My restaurant recommendations in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum

Since so many of you have been asking me for my restaurant recommendations in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum lately and food is always a good idea, I finally got down to this post.

Basically, I can say in advance that you can’t do too much wrong with the restaurants in the tourist strongholds, but these restaurants and bars are quite expensive.

I’ll start with my recommendations in Cancun :

La Playita Restaurante Bar Cancun [Bonampak S/N, Manzana10, Lote 60-62, Supermanzana 4, 77500 Cancún, QR], This restaurant offers mostly seafood and fish, is located on the main street Avenida Bonampak, but has valet parking service and is open from 11:00 a.m. – 02:00 a.m. I can highly recommend the ceviche there!
Toro Rojo [ 77500, Av. Bonampak 59, 4, Cancún, QR], is a multi-cuisine bar. There are also fish dishes, but the main focus there is more on dishes with meat. The “Super Nachos” are particularly recommended. This is a large portion of nachos with guacamole, ground beef or chicken and the whole thing is baked with cheese. Also offers valet parking and is open between 12:00 – 02:00. (Situated right next to the Playita)
La Vicenta [Av. Sayil Lote 2. Plaza Azuna Piso 2 SM 6, 77503 Cancún, QR], offers mostly meat dishes and a nice ambience. You can park directly in a free parking lot in front of the restaurant. I celebrated my birthday there because the food is delicious and drinks like gin and tonic, mojitos, etc. are always served twice. You only pay for one drink and get the second one for free. It is open between 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.
El Gallo Gallo [Av Yaxchilán 1, 17, 77500 Cancún, QR] offers typical Mexican dishes and is open between 13:00 – 00:00.
Bandoneon [Avenida Bonampak Mz 1 Lt 4 y 5 int sub Ancla Sm A 8, Zona Centro, 77500 Cancún, QR], is an Argentinian steakhouse, not cheap, but the food is delicious and I can highly recommend the wine list ! There is a valet parking service. It is open between 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.
Los Aguachiles [Av Nichupte Manzana 4 Lote 1, SM 17, 77505 Cancún, QR] offers all kinds of seafood dishes. Especially recommended are the “aguachiles” , the tostadas with tuna or tacos with shrimp and spinach. Anyway, those are my favorites that I always eat there. The restaurant offers valet parking. However, we always leave our car in the Mc Donalds car park opposite or on the street. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from Friday to Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Los Tarascos [Av. Tulum, MZA 13 LTE 01, SM 4, Benito Juárez, 77500 Cancún, QR] Tacos with meat in all variations, I don’t know the menu because I don’t like meat, but my friend always eats “tacos al pastor” there. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. You can park in the opposite parking lane.
Marbella [López Portillo 5 77525 Cancún, Quintana Roo] this restaurant is arguably the most popular seafood restaurant in town. Value for money is 100%. It looks very unassuming from the outside and can easily be overlooked when approaching from the street. You basically walk into a small kiosk and have to climb a flight of stairs to find the restaurant there. It is big and located by the sea. There is no real menu. You order fresh shrimp, fish, tacos, etc. as you wish and you get large portions. It’s among my favorite restaurants in Cancun. Unfortunately, we rarely go there because you always have to wait without a reservation. Reservations can be made by phone or via the website, usually for the same day. It is open between 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Groupers by Marbella [Huayacan sn, Alfredo Bonsil, Cancún, QR], this restaurant is sort of the little sister of Marbella Restaurant. It is also a fish restaurant and offers a nice ambience. There is a valet parking service, but you will find enough parking spaces on site. It is open between 12:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
Fish Fritanga [Boulevard Kukulcan Km 12.6, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, QR], as the name suggests, is a seafood restaurant that’s right on the lagoon in the Hotel Zone, but is still cheap. We always come for the pescadillas, they’re the best in all of Cancun. You should definitely try it! It is open between 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. There is a valet parking service or you can park in one of the nearby shopping centers and walk the short distance.
Las Hijas de la tostada [Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Quintana Roo], there are so delicious tostadas in all variations. It overlooks the lagoon and is right at the entrance to the hotel zone. You can park next to Starbucks Drive In. It is open between 12:00 p.m. and 02:00 a.m.
NOMADS [Avenida Carlos Nader, lote 19 , manzana 2, Supermanzana 3, 3, 77500 Cancún, QROO], is a very nice restaurant with a mixed menu. You can also just go there for a drink as the ambience is really nice. Around the Avenida Carlos Nader you will find many restaurants and bars. It is best to park in a side street and look around there. You can find everything from the pizzeria to sushi to the gin bar ( Nebrina ). All restaurants are good and offer great value for money.

