Family restaurant brings their Mexican seafood to Yuma with new location

YUMA (AZFamily)— A family restaurant from San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico, is making its mark in the desert southwest, bringing Mexican seafood to Yuma with their third restaurant that opened up earlier this month.

El Navegante, which translates to seafarer, started 24 years ago with a small food truck.

Alberto Ortiz, owner of El Navegante, partnered up with his brother-in-law, and they ventured into the seafood business.

“I bought a food truck for five hundred dollars. It’s crazy to think those five hundred dollars have brought us here,” said Alberto.

Since then, they’ve evolved from the food trucks. They have a restaurant across the border in San Luis Rio Colorado, one in San Luis, Arizona, and now one in Yuma.

Ortiz and his wife Felicita said each milestone has been a dream come true.

“We’ve accomplished many dreams, and there’s still more to be accomplished, but now it’s up to our kids,” Alberto said.

With the third restaurant, they’ve both taken a step back. Their four kids are now steering the ship.

“For years, we have had customers from Yuma who would travel to San Luis and tell us that we need to open a restaurant in Yuma. We’re finally able to provide that for them,” said Alberto.

Felicita said their growth has been possible because of their dedicated customers.

“We have customers that remember when their parents would take them across the border to our restaurant, now they’re older and they’re taking their kids,” said Felicita.

She said their distinct flavor is what separates them from the rest.

“We have that Mexican flavor , savory flavor, that we make our food with. Over the years customers have really embraced it,” said Felicita.

Their daughter Dayanara said she and her brothers have been working nonstop to prepare the restaurant.

It took them four months to renovate it. They gave the restaurant a fun nautical theme and invested in the interior and lighting.

“Right now, we get in at seven in the morning to start preparing the food, so it will be ready by when we open at ten,” said Dayanara.

On their menu, you’ll find seafood classics like ceviche, shrimp cocktails, fish and octopus tacos and their famous fish soups.

They’ve also curated a list of seafood appetizers but with a twist.

Their popular “toritos” are stuffed peppers with shrimp and cheese dipped in a flavorful soy sauce.

Between the three restaurants, El Navegante employs 60 people. They hope their Yuma location is as successful as their other two, which would motivate them for their next venture.

“We might go to another state maybe. Open one in Nevada, maybe California, that’s one of my son’s dreams,” said Ortiz.

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