Mariscos nayarit charlotte — Restaurant in Charlotte

I got a tip about Mariscos Nayarit, a newer Mexican seafood spot off East W.T. Harris and Albemarle, and I’m glad I checked it out. I was invited in by Pedro, the manager, and while my meal was hosted, these thoughts are my own. Staff was well-compensated and the food delivered.

Inside is bright and full of ocean-themed murals, greenery, and upbeat Latin music. The menu is huge, with photos for every item, which made ordering easy without needing to Google anything.

I started with chips, salsa, and queso. All solid. The Ribeye Brasas was next: steak and zarandeado shrimp with grilled veggies and a surprisingly great baked potato. The inside was mashed, creamy, and loaded with bacon and sour cream. The steak was seared perfectly and the shrimp had that smoky open-fire flavor.

They also brought out a wild dish called the “Tendedero” — steak, corn on the cob, shrimp clipped to a clothesline, and a seafood stew served in a flaming cast iron bowl with clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and more. It was dramatic, flavorful, and a lot of fun.

I don’t drink, but they showed me their over-the-top cocktails. One came in a glowing hippo bowl with a rubber duck. Another was served in a purse. There was also a piña colada so tall it needed a lifeguard. I passed them to other guests who were more than happy to enjoy them. If you miss the flavor of spring break in Cancun, this is your vibe.

Servers may speak limited English, so bring a translator app. Think of it like a real-life Duolingo session. The reward is great seafood.

Fun atmosphere, kind staff, and big portions. Definitely one of my new favorite full-service Mexican restaurants in Charlotte. I’ll be back.

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The food was delicious. Everything tasted fresh. Chimichanga was good rice and the al Pastor tacos were yummy. The meal was a little expensive for Mexican and considering where it is located on albemarle rd. We had a party of 2 and they added the tip to the bill. 15%. I probably would have tipped more if they didn't do this. My only issue is that the server knew they were adding the tip so she did nothing extra. She came took our drink orders. Came back 10 mins later, delivered drinks, came back 5 mins later to take our order then came to deliver the food and take the payment when we were done. Not once did she check on us or ask if we needed anything else. I think this is due to them already knowing they've included the tip. Just bad business and not good service. Although the food was good, I'd be surprised if we ever go back. Kind of reminded me of Azteca in Matthews. Nickel and dime you with sub par service. Rating closer...

The food is great but the service is poor because 95% of the wait staff doesn't speak or understand English so it was very difficult to communicate. Not something you want to encounter when eating out. According to the menu, my burrito was supposed to come with refried beans but it didn't. When I mentioned this to our server, they bought me a side dish of refried beans and charged me $3.75 extra. I tried to get it taken off my bill but no was unsuccessful because they didn't speak English. Very frustrating. In addition, my friend never received the Sangria she ordered despite me bringing it to the attention of numerous waiters because once again, no one understood English. Lastly, the music and TV were super loud which spoiled the atmosphere. It was hard to engage in a conversation...