experience. However-- the service was excellent and it was strangely fun. It's just one of those weird Louisville things I feel you need to experience at least once :) Bring cash for the mariachi band. You'll want to tip.
(4)
Terry S.
Food is very good - a nice change from cookie cutter Mexican outlets that are way too common. That said, the margaritas were dismal and no frozen option is available. Our biggest issue was with a Living Social coupon which took three discussions with management before they grudgingly accepted and honored. Check first if you have a coupon and clarify if it affects pricing of happy hour drinks and any food specials. This ruined an otherwise enjoyable time. It was likely the last visit - had been here many times but likely will not return.
(3)
Erin K.
My boyfriend and I came here on Sunday night because I had a Groupon. We started with the calamari and a couple of Mexican beers (I can't remember the name). The calamari was good and the variety of sauces that they bring to the table with tortillas were a nice change from the standard chips & salsa. For our entrees, I got the shrimp Spicy Devil Style. It was nice and spicy without being overwhelming. My boyfriend had the prawns Beach Style - marinated with olives and spices. He said that he enjoyed his (I took his word for it as I loathe olives!) I am giving El Marlin 3 stars because the service was subpar. Don't get me wrong, the waitress was very nice and polite but there were long stretches of time when we didn't see her at all! I'm glad we ordered an appetizer because I would have been ready to chew my hand off in the time it took her to deliver the app and take our order! I'm also deducting a star because I was told that they don't accept Groupon's on Sunday's. That is not listed in the fine print of the Groupon and it seems counterproductive to me to not accept them on a day when many people go out to eat. Oh well. We will be back when we're in the area so that we can use that Groupon!
(3)
Paige H.
Let me start by yelling GET THE GROUPON!!! If it's still getable, do it. NOW! I met a friend there on Saturday evening and there was no wait, which is a bit of a shame because good restaurants should be packed on Saturdays. My friend was already seated, he had ordered a mojito. I arrived a bit less than ten minutes after he did and we still waited another 15 to 20 minutes for his drink to arrive. But it was worth the wait. It was absolutely fresh and intensely flavorful (based on the sips I stole). A quartet of little bowls accompanied a basket of saltine crackers and fresh, crisp corn tortillas. I'm not sure what everything was but i know one of the bowls had a lovely, mild and slightly acidic seviche. There was a little portion of shaved carrots which seemed pickled, a salsa fresco and something dark and oily with the texture of tomatilla and the color of a dark mole. We ordered the mixed grill which was presented on a massive terracotta platter. The base was fajita style sauteed veg (tomato, onion and bell pepper) and on top was grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, prawns and chorizo. That's not a mistake; shrimp AND prawns. We also got two set ups with rice, beans, shredded romaine and a smidge of papaya and onion dice on top and little parcels of fresh, hot flour tortillas. Other than the shrimp and prawns being a bit tough, there was not a miss on the platter. We also got an order of guacamole which was clearly made to order, but a tad on the bland side (an additional splash of lime juice would've made it perfect). Service was attentive and we got no grief when we presented the Groupon. Go. GO NOW!
(4)
Laura S.
After getting a message from the owner I decided I should be fair and try again. I order the shrimp my way with chipotle sauce and my husband ordered the stuffed shrimp. Both were much better than the previous time and not at all over salted. Service was a bit slow, but I think this is worth going back to now.
(4)
Jason M.
The only "bad" experience I had here what when they first opened, but I find very few low-priced, non-chain restaurants that don't have a few glitches when they are new. Nestled between Kansai and the Shop Today 2 "smoke shop" is my happy replacement for Cocos Lokos. They have great fish tacos, along with a wide assortment of other seafood dishes...I tihnk I am down to only 2 that I have not tried on the lunch menu. The service isn't always top-notch, but hey...it's not a fancy place like Applebee's (yes, that is a crudely-tossed joke). I have yet to go for dinner to try their paella, but they tell me it is pretty darn good. try the fire shrimp if you like a little kick. ;-)
(4)
Dave G.
