Black Pearl — Restaurant in Galveston

Came in town for a cruise and ended up running into one of the city Police Sergeants. He recommended Black Pearl for good, fresh seafood.

I came in with the family. The restaurant is a small little place on the corner. Parking was a little difficult, but after eating here, I would walk from blocks away to do it all again.

I was a little worried at first. I dropped my wife off about 6:50 to get on a list since it seemed small and busy. She was seated within a couple minutes.

By the time I sat down and was greeted by the waitress it was 7:01. I asked if there were any specials. She said the full dozen oysters for half ended at 7. I asked if we were close enough, but she said no, it wouldn’t work.

I started to get irritated because I really wanted to like this place, and it didn’t seem like it was getting off to a great start.

I live in a landlocked state, so “fresh oysters” is a very relative term. I’ve been stuck with some pretty nasty ones. I asked if I could start with 6 oysters ($15), and upgrade to the doz ($18.75) if we liked them. She seemed confused, and I started to wonder if I was going to be charged for two 1/2 doz instead of one doz.

We also ordered the fish tacos ($13), seafood gumbo ($11), chicken salad ($15) and a cheese burger ($13)

The oysters came out very quickly. I added some red sauce and horseradish and have it a shot. They were quite possibly the best oysters I’ve ever had. I asked for another six, and she then realized what I had been asking before.

The food came out fairly quickly as well. The first bite of the fish tacos was heavenly. The gumbo was spot on, and my daughter said even the chicken salad was above average. She said the chicken had a great seasoning on it. I didn’t try the burger, but the fries were even done well.

The food was good enough that I didn’t care what she charged me for the oysters. When the check came, I was only charged for 1/2 doz. I brought it to her attention and she said she gave me the happy hour deal after all.

Galveston isn’t the most convenient place to catch a cruise since you have to fly into Houston and drive/shuttle/Lyft your way into town, but this place made it all worth it.

I fly G.A. and love to fly into places for good local cuisine. Black Pearl Oyster Bar would make the 1,000 mile...

I had the misfortune of dining at the Black Pearl Restaurant in Galveston, and let me tell you, it was an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. From the moment I stepped in, I should have known things were going south. The ambiance, which some might describe as rustic, felt more like an afterthought.

The food, if you can call it that, was an abomination. I ordered the seafood platter, expecting fresh, delectable bites from the Gulf, but what I received was a greasy, congealed mess that would make even a fast food joint blush. The shrimp was rubbery, the oysters were overcooked, and the fish was so drenched in oil I could have wrung it out and powered a small car. Greasy doesn’t even begin to describe it. Disgusting is more accurate. It’s as if the chef had a vendetta against taste buds everywhere.

As for the service, it was as delightful as a root canal. Our server, who appeared to be practicing for the world’s worst service awards, was inattentive and acted like our presence was a major inconvenience. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, our food arrived cold – perhaps a blessing in disguise considering its actual state. Water refills? Forget about it. Checking to see if we needed anything? Not on their agenda.

In summary, if you’re in Galveston and looking for a place to ruin your evening with bad food, greasy dishes, and disgusting fare served with a side of terrible service, the Black Pearl Restaurant is your go-to spot. Otherwise, save yourself the trouble and steer clear. This was one pearl that definitely...

We arrived at The Black Pearl just after 11:00 on a Saturday, wanting to beat the lunch rush. It's just as colorful and vibrant as we remembered, although the portions are BIGGER than we remembered. A table was served ahead of us, and I would have thought it was food for 6 people if there hadn't been only two at the table. I mean GIANT portions - shrimp and oysters piles so high in a poorboy that you couldn't see the bread! We decided to share a 'cup' of red beans and rice with sausage and a muffuletta with onion rings, and it was enough food for 4 people. The cup isn't a cup at all - it's a bona fide bowl. And the flavor of those red beans and rice is outta this world - the broth is very rich, with a deep, smoky taste. The muffuletta was packed with meat and almost more cheese than we could eat; a single one of the three segments was very filling. The olive salad on the muffuletta is very good, although we would have liked a bit more, so next time, we'll ask for some on the side. The onion rings were piping hot, sweet and tender on the inside and very crunchy on the outside, just as they should be. The ice-cold locally-brewed draft beer went down well with this meal. We had enough left over for an entire additional meal. I can highly recommend this place and we'll be back the next time we're in Galveston. Oh, and the service was...