Get to know Keshi: honest restaurant recommendations based on real experiences, not recycled influencer lists or paid promotions
Hi, I’m Keshi, a local expert in Playa del Carmen.
The first thing you should know about this blog is that you can be 100% sure these recommendations are completely honest. My only goal is to share the best places I know so you can enjoy the flavors, culture, and people of my beloved Mexico.
I don’t get paid, I don’t receive freebies in exchange, and I don’t have any commercial benefit from these recommendations. I’m not an influencer, there are no discount codes, and you don’t need to mention my name anywhere. The only purpose here is for you to have an amazing time with your family or friends.
Let me make something clear — I’m not a fan of recommending the same places you always see on Instagram or influencer pages. Honestly, I think their recommendations are far from the real best spots. Here I’ll tell you where I personally like to eat, what type of food they serve, and exactly what I order.
This list is not in “best to worst” order. I’m grouping them by category and telling you what kind of occasion each is good for — because it’s not the same to grab something quick with friends as it is to have a romantic dinner with your partner. I’ll also give you an estimated cost per person, including one drink.
La floresta – Local Seafood Favorites
Hours: 11 am – 4 pm
Meal Type: Lunch
Category: Local, seafood, casual
Best for: Friends or couples. Local vibe, casual and relaxed, zero luxury — plastic tables, informal.
La Floresta is one of those places that never fails. Heads-up: they only serve seafood. It’s famous among locals and iconic in Playa. In my opinion, this is the oldest seafood spot in town — open since 1991, back when Playa didn’t even have a proper paved road.
What to order:
- Shrimp tacos (everyone’s favorite).
- Marlin tostada.
- Crab tostada.
Here’s my tip: make your shrimp tacos “sushi style,” a flavor fusion. Add mayo, habanero salsa (spicy but boosts flavor), pico de gallo (tomato, onion, cilantro), garlic oil (spicy), and tamarind sauce with guajillo chili (not spicy, slightly sweet).
I don’t recommend the cocktails or aguachiles here — go straight for tacos and tostadas.
Secret item: There’s a tostada not on the menu called tostada vinagreta — shrimp ceviche with a dark sauce and avocado.
Approx. price per person: 160 MXN (2 tacos, 1 tostada, and a soda).
Soy Capitán, Sea food
Meal Type: Lunch
Category: Local, seafood, retro music
Best for: Friends, couples. Go when you have time — it’s partly rodizio style. Excellent bartender, amazing drinks at very fair prices.
If you like La Floresta but want a much bigger menu, this is it. Soy Capitán is à la carte, but you can also eat almost everything on the menu for one fixed (and very fair) price. They play retro music — Acapulco-style 80’s boleros, plenty of Luis Miguel — and the whole vibe feels like you’re in 80’s Acapulco. Service is woooow, and I can’t leave without tipping 20% — they truly earn it.
What to order:
- Garlic shrimp and “Guajiro” shrimp.
- Tuna tostada.
- Roquefort oysters.
- Shrimp cocktail.
- Oyster cocktail.
- Mixed ceviche.
- Tuna aguachile.
- Fish tostadas.
- My personal favorite: green shrimp aguachile (no habanero).
I recommend all of this because, well… it’s what I always order, haha. I stay there for about 90 minutes with my football buddies or friends visiting from out of town.
Food + music = you can’t skip drinks. And this is tricky because I don’t usually drink much, but here everything on the bar menu tempts me. Ask the bartender (super skilled) what they recommend based on what you like. I get a “margachela” (a beer poured into a margarita) and finish with a carajillo. Drinks here are honestly better than in many high-end restaurants on Fifth Avenue.
Approx. price per person: 350–450 MXN, depending on drinks.
Da Romeo – Italian, Bohemian & Local
Hours: 4 pm – 10 pm
Meal Type: Dinner
Category: Italian, romantic, bohemian
Best for: Couples or double dates. Quiet, bohemian atmosphere — not for loud or rowdy groups. Not fancy, but dress nicely for a special evening. Reservations recommended (it’s almost always full).
What can I say about Romeo… this was my second date with my now-wife. I chose it because I wanted to make a great impression — a cozy yet relaxed spot with Caribbean vibes and absolutely excellent Italian food.
Talking about Romeo is talking about Marco, the chef. He’s from Italy, and his father was also a chef, so trust me, this is as close as it gets to eating in one of the best restaurants in Italy.
What to order:
- Salmon carpaccio.
- Caprese salad with burrata.
- Lobster with spaghetti.
- Spaghetti Bolognese.
- Truffle salad (careful — if you’ve never tried truffle or don’t like it, skip this one).
- Dessert: chocolate “volcano” cake with vanilla ice cream.
Drinks: Red or white wine depending on your dish. I order sangria because it pairs perfectly with the spaghetti Bolognese my wife always gets.
Approx. price per person: 450–550 MXN.