We tried El Marlin because we had a Groupon. I had been by the place many times, and was always curious about it. My wife had a fried tilapia, and I had a grilled snapper. They were both great! A couple of the salsas they brought out were great, and one was one of the best we've ever had. My wife ordered a Mai Tai. It took a while to get it, but since we were sitting at the bar, we saw that it was because the lady making it was really putting a lot of work into the mixed drinks. Our server was great! We highly recommend this place!
(5)
Sharon T.
We were celebrating our son's 31st birthday -- the food was fabulous! Two in our party had the Seafood Platter. It's served in a VERY hot urn with crab leg accents. Others ordered the whole tilapia, and the shrimp tacos. All food was served piping hot and tasted delicious. Our servers were attentive and hard-working! Everyone in our party agreed the food and service were great.
(5)
Andres A.
I read some of the reviews on here and I have to disagree with them. I was in coastal Mexico last year and dined at numerous seafood restaurants in several states in coastal Mexico and I have to admit that this is as close as it gets to those experiences other than the fact that were not near the ocean like I was there. I strongly recommend the empanadas appetizer, the ceviche and the fried red snapper whole. You can also order the tilapia without the bones and with an excellent sauce. I have dined here for lunch and dinner and the fish tacos during lunch are excellent. They come with two sides and I recommend that you ask for chimichurri sauce for the tacos. If you have never tried the Mexican version of a Bloody Mary please ask for a Chelada. It's a beer with clamato and the rim of the glass is garnished with a lime, shrimp and a special salt. They also have sweet plantains and patacones which are the salty ones. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants to try traditional Mexican cuisine and sauces.
(5)
Wilson S.
Been lunch here twice. Love it! Shrimp soup is my favorite. I think this restaurant got some unfairly low ratings. If you like Havana Rumba and Mojito, you will like this one also. The owner said they will have a lunch buffet in two weeks. Can't wait.
(5)
Rae I.
Group of 4 Mommas & their littles, mind you this place was empty. My child's dinner entree was delivered with the appetizers. No big except the waitress argued with me that it's b/c I didn't specify that I wanted the dinner entree with dinner. Thought that was pretty self explanatory & since when is it a good idea to argue with your customer? We tried their queso which isn't a dip. It's chirizo with shredded cheese & the empanadas are stale. Their salsa selection is great! The fish tacos are served with plenty of fruit flies. Some baked inside & the waitress had the nerve to ask if all of our food had flies... The bacon wrapped shrimp was good BUT not worth eating after the fly discovery. Lastly my friend & I were splitting the bill but they placed the whole amount on my card. Fine. My friend & I settled up on our own BUT again the waitress argued with me swearing that she still needed to charge my friends card. I verified that she was incorrect immediately thanks to online banking. Obviously won't be going back due to such poor confrontational slow service & the flies!
(1)
Adam D.
I am sorry for the review I have t even ate at this place. I was disappointed with another restaurant near here and did not notice that I behave this place a negative review.
(5)
Ru G.
The food was very slow to come. Though it only went down hill from there. The appetizer seemed as if from a microwave. The bean platter was bland and had a bland salad. The worst part was that they had no sour cream and got no guacamole. Over all it was a very bad experience.
(1)
J L.
Oh El Marlin, how I wanted to Love you. Went there on a saturday night to celebrate my son and I running the 5K earlier today. I heard about a new seafood place on my end of town and that it was authentic mexican. Both are major plusses for me. We ordered a couple of appetizers and they were decent. Nothing spectacular, but nice. I loved the sauces. This was the point at which things started to go down hill. As the server picked up a plate, a dish of sauce fell off the plate she was picking up. She cussed when it fell, and the cussword was said next to my 8 year old son, and it was heard by him. Not cool. Honestly, at this point, I was still thinking 5 star review. This was based on the quality of the chips. They bring you large torillas with four dipping sauces. THOSE ARE AWESOME! But cussing in front of my child, not awesome. Normally, this is the part of the review where I talk about how great the entrees are/were. ______________ . I left that blank because the entrees never came. I was so hopeful for the food, that I gave it over 45 minutes but nothing. When the table next to us, that ordered after us, got thier food, I knew it was time. To make matters worse, the manager barely apologized. Did not offer anything comped etc. I was not looking for that, but that is what is usually done. Over 45 minutes is too long at a casual dining place. This is my first 1 star review and hopefully my last. I LOVE local places and hate to give it, but there is no choice. El Marlin, I will give you another chance, please make me glad I do.
