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EL CURANDERO

4.5 (23 reviews)
ModerateSeafood, Mexican
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

EL CURANDERO Photos

EL CURANDERO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Good for groups
Happy hour specials
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - EL CURANDERO

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Reviews With Photos

Guajillo Tostada
Jack M.

I ordered the Guajillo tostada and another ceviche one I don't recall the name of Both come piled high with fresh seafood and vegetables. The Guajillo had excellent shrimp and octopus with a creamy mayo based sauce underneath the toppings. The vegetables were grilled to great doneness. The other tostada I got tasted like aguachile on a tostada. It was far too liquidy and acidic to enjoy as a tostada. And it don't understand the appeal of raw onions and cucumbers in the dish. The sauces they offer are the typical mexican fish salsas along with a chipotle mayo.

Tostada guajillo
Alexandra S.

This place has amazing tostadas and the kids loved there tacos. It's a few minutes walk from la 5ta Avenida but it's totally worth it. Large eating area and great hospitality.

Torre de mariscos la negra la mejor torre que he comido tenía de todo   súper frescos  me atendió Aarón súper buen servicio !!

Delicioso y lo que le sigue. Todo fresco la presentation excelente y el servicio de Aarón supe bueno Vengan me lo agradecerán

Fried Plantains. So good
Norma V.

Best seafood we had in a while, we enjoyed a Ponedura aguachile, Vuelve a la vida seafood soup ( Awesome for a hangover or just to get your streng backl We also had very fresh oysters, Bloody Mary Drink, Maracuya water(Passion fruit) and for dessert some fried plantains, Yelp recommended us the place next door called aguachiles but we noticed didn't had any local eating there, also this one felt cozy.. I surely will come back, customer service is great the guy at the front door even helped us paying the parking so we won't get a ticket.

Scott M.

Visited this place during my last stop in Playa and the menu has been tweeked since then. The manager was nice enough to prepare some of our favs that had been removed (poke atun). Food prepared with care and nicely plated. Service was quick and attentive.

Tostadas, ceviche and cocktel.
Jacqueline A.

Food and service was great! We had tostadas, ceviche, cocktel de camarón and arracherra, everything tasted fresh and flavorful. (Ceviche needed a bit more lime but that's an easy fix.) Live music was awesome. Would recommend 100%

Guajillo recommended by the waiter. So good! Shrimp octopus cooked with butter guajilla Chile and grilled onion.
Helene T.

This place is legit! The food is delicious, the atmosphere fun, and the staff are friendly and informative. We just touched today from the states and are so happy we found this place. We'll be coming back for more. I'll let you know how the other items taste as I work my way through the menu during our stay. Cheers!

Just had the best meal and closed the place down!
Laura L.

We came here on recommendation of our tour guide for the day in Tulum. It's all fish, and very delicious. I had tacos with breaded fish, and a tostada with fried tuna. It sounds like a lot of fried, but perfectly done and not heavy at all. The cucumber marguarita was amazing. The guacamole is superb! Don't miss it. My daughter reports the fries are excellent, and she is a connoisseur.

Want to try Mexican Food Beyond Al Pastor Tacos....... Mexican + Seafood + Tostadas/ Tacos @ Gourmet ++. All I can say is come and try it for yourself Your taste buds won't regret it .... Our Waiter Julio 2 Thumbs Up for service and food knowledge! Thank You Julio!

This has got to be one of the best Restaurant in the area. We had the seafood Tower and seafood Ceviche, Curricanes , Tuna avocado, grilled octopus was amazing. Juan was our server and did a amazing job.

Chips and salsa

I read about this place in a Playa website. If you like seafood, you have to come here. Great menu, but hard to choose what to order! The chips and salsa (5 different choices) - very tasty. A complimentary cup of shrimp broth was a nice touch. The frozen cucumber margarita was absolutely fantastic. The star of my dinner was the seafood tower. Basically, a composed tower of raw and cooked seafood - tuna, shrimp, crab, octopus, cucumber and red onion. Definitely enough for two people to share. And on top of all that, great service!

Camerones tacos

Absolutely amazing, The best Mariscos I have ever tried! Our hotel recommended this place and we fell in love! We are definitely coming back before we leave! Everything is so flavorful and fresh! I had tacos de camarones and my husband had fresh moharra! We recommend you try this ASAP!

Chilequiles

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8 years ago

Order the Sriracha tostada, you can thank me later. Best Mexican seafood in Mexico, and I'm Mexican

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EL CURANDERO Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - EL CURANDERO

Basically, a composed tower of raw and cooked seafood - tuna, shrimp, crab, octopus, cucumber and red onion.

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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El Fogón

El Fogón

4.6(1.3k reviews)
1.1 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)
0.5 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)
1.4 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.

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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)
0.7 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.

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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)
0.6 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)
1.0 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.

Photos
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

EL CURANDERO - seafood - Updated May 2026

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