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    Amate 38

    4.7 (78 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Amate 38 Mexican Restaurant Photos

    AMATE 38 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Romantic
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Amate 38

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    Reviews With Photos

    Entrance
    Shannon T.

    We walked the strip decided on the best restaurant and chose wisely! The restaurant is a lovely outdoor restaurant with tables set between windy paths or palm trees. A señorita wearing traditional clothes is seated on the next to the bar rolling out homemade tortillas. We were seated right away and served our appetizer of guacamole along with 3 complimentary salsas to try along with margaritas. My husband ordered the special of the night - octopus. While I had the marinated chicken with rice, beans and tortillas. The chicken was so soft nd flavorful. Enjoyed every bite!

    Chilaquiles negros. Spicy slightly kick not bad.

    We recently visited playa del carmen and not only is the environment and atmosphere super nice but the food was 10/10. We tried different breakfast spots and Amate was my favorite. The service was on point. Definitely reccomend. They make green juices and smoothis delicious for a healthy breakfast

    Valladolid sausage!!!
    Tiffany H.

    Amate 38 scenery is beautiful! The ambience is wonderful and there's a cute little koi fish pond!!! The service is 10/10!!! Everyone who helped me was wonderful. My server was amazing..I asked for her name but I forgot it. She was great and super attentive. I started off with a maracuya mojito. The mojito was made perfectly and so refreshing on a hot day. For my meal I got the Poc Chuc which is a pork loin dish. The dish comes with a side of beans, avocado, and tortillas. The pork was seasoned perfectly. If you want a little kick you can always add some salsa to it. They give you 3 different kinds of salsa..mild, medium, and hot. I really enjoyed mixing the medium and hot salsa together and putting it on my pork loin. I also got the valladolid sausage. This sausage had a mild spice to it and the flavors were great!!! I didn't expect to like the sausage so much. I ended up mixing the pork and the sausage together and made myself some pork and sausage tacos!!! YUMMY!!! I highly recommend both dishes if you come to Amate 38 for lunch. They have a different menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I will be back to try other dishes soon!!!

    Salsas
    Harshath G.

    Excellent restaurant overall, and we enjoyed it twice during vacation! I have celiac (strictly gluten-free), and I'm vegetarian, and this place is extremely accommodating without sacrificing any flavor. Service is friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere is great, and feels like two different restaurants depending on if you're eating in the completely uncovered area or the more lit covered section inside. The service was wonderful! The first time I went, the waiter got the manager involved early to ensure my meal was gluten-free, and I had also brought my celiac card, though they were well aware of cross contamination protocols, and ensured they could use separate areas and fresh oil for any fried items I ordered. Chips were not gluten free due to cross contamination, so they brought separate corn tortilla-based tostadas for me instead in the beginning. The free salsas they provide at the beginning are delicious, though the tostadas were pretty stale both times for some reason. I asked for fresh corn tortillas instead, which were delicious, and there is actually one staff member sitting making corn tortillas constantly in the outdoor sitting area. I tried their empanadas, vegan pimitos, vegan papadzules, and corn polcanes, and my partner tried their shrimps in red recado .The empanadas were fried, delicious, filled with cheese and served with a tomato sauce; I could have eaten them all day. The vegan pimitos were this thick corn tortilla mixed with beans served with plentiful avocados and pickled onions in a green sauce. I don't eat much avocado, but did enjoy the base. The vegan papdzules was quite different from anything I have had, that kind of looked like enchiladas, but the flavors were extremely unique with the epazote sauce. Regardless, they were amazing! The corn polcanes felt like more of a heavy appetizer in presentation, and a bit on the sweeter side for me with the plantain and pumpkin presumably, but still quite good. They also kept bringing more of the fresh corn tortillas on request, which was greatly appreciated. I also strongly recommend the hibiscus agua fresca! Overall, great dining experience both times, and would definitely return again if I'm back in the area.

    Sopa de lima
    Ana C.

    Decided to try this place out because it's the sister restaurant to La Cueva del Chango (my favorite restaurant in PDC). And I can say that the quality of the food, service, attention and atmosphere is just as great. We made a reservation and once we arrived, we were instantly received by the owner! My father and I ordered off the vegetarian menu (although we are not vegetarian) and it was very delicious. I loved the taste of the vegetable tostadas and added some of the green avocado sauce they place on your table when you arrive. All of us were so full and extremely satisfied with our meal. I definitely recommend checking this and La Cueva del Chango out!