(1)
Adam C.
They have recently replaced Coco Lokos in the Huntington Plaza off Hurstbourne Pkwy. It is a nice addition to the area as we have very few seafood places to eat. They are more Mexican seafood than just seafood, and they serve amazing drinks as well. Very authentic place for any Mexican food lover, not Tex-Mex, real Mexican food. I would like to see the menu expanded a little, but the current items are right on and the prices are reasonable too. If you want something a little different, give this place a try.
(4)
Sarah B.
Was looking forward to authentic mexican seafood cuisine. So dissappointed with the service. The waitress used an explecitive when she dropped a dish on the table. Then we waited for almost an hour once she took our entree order. The food never arrived - we finally just paid for our appetizers and left. The Filet-O-Fish from McDonald's Drive-thru was the best seafood I had all night.
(1)
Katie V.
Nice restaurant. Never wouldve found it if not for Yelp. Labeled as seafood but had mexican flair. Waitress was helpful to first timers woth suggestions and explanations of menu. We loved the spicy devil sauce and delicious roasted veggies. Even the house veggies, sauces for dipping were unique and very tasty.
(5)
Cindy F.
We've been here several times, now, and still love the fresh authentic seafood. We've had no trouble with the service. We usually can be seated as soon as we arive, but happily, this restaurant can get busy - we'd like to see it stick around!
(5)
Julie H.
YUM!!! Didn't know what to expect from a Mexican Seafood Resturant and was blown away. Ingredients were so fresh and delicious. I had the seafood platter; it was served in a sizzling bowl full of all kinds of seafood: scallops, fish fillet, crab legs, squid and more plus fresh veggies. It was delicious...my stomach was full but my mouth kept saying more! more! Can't wait to go back again.
(4)
Brandon S.
Excellent food. I had some pineapple +crab dish that t the waitress pointed to as a recommendation because she didn't speak English. I loved that. And she was sexy which no doubt hurt their cause. Serving size was huge. Mexican music and not a single employee that could understand me was great! Seriously, because, I felt like I was not in Louisville for a change.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
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Address :1850 S Hurstbourne Pkwy
Louisville, KY, 40220
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Daisy H.
Let me start by saying I'm originally from Lexington so i don't frequently have the opportunity to stop by. But let me also point out that i have roots from Nayarit and family who loves a nice Mexican seafood dish. We've done the drive from Lexington to Louisville a few times just for this. ( my moms a huge aguachiles fan.) This review is based solely on my last visit (9/15/15) Anyway, i stood by the entrance waiting to be greeted for a good 5min. (May not seem Long but when your eating alone and waiting to be seated, its a bit mich) Having the already seated guests even turn their heads looking for the server which amplified my frustration and embarrassment. once she saw me greeted very nicely and seated. I sat down and she went back to run food. She was the only one working it seemed. I asked for a water and what you would think would be brought out with the tostadas y salsas.. it wasn't. I Let it slide given she was the only one working the floor. placed my order as well as a milkshake to tie Down my hunger. My the time the food came out i had already finished BOTH my drinks and yet no refill was given, not even in water. I had ordered a spicy dish so i HAD TO make it known to her that i needed water. After her friend can't to the bar, i was forgotten.... wrote this long review with her not styling by until i flagged her down. .. did i mention the was only 2 tables. Que lastima, comida buenisima pero con que ganas si el servicio es mediocre
(1)Nick H.
