Black Pearl

It’s been awhile since we’ve been here, we were the first customers for the day at 11am. The food is tasty and homemade. I remembered the onion rings being a little tastier but overall still a good meal. The service was acceptable but I had to keep asking for things ie napkins, condiments. They have happy hour on Sundays but just the oysters, dozen for $20. They also have weekly specials Monday-Friday.

This restaurant review will be a little different. The Black Pearl Oyster Bar is a local favorite known for its fresh Gulf seafood, generous portions, and inviting atmosphere. Here is where I usually write my review. But - I believe this is truly a case of "A picture is worth a thousand words" I had a Shrimp Po-Boy with fried okra. My buddy had a CUP of red beans & rice. Here are those pictures. The meal tasted as good as it looks.

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 friendly, too.

Usually go for seafood when on the island. Came here at about 4pm and wanted a seafood platter but learned that platters are only on the dinner menu, so we came back later for dinner. Got the fried seafood platter with fries and it also came with a dinner salad, which was nice. Seafood breading was right amount of crispiness and seafood tasted great. Boudin balls had a good level of spice too. Friendly staff and good service; casual, pleasant atmosphere, and has a bar.

I hate leaving not so great reviews. We came here hoping to get some delicious oysters. We thought they were charbroiled, but they were not! Opened the box to chewy, almost raw, big chunks of chopped spinach, couldn’t even swallow wet oysters. Called and got a refund. Atleast management was understanding.

Small restaurant in Galveston near the Strand. They have a limited menu and provide huge portions. We started with the Calamari. It was a large portion for an appetizer, so we had plenty to bring home. They were very good and the marinara sauce was awesome. I had the Softshell Crab Po-boy with onion rings. It was fantastic. They have a full bar with specialty drinks available.

Great service and excellent food! We just order appetizers but more than enough for a Sunday afternoon lunch.

Our server was great, very attentive, and kept our water cups full and we had no issues with anything. The seafood gumbo had a good amount of shrimp, oysters & sausage in it and the fresh crab meat on top was amazing. But I felt like the actual gumbo lacked some flavor or seasoning or something; it was a little blah in my personalopinion. The red beans and rice was amazing! It had a rich smokey flavor that was so good. We really wanted to try hot Oysters Three Ways but was told they only serve that at dinner (after 5pm), so that was a little disappointing and wish that was mentioned on the menus, as we would have come for dinner instead.

We are in Galveston for a cruise and this lovely restaurant was very close to our hotel. Everything was excellent. I had the grilled redfish and my husband had the blackened salmon with pontchartrain sauce. The sauce was decadent and ridiculously delicious. My redfish was tender and super fresh. Our server was lovely and really took care of us. We are coming back to Galveston in a couple of months and will definitely be back.

The food was okay, the service was somewhat alright but the ambiance view of downtown Galveston was great! Seafood was not fresh as expected. 1) Oysters doesn't taste like oysters (imitation oysters) 2) Fish fell out of fried batter and broke into pieces 3) Onion rings are plain / basic really no flavor It's not all that to be honest

I'm not exactly sure how there are so many good reviews. Went for dinner. Ordered oysters, they were TINY, the small oyster fork was larger than the oysters (like dime size oysters. Ceviche was very salty and lacked any flavor. The shrimp platter was ok, and the Diablo shrimp was good, but served with about 3 spoonfuls of rice. Service was very slow getting seated and ordering, took about 20 min to get order in after we sat down. (Not very busy at all) And the kicker to the night was spending all night in the bathroom sick with food poisoning. Food is very overpriced for the quality. We left feeling very disappointed. Will not return.

We came in again for lunch this year and again the service was excruciatingly slow. Only two servers for a busy lunch crowd. They were working their butts off, too, and very friendly despite being busy. The upside? All the food came out hot and delicious! Catfish and oysters were fresh, French fries perfectly crispy. Generous portions. Worth it if you're okay with slow service.

Black Pearl is an excellent cajun seafood spot located in downtown Galveston, but it feels like you step in New Orleans when you walk in. We received a warm welcome from the staff and were sat immediately. Beware of their huge portions! I ordered the seafood platter with green beans and a cup of seafood gumbo. The gumbo was packed with shrimp, clams, oysters and sausage. The combination of a delicious roux and fresh seafood made this the best gumbo I've ever. I enjoyed the seafood platter for my entree and it was more than enough for 2 people. The shrimp and catfish are fried in a perfectly crunchy cajun batter. The tarter and cocktail sauce taste like they are made in house and complemented all the food. Also the boudin balls are loaded with flavor and great dipped in ranch. The Black Pearl is a Galveston gem, can't wait to go back and try the shrimp po boy!

