Heater's Places to Eat……Things to Do……..Places to Booze

heater · 03-30-2005

here is a list that i put together for our wedding guests.

Sol · 03-30-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by heater

here is a list that i put together for our wedding guests.

Heater!

Thanks for the list!

heater · 03-30-2005

thanks....i think that i deserve my own thread for that list. (it took me 4 hours to put together!) i hope that it will be useful for food lovers like myself.

**denisea** · 03-30-2005

Heater's Places to Eat……Things to Do……..Places to Booze

Tacos and cheap eats

Dona Mary- This is supposed to be the best place for a Mexican dinner. The women only speak Spanish and most of the food choices are made with chicken. They are only open for dinner. 7pm-12am. 30th ave and 28th st (calle). Taxi or moped accessible.
El Oasis-A must! The best shrimp tacos you’ll ever eat. Fresh seafood. Ceviche(fish or shrimp marinated in lime juice, onion, cilantro, tomato-served with tortilla chips), guacamole. 12th st between 5th and 10th ave.
Pizza Pazza- A must! This place has awesome slices of pizza. Located next to El Oasis. 12th st between 5th and 10th ave.
Aca Los Tacos- Tacos al pastor (pork tacos on a spit…kinda like gyros). Corner of 5th ave and Constituyentes.
El Sarape- Tacos al pastor and other Mexican grub. Served only at night. Located on Juarez, about 4-5 blocks from the ferry terminal.
El Fogon- Tacos al pastor. 3 locations: 30th Ave and 6th St; 30th Ave near 28th st; and Constituyentes Av between Av 25 y Av 30 (across from Mega).
Tacos Israel- Awesome tacos. Tacos arrachera (flank steak) and tacos al pastor. There is a bright blue and white striped awning. Corner of 15th ave and 10th st.
La Casita de Los Guisos (formerly La Madrina)- I have heard great things about this place. Tamales on weekends, mole, etc. 20th ave and 6th st. (look for red chairs) Closed Tuesdays.
Doctor Taco- Great tacos and vegetarian selections. 10th ave between 8th and 10th st.
El Faisan y el Venado- Great Mexican and Yucataenaen specialties. Lots of locals eat here. Close to Juarez and highway 307.
H & M Butcher Shop- This place is a butcher shop that also serves great food. Grilled flank steak with a baked potato and grilled onion-yummy! 1st st between 25th and 30th ave.
Food Carts-(very clean and safe to eat) Most of these carts are located at 5th ave and Juarez. The pork tacos served in the morning are supposed to be great. Churros at night. Empanadas, fresh fruit cups and fresh squeezed orange juice.

Breakfast and Sandwich Shops

La Cueva Del Chango- A must! This place is a little out of the way but well worth it. Homemade granola served with fresh fruit and yogurt. Eggs with cheese and chaya (spinach) served with homemade tortillas. Fresh squeezed juices and great coffee. They are also open for lunch and dinner. 38th st between 5th ave and the beach. Ask for directions, taxi, moped, walk the street from north end of town (Hotel Coco Rio), walk the beach and turn on to the road at Shangri La Hotel (next to las Palapas)
Java Joe’s- The best coffee and place to gossip with the locals. Breakfast and sandwiches. Homemade grilled Italian sausage in the afternoons. 10th st between 5th and 10th ave.
Hot Baking Company- Homemade breads and pastries, eggs and bacon, etc. Has two locations. (Calle Corazon) corner of 5th ave and 14 st. 10th st bwtween 5th and 10th.
Baguiz- Sandwiches and probably breakfast. 20th ave between 6th and 8th st.
IL Mangiare- Delicatessen with sandwiches, bagels, coffee, etc. 5th ave between 28th and 30st.

