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El Palomar

4.3 (58 reviews)
InexpensiveBars, Mexican
Open 9:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

El Palomar Photos

EL PALOMAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Outdoor seating
Good for kids
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - El Palomar

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Reviews With Photos

Clarissa K.

I saved my 1,200th milestone review for the best Mexican food I ever had which is located in Cozumel Mexico! Which is an extreme contrast of the Mexican restaurant which was my first review! This restaurant is located in the oldest home on the island dating back to 1903. Definitely a find to come here and I share this secret place with my fellow Yelpers. The food is nothing short of amazing. I strongly suggest to follow all the suggestions on what to eat. The highly skilled chef will have you leaving here wondering when you can come back. My favorites were the fresh fish, avocado(aka native to Mexico) as well as all the special and spicy ingredients. It was so relaxing to have a business meeting here while looking outdoors on the beautiful gardens. After lunch we had drinks out front while looking at the beautiful ocean. Definitely the hidden jewel on the entire island.

chilaquiles
Kelsy J.

Incredible food, a beautiful view and service that is top notch. This was by far our favorite restaurant that we went to the entire trip. A stop here is an absolute must!

Beef Carpaccio
Melody K.

After our last years visit with less than stellar service, we were invited back by Chef Paola Torroella, executive chef and general manager to "make it right". Again, making a reservation through Chef Paola, when we arrived there was a huge party taking place, when I told the hostess we had reservation, no one had a clue. I asked for Chef Paola there and after our greeting, all seemed OK. We were able to get one of the last tables for 4 in the front room with a beautiful view of the patio and waterfront. We were a party of 4, starting off with Margaritas (BTW great Margaritas). The food ordered was the Beef Carpaccio, Chicken with Rosemary and Potatoes, Pork Belly Tacos, Fried Fish Tacos and the Shrimp Mezcal Tacos. I think the food is delicious, Atmosphere is a beautiful old renovated home and service was much improved since the last time we were here.

Sunset view at the bar
Doug S.

Great spot for very good cocktails and excellent sunsets. Decent mezcal selection, solid bartenders

Sopecitos! Very good

Beautiful restaurant with a perfect view of the ocean. Service was great and the food was amazing...come hungry and try lots of things! The margaritas were also very good. Highly recommend this lovely, peaceful place.

Lindsey J.

Five star service and five star breakfast! We got the chilliquilles with barbacoa and added a fried egg and it was DEVINE. We also got the fresh orange pressed juices. Amazing. This was our first visit but won't be our last. Can't wait to see what lunch options they have in store. A culinary delight!!!!! Probably the best food we've ever had in Cozumel.

Nutella-stuffed French toast with fruit
Breann B.

We went here for breakfast and everything was very good. They were pressing juices by hand in the bar area - I regret not getting a juice drink! We got iced lattes which were very good and French toast. The atmosphere was relaxing being by the ocean and they had fans to keep you cool. It was not very busy - overall a nice, relaxing, and quiet place to enjoy breakfast. The prices were reasonable and they take credit cards as well!

The drinks
Karyn H.

Had the Habaneros and Long Island. Very good drinks. Great location. Upscale. A lot of interesting concoctions. The Habaneros has a perfect spicy and lemon and mezcal. Just tasty. The Long Island was good. Not like gasoline. Can't wait to visit next trip.

Margarita yum!

Beautiful location and exquisite Mexican food! We had the lobster tacos shrimp tacos and pork belly tacos, all were amazing my favorite was the pork belly tacos!!! Also we asked for them to make us a queso fundido, which wasn't on the menu, and they happily obliged, and it was to die for! Also don't forget to try the potatoes with peanut, so delicious! My husband had the tuna dish on the appetizer menu, he says it was incredible. The location is light and airy with a beautiful view of the ocean and a lovely old architecture design. wistful and romantic and classy! Service was excellent, we will definitely be returning!

This is by far one of the BEST hidden gems! For a table of 4 with all different plates, there was not one complaint! One of the BEST BURGERS I've ever had in my entire life! They should add pictures and descriptions for their menus but other than that, a 10/10!!!!

Phill A.

