Cortez Seafood + Cocktail

4.7

851 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Great for outdoor dining
Good for special occasions
Charming

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

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 851 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
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail in Raleigh is a culinary gem with "fabulous food" and "flawless service." Known for its delicious octopus, ceviche, and oysters, this vibrant spot offers a "fun setting" perfect for date nights. Guests rave about the "amazing" dishes and excellent atmosphere, making it a must-visit.

851 Reviews

C
Cantey
Tahoe
40 reviews
5.0
40 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
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.
Is this helpful?
J
Juan
Raleigh
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
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.
Is this helpful?
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!!
Is this helpful?
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.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Louisville
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Amazing meal! We really enjoyed girls night and the small plates
Is this helpful?
E
Elaine
Seattle
55 reviews
vip
5.0
55 reviews
Dined on October 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Seafood was very fresh Great presentations Service was a bit behind but it didn’t reflect our dining decision We will be back again
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
Raleigh
39 reviews
4.0
39 reviews
Dined on October 24, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We reserved an outdoor table but one was not available when we arrived. Our server was not able to out-shout the noise from their speaker system so we were limited to menu descriptions. However, the food quality was exceptional. Food and drink selections were fine but not exceptional.
Is this helpful?
J
Jennifer
Raleigh
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing anniversary dinner at Cortez. Fantastic cocktails and yummy dinner! Octopus, tuna and scallops-all cooked to perfection with delicious sauces! Can’t wait to go back!
Is this helpful?
T
Terri
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service and great food. Highly recommend the octopus, shrimp, and mussels!
Is this helpful?
B
Bryan
New York City
62 reviews
vip
5.0
62 reviews
Dined on October 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our waitress was spot on with recommendations for amount and selection of dishes we ordered, food well prepared , delivered hot and delish
Is this helpful?

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 851 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

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

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