where jess ate

If all you have in your pocket is $5, you’ll leave La Camaronera a happy customer!

La Camaronera (@LaCamaronera), brought to you by the Garcias brothers, started off as a humble fish market. They decided to bring in some deep fryers and that’s how it all began. Shortly before our visit, the restaurant space was renovated. The restaurant used to be standing room only but the new space now contains tables and chairs for a more comfortable visit.

Even so, it looks like most of the customers still prefer to eat standing up at the fish fry counter.

Service started off a little shaky. Despite many people working at the restaurant we were left ignored for a good while after being seated. No hello, no menus, nada.

We started off with the Conch Fritters ($9). One order came with 7 bite-sized fritters. The exterior was crisp and the conch-filled interior was light and fluffy. They reminded me of takoyaki! Highly recommended!

We also ordered the Camarones Fritos – Camaronera’s famous fried shrimp ($8). I was surprised by how large the pieces of shrimp were. The breading wasn’t too thick and really let the fresh succulent flavour of the shrimp shine.

You can’t come to La Camaronera without ordering their famous Original Pan Con Minuta – snapper sandwich ($5). For only five bucks, this sandwich is fantastic value. They fry up the entire fish and slap it on a soft bun with the fish tail sticking out of the sandwich.

The only fixin’s include mayo, ketchup and chopped raw onions but that’s really all you need. It’s a killer sandwich! The fish is fresh and fried perfectly. The taste is reminiscent of a Filet o’ Fish but 100x better.

Sure, the service wasn’t the greatest but when your food is this awesome, it can be forgiven. You can bet I’ll be back here on my next Miami trip.

At a glance:
• Famous for their “Original Pan Con Minuta” (snapper sandwich) for $5
• Seating in half the restaurant; standing room only at the counter
• Located in a small plaza with limited parking
• Service isn’t the greatest but the food is fantastic

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 1 star
• Atmosphere: 2 stars