Overall we had a great experience dinning at El Palomar. This was our first time dining out in the city center and the food and ambiance was on point! From the amazing colonial / Caribbean architect to its lively vibes this place is a must try if you are in Conzumel. The service was 10 out of 10. Ivan, our waiter was so kind, attentive and helpful with such amazing recommendations. We had a minor dilemma because we wanted to try lobster but also craving fish. We asked what the catch of the day (which is off the menu) and he recommended the "spicy snapper". He then suggested we try both! Two lobster tacos ( they were delicious) and the fish / spicy snapper-which was sooooo delicious, savory and moist / juicy (#flavorful af)! All in all, I highly recommend this place. Upon finishing up, the owner, Paola came up to our table and introduced herself, asked if it was our first time visiting, and since it was she gave us free (top self) tequila shots! It was definitely a great and memorable experience. Check it out if you're in the island!

Tricie C.

The experience here was a really mixed bag. My boyfriend and I sat at the bar around 6:30 and were able to enjoy the sea view while we had some cocktails. After dark, the atmosphere seems to switch into factory mode and service became quite spotty. While our guacamole came out in a timely manner, my boyfriends tostadas came out after a while and was finished long before my lobster tacos came out. By this time my appetite was almost gone which was a blessing I suppose as the tacos were more on the scale of an amuse buche. The lobster was unidentifiable and completely overpowered by the aioli and hard char. The tortillas were delicious though. The shrimp and fish tostadas were average at best. Adding the salsa that came with the chips was definitely needed in order to add some moisture and acid. We may try again but won't rush back. On an unrelated note, the bartenders all had a strange procedure of holding the orders in their mouths while mixing drinks. Slightly unhygienic? I smudged the faces of at 3 bartenders...

Keith S.

Awesome vibe on this gem. Food is excellent, love the tuna tostada. Ana and Marco are true cocktail experts

Delicious

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1 year ago

Good atmosphere and service for drinks. Did not try the food. We sat at the sidewalk with drinks to watch the Ironman

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2 years ago

Great food, terrible service. Went with friends who had been there a year previously. Not the same! New owners/management?

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

The food, drinks and staff here are exceptional! I recommend sitting outside on the beautiful Cozumel nights.

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4 years ago

Best concha ive had, it was so fresh and warm. My husband and i came here alot. The food was amazing and the views were spectacular.

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Page 1 of 2

Review Highlights - El Palomar

Margarita was the best I have had in Cozumel and the view of the sunset from the veranda was great.

Mentioned in 14 reviews

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Colores y Sabores - Tortilla Soup

Colores y Sabores

4.9(103 reviews)
1.1 km

This is a must go to restaurant if youre a foodie porting from one of the cruiselines in cozumel…read more The restaurant is small with limited seating and will always be packed with customers, so best of luck getting a seat. However, if you do, youre in for the best food made with love and flavor! This is a true hidden gem in the busy overstimulating overselling port of punta langosta

Joyful and friendly environment with outstanding food and drink. Regina has had her place her for 9…read moreyears, and she clearly knows what she's doing! After seeing the great reviews here, we schlepped a couple extra blocks (despite a bit of rain) to visit for lunch. Well worth it. We liked Colores y Sabores so much that we returned on another day. Equally fantastic. The Margaritas (I got Mango) are great. Don't ask for frozen mango margarita because, although they will do it, it lessens the flavor of the fresh mango. Tried it both ways, so I can say for sure, lol. The Beans are something you do not want to miss. Something special about them here. The guacamole and pico de Gallo and chips are the way you'd hope: fresh, crunchy, not greasy and just enough pop. Enchiladas are fantastic - and there are three options for how you can get it. The Mole is outstanding - a little smoky, tons of rich flavor. I rarely order fajitas - but I wanted to go simple one day. Perfect. Tender chicken, and caramelized onions and peppers. Try corn or flour tortillas -- or both, like I did. Another day, I tried the tortilla soup and loved it. Soothing, simple, with strips of chicken and crunchy tortilla. We also got the chicken tacos, which were great. 3, with beans and guacamole on corn tortillas. Our fave, though, was the Chile Relleno. Heavenly. Ground beef stuffed inside and this dish was as satisfying and delicious as anything we encountered on the trip. The Carrot Cake! Definitely recommend that, too. Just sweet enough, and homemade.

