MarAzul Wisconsin Dells Review: Authentic Mexican on Broadway
Visited April 2026 · Updated
If you want a sit-down Mexican dinner in Wisconsin Dells that goes well beyond the usual Tex-Mex, MarAzul Mexican Bar & Grill on Broadway is worth a closer look. We stopped in for dinner on a Friday night in the off-season and left impressed. The food was really good, the space is much bigger than it looks from the street, and we're already planning to go back.
Quick highlights
- Right on Broadway, the main street in Wisconsin Dells, with street parking out front
- A huge two-level dining room that can handle big summer crowds
- A long menu: traditional Mexican plates, seafood dinners, steak and seafood combos, soups, fajitas and more
- Prices run a little above average for the area, but the portions and quality back it up
- Friendly, helpful staff
- New ownership and concept as of late 2025
- Open daily, 11am to 9pm when we went
Where MarAzul is
MarAzul is at 505 Broadway, in the heart of downtown Wisconsin Dells on the main tourist strip. You can't miss it. The front is covered in big food photos that give you a pretty accurate preview of the menu.
There's street parking right out front. On a quiet off-season Friday we found a spot easily. Broadway gets packed in summer, though, so leave extra time to park or walk over from a nearby lot.
The space: bigger than you expect
Walk in and you immediately see how big it is. There's a main dining floor, a mezzanine overlooking the room, a bar area with neon signs and a few arcade games near the entrance, and chandeliers throughout. It can absorb a full summer crowd without feeling chaotic.
We came in on a Friday evening close to closing, and it was quiet, which made for a relaxed dinner. There's a mix of booths and tables, colorful woven textiles on the walls and sports on the TVs. You can tell it really comes alive on a busy Saturday night in July.
It works well for families: lots of room to spread out, and the noise level on a quieter night was easy.
What we ordered
We picked two dishes from different parts of the menu to get a feel for the range. Both were excellent.
Bistec a la Mexicana
A ribeye cooked on a cast iron skillet with onion, tomato, jalapeño, avocado and grilled vegetables. It came out sizzling and looked exactly like the menu photo, which is always a good sign. The steak was tender and well seasoned, and the savory beef with bright tomato and rich avocado worked really well together. It comes with rice, beans and a basket of warm flour tortillas. A very satisfying plate.
Camarones Zarandeados
Grilled shrimp, Nayarit style, with rice, fries, a small salad and a piece of garlic bread. The shrimp had great char, and the Nayarit-style preparation gives it a smoky, lightly spiced flavor you don't get at most Mexican restaurants. Garlic bread with shrimp and Mexican rice is an unexpected combination, but it worked. A solid portion for the price.
The menu: more than you might expect
MarAzul calls itself a marisquería, which means its roots are in Mexican seafood cooking, especially the coastal style of Nayarit in western Mexico. But the menu covers a lot more than seafood.
There are traditional plates (Platillos Tradicionales) like carne asada, costillas de res, tampiqueña and cecina. Steak and seafood combos go up to $44 for big plates like carne asada with langostinos, or chapuzón (shrimp and octopus). The seafood dinners include whole fish, paella, shrimp cooked half a dozen ways, and specialties like Coco Relleno (a coconut stuffed with seafood and melted cheese) and Piña Rellena (a half pineapple stuffed with seafood).
There are also burritos, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, soups, molcajetes and parrilladas. Whether you want something simple or a full seafood feast, there's an option either way.
Chips and salsa come free with dinner, a nice touch at this price point.
Allergy awareness
Our son had eaten before we arrived, so we didn't ask the kitchen about food allergies this time. The staff were warm and communicative all night, which gave us confidence allergy questions would be handled well. The menu leans on grilled proteins and fresh ingredients, which can be easier to navigate for common allergens than heavily sauced or battered dishes.
If your family travels with food allergies, call ahead or ask your server when you arrive. We plan to ask on our next visit and will update this review.
Prices
Mains run from the mid-teens for simpler dishes up to $44 for the big steak and seafood combos. Our two dishes were $21 and $26. For a family of three with drinks, expect roughly $70 to $100 before tip, depending on what you order. That's a little above a typical casual Mexican spot, but the quality and portions make it feel fair. We didn't feel like we overpaid.
Practical details
- Address: 505 Broadway, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
- Hours when we went: daily, 11am to 9pm (check before you go)
- Parking: street parking on Broadway; easy off-season, plan ahead in summer
- Reservations: walk-ins were no problem in the off-season
- Price range: $$ to $$$ (mains about $14 to $44)
- Good for families: yes, with a big space, a varied menu and a manageable noise level
- Delivery: on DoorDash
- Website: marazulwisdells.com
Staying nearby
MarAzul is an easy dinner stop after a day on Broadway or a boat tour. My two homes are about 9 and 12 minutes from downtown, in quiet neighborhoods away from the strip, so you can eat on Broadway and be back at the fire pit before dark.
FAQ: MarAzul Wisconsin Dells
Is MarAzul good for families with kids?
Yes. The space is big and comfortable, the menu has plenty of familiar Mexican dishes next to the more adventurous seafood, and the staff are friendly.
Is MarAzul expensive compared to other Wisconsin Dells restaurants?
It's a little above average for a casual Mexican spot in the area, but nothing alarming. Mains run about $14 to $44. For a family of three with drinks, budget around $70 to $100 before tip.
What is MarAzul known for?
It's a marisquería, so its specialty is Mexican seafood in the coastal Nayarit tradition: grilled shrimp, octopus, molcajetes and surf and turf, alongside traditional plates like carne asada, fajitas and enchiladas.
Does MarAzul take reservations?
Walk-ins were no problem when we went in the off-season. On busy summer weekends, calling ahead is smart.
Where is MarAzul in Wisconsin Dells?
At 505 Broadway, in the middle of the downtown strip, with street parking out front.
Is MarAzul a new restaurant?
The building at 505 Broadway has been a restaurant for years, but MarAzul opened there under its current owners and concept in late 2025.
Our verdict
MarAzul earns a repeat visit. The food was genuinely good, not just good for a tourist town. The space is impressive, the menu gives you lots to explore, and the Broadway location makes it an easy call when you're already walking the strip. Prices are a little above average, but the quality matches.
We're looking forward to going back and working through more of that menu. If you want a real sit-down dinner in the Dells that goes beyond the usual tourist spots, put MarAzul on your list.