Places for Dinner or Big Lunch

Media Luna- The food is great! All types of food: vegetarian, pasta, seafood. They also have great juices, drinks and sangria. 5th avenue between 12th and 14st.
Babes Noodle Bar- A must! Great food…thai dishes (pretty mild, but great), spring rolls and Vietnamese rolls are also great. Great mojitos, blueberry margaritas, juices, mint lemonade. 10th st between 5th and 10th ave.
Casa Mediterranea- Great pasta and fish. 5th ave between 6th and 8th st. (down a walkway across from lunata hotel)
Yaxche- (ya-shay) One of the nicest restaurants in town. Mayan restaurant with gourmet food. This place has won a bunch of awards. 8th st between 5th and 10th.
Tango Taco- Supposed to have great Mexican and beef and good prices. 10th st between 10th and 15th ave.
Magdalena’s Grill House- Have heard great things about this place. Imported meats, dinner menu selected daily. They are also open for lunch and serve breakfast until 3pm. Corner of 1st ave and 26th st.
Manne’s Biergarten- German pub. Wednesday night is rib night and Friday’s is pork roast. Closed Tuesdays. 4th st between 10th and 15 ave.
Playa Maya-On the beach, also a great place for breakfast or lunch. Fresh seafood, coconut shrimp, great guacamole. Playa Maya Hotel on the beach between 6th and 8th st.
La Parilla- This is a really fun place to eat. They have Marachis from 8-10. Good Mexican food. We usually eat dinner here our first night in town. 5th ave between 8th and 10th (or 8th and 6th).
Sol Food- New restaurant that is supposed to be very good. Vegetarian, meat, pasta, seafood. 8th st between 5th and the beach.
John Gray’s Kitchen- A must! This small restaurant is located in Puerto Morelos, about 25 minutes north of playa. Take a taxi or car. John Gray, the owner, was formerly a chef at the Ritz Carlton in California. The food is wonderful and the setting is romantic. Hours are Monday-Saturday 6-10 pm. You can call for reservations, but not a must. 998-871-0665.
Ah Cacaos- This is a place that serves only chocolate. Located on the corner of 5th Ave and Constituyentes.
IL Duca- This restaurant is a transport from rome (Frommer’s top 10 restaurants in Rome). Mussels flown in on weekends. 10th st between 1st and 5th ave.

Bars, Clubs and People Watching

There are so many of these places-here are some favorites.

******- The most famous bar in Playa. Great Place for happy hour. I think that they have live music on Saturday afternoons. Good place to go a little later in the evening. (11 or 12ish)
Tequila Barrel- One of the most popular bars in Playa. Over 100 different kinds of tequila, great mojitos. 5th ave between 10th and 12thst.
Bourbon Street- Live music, great drinks. 5th ave between 6th and 8th st.
Mil Un Alux – (Aloosh)! A must! This place is unlike anything that you have ever seen. It’s a huge bar that is built into a natural cavern. Juarez across from 307. Taxi.(tell the cave bar)
Captain Tutix- This is the place that you want to go to after 2 or 3 am. Club with lots of stuff going on. On the beach and 4st. Can walk the beach from ******. (Girl’s don’t walk alone on the beach at night…..no matter how drunk you are. Unless it’s from ****** to your hotel at Gran Porto Real).
Deseo- The bed bar. This place is awesome. Located on the rooftop of Deseo hotel. (look for a set of stairs with a huge screen playing black and white videos) 5th ave between 10th and 12 st. (I think).
Beer Bucket- Live music, popular with the locals. 5th ave between 10th and 12th st.

Things to do

Playa Tukan Beach Club- This is usually where Brian and I are during the day. Most beautiful stretch of beach in playa. Restaurant, swing bar, juice bar, chair service, chair rentals, dive shop, and umbrella rentals.
Itza Spa- (calle Corazon) 5th ave and 14th st. Spa with a great reputation. Massage, mayan healing baths, facials, etc.
Car Rentals- ask around for rental places off of 5th ave, they are usually cheaper.
Great Day Trip- rent a car,(if you like to snorkel rent some gear at playa tukan before you leave) Start out in the morning. Head south on highway 307. Stop at Akumal entrance and have breakfast at Turtle Bay Bakery. (great breakfast burrito), Get a map from the dive shop and snorkel at Yal kuul (sp) lagoon.

Drive further south to the Road to Coba sign (it will be on right hand side of the road) drive down road a bit and stop at Gran Cenote (right hand side or road) for a refreshing swim.

Head back to 307 north towards Playa.
Stop at Xpu-Ha beach with the Café Del Mar sign. Have lunch and some margaritas at the café. It’s a nice quiet beach and a fun place to stop.

There are also some great ruins such as Tulum and Coba, Great Parks such as Xcaret and Xelha.
Grab a tour book from you hotel and look through it.

