Mexico - Suggestions in Cancun?

Ok gang, I'm heading to Cancun. Any restaurant suggestions outside of the normal Planet Hollywood/Hard Rock places? I would really appreciate "authentic" Mexican recommendations.
Thanks !

Rule 1: There's nothing "authentically Mexican" about Cancun. :)

There's this place called "Captain's Cove" (at least it was there about 4 years ago) -- nice setting on the water, and food was good.

If you go to the downtown Cancun area, you'll be able to find more "real" Mexican restaurants.

Go to http://www.cancun.info/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=289. This is the official Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau site.

Unlike United957, I find Cancun full of great restaurants. Captain's Cove is seafood overlooking the Lagoon. It is being rebuilt and expanded and is due to open this fall. It has a great Mexican breakfast buffet when open. It's dinners are good and moderately priced. It often has great specials at dinner time. Get a seat outdoors on the lagoon but don't get caught feeding the crocodiles.

Best place for unbiased information is the Cancun Forum (http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g150807-i8-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html) on Tripadvisor.

Now where to go depends on your pocketbook and favorite food type. Cancun has some super restaurants. A fun, tourist trap downtown is Pericos. Also downtown but very upscale is La Habichuela. For an unforgetable experience (not cheap) in the hotel zone on the Lagoon try Laguna Grill.

Somewhat like Pericos, try La Parilla for downtown ambiance, food and margaritas. Strolling mariachis, a lively neighbourhood and a menu with a wide variety of foods, both grill and Mexican dishes.

Puerto Madera is an Argentinian steakhouse with reasonable (not low) prices and a great setting. We thought the food and service were excellent. It and Laguna Grill are very romantic settings.

Mr. Papas - located in La Isla shopping center has from Mexican to seafood to burgers, and well-very large baked potatoes at good prices.

Another downtown restaurant with excellent Mexican food and great service is La Parilla - downtown.

My all time favorite Mexican Restaurant was Marie Bonita . It has been renamed Paloma Bonita and is to the left/north west of the Dreams Resort at Punta Cancun. Have not been there since the name change, but have heard good things about it.

Pacal - Unbelievable Mayan style cuisine at La Mansion just to the west of Plaza Caracol and very close to where El Mexicano used to be.

La Casa De Las Margaritas - Great margaritas, food and entertainment at this Plaza La Isla shopping mall restaurant.

La Destileria - One of the better lagoon side restaurants with a fantastic tequila selection and cuisine to match. Located between Plaza La Isla and Kukulcan Plaza shopping malls on the lagoon side. Can be very noisy.

On the lesser expensive side consider:

La Placita - Just south of the Royal Sands. Live mariachis, margaritas with a kick and very authentic Centro (Downtown) Cancun MX food, they also have a location in Centro. We really enjoyed it. It not only was fairly priced, the food was good.

Cancun is filled with graet restaurants. Don't believe otherwise. And in the Hotel Zone and even in downtown Cancun, you can drink the water but the beer is better!!! :D

Puerto Madera is an Argentinian steakhouse with reasonable (not low) prices and a great setting. We thought the food and service were excellent.


I'll second mshaikun's recommendation for Puerto Madera. Very good steaks! Try the grilled provolone. It is located on the main strip almost across the street from the Ritz. I don't know where you are staying, but if you are the Ritz or Le Meridien it is an easy walk.

MB at the Grand Aqua was also very good, but we were there 2 days before the hurricane last year and while Cancun was still very crowded, MB was empty. There were only 2 tables filled.

Nothing else that I recall was very memorable. The Club level at the Ritz rocks though and a few nights their heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks became dinner.

I also recommend the Cancún branch of Los Almendros ("losse uhl-MEN-drosse") restaurant near the bullring. Los Almendros was started in 1959 by a hunter, Rubén González, in Ticul, Yucatan, near the center of what was Mayan classic culture, and was expanded to Mérida in 1973, where there are at least two Almendros, and to Cancún more recently.

I recommend Los Almendros to savor authentic Yucatecan food like sopa de lima (lime soup with chicken,) poc chuc (pork marinated in salt water and bitter orange,) fish tikin xic (fish prepared in achiote, or in English annatto, and bitter orange, served with xnipek sauce,) cochinita pibil (pork mariniated in annatto and oven-roasted,) salbutes (fried tortilla with shredded pickled turkey or pork pibil with pickled purple onion,) papadzules (tacos with hardboiled egg, tomato sauce and squash seed sauce.)

If you like beer, forget the Corona, friends; order a Yucatecan Montejo beer, or a Negra León dark beer. For a digestif, have a Xtabentún ("shtuh-ben-TOOM"), a Maya-influenced drink made with native honey, rum, xtabentún flower and anise. (If you like it, you can buy Xtabentún made by D'Aristi, a reliable brand, to bring home. Drink enough of it, you won't be able to pronounce it anyway.)

