31 Best Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

An art gallery that doubles as a gourmet restaurant, this place is classy and sophisticated, and as such it takes its time for every entrée that it serves. During high season it may open for an evening or two during the weekend. You can be sure that when it is open, the culinary experience will be special.

Locals come frequently for breakfast; visitors come for the great service and consistent Mexican and international cuisine. The lunch-dinner menu has fabulous appetizers, including superb Mexican shrimp al pastor with lemon-zest beurre blanc, delicious blackened salmon fillet, and perfect, spicy tuna tacos. The tortilla soup is popular, too. Start with a signature daiquiri and move on to the extensive wine list. The open patio dining room frames a view of Playa Los Muertos, creating a beautiful, simple scene to enjoy while you sip that drink.

Serving Lebanese food right on the Nuevo Vallarta marina, this casual restaurant has been voted the best restaurant in Nuevo Vallarta several years in a row. Staple Lebanese dishes are great, but there's also pasta and  pizza any little one will enjoy.

Combine prime cuts from Sonora (Mexico's finest meat-producing state), a chef that has found the secret to grilling the perfect barbecue, and affordable rates, and you'll get this local favorite. The restaurant now has an indoor area with a/c, making it a comfortable place where to eat year round.

Sensational views of the sunset and sparkling city-light panoramas after dark make this one of the best restaurants in PV for a celebratory toast—of life, love, or the perfect vacation. Dedicated observers can spot whales spouting offshore almost any day during the winter months. An army of attentive waiters brings baskets of delicious, buttery rolls and whisks away plates. Try the stellar crab-and-sea-bass cakes, lobster tacos, or sashimi with truffle-and-soy vinaigrette and avocado coulis. The chef adds new dishes every few weeks; the barman stocks top-of-the-line spirits; and there is a large wine cellar representing several continents.

Dishes at this extremely popular pan-Asian restaurant include Thai garlic shrimp, pansit (Filipino stir-fry with pasta), and Singapore-style (lightly battered) crispy fish. The spinach and watercress salad with feta, pecans, and a hibiscus dressing is healthy, refreshing, and perfect for a late lunch (the restaurant opens only after 2 pm). Ceilings are high, and the decor includes dark wood, lacy potted palms, and Indonesian étagères.

An excellent traditional Mexican seafood restaurant, Boca del Mar is just steps from the sea. The food is extraordinary (you can also take it to go) but the service is even better.

A classic of the Olas Altas/Zona Romántica scene, Café San Angel used to be the place where one would go for a coffee, grab a book (English or Spanish), and enjoy the slow pace of Vallarta’s afternoons. Today it has evolved into a lively mix between a breakfast spot and a trendy burger grill. They still have books and sofas, but the pace is not as slow as it used to be.

Cande’s is the best dining option in the whole Mayto-Tehuamixtle area. It enjoys an enviable location overlooking Tehuamixtle Bay, just a few steps from the pier, and serves just-caught seafood. It pretends to have Wi-Fi and accept credit cards, but the reality is this place is too far away from civilization to get any kind of signal, and well, that’s its charm, isn’t it?

This steak house also serves grilled chicken and seafood. Under a roof but open on all sides and with an incredible view, it's highly recommended by visitors and locals. In fact, it’s a popular place for locals’ reunions and family parties.

Frequented in its heyday by Hollywood luminaries and the who's who of PV, this downtown restaurant still has a loyal following. The casual patio ambience is simple, but the wholesome food is satisfying, and the portions are generous. House specialties include fajitas and Yucatan-style pork. You can’t leave without trying their killer handcrafted margaritas.

Locals come here for weekend brunch. They serve truly authentic huevos rancheros and all those delicious dishes that make traditional Mexican cuisine so hard to resist. They host live music on certain days.

El Barracuda is that cool restaurant we all dream to have one day when we retire by the beach: casual and relaxed, with some tables right on the beach and others on top of a nice deck overlooking the Banderas Bay. They specialize in the kind of seafood you can find in Mexican markets, but you can also find great steaks and even some veggie options.

