El Mariscal Mexican Style Seafood — Restaurant in Wilmington

We went October 4th for the $3 any taco day. Walked in and was warmly greeted and sat, our server was nice. Was given a complementary soup that was good, much better with the lime juice added that accompanied the soup. We ordered the chips and queso to start and we’re surprised with how sub par it was. The queso was thick and tasteless, like that of a jar of Tostitos, but somehow worse? The chips were stale and flavorless too. We both ordered tacos, I got a steak, 2 shrimp and a fish taco. My boyfriend got a steak, chicken and chorizo. The tacos were decent, nothing incredible but good for $3 a pop. When the bill came, I was charged full price for each. We didn’t make a fuss since it was only $4 more. I probably should have spoken up about how bad the queso was, and that’s my mistake. But I did ask before ordering the tacos if they were all on special for $3, and to see we were charged full price for them was yet another disappointment. Over all, I wouldn’t suggest this place unless you’re strictly ordering the seafood dishes. If I were to give it another chance I would try one of their signature dishes instead to base my opinion on. I do, however, strongly urge buyer beware of the queso. It was so bad we almost didn’t...

I have eaten there before and the experience is always exceptional. Friday night and a full house (yeah)! No other Mexican restaurant like this in Wilmington. I had family with me from Raleigh and they are foodies so I picked El Mariscal for something they might not have been to in Raleigh. I was right. BRIAN was our waiter and he was excellent. Everything was fresh and straight from the grill or oven. Careful, the temperature will be hot when you are served. Wonderful margarita, especially the skinny. The medium size is huge. Three adult entree’s, three margaritas, chips and guacamole, plus tip for $100. (By the way the salsa and guacamole was perfect, not overly spicy but plenty of hot sauce condiments for those with a taste for heat). We had the Mojarra al Gusto, (Whole fish Tilapia) three different styles, which came with a very nice rice side and small fresh salad, and a piece of Texas style garlic toast. It was fantastic. Next time I’m getting the octopus for sure. Desert looked inviting but no room after that dinner. We all highly recommend After 6:30 you should probably make a reservation, on...

Food is advertised as “creative dishes inspired by the best Mexican seafood chefs”. They definitely dropped the ball with our order. I ordered Camarones Empanizados which is stated on the menu to be served with rice and salad yet I was given a plate of generic frozen fried shrimp and french fries. My husband and I must add.. who is Mexican, stated his plate of food was less than desirable, over cooked and lacked flavor. We both left quite disappointed. As far as service, once our food was served our server chose to huddle with the other servers in a back booth never checking on us and seeing if we needed anything. We had to ask multiple times for our check before our sever finally brought it to us. Between myself and my husband we spent close to $100. For that kind of money, I know I can find better food and service elsewhere. These other five star reviews clearly are either fake reviews or they have no idea what good...