Playa del Carmen Restaurant Tips by Dabs Top 5 Page for this destination

Los Comales: Good Mexican right on 5th Avenue

December 2011 update, we walked past where they used to be and it was boarded up

They were just opening this restaurant when we were in Playa del Carmen in December 2004 so it's a relatively new addition to the restaurant strip on 5th Avenue. We saw the woman we dealt with at the travel agency eating here so we thought it would probably be a good option for a place to eat a late lunch after a long day of snorkeling.

Seating is covered but open air like many of the restaurants in PDC with a view of 5th Avenue, service was efficient and friendly. A complimentary basket of chips and salsa are brought to your table to start, the salsa was on the hot side (didn't get on 2nd visit).

Favorite Dish: On our 1st visit we ordered tacos al pastor con queso-marinated pork, cheese and pineapple tacos (55 pesos); queso fundido con chorizo, melted cheese and chorizo sausage with a hint of nutmeg with flour tortillas (69 pesos) and fried calamari. I thought the tacos al pastor and queso fundido con chorizo were both excellent, the fried calamari was a disappointment, a bit cold and chewy.

On our 2nd visit in December 2006, the queso fundido con chorizo was a little overcooked and the portion small for the price. The chicken taco appetizer was bland.

Address: 5th Avenue

Comparison: about average

Directions: Corner of 5th Avenue and Calle 4 norte, right in the heart of the pedestrian strip

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 2

Theme: Mexican

Dr. Taco: In search of shrimp tacos Dr. Taco's Review

Last visit December 2005, we didn't see it in December 2011 so I think he's closed up shop

We didn't see our first choice for shrimp tacos, La Floresta, as we were driving down the highway (not sure it's still there) and our second choice, El Oasis, which was recommended on the playadelcarmeninfo.com website was closed for renovation so we asked the guys at the Policia stand on 5th Avenue where to go and they sent us to Dr. Taco.

Dr. Taco is a hip open air eatery, with reggae music playing, frequented by some pretty funky looking folks. There are a few booths to sit at and also a bar area next to the grill which is where we sat to watch our food being prepared.

On our second visit, the doctor/owner was in the house helping to serve up and prepare the food. According to the playadelcarmeninfo.com website Dr. Taco really is a doctor who came from Guadalajara where he ran a medical clinic.

Here's a review with some more pictures
http://www.playamayanews.com/article254.html

Favorite Dish: Shrimp tacos were made with breaded and deep fried shrimp with a large array of sauces and salsas to put on them. The staff warned us away from the really hot sauces on both visits. An order of 3 shrimp tacos was 33 pesos (about $3US) and was pretty darn tasty. On the second visit I also tried the calamari taco but preferred the shrimp tacos.

December 2005 update-we stopped here again on our recent trip and the shrimp tacos are still yummy! We also tried a chicken quesadilla which was very tasty.

Address: Avenue 10 between calle 8 and calle 10

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Website: http://playadelcarmeninfo.com/playa-deals-64.html

El Cuerno de Oro: More good local Mexican

We stopped by here twice and although we could not read the menu, the waiter brought us everything we asked for including shrimp tacos (not breaded and small), quesadillas con chorizo and chicken tacos.

The waiter was extraordinarily nice and we enjoyed our al fresco dining here.

Favorite Dish: The quesadillas con chorizo were quite tasty (tortilla with melted cheese and spicy sausage). The shrimp tacos were tasty but not as good as the ones from La Floresta. Our total bill was less than 100 pesos on the first visit and 70 pesos on the second visit.

Address: Calle 2 just past 10th

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Dona Empanada: A snack of empanadas

December 2006 update-I think this place is closed, the website I had doesn't work and we weren't able to find it

We picked up a coupon for this place at the travel agency and thought we would give it a try being fans of empanadas, pastries filled with meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit.

Favorite Dish: We tried several different kinds, the empanadas are small so it's a good for a snack or you can make a dinner out of several. We tried Jamon con queso (ham and cheese), chorizo con papa (sausage and potato), fresa con coco (strawberry and coconut) and cajeta con coco (caramel and coconut). They were all good but I especially like the caramel coconut ones.

Address: Av. 15 between calle 2 and 4

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Popsicle and ice cream stands: Mexican popsicles and ice cream

You'll find popsicle and ice cream storefronts all over Playa del Carmen and it's the perfect treat for a hot Mexican day or a light snack after dinner. You'll find freezers filled with a dozen or more different kinds of popsicles and another dozen or more different kinds of ice cream.

