10 Best Restaurants in Playa del Carmen

La Cueva del Chango, The Cave of the Monkey, is a long-established Mexican eatery that’s festooned with palms and jungle plants. Reserve a table in its patio garden, or dine inside under its thatched roof palapa, and enjoy regional classics that have been prepared with love.

The cocktails are crafted with house-made mezcal and elevated with quirky local ingredients including tamarind pulp, guava fruit, habanero, and agave honey. Afterwards, fill your belly with delectable dishes like chalupitas with Oaxaca cheese, and cilantro cream shrimp with serrano chili.

El Fogón is a bright and airy 2-story corner restaurant that may look unassuming, but never judge a book by its cover. This colorfully painted venue is Playa’s go-to place for authentic Mexican cuisine, especially its meaty tacos.

With its ridiculously affordable prices and friendly crew of staff, it’s little wonder why this gastronomic haunt is always packed to the rafters with enthusiastic foodies. Must-try dishes include the pineapple quesadilla, the golden nachos with sauteed chicken, and the Taco Loco with pork and cheese.

El Pirata is instantly recognizable thanks to its sea-blue exterior, old-school pirate signage, and simple wooden sidewalk tables. This no-frills open-air restaurant dishes up some of the most succulent seafood on the Yucatán Peninsula, hence why it’s always overrun with locals and tourists.

If it’s busy, which it usually is, you may have to wait a few minutes for a table, but trust us, it’s totally worth it. When you’re seated, order the conch ceviche, shrimp enchiladas, and fried red snapper with habanero salsa.

One of Playa del Carmen’s top-ranked restaurants, Oh Lala! International Cuisine by George has been wowing diners since 2011. If features gold-lit interior, art prints by Van Gough and Klimt, beautiful plating, and dishes that simply melt in the mouth. With its small number of tables, the restaurant’s focus is on quality over quantity, which is enhanced by its undeniable ambiance and faultless wait staff.

The menu is an international affair with American, French, Italian, and Asian dishes making their mark across starters, mains, and desserts. Try the funghi trifolati with white wine and garlic, or the juicy rock lobster in beurre blanc sauce.

El Hongo, The Mushroom, is like no other eatery in Playa del Carmen thanks to its psychedelic décor, plant-filled patio, and spectacular color palette that spans every shade of rainbow. It’s also a philanthropic venture that helps support the local community by donating funds to Calle 19’s art and cooking classes, as well as teachers and youths in the area.

Completely volunteer-run, El Hongo entices foodies from all around town with its sudadas xalapeñas, potato-stuffed gorditas, grandma’s chocolate mole, and cheesy Oaxaca omelets. For dessert, don’t miss out on the banana and Nutella roll, which is served with scoops of dreamy ice cream, or a simple but delicious homemade rice pudding.

Housed in a double-story open-air palapa, Nativo immediately stands out with its exotic thatched roof and colorful wrap-around balcony. Inside, the restaurant boasts an over-the-top interior that’s kitted out with rainbow tables and chairs, papier-mache leopard heads, and jungle-themed murals featuring beautiful trees and flowers.

Nativo doesn’t take reservations, so it’s best to head there early so you can score a premium table before the dining room fills up. Sample a range of Mexican classics like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, or twirl your fork through a bowl of pasta that’s sprinkled with parmesan.

Only moments from Mamitas Beach, Amate 38 is famed for its atmospheric al fresco terrace that drips with tropical plants. This trendy bohemian haunt specializes in authentic Yucatecan cuisine, made with regionally sourced ingredients that are paired with silky Mexican wines and artisanal tequilas.

Order delectable starters like charcoal-grilled Valladolid sausages, black bean pimitos with sliced avocado, and empanadas stuffed with queso de bola. For mains, nothing beats the corn tamales with tasty stewed chaya or the succulent beef fillet with black recado sauce.

Alux Restaurant and Bar, located a short walk west of the city’s Centro district, has to be seen to be believed. Set in a vast underground cave that dazzles with its stalactites and stalagmites, guests can dine in an array of natural vaults that feature distinct characteristics.

Listen to live Mariachi bands while feasting on octopus glazed with xcatic chili aioli, shredded Yucatan deer meat served in a futuristic smoke capsule, and 8-hour pork belly dusted with 24k gold. Save room for dessert because the sweets here are stunning. Savor the cacao mousse with flaming whiskey and the fruit punch pavlova.

Axiote Cocina de Mexico reimagines traditional Mexican cuisine by updating it with unbridled imagination and culinary flair. Inside, diners will marvel at the restaurant’s curvaceous ceiling crafted from woven guano leaf, rustic bar with jungle lampshades, and hundreds of colorful prayer flags.

The food at Axiote Cocina is so spectacular and occasionally boundary-pushing that you’d be forgiven for ordering the entire menu. Must-try dishes include the Kino Bay scallops, the Cozumel lobster, the grasshopper guacamole, and the chili duck tacos.

La Perla Pixan Cuisine & La Carboneria seduces patrons with its open, thatched-roof dining room, canopied, plant-filled patio, and ratan, full moon lampshades. Conveniently situated between 5th Avenue and Flamingos Street, this lively joint also serves top-shelf mezcal and chic Latin cocktails like the Jungle Bird and the Margarita Cadillac.

Foodies will not be disappointed with the restaurant’s authentic Mexican favorites like skirt steak tacos, fiery chicken fajitas, and chile rellenos, hot green peppers stuffed with succulent meat. For dessert, sample a ramekin of Jericalla custard, the homemade flan that’s infused with vanilla, or the heavenly cheesecake with freshly picked strawberries.