Excellent food and fantastic service. Skip Gaido's and make this a must do on your list.

I've been visiting the Black Pearl since I was in high school (mid to late 2000's) and this place has remained a must visit every time I am in Galveston. Dozen oysters is mandatory. The boudin balls are large and have good flavor. I wish the fried coating matched the crunch/coating on their onion rings or okra. Their poboys are enormous. My go to is the soft shell crab. Their seafood gumbo is even bigger. If you are getting other menu items, I recommend a cup over a bowl. A bowl is like two meals! Their gumbo is packed with shrimp, oysters and crab meat. Just amazing! Y'all keep it up and we will continue to be back.

This is such a cute, local place. Lots of New Orleans influenced touches in the decor and menu. All of the tables were full when we got there, so we sat at the bar. Our drinks tasted good, but weren't very strong. All of our meals came with a decent house salad; I forgot to take a picture. I did ask what lettuce was in the salad and was told romaine. When it arrived I discovered that it was iceberg mixed with romaine. I am intolerant of iceberg, so had to pick it out of my salad in order to safely eat it. That was annoying. The grilled red snapper was flaky and well-seasoned, and the melted butter it was served with complemented it well. I chose a baked potato as my side, minus the sour clean. It was cooked well, and they were generous with the bacon and cheese. It was yummy. I couldn't eat my bread (fructan intolerance), but my friend said it was fluffy and delicious. The person was shucking oysters right in front of us at the bar, so I would definitely check this place out if you are an oyster lover. It's always fun to find a local place.

June 11, 2023 Brought a family member visiting from Tennessee HERE out of ALL the seafood places on the island and he said, the oysters were tasteless and small. How embarrassing is that? TWO STARS. HOW does an Island along the Gulf of Mexico allow this? I mean, he's used to picking them off rocks so he knows FRESH and these weren't it. BOO! Ashley was our server, she's sweet. I had stuffed shrimp jalapeno poppers--yum. Bloody Mary's were tasty too DO BETTER ON THE BE RAW OYSTERS

Asked Yelp for a list of best seafood places, and this unique place came up as one of the top in Galveston. Even though June does not have an "r" I went ahead and ordered a dozen raw oysters, and they were very good. Local gulf oyster season is over but these were really good. I ordered a cup of seafood gumbo and some fried mushrooms, and that was enough for two. My wife got the shrimp Po Boy with okra, and one of my kids ordered the mufaletta. They have a daily special as well, which was the chicken fried chicken, and my other son got that. It was prepared in true Texas fashion, and he declared it good. The gumbo had loads of shrimp and sausage and was very good. The mushrooms were perfectly fried and tasty. The shrimp Po Boy was huge and enough for two. Everything was very good, the portions were huge, and the service was awesome. I really liked the ambiance of the place. It had a cozy dining area with a bar that ran the length of the joint. If you're looking for some good seafood and comfort food, this is a great place to go.

This was our date night selection and it was mostly good with a couple of not so good things. I got the fried seafood platter with fried okra...so there was a ton of okra that was nice and big, but a lot of flavorless batter (too bad). The shrimp were big and very good, the oysters were mostly pretty decent, the boudin balls were very good, except again too much batter and my fish was super disappointing...it was a very small and undercooked piece of catfish. However, our server was very nice, so I would try it again.

This isn't a fancy spot but the food is spot on! Raw Oysters are always fresh and yummy. The Black Oyster is a small place with friendly servers and good food, I will be back next time I visit Galveston!

Absolutely fantastic!! Oysters were FRESH and all the dishes excellently prepared! Definitely worth the trip to get here!!

The location, waitress and ambiance were great. But the food, was not as good. The crawfish étouffée was horrible, it tasted like day old fish from the market. The bread pudding was so dense my fork wouldn't go through it, literally! My bloody Mary's were watered down, the tomato sauce tasted a bit soured. We were super excited to go here and I will give credit where due, the oysters were phenomenal.

Every time I have been there is a line out the door. I was surprised the first time but quickly understood why! Each time I have the muffuletta as they're hard to come by! Freaking amazing and I hate sharing with my husband

Great catfish and large portions. Service was friendly. Ambiance was casual. It's a great no-frills spot in Galveston.