Photos
Colores y Sabores - Kitchen front

Kitchen front

Colores y Sabores - Chile Relleno

Chile Relleno

Colores y Sabores - Enchiladas Mole

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Enchiladas Mole

Pancho's Backyard - Quesadillas

Pancho's Backyard

4.3(71 reviews)
0.1 km
$$$

Stopped by Pancho's Backyard while in Cozumel and it ended up being one of the best meals of the…read moretrip. The chicken mole enchiladas were outstanding -- the mole was a rich chocolate mole with the perfect amount of spice. You could really taste the depth of the sauce, not too sweet, not too spicy, just perfectly balanced and incredibly flavorful. We also tried the shrimp alioli, and that was just as impressive. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the garlic alioli sauce was rich without being too heavy. Everything tasted fresh and made to order. The atmosphere is beautiful -- lush garden setting, relaxing, and it really feels like you're dining somewhere special rather than just another tourist spot. Service was attentive and friendly the whole time. If you're in Cozumel, this place is absolutely worth a visit. I would go back just for the mole alone.

We went for the New Year's Eve special menu and it was unbelievably disappointing. The vegetarian…read more"New Year's special" listed as Vegetable Cannelloni was not cannelloni at all--no pasta, nothing baked, nothing cooked. It was basically raw cucumber filled with half-cooked white onion and (maybe) spinach, smothered in a white cream sauce. I took one bite and couldn't eat another. Honestly one of the nastiest things I've ever been served at a restaurant. My boyfriend ordered the tortilla soup and it came out cold. The other "courses" were minimal: about three bites of pineapple icee, plus a few pear slices with candied nuts and goat cheese (that part was fine, but nowhere near enough to feel like a real meal). We had one drink, one bottle of water, and with tip the total was around $100. For that price, this was a complete waste of money. 0/10 recommend--very disappointing and we won't be back. Too bad- beautiful building and good service. The food was just gross.

Photos
Pancho's Backyard
Pancho's Backyard - Quesadilla

Quesadilla

Pancho's Backyard - Steak tacos

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Steak tacos

Cielito Lindo - Molcajete de Piedra Caliente Parrillada (regional dish; basically a mixed grill in a stew with tortillas?)

Cielito Lindo

4.5(95 reviews)
0.9 km
$$

Terrific food, intimate vibes, just a couple of blocks off the main touristy beach road. It's not a…read morelarge restaurant, maybe 5-7 tables total, along with some outdoor seating if weather allows. That said, they weren't that busy when we arrived, and we were immediately seated. They have a couple of great regional Yucatan dishes here, like the Molcajete and the Cochinita. San Miguel de Cozumel is admittedly not the most beautiful or interesting Mexican city to do touristy stuff in, so it was a treat to find some great regional cuisine to try. I was with a group, so we ordered the Molcajete (basically, mixed grilled meats in a stew), ceviche, and cochinita (stewed pulled pork), along with tortillas. All of it was great. The sauces, from the salsa to the stew broths to the ceviche sauce, were all terrific. There was mention that they dishes were spicy, but in the end, none of the stuff was super-spicy. Furthermore, the spicy stuff was often a salsa served on the side, or a whole roasted pepper that wasn't integrated into the dish, so you could calibrate your spiciness to your taste. Bathrooms: Basic, but clean and functional.

We were here for dinner on a Christmas Eve, when we walked in at 6:45pm, not much guest. But later,…read morethe place is fully filled up. We get to sit outside on the street, with scooters cars even dump trucks drives pass our table. Interesting experience. Food is good, service is prompt, the bone marrow thing is interesting, first time i tried in this way, in a taco, also grilled. I had their fish, and others had their BBQ plate for two and two ordered holier pork shank. All good! Price is reasonable.

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Cielito Lindo - Cielito Mexican cuisine

Cielito Mexican cuisine

Cielito Lindo - Fajitas with beef, red and yellow peppers!

Fajitas with beef, red and yellow peppers!

Cielito Lindo - Spicy Passionfruit Margaritas

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Spicy Passionfruit Margaritas

El Palomar - bars - Updated May 2026

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