A new seafood restaurant is quietly making waves on the North Side. Aguazul, led by lauded chef Enrique Lozano, officially launched Tuesday, February 25, bringing Sinaloan coastal cuisine to 2831 NW Loop 410.
Lozano may be a relative newcomer to the San Antonio scene, but he already has a national reputation. In 2023, his tiny taqueria outside El Paso, El Charlatan, gained him a James Beard Award semifinalist nod. He gained even more fans on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and a winning stint on Chopped. And he has made headlines for his zero-waste approach to running a restaurant.
Aguazul’s menu could double as a culinary encyclopedia. Although pizza and burgers appear on the jaw-dropping 18 pages, the main focus is mariscos like oyster shots, fried fish, ceviche, aguachile, and seafood soups. A previous press release stated that healthy eating was a goal, promising a blend of "traditional coastal flavors with nutritious ingredients."
Aguazul serves burgers and pizza, but the main focus is seafood.Photo courtesy of Aguazul
The drinks are a little more indulgent with selections like Blue Hawaiians, Palomas, vodka sours, and cantaritos. In an Instagram caption, it claimed its “strawberry cocktail is basically a healthy drink” since it contains fruit.
Aguazul isn't in San Antonio’s most glamorous location and is mostly surrounded by strip mall fixtures like The Liquidation Guys and Discount Tire. The building was the former site of a gentleman’s club, but a fresh coat of cheery turquoise paint has erased all unseemly associations. The sunny interior ditched the black lights for the faux greenery and woven fixtures of a seaside resort.
The restaurant is a little behind schedule. After first introducing itself to San Antonio in August, it teased that it would open in February 2025. Aguazul never explained the delay, but Lozano may have been chasing perfection. According to Yelp, the restaurant was holding friends and family services as early as last November.
The restaurant has not announced its permanent hours after its grand opening. Its most recent Instagram post says it is welcoming customers from 11 am to 10 am daily.
