By Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register
Mariscos El Capitan, the Mexican restaurant that specializes in seafood, moved to south Des Moines into a restaurant with more space.
The restaurant opened its original location on Sixth Avenue in Des Moines in June 2023, quickly earning a loyal following for its vibrant take on Mexican-style seafood. The restaurant recently expanded to a second, much larger location at 6050 S.E. 14th St. in Des Moines, offering a spacious venue for live music, weekend parties, and family gatherings that opened on Nov. 5.
The new space includes a full-service bar, a stage for live banda and norteño performances and a festive ambiance that leans into coastal Mexican vibes with colorful décor, upbeat music, and a party-ready atmosphere.
Rogelio “Roger” Ibarra opened Mi Ranchito with Italian and Mexican food in Marshalltown in 2016 and then sold his share in 2022 to open Mariscos El Capitan in Des Moines.
Ibarra came to Marshalltown with his family in 1999 after immigrating from Villachuato, Mexico, in Michoacán. Ibarra also owns Mariscos El Capitan 2 in Marshalltown.
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What to order at Mariscos El Capitan
- Charola El Capitan, $89.99: This seafood platter comes with marinated shrimp, octopus, scallops, and oysters.
- Aguachiles divorciados, $29.99: This dish separates red and green aguachiles with a row of scallops. Aguachiles are raw shrimp “cooked” in a spicy, chili-lime marinade, similar to ceviche.
- Mojarra El Capitan, $27.99: This whole fried tilapia comes topped with jumbo shrimp in spicy red sauce.
- Caldo 7 Mares, $29.99: This rich seafood stew is loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp and crab.
- Molcajete El Capitan, $49.99: This cold seafood dish is filled with shrimp, octopus, cooked shrimp, scallops and oysters.
- El Coco Playero,$27.99: This relatively new dish comes with shrimp, octopus and crab meat ceviche in a Clamato-based salsa and served in a coconut.
- La Piña Marisquera, $34.99: Shrimp ceviche is served with fresh pineapple, topped with cooked shrimp, raw shrimp marinated in lime and octopus.
The restaurant also carries tacos, burritos and fajitas. Sauces and salsas (both mild and spicy) are made in-house.
For drinks, the micheladas and colorful clay-pot cocktails are crowd-pleasers. The Giant Cantaritos meant to share is filled with tequila, lime, oranges, orange juice, pineapple juice and Squirt.
Where to find Marisco El Capitan
Location: 6050 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-348-1115 or mariscoselcapitandsm.com
Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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