Cafe Salsa at the JW Marriott was wonderful, check it out.

Cafe Salsa at the JW Marriott was wonderful, check it out.

ALSO!! DON'T forget to check out ALL YOU CAN EAT LOBSTER BUFFET IN JW MARRIOTT!!! IT's GREAT... LOTS OF LOBSTER.... tasty!!

There are other Lobster buffets in Cancun, but the Marriott's the best that I have tried. Good suggestion hotcutiepie.

Such a timely thread since me and my wife will be in Cancun next week.

mshaikun, thanks for all the info you gave, it will be useful to us.

My wife will love the lobster buffet! I am allergic, is there options other than water at this buffet or should I plan on just drinking wine and eating later?


ALSO!! DON'T forget to check out ALL YOU CAN EAT LOBSTER BUFFET IN JW MARRIOTT!!! IT's GREAT... LOTS OF LOBSTER.... tasty!!

Lots of other choices. The Prime rib and Lobster buffet at Cafe Salsa was $46 US for adults and 50% off for kids. Check around for discounts. Ask the bellman.

On its web site is the following note:

The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa the Resort is open with limited services and some visible construction still in process. The Cafe Salsa Restaurant is open for breakfast,lunch and dinner; Beach Walk, our pool side and beach restaurant, is open during the day serving food and beverages, and we also offer 24 hour room-service . Gustino Restaurant and Club 91 will be closed until late summer.

I am not sure whether the buffet is still available or on which nights or at which price.

I am heading to Cancun on FRIDAY!!! I can't wait...hope you all have fun...
I saw some after wilma pictures... I hope it is not like that... I love cancun... I will be sososoos sad.. if cancun didn't rebuild as it used to..

Enjoy the LOBSTER buffet.... oh.. Make sure you ask your waiter for the lobsters before you head to the common buffet..sometimes.. it takes a while for them to cook it.. and you don't want to be full when the lobsters come!! Tell your waiter in advance, how many you are going to eat.. and want to eat... and ask them to serve continueously... or else..

GO EARLY too!!! The Margarita are really good.. and the cup they serve them in ... ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!


Such a timely thread since me and my wife will be in Cancun next week.

mshaikun, thanks for all the info you gave, it will be useful to us.

My wife will love the lobster buffet! I am allergic, is there options other than water at this buffet or should I plan on just drinking wine and eating later?

Give us a report when you return.

Headed to Cancun in two days, would love to get an update on this thread regarding restaurants, the lobster buffet and other recent experiences. Thanks in advance.

La Madonna at the Isla shopping district is great, (expensive), three stories, and focal point a huge portrait of the Mona Lisa, food is great, service is excellent and overall a very nice restaurant.

There is a restaurant a block or two away from Isla shopping district name La Distilleria (Excuse spelling), its a restaurant but has some very interesting museum quality artifacts of tequilla making through the ages!
Kasop

We really liked Laguna Grill. Great food great service.

Lots of other choices. The Prime rib and Lobster buffet at Cafe Salsa was $46 US for adults and 50% off for kids. Check around for discounts. Ask the bellman.

On its web site is the following note:

The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa the Resort is open with limited services and some visible construction still in process. The Cafe Salsa Restaurant is open for breakfast,lunch and dinner; Beach Walk, our pool side and beach restaurant, is open during the day serving food and beverages, and we also offer 24 hour room-service . Gustino Restaurant and Club 91 will be closed until late summer.

I am not sure whether the buffet is still available or on which nights or at which price.


We are here right now and ALL food at the JW is amazing. The breakfast Buffett is pricy at $24UDS at person, but worth it at least once.

What does the JW have on its breakfast buffet that makes it worth over $24?

What nights are the lobster buffet and what is the price on it?

the blue bayou is a great romantic restaurant with live jazz on some night. great atmosphere and food if a bit expensive. I recommend the mayan or sexy coffee. ;) Its in one of the hotels on the strip. Also, the pirate ship cruise is a blast with good food as an added bonus.

Am headed to Cancun and wonder if anyone has any restaurants to add to a must visit list.

Last year I tried the Shrimp Bucket and expected to be disappointed. I was pleasently surprised. Not fancy but the beer is cold and the fish and shrimp better than average and fairly priced.

Be sure to ask about the specials. When we were there there was an all you can eat special. It allowed you to taste many different dishes at a reasonable price.

We had a great experience a few weeks ago at Puerto Madero. Go right before sunset and ask for a window on the water.

www.puertomaderocancun.com

Across the street from Le Meridien and the Ritz; within walking distance from the JW.

We also thought Puerto Madero was the best upscale meal we had in Cancun. Surprisingly good empanadas, good steaks and salads and the design of the restaurant is well done.
Have fun.

Puerto Madero is an old favorite of ours. There are a number of new restaurants nearby like Harry's that we have never tried. Anyone tried it or other restaurants less than 5 years old in the Hotel Zone.