Restaurants in PV

Ine, Hank or anyone else with major feet on the ground time in PV ....do you have some favorite restaurants? We will be on a land vacation there mid March. Even if some favorites are in the little surrounding towns please mention them....we plan to get out and about in the area.

Ine, Hank or anyone else with major feet on the ground time in PV ....do you have some favorite restaurants? We will be on a land vacation there mid March. Even if some favorites are in the little surrounding towns please mention them....we plan to get out and about in the area.

Guess I could list 20+ in all price ranges and types of cuisine :). It would be helpful if you could post the area will you will be staying, the type of food (Mexican, French, Austrian, German, etc) and budget. You can eat dinner for less than $15 a couple...or can spend $200 a couple (and everything between).

Hank

Guess I could list 20+ in all price ranges and types of cuisine :). It would be helpful if you could post the area will you will be staying, the type of food (Mexican, French, Austrian, German, etc) and budget. You can eat dinner for less than $15 a couple...or can spend $200 a couple (and everything between).

 

Hank

We’re at the Sheraton (earning gold points). I know it’s not ideal, but we need a good fitness center (I look at pictures of fitness centers before I look at the hotel rooms:D when choosing hotels ). Actually, this is a rebooked vacation that was supposed to be early February, but DH got sick and we had to cancel. We were at the Marriott then, but it was booked for the replacement week.

Recommendations can be anywhere in the general vicinity...during the day we’ll be wandering. For dinner we’d go anywhere from the Marina down to the South end of the Romantic Zone. Any ethnic is fine, but the meat centric Austrian/ German wouldn’t be hit more than once as DH tends toward pescatarian. Price...we tend to mix it up when on vacation so we’re open there. Generally, we aren’t into stuffy and overly fancy for this type of vacation. And, we never go to dinner shows...just not our style.

To give you an idea of one I have circled...Barcelona Tapas...is it any good? Are reservations going to be a must for most restaurants?

Thanks!

We’re at the Sheraton (earning gold points). I know it’s not ideal, but we need a good fitness center (I look at pictures of fitness centers before I look at the hotel rooms:D when choosing hotels ). Actually, this is a rebooked vacation that was supposed to be early February, but DH got sick and we had to cancel. We were at the Marriott then, but it was booked for the replacement week.

 

 

Recommendations can be anywhere in the general vicinity...during the day we’ll be wandering. For dinner we’d go anywhere from the Marina down to the South end of the Romantic Zone. Any ethnic is fine, but the meat centric Austrian/ German wouldn’t be hit more than once as DH tends toward pescatarian. Price...we tend to mix it up when on vacation so we’re open there. Generally, we aren’t into stuffy and overly fancy for this type of vacation. And, we never go to dinner shows...just not our style.

 

To give you an idea of one I have circled...Barcelona Tapas...is it any good? Are reservations going to be a must for most restaurants?

 

Thanks!

Barcelona Tapas is still very good, but indeed better make reservations. Another one with a great view is Restaurant La Traviata, italian cuisine. They have a fb page too. It is upstairs of Hotel Paloma del Mar.

Another favorite, right on the beach near Hotel Buenaventura is La Barracuda. Did you ever taste their Molcajete? Either with beef, shrimps (or combination of the two or seafood.

On Plaza Lazaro Cardenas is Serrano's, good steaks and fajitas. On the same square but right on the beach is the simple small restaurant Abuelos next to Burros.

On Olas Alas the Austrian restaurant Hank mentioned Restaurant Maximilan. Another good place for schnitzels etc. is the german Restaurant Hacienda Aleman.

Along Playa los Muertos any of those: Daiquiri Dicks, La Palapa, Si senor on the beach and some more.

Since you mention the Sheraton, try their Sunday morning brunch, great buffet with endless champagne and a 12 man Mariacchi band.

This is just to mention a few. The choice is so wide in Vallarta.

Thanks Ine....I spent some time looking through the restaurants suggested. Wow...DH is going to think he died and went to heaven with the Barracuda. It’s so close to the Sheraton, I have a feeling we’ll be in there for a lunch also. We will definitely try La Traviata also...Italian always works for us.

Perfect, thanks again!

Thanks Ine....I spent some time looking through the restaurants suggested. Wow...DH is going to think he died and went to heaven with the Barracuda. It’s so close to the Sheraton, I have a feeling we’ll be in there for a lunch also. We will definitely try La Traviata also...Italian always works for us.

