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La Buena Vida

4.2 (271 reviews)
ModerateBars, Seafood, Mexican
Open • 8:00 am - 11:00 pm

La Buena Vida Photos

LA BUENA VIDA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Casual
Touristy
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - La Buena Vida

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Signature juice
Su H.

Great open-air atmosphere. Can be romantic (under a palapa next to the ocean), fun (great bar area) or festive (many tree house tables and areas that are great for groups). Service was excellent, and they had good recommendations ready. We had the classic fish ceviche, which was great. hubby had one of their signature juices, a blend of lime, basil and other flavors I could quite identify - very tasty. I had classic margaritas and they were very good. Also had the La Buena Vida Shrimp and Pok-Chuk. Both are house specialties and both were very good. I probably liked the shrimp dish a bit more. The pork dish was a bit tough, but I loved the seasonings. This is an epic spot for happy hour or dinner. Will definitely being coming back!

Swing overlooking the bay
Adrianna S.

We love the spot in Akumal. The location cannot be beat. You were right on the bay with your feet in the sand. It's a gorgeous place to have dinner or drinks at sunset. There is a pool if you want to swim during the day and hammocks to relax in. There are even tree houses and swing seats at the bar. We have been at least four times and the service has always been great. The food can be hit or miss. Sometimes the chips are fresh and sometimes they are stale. The shrimp Aguachiles, and the chicken quesadillas are always on point. They do have a happy hour with great prices.

Pasta
Zenitta A.

First of all, Akumal is a hidden gem in Mexico. It is between Tulum and Playa Del Carmen. Went to celebrate my husband's birthday. He wanted lobster and did La Buena Vida deliver. He said it was the best lobster ever. My dish was good too and very flavorful. We sat near the water and what a view. The servers weee very attentive and nice. The food and ambiance was so good, we went twice while there in Akumal

Seafood
Coty M.

Beautiful relaxing place with great food. The place is to sit by the water, put your feet in the sand and enjoy great food and excellent service . Happy hour starts at 5 and has discounts on some alcohol. Rica comida, un lugar hermoso para ver el mar y sentir q comes en la playa.

Leigh J.

Been going here for years. Love this place! Great view, people and drinks! Can't wait till my next visit.

Kids menu
Mikaela Z.

This is our second time visiting, first time was 10 years ago- pre-kids. It was a smaller, sleepier little place then! Love the vibe, can't beat the location! Definitely geared toward gringos and the prices reflect that- American prices for sure. The service was okay in the beginning but they got swamped and we had to ask for things multiple times. Dropped the star because the food wasn't worth the price, and they overcharged us for a drink and instead of correcting it, they changed a 2 to a 1 on a printed receipt and hoped we wouldn't notice.... Disappointing for sure.

Table view

Enjoyed a wonderful lunch here. Started with the mango shrimp aguachiles for an appetizer. Fresh and tasty to share after swimming at Yalku cenote. For entrees the table ordered Jose's Havana rice, fresh grilled fish, pollo Chaya and tabbouleh salad. Everyone was happy and satisfied with their meal.

Fried shrimp tacos
Tim P.

Been here multiple times in our trips to Akumal. You can't beat the bayside view of the water. Stunning. The food is good but not great. I had the Jose's Havana rice which was a miss. Dry rice with little sausage and not much flavor. Margaritas for happy hour are very good and basically two for one. Tacos, the Cheyenne and the fried shrimp are really good. Need more servers. Our poor guy had half the outside by himself. Tried his best but was a bit overwhelmed. At least the view will help you relax as you wait.

Entrance
Kathy V.

This location is tucked in Akumal right on the beach- parking right in front. Guarded neighborhood. The vibe is great- just chill/touristy. If it's too windy you can ask to be seated upstairs which is closed in. We started with the guacamole and calamari both amazing. Oh yes and fresh coconut water straight in a coconut-refreshing. The Maya octopus is probably one of the best I've ever had. The fried fish was disappointing as it was such a small portion. I highly recommend coming here.

Fresh Shrimp a La Diabla
Manisha M.

La Buena Vida is such a rare find. A place where the views, vibe and food are UNMATCHED. I heard so much about this place on Reddit and was skeptical that it could live up to the hype. It did, and was so much better than I imagined. Sitting Oceanside was such a delight and I was already happy sitting down to order. We started with a Mayan ceviche. My partner is a huge ceviche guy and said that this place is up there along with Peruvian ceviche. The fish was cooked (we think) in the ceviche but this was a plus in this case, because the flavors were so good! We followed that with tuna fillet and Fresh Shrimp A la Diabla. Both of these were so tasty! The shrimp was cooked in a red sauce which isn't anything too spicy but more of a tomato sauce packed with flavor. This restaurant is a great hangout spot, we saw many visitors just sitting with drinks, or chips and lounging around by the pool and hammocks. There was some parking out front by the street. Overall, highly recommend for the entire experience and wish I had a few more days in Akumal to return here.

Gerardo D.

We keep coming back . The place is magical. The food is amazing. Service is what you expect in Mexico. Climb to the table on a palm tree to enjoy good Mexican beer , then grab a bite five feet from the sea with your feet on the sand . You will wonder why you don't live here.