    Chicken tacos
    Kayla K.

    I ate here with my boyfriend multiple times while we were vacationing in playa del Carmen. We had both the breakfast menu and dinner menu. The service was fabulous, and everyone was very welcoming. The restaurant feels like you're in the jungle - it's a super cool vibe! Overall I would totally recommend this place! I will be visiting every time I'm in the area!

    Chips and salsa!
    Elle J.

    Legit! So restful and you'll feel a world of difference sitting here after running the gauntlet of the strip. Ya know...the one where they feel the need to yell "TEQUILA!!!!" At you as if that would somehow get you to run into a shop. I do all the bellowing for booze in my everyday life thank you very much! (I'm actually quite good at it) No, here they are chill. The area is a little forested garden type of deal with great service. There is a little stream water feature that helps make it calming. Almost like your own secret garden. They make awesome drinks and are generous with free chips with three types of salsa! Can I just say how awesome that is? I love when I can try different salsas or dips. It just really pleases me for some reason. I'm actually smiling as I think about it! There is something wonderful about trying the different tastes... I feel like I'm a little culinary explorer who is discovering new lands or something... or is that just an explorer? I dunno, my point is I really am transported somewhere special when I have different things to try and explore. Crunchy yummy fun for my mouth! How can anyone pass that up? Fools! I definitely recommend coming here if you want to unwind and enjoy some great food, service, and drinks! Oh! Prices are fair as well!

    Beautiful place
    Sue S.

    The owner/manager took great pride in giving the best service along with his staff. The place was gorgeous and the ambiance was amazing.

    Chicken tacos. If you don't like beans tell them no beans on the tacos.
    Brittany H.

    Came here for Christmas Eve with no reservation. The lady at the front was very accommodating and she was right the food was delicious. I had the chicken tacos, guac and chips, and the Mahi Mahi special. We sat at the bar. The staff was really friendly and the ambiance was perfect. It's off of 5th so you can enjoy your food without interruptions.

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    3 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Loved the ambiance. Poc Chuc was very good with homemade tortillas. Tuna steak and vegetables was cooked perfect. Service was spot on

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    1 year ago

    All the food I tried hear was extremely bad! May the lemonade was okay, but everything else sucked!

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    2 years ago

    Updating just to add that this was the best overall dining experience of our entire trip to Playa del Carmen

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    3 years ago

    Wonderful experience, great service and food was delicious. Definitely recommend and will go back to try more of the menu options.

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    I had the pan dulce here with the red chilaquiles. Both were quite good. The juices here are also decent.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Amate 38 Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Amate 38

    I have dined at their other place across the street, La Cueva Del Chango and found out this is the same owner.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    El Fogón

    El Fogón

    4.6(1.3k reviews)
    1.5 kmCentro
    $

    Great food! Here for a spring break trip. Saw this wasn't too far from our hotel and off the beaten…read morepath. Reviews are right. This place is great. My husband got sirloin tacos off the rotisserie. I got a pollo plate. So good! We also added on guac, chips and a potato taco. Everything was great. Will come again. Sorry forgot to take a pic before we dug in.

    We loved El Fogón so much we came back twice during our trip and that says everything. For a spot…read morethat's Michelin Guide-recognized, it still feels authentic, unpretentious, and very local. No gimmicks, just seriously good tacos. The tacos were packed with flavor, perfectly seasoned, and served hot and fresh every time. You can taste the quality and the technique especially in the way the meat is cooked and carved. Everything felt simple but done right, which honestly is what makes a taco stand out. The atmosphere is lively and busy (for good reason), but service moves quickly and efficiently. It feels like the kind of place locals actually eat at, not just a tourist trap with hype. We fully intended to try different taco spots around Playa del Carmen... but after our first visit, we couldn't resist coming back. When a place makes you change your food itinerary, you know it's worth it. If you're in Playa and debating whether it lives up to the hype it does!!

    Photos
    El Fogón - View from interior towards the corner intersection.

    View from interior towards the corner intersection.

