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Cortez Seafood + Cocktail, Raleigh, NC

Cortez Seafood + Cocktail

4.8
4.8
858 Reviews
$30 and under
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 20 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood 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
  • Area
    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
    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Experiences

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

    US$75.00 per person

    Prepaid

    31 Dec 2024 - 1 Jan 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
    New Year's Eve Dinner (Followed by a Fiesta!) photo

  • NYE Four Course Experience

    US$75.00 per person

    31 Dec 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

Menu

Our menu is printed daily and is subject to change

Oysters*

HALF Price Oyster Happy Hour 5-6 P.M.

  • Traps Bay, New River, NC

    Medium-High Salinity, Small Size, Meaty & Sweet

    • eaUS$2.75

  • Carolina Daydreams, Stump Sound, NC

    Medium Salinity, Small Size, Sweet Flavor & Garlicky Finish

    • eaUS$2.75

  • Core Sounder, Jarrett Bay, NC

    medium Salinity, Medium Size, Creamy & Sweet

    • eaUS$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*US$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 PapasUS$9.00

            Smoked & fried fresh dug potatoes, guajillo buffalo, blue cheese, pickled peppers, prosciutto, chives

            • Crab Avocado ToastUS$19.00

              Boulted Bread, Avocado Crema, NC Lump Crab, Kewpie Mayo, Fennel, Shallot, Peanut Salsa Macha

              • NC Peaches + BurrataUS$14.00

                Boulted Bread, Basil Oil, Balsamic

                Sea

                Sharing Plates

                • N.C. Snapper Ceviche*US$16.00

                  Red Onion, Serranos, Cucumbers, Pepper Mix, Tortilla Chips

                  • Hamachi + Tuna CrudoUS$15.00

                    Peppers, Cucumber, watercress, leche de tigre, guacatillo salsa

                    • Gambas al AjilloUS$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 OctopusUS$18.00

                          Buttered Beans, Tomato, Parmesan Butter, Charred Octopus, Chives, Chili Oil

                          • Fried Baja TaquitosUS$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 US$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 CornUS$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

                                            Last updated: 25 September 2024

                                            What 858 people are saying

                                            Overall ratings and reviews

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

                                            4.8
                                            4.8 based on recent ratings
                                            • 4.8Food
                                            • 4.8Service
                                            • 4.7Ambience
                                            • 4.5Value

                                            Noise • Moderate

                                            Diners' Choice Awards

                                            • 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.

                                            858 Reviews

                                            1. Nancy

                                              Raleigh

                                              11 reviews

                                              4.0

                                              11 reviews

                                              Dined 1 day ago

                                              1. Overall 4
                                              2. Food 4
                                              3. Service 4
                                              4. Ambience 5
                                              Not as good as it used to be. Last two times not as happy with the food. The service is always good. The octopus was as great as always. The avocado crab toast had too much topping. The taquitos didn’t have any flavor. Smash burgers good, fries are the best. Overall good but we won’t be going back for long while.

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                                            2. Diane

                                              Richmond

                                              1 review

                                              5.0

                                              1 review

                                              Dined 7 days 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

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                                            3. Mary

                                              Raleigh

                                              33 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              33 reviews

                                              Dined on 10 December 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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                                            4. Deb

                                              Greensboro

                                              6 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              6 reviews

                                              Dined on 10 December 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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                                            5. Laurie

                                              VIP

                                              Raleigh

                                              3 reviews

                                              2.0

                                              3 reviews

                                              Dined on 8 December 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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                                            6. Joe

                                              VIP

                                              Raleigh

                                              39 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              39 reviews

                                              Dined on 8 December 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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                                            7. Myia

                                              VIP

                                              New York City

                                              6 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              6 reviews

                                              Dined on 5 December 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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                                            8. Cantey

                                              Tahoe

                                              40 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              40 reviews

                                              Dined on 20 November 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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                                            9. Juan

                                              Raleigh

                                              2 reviews

                                              3.0

                                              2 reviews

                                              Dined on 16 November 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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                                            10. OpenTable Diner

                                              Raleigh

                                              2 reviews

                                              5.0

                                              2 reviews

                                              Dined on 13 November 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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                                            FAQs

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

                                            Cortez Seafood + Cocktail is rated 4.8 stars by 858 OpenTable diners.

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

                                            Make a booking

                                            2 people
                                            19:00
                                            Booked 20 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

                                            • Area
                                              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
                                              Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining
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