Breakers: A Seafood Joint 5106 Old Bullard Road Tyler, TX. 75701 www.breakerstyler.com Hours: Monday thru Friday 11:00am till 10:00pm Saturday 12:00pm till 10:00pm Sunday 12:00pm till 9:00pm
The inside of Breakers is nice. It looks a bit like a surf shop with all those surf boards hanging on the walls. The menu is pretty small. It’s mostly seafood, of course, with a few obligatory additions like steak and burgers.
We started out with an appetizer. I wanted to get the avocado fries but my wife overruled me and ordered the Golden Fried Calamari Rings. The calamari rings cost $7.95 and came with marinara dipping sauce. They tasted alright but I hate that rubbery texture. Oh well, what else can you expect from calamari.
I was torn between getting the fish and chips or the Breakers angus burger. But finally I decided on something else altogether. I got Fried Seafood Sampler which is supposed to come with clam strips, deep fried shrimp, and fish with your choice of French fries, sweet potato fries, or kettle chips for $12.95. For some reason, however, they were out of clam strips so I just asked for more fish instead. They also let me get a mix of French fries and sweet potato fries.
My wife chose the Atlantic Salmon (it also costs $12.95). It comes grilled or broiled with lemon caper butter and served with golden potatoes or rice pilaf and the vegetable of the day.
After we place our order we waited and waited and waited. My wife was starving and about to weep from hunger but finally the food came. Her grilled salmon was excellent just really late. We heard later they were one short on the floor and one short in the kitchen. My food was good but not exceptional. Breakers is a decent seafood joint but I don’t think it’s better than most. We probably won’t go back anytime soon.
Friday and Saturday 11:00am till 11:00pm and Sunday 11:00am till 9:00pm
My wife and I recently came to Tyler and were looking for a good place to eat. My sister-in-law had mentioned that the Fish City Grill was good, so we decided to give it a shot.
The Fish City Grill is in the Macy’s Plaza on South Broadway. We went in, sat down, and placed our drink orders. For drinks you can choose from a frozen gold margarita, Bill’s Bloody Mary, iced tea, peach tea, sodas, pink lemonade, and Community Coffee. I ended up just getting a boring old Diet Coke. Several of the appetizers on the Fish City Grill menu sound really good. My wife was interested in getting an order of Coconut Shrimp but they cost $7.99 for five shrimp. Sure they’re jumbo shrimp, but they aren’t that jumbo. They also have Oyster Nachos, Maryland Crab Cake, Blue Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, Crispy Calamari, Raphael’s Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, Fried Dill Pickles, Honey Chipotle Shrimp, and other tempting options. I am sure the Oyster Nachos are fine, but I have to say that they sound disgusting. It is a little frightening to see the words “oysters” and “nachos” so close together.
There were two specials going on the night we ate at the Fish City Grill. They had all you can eat fried catfish, which was pretty tempting to me. But I was trying to eat healthy so I went with the second special, which was Blackened Tilapia. The Tilapia came with rice and mixed vegetables for $9.99, which I thought was a good deal. I was able to substitute new potatoes for the mixed vegetables at no extra charge. The Blackened Tilapia was very tasty and I was quite satisfied with my meal. My wife ordered the fish and chips which she really enjoyed. I tried one of her waffle fries. The seasoning on it was really good. She did say that they gave her way too many fries, though. Maybe they should call it Fish-N-Chips-N-More-Chips. My wife also got the apple cider slaw with her meal but she didn’t really care for it.
The Fish City Grill also has a combination seafood dinner option called Create Your Own Catch. You can choose from shrimp, fried oysters, or catfish served with apple cider slaw and waffle fries or rice.
The Fish City Grill’s Steamer Platters look really good, although they are also the most pricey items on the menu. The Steamer Platters come with Alaskan Snow Crab legs, andouille sausage, new potatoes, and corn on the cob.
The Fish City Grill doesn’t just have seafood though. They also have what they call “Things That Don’t Swim.” These non-swimming dishes include Red Beans and Rice, Hugo’s Louisiana Pot Roast, Chicken Breast Dinner, and Smothered BBQ Chicken.
Don’t forget about the soups, salads, and sandwiches at the Fish City Grill either. The soups at the Fish City Grill come in a cup for $3.99 or in a bowl for $5.99. There are three kinds available: Born on the Bayou Gumbo, Clam Chowder, and Cream of Roasted Jalapeno Soup. There are seven kinds of salad to choose from at the Fish City Grill. Shrimp or chicken can be substituted on any salad and there are several homemade salad dressings to choose from, such as Ranch, Creole Honey Mustard, or Thai Peanut Vinaigrette. The most interesting-sounding salad options are Grilled Salmon (grilled salmon with Asian noodles and capers over mixed greens), Pecan Crusted Shrimp (dried cranberries, feta cheese and honey pecans over spinach with raspberry vinaigrette), and Thai Coconut Shrimp (jumbo coconut shrimp over mixed greens served with Thai peanut vinaigrette).
There are also four kinds of sandwiches at the Fish City Grill and several kinds of Po Boys. Po Boys are served on a baguette with remoulade, lettuce, and tomato with fries or coleslaw, and they all cost $6.99.
Finally, if you find yourself at the Fish City Grill you might want to consider getting one of their Down Home Desserts. Our server told us that their best dessert was the Homemade Bread Pudding (with caramel whiskey sauce). Unfortunately, they were out of it the night we ate there. I guess I’ll have to try that the next time I eat at the Fish City Grill. That, and the Alaska Crab Platter, Buffalo Shrimp Po Boy, and Pecan Crusted Shrimp. Ok, maybe I’ll have to go back a few more times.
My wife and I liked the Fish City Grill in Tyler. It seemed simple and unpretentious and had good food. I would recommend to anyone who is into tasty, affordable seafood.
