Tulum Dining Reviews

Rather than go through individual dining reviews like I did last year, I opted to go for the bulk upload this time. As such, this post will cover a wide array of places (with photos), including: Casa Jaguar (again), Hemingway’s, La Cocina de Corina, La Famiglia, La Oñda, La Suerte Del Coyote, and Mateo’s (again, duh).

Here are my thoughts:

  • Casa Jaguar: This place was as great as the last time. We heard a lot of other people in the area knocking it as “nothing special” – but we firmly believe this place is legit and checks all the right boxes for the area. The tuna tostadas are still out of this world!
Casa Jaguar Kitchen
The open air kitchen at Casa Jaguar is still an amazing sight.
  • Hemingway’s: I was actually fairly ill for this (I got food poisoning from a rogue piece of raw tuna on our second day down there), but the food and price were both definitely on point!
Hemingways Restaurant
The view from the deck at Hemingway’s.
  • La Cocina de Corina: This place was a treat. We sat right next to the kitchen, and therefore got to watch the delicate preparation of all of our dishes (an added bonus). The food reminded us of Posada Margherita (fresh, surprisingly delicate Italian fare).
La Cocina De Corina Kitchen
The view into the kitchen for my “sneak peek” at our chef’s preparation regimen at La Cocina de Corina.
  • La Famiglia: This place was my favorite meal during this trip to Tulum. The server recommended we try the pasta sampler since Katy wanted to try gnocchi and I wanted to try bolognese. The gnocchi was as good as I’ve ever had, and the bolognese was out of this world good. The tuna appetizer and other accompaniments were delicious as well. I was surprised this place was not more crowded (perhaps a bad omen for long term success of this restaurant). I would absolutely recommend a trip here if you’re ever down that way.
La Famiglia Dining Room at Night
The dining room at La Famiglia.
La Famiglia Daytime
The exterior of La Famiglia in the daylight.
  • La Oñda: They claim to have the “best pizza on Earth”. While that may be a stretch, we really did enjoy this spot. An added bonus was that they had live flamenco dancing and music that evening. The older gentleman who was playing/singing was delightful, and the lady who was dancing was fantastic!
La Onda Flaming Tequila Shots
Complimentary (and unexpected) tequila shots at La Oñda.
La Onda Sign
Exterior signage at La Oñda.
  • La Suerte Del Coyote: We actually went here hoping to find our favorite place from last trip (MamaMuu) but were sad to find out it had changed ownership. The new place (La Suerte Del Coyote) was a great treat as well though! While they no longer do mezcal flights, they still do great drinks. And we only had corn to eat (mid-afternoon snack), but that corn was terrific – a lime corn with spices and a cotija cheese sauce.
La Suerte Del Coyote
The sign at La Suerte Del Coyote. Rest In Peace, MamaMuu!
  • Mateo’s: I have said enough about this place. It’s awesome, the food is great, the drinks are cheap, and the atmosphere is so chill. Sit back by the TV to catch futbol (soccer) or rugby, and get better bar service!
Mateos Hecho Con Amor
The wall art is still on point at Mateo’s!
Mateos Coco Loco Sign
One of our favorite parts of any meal/visit to Mateo’s: Coco Locos!!
Mateos
Mateo’s just feels like (our Tulum) home.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Dining Review: Cetli

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Cetli – a quiet, quaint find off the main road

We spent our last night in Tulum Centro (the actual town), and Cetli was another TIG recommendation we wanted to try. It didn’t knock our socks off, but the bar had been set so incredibly high by some of our prior meals that there was no way it could really live up to the hype. Not a fair fight (coincidentally, speaking of fights, the night we dined here was the same night as “the fight of the century” between Mayweather/Pacquiao – Mexico was going NUTS for this event; it was awesome to be there and witness the fandom and general enthusiasm for boxing).

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Quaint atmosphere, reasonably priced
  • Cons: Limited menu selection, much more “authentic” Mexican cuisine (which – truth be told – isn’t totally my thing due to my indifference towards things like black beans)
  • Must Try: Anything with mole
  • Know Before You Go: You will be given some wonderful chef’s selection appetizers prior to the meal which will be a great way to start your dining experience
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Gratis chef’s selection appetizer plate: assorted cheeses, breads, empanadas, and mushrooms

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Dining Review: MamaMuu

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Entrance to MamaMuu

MamaMuu was a place we passed several times, but hadn’t heard anything about ahead of time. It was walking distance from our hotel, though, and one night we decided to just walk to dinner rather than cab/drive somewhere. I’m so glad we went here, as this was one of our favorite meals and the ambience was nothing short of incredible. We were actually the first people in the restaurant, and at its peak there were only three other tables dining at the same time (which I hope doesn’t sound like a deterrent, I think the lack of crowd at this spot was really due to the lack of people in this specific area since it was low season).

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill (again, a theme), wonderful staff that was very helpful with both recommendations as well as fuming the restaurant with a local remedy for bugs
  • Cons: Off the beaten path a bit (we were almost attacked by random dogs as we tried to walk back to our hotel – which prompted us to quickly retreat to hail a cab at a closer hotel)
  • Must Try: Mezcal Flight (mezcal is a local tequila-like liquor that is much more smooth and layered than what you typically think of as a tequila), anything grilled (my SO had grilled vegetables and a baked potato – both awesome; I opted for a “chicken relleno” – mushrooms/cheese wrapped up in a bacon-wrapped chicken breast – equally awesome)
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The Mezcofago Mezcal Tasting Flight, $150 Pesos

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Dining Review: Casa Banana

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The outdoor kitchen and grill at Casa Banana

I’m a sucker for any grilled meat, so trying the Argentinian meat purveyors at Casa Banana was a no-brainer. I’ll keep this one short, as this was one of the less memorable meals (by comparison). One unique factoid about our experience here, though, was that we opted to get seated quicker by volunteering to sit blind with another couple. A cool experience, but kind of awkward. We didn’t feel pressured to include them in our meal, but having them there (speaking in another language, no less) kind of spoiled the meal.

