Cortez Seafood and Cocktail

Hands down our favorite happy hour date spot in Raleigh.
Do yourself a favor: Go at 5pm on a Friday, sit at the bar, order an oyster shooter and whatever cocktail you wish (they're all amazing), split oysters & the burger, and DO NOT skip dessert. If there's a seasonal cake/ice cream, order it. Otherwise, the churros and the tres leches are both amazing. Repeat monthly!

We had an amazing time from the beginning. Our server was Nick and he was amazing the entire time. We ordered the gumbo shrimp, charred Pulpo, NC potatoes, and charbroiled oysters! Everything was delicious we devoured it. This is a place where you want to go for a quality food experience over quantity. My mother and I were celebrating her birthday and they were so kind and gifted us a churro dessert topped with ice cream with this delicious caramel salted sauce, and two candles to top it off. They also gave us champagne. We brought cheesecake to celebrate and they went above and beyond to put candles on it too! We love the food. We love the staff that we left the atmosphere highly recommend this place and make sure you make a reservation. Definitely worth it! We will be back for sure! Also, we had the watermelon Sugar cocktail, I loved how it was not too sweet and it was such a nice blend. Very refreshing!

Once in my Raleigh top 10, Cortez has fallen off a bit for me. Staff turnover has left the staff not as friendly and the menu a little limited. The whole fish might be sexy to look at but it’s mostly just overcooked fish and certainly over priced because of it. I still love the swordfish on the menu and can always find something in the small plates but I feel like there used to be more. Ultimately Cortez is still a 5 star restaurant for me and possibly still the best restaurant on Glenwood South but it was definitely time to adjust my previous glowing review.

Cortez was the first restaurant I went to in Raleigh. I was visiting from out of town pre-Vid and friends recommended it. I loved it. Fantastic craft cocktails delicious food, perfect for sharing, friendly staff, and a wonderful aesthetic. When I moved to Raleigh in 22 we bought our house partly because we could walk to Cortez from our house. I’ve been back several times since moving to Raleigh and it’s still a great restaurant and place to grab a drink. They have streamlined the menu a bit over this last year but the food is still great just fewer choices. If the swordfish is on the menu it’s my favorite dish here. Just amazing. The burger is so much better than it should be at a seafood restaurant. It’s not my favorite burger in Raleigh but it’s on my list of favorites, that said I would bathe in their secret sauce if I could get enough of it. And the churros are a great way to finish if you want something sweet.

Quaint and intimate space. We decided to sit at the bar to avoid the awkward talking-over-the-table deal. Which was great, because we got to chat with the bartender Jack and watch the chef at work over the flames and the oysters being shucked.

The Pulpo is the BEST we’ve had in the city - counting Madré and Oro. The NC Papas were also very interesting, and the chowder fries were super loaded with clams. The swordfish with mash was also 10/10. Very high quality, fresh, and flavorful all around.

Had a great experience at Cortez! Menu is a bit limited so make sure to check before you go if you’re a picky eater. Our food and drinks were reaaaally good. I liked the decor inside and personally love their music playlist haha. The service was great too so overall a wonderful experience. They get very busy during the weekend so make sure to reserve ahead of time.

If you want a romantic night with great service and amazing food… THIS IS YOUR PLACE! 100% recommend. We definitely coming back. The portion of the food and the taste of it was really good.

Had a dinner date here. There is parking available in the alley next to it and you can find it by looking at the cat mural. The food was really really good and the flavors were balanced (eg, the charred octopus goes so well with the fresh greens and the beans served together). The cocktails were really were complex and tasty without packing a very high amount of alcohol. The swordfish and the mash went well together as well! My only minor complaint is because of the open kitchen design it gets smoky and the ambient noise is a bit high. Other than that, a lovely place for food and drinks which are creative and delicious!