The typical breakfast in Mexico, how could it be otherwise, are tacos de canasta , tacos de cochinita or tacos with seafood. They can be bought on every street corner. These are usually small mobile stands or slightly larger stands with a grill and a small seating area. To be fair, I have to say that my German stomach turns just by looking at it. My boyfriend loves this kind of breakfast, but I don’t like it at all.

My favorite cafes for breakfast in Cancun:

Cafe Antoinette Sucursal Torres [Av Cancún (Torres) esquina con Av kabah, fracc. Porto Bello, Plaza The Village Cancun, Q.Roo] is a French cafe serving European breakfast, scrambled eggs, bread and bagels. I can also recommend the sweet tartlets and macarons there! Offers valet parking and is open between 07:00 – 23:00. There are a total of three cafes in Cancun, the other addresses are attached, Cafe Antoinette Sucursal Pabellon Cumbres [Pabellón Cumbres, Av Luis Donaldo Colosio Cancun, Q.Roo] this is only open until 10 p.m.! and Cafe Antoinette Sucursal Xpuhil [Calle Xpuhil, esquina con Av. nichupte
Cancun, Q.Roo]
The Bowl Bar [Avenida Bonampak Mza 16 Lote 50 77500, Super Manzana 3, 77504 Cancún, QR] Love love love it!! There are so delicious bowls of all kinds and healthy things, unfortunately parking is stupid, since the cafe is located on Avenida Bonampak, the main street, you have to look a little in the side streets or come by scooter. It is open between 08:00 – 18:00.
100% Natural Cancún [Avenida Sunyaxchen 6, 25, 77509 Cancún, QR] offers delicious juices and a wide selection. You can not only have breakfast there, but also order delicious and healthy dishes all day long. Since it’s in the heart of downtown and doesn’t offer valet service, you have to be careful where to park. I recommend parking the car on one of the side streets. It is open between 07:00 – 23:00.
Yomm! Healthy Goods [Avenida Bonampak Mz 13 SM 3 Lote 63 y 64, SM 3, 77504 Cancún, QR], small but nice cafe. There are smoothies, sandwiches, pancakes and bowls, open between 08:00 – 17:00. There is no valet parking, you have to park in one of the side streets.

In Cancun I also recommend the food court in the Puerto Cancun Marina Town Center . There you will find tacos, sushi, pizza, hamburgers, etc. The food court is located directly on the sea and is a cheap alternative to the restaurants in Puerto Cancun. I can recommend all of the restaurants in Puerto Cancun without exception and there is something for every taste.

I especially like La No there. 20 Cantina , where you can have delicious, typically Mexican food and then end the evening with drinks and then go to a dance bar, such as the Vasso Puerto Cancun , Barezito Puerto Cancun , or to an “Antique” disco. Entry to Antique is always free for women, and entry for men is only 200 pesos after 1 p.m.

My general advice at this point, if you are drinking alcohol, even if it is only two beers, please do not drive through Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum! Alcohol checks take place and if you catch them, the driver goes to a sobering prison for 24 hours. They don’t take bribes and they don’t care if you have a return flight for the next day and are tourists!

Let’s get to my recommendations in Playa del Carmen:

All the restaurants and bars are on or near 5th Avenida, so I’ll skip the parking information.