 

Perfect, thanks again!

just back from dinner at Barracuda. Some of us had the Molcajete, others the steak and shrimp, all of them excellent! Plus an amazing sunset.

How do I contribute without causing any issues :). In interests of full disclosure Ine is our friend :). So we are dealing with the full range of restaurants in most of PV...which makes it challenging. I suggest going to TripAdvisor (a sister company of CC) and looking at the top 30 restaurants...and reading the individual reviews (do not get hung up on the rankings).

From the Sheraton area you might consider going to Barrio Bistro (you will need a taxi or Uber) which is only a few minutes from your location. This particular restaurant is unique (the menu changes weekly) and is Chef owned by the amazing Memo Wolff.....who uses nearly all organic local/regional ingredients...many of which come from his own nearby ranch. Memo is an artist (when it comes to cooking) and has recently expanded the size of his restaurant due to the great demand. His restaurant is in a very quiet (and dark) residential area...so if you use a taxi...make sure they know where to go before you get in the cab. With Uber its not an issue since the app gives them directions. For this restaurant you will almost always need reservations....which are not always easy to get during the high season. It has become the "place to go" for many folks (and we are delighted at Chef Memo's success).

El Barracuda is fine and always fun to eat right on the beach. There food is more traditional Mexico (Burritos, seafood, etc) and a very good value. Friends of ours swear by this place for lunch...as you have a great view.

Another restaurant at your end of town (towards Centro from the Sheraton) is a place called Layla's. The owner used to be Kathy Lee Gifford's personal chef (for many years) and has done a nice job turning her little place into something special. Layla's is not overly expensive and reservations are strongly advised.

We recently (just the other day) had a fantastic dining experience at a new upscale restaurant (in its first year) called La Cappella. We are talking expensive (over $100 per couple) and a bit dressy (most men actually wear trousers) in a setting that is simply amazing. Their menu is Italian, you will be serenaded by violins (there was a trio when we were there the other night) and the waiters are top notch (by any standard). This new venue is owned by the same lady who also owns Hacienda San Angel and Iguana....both of which are upscale (and expensive) restaurants with lots of class.

So now we will talk about some options in town. We have been fans of Bravos since it opened about 3 years ago...and they have a very expansive menu at very reasonable prices. The owner (Michael) has a wine list with very reasonable prices (unusual in Mexico) and generally welcomes all customers. In the high and shoulder season its best to call ahead for a reservation.

As to Barcelona Tapas (owned by a restaurateur from Chicago) you would probably want a taxi. It offers a wonderful view from its 2nd and 3rd floor and certainly has its share of fans. It is not high on my personal list...but we have friends that love the place. Look at their reviews (and online menu info) and make a reservation if this sounds like your kind of place.

And then there are the really cheap places. One of the most popular is near our home and called Pancho Tacos. It is a dumpy place right on Basillio Badillo (this is restaurant row in the Romantic Zone) and dinner for two might set you back about $15 (total cost including beer). This is a taco stand in a restaurant setting...takes no reservations...and often has a long line. But the line moves fast. This is the place to go for anyone that wants to sample Tacos al Pastor (or other tacos, mexican fondue, or just basic quesadilla. This place is not gourmet, tables are crammed (and not comfy) but it is the real thing. And 1 drop of their hot sauce will numb your lips (and everything else). Even if you have dinner elsewhere you might want to come down to this area and have a late night tacos al pastor.

These are just a few places (we could list many more).

Hank

Thanks Hank. This really does help sort through all the TripAdvisor listings I’ve gone through. In fact, at one time, I must have pulled up Layla’s..because my iPad came up with it after typing 3 letters. Now I know it’s a definite.

All look very good...I have a great hit list between the suggestions provided by you and Ine. Bravo’s seems to have the slow cooked hunks of meat that I love, and will need, after keeping DH happy with his seafood.

Thanks again, it really does help to have recommendations from “locals”.

How do I contribute without causing any issues :). In interests of full disclosure Ine is our friend :). So we are dealing with the full range of restaurants in most of PV...which makes it challenging. I suggest going to TripAdvisor (a sister company of CC) and looking at the top 30 restaurants...and reading the individual reviews (do not get hung up on the rankings).

