Top Five Restaurants to Try on your Migration Vacation on the Upper Texas Coast

By Charlie Ayers

When visiting High Island, you will undoubtedly be enamored by the abundance of spring migrants that litter the trees and ground. So much that you may completely forget to eat! Once that hunger really hits, you’ll be wondering “where can I grab a bite around here?” Well, not to fear. In this blog post, I’ll tell you my top five places to eat near High Island on your spring migration vacation.

1. Stingarees: This laid back seafood restaurant is the favorite for many locals on the peninsula since it opened in 1986. Here, you can take a walk on the Cajun side and try some classics like seafood gumbo, boudin balls or their infamous “Redfish Louie” (blackened redfish on a bed of dirty rice topped with catfish etouffee and fried crawfish tails). They also have great burgers like the B-Rad burger that comes with a fried egg on it. The mahi fish tacos are also great. If you’re still hungry after all that, the key lime pie and bread pudding are excellent options for dessert. What truly puts this place at number one is the location. The restaurant sits right on the water and is a fantastic place to watch the sunset after a long day of birding.
   
   Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 11 am-8 pm, Friday-Sunday 11 am-9 pm
   Location: 1295 N Stingaree Dr, Crystal Beach, TX 77650
   
   
2. Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp: One of you wants Cajun food and the other wants Mexican. Well, you’re in luck. Tia Juanita’s provides the perfect blend of the two with its Mexi-Cajun Cuisine. To really confuse the taste buds, try the blackened gator tacos or the grilled boudin quesadillas. Other delicious options include their many different po boys like the oyster po boy, roast beef po boy and the Cajun girl po boy (grilled jumbo shrimp and grilled onions topped with pepper jack cream sauce and melted mozzarella). For dessert, try the sopapilla cheesecake – it is delicious. One of the great things about Tia Juanita’s is that they have two locations near High Island – one in the town of Winnie and another in Crystal Beach. Both locations put you close to some other great birding hotspots in the area with the Winne location being 30 mins from Anahuac NWR and the Crystal Beach location putting you halfway between High Island and Bolivar Flats Bird Sanctuary.
   
   Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm, Friday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm, Sunday 11 am-8 pm
   Locations: 244 Spur 5 SH 124, Winnie, TX 77665 and 2275 TX-87 Ste 15, Crystal Beach, TX 77650
   
   
3. Big Daddy’s Eatery: If you’re looking for something more casual but just as delicious, try Big Daddy’s Eatery. This classic southern diner in Winnie covers all the bases. The burgers are great – try their signature big-mac burger that comes topped with homemade mac and cheese. The seafood options are fantastic as well, like their grilled shrimp basket that is spiced to perfection. If you want something more traditionally southern, try their chicken fried steak or catfish and hush puppies. No southern diner would be complete without some mouth-watering dessert options. Try their peanut butter square (a graham cracker infused with peanut butter and dusted with powdered sugar) or their bread pudding. Big Daddy’s also provides daily specials that are excellent if you’re on a budget.  This restaurant is a little smaller than the rest and can provide some much needed calm amongst the craziness that comes with spring migration.
   
   Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm, Friday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm, Sunday closed
   Location: 312 Highway 124, Winnie, TX 77665
   
   
4. La Playita: La Playita is a laid back restaurant that provides all the classic Mexican flavors you know and love. The quesadillas, tacos and chalupas are delicious. Try the shrimp al la Mexicana – this meal provides you the chance to try some of the world famous gulf shrimp that was caught in the waters not 5 minutes from the restaurant. If you have some picky eaters in the crew, the burgers and seafood baskets are very good as well. La Playita is a great place to start the morning as they serve some of the best breakfast on the peninsula. Try the Spanish omelet that comes with ranchero sauce and beans inside. Then, drive just 10 minutes up the road to Bolivar Flats Bird Sanctuary where you may see up to 12,000 American Avocets foraging in the ocean.
   
   Hours: Monday-Sunday 7 am-9 pm, Breakfast 7-11 am
   Location: 703 Madison Ave, Port Bolivar, TX 77554
   
   
5. Nauti Beaver Hut: This chill bar and grill provides a fun atmosphere with delicious food. To start, try the beaver tails – four large jalapenos stuffed with their signature seafood stuffing and cream cheese. When you’re ready for your entree, the options feel almost overwhelming as you can get seafood, burgers, tacos and even pizza. Try the bonzai bacon burger that is topped with swiss cheese, bacon,  grilled pineapple, grilled jalapenos and red onions. It’s a sweet and spicy mouthful. If you’ve worked up a hearty appetite from finding all the birds your heart desires for the day, go for the seafood platter that comes with two fried fish fillets, four shrimp, six oysters, two stuffed shrimp and a side of curly fries. For dessert, try the uniquely delicious apple pie egg rolls that come drizzled with sweet caramel sauce. If you’re staying on the beach, this is a great late night hangout on the weekends that has live music most Fridays and Saturdays.
   
   Hours: Sunday and Wednesday-Thursday 11 am-10 pm, Friday-Saturday 11 am-11 pm, Monday-Tuesday closed
   Location: 1709 TX-87, Crystal Beach, TX 77650
   

We hope you enjoy your time birding (and dining on) the Upper Texas Coast!