As a native Galvestonian, I thought I?d post a list of my favorite restaurants. Here it is.
Mexican
El Jardin ? This is, in my opinion, the best Mexican restaurant on the island. Their lunch is really good, but their breakfasts are truly excellent. Try the surprise burritos or the huevos rancheros. They have wonderful homemade tortillas, and great menudo if you?re into that kind of thing. 24th and Market. Closes at 3 PM and closed all day Sunday.
La Estacion - I go here primarily on Sunday, when El Jardin is closed. They have similar menus, but La Estacion seems to have a more extensive non-breakfast menu. Surprise burritos are good here, as well as just about everything else. 25th and I think Church. 6 am ? 3pm 7 days.
Super Mercado Hispanos ? This place is actually a convenience store/Mexican market that has a food counter in the back. The tables are situated in the middle of the restaurant, and they have great tacos, burritos, tortas, and Mexican plates. The portions are huge and cheap. It is often necessary to speak Spanish here (or point to what you want on the menu board.) around 35th and Broadway
Taqueria Juarez ? A great place for breakfast or lunch. Close to UTMB. I have only had a few items here, but their breakfast burritos and breakfast plates are as good as any I?ve had. Around 14th and Strand.
Cavazos Taqueria ? I ate here almost every day when I first started working at UTMB. They have good everything. Tortas and Gorditas are some of my favorites here. A couple of times a week, they set up a small buffet. 6-2 M-Saturday. 9th between Market and Postoffice
Apache ? One of a small number of small, family-owned Mexican restaurants that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (most close in the early afternoon). They have good tamales, enchiladas and specialty dishes. 7AM-8:30 PM 19th between Church and Postoffice
El Gusto ? This place is also open at night, and they have a lot of good, authentic food. Try the tortas with barbacoa, lengua (tongue), or milanesa. They always have menudo, caldos, and seafood entrees along with the standard Mexican fare. Around 37th and Broadway
Santiago?s ? Santiago?s is open for lunch and dinner, and they have good standard Mexican food. Their fried shrimp and grilled fish are wonderful. 53rd and Broadway. Closed Sundays.
Gorditas ? This place is relatively new, but they have developed quite a devoted following since its opening. Their food is not Tex-Mex, however. It is authentically Mexican, with some distinctly Interior dishes. Their soups are really good, as are their tortas. around 7th and Seawall.
Maya?s - On Sundays, go get a pound of barbacoa, fresh salsa, and a dozen fresh tortillas from Maya?s, and take it home and enjoy. It?s on the corner of 18th and Ave L.
El Nopalito ? There are two of these in Galveston, but I really prefer the one on 43rd and somewhere north of Broadway. It?s actually surrounded by Sec. 8 housing, but their food is really good for breakfast and lunch.
Burgers, Sandwiches, etc...
Sonny?s - This place is touted as a medical student hangout, but on any given night there are plenty of non-medical student there too. They have great burgers, po-boys, gumbo, and spaghetti. Also, try the Artery Clogger Sandwich. Closed Sundays and Mondays and often for an entire month during the summer and Christmas time.
McDonald?s ? One of the island?s best-kept secrets. Very quick and the food is usually hot and made to order. Try the ?Big Mac? (a double-decker burger with thousand island dressing), or the Royale With Cheese (a quarter pound burger with ketchup, pickles and onions). A Galveston original. A drive-through window is available too. 7 days 7am-10pm. 61st and Seawall, 53rd and Broadway, 4th and Seawall. Just kidding.
Yaga?s ? This place is a popular bar at night, but they have good food during the day. The burgers and salads are all good, and on a nice day, you can sit outside on the patio.
The Spot ? This is a fun place to get a burger. It?s akin to Fuddrucker?s in that you dress your own burger from a toppings bar. They also have good po-boys and salads. Plenty of deck space overlooking the Gulf. Lunch, dinner. 35th and Seawall.
Smooth Tony?s ? Burgers, sanwiches, wraps, pasta (on Weds. and Fri.) and myriad smoothie flavors. Smooth Tony?s is very close to campus, and they have a nice back patio area. 9th and Market. Lunch.