Great food...great staff
Scott T.

This place will always be a must when we come to Akumal! Not only is the staff great, but the food is to die for!

Drinks by the beach
Kirsten P.

We have been here three times since arriving four days ago. We are not people who frequent places more than once unless it is really really worth it. The Mahi or shrimp tacos "ajillo" are incredible and the drinks are really great. Strong and not touristy. The drink menu can throw you off with typical tourist drinks like "sex on the beach" and others but they are actually decent. My husband loved the mail tai with an extra shot of dark rum. The service is island time slow so don't go e or ting quick in and out food or drink service. It is good though. Our two kids had a blast swimming in the pool while we ate lunch and had drinks. We were very impressed by everything.

Dinner on the beach

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4 months ago

This place is amazing fun spot for families and locals live music and nachos where awesome

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11 days ago

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1 year ago

Great margaritas, BBQ ribs and service . It was a fun and beautiful happy hour destination several days during our stay in Akumal.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

The view is lovely. The beer is cold. The shrimp aguachiles and shrimp tacos were delicious.

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3 years ago

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

Great food, terrific service, incredible music, just a marvelous Norte Akumal "Beach Bar".

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4 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Very good restaurant on the beach good food and service. The ambiance is excellent. I love the Havana rice.

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La Buena Vida Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - La Buena Vida

ā€œIt's located about a half mile from Akumal beach so it may be a hike for some but I think it's worthy walk.ā€

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Kay Nah - Lobster         Grilled lobster in Butter and garlic

Kay Nah

4.4(97 reviews)
26.4 km

Service was excellent. there was a live band when we were having dinner. the food was very good…read more and surprisingly affordable. we had lobsters and mussels and a seafood pasta dish and a lot of beer and soda and cocktails and our total bill was about $200 for 3 people. the atmosphere was great, restrooms were clean - only downside was the mosquitoes but they provided mosquito spray

The best food I've had in Tulum two years in a row! Simply amazing!…read more Wow - I thought maybe I just remembered last year through rose-colored glasses - no, this place is magnificent. First, the vibe is basically perfect. Feels exotic, is clean, the staff is fun, and the live music is the finishing touch. Second, without a doubt the best food we had in Tulum during our week there this year, and my week there last year. House Salad - I never knew I needed goat cheese ice cream on a salad but I'm telling you it was AMAZING! My girlfriend had the Octopus in marinade. She gets the Octopus everywhere we go. It was very tasty and not overcooked like is often the case. I had the Catch of the Day, Sea Bass. I have the fish of the day everywhere I go (live in St Petersburg, Florida, so I'm a seafood junky). It was, again, like last year the best fish dinner entree I had in Tulum. That's between about 12 different places I've eaten at in Tulum spanning the poshest hotel zone restaurants to the most reviewed and highly rated places in Centro in town. It was mouth-wateringly good and flawlessly prepared. I highly suggest trying the Mexican Tea cocktail - a refreshing, but not overly sweet, well-balanced drink that I loved and my girlfriend switched to despite it not being anything like what she would normally order. Last - I worked in restaurants starting at 15 through my late 20's including the most upscale place in the entire city. I got good enough to find gigs helping train staff during new openings. The service we received was remarkable, yet causal and fun. Commendable and appreciated.

Photos
Kay Nah
Kay Nah - Chefs Special Mussels

Chefs Special Mussels

Kay Nah - Octopus

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Octopus

Oscar & Lalo - Flat iron steak

Oscar & Lalo

4.5(115 reviews)
14.4 km
•$$

Came here for an early dinner. It's right off the freeway. There was no one in the main dining room…read moreand usually that's a bad sign. But not here.....The food was excellent. We ordered some guac and chips and ceviche for the table. Ceviche was fresh and tasty. For entrees I ordered the seafood stew which was delicious. A lot of seafood. My husband got the large shrimp plate w chipotle sauce which was also good. Someone else in my party ordered the octopus which I'm told tasted very good. One of the few restaurants that had a range of desserts. They had chocolate cake, flan and tres leches. The flan was the best by far. The carafe of margaritas were pretty large. Our server was very friendly and accommodating.

Oscar &Lalo is considered an institution to some. They have been around since about 1980…read more Originally located in the east side of the 307 on beach until a hurricane destroyed it. They now have a beautiful space on the west side of the the highway about half way from Akumal to Tulum. The restaurant is clean and open. They a a nice garden area courtyard as well. The staff is attentive and efficient. Virginia the hostess was absolutely amazing and friendly. Her family has owned the business for decades. Our waiter was Alfredo who was excellent. All the food was well prepared and presented nicely. Everything we had was delicious. It's definitely aimed a bit more for the North American palette but this does not mean it wasn't really good because it was. Cocktails were made with fresh fruit juices and were top notch. I highly recommend Oscar & Lalo to anyone who is staying in the area or passing by to or from Tulum.

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Oscar & Lalo - Chicken tacos

Chicken tacos

Oscar & Lalo
Oscar & Lalo - Guajillo seafood dish

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Guajillo seafood dish

La Buena Vida - bars - Updated May 2026

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