 

From the Sheraton area you might consider going to Barrio Bistro (you will need a taxi or Uber) which is only a few minutes from your location. This particular restaurant is unique (the menu changes weekly) and is Chef owned by the amazing Memo Wolff.....who uses nearly all organic local/regional ingredients...many of which come from his own nearby ranch. Memo is an artist (when it comes to cooking) and has recently expanded the size of his restaurant due to the great demand. His restaurant is in a very quiet (and dark) residential area...so if you use a taxi...make sure they know where to go before you get in the cab. With Uber its not an issue since the app gives them directions. For this restaurant you will almost always need reservations....which are not always easy to get during the high season. It has become the "place to go" for many folks (and we are delighted at Chef Memo's success).

 

El Barracuda is fine and always fun to eat right on the beach. There food is more traditional Mexico (Burritos, seafood, etc) and a very good value. Friends of ours swear by this place for lunch...as you have a great view.

 

Another restaurant at your end of town (towards Centro from the Sheraton) is a place called Layla's. The owner used to be Kathy Lee Gifford's personal chef (for many years) and has done a nice job turning her little place into something special. Layla's is not overly expensive and reservations are strongly advised.

 

We recently (just the other day) had a fantastic dining experience at a new upscale restaurant (in its first year) called La Cappella. We are talking expensive (over $100 per couple) and a bit dressy (most men actually wear trousers) in a setting that is simply amazing. Their menu is Italian, you will be serenaded by violins (there was a trio when we were there the other night) and the waiters are top notch (by any standard). This new venue is owned by the same lady who also owns Hacienda San Angel and Iguana....both of which are upscale (and expensive) restaurants with lots of class.

 

So now we will talk about some options in town. We have been fans of Bravos since it opened about 3 years ago...and they have a very expansive menu at very reasonable prices. The owner (Michael) has a wine list with very reasonable prices (unusual in Mexico) and generally welcomes all customers. In the high and shoulder season its best to call ahead for a reservation.

 

As to Barcelona Tapas (owned by a restaurateur from Chicago) you would probably want a taxi. It offers a wonderful view from its 2nd and 3rd floor and certainly has its share of fans. It is not high on my personal list...but we have friends that love the place. Look at their reviews (and online menu info) and make a reservation if this sounds like your kind of place.

 

And then there are the really cheap places. One of the most popular is near our home and called Pancho Tacos. It is a dumpy place right on Basillio Badillo (this is restaurant row in the Romantic Zone) and dinner for two might set you back about $15 (total cost including beer). This is a taco stand in a restaurant setting...takes no reservations...and often has a long line. But the line moves fast. This is the place to go for anyone that wants to sample Tacos al Pastor (or other tacos, mexican fondue, or just basic quesadilla. This place is not gourmet, tables are crammed (and not comfy) but it is the real thing. And 1 drop of their hot sauce will numb your lips (and everything else). Even if you have dinner elsewhere you might want to come down to this area and have a late night tacos al pastor.

 

These are just a few places (we could list many more).

 

Hank

Hank - I've always enjoyed reading your posts regardless of the topic, so I was pleasantly surprised to come here in preparation for my Oct 2018 Panama Canal cruise on Infinity. My itinerary has port stops in Cabo and PV and I haven't quite figured out what to do, but I love to eat and love to hear from others about food as well. Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. I truly hope I am fortunate to cross paths with you on a future cruise.

Walter

we LOVED Cuates y Cuetes - a great fun place, with simple but delicious food and cocktails. If this place doesn't take your fancy on sight, there are many beautiful restaurants all around it.

The excursion we are looking at stops at El Set. Do you know what the tour menu includes?

We have eaten at Margarita Grill on a few of our trips to PV. The main thing we loved was that they make your salsa fresh at your table, so you can customize it to your liking. The other thing we like is that they also make your fresh guacamole at your table. Both are really good. The food and drinks were good, but probably not as specialized as some of the restaurants already mentioned.

We’ve had good food at two of the mercados in PV. Plates run between 30-60 Pesos.

Mercado Palmar de Aramara, at the traffic light behind Sam’s Club, across from the cruise dock, are several restaurants inside and around the Mercado. The Agua Fresca Guy always has something interesting. The salsa at the tortillaria is very good.

Mercado Municipal located at the upper area of the Rio Cuale. Good prices souvenirs downstairs and restaurants upstairs.