Travelers checks are a must
Pack comfortable shoes

**denisea** · 03-30-2005

Heater, thanks for the great list! It really deserved it's own thread. I took the liberty of copying your list and posting it right on the thread as well (minus your wedding info) in the event, anyone has trouble accessing your attached file.

**Anna** · 03-30-2005

Just a FYI:
the taco stand on 10th and Constituyentes isn't there anymore.
Koma Sushi on the corner of 30th Ave and 6th Str has closed.

cuffedlinks · 03-30-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna

Just a FYI:

Koma Sushi on the corner of 30th Ave and 6th Str has closed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by heater's list

Places for Dinner or Big Lunch

Koma Sushi- Fresh sushi and Japanese cuisine. Closed Mondays. Corner of 30th ave and 6th st...

...For Koma Sushi - I guess every day is Monday now.

BTW - GREAT list - and thanks so much for it.

03-31-2005

Two suggestions. One is Mamitas beach club, though it's very close to playa tukan. and for bars and people watching if you want latin music, i would recommend Mambo Cafe!

**Jesus** · 03-31-2005

Hey Heater, you are using the "suposed", "have heard" in serveral occations there, you MUST try all of them, hehe.

Ah Cacao! is in the corner of 5th Ave and Constituyentes. I wanted to try it but the cakes and desserts offering when I passed weren't that appealing.

MWC · 03-31-2005

We enjoyed El Serape last time we were down there. But it is open for lunch. And I wouldn't call it particularly close to the Ferry Dock; it's four or five blocks up. But well worth the walk!

**Heather** · 03-31-2005

Great compilation, thank you for your time! Just want to add that La Madrina on 20th and 6th is now called "La casita de los guisos."

03-31-2005

What a great list. be there in two weeks. Not enough time to try even a small portion of it. Thanks.

heater · 03-31-2005

everyone, thank you for all of your input. i am going to change the list up a bit before i send it to our wedding guests. denisea, thank you...

03-31-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by heater

here is a list that i put together for our wedding guests.

Heater, Great list! Have printed it as a ref for our next PDC visit in Feb '06 eeek that seems like a lifetime from now.

Sol · 03-31-2005

There is an error regarding the location of El fogón. It reads: 28th street between 10th and 12th street. Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it on 30th avenue between 10th and 12th street. I remember going there, however, I am not too sure on the exact location.

