The Seafood Restaurant That Went Around the World
A few weeks ago, we were hosting an international group. One of their special requests was to visit Mariscos El Tigre. Being a group of Europeans, we had to visit this local gem that has found an audience around the world.
Were the recipes really that good? Could this be the best seafood in Baja Sur? Or was it simply a viral moment on social media that put it on the map with an international clientele? We had to experience it for ourselves to find out.
That is how we planned a visit to this seafood restaurant, tucked away in the outskirts of La Paz.
The Welcome
From the moment we arrived, we understood that this was not just any seafood restaurant. The owner was outside at the entrance. He greeted us like old friends: “Come in, sit wherever you like,” he said with a smile. It did not feel like a sales technique but a sincere reflection of his character. We chose a table near the entrance, and every customer who arrived after us—as well as everyone who left while we were there—received the same warm welcome. The rest of the team shared that same attitude: attentive, welcoming service.
The Food
The restaurant has an extensive menu with a wide variety of seafood and preparations. Fresh, raw seafood is its specialty, though it also offers cooked seafood dishes. Wanting to try a range of options, we ordered more than a modest portion: two giant empanadas, a plate of fresh scallops, one of abalone, a couple of chocolate clams, and the house specialty—a plate prepared with a mix of seafood, their own sauces, and spices.
The dishes arrived in rounds, with the empanadas coming out first. We had barely cut into them for a taste when the rest of the dishes arrived. Everything did not fit on the table at once, so the server quickly noticed the problem and brought an extra, small table for the sauces, making room for the remaining dishes.
The food did not disappoint, either. Every fresh dish retained the flavor of the seafood and was complemented beautifully by its choice of accompaniments. I especially enjoyed the scallops: very fresh, served with red onion to bring out their flavor and serrano chile, which was quite spicy but balanced the rest of the dish perfectly for an intense experience.
