2022-23 resto reviews

Sabor Veracruziano This was a new place for us. We had come acrossit in our walkaround the neighbourhood. A franchise from Vera Cruz this is only a breakfast/ lunch place. Service was good, ambience great – a duo played xylophone and saxaphone. The food was different and not well received by the gringos. The speciality was a coffee – lechero – half expresso the rest hot milk poured from a height to make it frothy.

Rating: food three forks, service 4.5, ambience 4.5

Americana Sports Bar: This place was not good! Waited for crappy food. Service was inattentive and the ambience even worse. If the speciality was deep dish pizza I hope the ones in Chicago are better than the one ordered here.

Rating: food 2.5, service 3.5, ambience 2.0

Moments Cafe is a small rooftop bar/resto in the Encino Hotel. The last time we were here, a couple of years ago the place was never very busy, but today was different. Most tables full and occupied by local late lunchers.

Nachos and a pizza was the order for seven of us, The service was good and the mesaro attentive even if his English was not good. A great place to watch the sunset!

Rating: Food – 4 forks, Service 4 forks, ambience 4 forks.

La Posta is a place that we go to once a year when we feel like “Italian”. Situated on the Malecon it is also a good place for ‘people-watching’. Unfortunately the folks who chose “Italian” were not impressed by the pasta they had. The person with the Panini was satisfied but the overall prices were a little hefty for the value.

Rating: 3 forks

El Andariego A new place for us. We have passed it many times but never entered. A party of ten, we asked to be seated on the Terrace but no go – only on the weekends, but where they seated us was OK- on the first floor.

The food was good, but pricey and the drinks big and powerful. Service was attentive and good. A surprise to us all was the slice of chocolate cake presented to one of us who was celebrating a birthday. I had casually mentioned that it was Doug’s birthday as he led the way to the table and then forgot about it. Great surprise.

Rating: 4.5 forks

Oasis del Holi This resto is located on the beach, you pay extra to sit on the beach, but the resto is large enough and has  inside seating too. The food is good and reasonably priced but the service is slow. No bargains here for beer the price of a ‘cubeta’ (a bucket of six beers) is the price of one on the menu times six! Other drink prices are “medium tourist”

Rating: 4.0 forks

Pipi’s: is a tradition for us. One of the family; BiL Charles has to celebrate his b’day here every year. As usual this year the food did not disappoint, the atmosphere was perfect of a birthday, the waiters put on a show that includes handfeeding of cake whilst wearing an outsized sombrero. The food, if shared, is a good price but this place makes its money off the drinks.

Rating: 4 forks, 4.5 without drinks

El Barracuda:  is a beach bar and that says it all. Overpriced and of average quality. The Pina Colada was definitely overpriced for the size and the beer is hiked up as well. We only stopped for drinks but read the reviews for the food opinions, not many good ones.

Rating: 2.4 forks

Barra Light is a small resto doing nothing other than salads. So small it doesn’t even have a Tripadvisor rating yet.

For a fixed price you fill a small/medium/large/ bowl of lettuce topped by two proteins – the meat, and four sides, six/eight if you pay more. Choice of dressing and you walk away with it. Eat in or takeaway.

Rating: 4 forks

Los Muertos Brewing Company: This resto has been a favourite for many years and never disappointed. This visit was no exception. Craft beer – not a favourite of mine, and a pizza that is larger then most in PV was on the order. One cheesy/veggie and a build your own neither fails to get the highest rating. The only disappointment was the lack of live music, which is usually the order of the day.

Rating: 4.5

Serranos Meat House: This resto is recognised by other members of the family as the best burgers in Town. Located in the heart of what we call downtown, Lazaro Cardenas Square it is a great place for people watching as most of the tourists are passing by as they walk on the Malecon.

Burgers, shared of course were the orders of the day, one of us had a grilled chicken breast with veggies. The food was excellent and the waiter most accommodating.

Rating: 4.5 forks

CoCo Cafe: This little place is in the Comfort Inn off the lobby and by the pool. Basic and clean the service is really slow, but not by Mexican standards. However the winning piece was the price of the food. Add that to the quality and this was a perfect place for the “hungry itch”.

Rating: 4.5 forks

Victor’s Place Cafe Tacuba: This resto is a Marina longtimer, this location is the second one that we know of. Victor was a well-known restauranteur who personally greeted all of his customers heartily. He also endeared the resto to its patrons with the custom of leaving an open Tequila bottle on the table. That custom has been replaced by the new owner – Victor died of cancer a couple of years ago.

Still the food is very good and reasonably priced – for the Marina (a high price area). One order of a Marlin Burrito, two orders of fish and a hamburger – all good. The Burrito wasn’t the best but still good. The Mahi-mahi was excellent.

Rating: 4.5 forks

Route 66DZdiner is a Marina Vallarta old-timer and is very popular for tourists and expats/snowbirds who don’t want to try Mexican food. So American staples. Visiting for the first time we naturally we had the day’s special Meat Loaf/ mashed potatoes and gravy. The others had fries and burgers and a large pizza – both good.

The service, as usual was excellent but not overbearing, the food average but the meat loaf was a bit dry. The atmosphere was cool with a singer crooning Elvis/classic songs – very well I might add.

Rating: 4 forks

The Christmas Day Special was better. A good Turkey platter, pumpkin pie and an expensive Aperol Spritzer. The singer this time was a glitzy lady again singing mellow rocknroll and Christmas tunes

Rating: 4.75 forks

WinCasino is a chain of casinos here in PV. We have one about 500 metres away in a nearby hotel complex. The casino like all casinos has a resto, it is a small one – about ten tables, but mighty powerful in price and service.

Doreen had a chicken cordon bleu (stuffed chicken breast) and I had a Mexican steak- Arrachara (flank steak) very tender and came with guacamole and refried beans to be used in the tortillas provided as a wrap. The only downer was that a glass of house wine was expensive – 150 pesos. The beer in comparison was only 40 pesos.

Rating: 4.5 forks