03-30-2005	#4 (permalink)
denisea Forum Goddess Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: On the road to ruins... Posts: 7,025	Heater's Places to Eat……Things to Do……..Places to Booze Tacos and cheap eats Dona Mary- This is supposed to be the best place for a Mexican dinner. The women only speak Spanish and most of the food choices are made with chicken. They are only open for dinner. 7pm-12am. 30th ave and 28th st (calle). Taxi or moped accessible. El Oasis-A must! The best shrimp tacos you’ll ever eat. Fresh seafood. Ceviche(fish or shrimp marinated in lime juice, onion, cilantro, tomato-served with tortilla chips), guacamole. 12th st between 5th and 10th ave. Pizza Pazza- A must! This place has awesome slices of pizza. Located next to El Oasis. 12th st between 5th and 10th ave. Aca Los Tacos- Tacos al pastor (pork tacos on a spit…kinda like gyros). Corner of 5th ave and Constituyentes. El Sarape- Tacos al pastor and other Mexican grub. Served only at night. Located on Juarez, about 4-5 blocks from the ferry terminal. El Fogon- Tacos al pastor. 3 locations: 30th Ave and 6th St; 30th Ave near 28th st; and Constituyentes Av between Av 25 y Av 30 (across from Mega). Tacos Israel- Awesome tacos. Tacos arrachera (flank steak) and tacos al pastor. There is a bright blue and white striped awning. Corner of 15th ave and 10th st. La Casita de Los Guisos (formerly La Madrina)- I have heard great things about this place. Tamales on weekends, mole, etc. 20th ave and 6th st. (look for red chairs) Closed Tuesdays. Doctor Taco- Great tacos and vegetarian selections. 10th ave between 8th and 10th st. El Faisan y el Venado- Great Mexican and Yucataenaen specialties. Lots of locals eat here. Close to Juarez and highway 307. H & M Butcher Shop- This place is a butcher shop that also serves great food. Grilled flank steak with a baked potato and grilled onion-yummy! 1st st between 25th and 30th ave. Food Carts-(very clean and safe to eat) Most of these carts are located at 5th ave and Juarez. The pork tacos served in the morning are supposed to be great. Churros at night. Empanadas, fresh fruit cups and fresh squeezed orange juice. Breakfast and Sandwich Shops La Cueva Del Chango- A must! This place is a little out of the way but well worth it. Homemade granola served with fresh fruit and yogurt. Eggs with cheese and chaya (spinach) served with homemade tortillas. Fresh squeezed juices and great coffee. They are also open for lunch and dinner. 38th st between 5th ave and the beach. Ask for directions, taxi, moped, walk the street from north end of town (Hotel Coco Rio), walk the beach and turn on to the road at Shangri La Hotel (next to las Palapas) Java Joe’s- The best coffee and place to gossip with the locals. Breakfast and sandwiches. Homemade grilled Italian sausage in the afternoons. 10th st between 5th and 10th ave. Hot Baking Company- Homemade breads and pastries, eggs and bacon, etc. Has two locations. (Calle Corazon) corner of 5th ave and 14 st. 10th st bwtween 5th and 10th. Baguiz- Sandwiches and probably breakfast. 20th ave between 6th and 8th st. IL Mangiare- Delicatessen with sandwiches, bagels, coffee, etc. 5th ave between 28th and 30st. Places for Dinner or Big Lunch Media Luna- The food is great! All types of food: vegetarian, pasta, seafood. They also have great juices, drinks and sangria. 5th avenue between 12th and 14st. Babes Noodle Bar- A must! Great food…thai dishes (pretty mild, but great), spring rolls and Vietnamese rolls are also great. Great mojitos, blueberry margaritas, juices, mint lemonade. 10th st between 5th and 10th ave. Casa Mediterranea- Great pasta and fish. 5th ave between 6th and 8th st. (down a walkway across from lunata hotel) Yaxche- (ya-shay) One of the nicest restaurants in town. Mayan restaurant with gourmet food. This place has won a bunch of awards. 8th st between 5th and 10th. Tango Taco- Supposed to have great Mexican and beef and good prices. 10th st between 10th and 15th ave. Magdalena’s Grill House- Have heard great things about this place. Imported meats, dinner menu selected daily. They are also open for lunch and serve breakfast until 3pm. Corner of 1st ave and 26th st. Manne’s Biergarten- German pub. Wednesday night is rib night and Friday’s is pork roast. Closed Tuesdays. 4th st between 10th and 15 ave. Playa Maya-On the beach, also a great place for breakfast or lunch. Fresh seafood, coconut shrimp, great guacamole. Playa Maya Hotel on the beach between 6th and 8th st. La Parilla- This is a really fun place to eat. They have Marachis from 8-10. Good Mexican food. We usually eat dinner here our first night in town. 5th ave between 8th and 10th (or 8th and 6th). Sol Food- New restaurant that is supposed to be very good. Vegetarian, meat, pasta, seafood. 8th st between 5th and the beach. John Gray’s Kitchen- A must! This small restaurant is located in Puerto Morelos, about 25 minutes north of playa. Take a taxi or car. John Gray, the owner, was formerly a chef at the Ritz Carlton in California. The food is wonderful and the setting is romantic. Hours are Monday-Saturday 6-10 pm. You can call for reservations, but not a must. 998-871-0665. Ah Cacaos- This is a place that serves only chocolate. Located on the corner of 5th Ave and Constituyentes. IL Duca- This restaurant is a transport from rome (Frommer’s top 10 restaurants in Rome). Mussels flown in on weekends. 10th st between 1st and 5th ave. Bars, Clubs and People Watching There are so many of these places-here are some favorites. ****- The most famous bar in Playa. Great Place for happy hour. I think that they have live music on Saturday afternoons. Good place to go a little later in the evening. (11 or 12ish) Tequila Barrel- One of the most popular bars in Playa. Over 100 different kinds of tequila, great mojitos. 5th ave between 10th and 12thst. Bourbon Street- Live music, great drinks. 5th ave between 6th and 8th st. Mil Un Alux – (Aloosh)! A must! This place is unlike anything that you have ever seen. It’s a huge bar that is built into a natural cavern. Juarez across from 307. Taxi.(tell the cave bar) Captain Tutix- This is the place that you want to go to after 2 or 3 am. Club with lots of stuff going on. On the beach and 4st. Can walk the beach from **. (Girl’s don’t walk alone on the beach at night…..no matter how drunk you are. Unless it’s from ** to your hotel at Gran Porto Real). Deseo- The bed bar. This place is awesome. Located on the rooftop of Deseo hotel. (look for a set of stairs with a huge screen playing black and white videos) 5th ave between 10th and 12 st. (I think). Beer Bucket- Live music, popular with the locals. 5th ave between 10th and 12th st. Things to do Playa Tukan Beach Club- This is usually where Brian and I are during the day. Most beautiful stretch of beach in playa. Restaurant, swing bar, juice bar, chair service, chair rentals, dive shop, and umbrella rentals. Itza Spa- (calle Corazon) 5th ave and 14th st. Spa with a great reputation. Massage, mayan healing baths, facials, etc. Car Rentals- ask around for rental places off of 5th ave, they are usually cheaper. Great Day Trip- rent a car,(if you like to snorkel rent some gear at playa tukan before you leave) Start out in the morning. Head south on highway 307. Stop at Akumal entrance and have breakfast at Turtle Bay Bakery. (great breakfast burrito), Get a map from the dive shop and snorkel at Yal kuul (sp) lagoon. Drive further south to the Road to Coba sign (it will be on right hand side of the road) drive down road a bit and stop at Gran Cenote (right hand side or road) for a refreshing swim. Head back to 307 north towards Playa. Stop at Xpu-Ha** beach with the Café Del Mar sign. Have lunch and some margaritas at the café. It’s a nice quiet beach and a fun place to stop. There are also some great ruins such as Tulum and Coba, Great Parks such as Xcaret and Xelha. Grab a tour book from you hotel and look through it. Travelers checks are a must Pack comfortable shoes Last edited by denisea : 06-21-2006 at 12:05 PM. Reason: Added new El Fogon location.