The Black Pearl was one of our favorite restaurants for several years. We would dine here multiple times during our weekly stays on the island; however, after a recent visit we no longer recommend this place. The food and service is not the same. New owners, perhaps. The crab cakes were okay, but different than before. The crawfish étouffée was bland and liquid soupy. And, watch your bill as we had 4 glasses of wine, but were charged for 4 bottles. Hum. Guess they were trying to recoup for the restaurant being empty during prime dinner time. Too bad, but there are many better options nearby.

Ordered the ceviche and fried calamari. Ceviche: Fresh items on that dish include tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, cilantro, avocado sliced on top and a lemon wedge and garnish. And that's where the freshness ended. Shrimp and fish were rubbery, tasted old. Nachos that came with the dish were stale. Calamari: portion was HUGE but the calamari tasted frozen and not properly thawed out and was fried to an inch of its existence rendering it completely tasteless. Service was great, everyone was very kind and checked on us a many times. Ambiance is awesome, if you don't mind the flies buzzing around

Best Fried Okra I have ever had. Good times. Highly recommend if you are visiting Galveston.

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL. We came from New Orleans for a few days and came here for dinner. Let's just say it was less than decent. My husband had the Ahi Tuna that had no sear in sight on it...I had rubbery red fish that undoubtedly had been frozen for some time with "lump crab meat" topping which looked more like cauliflower snowflakes that could not be more dry, both times they attempted it. GROSS. My daughter had the grilled salmon that had zero flavor...all 3 of us had a baked potato thank goodness otherwise it would've been a complete strike out. My other 2 kids had crawfish etoufee and gumbo which seemed to be ok since they both came pre-made out of can. The one saving grace was our server Katherine who was a delight..and very apologetic. SAVE YOUR $ & SKIP THIS PLACE. I also ended up at urgent care the next morning

Had the shrimp poboy again today. Wife had the tuna sandwich. Friend had the catfish. All were very good. This place is always great.

I have to say, we are regulars to The Black Pearl, for over 10 years. This has been our go-to place. They have the best gumbo on the island. After our trip today we will probably not ever go back. Our service was EXCELLENT. We started with the shrimp stuffed jalapeño poppers and they were huge and flavorful. The huge let down was our soft shell crab po-boy. It's been our favorite dish. Today the crab size was barely enough to call it a sandwich. It use to have so much crab we couldn't even close the bread. Now one tiny little crab. And the po-boy bread was terrible!!!! It like a little hotdog bun. My husband and I use to share this and the gumbo. Not today. And the breading for the soft shell crab and the okra was also different. Not anywhere near as good as it use to be. Unfortunately with this change and the fact that there is no kids menu we will probably not be back. Too many other excellent places to eat on the island.

Been a few years since my last visit and they are still a great option. I remembered the weekday lunch specials from my last trip being a great value and they've still got them, albeit a couple dollars more - just like everything else. Service was very pleasant and prompt despite a decent lunch crowd. The space is clean with a few TVs at the bar to catch the game.

Nice place. Sat at bar both times. Great seafood gumbo. Oysters are good too. Will eat here again

Unfortunately, this review needs to be written in hopes things change. We have been to this place many times and have not had any complaints, EVER. It's a Galveston staple and has been for many years. Today was disappointing to say the least. The oysters were not good at all and the usual seafood gumbo was bland and not excellent like it usually is. Sadly, the salad was the best dish we had but how to do you mess up a salad? As a customer that comes here every time we are in Galveston and recommends this place to everyone, I don't feel like I can anymore. Please make a change so when we do come back it's like old times!!!

Food was good and has a great experience. The restaurant was nice and the service was good .

Couldn't wait to try this spot, because I've been on an oyster kick for the past couple of months. We went for dinner on a Sunday evening around 7:30 pm, and I was surprised to see the place was practically empty. We sat ourselves as instructed and our server came over shortly. She was very nice and friendly and gave us tips on the menu items. Our food came out shortly and wow were the portions here impressive! The sandwich was so huge I had to take out half of the oysters to fold it over. That's not a complaint by any means. It was overall delicious and I can say my oyster po'boy craving was satisfied. Our server came and checked in on us often. Overall it was a great meal. I hope they stay around for a while. We would definitely come back here again when in the area.

