pharm_bride

How much money per day should we allow for meals (there are 2 of us)... moderately priced breakfast/ lunch/dinner most days with a few nicer meals as well? Thanks for your help!

Stewbear

Pretty much what ever you want from a couple of bucks at a taco stand to a $100 a plate at the high end place. lots of nice places in the $8 to $20 USD range. I personally spend right under $25 USD a day for all food & drink including bus/cab fares (almost all bus) but remember I do not drink alcohol. That's eating at places like The Red cabbage & it's equal maybe three times a week & eating at the Economical that the locals go to a lot.

pharm_bride

Thanks! Do you usually eat out for lunch or buy groceries in PV for lunch? We will be honeymooning... any suggestions for some romantic places to visit or to dine?

Stewbear

I either stay in an apartment with a kitchen or at Los Cuatro Vientos where they provide a breakfast buffet. Nothing fancy but enough to get you going in the AM. Now with a fridge & stove I will eat breakfast in usually every other day & some days ( I stay for a couple of months)I hang at home around the pool or on line etc. eating all meals at home. I don't do a lot of cooking however usually except maybe frying a egg & some bacon. I do buy BBQ Chickens from Pollo Feliz or other stands for home. Also lunch meat & cheese for snacking & lunch or a light dinner after a large lunch out. Of course you need a kitchenette to do this.

butsey

OK I have to get in on this one. Stewbear is the exception because I spend more than that for breakfast alone at any hotel I have ever stayed. Here is the thing, if you are staying at a hotel, breakfast and lunch and drinking then going out to dinner at a nice restaurant then I would say at least $150 a day for a couple. All depends on how much you want to drink and where you want to eat. When on vacation I like to treat myself to the better places to eat. Of course there are places reasonably priced but I would say for the most part figure on what you would spend in the States for eating. Hope this helps.

butsey

One more thing being I didn;t realize you were on your honeymoon, if you want some romantic dinners email me at [email protected] and I will be glad to recommend them and their prices.

Stewbear

Butsey, Not to start a war but In my 21 years of Mexican travel & 64 years of life I have found that the most expensive restaurants are seldom the best. If you spend $25 average for breakfast I have some land in Florida you would like! LOL
I recently was treated to dinner at the Slanted Door, a fairly new "Hot" Asian style dinning spot in San Francisco. The bill was almost $400 for four of us. Good? Yes. Better than the China Bistro in my little town? No way! Difference in cost? about $300. Sames true in PV IMO.

pharm_bride

Thanks for your help! It's great to know that there are lots of options to fit all price ranges! Butsey, I just sent you an email. Thanks again!

butsey

Stewbear I can't imagine eating out a whole day for $25.00 don't misunderstand me I stay at a hotel and the restaurants I like to go I consider fine dining that being a treat while I am on vacation How many people on vacation for the first time in P.V. want to eat at a taco stand or Pollo Feliz? Not too many. Obviously you live there so that is no big deal to you. I don't mind going to inexpensive places if someone recommends them to me but this person was going to be on her honeymoon so I don't consider how you eat very Romantic!!!!

butsey

Stewbear One more thing I have been going to Mexico also for a long time 20 years and have never been able to get by for under at least a $100 a day ever.

suze

Breakfast 35 to 65 peso (depends if you get eggs or pancakes, and if you add coffee and/or fresh juice.

Lunch 50 to 100 peso (again depends if you have a margarita or beer or just have some sopas or tacos) and, yes, I often go to Rizo's supermercado and put together a avacado and tomato sandwich on a fresh roll, maybe with ham for even less than that.

Dinner 100 to 200 peso. Again mostly it depends on if and how much you drink alcohol and what kind of restaurants you frequent.

One time only (and never again, I did not like it, and it didn't seem right to me to pay that much in Mexico for a meal on many levels) I spent 650 peso that was at La Palapa for one entree and two glasses of wine with tip.

I definitely agree with the experience that more expensive does not necessarily get you better food in Vallarta.

