The food was wonderful and the staff was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the stuffed tilapia and the shrimp combination plate. Both were delicious! The restaurant is rather small and off the beaten track, but it is definitely one we plan visit on our next trip to Santa Fe.
(5)
Sam A.
Nice. I've been trying to go to this restaurant for quite a while, but it always seems to fall off my radar. I had the fish and shrimp tacos and Jojo had something that was more of a make-your-own-taco with all sorts of seafood... We both enjoyed the food very much. Oh yea, and they have a fantastic shrimp cocktail also!
(4)
Chrysanthemum A.
Mariscos La Playa is unusual in Santa Fe. Like the sushi places downtown, it is a purveyor of seafood, when there's no ocean in sight, and the Santa Fe River is typically a tragic trickle. One can expect cioppino in San Francisco and clam chowder in Boston--but Mexican seafood in the Rocky Mountains? Mariscos La Playa has a lovably tacky atmosphere, with a fake parrot. It's kitschy. They have great dishes- and that includes the ceviche, the raw fish! They have good chips and salsa. It brings the beach and Baja inland.
(4)
Shinta S.
This place was within walking distance of the condo that we stayed in while we're vacationing in Santa Fe for 3 days. The owners of the condo recommended it. So we went. My kids were immediately attracted to the bright deco that was everything in this restaurant. The seats, the tablecloths, the walls. They were all in primary colors, friendly for kids. I ordered the Tostada de Ceviche, three tostadas topped with fish, shrimp, pico and avocado. Very yummy. I ate quite a bit even though I was not too hungry at the start of the meal. I brought the left over home for dinner. I wish I had come here while I was hungry and with big appetite. My kids got the chicken nuggets and fries, and the mexican pizza, which was pretty creative, basically tortilla with beans and cheese. They both liked the meal. I would come here again if I happen to visit Santa Fe.
(4)
Patti H.
Very tasty Mexican seafood,and huge portions! Enough for two meals, easily. The only caution is: watch out for that green guac mixture that comes with the chips, if you are grease sensitive. It about did me in the next day with the intestinal side effects. Never again will I eat that stuff!
(3)
Douglas S.
I love seafood and I love Mexican food, therefore I love Marisco's La Playa. Fresh seafood dishes and margaritas mixed with a warm family run atmosphere and friendly service make this place a true dining pleasure. Up the street from Maria's, down the street from Body and across the street from Santa Fe Baking is where you might find me when I'm MIA on a Wednesday afternoon. There is nothing super special about this place, but it is certainly special, especially if the main ingredient of a good restaurant is how it makes you feel when you leave and I always feel special. Now isn't that special?
(5)
Peter C.
If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would, but I can't give 4. Generally this is a pretty good place, but some of their dishes can be slightly off key sometimes.
(3)
Mark N.
I went here many times during my 4 years as a resident of Santa Fe (which just ended, in Nov 2010).. I think this is the best seafood you will find in Santa Fe (remember, it is a small town in the middle of the desert very far from any ocean!) Try the micheladas (beer mixed with Klamato tomato juice, lime juice, and various spices and peppers). They are big and delicious!! The decor is pretty nice, the chairs and tables were hand carved in Mexico with 3D designs, which have been very colorfully painted.. They sell a grilled fish stuffed with shrimps and cheese, that is pretty tasty. (can't remember what they call it).Try the ceviche tostada. anyways, you will find much, much better food on the Mexican coast.. But if you are in Santa Fe and want seafood or want some Mexican food, this is probably the best option for seafood and one of the better options for Mexican food in general. A nice place to go with a group, particulary since they have a good Mexican beer selection, good margaritas, and those tasty micheladas.. Be sure to have a designated driver..
(4)
Alicia C.
For a restaurant that that has seafood in its name, I was not impressed! Me and three other people ordered three different shrimp dishes. I got the Shrimp Veracruzana which came with a bland tomato sauce. My boyfriend had shrimp a la Diablo, which was also VERY bland creamy hot sauce. We all left VERY disappointed with the unimpressive food and the amount of money we had spent! The waitstaff however was friendly.
(2)
Ernie S.
I grew up in San Diego so I'm used to good Baja style Mexican seafood. This place wasn't quite as great as Rubio's can be (or the other classic fish taco places), but for a place in the middle of the desert, it had pretty good seafood. The shrimp fajitas were a winner (came with real guac, sour cream, excellent tortillas, and ample shrimp). The Veracruz tilapia was above average. This place is pretty generous with their free goods too--they give you beans, green "guac" dip, and picante salsa for free with chips. We also tried the tres leches cake and found it to be also above average--moist, flavorful, and the best part of the meal. This is a good bet, if but a little expensive. It would be even better if the competition in Santa Fe weren't so mighty stiff (La Choza! Tia Sophia! Ay!).
(4)
Nathan C.
