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Don Cafeto

4.3 (165 reviews)
ModerateMexican

Don Cafeto Photos

DON CAFETO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Touristy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - Don Cafeto

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Dianna H.

Stopped by Don Cafeto for second dinner as we weren't quite full from our first one. It was pretty empty when my friend and I dropped by on a Monday evening evening around 9:15 pm. The restaurant is a no frills spot popular with tourists and locals alike. We walked by many times through the course of our trip and it was always full of customers. The menu is your standard Mexican fare - soups, quesadillas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, steak, various seafood dishes, etc. It's definitely not veggie friendly so don't come here if there's a vegetarian in your group. Since neither of us were that hungry, we shared the pollo a la parrilla, i.e. grilled chicken, for 210 pesos. To start, each table gets a huge bowl of nachos with some incredibly spicy salsa and spicy pickled veggies on the side. Both were too spicy for me so I didn't go anywhere near either. The grilled chicken was okay, but I didn't realize it'd be breast meat. Found it a bit on the dry side. It only came with a small scoop of rice, so it's good that this wasn't our main meal. I would recommend this spot for folks looking for a more authentic feel rather than some of the overpriced touristy restaurants in Tulum.

Menu
Nandini M.

Might be the best food we had in Tulum! It was our final meal, and we went hunting for enchiladas. These were amazing! I went out on a limb and got the mole enchilada and my husband got the roja one. This is the best mole I've ever had - it seemed to have a peanut base and was well rounded - no bitterness from over toasted spices or coffee, no over sweetness from chocolate, just flavorful nutty deliciousness. The roja was also great, it tasted much more like freshly made sautéed tomatoes. The pickled blistered veggies and salsa and chips that come with each order was also so delicious, we chomped down on seranos, nibbled habaneros, and added the potatoes, carrots, and onions to our dishes. The drinks tasted fresh and light, we got a pina colada and tequila sunrise. There was live music but not intrusive, and was a generally jolly place to be! Highly recommend coming here!

Tampiqueña
Christine A.

I was so hesitant to go to this restaurant. Although it appeared on all the lists of "Places to eat in Tulum," I thought it would be touristy, which in my mind meant meh. In fact the only reason I ended up going to this restuarant is because I ended up having a late dinner on my last night in Tulum, and the other places I was thinking about going already closed their kitchen for the evening.. After dining there and having a lovely experience, I know I was very wrong. In fact, had I eaten there earlier in the trip, I most likely would have dined there multiple times. Unline some of the other restaurants in tulum (and in Riveria Maya in general), the food at Don Cafeto was really tasty, not overcooked, and had soul -- tasted like yummy home cooking. I had a chicken soup - awesome, flavorful, bright, and hearty just like it should be and chicken with mole - not as great as in Oaxaca proper, but better than most others I've tried! I also tried some of the Carne Asada and that was also really good and the meat was not tough or rubbery. They also had live music at least for part of the time we were there. Always appreciate that added level of ambiance. Don't be like me and have any doubts about this place. just go!

Enchiladas with green tomato sauce.  Yummy
John N.

I tried this place since I love enchiladas and saw a recent review so I tried it out. The enchiladas was as good as the reviewer said it was!! The only complaint that I would have is that they were out of sugar Coke. Without my favorite Coke I was going to downgrade it but it wouldn't be fair for them. A solid place at a very good price in Tulum Mexico

Grace C.

Rode our bikes out to tulum centro and stopped by here. Looked at reviews and glad we went and tried it out. We ordered Plato the Mexicano. Big plate to share for two people. It has pretty much everything In there. So good. So flavorful. Taquitos were crunchy. The chili rellenos made of sweet pepper and sauce was amazing. I had to dip my quesadilla on that sauce. Margarita amazing and mint lemonade was nice and refreshing. Suri was sooooo nice. So friendly and just made things happened with seating us and everybody else who were waiting. Great great cheap find this place.

Scrambled eggs with tostada
Christian R.

The location is ideal for eating on the strip. Don't be fooled by the crowds. Not sure if they pay for the reviews. The food was horrible. The eggs tasted and looked horrible. The service was ridiculously horrible. Asked for a coffee, took almost as long as the food to come out. By the time the waiter came back for the milk it was cold. The fries were fried in an oil that needed to be replaced. Tasted like pure grease.

Isabel E.

We came at a time of day were there was a lot of open seating and some live music. The food was good, I thought the Marinara pasta was missing a bit more of seafood for what the price is but it tasted good. The other plate we ordered was the Tampiqueña, and that was a very good steak dish that came with some rice, plantains, enchiladas and a two tostadas, one with beans and another with guacamole. The price is a lot for what you get, this is why I wasn't 100% sold on this place

Ribeye with veggies and rice
BK W.