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill (still sensing a theme?)
  • Cons: A bit on the pricey side, does not take reservations, limited beer selection
  • Must Try: Appetizer sampler (specifically – the empanadas – absolutely incredible)

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Dining Review: Posada Margherita

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Tulum is a paradise, indeed.

Yet another TIG recommendation, Posada Margherita is another spot that will definitely not disappoint. Not sure how the dinner crowd is, but if you head in for a late lunch you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting in. They have a beach front area too where you can lounge around and take in the scenes.

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Huge portions, lots of great add-ons, relaxed and beautiful atmosphere
  • Cons: Juices are expensive, and you may very well start to fill up on all the other add-ons before your pasta dish comes
  • Must Try: Caprese Salad – served with Burrata and some incredibly fresh tomatos/greens (see below with the chef’s sampler breads/cheese tray)
  • Know Before You Go: There is a great beach in front of the restaurant that is available for use and relaxing by guests

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Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Dining Review: Casa Jaguar

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Entrance sign at Casa Jaguar

Our first night in Tulum, we took a page out of Meghan Markle’s Tig blog script, and tried Casa Jaguar. A very pleasant experience, and a wonderful welcome to Tulum, this spot embodies a lot of the elements of the style and topography indicative of Tulum. This spot is a “must” for any Tulum visitor, if only to have a drink or check out the spot.

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill, very friendly and accommodating staff
  • Cons: A bit pricey, cash only, limited beer selection
  • Must Try: Tuna Tostadas – an incredibly massive portion of tuna adorns each tostada, and they only cost ~180 Pesos ($12), a ridiculous price for such goodness
  • Know Before You Go: You can 100% get away with ordering many smaller plates rather than feeling obligated to get an entrée
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Outdoor kitchen and brick oven at Casa Jaguar

Til Next Time,

Michael

Playa Del Carmen Dining Review: Nikkori

On the second night, we were really craving raw fish, so we actually opted to go a bit more “local” local and dined at a sushi spot called Nikkori recommended by one of the staff members at Mahekal.

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Good sushi, good portions, not infested with other tourists (which can be a huge blessing at times)
  • Cons: Not all items on menu are available, and there seems to be continued manifestation of language barriers that can make ordering complicated based upon extensive menu options (e.g. ordering a Sashmi versus a “Sashimi Special” which is supposed to come with ponzu and sliced serranos – something that is very difficult to describe in two different languages when it comes out different than expected)
  • Must Try: Tuna Cocktail
  • Know Before You Go: You should expect to be flexible if you’re ordering wine, as their menu versus what’s available may differ drastically

Til Next Time,

Michael

Playa Del Carmen Dining & Nightlife Review: Paxche/5th Ave/Kitxen

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Yaxche – slightly touristy, but still completely Mayan

I’m going to try and focus on a lot of the meals we ate and give quick, simple tidbits about each. Starting in Playa Del Carmen, our first night we went to a highly-recommended spot called Yaxche, and explored the vibrate 5th Ave (“Avenida 5”) district.

Here’s the review for Paxche:

  • Pros: Good “authentic” Mayan food, good/spacious restaurant layout
  • Cons: A bit touristy, outside dining can get very sticky (this should have been obvious, but it was actually kind of deceiving upon entry)
  • Must Try: Duck Tacos (“Kuts Tacos”)
  • Know Before You Go: There are a lot of panhandlers and gimmicks in the area, so tread carefully before engaging in dialogue with any of the vendors (although – on a related note – Yaxche did have a guy taking photos of couples at their tables and came back around with your image on a tequila bottle with the date/name of restaurant… I told myself I’d pay up to $20 for a novelty item like that and ended up talking him down to 200 Pesos, so I was a happy camper even though I probably didn’t heed my own advice)

As far as Kitxen goes, we were very excited to find a spot that had local, live music. It was funny, too, that almost every other song was a cover of a catchy American tune (a nice touch that showed how much influence our music has internationally – and how much the people of the area enjoy catering to their main tourists). “Avenida 5” as a whole is a blast – tons of little shops and boutiques where you can get some great deals and practice your Spanish and negotiation skills.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Playa Del Carmen Dining Review: Mahekal

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I wanted to also review the dining experience at our hotel (Mahekal) – where we had a meal plan that included breakfast and dinner (which we were able to switch out for lunch each day, a highly-recommended decision in my opinion).

Here’s the review:

  • Pros: Good/consistent food, convenient
  • Cons: Limited options around the property, and menu remains largely the same every day
  • Must Try: Breakfast quesadillas (hand made by onsite chef if/when available)
  • Know Before You Go: You can dine anywhere around the property for lunch and still get the lunch menu/free meal swap (instead of eating dinner, you trade out for lunch) – just be nice to the staff and they’ll help serve you wherever you like (by the beach, by the pool, etc)

Til Next Time,

Michael