It's on a noisy street corner, but the seriously good food and generous portions make this a local favorite. The molcajete—a sizzling black pot of tender flank steak, grilled green onion, and soft white cheese in a delicious homemade sauce of dried red peppers—is served with a big plate of guacamole, refried beans, and made-at-the-moment corn or flour tortillas. If you're into simpler fare, the unadorned grilled fish fillet is fresh and delicious.

A mix between a sports bar and a restaurant, the food here is legendary. Big burgers, ribs, hot dogs, and of course Mexican seafood all come in generous portions. You'll often find Juan himself having fun with patrons and checking to make sure you're enjoying your meal.

La Cevichería is one of the best seafood restaurants in the Marina Vallarta area. It's not as tasty as other places in town but definitely more stylish. Its Nayarit-based cuisine offers flavors not easily found in PV.

La Dolce is the sister restaurant of La Dolce Vista located in the malecón, and although it also provides a variety of Italian dishes, it focuses on serving the best pizzas in the Hotel Zone.

Shell lamps; pictures made entirely of scallops, bivalves, and starfish; shell-drenched chandeliers—every inch of wall space is decorated with different denizens of the sea. Service isn't particularly brisk (pretty much par for the course in laid-back San Blas), but the seafood, filet mignon, and fajitas are all quite good. Afterward stroll over to the main plaza a few blocks away.

This upscale Italian restaurant, the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner, is literally a stone's throw away from the ocean. They serve great pastas, pizzas, and chicken parmigiana, but there are many more dishes to dive into. The wine selection is also very good.

A typical beach club with gourmet restaurant aspirations, Playa Rosa Beach Club offers a mix of Mediterranean and Mexican seafood in style. During the day, the place becomes a social gathering for locals and visitors. Playa Rosa beach provides the perfect background, and at sunset the atmosphere is spectacular.

This oceanfront restaurant has seen better times, but it still has a reputation as one of the best spots to eat in South of PV. Part of the Girasoles Condominium Complex, it's right on the beach, offering customers extraordinary views of the Pacific Ocean and the legendary sunsets of the region. The seafood is good but lacks originality.

The setting, an L-shaped covered patio with kids' play equipment in the center, is Mexican, but the food here is pure Argentine flavor. Every cut of meat is grilled over mesquite, from the steaks to Angus prime rib. The adventurous yet tasty chinchulines (tender tripe appetizers) and chorizo turnovers certainly are authentic. Rice, veggies, and other sides must be ordered separately. Italian dishes and a few non-Argentine things like salmon and chicken dishes are also available. Come for a late lunch (it opens only after 2 pm) or dinner.

Two Canadian women have teamed up to bring sophistication to San Patricio–Melaque's dining scene. East meets West in contemporary dishes such as tequila-lime prawns and corn, and Gouda-cheese fritters with a smoked jalapeño aioli. Favorite entrées include Szechuan prawns and prosciutto-wrapped chicken. The hours of operation are complex and subject to change; it's best to check the Web site or confirm by phone. There's often live music including jazz or blues.

In Sayulita, Panino's produces good brownies, croissants, and other baked goods just a few steps from the beach.

On Bucerías's South Side, a dedicated following snaps up the cinnamon rolls at Sweet Things Bake Shop.

Portions are large, and the cooking seems to have improved with time, although the main reason to visit is the lovely views of a solitary beach, uninhabited Coral Island, and the beaches of Rincón de Guayabitos. The hawk's-eye ocean view is especially wonderful around sunset. Order a full Mexican meal or just a shrimp or fish taco and a beer or cocktail. Changing daily specials like ribs, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob, with a glass of wine or beer, are filling if unimaginative. Shrimp is prepared in a handful of ways; for kids there are hamburgers (or shrimp burgers) and fries or quesadillas. Food service begins at noon, although the stated opening time is 11:30 am.