PUERTO VALLARTA RESTAURANTS From Fodors Travel Guide:
First-time travelers come for the sun and sea, but it’s PV’s wonderful restaurants that create legions of long-term fans. You can pay L.A. prices for perfectly decorated plates but also get fresh-caught fish and hot-off-the-griddle tortillas for scandalously little dough. Enjoy a 300-degree bay view from a cliff-top aerie or bury your toes in the sand, dressed up or completely casual. It’s the destination’s
It’s the destination’s great variety of venues and cuisine that keeps returning foodies blissfully content.
During the past 30 years, immigrant chefs have expanded the culinary horizons beyond seafood and Mexican fare. You’ll find everything from haute cuisine to fish kebabs. Some of the most rewarding culinary experiences are found outside of fancy restaurants and familiar chain eateries at the street-side tacos stalls and neighborhood fondas, humble spots serving bowls of chile-laced pozole and seafood-heavy Mexican comfort food.
The trend of the day is restaurant-lounges. Ten years ago, DeSantos (co-owned by the drummer of the Mexican rock band Maná) was the first to combine dining and dancing in a hip new way, with its noisy, ground-floor bar-restaurant and pulsing dance club above. Today DeSantos, Ztai, Mandala, and other lounges provide places to party with the locals beyond their cool and chill dining rooms.
For those who prefer dining alfresco (and wearing flip-flops) to the glamour scene, almost every popular beach has apalapa shanty or two selling fish fillets and snacks, sodas, and beer. Some offer the Pacific Coast specialty pescado sarandeado (butterflied red snapper rubbed with salt and spices and grilled over a wood fire) or the devilishly simple (and fiery hot) dish aguachile, a ceviche salad. The catch of the day may vary, but the white plastic tables and chairs in the sand are permanent fixtures.
Mexican Restaurants |
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El Arrayan | ‡‡ True Traditional Mexican Food. Voted ‘Best Mexican’ by Vallarta Lifestyles magazine. | Allende #344closed Tuesday. | 222-7195 |
Las Adelitas | ‡Terrific Mexican BBQ, Famous for their Arrachera. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.$ | Avenida Fluvial #234. In the Fluvial area, close to Costco |
293-7778 |
Cafe de Olla | Mostly TexMex, outside grill. | Basilio Badillo #168 | 223-1626 |
El Andariego | Restaurant and bar | Av. México #1358 | 223-2100 |
El Mole de Jovita | ‡ Comida Corrida 50 pesos$ | Basilio Badillo # 220 | 223-3065 |
Encanto | Upscale small & cosy. Closed Sunday. | Aquiles Serdan #518 | 222-5785 |
Fajita Republic | Very popular, TexMex. Closed Mon | Basilio Badillo # 188 | 222-3131 |
Moro ParaÃso | ‡ Not easy to get to but great food$ | Ejido El Jorullo, Rio Cuale | |
Nacho Daddy, | ‡ Tex-Mex, Live Music, | Basilio Badillo #287 | 223-0838 |
No Way José! | Vote Best New Restaurant 2010 | 5 de Febrero # 260 | 223-2853 |
La Ronda | ‡ A favorite with the locals. | Aquiles Serdan #372 | |
Pipi’s | Touristy, loud & fun | G. Sánchez & Pipila | 223-2767 |
The Red Cabbage Cafe | Traditional Mexican specialties. | Calle Rivera Del Rio #204 | 223-0411 |
La Esquina de Tomatillo | Slightly upscale, tasty salsas | Morelos #601 | 222-9434 |
International Restaurants | |||
Barcelona Tapas | ‡  Best Tapas + great view. | 31 de Octubre & Matamoros | 222-0510 |
El Madero | ‡USDA Choice Steak & Seafood $ | F. Madero #225 | 223-3560 |
Cafe Bohemio | Eclectic menu & Entertainment by Sol | Rodolfo Gomez # 127 | Cell134-2436 |
Sea Monkey | Beach Location US$1Bbeer & Margaritas. | Under Vista Del Sol Condos, Crn. Aquiles Serdan |
222-2174 |
Coco Tropical | Good food on the beach | Olas Altas 246 on the Beach | 222-5485 |
Daiquiri Dick’s | Good place for a romantic sunset. . | Olas Altas #314 at the Beach | 222-0566 |
De Santos | Very Hip, local Mexican clientele. Disco. | Peninsula Plaza. Hotel Zone | 221-3090 |
El Panorama | Terrific View, food is so so | Hotel La Siesta | 222-1818 |
El Rio BBQ Closed till Oct. |
‡ ‡ The BEST BBQ in Puerto Vallarta, highly recommended. Slow Smoked & Grilled meats. | Paso Ancho. | 222 2510 |
El Set | Terrific View, food is so so | Km. 2.5 Carretera a Manzanillo | 223-4142 |
