This past Friday night, we went to a fairly new restaurant located on North Beach. Fajitaville is a three-story restaurant that sits right on the beach. In fact, the first floor Bamboo Beach Bar is an open-air bar where you can have your cocktail while you enjoy the ocean breeze and the rhythm of the nearby waves. You can also opt to enjoy your dinner there with a variety of choices including appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, and sandwiches.
We opted for the second-floor grill which offers an extensive menu including all kinds of fajitas, seafood, steaks, and Mexican food. Three of us ordered beef fajitas and one ordered chicken fajitas. They were served in a sizzling skillet with sauteed mushrooms, green and red bell peppers, and onions with sides of pico de gallo, shredded cheese, Spanish rice, refried beans, and your choice of flour or corn tortillas. The portions were extremely generous. Each skillet would easily have served two people. The fajitas were well-trimmed and perfectly cooked. We brought home enough to have dinner again last night and there is still enough for one more taco tonight.
My mother-in-law had the fried shrimp, which was the special that night. It came with seven large fried shrimp and a side salad. I didn't notice what other side came with it, but she also took a to-go box home. She said the shrimp was good.
We ordered one dessert which was split among the five of us. The Caribbean Bananas were really, really good. Warm bananas simmered in orange and brandy sauce served with vanilla bean ice cream. YUM!
The second and third floors are easily accessible by elevator. In fact, the hostess greets you as you walk up to the restaurant, joins you in the elevator, and escorts you right to your table. It was a nice touch.
Our waiter was helpful and friendly. The only complaint I have was that several of us tried to order pork medallions, then pork fajitas. Neither item was available. The waiter explained that they were in the process of changing their menu this weekend. I hope the new menus arrive before we go back. There is little that irritates me more than ordering something off the menu that is not available.
Perhaps the best thing about Fajitaville is the view of Corpus Christi Bay. It's nothing short of gorgeous. Sadly, they have chosen to install large televisions in every dining room and the bar. I could see three large flat-screens from where I was seated. When you have a gorgeous view of the ocean, do you really need the distraction of television screens? Keep your televisions in the bar, but leave them out of the dining room.
The addition of multiple televisions seems to be a trend in all the restaurants around Corpus Christi and it's a trend that I really hate. If I want to watch television while I eat dinner, I'll order my meal to go and pull up my own tv tray at home. When I'm dining out with friends I want to enjoy the conversation and the ambiance of the restaurant.
The food was definitely good enough to warrant a return visit. Next time my kids are home, we'll take them. I know they will enjoy the open-air bar right on the beach.
You can visit Fajitaville Grille at 221 South Hotel Place, Corpus Christi, Texas. They are currently undergoing some renovations. We found the parking lot somewhat tricky to navigate. The three-story building is brightly colored and stands out so it's easy to see, but you have to go around a hotel to find the parking lot. They could use some additional signage on the corner.
Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this restaurant review. We paid for our dinner. All opinions are my own.
