Where can I get great seafood in Roma Norte without a Contramar reservation?
Head straight to Mi Compa Chava on Calle Zacatecas. This Sinaloa-style seafood spot is loud, casual, and serves incredibly fresh raw shrimp, ceviches, and their famous Costa Azul taco—shrimp wrapped in bacon with cheese. It captures the energy of a coastal palapa right in the middle of Roma Norte. There are no reservations here, so you simply show up, put your name on the list, and wait with a cold beer.
What locals actually do
While visitors plan their trips around Contramar’s tuna tostadas, locals head to Mi Compa Chava for a completely different, northern-style seafood experience. The focus here is on mariscos al estilo Sinaloa, which means heavy hands with lime, chiltepín pepper, and black sauces. Chilangos love the casual, high-energy atmosphere—it feels like a beach party rather than a sit-down white-tablecloth lunch. If the wait at Zacatecas is too long, we also slip into Con Vista al Mar on Jalapa for quick Mazatlán-style fish tacos and cold Pacificos in a retro diner-like space.
Order the Señora Torres at Mi Compa Chava—a towering stack of raw shrimp, cooked shrimp, octopus, tuna, avocado, and red onion drenched in a savory chiltepín salsa.
Practical notes
- 01Arrive by 12:30 to avoid the longest lines, especially on Fridays and weekends when the wait easily stretches past 2 hours.
- 02Try the Aguachile Negro if you love serious heat; it is loaded with fresh shrimp and a deeply spicy charred-pepper sauce.
- 03The seating is mostly communal wooden benches and high tables, making it ideal for small groups rather than large family gatherings.
Good to know
- ✗They do not take reservations; the waitlist is strictly first-come, first-served at the door.
- ✗Kitchen hours are daytime-focused, usually wrapping up around 19:00, so plan for lunch, not late dinner.
- ✗Valet parking is available, but walking or using rideshares is much easier on busy Zacatecas street.