Seafood · McAllen, TX · $$

Camaleón by Don Arturo

Aquí el mar cambia de piel — where the sea changes its skin

Camaleon martini with olives beside a handwritten invitation on a napkin
  • Fresh seafood & Latin grill
  • Whole red snapper & grilled octopus
  • Ribeye aguachile
  • Live shows & karaoke Thursdays
  • Open until 2 AM Thu–Sun
  • Open 7 days from noon

Camaleón by Don Arturo is the newest name on the West Expressway 83 strip: a black-and-marble building you cannot miss from the frontage road, a dining room of velvet chairs under an LED video wall, and a promise painted on the sign — here, the sea changes its skin. It opened its doors in late 2025 and has already collected one of the highest Google ratings of any seafood room in McAllen.

The menu is a Latin American grill anchored by the water: whole fried red snapper, grilled octopus, the Camaleón spicy tuna, a braised cauliflower that has become a signature, and a ribeye aguachile that bridges the grill and the raw bar. Shared plates, prime cuts and craft cocktails round it out, with premium spirits and a curated wine list behind the bar.

It is also a show room. Thursdays bring karaoke, weekends bring live music and touring norteño acts, birthdays get cake with sparklers, and the kitchen and bar stay open until 2 AM Thursday through Sunday — later than almost anything else on the expressway. Reserve by phone; the menu is posted online.

Plan your visit

  • Hours follow the official Instagram profile. Delivery hours differ; confirm kitchen hours when booking a late table.
  • Some performances require tickets. Call the restaurant for the current schedule, availability, and group arrangements.
  • The official food menu lists an 18% gratuity for tables of more than six people or checks over $200.

Camaleón by Don Arturo is part of DTXENT's curated Rio Grande Valley dining guide — the tables we recommend when someone asks where the night should start. DTXENT curates this listing; menus, hours, and reservations are handled directly by the restaurant.

Want dinner here wrapped into a full night — show, ride, VIP, stay? Build your night and our concierge team will time everything around your reservation.

The Table

  • Camaleón by Don Arturo's marble-and-black facade on Expressway 83, McAllen
  • Camaleón's dining room with velvet chairs and the LED video wall
  • A cocktail napkin at Camaleón: “Meet me @camaleontx for a good time”

Photos courtesy of Camaleón by Don Arturo (Google Business Profile & Instagram).

Word of Mouth

What guests say

  • “Delicious food, excellent service, and great atmosphere! The staff goes above and beyond. They sang to the birthday girl and brought out a cake with sparklers, and they had karaoke on Thursday night. We had a blast!”
    Yesi T. · Google
  • “Beautiful, well-designed space, open seven days a week. This restaurant has some of the most amazing food around — excellent flavor, preparation, and presentation of all the dishes.”
    Derrick D. · Google
  • “Great staff, great ambiance, such a fun place for a dinner with friends!”
    Google

Quotes are excerpted from public guest reviews; DTXENT does not edit or solicit them.

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