La Camaronera: A Fried Food Paradise

Before walking into La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market, you need to remember two things. The first: Bring cash. The place does not accept credit cards. The second thing: Don’t tell your cardiologist. This casual eatery is known for its fried … everything.

People love the place — it’s been around for decades. But despite being around for so long, it was just recently that we visited La Camaronera for the first time. It certainly won’t be the last time.

When it comes to seafood, the restaurant offers a lot of variety. Appetizers include items like shrimp empanadas, conch fritters — and our personal favorite — Fried Calamari. Portions come big AF, so make sure you’ve brought a friend to help you dig in. Speaking of size, the Pan Con Minuta is quite the sight. The delicious, giant snapper sandwich should hold you over until at least two meals from now. There’s also a breaded shrimp sandwich and a lobster sandwich if those are more your style.

The trend of giant portions and flavors continues with even larger mains such as the Breaded Lobster and Fried Shrimp Combo, both of which will likely make your cholesterol spike (totally worth it, though). Should you be especially hungry or be part of a large group, the Whole Fried Fish is one way to make sure everybody leaves satisfied and full. It’s not the prettiest dish — just look at our photo — but never judge a book by its cover; it was a highlight of our meal.

The dessert list is short and sweet with three options: Flan, tres leches and key lime pie. To be frank, though, you probably won’t have room for them. Ultimately, our first visit to La Camaronera was long overdue. We’ve always driven by the place, but never while it’s open (they close at 5:30 p.m. on most weekdays). It’s not food we can eat every day, but now that we know what to expect, we’ll be popping in much more often.

 La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market is located at 1952 W Flagler St in Little Havana. For hours of operation and other information, visit their official website or call 305-642-3322.