Justin B.
Yelp
Let's be honest. People don't flock to a city like Laredo for the cuisine. No, people are in Laredo for other reasons, and my reason for being there is always work related. That said, El Capataz is a solid choice for Mexican-inspired seafood and other tasty options while dining in the "largest inland port in the U.S."
El Capataz is a bit of an oddity. Part sports bar, part tequila bar, and part restaurant, you can go in expecting a halfway decent selection of draft beer and tequilas to choose from. The menu consists of two sides of a laminated card (presumably for easy wiping from encounters with said beverages), but don't let that dissuade you.
My tablemate and I tried the ceviche, as well as the "Corvina Valenciana" (drum fish) and the fish tacos. Yeah, we're seafood people apparently. The ceviche was good, although it was shrimp-based instead of fish-based, which we didn't expect. It didn't matter, the ceviche was delicious. The fish tacos and the Corvina were also excellent, and I was excited to get so much good seafood in this "inland port" city.
Service was good and attentive, if a bit slow--but I've noticed that is typical for border towns, so I'm not holding any grudges. I will say, however, that El Capataz is loud, and with TVs plastered all over the walls, I felt a bit odd paying $14 per entre in Laredo in what really sort of felt like a sports bar.
A couple other notes on the Yelp listing. 1) While listed as "dressy," this place definitely isn't, at least by any normal standards (that's a good thing). 2) El Capataz is NOT open 24/7 (I think they closed around 11p on the Tuesday I was there).
My bottom line: When in Laredo, try the seafood, tequila, and beer; and try them at El Capataz.