About
Located next door to the Grand Opera House on the Strand is Rudy & Paco. This elegant establishment has made a name for itself. Here, you will find innovation and perfected recipes with latin flavor. Additionally, you can look forward to top tier service!
Paco's Start
Paco's story in the restaurant industry began over 25 years ago. After immigrating to America from Nicaragua, Rudy gave Paco a job as a busboy. From there, he moved into the kitchen and continued to climb the ladder. His work ethic brought him a great reputation and opened many doors. Fast forward to today, Paco owns Rudy & Paco after Rudy's passing. In addition, Paco created Vargas, the restaurant across the street.
The Restaurant
The environment in the restaurant is moody and upscale. Your table will be preset with wine glasses, serving plates, cutlery, napkins, and candles. To begin with, your waiter will bring plantain chips and a mouth-watering chimichurri sauce to the table. Careful, these are addicting! Moreover, you can also expect your waiter to be an expert on the menu, the specials, and wine pairings. Also, note that there is a dress code during the dinner service and shorts are not allowed.
Further, one fun fact about this restaurant is they have a great wine club. For an annual fee of $1,000, you can attend two tastings a month. Additionally, you can purchase bottles at market price. That's quite a deal for wine lovers!
Bragging Rights:
Rudy & Paco is constantly being awarded because of their incredible food. Of course, their standard for service has also set them apart. Here are just a few of their recent accomplishment:
- Named one of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America by OpenTable
- Awarded Top 100 Restaurants in 2017 by OpenTable
- Awarded #2 of 180 Restaurants in Galveston by Tripadvisor
- "Faces of Diversity Award" awarded to Paco by the National Restaurant Association. This award celebrates Paco for achieving the American Dream through perseverance and determination.
We recommend trying these dishes at Rudy & Paco's:
Pelo de Angel
Pelo de Angel includes grilled chicken breast and angel hair pasta tossed in a tomato basil cream sauce. The house-made tomato basil cream sauce is the perfect complement to the chicken and pasta. Your tastebuds will thank you for this!
Paco's Signature Lobster Tempura
This dish will be the star of the table. One pound of lobster tempura is tossed in a sweet & tangy sauce. Served open face in a lobster tail, it's sure to impress. Note: Order this if your table has an appetite, the portion is large enough for everyone to share.
Pollo Empanizado
Plantain encrusted chicken breast comes served over a black bean sauce. The sauce is mixed with queso blanco, maduros, yucca, and sour cream. This is a signature dish and crowd favorite at Rudy & Paco's.
Local Tips
- Reservations are highly recommended - book by phone or via OpenTable.
- Shorts are not allowed in main dining room at dinner, but are accepted at the bar. Lunch is casual and shorts are acceptable.
- Restaurant is closed from 2PM-5PM between lunch and dinner services.
- 18% Gratuity is added to parties of 6 and more.
- Split checks are not allowed.
