CarneAtlas

Robalo

Fish · Centropomidae

Robalo in English is Snook. It belongs to the Centropomidae family; the names below show how the same fish is sold across international markets.
Robalo usually means snook in the Americas; in some Portuguese and European markets, a similar name is used for sea bass.

Also called
🇺🇸🇬🇧🇩🇪Snook
→ How it's cooked: Robalo al Mojo de Ajo (Snook in Garlic Sauce)
Robalo — Centropomidae fish

Matthew Hoelscher, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Have a photo of Robalo from your fishmonger? and we'll credit you.

Snook is a prized sportfish and eating fish found in warm coastal waters from Mexico through Central America and into Brazil. It has firm, white, mild flesh with excellent flavor. In Mexico it is called robalo and is one of the most sought-after fish for grilling and baking. It is versatile — suitable for garlic preparations, grilling whole, and in tacos.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesSnook
🇬🇧United KingdomSnook
🇲🇽MexicoRobaloprimaryOne of the most prized fish in Mexico — popular grilled, baked, or in garlic sauce
🇦🇷ArgentinaRobalo
🇧🇷BrazilRobaloImportant in Brazilian coastal cuisine, particularly in the northeast
🇩🇪GermanySnookEnglish/American loanword; not native to German waters.

Does your butcher call it something else?

A fish you can order instead

Alaska Gold Halibut Portions from Alaska Gold Seafood

$275.00–$695.00 · Free US shipping (except Hawaii) · Alaska Gold Seafood

Robalo rarely reaches US counters; halibut is the white fillet that cooks like it

  • Line-caught Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis)
  • Boneless 8 oz portions
  • Individually vacuum-sealed, frozen at sea
  • 5, 10 or 20 lb box

Alaska Gold Halibut Portions

View at Alaska Gold Seafood →

Affiliate link — CarneAtlas may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Price checked 31 Aug 2026.

Classic recipe

Robalo al Mojo de Ajo (Snook in Garlic Sauce)20 min

Mexican snook fillets in mojo de ajo: a lot of garlic cooked slowly in oil and butter until it turns golden and sweet, t…

Culinary substitutes

Loup de mer
Loup de mer

Both are prized coastal white fish with mild, firm flesh — snook has a slightly stronger flavor and is found in warmer waters.

Striped bass
Striped bass

Both are firm, white, large-flaked coastal fish that hold up to whole roasting and grilling — snook is sweeter and more tropical, striped bass richer and more mineral.

Often confused with

Robalo vs Snooksame fishRobalo vs Loup de merRobalo vs Striped bass

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