El Torito | BAR.B.Q ribs and all the sports on TV | Ignacio Vallarta #290 | 223-2102 |
Kaiser Maximilian | ‡ Austrian/Mediterranean food. | Olas Altas #380 | 223-0760 |
Casa de Naranjo | Varied menu with the accent on oranges. | Naranjo #263 at Lázaro Cárdenas | 222-3518 |
Madison South | ‡‡ With a Great Bay & City View at Casa Isabel | Del Bosque # 483 | 222-1451 |
Langostinos | ‡ Great beach location, very good food | Los Muertos beach at M. Dieguez | 222-0894 |
La Palapa | ‡‡ Gourmet food on the beach with candles $ | Púlpito #103 on the beach | 222-5225 |
Teatro Limon | Interactive Dining with Bruce in a home enviroment.$$ | #1 Del Limon, col. Aramara . | 225-2606 |
The River Cafe | ‡‡ Wonderful ambiance and gourmet food  $ | Isla Rio Cuale at I. Vallarta at bridge. | 223-0788 |
Trio | ‡‡ Gourmet food – great menu  $ | Guerrero 264 trio@pvnet.com.mx | 222-2196 |
Vitea | Seaside Bistro a la Trio, 12am-12pm | South Malecón on the way to the pedestrian bridge over the river. | 222-8695 |
Vista Grill | ‡‡ Gourmet food with a view to die for.  $ | Pulpito #377 | 222-3570 |
Seafood Restaurants | |||
Cueto’s | Brasilia #469 | 223-0363 | |
El Brujo | ‡ Very good seafood $ | Carranza and Naranjo | |
Joe Jack’s Fish Shack | ‡ Great seafood & More. | Basilio Badillo # 212. | 222-2099 |
Marisco Polo | ‡ ‡ Great food, best seafood in Puerto Vallarta. $ SiteClosed Tues. May – Oct | F. Madero #376 Map | 113-0364 |
Mariscos Tino’s | Many good reports. | Corner of Diaz Ordaz & J. Largarica | 225-2171 |
The Blue Shrimp | Shrimp by the kilo, not too cheap $ | On the beach at the end of Carranza | |
French Restaurants | |||
La Cigale Bistro | Casual French Bistro with a Provencal feel. $ | Hidalgo #398 – Crn. Iturbide | 222-7938 |
Café des Artistes | Nouvelle Cuisine, overpriced for PV. IMO $ | Guadalupe Sánchez 740 | 222-3228 |
Italian Restaurants   | |||
La Dolce Vita | On the Malecón, live music some nights | P. D´az Ordaz 674 | 222-3852 |
La Nube | ‡ Above downtown, great view. | Matamoros 542 | 223-0530 |
Cafe Roma | ‡ Best Thin Crust Pizza with the Coldest Beers ! $Site Map. | Encino # 287, 2nd floor. | 222-7378. |
La Piazzetta | Pasta & pizza, Italian owned. | Rodolfo Gómez 143222-0650 | 222-0650 |
Pietro’s | Oldest pizza place, woodfired oven. | Zaragoza 245 | 222-3233 |
Porto Bello | Air conditioned, overlooking the Marina | Marina Sol #7 Marina Vallarta | 221-0003 |
Asian Restaurants   | |||
Archie’s Wok | ‡ ‡ Founded by John Huston’s Chef. | F. Rodriguez #130. | 222-0411 |
India Gate | Authentic India Food 5-11pm | Allende 125, Downtown | 223 2424 |
Dragón Rojo | Usual Chinese food | Insurgentes 323 | 222-0175 |
Hashi Sushi | Air conditioned | Juarez 797 | 222-6100 |
Peking Restaurant | ‡ Good flavours, Chinese chef. | F. Rodriguez #136 | 222-8609 |
Suzie Wong´s | Marina Vallarta – Royal Pacific | 221-2057 | |
Other Restaurant Styles | |||
Que?Pasa | ‡Real good food, American menu with a Mexican touch. + best Fish & Chips in town.$ | Aquiles Serdan #625 | 223-4006 |
Los Muertos Brewing Co. | ‡A Brew Pub with Pub Food incl. NY style brick-oven pizza, voted best in town.$ | Lázaro Cárdenas #302, corner of Constitución. | 222-0308 |
Pour Favor | Sports Bar with Mexican & American Comfort Food.Web Site, | L. Cárdenas #245, 2 doors west of I. Vallarta. Map | 222-1955 |
Alaska’s Diner | ‡ ‡ Comfort food from the far north, great steaks.$Web Site Sorry, No Dogs allowed. | L. Cárdenas #515 Map | 222-0969 |
Gaby’s Restaurant | 10am-11pm A famous place, now grown up.  $ Many items under 100p. | Corner of Mina & Hidalgo | 222-0480 |
Brasil Steak House | All you can eat, heavy on the meat. | V. Carranza #210 | 222-2909 |
La Bodeguita del Medio | Cuban food at it’s best, live music | Paseo Diaz Ordaz 858 | 223-1585 |
Tony’s Please | ‡ ‡ Great Cooking from Tony. $ | L. Cardenas #440, near Jacarandas. Open 5:30 -11pm, closed Sundays. | |
Fredy’s Tucán | Good breakfast place | I. Vallarta & Basilio Badillo | 223-0778 |
Hacienda Alemana | ‡ Authentic German Cuisine. | Basilio Badillo #378. | 222-2071 |
Ernesto’s Good Grub | Owned by an ExPat’s Family – great ribs $ | R. Osuna #157 of F. Villa | 224-2203 |
Planet Vegetariano | ‡ Best veggie food in town $ | Iturbide #270 | 222-3073 |