Stopped in to try the oysters and loved everything about this place. Even though there were 3 cruise ships in, the place wasn't overrun. Loved the ambiance. Great menu, and even better service. The oysters we wanted were only on the dinner menu but the bartender took care of us. The folks sitting next to us had Tito's oyster shooters (interesting) and shrimp stuffed jalapeño poppers. They raved about both of them. Great stop while in the downtown area.

WORST SERVICE EVER! This is our second time here and it's like Dejavú. The service here is TERRIBLE! If you are the owner and reading this you should be ashamed of yourself not acknowledging what's going on in your restaurant. Staff cannot multi task, they are trying their hardest trying not to let shit hit the fan. THEY NEED PROPER TRAINING AND DIRECTION! The host has no idea what the F*** is going on, he looks lost. A homeless man came inside the restaurant with his bike screaming out he wanted water and it took about 5 minutes for a worker to tell him he had to leave. FOOD REVIEW Food is mediocre and bland. Oysters on the half shell weren't so great, fried mushrooms were amazing. Stuffed shrimp is overrated. Water tastes dirty. Tables are not cleaned correctly (we have video for proof) stuffed flounder was a big thumbs down. The burger was amazing , food was hot. If you wan to wait long you can eat here but def not worth the wait. The locals will hype up these shitholes, but no me! I'm born and raised in Galveston.

This cozy restaurant needs to expand for more seatings! There's a line on the weekends. We love the fried rice, all the different shells, raw oysters, and grill squid. Their sauces are tasty and different. The service is a little slow but there's usually only one waitress plus boss lady are doing everything in the front while her husband and his helper is working the kitchen. They also serve boba as well!

Great Food and even better service. Place is clean and prices are reasonable. Dont pass this place up if your close by.

Parking was a little difficult for me to find, there's paid parking 9AM-6PM, free after that: It's all street parking as well. The inside does look a little old but don't let that fool you! Very simple layout, was greeted when I walked into the door and was told I could sit down anywhere available. Server asked if it was my first time and he was happy to point out popular items and personal favorites. I ended up ordering a shrimp po boy with cheddar cheese, side of French fries and a dozen oysters (happy hour). I came on a Monday for dinner and I enjoyed it here very much. Definitely recommend coming by this restaurant for some oysters!

So much to say-- amazing food. Service was a bit slow but who cares.. we were in no rush This will be one of our stops for SURE when we come back.

Good service, friendly atmosphere. Food and drinks were tasty and quick hitting the table!

Amazing! Best calamari I've ever had. We ended up going there twice. Oysters were amazing and po boy was bigger than my head. It was great. Delicious!

Rough exterior and interior but it's an old building on corner in an even older city. In our party we had two of their signature drinks the Iguana and the Peach Horizon! Both good but I loved the freshness of the Horizon! We had a dozen oysters on the half shell .. no complaints. The crab/shrimp stuffed poppers were wonderful! Lunch was the shrimp enchiladas. A large serving and very tasty! Our server was pleasant and efficient. Everything arrived very timely .

Dropped by Black Pearl Oyster Bar for lunch during the week and so glad we did! There's metered street parking available surrounding BPOB. It wasn't very crowded and we sat ourselves right away. We started with the calamari, which is plenty of food for two people. It comes with hot marinara that was delicious as well. For my entree I ordered the gumbo. There was a fair amount of seafood in the gumbo and it was very filling. Service was good and staff was very friendly. I can't wait to come back to try more on the menu.

First let me say that we really liked the waiter. He was super friendly and funny, especially when he told me that he would give me recommendations if it wasn't for the fact that he doesn't like seafood. Ha! We got the calamari and the catfish with fried okra. Everything was super crispy and the batter for each of the items had good seasoning. The catfish was cooked perfectly and we loved the fried okra. Even though some people don't like the slimy-ness of okra, we still do. And again, that catfish.... so good. The calamari had a great marinara sauce that did feel like it was just phoned in and served from the can. Really great and surprising given that it was kind of hard to see from the street.

