Cortez Seafood + Cocktail

4.7

857 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 21, 2024

11:30 PM

Booked 15 times today

Experiences are available.

Innovative
Charming
Neighborhood gem

If you can't find the date you are looking for here, please call or text the restaurant directly at 919.342.8227 as it may still be available through our central booking.

Reservation Cancellation Policy: As we are a small restaurant with limited seating, No Shows and Reservations cancelled with less than 12 hour notice may be subject to a charge of $20 per person.

Our Patio counts on a heated and covered tent that will run through December, January and February for additional seating.

The Cortez is a fresh seafood and small plates experience with a freshly kept selection of tropical cocktails that draw on our food memories, travels through the years, and Mexican-American heritage.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Mexican, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:15 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–6:00 pm Weekend Dinner Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:15 pm
Phone number
(919) 342-8227
Website
http://www.cortezraleigh.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Chef Oscar Diaz

Location
413 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603-2198
Neighborhood
Raleigh
Parking details
Turn into the alleyway marked by the Cat Mural and you will find a private lot in our rear side of the building. Additional parking can be found at the parking deck behind the Carolina Ale House and street parking all around Glenwood South. We are handicap accessible!
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

New Year's Eve Dinner (Followed by a Fiesta!)
$75.00 per person
Prepaid
Dec 31, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025
Join us for your New Year's Eve celebration this December 31st as we feature a pre-fixed menu designed for sharing with friends and loved ones! We will be sending out four "waves" of food to guests with an optional wine pairing. If you prefer our holiday themed selection of cocktails instead, those will be available for purchase a la carte from your server. We have installed a heated tent on our front patio with a "Tiki Holidays" theme for those who select patio seating. For those looking to keep the festivities going until late, we will have DJs playing 10 p.m. onward as we countdown to 2025 at midnight with music and dancing going until 2 a.m. Our menu will be available to view at cortezraleigh.com
NYE Four Course Experience
$75.00 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Join us for your New Year's Eve celebration this December 31st as we feature a pre-fixed menu designed for sharing with friends and loved ones! We will be sending out four "waves" of food to guests with an optional wine pairing. If you prefer our holiday themed selection of cocktails instead, those will be available for purchase a la carte from your server. We have installed a heated tent on our front patio with a "Tiki Holidays" theme for those who select patio seating. For those looking to keep the festivities going until late, we will have DJs playing 10 p.m. onward as we countdown to 2025 at midnight with music and dancing going until 2 a.m. Our menu is available to view at cortezraleigh.com

Popular dishes

Traps Bay, New River, NC
Medium-High Salinity, Small Size, Meaty & Sweet
- ea$2.75
Carolina Daydreams, Stump Sound, NC
Medium Salinity, Small Size, Sweet Flavor & Garlicky Finish
- ea$2.75
Core Sounder, Jarrett Bay, NC
medium Salinity, Medium Size, Creamy & Sweet
- ea$2.75
Dress 'em All Up
Bell Pepper, Shallots, Serrano, Cucumber, Salsa Macha, Lime, Salt + Pepper (Add $0.50 Per)
Chargrilled Oysters
The Oyster Shooter*$7.00
Vodka or Tequila, Tomato, Serrano, Pineapple, Cucumber, Cilantro, Tamari, Lemon, Local Oyster

Sharing Plates

Charred Brussels
Brussel sprouts, black bean salsa, crema queso cotija, onions, cilantro, lime
Smoked & Loaded NC Papas$9.00
Smoked & fried fresh dug potatoes, guajillo buffalo, blue cheese, pickled peppers, prosciutto, chives
Crab Avocado Toast$19.00
Boulted Bread, Avocado Crema, NC Lump Crab, Kewpie Mayo, Fennel, Shallot, Peanut Salsa Macha
NC Peaches + Burrata$14.00
Boulted Bread, Basil Oil, Balsamic

Sea

Sharing Plates

N.C. Snapper Ceviche*$16.00
Red Onion, Serranos, Cucumbers, Pepper Mix, Tortilla Chips
Hamachi + Tuna Crudo$15.00
Peppers, Cucumber, watercress, leche de tigre, guacatillo salsa
Gambas al Ajillo$15.00
Shell-On Shrimp, Garlic-Butter-Lemon Sauce, Toasted Baguette
Coctel Mixto
Poached octopus, shrimp, oyster, cocktail sauce, dressed up mix, fried saltines
Charred Octopus$18.00
Buttered Beans, Tomato, Parmesan Butter, Charred Octopus, Chives, Chili Oil
Fried Baja Taquitos$15.00
Corn tortilla, shrimp, bell pepper, salsa roja, queso cotija
CORTEZ SAILBOAT
NC TIRADITO, 4 RAW OYSTERS (2 DRESSED UP), CRAB SALAD PEEL & EAT SHRIMP, OCTOPUS+SHRIMP COCTEL, FRIED SALTINES
Mussels & Picadillo $19.00
PEI mussels, beef picadillo, chipotle, basil, serrano, garlic parm toast

Larger Plates

Grilled Hanger Steak
Pinto beans, kale, mushrooms, molcajete salsa, pickled onion, cilantro
Al Pastor Local Catch Tacos
Al Pastor Marinated Tuna, Local corn tortilla, Farmers market Salas, Street corn, Salsa Diablo & Guacatillo
Grilled Whole NC Fish
Satueed Kale + Mushroom, Salsa Criolla
Triple Deluxe Burger
Brioche, triple beef patties, american cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles, burger sauce, handcut salt + pepper fries
Seared Scallops + NC Corn$36.00
Seared Maine Scallops, Coconut and corn puree, market corn + butterbean esquites, peanut salsa macha

Bread

Bread + Weed Butter
Baguette, Herb-Nori-Anchovy Butter

What 857 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
Innovative
Raleigh
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail in Raleigh is a vibrant dining spot known for its "fantastic" food and "amazing" service. Patrons rave about the "outstanding" octopus and oysters, with a creative menu offering unique flavors. It's a "must-go" destination for seafood lovers, ensuring a memorable dining experience every visit.