    El Fogón - Nopales

    Nopales

    El Fogón - Strawberries smoothie

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    Strawberries smoothie

    Axiote - Course 5 of tasting menu - beef tongue

    Axiote

    4.4(280 reviews)
    0.3 kmGonzalo Guerrero
    $$

    Great experience last Friday night at this Michinlin Bib restaurant. So glad I stopped by this…read moreplace is bomb and super not pretentious! Wish I got the tasting menu but I opted for 3 of the specialties instead and they were delicious... Tasting menu is best value tho! I got the raw trout sashimi thing and it was by far the best plate of the meal (first dish/appetizer) , then got the shrimp flautas (good not amazing) then I got the trout loin for the entree (good not amazing) Skinny marg was perfect and so was the waitress! Would recommend and go back but like I said I would for sure do with the 6 or 8 course tasting menu!

    Okay, where do I start…read more I made a reservation about a month before our trip, they were already pretty booked so I made a 4:45pm. I somehow missed that the coursed meal doesn't start until 6...and we didn't realize until same day. They couldn't rebook us until 9PM but told us to swing by early to see if they could get us in AND THEY DID. It was a Christmas miracle. And I'm glad they did because the whole experience was about 2.5 hours from start to finish. The place isn't very big, but is beautiful inside. They have an awesome bar and and open kitchen so you can see everything. It's a really neat place. We were seated pretty quick once they got the table cleaned, and then were greeted by our waitress. When we told her we were there for the 8 course meal, they switched waiters on us, and then the upselling started. Right off the bat they tried to talk us into a cocktail...when we were doing a pairing with our meal. It took them a little time to get the meal going, and then between courses was a little hit or miss. Sometimes it was free flowing and sometimes it took 10-15 minutes to get our next dish. The food. We were a little nervous we would leave still a little hungry but I assure you, you will not. For ~$100USD each, you get so much food, and a drink with every course. It was fantastic and so worth it. Here were the courses and pairings (that I can remember lol): 1. We started with the dips - a bean dip with cheese sauce and guacamole with crickets. Very classic, very well done. The crickets added a nice, nutty flavor. I was a huge fan of the beans with their blue corn tostadas, so much flavor. They also had a third dip that was pumpkin seed based, it was good but not as memorable. Their hot sauces came out with this course. It was paired with a house mezcal (with salts, cucumber, and orange) that was incredible and smooth. 2. Shrimp ceviche which was super refreshing and flavorful. They paired this with sparkling wine. 3. Sea bass with a cream sauce and grapefruit. I'm not a huge fishy flavor person - my first bite had all three compnents and I thought it was delicious. My husband just had fish as his first bite and thought it a little fishy, but once we added everything else he agreed it was great. Three small pieces, so it was a nice course. Paired with a sauv blanc. 4. Roasted tomatoes in a mole sauce. A nice veggie course. I thought they were cooked well, nothing super fancy. Paired with a Chardonnay. 5. Cooked shrimp with potatoes. My husband called this a "filler" course - there wasn't much to it. The sauce had some greens in it but it was just something light and easy to serve. Can't remember the pairing here. 6. THE CARROTS. MY FAV THING. OMG. Literally so fresh, the perfect texture, and the sauces. I could have eated a whole bowl with this one. Paired it with a red blend. 7. Cow tongue. I forgot a photo. I was starting to get drunk, I'm sorry. Paired with a red wine. This was tender, the sauce was delicious. If you're not used to beef tongue, please don't let it scare you. It was amazing. 8. Dessert. Also amazing. I think it was paired with a sweet red but....a little drunk here...we got a cheesecake which was more on the savory side, super unique, and so delicious. I was a huge fan. We also got a passion fruit custard and I'm a SUCKER for passion fruit. This was phenomenal. The food was INCREDIBLE. And such an amazing experience. And now the loss of a star. I hit on the service a little, but there was also some upselling which we don't love, especially at what is supposed to be michelin recognized. We often try Michelin recognized when we travel and the upselling was unexpected, I undertsand the culture down here, but still. ALSO we LOVED the house mezcal so much we asked for another shot ($280 pesos/shot). When we got the bill, the waiter upcharged to one of the most expensive mezcals on their menu ($520 pesos/shot) and refused to change it. We spent $60 on two shots after paying for our 8-course meal. It honestly was SUCH a dissapointing end to our meal and felt so icky. Be very careful with the service here.