Went here last weekend with my girlfriend. It is a Latin seafood restaurant with a varied selection of food and beverages. We started off with the fried calamari (awesome) and some Carta Blanca beers. She good the shrimp Diablo style, while I got prawns done beach style. Both entrees were great and they provide a wide variety of sauces. Overall it was a very good experience, but only two minor gripes. The service was pretty slow, there were several stretches where we did not see our server. Also, we had a Groupon but were informed the did not take them on Sunday.
(4)Heather D.
It's Sunday. It's 1:30. It's gaslight festival in j-town. This place is practically empty. The entry way was odd. I think they may have expanded. There's one door blocked off and woven shades hung over all the windows. There's a continual ringing noise near the front as we enter. We are seated by a very polite hostess and promptly served by a very patient waitress. The menu is seafood/ Mexican hybrid. It's unexpected and makes for an interesting mix as we attempt to order. They are out of the catfish. Meanwhile the ringing still has not stopped. Now someone begins to play random notes on a trumpet. At this point, we've decided this place is exceptionally bizarre. So here's where things take a turn for the better. The table salsa is flavorful but extremely spicy. Like make-your-nose-runspicy. Then, the random trumpet notes turns into violin notes. The next thing you know there's a full blown mariachi band on a small stage. Good singers too. It's so loud we can't talk, but I start laughing and can't stop. Our food comes out quickly. I got the shrimp spicy devil style. It is EXCELLENT. The shrimp are bathed in a savory spicy tomato-based roux. Served with excellently seasoned rice, refried beans, a lettuce mix, and tortillas (I chose corn). I turned that shit into a bad ass shrimp taco. It was awesome. My husband got the grilled fillet. It was nicely cooked but the citrus flavor was a bit off-putting. Still, decent overall. It was a very bizarre dining experience. However-- the service was excellent and it was strangely fun. It's just one of those weird Louisville things I feel you need to experience at least once :) Bring cash for the mariachi band. You'll want to tip.
(4)Terry S.
Food is very good - a nice change from cookie cutter Mexican outlets that are way too common. That said, the margaritas were dismal and no frozen option is available. Our biggest issue was with a Living Social coupon which took three discussions with management before they grudgingly accepted and honored. Check first if you have a coupon and clarify if it affects pricing of happy hour drinks and any food specials. This ruined an otherwise enjoyable time. It was likely the last visit - had been here many times but likely will not return.
(3)Erin K.
My boyfriend and I came here on Sunday night because I had a Groupon. We started with the calamari and a couple of Mexican beers (I can't remember the name). The calamari was good and the variety of sauces that they bring to the table with tortillas were a nice change from the standard chips & salsa. For our entrees, I got the shrimp Spicy Devil Style. It was nice and spicy without being overwhelming. My boyfriend had the prawns Beach Style - marinated with olives and spices. He said that he enjoyed his (I took his word for it as I loathe olives!) I am giving El Marlin 3 stars because the service was subpar. Don't get me wrong, the waitress was very nice and polite but there were long stretches of time when we didn't see her at all! I'm glad we ordered an appetizer because I would have been ready to chew my hand off in the time it took her to deliver the app and take our order! I'm also deducting a star because I was told that they don't accept Groupon's on Sunday's. That is not listed in the fine print of the Groupon and it seems counterproductive to me to not accept them on a day when many people go out to eat. Oh well. We will be back when we're in the area so that we can use that Groupon!
(3)Paige H.
Let me start by yelling GET THE GROUPON!!! If it's still getable, do it. NOW! I met a friend there on Saturday evening and there was no wait, which is a bit of a shame because good restaurants should be packed on Saturdays. My friend was already seated, he had ordered a mojito. I arrived a bit less than ten minutes after he did and we still waited another 15 to 20 minutes for his drink to arrive. But it was worth the wait. It was absolutely fresh and intensely flavorful (based on the sips I stole). A quartet of little bowls accompanied a basket of saltine crackers and fresh, crisp corn tortillas. I'm not sure what everything was but i know one of the bowls had a lovely, mild and slightly acidic seviche. There was a little portion of shaved carrots which seemed pickled, a salsa fresco and something dark and oily with the texture of tomatilla and the color of a dark mole. We ordered the mixed grill which was presented on a massive terracotta platter. The base was fajita style sauteed veg (tomato, onion and bell pepper) and on top was grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, prawns and chorizo. That's not a mistake; shrimp AND prawns. We also got two set ups with rice, beans, shredded romaine and a smidge of papaya and onion dice on top and little parcels of fresh, hot flour tortillas. Other than the shrimp and prawns being a bit tough, there was not a miss on the platter. We also got an order of guacamole which was clearly made to order, but a tad on the bland side (an additional splash of lime juice would've made it perfect). Service was attentive and we got no grief when we presented the Groupon. Go. GO NOW!