Sushi-Roll – Casual & Affordable Sushi
I only recommend Sushi Roll Mon–Wed after 6 pm for the 2-for-1 sushi deal. On Wednesdays, my daughter finishes ballet at 5 pm, we take a short walk, and then the whole family goes for sushi — it’s become a little tradition.
Sushi here is affordable, but if you order lots of drinks (which are tasty), the bill can go up.
What to order:
- In Roll (wrapped in cucumber, breaded shrimp, cream cheese, surimi sauce).
- Sunset Roll (mango, nuts, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado — my favorite).
- Dragon Roll (shrimp, cream cheese, spicy sauce — I always forget the rest, but it’s good).
Drinks: Pitcher of strawberry water — tasty but pricey at 120 MXN (4 glasses).
Approx. price per person: 300 MXN with the promotion.
Babes – Thai Food with Retro Vibes
Hours: 6 pm – 11 pm
Meal Type: Dinner
Category: Thai, retro, youthful
Best for: Couples (not super romantic but you’ll impress), friends, celebrations. Fun crowd ages 25–45, neon lights, retro posters of 60’s pin-up girls — not vulgar, just a cool vintage style.
The iconic Babes is one of my all-time favorites. It’s one of the oldest restaurant-bars in Playa, has moved locations several times, and is still famous for its margaritas and great food.
What to order:
- Swedish meatballs (Keshi Choice), served with cucumber salad in sweet vinegar, blackberry jam, and garlic cream sauce.
- Three-cheese rolls with passion fruit and mint sauce.
- Sesame noodles or cashew noodles.
- Vietnamese rolls (vegetarian).
Approx. price per person: 400–500 MXN.
Bovinos, Brazilian Steakhouse
Bovinos is delicious and worth the price — though not cheap. Almost on Fifth Avenue, it’s one of the few in the tourist zone that really delivers what you pay for. They have an extra package with lobster and jumbo shrimp, but honestly, the regular package is more than enough with amazing options and a full buffet.
What to order:
- Regular package (skip the extras).
- From the buffet bar: artichokes, mushrooms, salads, cheeses, cold cuts, onion soup.
- Wait for your favorite cuts: my favorite is the slow-cooked ribs (served from a cart, not the sword skewers).
- Lamb with mint jam.
- Picanha (must-have).
Approx. price per person: 700–1000 MXN (depending on drinks).
La Cueva del Chango, Traditional Mexican
Hours: 8 AM to 10 PM
Meal Type: Breakfast as my personal opinion.
Category: Traditional, surrounded by nature
Best for: Friends, family, couples looking for a peaceful breakfast in an old Playa del Carmen setting — trees, palms, stones, little waterfalls, wood, and lush plants.
One of the few places that still represents old Playa. Located on 38th Street near Fifth Avenue, this iconic spot has not only lasted over the years but grown stronger.
What to order:
- Chilaquiles with cascabel chili sauce (most people order them with green sauce).
- Cream of poblano soup.
Approx. price per person: 340 MXN.
Local Taco Spot
El Fogón (only the one near Walmart)
Hours: [Need to confirm exact hours]
Meal Type: Dinner
Category: Mexican tacos & street food, local favorite
Best for: Casual nights, locals’ go-to taco spot.
Before recommending this place, let me say: these are good tacos for Playa standards. If you were in Mexico City or Tijuana, they wouldn’t make the top list, but here they’re worth it.
What to order:
- Tacos al pastor (to try).
- Special pork steak (tender and flavorful) — served with baked potato, guacamole, and roasted peppers with cheese.
- “Gringa” (flour tortilla with cheese and al pastor meat).
- Horchata water.
Approx. price per person: 150–200 MXN.
La buena vida, Oceanfront but No Beach
Hours: 12 pm – 7 pm
Meal Type: Lunch
Category: Ocean view, relaxed atmosphere
Best for: Friends hanging out in Akumal or as a stop after a Tulum tour.
Before sunset, this place is totally worth it. The food is slightly Americanized but still good. There are wooden swings with ropes, and big tables for groups up to 16. It’s right on the water, but the shore is rocky — no sandy beach.
What to order:
- Mango ceviche.
- BBQ pork ribs.
Approx. price per person: 350 MXN.
Xpu-Ha, la playa beach club, Oceanfront with a Stunning Beach
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm
Meal Type: Lunch
Category: Beach & seafood, local vibe
Best for: Spending the whole day at the beach with friends, family, or your partner.
One of my top recommendations — not just for eating, but for staying and enjoying. Live music every day from 2 pm to 4 pm (sometimes rock, sometimes salsa). The color of the water is stunning, and the atmosphere is relaxed and local.
I don’t recommend weekends (Sat–Sun) because, even though it’s not a tourist trap, many locals go then.
What to order:
- Fish ceviche tostada.
- Mixed seafood tostada.
- Shrimp aguachile.
Approx. price per person: 220 MXN for food and one alcoholic drink, or about 450 MXN if you stay all day with snacks and 4 drinks.