Schutte?s ? Great for the kind of lunches that cause afternoon narcolepsy. Comfort food and sandwiches are good here. They have a lunch special that consists of 1 meat and 2 veggies from a list that runs about $7. 11-3 M-F. 8th and Postoffice.
Sunflower Bakery ? Great bakery items, salads, soups and sandwiches. Great for a snack or a meal. Morning to early afternoon. 15th and Church.
Sunflower Cafe ? Same owners as above, but with a more extensive menu. They are also open for dinner on the weekends. Everything I?ve had here has been good. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. 45th between Ave P and Ave O.
Mosquito Cafe ? I wasn?t sure how to classify this place. They have sandwiches, soups, salads, seafood etc... Everything is fresh and there are some very inventive, tasty dishes. Try the divinity sandwich (smoked bacon, melted brie, grilled apples and field greens on a baguette). They?re open for lunch every day and dinner Thurs, Fri & Sat. 14th and Winnie.
Italian
DiBella?s ? Great Italian food. The bread is excellent, as mentioned by another person on the UTMB thread. All of the pasta dishes I?ve had here are good, and the steaks smothered in onions and mushrooms are really good too. Around 29th and Ave P
Luigi?s ? A little more upscale than DiBella?s, with excellent food. A great place for a nice special occasion dinner.
Pasta Plus ? This is a lunch place. For either 4.99, 5.99 or 6.99 (depending on the entree), you get an entree, salad, bread and a drink. Try their house salad dressing (creamy spinach).
Japanese
Sky Bar ? An upscale Sushi Bar. They have some great sushi rolls and really fantastic shashimi. Great drinks too. 21st and Postoffice. Dinner only.
Yamato ? A lot like Benihana, where they cook in front of you. Good sushi menu, too. Dinner only. 61st and Heards Lane.
Casual Seafood
Casey?s ? Run by the Gaido family that owns 3 restaurants in the 39th and Seawall block, this is the least formal of the three. Fried seafood platters and po-boys are good, as are the fish entrees. During oyster season, I like to go have fresh oysters on the half-shell and Bloody Mary?s at Casey?s. Good service and a good view of the gulf. Lunch and dinner. 39th and Seawall.
Benno?s ? Good cajun seafood place. They have po-boys, crawfish and crabs (in season), gumbo, and blackened dishes. Very casual, and always a fun place to go. Lunch and dinner. Around 12th and Seawall
Shrimp and Stuff ? Good po-boys, gumbo and fried seafood platters. Very casual, and off of the tourist path. 39th and Ave. 0 Lunch and Dinner
The Cajun Greek ? Good po-boys, crawfish etc..., cold beer , and good gyros too. Lunch, dinner. 61st around Stewart Road.
Upscale Dining
Clary?s ? This is kind of a hidden treasure. It?s very much off of the tourist path, and kind of hard to find at first. It?s worth a few wrong turns to get here, though. Excellent, expertly prepared seafood and steaks with a definite Louisiana influence. Wonderful service and ambiance. Take the Teichman Road/Harborside off of I-45 south and go right onto Teichman Road.
Gaido?s ? This restaurant has been open since 1911 in Galveston. Fresh seafood and nice atmosphere. Try the Snapper Michael or the stuffed flounder. Fresh oysters when in season (oyster season is all months with an ?R?) 39th and Seawall. There is also private club restaurant in back called the Pelican Club that is more formal, but has a similar menu.
Saltwater Grill ? This is a great place for a nice dinner or lunch. Fresh, inventive seafood, pasta and steak dishes. The daily specials are wonderful. The lunch menu is very reasonable. 21st and Postoffice.
Rudy and Paco ? Great food, innovative menu with a Central American influence. One of Galveston?s finest restaurants. 21st and Postoffice
Shearn?s ? Atop the Moody Gardens hotel, this is a great place for a fine meal or drinks at sunset. Try the filet mignon with Bernaise sauce. Moody Gardens hotel.
The Steakhouse at the San Luis ? Some of the best steaks in Texas. Definitely a special occasion place. The porterhouse I had there was one of the best I?ve ever tasted. In the San Luis Resort 54th and Seawall.
-Aaron 2008
). It is a one bedroom apartment with a secure separate entrance. No hairy pets please (fish are OK). 