The first picture was taken on Juarez Avenue and sold only popsicles I think, I don't remember where I took the 2nd pic but I know we found an ice cream and popsicle storefront not too far from Dr. Taco which is between Calle 8 and Calle 10 on 10th Avenue. Look for a similar paint job of pink and white stripes, seems to me that a lot of them are painted in those colors.

Favorite Dish: I love rum raisin popsicles and if I can't find them, rum raisin ice cream is also delicious. I've also tried coconut but rum raisin is my favorite. My husband always gets green limon popsicles which is actually lime.

Address: Juarez Avenue

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Ice Cream

Crepes in Mexico?: Churris House

I had a taste for something sweet after dinner so when we saw this crepe place, we just had to stop and try it. The young men working there were engrossed in a card game but jumped up when they saw us as there were no other customers at the time. It's a very small place, just a couple of tables.

Favorite Dish: I ordered a banana nutella crepe and David ordered one with jam, the crepe was good but not great and unlike ones we've had elsewhere the ingredients were on top instead of inside. I wanted to like it more than I did because the staff there was so nice but if you're looking for good dessert, try one of the many ice cream places, I had rum raisin ice cream at a couple on this trip and it was delicious!

The dessert crepes were 30 pesos each, a little on the expensive side.

Address: Calle 10

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Calle 10 between 5th and 10th Avenues

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: French

Carboncitos: Mexican food in the tourist area

This restaurant was highly recommended on the Playainfo board and as we were passing by a fellow gringo said they had the best soup ever so that sealed the deal!

As with most restaurants in Playa there is patio/al fresco dining as well as indoor covered dining, it was a nice balmy evening so we ate outside.

Favorite Dish: Since we were staying at an all inclusive, we weren't really hungry so we just ordered a few things, 2 tacos al pastor, one with cheese and one without, and a shrimp quesadilla. All of them were really good, the taco with the cheese was better than the one without. Our tab was 142 pesos ($13US) with one drink each.

Address: 4th Street

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: 4th street between 5th and 10th Avenues

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

N/A: Good post on local restaurants

I found this website after we returned when I was trying to figure out where one of the restaurants was. It looks to be a comprehensive list of local restaurants and their specialities

Travel Board

And here's another website with some good restaurant info, the taquerias for gringos post is a good one

Playa info

2007 restaurant list

Favorite Dish: Some of the ones I'd like to try:

La Adelita-10th Street between 5th and 10th avenues

El Faisán y El Venado -- Located out on the federal highway (#307) close to Ave. Benito Juarez

Taqueria El Pastorcito on 30th Avenue, one block north of Constitutiones on the west side of the street

Carboncitos on 4th Street between 5th and 10th Avenue

Rating: 0

Theme: Other

Tacos Bill: Tacos al Pastor

Tacos Bill was a few blocks away from 5th Avenue, the main tourist street in Playa Del Carmen. This is not a place for those particular about hygiene, you will not find the restaurant standards of the US in Mexico, of course, several people recently died at a ChiChis in Pittsburgh so maybe our standards aren't that great.

At Tacos Bill, you could see where they were cooking and "cleaning" the plates. At least they put a napkin down on the plate befre they put the food on it.

The tacos al pastor were delicious, apparently it is a secret recipe and they are hard to find here in the US, drat!

Favorite Dish: Tacos al Pastor are made from pork meat that has been marinated in a secret recipe and then cooked on a rotisserie like gyros with pineapple on top. They should be garnished with cilantro (coriander), chopped onion and the pineapple.

Address: corner of Calle 4 and 15th Avenue

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

El Oasis: Still in search of shrimp tacos

On our last visit to Playa del Carmen, El Oasis was being renovated so I was eagerly looking forward to trying their "famous shrimp tacos" (it even says that on the menu!) that I had been reading about on several travel boards.

Favorite Dish: Well, of course we tried the shrimp tacos and also some blue crab tacos. We ordered fried oysters but they came back and told us they were out. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed, the shrimp tacos were not nearly as good as the ones from La Floresta and not even as good as Dr. Taco. Maybe I was expecting too much? The blue crab tacos were OK but neither one will be calling my name on the next visit.

Address: Calle 12 norte

Comparison: about average

Directions: Calle 12 norte between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Mexican