    Photos
    Axiote - Inside

    Inside

    Axiote - Mezcal tasting pairing

    Mezcal tasting pairing

    Axiote - Tomate - mezcal, cucumber, parsley, tomatillo, worm salt

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    Tomate - mezcal, cucumber, parsley, tomatillo, worm salt

    Carboncitos - Shrimp Ceviche

    Carboncitos

    4.3(251 reviews)
    1.5 kmCentro
    $$

    Carboncitos was a really enjoyable experience overall. The food was genuinely delicious. I started…read morewith the chicken soup, which had great flavor, but the portion was pretty small. For my entrée, I had the skirt steak, and it was tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The sweet potato with honey and cinnamon was absolutely delicious. My only real complaint is the portion sizes on a couple of items. The salad was very small, and I would have loved a more generous serving. I also ordered an amaretto sour. It was a little weak at first, so I asked for more amaretto, which made it better, but it still wasn't quite as strong as I prefer. The service was phenomenal. The staff was attentive, kind, and genuinely friendly throughout the entire experience. I felt well taken care of and truly enjoyed myself. I would definitely return.

    *** They accept credit card !!!!…read more This is the boyfriend of the Yelp account owner but I had to write a review at how dope this place truly is. My girlfriend takes food very seriously so it's hard to find good spots and this place really impressed her. We came back two days in a row to try different plates and they all slapped. (Chile Rellenos, quesadillas, salsa wheel, tacos, ceviche). The drinks were amazing as well. (Pina Colada, margarita - they have happy hour 4pm- 6pm) All of the above would be enough in itself but the staff was really friendly and accommodating without doing too much. I.e They don't come across as fake. Anyways, if you are looking for a spot to try in Playa Del Carmen, eat here at least once and see what's up.

    Photos
    Carboncitos - Inside

    Inside

    Carboncitos - Surf and Turf

    Surf and Turf

    Carboncitos - Strawberry Herradura Margarita

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    Strawberry Herradura Margarita

    La Perla Pixan & La Carbonería - CRICKETS, don't hesitate!!

    La Perla Pixan & La Carbonería

    4.3(183 reviews)
    0.0 kmGonzalo Guerrero
    $$

    We were wanting a "smaller" lunch and I had read that this place was awesome, so we decided to give…read moreit a try. It helped that it was pouring rain and most of the restaurant was under cover, unlike a lot of spots, so it was perfect. We were seated quickly and helped shortly after. Service was...interesting. Felt like we had the hardest experience with communication here, which is fine, as Americans that is our fault. Things like they have a porn star martini ( my fav) as a mocktail so I asked if it was possible to add a shot of vodka. They initially recommended the espresso martini which I did not want so I was just opting for water and he pushed the original option on me then charged be $20 for it, which was insane. They also pushed sales hard here, it felt a little off...like we just wanted to enjoy a meal and at the end we're hounded to try their mezcals. BUT food came quick and effeciently so no major complaints there, just be aware. As for the food, it was incredible. Again with the communication, we pointed and asked for the beet carpaccio....they brought out beef carpaccio WHICH thankfully we both eat meat because honestly, it was freaking incredible. We didn't even say anything about the mix up because it was a highlight. They brought it out under a glass smoker, it had a cream sauce, and rosemary, lime, cheese, it was just perfect. We also had the corn which was super unique, the tuna appetizer which had SO MUCH FLAVOR, and the fundito which was on par with everywhere else in the area. It ended up being more food than we planned but it was incredible in flavor, whoever the cook is does a great job of marrying flavors because it was an incredible meal. Be ready for the communication gap, but know you won't eat anything bad here.

    Nice place for a dinner with a live (but not too loud) music and good service. They have very…read morespacious patio so there's no need to book a table. I liked the grilled octopus with baby potatoes and chile relleno was very flavorful. The kids menu was a real hit for my daughter too! We got a chicken with cheese plate which had a side of guacamole and corn on the cob- she ate it all.

