Ceviche Bar Near Me at Esplanade: Tomatillo's Squid Ink Ceviche Negro

Tomatillo is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on the other five days its Ceviche Negro costs S$22 before the 10% service charge and 9% GST. The Mexican restaurant and bar sits at 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-11 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, on the waterfront level of the Esplanade arts centre. For anyone looking for a ceviche bar near me before a show at the theatres or a walk round Marina Bay, it is the closest sit-down option to the concert hall doors.

Tomatillo is run by the same owners as Canchita, the Peruvian restaurant on Dempsey Hill, and its head chef is Tamara Chavez, who grew up in Mexico. The restaurant's own media list dates its arrival to February 2025, when Tatler, Time Out and The Straits Times covered the opening. Where Canchita leans Peruvian, Tomatillo is Mexican first, and the ceviche here is built on lime and chilli rather than the aji amarillo of Lima.

The site describes the room as bright and colourful, with cozy seating and waterfront views of the city's skyline. In practice that means the outdoor tables look across the water, so request them in your booking if the view matters to you. In September 2026 the restaurant ran a month of special tacos by Chavez, a sign that the kitchen changes its menu with events through the year.

The Ceviche Negro is the dish to come for. It uses marinated prawns in a black tiger's milk coloured with squid ink, with a smear of avocado puree, crispy fried calamari on top and a few drops of habanero oil. The menu marks it with a spice warning. The black base tastes of the sea more than of lime, so it suits people who find classic ceviche too sharp. At S$22, one bowl is a starter for two.

There is only one ceviche on the September menu, so build the rest of the meal around tacos. The Taco of Love and La Birria are each S$8.90, and the kitchen asks for a minimum of two tacos of the same flavour per order. For something to share while you wait, Nachos Verde are S$19.50 and the meatier Nachos Chilangos are S$22. Two people can eat well on one ceviche, four tacos and a dessert.

Compared with its sister restaurant, the price gap is worth knowing. Canchita's ceviches start at S$32 on Dempsey Hill, while the Ceviche Negro here is S$22, and Tomatillo's tacos let you fill out the meal for less. The trade-off is range: Canchita lists several ceviches and tiraditos, Tomatillo only one. If ceviche is the whole point of the night, go to Dempsey; if it is one dish in a casual Mexican dinner by the water, stay here.

The Pork Ribs, at S$35, are the biggest plate and the one to choose if you are hungry after a concert. Our honest take is that the nachos are the weakest value on the card, since S$19.50 to S$22 before charges buys a lot of chips and not much of the kitchen's skill; spend it on extra tacos instead. Finish with the Tres Leches cake at S$16, soaked in three milks, which is large enough to share.

Pisco sours appear in the restaurant's FAQ among guests' favourite drinks, which nods to Canchita's Peruvian roots, and the bar also pours margaritas and other agave cocktails. If you plan a full evening, dinner here before an 8pm performance at the Esplanade Concert Hall or Theatre is a tight but workable plan when you arrive at the 5pm opening and order quickly.

Tomatillo's site is clear that walk-ins are always welcome, but it encourages diners to reserve, and it does not charge for cancellations. Bookings go through SevenRooms from the restaurant's homepage. Pets are allowed in the designated outdoor seating area, provided they are on a leash or in a carrier, which makes this one of the few places on the bay where you can eat ceviche with your dog beside you.

Think about who the restaurant suits before you book. Its 5pm weekday opening and its location in the Esplanade building make it practical for anyone holding concert or theatre tickets that night, and its late closing on Friday and Saturday suits a post-show meal just as well. Because dogs are allowed outside, it is also one of the easier dinner stops for anyone who has spent the afternoon walking a dog along the waterfront promenade. Families with young children should aim for Saturday or Sunday lunch, which are the only daytime sittings of the week, when the bay is still bright and the kitchen opens at noon.

Wednesday and Thursday run from 5pm to 10:15pm. Friday is 5pm to 10:45pm. Saturday opens earlier for lunch, from noon to 10:45pm, and Sunday is noon to 10:15pm. Monday and Tuesday are closed. If you come on one of those two days, Lucha Loco at 15 Duxton Hill is open on Mondays and Tuesdays and serves an S$18 seabass ceviche with mango; SUSHISAMBA at Capital Tower also opens for Monday and Tuesday dinner.

Esplanade MRT on the Circle Line exits into the CityLink tunnel, about a five-minute walk under the road to the mall; City Hall station on the East-West and North-South lines is a little further. Before dinner, check the free programme at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre on the water's edge, then walk across the Esplanade Bridge to Merlion Park, which takes about ten minutes and gives the classic view back toward Marina Bay Sands.

Address: 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-11 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802. Email: info@tomatillo.sg. Hours: Wednesday to Thursday 5pm to 10:15pm, Friday 5pm to 10:45pm, Saturday noon to 10:45pm, Sunday noon to 10:15pm, closed Monday and Tuesday. Prices carry a 10% service charge and 9% GST. Order the S$22 Ceviche Negro, two pairs of tacos and the Tres Leches.