(4)Laura S.
After getting a message from the owner I decided I should be fair and try again. I order the shrimp my way with chipotle sauce and my husband ordered the stuffed shrimp. Both were much better than the previous time and not at all over salted. Service was a bit slow, but I think this is worth going back to now.
(4)Jason M.
The only "bad" experience I had here what when they first opened, but I find very few low-priced, non-chain restaurants that don't have a few glitches when they are new. Nestled between Kansai and the Shop Today 2 "smoke shop" is my happy replacement for Cocos Lokos. They have great fish tacos, along with a wide assortment of other seafood dishes...I tihnk I am down to only 2 that I have not tried on the lunch menu. The service isn't always top-notch, but hey...it's not a fancy place like Applebee's (yes, that is a crudely-tossed joke). I have yet to go for dinner to try their paella, but they tell me it is pretty darn good. try the fire shrimp if you like a little kick. ;-)
(4)Dave G.
We tried El Marlin because we had a Groupon. I had been by the place many times, and was always curious about it. My wife had a fried tilapia, and I had a grilled snapper. They were both great! A couple of the salsas they brought out were great, and one was one of the best we've ever had. My wife ordered a Mai Tai. It took a while to get it, but since we were sitting at the bar, we saw that it was because the lady making it was really putting a lot of work into the mixed drinks. Our server was great! We highly recommend this place!
(5)Sharon T.
We were celebrating our son's 31st birthday -- the food was fabulous! Two in our party had the Seafood Platter. It's served in a VERY hot urn with crab leg accents. Others ordered the whole tilapia, and the shrimp tacos. All food was served piping hot and tasted delicious. Our servers were attentive and hard-working! Everyone in our party agreed the food and service were great.
(5)Andres A.
I read some of the reviews on here and I have to disagree with them. I was in coastal Mexico last year and dined at numerous seafood restaurants in several states in coastal Mexico and I have to admit that this is as close as it gets to those experiences other than the fact that were not near the ocean like I was there. I strongly recommend the empanadas appetizer, the ceviche and the fried red snapper whole. You can also order the tilapia without the bones and with an excellent sauce. I have dined here for lunch and dinner and the fish tacos during lunch are excellent. They come with two sides and I recommend that you ask for chimichurri sauce for the tacos. If you have never tried the Mexican version of a Bloody Mary please ask for a Chelada. It's a beer with clamato and the rim of the glass is garnished with a lime, shrimp and a special salt. They also have sweet plantains and patacones which are the salty ones. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants to try traditional Mexican cuisine and sauces.
(5)Wilson S.
Been lunch here twice. Love it! Shrimp soup is my favorite. I think this restaurant got some unfairly low ratings. If you like Havana Rumba and Mojito, you will like this one also. The owner said they will have a lunch buffet in two weeks. Can't wait.
(5)Rae I.
Group of 4 Mommas & their littles, mind you this place was empty. My child's dinner entree was delivered with the appetizers. No big except the waitress argued with me that it's b/c I didn't specify that I wanted the dinner entree with dinner. Thought that was pretty self explanatory & since when is it a good idea to argue with your customer? We tried their queso which isn't a dip. It's chirizo with shredded cheese & the empanadas are stale. Their salsa selection is great! The fish tacos are served with plenty of fruit flies. Some baked inside & the waitress had the nerve to ask if all of our food had flies... The bacon wrapped shrimp was good BUT not worth eating after the fly discovery. Lastly my friend & I were splitting the bill but they placed the whole amount on my card. Fine. My friend & I settled up on our own BUT again the waitress argued with me swearing that she still needed to charge my friends card. I verified that she was incorrect immediately thanks to online banking. Obviously won't be going back due to such poor confrontational slow service & the flies!
