Mazatlan Restaurants

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Pricing Guide (in US dollars)

expensive = $20+ per person
moderate = $10 to $20 per person
inexpensive = less than $10 per person

Please Note

All of the restaurants I mention here serve purified water, purified ice, and their salads are safe to eat. Don't embarass yourself and your fellow Americans by asking them these questions. If you get sick after 3 Marguaritas, blame the tequila and not the ice. Also, several people have commented in my email that they had to wait forever for the check to arrive. The Mexican tradition is never to bring the bill unless it is asked for. They would never want to insult you by implying that it is time for you to leave. The Spanish for "the check" is "La Cuenta" (la kwentah). Finally, almost all restaurants will take VISA or Mastercard, so don't leave home without it. Outstanding, and in a class by itself, are the only ways to describe this new (Winter 2001) restaurant at the new Pueblo Bonito complex up north in Nuevo Mazatlan. The setting is wonderful, just off the beach and surrounded by magnificent grounds, filled with birds, waterfalls, and lush landscaping. But that is just the beginning, as the food is simply the best in Mazatlan, and also the most expensive. Our friend, Javier, plays the piano there on weeknights, and is also a delight to listen to. You must make reservations at least 24 hours in advance, to make sure your name is given to the guard at the gate, otherwise you will be turned away. Call 989-0525 and ask for the conciege for reservations. Don't miss this one! Okay, we admit it, we are old (40+) fuddy duddys. We are probably the only tourists who don't like Seņor Frogs. Why, because the music is so loud that you have to shout at the person sitting next to you. That being said, it is not without its positive points. This is the Mecca of the young and wild. People can get very crazy here. All you have to do is enter and notice the number of people who have written their names on the ceiling. Later at night, it is not uncommon for people to be dancing on the tables and removing items of clothing. That speaks for the strength of the Margaritas here, which while semi-lethal are nevertheless tasty. If you have two of them, you will forget your name. The food here is surprisingly good too. This is not a typical tourist place, as is evidenced by the fact that at 2:00PM the place is packed with locals. There is a good reason for this, namely Los Arcos has simply the best fish in Mazatlan. The restaurant has just be remodeled, and is located just down the street from the El Cid hotel on the opposite side of the street, and not on the beach. All of these reasons contribute to keeping the tourists out but their loss is your gain. If you like fish, this is the place for you. After feeling guilty for eating what seemed like half a cow the night before, a group of us decided to try out the new (Jan 2003) vegetarian restaurant in town. Five us us visited Ambrosia the other night and I more or less insisted that each of us order something different so that I could try everything. Fortunately, my friends indulged me as I stuck my fork into each of their plates. To all of our delight, every item we ordered was superb. The lasagne and penne pasta were great, and the grilled garlic mushrooms were out of this world. I had the red, white, and green enchiladas, which I was very pleased with. The decor is a little strange, and the music made us think that some Benedictine monks were going to appear at any moment, but all had a nice time. You can find Ambrosia just half a block west of the Plaza Machdo, on Sixto Osuna. Their phone number is 985-0333 or 981-6447. They now have their own web presence. If you like natural food and delicious smoothies, this is the place for you. This is a favorite of locals and tourists who happen to stumble across it. The name means pure life in Spanish, and the food is purely delicious. They are located just up the street from the Hotel Playa, on Calle Bugambilias, across the street from Darios. This is located right next to Sea Shell city, in the heart of the golden zone. Whenever we walk by this place there are always a lot of people in it, and we know why. The food is nothing short of great. The menu is pretty varied, and the ambiance can only be described as original. While we were there, Nadine sang along with "I Heard it on the Grapvine" and both of us remembered our junior high dances. Oops, we're dating ourselves. The Papagayo is located at the Inn of Mazatlan, one of the oldest and nicest timeshare resorts in the Zona Dorada. The restaurant is both indoors and outdoors, with great views of the ocean. The food is good, as is the service. This is one of our favorite beach restaurants. It is located on the beach at the Costa de Oro hotel. The waiters are very friendly, and if you get a table in the first row, the sand is literally beneath your feet, though about 2 meters below you. This is the only restaurant that I have been to in Mazatlan that consistantly has good chilequiles, which is what I always order here. If you've never tried them, try them here first. They are small pieces of tortilla cooked in a red or green sauce with a cheese topping. I usually have the red sauce. This is a traditional breakfast food here, though I often have it for lunch too. Okay, I can hear you thinking "they've really lost their mind now." Yet, believe it or not, the cafeteria at Sharp Hospital serves great food, and is one of the best kept secrets in Mazatlan, until now. We discovered this by accident, when Nadine was hospitalized and I visited her in her room. She had to suffer through the traditional "mystery jello" while the waiter brought me some of the best quesadillas and guacamole I've ever had. Once Nadine was released we've been back several times and always had a good meal. Now we bring our guests here whenever we really want to surprise them.