I think that The Black Pearl is my favorite restaurant for lunch on the island. It might also be for dinner but I haven't made it there for that yet but will one day as they have a separate dinner menu. For lunch I don't think it can be beat. My visit last week for lunch was to order the fish sandwich which is tilapia and can be grilled, blackened or fried. I chose the latter. For the side dish I went with the onion rings and the MSRP for the meal was $13.95. The food arrived in less than 15 minutes. Like my previous experience where I ordered the shrimp po boy, this fish sandwich was humongous in size. The filet was so large that I cut it in half and put it aside. I think it would have been impossible to eat the sandwich with the entire filet and would have fallen apart. The remaining half stayed on the big bun and was still plenty of fish for the sandwich. It was delicious on the bread bun with lettuce, tomato and some mayo added. The other half of fish was eaten separately. The side of onion rings were lightly battered, hot and enjoyed. Finally the table service was very attentive. This was an excellent tasting lunch that amazed me not only with its quality but especially its quantity. A common theme with their sandwiches here is their large size. You definitely get your money's worth here. Like I said earlier I must get by and try dinner which is a more expensive menu. If I have the same experience, I must upgrade the score here to a 5.

Love! Love! Love! Lori was fabulous!! I would definitely recommend this place. My husband and I were looking for a place to get boiled shrimp and oysters on the half shell. This place delivered and so much more

We really loved the service, the food wasn't a good experience. We ordered a red snapper an it was super rubbery, spices were good but it wasn't a good consistency. The bounty mix was good (plain good, nothing stood out) except for the oysters (that we didn't enjoy). The butter made all better so, the prepared butter was what made things more flavorful but it was an add on. Drinks were good too. I read many comments and I was expecting a better experience. Again, service was perfect, food wasn't well done.

Yay for Yelp letting us know about this spot. It is a small place. It's off the "main strip" but still close enough to other bars if you're wanting to go other places after. I knew I didn't want anything Fried and chose I had THE best plate, The Bounty mix. The serving size is good. And although it says it comes with rice, surprisingly there is much more seafood given than rice. I didn't get a chance to try the oysters. Maybe next time!

I need to figure out how to reserve my preferred bar seats! We eat here every time we are on The Strand! The appetizer Crab and Shrimp Cakes is a generous serving of two 4" patties and the Remoulade is delicious. Also an appetizer, The Catfish Strips include a single side. It's a hard choice between onion rings and sauteed green beans. The Red Beans and Rice are life changing. Stella Artois on tap and Abita Turbo Dog in bottles. the wine list looks decent and they also have the "hard stuff."

Enjoyed dinner. Had dozen delicious huge oysters to start. They were amazing! Had salad & shrimp for dinner. Everything was good and enjoyed but the oysters were the highlight!

Always wanted to try this place, so tonight was the night. It's Friday at 9:31pm on St Pattys Day. The place was busy but we settled in to 4 seats at the bar - only to be told by the bartender that they stopped seating at 9:45. What? Hours state they're open until 11pm! After we quizzed him, he then said that if we ordered immediately - ok, he would accommodate us. As soon as I asked for an Espresso Martini (as advertised on their window) he said no. He can't make espresso. I'm sorry but there's something wrong with how this place is managed. Idk if we will try again or not. So sad.

Their raw oysters are always good and fresh!! They have a variety of dishes even for those that don't want seafood. We like the oysters, ceviche and fried fish! It's a perfect stop after a day on the beach!

The food, service, and ambiance has changed. This used to be our favorite restaurant. The staff is all now kids who rather hangout and chat with their friends rather than wait on tables. The staff was playing their own music over the music that was also playing throughout the restaurant. We were not asked for refills on draft beer or water. It was very disappointing! The food was sub-par this visit as well. We had multiple fragments of shell in our oysters. It felt like we were interrupting the servers social time with their friend's.

I've been back several times since my last review and it's still so good! A tip though regarding the gumbo, we went later in the evening and it didn't have oysters in it all and a small amount of sausage and shrimp. So I'd recommend going for lunch or an early dinner.

We overheard someone in a store recommend the Black Pearl for lunch so we quickly jumped on the bandwagon. It was a short walk from the Strand's main shopping strip. Cute little place with a long bar & a pirate/mermaid theme. We started with the fried mushrooms. They were MASSIVE and so good. I ordered a Catfish Po boy (sandwich). When it arrived the largest piece of catfish that I have ever seen sat atop soft French bread with onion rings on the side. OH MY GOODNESS---this was so delicious and I now have dreams of this sandwich. I definitely recommend this restaurant and will return someday.

I was super excited to come back to eat here, until I had my gumbo. It tasted pretty bland not the intense flavor you normally get when you start eating your gumbo. The catfish Poboy, however, was divine. The scent lingered from across the table and I was so jealous. You get a large fillet. I'm coming back here for the catfish Poboy next time.