In my opinion, Rolandi’s [MZA 8 LOCAL 61, Plaza Paseo del Carmen, 10 Avenida Sur, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen] is the best pizzeria in town. It is open between 12:00 p.m. and midnight.
Sonora Grill Prime [Calle 12 Nte 251, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77720 Playa del Carmen, QROO], not cheap but a very tasty meat restaurant. You should definitely try a carajillo (espresso with a shot of liqueur 43) after the meal. They are delicious there! Open between 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
La No.20 Playa del Carmen [Calle Quinta Avenida 310, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77720 Playa del Carmen, QR], offers a wide range of typical Mexican dishes. Alternatively, you can “just” go there for a drink. Open between 13:00 – 04:00.
Los Aguachiles [Calle 34, Centro, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR] offers all kinds of fish and seafood dishes. Especially recommended are the “aguachiles” , the tostadas with tuna or tacos with prawns and spinach. Anyway, those are my favorites that I always eat there. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from Friday to Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Mamita`s Beach Club [Calle 28 Nte., Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR] is a steak restaurant and is located directly on the sea. However, we always eat the ceviche there because it is so incredibly delicious there. It is open between 09:00 – 18:00.
Harry’s Prime Steakhouse & Raw Bar [Calle Quinta Avenida Lote 8B, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR], very tasty but not exactly cheap steakhouse. Open between 13:00 – 01:00.
Bovinos Churrascaría [Avenida 10 S/N, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR], Brazilian all you can eat steakhouse, very tasty and it offers a wide variety. It is open between 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.
Deck 5 Pool and Skybar [Calle 8 Norte 876, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR], is located directly on the beach with a sensational view. You can not only eat there, but also go for a cocktail or two. It is open between 09:00 – 23:00.
Hello Bangkok [5ta. Av. interior Plaza San Pedro, entre calle 34 y 38, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR], there is a huge selection of delicious Thai dishes. It is open between 1:00 p.m. and midnight.
La Bodeguita del Medio [5ta Avenida Esq. Calle 34 Norte, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77720 Playa del Carmen, QR], if you want to drink a really, really delicious mojito, you should definitely stop by. It’s a Cuban restaurant. The food looks very good, but we always come here for the mojitos. It is open between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

If you want a European breakfast, I can warmly recommend Café Antoinette [Calle 1 Sur s/n, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, QR] in Playa del Carmen.

Now let’s get to my restaurant recommendations in Tulum:

Taqueria Honorio [Satélite Sur, Tulum, QR], this is the taco stand from my Instagram stories. My friend always eats his tacos there. They have tacos de conchinita pibil. They should be the best far and wide. Even in Cancun there is nothing quite like it. I can’t judge that because I hardly eat meat. It is open there between 06:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m.
Del Cielo [Av. Satelite Sur 5, Centro, 77760 Tulum, QR] while my boyfriend eats his tacos, I always go there for breakfast. There are healthy things for breakfast like bowls, eggs, fruits etc. It is open between 08:00 – 15:00.
Sabor de Mar [Calle Júpiter Sur, Tulum, QR] is a seafood restaurant and a real insider tip in Tulum, at least among tourists. Since it is so popular with locals, you may have to wait for a table. It is open between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
El Gourmet [Calle Beta Sur Esq. Venus Ote., 77780 Tulum, QR], there are paninis and Italian delicacies. I really like the atmosphere there. It is open between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Raw Love Beach [Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila Km 7. 5, Tulum 77760, Mexico], there are so many delicious healthy and also vegan things like bowls and smoothies. The atmosphere here is also incredibly beautiful. It is open between 09:00 – 18:00.
Matcha Mama [Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila 8.2, Tulum 77780, Mexico ], there are delicious smoothies with Matcha and bowls. And I think it’s one of the blogger spots in Tulum. That’s where I took the pictures for the post. It is open between 08:00 – 20:00.
Los Aguachiles [Chetumal-Cancun, Centro, 77760 Tulum, QR] offers all types of seafood. Especially recommended are the “aguachiles” , the tostadas with tuna or tacos with shrimp and spinach. Anyway, those are my favorites that I always eat there. It is open between 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Pizzeria Manglar [ Asunción, Manzana 38, Lote 2. Entre calle y Av. Tulum. Quintana Roo., Calle Coba, La Veleta, 77780 Tulum, QR] is the best pizzeria in Tulum with a great price-performance ratio. It is open between 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
La Zebra Tulum Beach Restaurant & Bar [Carretera Tulum A Boca Paila | La Zebra Hotel, Tulum 77780, Mexico], a beautiful beachfront restaurant, offers Mexican food and seafood. Open between 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Panna e Cioccolato [Av. Tulum 72, Tulum 77400, Mexico ], if you fancy some delicious ice cream, you should stop by here! Open between 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.