    Photos
    La Perla Pixan & La Carbonería
    La Perla Pixan & La Carbonería - HUAUZONTLE WEATHERED

    HUAUZONTLE WEATHERED

    La Perla Pixan & La Carbonería - Dulce de leche

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    Dulce de leche

    La Cueva del Chango - Huevos motuleños con jamón de pavo, chícharos y salsa de jitomate, 
 acompañados de plátano macho frito

    La Cueva del Chango

    4.4(489 reviews)
    0.1 kmGonzalo Guerrero
    $$

    Okay this place is so adorable. We were staying at an AirBnb around the corner and I had made a…read moreshort list of places to try if we were hungry, this somehow popped up on my Tik Tok one day and was glad I had written it down. We walked up for brunch timeframe and were told it would be 10-15 minutes, they had plenty of seating to wait BUT it was really only 3-4 minutes which was perfect. They have an open air concept, and we sat in back which was like a little magical garden area with a creek running through it. It was so adorable, and so tropical. Their drink menu was tasty, we got a couple of their mezcal drinks which low key were probably the best in all of Playa. Unique, fresh, and delicious. The food was incredible. My husband got a shrimp dish, it came with some very unique and creamy potatoes and a sauce that was so flavorful. I got a classic Chilaquiles dish that had so much flavor, but all the ingredients tasted so fresh and amazing. And almost a whole avocado on top which was insane. Such a great experience. We weren't rushed, taken care of, fantastic food and drink. I can see why it's highly rated.

    Adorable location with attentive staff and great food! We…read moreeven sampled some Mezcal at the suggestion of our waiter and found some new favorites. The seating is comfortable. We look forward to a return trip.

    Photos
    La Cueva del Chango - Fresh flowers

    Fresh flowers

    La Cueva del Chango - Empanadas con frijoles de la olla y pico de gallo. A escoger con: queso Oaxaca, chaya, champiñones, nopales.

    Empanadas con frijoles de la olla y pico de gallo. A escoger con: queso Oaxaca, chaya, champiñones, nopales.

    La Cueva del Chango - Restaurant entrance

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    Restaurant entrance

    Porfirio's Playa del Carmen - 2 big steaks

    Porfirio's Playa del Carmen

    4.1(218 reviews)
    1.1 kmCentro

    Saw this had great OpenTable reviews but didn't want to commit to a reservation, so we checked it…read moreout while exploring. We were also considering a steakhouse nearby...but when in Mexico, right? Glad we did--this ended up being the best meal we had all week (even compared to our resort). Food: great. Service: standout. Amii and Santi were the perfect balance--attentive without hovering, quick, and clearly in sync. They made everything easy. Highlights: - Hot stone seared New York strip -- fun, interactive, and really flavorful - Street-style al pastor for two -- fall-off-the-bone and worth it - Marinades + salsas were so good we asked for more - Drinks were a surprise win--especially the curated cocktails We walked in, but I'd recommend a reservation for busy season, we didn't have to wait but they had a lot of patrons in comparison. The vibe was awesome - from the modern cantina style to the liver performers that weren't cheesy and 1000% on point. We stayed all week at a private resort, if it were closer, we'd have gone back again. Would absolutely recommend

    We came here for my birthday dinner, and it was such a fun spot to celebrate. Honestly, we were…read moreexpecting it to be a lot more expensive based on the vibe and presentation but it was surprisingly affordable for what you get. We ordered the steak (medium) because that's always our go-to and it was really good. Cooked properly with a nice sear on the outside and still juicy inside. Solid, reliable choice. We also tried the charred octopus, and this one was a bit of a miss for us. It leaned more on the soft side and felt slightly overcooked. We were hoping for more of that tender-with-a-slight-char texture contrast. You can never go wrong with French fries crispy, well-seasoned, and perfect for the table. For dessert, we got the chocolate cake, and wow !! the slice was huge. Definitely shareable. It was rich, moist, and indulgent. We couldn't even finish it, which says a lot because we tried. Overall, it was a great birthday dinner spot lively atmosphere, good food, and better value than we expected. I'd definitely come back, especially for another celebration.

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    Porfirio's Playa del Carmen - Churros

    Churros

    Porfirio's Playa del Carmen - Chocolate cake

    Chocolate cake

    Porfirio's Playa del Carmen - World Cup

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    World Cup

    Amate 38 - yucatan - Updated May 2026

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