Laguna Madre Seafood Company

Menu Items

Reviews

• ★★★★½ Fried Cod Garlic Bread Coleslaw Onion Rings Visited Aug 10, 2026

  Simple Seafood with Good Flavor & Affordable Prices

  Laguna Madre is no secret. There are several locations, and I eat at Laguna Madre every once in a while because the combos are hard to beat. The #4 Fried Cod Combo is my favorite. For those who don't know, Laguna Madre is part of the Bill Miller BBQ family and used to be called Barnacle Bill's. From what I understand, the restaurant changed hands within the family, was renamed, the menu underwent a few changes, and Laguna Madre was born.
  
  So what's great about the #4 Combo?
  
  The combo includes two decently sized pieces of fried fish, two side dishes, a piece of garlic bread, hush puppies, and a large beverage (soda or tea) for about $12.
  
  The fried cod is battered and fried with a golden crust that isn't overly crunchy. It's thin, with just a little crunch around the edges. The fish is tender, flaky, moist, and falls apart easily. It's honestly some of the better fried fish I've had, and while it's nothing fancy, it has really good texture and flavor.
  
  The coleslaw is creamy and has a unique flavor. The cabbage isn't chopped into mush or tiny bits, but it isn't cut into giant pieces either. It's the perfect size to pick up along with the fish, with a texture that's sort of a mixture of diced and shredded ingredients. I became addicted to this pairing when the restaurant was named Barnacle Bill's and they offered a fish taco in a crispy shell. The fish was topped with coleslaw, and adding a little Louisiana hot sauce made it one of my favorites.
  
  The garlic bread that comes with the plate is really good as well. It's toasted right before they bring your food out. It's a po'boy roll toasted with garlic butter on top. The crust and very outer edge develop a nice crunch without becoming overly dry, while the inside stays moist with a slightly stretchy texture.
  
  The combo, as mentioned, also comes with hush puppies and a large drink of your choice. Overall, it's a great deal for reasonably priced seafood that even includes a drink. I also like the tartar sauce here—it's one of my favorites.
  
  Service at this location has been consistently good across all my visits. Even though you order at a counter, they bring the food to your table, ask if you need anything else, and occasionally stop by to check on you, which is great service for a place that doesn't assign waiters or waitresses to tables.
  
  As far as criticisms go, the menu is a bit limited for a seafood restaurant. They occasionally have special items, but other than fried fish and shrimp, there are only variations of them: fish sandwiches, fish tacos, shrimp gumbo, and shrimp tacos. They do have burgers, chicken sandwiches, and chicken tenders, but nothing like scallops, clams, or oysters. There are no broiled or blackened options. The menu here is pretty simple, but the items I do order are really good.
  
  As far as seafood from chain restaurants goes, I actually prefer this over most of the competition. It's simple, it's affordable, the portions are good, and the food is consistent. For the money, you really can't ask for more.

  — Paul