Favorite Cozumel Restaurants

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

ggunn:
Palmeras*

*I hope my inclusion of this one doesn't invalidate the rest of my list. Despite its Denny's style menu and the fact that is possibly the most touristy eatery on the island, their broiled octopus (not on the menu, but ask) is some of the best I have had anywhere. It's a great "people watching" spot, too.

Hey for those of us with kids Palmeras is a godsend. The kids are happy, the food is not that bad, and the service was first rate.
 
We’re just back from a quick trip down to get our place ready for the rental season.

On many of our trips, we find that our eating pattern follows a theme. One trip turned into the search for the best fajitas on the island. On another, it was the quest for the perfect flan. This trip might be described as “eating local.” Because we were so busy working, we didn’t really make it to all of our favorite restaurants this time but we did manage to eat very well and for the most part, very inexpensively.

We enjoyed dinner on more than one evening at Serra’s, our favorite taqueria on Ave 30. With Tacos Al Pastor at $4.50 pesos, two of us could eat very well for US$6-$7.

After driving by it for years and always seeing a good local crowd, we finally had dinner one night at Otatah’s on Ave. 15. In addition to the usual selections, we loved the pasòle: pork (or it could have been dark chicken meat) soup with hominy and vegetables.

We had a great seafood lunch at Santa Carlos back on Ave. 50-B. A starter of mixed conch and octopus ceviché followed by a whole fried snapper with several beers ran us about $160 pesos for two. Since our last trip there, they’ve expanded and improved the seating area for dining out back.

A new discovery that we liked so much that we ate there twice was El Candela at the corner of Calle 2 and Ave. 15. This place does a big take away business but also has a few tables that usually fill with locals by about 2:00-2:30pm. For a set price of about $50 pesos, you get a choice of soup, a choice from 3 entrées, either rice or spaghetti, a choice of steamed vegetables or new potatoes and unlimited refills on jamaica, an herbal tea-like cold beverage made from hibiscus flowers. The selection of entrées changes daily but usually includes a chicken cutlet stuffed with ham and cheese, the same pork in tomato sauce recipe that we’ve always loved at La Chosa plus one or two others. We only ate lunch there so I’m not 100% sure they are open for dinner.

Twice during our trip when we were so busy we couldn’t take a lot of time for lunch, we stopped by El Laurel on Calle 11 between Ave 25 & 30 and picked up lunch to go. A lunch of chicken salbutas, bean and cheese empanadas and chicken tamales ran us about $50 pesos total for two.

Most mornings we ate breakfast at home. I love to get up early, put the coffee on and run down to the fruiteria at the corner of Ave 30 and Calle 15 for fresh squeezed juices. This trip we discovered tangerine juice. Yum.

After our experience with a drunk waiter (that was so bad that it was actually comical) at Casa Dennis last Christmas, we were interested in giving it another try. We are happy to report that everything was back to normal. We had the same waiter as in our Christmas story. I don’t think he remembered that visit and but he remembered us well enough to know that I like the Sandia Grande as a beverage without me having to order it. The prices seemed a little higher than I remembered but the food and service were terrific this time.

We had a nice leisurely dinner one night at El Turix on Calle 17 between Ave 20 & 25. The owners there are such nice people and the food including desert are still good.

Right next door to El Turix in the space formally housing La Cocay is a new restaurant, Mesa 17. We didn’t have the chance to try it but talked to lots of people who did (including the owners of El Turix) and everyone raved about this place. We did take a look at the menu and the prices are a bit high for Cozumel but if the food is as good as we heard, very much worth the expense.

JK
http://www.mxtravel.com/cozumel/cozumel_restaurants.html
http://www.mxtravel.com/cozumel/santa_fe.html
 
mediakzar:
Right next door to El Turix in the space formally housing La Cocay is a new restaurant, Mesa 17.

What happened to LaCocay?
 
5615mike:
(RE: Pancho's Backyard) Not near what it used to be

?? I was there in May, as well as at least once on every trip there in the last 15+ years, and it seemed the same as it ever was to me.
 
mediakzar:
They are moving but haven't re-opened yet. If you go to their web page they say they will be in our new location on Calle 8 in Dec and will be open for lunch and dinner.

JK
http://www.mxtravel.com/cozumel/santa_fe.html


Thanks. I'll check it out in January.
 
thanks for the tips on Otate's and El Folko we'll give them a try next trip.
Yeah, Rock 'n' Java is great, if you get a chance when in town, try their chocolate, moca, macadamian nut shake, OH MY GOD!!! my wife got one and it almost turned into an arm wrestling match, luckely for me she's a good sharer.
Other personal faves are:
Casa Denis
El Capt. Navagante
Prima Pasta
Ernesto's
Coconuts (carribean side)
Playa Corona
the list goes on and on and countinues to grow! so many choices, so little time!!!
the French Quarter has been highly recommended by a local friend especially for their Mayan Mountain dessert, I think that is what she called it.

i may have to extend my vacations to 2 weeks just for the food!!!
 

Back
Top Bottom