So I guess I'm some where in between Stewbear and Butsey... more than 25 USD but way less than 75 USD (per person). -Suze

Stewbear

Butsy please note I do not buy alcoholic beverages as I stated so that makes a huge difference in my budget. I have friends that will have a half a dozen drinks through out the day spending maybe $15 to 20 dollars on it. No problem with that but it does up the cost considerably. If I eat all three meals out I normally spend 40 to 50 pesos for breakfast, around 70 for lunch & around a 100 to 120 for dinner. Now several times a week I "spurge" spending maybe 200 to 250 for dinner but then eat a couple of meals in the next day. My average is 25 US. I do enjoy the nicer places also but as a retired salesman who had a expense account for over 40 years I no longer need to eat at the $100 a plate places

suze

Absolutely(!) cocktails, wine, and/or beer out on the beach, in bars and restaurants can easily double your budget.

For instance I just happen to remember... chicken sopas at Cafe de Olla are 60 peso; one margarita is also 60 peso... so right there is a $6 dollar or a $12 dollar (plus tip) lunch.

butsey

Hey everyone I agree there is a middle line here eating at expensive restaurants doesn't mean it has to be good, however this couple is on their honeymoon so that is what I am talking about!! and if you are staying at a high end hotel like I usually do breakfast cost about $40.00 for 2 lunch w/drinks can run about $60.00 and dinner usually w/wine is around $80.00 of course we do not spend that everyday but some of the days we do. All depends where you stay and what you like to eat and drink so to my P.V. buddies, Stewbear and Suze, Adios.

suze

romantic/view: Have drinks at Chez Elena's rooftop bar called El Nido. It's at the Los Cuatro Vientos mentioned above up behind the main cathedral. It has a spectacular view out over the town and the Bay. I've had mixed dining experiences at the courtyard restaurant below over the years... but the rooftop bar is exceptional! go for sunset.

blondlady

I just returned from PV.

Cuatesy Cuates, Cafe de Olla, Filos, Cafe Dolce Vita, Langostinos, and Bruja averaged about 110 pesos for a main course per person. This is pretty average. Beer is cheap, Soda's are about $1.50 USD. It depends on happy hour times. Cafe Dolce Vita may have been 114 pesos ($14.00 - for my husbands, but really good stuff). Breakfast at Karpathos (old town) and Margarita's (across from Robertos) was $150 pesos total for the two of us and we had the combo's of pancakes, bacon and eggs and Naranja juice with a coffee and a hot chocolate. Buffet breakfast at Los Arcos was 112 pesos per person. We ate ribs at El Torito for $110.00 pesos TOTAL as they are two plates for the price of one. Then add your drinks to this price. Many places feature beer buckets 3/$4.00 or 5 small bottles for $4.00. Something like that. Margaritas along the beach are 2/one. Carlos O'brian's on the Malecon has margaritas before 6:00 pm at 2 for one. After that they are expensive. Many places on the Malecon have the happy hour for Margaritas, beer is cheap most of the time. Red Cabbage main course averages $16.00 USD. but well worth it. Eating out 3 meals for us was too much food. We bought cheese, and fruit and cereal to get us by. California cafe on the malecon is really cheap for the buffet you get, but it's sooo California. Oh-- and great bacon and eggs at the Korner cafe which is in old town across from the (used to be) Lazaro Cardenas Park. This was cheap too. What was a lovely park is now a big hole as machines are digging up the place for it to be a parking garage. The Pollo Felix stands for chicken are $6.99 - $8.99 and easily feed two people with left overs for snacks the next day.I think a reasonable expectation for two people is $60.00 per day.

butsey

I agree with all the other people who posted you can eat cheap if you want to, However like I said before these people are going to be their honeymoon and they asked for a few nicer meals. Can't eat at the nicer romantic places for $60 a day. The nicer places with drinks cost a lot more. All depends what you are looking for. I have tried all the other places you mentioned and don't have a problem with any of them. They are ok, but for special I would not recommend any of them. Only my opinion!!!!

suze

True enough. I know my dinner for 1 at La Palapa was 650 peso (~$65USD).

Stewbear

I think we all are missing the original post on MODERATE PRICED meals. Not Cheap & not High End. Now I agree with Butsey that if you are on your honeymoon & you can afford it Live It Up! When Linda & I married in '98 we stayed at the best hotel in Mexico (IMO) at Quinta Real (suite 45) & ate at the best restaurants in Guadalajara, Linda shopped till she (& ME ) dropped. We spent over $3,000 on that week but have never regretted it with all the wonderful Memories.

suze

Actually she said both "moderately priced" and a "few nicer meals".

Without saying a specific price it's kind of hard to second-guess what this person is after. Hopefully she will check back and read all our helpful discussion here -lol!