(1)Adam D.
I am sorry for the review I have t even ate at this place. I was disappointed with another restaurant near here and did not notice that I behave this place a negative review.
(5)Ru G.
The food was very slow to come. Though it only went down hill from there. The appetizer seemed as if from a microwave. The bean platter was bland and had a bland salad. The worst part was that they had no sour cream and got no guacamole. Over all it was a very bad experience.
(1)J L.
Oh El Marlin, how I wanted to Love you. Went there on a saturday night to celebrate my son and I running the 5K earlier today. I heard about a new seafood place on my end of town and that it was authentic mexican. Both are major plusses for me. We ordered a couple of appetizers and they were decent. Nothing spectacular, but nice. I loved the sauces. This was the point at which things started to go down hill. As the server picked up a plate, a dish of sauce fell off the plate she was picking up. She cussed when it fell, and the cussword was said next to my 8 year old son, and it was heard by him. Not cool. Honestly, at this point, I was still thinking 5 star review. This was based on the quality of the chips. They bring you large torillas with four dipping sauces. THOSE ARE AWESOME! But cussing in front of my child, not awesome. Normally, this is the part of the review where I talk about how great the entrees are/were. ______________ . I left that blank because the entrees never came. I was so hopeful for the food, that I gave it over 45 minutes but nothing. When the table next to us, that ordered after us, got thier food, I knew it was time. To make matters worse, the manager barely apologized. Did not offer anything comped etc. I was not looking for that, but that is what is usually done. Over 45 minutes is too long at a casual dining place. This is my first 1 star review and hopefully my last. I LOVE local places and hate to give it, but there is no choice. El Marlin, I will give you another chance, please make me glad I do.
(1)Adam C.
They have recently replaced Coco Lokos in the Huntington Plaza off Hurstbourne Pkwy. It is a nice addition to the area as we have very few seafood places to eat. They are more Mexican seafood than just seafood, and they serve amazing drinks as well. Very authentic place for any Mexican food lover, not Tex-Mex, real Mexican food. I would like to see the menu expanded a little, but the current items are right on and the prices are reasonable too. If you want something a little different, give this place a try.
(4)Sarah B.
Was looking forward to authentic mexican seafood cuisine. So dissappointed with the service. The waitress used an explecitive when she dropped a dish on the table. Then we waited for almost an hour once she took our entree order. The food never arrived - we finally just paid for our appetizers and left. The Filet-O-Fish from McDonald's Drive-thru was the best seafood I had all night.
(1)Katie V.
Nice restaurant. Never wouldve found it if not for Yelp. Labeled as seafood but had mexican flair. Waitress was helpful to first timers woth suggestions and explanations of menu. We loved the spicy devil sauce and delicious roasted veggies. Even the house veggies, sauces for dipping were unique and very tasty.
(5)Cindy F.
We've been here several times, now, and still love the fresh authentic seafood. We've had no trouble with the service. We usually can be seated as soon as we arive, but happily, this restaurant can get busy - we'd like to see it stick around!
(5)Julie H.
YUM!!! Didn't know what to expect from a Mexican Seafood Resturant and was blown away. Ingredients were so fresh and delicious. I had the seafood platter; it was served in a sizzling bowl full of all kinds of seafood: scallops, fish fillet, crab legs, squid and more plus fresh veggies. It was delicious...my stomach was full but my mouth kept saying more! more! Can't wait to go back again.
(4)Brandon S.
Excellent food. I had some pineapple +crab dish that t the waitress pointed to as a recommendation because she didn't speak English. I loved that. And she was sexy which no doubt hurt their cause. Serving size was huge. Mexican music and not a single employee that could understand me was great! Seriously, because, I felt like I was not in Louisville for a change.
(5)