I have had better Mexican seafood..... In Mexico!!! Some of the best here. We loved it. Went back 2 nights in a row. Best we found were the bean dip. Fantastic!!! Ruined my appetite because I filed up on it. Santa Fe shrimp was excellent according to my wife. I had Shrimp tacos wonderful and ceviche combo tostadas- could not stop talking about it. Imagine "what about Bob". Not everything can be excellent. Drinks ok, nothing to write home about. Had white sangria and a margarita. Fish tacos, ok but not near as good as the shrimp. Wife had chipotle snapper, it was good but nothing to jump for joy for. In short, we live in ABQ. We will make a point to stop here when in Santa Fe next.
(5)
Ginni K.
Delicious bacon wrapped shrimp and shrimp combo plates. Ended the meal with wonderful flan. Great value for flavorful food.
(5)
Brent K.
Authentic Mexican mariscos!!!! Wait staff was very friendly and gave prompt service. One of the best Mexican Seafood restaurants I have ate at between New Mexico and Colorado.
(5)
David J.
Good food for what it is. Our kids really enjoy and ask to come. Chips with 3 different dips that comes out before the meal is quite good. Pleasant service. Shrimp tacos, tacos Dorados, and discada mar y Tierra are favorites.
(4)
Andrew R.
Excellent, well prepared Mexican seafood. Great value, very good service. Not the same restaurant with a similar name on Cerrillos (never been there), this location, across from Trader Joe's and just down the street from Maria's is quite a gem in a town filled with 'Mexican' food. As others have said, huge portions and nearly everything I've not been able to eat but taken home has been wonderful as left overs.
(4)
Addyline L.
Three separate dipping items arrive with your tortilla chips. Slighty spicy guacamole, bean dip, and a nice pico. You are entranced by the beautiful colors and parrot beach motif. You eagerly await your shrimp, bacon, squash, and onion grilled kabobs served on a bed of flavorful rice with a slice of avocado on the side. And then it comes, steamy and hot with just the right amount of spices on the shrimp, and the bacon is crispy and the onions and squash just right with some pico. You are so happy. You cannot remember the last time you were this happy about seafood in New Mexico.
(5)
Richard R.
If you are looking for haute cuisine you would not be interested in a Mexican seafood restaurant review. That said, and if Mexican seafood is what scratches your itch today, look no further. This place serves impeccably prepared authentic dishes that are much better than what you might expect. The ambiance is equally authentic with whimsical hand painted chairs and tables in a scrupulously maintained clean environment. Service is attentive, friendly and efficient. These are hard working and honest people who deserve you business and at the end of the evening when the bill arrives you will think you have traveled back in time to the old Mexico you knew in the sixties. There are many Mariscos restaurants but none are likely to be better than the one in Santa Fe.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Waiter Service : 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.
Dorothy F.
The food was wonderful and the staff was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the stuffed tilapia and the shrimp combination plate. Both were delicious! The restaurant is rather small and off the beaten track, but it is definitely one we plan visit on our next trip to Santa Fe.
(5)Sam A.
Nice. I've been trying to go to this restaurant for quite a while, but it always seems to fall off my radar. I had the fish and shrimp tacos and Jojo had something that was more of a make-your-own-taco with all sorts of seafood... We both enjoyed the food very much. Oh yea, and they have a fantastic shrimp cocktail also!
(4)Chrysanthemum A.
Mariscos La Playa is unusual in Santa Fe. Like the sushi places downtown, it is a purveyor of seafood, when there's no ocean in sight, and the Santa Fe River is typically a tragic trickle. One can expect cioppino in San Francisco and clam chowder in Boston--but Mexican seafood in the Rocky Mountains? Mariscos La Playa has a lovably tacky atmosphere, with a fake parrot. It's kitschy. They have great dishes- and that includes the ceviche, the raw fish! They have good chips and salsa. It brings the beach and Baja inland.
(4)Shinta S.
This place was within walking distance of the condo that we stayed in while we're vacationing in Santa Fe for 3 days. The owners of the condo recommended it. So we went. My kids were immediately attracted to the bright deco that was everything in this restaurant. The seats, the tablecloths, the walls. They were all in primary colors, friendly for kids. I ordered the Tostada de Ceviche, three tostadas topped with fish, shrimp, pico and avocado. Very yummy. I ate quite a bit even though I was not too hungry at the start of the meal. I brought the left over home for dinner. I wish I had come here while I was hungry and with big appetite. My kids got the chicken nuggets and fries, and the mexican pizza, which was pretty creative, basically tortilla with beans and cheese. They both liked the meal. I would come here again if I happen to visit Santa Fe.
(4)Patti H.
Very tasty Mexican seafood,and huge portions! Enough for two meals, easily. The only caution is: watch out for that green guac mixture that comes with the chips, if you are grease sensitive. It about did me in the next day with the intestinal side effects. Never again will I eat that stuff!
(3)Douglas S.
I love seafood and I love Mexican food, therefore I love Marisco's La Playa. Fresh seafood dishes and margaritas mixed with a warm family run atmosphere and friendly service make this place a true dining pleasure. Up the street from Maria's, down the street from Body and across the street from Santa Fe Baking is where you might find me when I'm MIA on a Wednesday afternoon. There is nothing super special about this place, but it is certainly special, especially if the main ingredient of a good restaurant is how it makes you feel when you leave and I always feel special. Now isn't that special?