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03-30-2005	#3 (permalink)
heater life=playa Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 695	thanks....i think that i deserve my own thread for that list. (it took me 4 hours to put together!) i hope that it will be useful for food lovers like myself.

03-30-2005	#5 (permalink)
denisea Forum Goddess Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: On the road to ruins... Posts: 7,025	Heater, thanks for the great list! It really deserved it's own thread. I took the liberty of copying your list and posting it right on the thread as well (minus your wedding info) in the event, anyone has trouble accessing your attached file.

03-30-2005	#6 (permalink)
Anna top babe admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: after 10 wonderful years in Playa, now back in Sweden Posts: 2,963	Just a FYI: the taco stand on 10th and Constituyentes isn't there anymore. Koma Sushi on the corner of 30th Ave and 6th Str has closed.

03-31-2005	#8 (permalink)
mofi Posts: n/a	Two suggestions. One is Mamitas beach club, though it's very close to playa tukan. and for bars and people watching if you want latin music, i would recommend Mambo Cafe!

03-31-2005	#9 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 4,400	Hey Heater, you are using the "suposed", "have heard" in serveral occations there, you MUST try all of them, hehe. Ah Cacao! is in the corner of 5th Ave and Constituyentes. I wanted to try it but the cakes and desserts offering when I passed weren't that appealing.

03-31-2005	#10 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,653	We enjoyed El Serape last time we were down there. But it is open for lunch. And I wouldn't call it particularly close to the Ferry Dock; it's four or five blocks up. But well worth the walk!

03-31-2005	#11 (permalink)
Heather Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 8,629	Great compilation, thank you for your time! Just want to add that La Madrina on 20th and 6th is now called "La casita de los guisos."

03-31-2005	#12 (permalink)
flyingpig11 Posts: n/a	What a great list. be there in two weeks. Not enough time to try even a small portion of it. Thanks.

03-31-2005	#13 (permalink)
heater life=playa Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 695	everyone, thank you for all of your input. i am going to change the list up a bit before i send it to our wedding guests. denisea, thank you...

03-31-2005	#15 (permalink)
Sol Chupacabras Whisperer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Gem State Posts: 9,280	There is an error regarding the location of El fogón. It reads: 28th street between 10th and 12th street. Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it on 30th avenue between 10th and 12th street. I remember going there, however, I am not too sure on the exact location.

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