I took a well-needed trip down to DeQueen, AR this weekend to visit my extended family. My parents grew up here, so pretty much all of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. live here.
Many of my family members have been raving about this new Mexican
seafood restaurant just outside of DeQueen, Daisy’s Mariscos (Daisy’s
Seafood) and couldn’t wait to take me there. Here’s the breakdown:
ENVIRONMENT
This restaurant is large, nothing fancy (my kind of place).
There are two dining areas, one with 4 person booths,
another with larger tables for bigger parties. We had 11
people in our party for a Saturday early dinner and they
fit us easily and comfortably.
MENU
The menu was surprising for a Mexican restaurant
in Arkansas. The majority of the food is seafood.
(Imagine that…with a name like “Daisy’s Seafood”)
There is plenty of shrimp, fish, even oysters! The
most popular items, based on Facebook reviews,
are the ceviches.
However, there are also typical Mexican dishes like
authentic tacos of various meats, fajitas, and gorditas.
It was difficult to choose, so I got some seafood and
some gorditas!
FOOD
Chips and salsa: Free
As soon as we sat down, we were given warm, house-made
chips that were thin and puffy. They were fantastic! These
came with a salsa that was thin (my favorite) and had a kick!
Guacamole Dip: Free
My family knew already to ask for their guacamole dip.
(Which they never charge for, but you must ask for it)
This comes either mild or spicy. We got both. It is a fresh-made
guacamole mixed with sour cream, which creates a very zesty,
creamy guacamole. Everyone loved it!
The spicy one was my favorite, and definitely left me needing
to blow my nose after a few bites.
Either spicy or mild, the “dip” is full of tomatoes, cilantro, onion,
and is delicious. I am not a fan of sour cream, but I did enjoy it
in this dip. We got three large cups-full! I can’t believe we got all
of this dip for free. They really should charge for it. People will pay!
Aguachiles: $12.99 for an entree
This was the star of the show!!! This shrimp ceviche came with
cucumbers, red onion, and avacado chunks and was dressed with
lime juice and plenty of spice. Freshly fried tostados came on the
side for dipping.
It was very large, as well. A huge glass overflowing with aguachiles!
Drew and I split this and barely finished.
This was extremely refreshing and I couldn’t get enough. This was
the best ceviche I have ever had! Definitely give this a shot.
Gorditas: 3 for $5.00
I ordered an asada (steak), pastor (pork), and pollo (chicken).
These come with lettuce and cheese, though it is not mentioned
on the menu. I didn’t even think to ask for no cheese (my bad!) But I got
a couple cheeseless bites in while Drew finished them off.
Honestly, they were a little dry. While the meats were flavorful
(the pastor had the most flavor) they could use a little sauce.
So we added some guacamole dip and salsa and they were tasty.
Tacos: $1.50 each
My dad ordered 4 of these babies, which were full of the meat
of your choice, and topped with a little onion and cilantro.
While the steak and pork were a little dry, the shrimp tacos were
bursting with flavorful, perfectly cooked shrimp. What a deal for
$1.50 each!
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo $12.99
My stepmom ordered this large plate of shrimp, sauteed in
garlic and butter/ oil. She asked for extra garlic, which is key.
While this dish doesn’t come with any sides, it is quite a large
plate full of shimp! If you like garlic, this will suffice, though I
could have used even more garlic….but I don’t mind bad breathe.
Ostiones preparadas de ceviche de camaron
(Oysters with shrimp ceviche): 1 dozen for $12.99 special
*Normally $19.99
My uncle’s favorite dish is this one! It happened to be the daily
special as well so he got a deal! These raw oysters are topped with
a special shrimp ceviche, full of mango, avacado, hot sauce, and lime.
While I am NOT a fan of raw oysters, many at our table gave these a try
and loved them!
OVERALL
The service here is great. While the food may take a while, it is because
they make everything fresh, which you can tell…and it is worth it!
Everyone that works here cares if you are happy with your food and
come to check, without being over-bearing.
They are working on a liquor license, so for now, you can bring your
own alcoholic beverages to enjoy! (My aunt Davonna brought some
frozen margaritas, which were delicious. Thanks again!)
While the prices may seem a little steep compared to other Mexican
restaurants around town, please keep in mind that seafood is not
cheap. The amount of food were given was well worth the price tag!
I will be back when in DeQueen!