La Playa Mexican Grille — Port Aransas's go-to upscale-casual Tex-Mex
A highly popular upscale-casual Tex-Mex house in Port Aransas — scratch salsa, fresh margaritas, well-executed enchiladas and fajitas. The dependable in-town Tex-Mex option.
La Playa Mexican Grille is a highly popular upscale-casual Tex-Mex house in Port Aransas and one of the foundational in-town restaurants rebuilt alongside Café Phoenix and The Venetian Hot Plate after Hurricane Harvey. The kitchen runs a scratch-salsa-and-margarita-forward program with well-executed Tex-Mex classics — fajitas, enchiladas, seafood plates, and chiles rellenos.
What La Playa does well
- A reliable in-town Tex-Mex sit-down — the default Tex-Mex pick for most island visitors.
- Strong margarita program with fresh-squeezed lime and quality tequilas — not the bottled-mix shortcut.
- Scratch table salsa with a real fresh-pepper kick.
- Well-executed Tex-Mex classics — fajitas, enchiladas (including seafood variations), chiles rellenos.
- Family-friendly room — handles big groups without becoming chaotic.
What to keep in mind
- Tourist-town pricing — higher than mainland Tex-Mex spots.
- Walk-up only and high-volume — peak summer dinner waits can be long.
- For deep-cut traditional Mexican menudo and breakfast tacos at 6 AM, locals lean toward <a href="https://beachedinn.com/san-juan-port-aransas">San Juan Restaurant</a> on Cut-Off Road instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is La Playa or San Juan the better Tex-Mex option?
Different formats. La Playa is the upscale-casual sit-down Tex-Mex destination with fresh margaritas and a full bar. <a href="https://beachedinn.com/san-juan-port-aransas">San Juan Restaurant</a> is the high-volume scratch-kitchen institution on Cut-Off Road for breakfast tacos at 6 AM, weekend menudo, and budget-friendly family-sized plates. Many regulars use both — La Playa for dinner, San Juan for the morning rush.
Does La Playa take reservations?
La Playa is primarily walk-up. Peak summer dinner waits can be long — arrive early or off-peak.
How far is La Playa from Cinnamon Shore?
About 12 minutes by car or golf cart from the front door of Beached Inn.
Stay at Beached Inn at Cinnamon Shore
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