857 Reviews

D
Diane
Richmond
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious! I had grilled octopus on bed of beans (I didn’t know beans could be so delicious!). Sea bass was delicious too
Is this helpful?
M
Mary
Raleigh
33 reviews
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food, comfortable service, attentive team! We had the char-grilled oysters which were superb. The grilled romaine salad, the shrimp dish -and the taquitos were good, octopus exceptional! Try it, you will like it!!
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D
Deb
Greensboro
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wonderful dinner: oysters, grilled romaine, drum ceviche, a raw tuna dish and a shrimp dish - all on the small plate menu and all so good! Service was excellent. Our biggest challenge was finding the restaurant- no big sign however the sign on the door was helpful. Strong recommendation.
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L
Laurie
VIP
Raleigh
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
We were seated at an outdoor table on December 7th and it was very cold outside. There was a “heater” blowing directly on us but cool air was coming out. When we asked the waitress, she said it was working correctly and would heat up soon. Throughout our dinner, it blew cold. Near the end of our dinner, we overheard someone say “oops, the tank is empty”. Our requests were ignored, we were given incorrect information, and an easy fix could have been made an hour earlier. Instead we froze our way through the dinner. They offered nothing to compensate us for a miserable experience. The food is good but the customer service was really poor! So disappointing as we were entertaining guests from out of town. Really poor impression.
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J
Joe
VIP
Raleigh
39 reviews
5.0
39 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always great small plates, especially the pulpos. This time, I also tried the whole fish and it was excellent. Love this place!
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M
Myia
VIP
New York City
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 5, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The small plates were amazing. I had the crab toast and the smash burger. I would say the crab toast was definitely the star, but the smash burger did not disappoint either! The fries were really good as well great crunch on the outside and perfect softness on the inside just let the cool down before eating lol and use the neuter sauce to dip the fries!! Drinks were out of this world the B***h better have my Honey was delicious and a beautiful drink definitely recommend!
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C
Cantey
Tahoe
40 reviews
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderfully adventurous menu. Charred octopus was outstanding as were the buttered beans. Maria gave us great service. Just gotta be able to find the place! Signage the only thing not good.
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J
Juan
Raleigh
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very loud background music, difficult to have a conversation. Hard to find since there is no signage and building # is not visible from sidewalk. Very good clam chowder, the shrimp tacos good, the nc poor. Very good and prompt service. Parking is an issue.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Raleigh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everyone at Cortez was so helpful and lovely! Amazing food and amazing customer relations! And all but me had been before don’t was fun to watch them all fall in love with literally all the food and atmosphere!!
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P
Pablo
Raleigh
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 9, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food was great, our server Mary Beth was great, and the patio was great. The bass from the club next door was terrible. Go early to avoid the boom boom.
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FAQs

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 342-8227.

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail is rated 4.7 stars by 857 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 21, 2024

11:30 PM

Booked 15 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Cortez Seafood + Cocktail

413 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603-2198

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Raleigh
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:15 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–6:00 pm Weekend Dinner Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:15 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Mexican, Tapas / Small Plates
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Turn into the alleyway marked by the Cat Mural and you will find a private lot in our rear side of the building. Additional parking can be found at the parking deck behind the Carolina Ale House and street parking all around Glenwood South. We are handicap accessible!
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Oscar Diaz
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.cortezraleigh.com/
Phone number
(919) 342-8227

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

New Year's Eve Dinner (Followed by a Fiesta!)

NYE Four Course Experience

NC Snapper Ceviche

Gambas al Ajillo

Charred Octopus

Oysters*

Traps Bay, New River, NC

Carolina Daydreams, Stump Sound, NC

Core Sounder, Jarrett Bay, NC

Dress 'em All Up

Chargrilled Oysters

The Oyster Shooter*$7.00

Sharing Plates

Charred Brussels

Smoked & Loaded NC Papas$9.00

Crab Avocado Toast$19.00

NC Peaches + Burrata$14.00

Sea

N.C. Snapper Ceviche*$16.00

Hamachi + Tuna Crudo$15.00

Gambas al Ajillo$15.00

Coctel Mixto

Charred Octopus$18.00

Fried Baja Taquitos$15.00

CORTEZ SAILBOAT

Mussels & Picadillo $19.00

Larger Plates

Grilled Hanger Steak

Al Pastor Local Catch Tacos

Grilled Whole NC Fish

Triple Deluxe Burger

Seared Scallops + NC Corn$36.00

Bread

Bread + Weed Butter

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Cortez Seafood + Cocktail offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Cortez Seafood + Cocktail restaurant rated?

Is Cortez Seafood + Cocktail currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information