Absolutely loved coming to don cafeto while in tulum. Came across this place walking down the street and we decided to walk inside. Being from Miami, I am a queso fondito expert and this place hands down had the absolute best tasting queso fondito I've ever had. Perfectly melted cheese with bacon and mushrooms . I then got the ribeye which was a giant chunk of meat to have after stuffing my face with melted cheese The servers were very attentive to us and the price is very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. At the end of the day I will be back to don cafeto to have their queso fondito. You will not be disappointed here.

Motul eggs
Melissa G.

Don Cafeto is on the main Tulum downtown area on the main commercial street. We came as a group of six and were able to sit fairly fast during the main rush hour. There was live music for the breakfast time which was a guy on a keyboard playing Mexican music classics to add to the ambiance. The breakfast selection is huge and they have all the staples. I ordered the huevos motuleños which are pretty much fried eggs in a tostada smothered in salsa but they were delicious and came out super fast from the kitchen. The coffee was standard American coffee (no espresso drinks available) and I topped it off with a fresh fruit smoothie (licuado) which was really good. The prices were excellent and would definitely come back and recommend it to other people visiting the area.

Chorizo queso
Tina C.

Came here for lunch after visiting the cenote so you can bet we were hungry! There wasn't a wait when we got here and we were able to sit at a table outside. They took your temperature and gave you hand sanitizer before you get seated. They bring out fresh pico de gallo and pickled veggies (carrots, potatoes, peppers, garlic) for each table. We asked for the pico to be extra spicy so they added in some spicy habaneros, which was so good! The pickled veggies were also delicious! For appetizers, we decided to order chorizo queso, mixed ceviche, and sopa azteca to start off. The queso had plenty of chorizo bits in it but the cheese congealed super quick to where it became one lump of cheese so I wasn't a fan. The ceviche was pretty good but it definitely could've been seasoned a little bit more. The sopa azteca is their tomato broth with fried tortilla but it was super bland and flavorless. Definitely would not recommend that. For our entrees, we ordered the steak tacos, garlic shrimp, and mole enchiladas. The tacos were pretty good and there was a generous portion of meat that came with it plus cilantro, onions, and limes. I did ask if they had some spicy salsa or sauce but they didn't have anything besides their pico. The garlic shrimp was very delicious and had a great buttery garlic flavor and the veggies that accommpanied it was also buttery and tasted amazing! The mole enchiladas were pretty tasty, if you like mole. I'm not a huge fan of mole myself so I did not eat too much of this dish but I will say, it is probably one of the best mole enchiladas I have tried. Overall, this place has a wide selection of food to choose from so everyone will find something they can enjoy here. Definitely check it out if you're in Tulum and want a quick and casual meal.

Menu, outside, enchiladas
Kevin P.

This is a must stop when in Tulum. I stumbled on this place 3 yrs ago and eat here every time I'm here. I got the mole enchiladas and the favor was out of this world. My wife got fish tacos and she said the fish tasted fresh and perfect light breading on them. The other couple in our group got the seafood platter for two, which is wife's favorite but I wanted to try something different this time. The shrimp in the platter were huge. They give marinated carrots, garlic, and others vegetables with the chips, everyone loved but I skipped for the pico de gallo which has fresh jalapeños and is spicy. The girls got the chayagra drink which I guess they are famous for. Must have been good as they both ordered another one. Great authentic Mexican food. Great Service!

Aztec breakfast
Kew R.

Fueling up with a hearty breakfast before exploring the Mayan ruins was the perfect start to our adventure. The spread offered a delicious mix of freshly squeezed juices, tropical fruits and savory local dishes. With the right balance of nutrients and flavor, we were energized and ready to explore the fascinating ruins with enthusiasm and vitality.

The lovely cafe
Jason C.

Amazing quality tacos and very cold beers Cheers. The service with a smile and tender care was well received. Tell them the Massage man sent you. I highly recommend this place to eat tacos and beers

Ensalada verde

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2 years ago

Came here again in late 2022, the food's still good escabeche is still hot. Long live Don Cafeto.

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Really expensive for average food! $65 for 2 people to have fish tacos and a coke! We don't recommend

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

The quesadillas had so much cheese, they were amazing! The service was excellent, and the frappé was also tasty. Would definitely go back

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2 years ago

We've been going to this place for years. Every time it's been awesome. We are back in town and can't wait to go this week!!!

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10 years ago

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Don Cafeto - mexican - Updated October 2026

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