Great dinner date night with my hubby.
Food and service was perfect. The tres leches cake was 🤌🏾

I’ve been to this place twice and both times it has been amazing! The ambiance is hip and chill, a very nice place for a date night or just to have a night out with friends. The menu is small which keeps everything fresh and delicious. The drinks are amazing!!! They always change their menu so they keep it interesting. Definitely recommend this place! Tonight for appetizers we ordered the octopus which was to die for and the oyster’s along with an oyster shooter. For the main entree we got the swordfish and mash which was sooo flavorful, couldn’t have asked for a better entree. Of course we had to order dessert to end the night with a high note and those churros were so crispy and the pumpkin ice cream just took it to another level. Can’t wait to go back and try all the other things they have to offer.

Amazing food, amazing staff, great music, intimate vibes. When you look at your chefs, and they are smiling, you know it's an amazing place. Also the wait staff are very fun, good vibes people. This is the best place on Glenwood by mile and change. I mean do you know another restaurant, that does beans so good, you think of your grandmother?

We were seated at 8pm, the service was very good and the menu and the food were excellent. The music was very good and just the right volume. We had oysters and mussels. Delicious! Definitely want to go back!

I took my mom here for the first time and she thought it was BOMB.

Made a rezi through open table, I guess I clicked bar seating.. not really sure what happened. Anyways they sat us at the bar and we asked if there was anyway to sit at a regular table. The hostess ended up moving some tables around for us and was able to accommodate us.

We ordered a bunch to share and everything was awesome! Will definitely be going back again to try the whole fish!

This gem takes Latin flavors and marries them to seafood and creates an elevated experience like no other. From the “weed” butter right to the caramel coated Churro doughnut, your taste buds will thank you for introducing you to Cortez. You’d never guess it but they also have one of the best burgers you’ll have in Raleigh. But don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself. They’re also known to mix some unique and whimsical drinks. If you’re in downtown Raleigh put them in your list of places to eat. It’s one of my top 10!

Omg! The food and cocktails here are amazing!! We tried a little of everything. We got there early enough to enjoy the happy hour oysters, and an oyster shot!! The sailboat sampler was to die for, lots of delicious seafood but, the octopus was the star of that dish for me. The ceviche and papas were also yum. The dessert (Suspiro) was unique and did not disappoint. The ambiance was very fitting with the menu and the staff was very attentive and made awesome suggestions. We will be returning to this spot! Cortez is a definite must try if you’re on Glenwood!

Delicious food, great service, fun music/atmosphere, and beautiful decor. We came for an anniversary dinner and had a great experience! I started with the mango yuza margarita and shared a half dozen oysters (very affordable with happy hour pricing). They all tasted great- cold and fresh. For our meal we shared the papas (AMAZING), ceviche (very flavorful and tasty) and tuna tartare (the only thing that was meh). Overall we had a great meal and will definitely be back to try more!

Cortez has the best raw oysters & the pink venom is out of this world! Their signature burger is worth trying too! Thank you Mary Beth for the great hospitality, will be back!

Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and answered all of our questions. I’m not a big oyster fan, but their oysters were fresh and yummy! We also had the Brussels sprouts, chowder with fries, bulgogi steak, and shrimp tacos. Everything that we ate and drank were amazing. The vibe was cozy and they made sure the place wasn’t packed. Make a reservation! Definitely coming back for lunch.

This is becoming our weeknight happy hour spot. The Core Sounder oysters are so good, low salinity and a tad creamy plus the bonus is the happy hour price (from 5-6pm.) Cortez’s snapper ceviche is delicious and in fact the best ceviche I have had anywhere. The ambiance is welcoming, our bartender Nick was friendly and informative, and the overall experience was great. We will be back soon!

Ummmmm yeah no one come here it’s all mine 🙈🙈🙈 absolutely LOVE ♥ this place. Go try it. New favorite place. Amongst the TOP 5 restaurants in the triangle. Presentation, quality, service, menu options, atmosphere all 10/10. Thank you 🙏🏼 highest compliments to the chefs!

This was my first time eating here and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Raleigh. All the food was absolutely delicious, the staff were very friendly and the environment/ambiance was on point. A must try for all my seafood lovers out there. Will definitely be going back!