Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Corpus Christi / McAllen

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Corpus Christi / McAllen? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Dodici Pizza and Wine

5.0

5 (265)

$31 to $50

Pizzeria

Brownsville

About the restaurant

Dodici Pizza + Wine serves delicious brick oven pizzas with a spectacular wine list to pair.
Neapolitan pizza, vegan and gluten free options. Garden patio seating.

Top review

Amanda

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Excellent ambience and food. An excellent place to gather with friends. I highly recommend the patio.

SALT

4.9

4.9 (1356)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

McAllen

About the restaurant

SALT-New American Table, brought to you by the owners of McAllen’s house.wine & bistro. and Salomé on Main, Chef Larry Delgado and his lovely wife Jessica Delgado. The chef driven menu features local, organic and sustainable products, and a full service bar that boast beautiful, boutique wines, craft beers, and high end spirits!

Top review

Joseph

Dined 3 days ago

Bit of a wait even with a reservation, but service, and food were exceptional! Also appreciated the history on the restaurant and the managers checking in on us. The team I brought wanted to return again the following day. Great food!

Discover more

Gabriela's Seafood + Tapas

4.9

4.9 (212)

$50 and over

Seafood

Rockport

About the restaurant

Located off the water in Rockport, TX, Gabriela's Seafood + Tapas brings you the freshest seafood sourced locally with various delicious tapas to choose from. Enjoy sweeping views of the waterfront from our 2nd story, chic and cozy dining area while enjoying fine latin-infused cuisine made fresh daily.

Top review

Tony

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

The food and atmosphere were great. The “Sopapilla Cheesecake” … I ordered an extra to go. :)

Tortuga's Saltwater Grill

4.8

4.8 (733)

$30 and under

Seafood

Port Aransas

About the restaurant

Welcome to Tortuga's Saltwater Grill! The premier seafood & steak restaurant of Port Aransas

Top review

dee

Dined on Dec 9, 2024

Our first time to Tortuga’s and what a delicious experience. The staff were very pleasant; Laura, our server, was a delight. The charbroiled red snapper and southern fried shrimp entrees= delicious. The Tortuga Cake and Chocolate Explosion= delicious. This will be a regular stop on our beach getaways.

Discover more

La Doble M Restaurant & Bar

4.8

4.8 (25)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Mexican

McAllen

About the restaurant

Un restaurante de alta cocina en la cual nuestro menú, inspirado en la exquisita gastronomía del norte de México, conjunto a un servicio excepcional distinguen este concepto.
Esta propuesta culinaria combina nuestra cocina de brasa, los cuales ingredientes y texturas dan una experiencia memorable al paladar, con un fondo donde la música y decoración se entrelazan para crear el mejor ambiente al cliente.

Top review

Gonzalo

Dined 5 days ago

Very good experience! Everyone loved the food! Pricey but the service was excellent and everyone was happy so thats all that matters

Santa Fe Steakhouse and Cantina

4.7

4.7 (600)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

McAllen

About the restaurant

Santa Fe's Steakhouse & Cantina is famous for it's award winning steaks, fine wine & handcrafted cocktails. Don't miss out on the Orange Roughy, a favorite. High-end destination serving steaks & seafood backed by a massive wine list, plus live music nights.

Top review

ROBERTVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Great food, great service, great atmosphere. We will be back.

Discover more

Popular dish

New York Strip

Ambra

4.7

4.7 (273)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

McAllen

About the restaurant

AMBRA combines a globally inspired steakhouse and a chic lounge creating one electrifying dining experience. Inside AMBRA, every foot of space is filled with eye-catching visuals, varied lighting, contrasting materials and textures, lush plants, and a layout of space perfect for mingling, date night, and dining. Take a seat in one of our stylish dining rooms or enjoy al fresco seating in our outdoor patio while sipping mezcal cocktails until closing time, when you dine with us every experience will be one to remember.

Top review

Eddie

Dined 2 days ago

This place is super nice. Modern decor with great ambiance. This was my 3rd time there and they provided a consistent level of service. Appetizers were top notch and steaks were perfectly cooked. I will be back again.

Discover more

Experience

New Year's Eve Early Dinner Experience

Experience

New Year's Eve Golden Midnight Experience

Dokyo Dauntaun

4.4

4.4 (283)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Corpus Christi

About the restaurant

Industrial-style destination dishing up sushi, bento boxes & craft cocktails, plus a take-out option.

Top review

Zerique

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

Mel was our server and she was outstanding, always refilled our cups, recommended great apps and meals!

Palominos - McAllen

4.4

4.4 (35)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

McAllen

About the restaurant

Palominos Restaurant expands to the United States with the opening of its new location in McAllen, Texas. Recognized as one of the best steakhouses offering fine Sonoran-style steaks in Mexico, Palominos boasts over 50 years of experience and 11 locations in Mexico. We have become known for the unparalleled quality of our steaks and an exceptional dining atmosphere.

Our restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a family meal, host private events, celebrate birthdays, or hold important business meetings. We offer various seating options, including indoor tables, an outdoor terrace, and private rooms.

Among our house specialties are the Black Onyx, Rib Eye Aguachile, and our iconic Filete a la Bacanora. Plus, our extensive drink menu and welcoming ambiance will make your visit a truly unforgettable experience.

You can also find us in Mexico at our locations in Hermosillo, Mexicali, Tijuana, Chihuahua, Culiacán, Mexico City, and Guadalajara.

Top review

MichelleVIP

Dined on Dec 5, 2024

Drinks, steak and dessert was amazing! Wonderful service and very delightful atmosphere! Great date night!

Discover more

Experience

Lunch Menu

Toloa Rooftop

4.3

4.3 (57)

$30 and under

Mexican / Regional American (Southwestern)

McAllen

About the restaurant

Overlooking North McAllen, TOLOA's rooftop space acts as a studio for creating social experiences around food and drink. A list of seasonally curated cocktails act as an accessory to the open-air patio and lounge from sunset to late night. The food offered focuses on Modern Mexican eatery and is designed to either be shared, provide a small bite, or be ordered as a multi-course dinner. TOLOA is a new way to indulge and be social.

Top review

Dan

Dined on Oct 13, 2024

Food was ok. Steak was very chewy and very small lobster/shrimp on what easily seen as a hot dog bun.

Explore Diners' Choice best of Corpus Christi / McAllen

Explore more Diners' Choice lists