Ben Little describes his South Padre Island restaurant as being “a bit off the beaten path,” on the bay side a block off Padre Boulevard.

Lobo Del Mar Café is on Palm Street at a spot adjacent to where the road ends before getting to the Laguna Madre. A recent visit to the restaurant on a late January weekday morning was busy, even during an off-season winter month when tourist numbers wane. For Little, it’s indicative of how Lobo Del Mar cultivates its customer base beyond seasonal crowds on the Island.

“You need to put an effort to show the locals that you run specials every day,” said Little, who oversees the daily operations of the family-owned restaurant. “It’s a way of getting them familiar with you and building your local trade, not just the Island, but Port Isabel, Laguna Heights and Brownsville.”

The year-round strategy appears to be paying off, judging by the number of diners enjoying their brunch. A bayside patio had diners a plenty. The wait staff was busy using the walkway connecting the two halves of the restaurant in serving customers. It’s an overall Island goal to become more of a year-round destination versus being wholly dependent on spring and summer tourists. 

Lobo Del Mar, it would appear, has gotten a head start on that pursuit.

“You do whatever you can to build up your business from all of your communities,” Little said.

Eclectic & Interesting

Little is a Los Angeles native with years of experience in the restaurant business.

He managed restaurants in Hawaii for years as well as ran similar businesses on the West Coast. Little speaks of enjoying the friendliness of the Rio Grande Valley and the state as a whole. He calls it “that Texas respect of people saying ‘yes sir,’ ‘thank you, ma’am’ … not that sort of ‘whatever’ attitude of L.A.”

Little came to South Padre six years ago with the family group he married into 30 years ago. The family that is headed by Rupert and Carrol Buntin acquired the Lobo Del Mar in 2018 as one of various business interests they own on the Island. The Buntins have lived in Hawaii, Washington, Alaska and Mexico before deciding to settle on South Padre. 

The menu of the eclectic restaurant on Palm Street reflects the diverse background of its owners. There’s a hula chicken sandwich with its Hawaiian influences of grilled pineapple to go with crispy bacon and Teriyaki sauce. Other dishes feature cod and salmon selections that reflect the years the Buntin family spent in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. The family has Texas roots so there’s also state favorites like ribeye steaks and chicken fried steaks. 

Wrap it all up with the ambiance and beauty of South Padre. The restaurant is currently thriving in a place that the well-traveled Little has come to appreciate.

“I really like it here,” he said. “This is an interesting place, the ocean, the sand dunes, the great weather year-round … just the friendliness and welcoming spirit you feel here.”

Family & Music

Beyond the great food, Lobo Del Mar also features an array of entertainment that includes live music and dance styles.

There’s a weekly “Fam Jam” with the unique experience of bagpipes on the edge of the bay’s waters. It’s a time for savoring “the timeless sounds of this age-old instrument,” says promotional material provided by the Buntins. Another night explores a variety of dance styles with performers demonstrating Polynesian dance, belly dancing, western swing and dancing accompanying Mexican music.

Little says the restaurant’s owners pride themselves in offering a great family-oriented venue. They also do what needs to be done, be it helping wait staff serve customers or greeting incoming diners. 

“It’s a family-operated business,” he said. “People see it and feel it when they come here. They meet family members and know their names. People here are really hospitable to you if you’re hospitable to them.”

Lobo Del Mar is located at 204 Palm Street. The restaurant opens daily at 7 a.m. with a bevy of $7 morning meal deals. Running those specials, which in Little’s view build ups the local trade, helps make the restaurant thrive beyond the heavy tourist months.