(5)Peter C.
If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would, but I can't give 4. Generally this is a pretty good place, but some of their dishes can be slightly off key sometimes.
(3)Mark N.
I went here many times during my 4 years as a resident of Santa Fe (which just ended, in Nov 2010).. I think this is the best seafood you will find in Santa Fe (remember, it is a small town in the middle of the desert very far from any ocean!) Try the micheladas (beer mixed with Klamato tomato juice, lime juice, and various spices and peppers). They are big and delicious!! The decor is pretty nice, the chairs and tables were hand carved in Mexico with 3D designs, which have been very colorfully painted.. They sell a grilled fish stuffed with shrimps and cheese, that is pretty tasty. (can't remember what they call it).Try the ceviche tostada. anyways, you will find much, much better food on the Mexican coast.. But if you are in Santa Fe and want seafood or want some Mexican food, this is probably the best option for seafood and one of the better options for Mexican food in general. A nice place to go with a group, particulary since they have a good Mexican beer selection, good margaritas, and those tasty micheladas.. Be sure to have a designated driver..
(4)Alicia C.
For a restaurant that that has seafood in its name, I was not impressed! Me and three other people ordered three different shrimp dishes. I got the Shrimp Veracruzana which came with a bland tomato sauce. My boyfriend had shrimp a la Diablo, which was also VERY bland creamy hot sauce. We all left VERY disappointed with the unimpressive food and the amount of money we had spent! The waitstaff however was friendly.
(2)Ernie S.
I grew up in San Diego so I'm used to good Baja style Mexican seafood. This place wasn't quite as great as Rubio's can be (or the other classic fish taco places), but for a place in the middle of the desert, it had pretty good seafood. The shrimp fajitas were a winner (came with real guac, sour cream, excellent tortillas, and ample shrimp). The Veracruz tilapia was above average. This place is pretty generous with their free goods too--they give you beans, green "guac" dip, and picante salsa for free with chips. We also tried the tres leches cake and found it to be also above average--moist, flavorful, and the best part of the meal. This is a good bet, if but a little expensive. It would be even better if the competition in Santa Fe weren't so mighty stiff (La Choza! Tia Sophia! Ay!).
(4)Nathan C.
I have had better Mexican seafood..... In Mexico!!! Some of the best here. We loved it. Went back 2 nights in a row. Best we found were the bean dip. Fantastic!!! Ruined my appetite because I filed up on it. Santa Fe shrimp was excellent according to my wife. I had Shrimp tacos wonderful and ceviche combo tostadas- could not stop talking about it. Imagine "what about Bob". Not everything can be excellent. Drinks ok, nothing to write home about. Had white sangria and a margarita. Fish tacos, ok but not near as good as the shrimp. Wife had chipotle snapper, it was good but nothing to jump for joy for. In short, we live in ABQ. We will make a point to stop here when in Santa Fe next.
(5)Ginni K.
Delicious bacon wrapped shrimp and shrimp combo plates. Ended the meal with wonderful flan. Great value for flavorful food.
(5)Brent K.
Authentic Mexican mariscos!!!! Wait staff was very friendly and gave prompt service. One of the best Mexican Seafood restaurants I have ate at between New Mexico and Colorado.
(5)David J.
Good food for what it is. Our kids really enjoy and ask to come. Chips with 3 different dips that comes out before the meal is quite good. Pleasant service. Shrimp tacos, tacos Dorados, and discada mar y Tierra are favorites.
(4)Andrew R.
Excellent, well prepared Mexican seafood. Great value, very good service. Not the same restaurant with a similar name on Cerrillos (never been there), this location, across from Trader Joe's and just down the street from Maria's is quite a gem in a town filled with 'Mexican' food. As others have said, huge portions and nearly everything I've not been able to eat but taken home has been wonderful as left overs.
(4)Addyline L.
Three separate dipping items arrive with your tortilla chips. Slighty spicy guacamole, bean dip, and a nice pico. You are entranced by the beautiful colors and parrot beach motif. You eagerly await your shrimp, bacon, squash, and onion grilled kabobs served on a bed of flavorful rice with a slice of avocado on the side. And then it comes, steamy and hot with just the right amount of spices on the shrimp, and the bacon is crispy and the onions and squash just right with some pico. You are so happy. You cannot remember the last time you were this happy about seafood in New Mexico.
(5)Richard R.
If you are looking for haute cuisine you would not be interested in a Mexican seafood restaurant review. That said, and if Mexican seafood is what scratches your itch today, look no further. This place serves impeccably prepared authentic dishes that are much better than what you might expect. The ambiance is equally authentic with whimsical hand painted chairs and tables in a scrupulously maintained clean environment. Service is attentive, friendly and efficient. These are hard working and honest people who deserve you business and at the end of the evening when the bill arrives you will think you have traveled back in time to the old Mexico you knew in the sixties. There are many Mariscos restaurants but none are likely to be better than the one in Santa Fe.
(5)