Dos Mares Tuna Ronqueo Marks One Year in Fort Worth
Somewhere between butchery and theater sits the ronqueo, the Spanish custom of breaking down a whole bluefin tuna in front of an audience. On Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., Dos Mares will mark its first anniversary with one, at 3260 W. 7th St. in Fort Worth. Tickets are $195 per person plus tax and gratuity, and they include paired beverages.
Culinary director chef Rodrigo Cárdenas will lead the cutting, the third ronqueo the restaurant has staged since it opened. He learned the method from Canary Islands native chef Pedro Martín. The first was held on February 25, 2026. Reservations are open now.
Most of us meet tuna after the argument has been settled, as a tidy rectangle on a plate. The ronqueo reopens the case. A whole bluefin is shipped in for the night, and guests watch it come apart in front of them, section by section, until what was a fish is dinner.
The name translates to the “snoring of the tuna,” and the sound earns it. It’s the noise of the knife as the chef works along the spine, a rasp that few other menu items can claim. The technique is associated most closely with Andalusia, where the point is precision: take the most from the fish and waste none of it, which is its own form of respect.
That respect has a practical payoff once the cutting is done. Each part of a bluefin carries a different amount of fat, and the menu reads like a tour of those differences, organized as cold, cured and hot. Expect crudos, tartares and tostadas, sashimi from the cured side, and tuna that comes off the grill or out of a hard sear. The preparations stay Mexican, with technique borrowed from Spain and Japan, the kind of cross-pollination a coastal kitchen tends to do well.
Dos Mares opened in November 2025 next door to Don Artemio, the Cárdenas family’s award-winning restaurant, and it chases a different horizon. It turns to the water, drawing on the traditional dishes of both of Mexico’s coastlines. Rodrigo and his father, chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas, wrote the menu together, and a sea bass in black mole, the dish the restaurant says inspired it, makes a fair thesis statement. For more on the kitchen and its tuna program, our earlier look inside Dos Mares is a good place to start.
The ronqueo has become something of a calling card. The restaurant says it has staged the cutting at its own tables and at culinary events, including the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, and a third go-round on the anniversary feels less like a gimmick than a habit worth keeping.
An anniversary is usually a toast. This one’s a fish, a knife and a room full of people who have agreed to watch carefully. You can reserve a place at the ronqueo on Resy, then arrive early enough to see where the first cut goes.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Dos Mares Tuna Ronqueo?
The Tuna Ronqueo is on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. It celebrates the restaurant’s one year anniversary.
Where is Dos Mares located?
Dos Mares is at 3260 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, TX 76107, in the Cultural District, next door to sister restaurant Don Artemio.
How much are tickets to the Dos Mares Tuna Ronqueo?
Tickets are $195 per person plus tax and gratuity. The price includes paired beverages.
How do I make a reservation for the Tuna Ronqueo?
Reservations are open now on Resy through the Dos Mares event page. You can also reach the restaurant at (682) 480-2143.
What is a ronqueo de atún?
A ronqueo de atún is a Spanish tradition in which a chef breaks down a whole bluefin tuna by hand, cutting along the spine to make the most of the fish. The name translates to “snoring of the tuna,” after the sound the knife makes along the spine.
What will be served at the Tuna Ronqueo?
The menu includes cold tuna preparations such as crudos, tartares and tostadas, cured tuna sashimi, and hot grilled and seared tuna. The dishes combine traditional Mexican preparations with techniques from Spain and Japan.
Who is leading the ronqueo?
Culinary director chef Rodrigo Cárdenas leads the cutting. His father, chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas, developed the Dos Mares menu with him.
What are Dos Mares’ hours?
Dos Mares is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.
Where can I park at Dos Mares?
Dos Mares has not published parking details on its website. Call the restaurant at (682) 480-2143 to confirm parking before the event.
What is Dos Mares’ official website?
Dos Mares’ official website is dosmares.us.