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Famous Nashville seafood chain splashes into San Antonio with 3 locations

Captain D's is opening three San Antonio locations, starting in 2026.

A Nashville, Tennessee-based quick-service restaurant hopes to make waves in San Antonio. Captain D's Seafood Kitchen, the second largest seafood chain in the United States, will open three locations in Alamo City, with the first arriving in early 2026.

According to a release, local franchise owners Dave Peters, Brian Clemens, and Ruben Cardenas are eyeing the Lackland Airforce Base area for its first storefront but did not specify an exact address. The announcement did not mention the planned coordinates of the other two outposts.

Like similar seafood chains, Captain D's bread and butter is fried foods like catfish plates, shrimp baskets, fish sandwiches, and hush puppies. Unlike some of its competitors, it places a greater emphasis on lighter options like blackened tilapia, grilled wild-caught salmon, and fresher sides such as green beans and steamed broccoli.

The chain was founded as Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers when owner Raymond L. Danner Sr. was unable to expand the territory of his Big Boy restaurant franchise. The businessman changed the name in 1975, but it's unclear when he received his captain's license.

The concept currently has more than 500 locations nationwide, mostly centered around the southeastern states. The San Antonio stores are not the company's first foray into Texas. Captain D's has several outposts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and a handful of restaurants near Houston.

San Antonio has relatively slim competition in the fast-food seafood sector. Although Long John Silver's and Bill Miller's Laguna Madre Seafood Company have a presence in the city, most of the market is served by local spots like The Lighthouse Seafood and the iconic Fred's Fish Fry.

"My business partners and I only invest in the best businesses based on research, experience, and performance, and we feel Captain D's fits that criterion," said Peters via the news release. "San Antonio is home to restaurants and food from all over the world, and Captain D's hand-crafted cooking is a great addition to the area's rich culinary tradition."

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DEEP DIVE

Trendy poke bowl restaurant to debut in San Antonio with 10 locations

Pokeworks/ Facebook

Pokeworks is opening 10 area locations.

San Antonio is set to welcome a major expansion of Pokeworks, a rapidly growing poke restaurant chain from California. A new franchise deal will bring 10 locations of the popular Hawaiian bowl eatery to Alamo City within two years, marking the first Pokeworks storefronts in the area.

Motivated by a shared love of Hawaiian flavors, a group of friends founded Pokeworks in 2015. Like similar chains, it focuses on build-your-own rice bowls and salads customized with sustainable seafood and toppings like seaweed, edamame, and sesame seeds. The ingredients can also be stuffed inside a trendy poke burrito.

In addition to the raw fish dishes, the restaurant serves hot plates like charred teriyaki salmon and barbecued huli huli chicken. The plates come with sides like furikake macaroni salad and can be beefed up with add-ons like garlic Spam musubi.

According to a press release, the locations will be run by former Olympic swimmer Agustin Guzman. The entrepreneur is also developing several outposts in the Rio Grande Valley.

"I've experienced success across varying industries, but what sets Pokeworks apart is their momentum — it's a high-performing brand that's constantly improving, innovating, and growing," said Guzman, via the release.

Pokeworks operates almost 70 locations spread throughout the United States, Taiwan, and Canada, with plans to expand to Mexico. Its current growth trajectory will almost double the number of stores.

The chain has put down Texas roots in Houston, Dallas, and El Paso, but the closest Pokeworks to San Antonio are currently in the Austin area. The press release did not share which areas of the city the business is targeting.

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