Mariscos San Pedro has been a longtime contender on my list of restaurants in Pilsen. I had read great reviews about the restaurant that seems to be loved by many first-time visitors and locals. I was excited when a group of us decided to go because we we did it the way group dinners should be done if you enjoy trying a variety of dishes: ordering a bunch of small plates and sharing. I really enjoyed the restaurant and it pleasantly surprised me with dishes like an amazing Mixta Tostada and Crab Rangoon Empanadas, a cross-culture combination that turned out to be excellent. The seafood selection on the menu was great, and I'm glad we ordered a variety to really get a good sense of the menu.
After dinner since we were in Pilsen, we wanted to grab a drink somewhere in the neighborhood, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to check out a restaurant and cocktail bar that has also been on my list for quite some time: Cerdito Muerto. Cerdito Muerto has an incredible story, and I am really glad we were able to go.
The owner, Emidio Oceguera, was born and raised in Pilsen. The building that Cerdito Muerto is in has been in Emidio's family for years. Previously a pool hall owned by his father and a taqueria, Emidio opened Cerdito Muerto continuing the family legacy in the building. After visiting on Saturday, I learned he was actually one of the warm and welcoming faces we encountered when we walked into Cerdito Muerto. I really appreciate seeing owners who are there to greet customers and stay involved in the restaurant, especially on a packed Saturday night. We took a bit of a gamble walking in since it's a very intimate cocktail bar, but we were able to squeeze in between reservations for a drink. I absolutely loved it and we all thought it was a great after-dinner drink. It has a speakeasy feel with a dark and candlelit ambiance. Definitely worth checking out, but on a Saturday night a reservation is definitely needed. This dinner to cocktail bar combo was a great Saturday night in Pilsen, and something I'd love to do again.
Cerdito Muerto
Here is everything we ordered at Mariscos San Pedro:
Cocktails - Spicy Margarita and Carajillo: I ordered the Spicy Margarita and I really liked it, wasn't very sweet which is something I always hope for when ordering a margarita. The table favorite was the Carajillo, also not overly sweet and very smooth. Overall, great cocktails.
Coctel: We saw a few different tables ordering this, and at first I didn't think it was worth ordering. It looked like a simple shrimp cocktail dish to me. But the flavor ended up being far from simple. It comes with shrimp, octopus, crawfish, and avocado, all served in a bright, delicious sauce. I'm glad we ended up ordering it.
Tuna Tostada and Mixta Tostada: We ordered two tostadas to split at the table. The Mixta Tostada was probably my favorite dish of the night. It had incredible flavor, and the smoky sauce that came with it complemented the dish so well. The Tuna Tostada was just okay for me. I didn't feel like it had nearly as much flavor, so I'd probably skip the Tuna next time and stick with the Mixta.
Mixta Tostada (left) Tuna Tostada (right)
Crab Rangoon Empanada: This lump crab empanada was creamy and delicious on the inside and crispy on the outside. I loved the tropical sweet and sour sauce that came with it, and this dish was definitely another table favorite. They're good-sized empanadas and were easy to split between a group of five. I would definitely order this again.
Pan de Elotes: This sweet corn bread was one of the more comforting dishes of the night. It was warm and soft with a slightly cake-like texture, and the natural sweetness of the corn balanced out the more savory, seafood-heavy dishes we had ordered. While I really did enjoy this dish, I'd probably put it at the bottom of dishes to order and prioritize more of the seafood dishes to get more of a flavor experience.
Mussels and Fries: The mussels were served in a lobster reduction, and we all enjoyed this dish quite a bit... enough to order more bread to soak up that savory, flavor-packed sauce. This was a great dish, and I'd order it again.
Chipotle Braised Short Rib: One of the first things I noticed was how incredibly tender the short rib was... it fell right off the bone. This was a great dish to break up all the seafood we had been ordering, and if you're not a seafood fan, I'd definitely recommend ordering this. It's a pretty large portion, so it was a great option to share, too.
Photos from Cerdito Muerto
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