So wonderful! Food was out of this world! The service was thoughtful and fast. The view was stunning. It felt like a hidden paradise via spiral staircase and hidden entrance inside a quick mart. We loved it so much we came twice in the week we visited read more

A local recommended Mar-Bella, so we decided to give it a try. I brought my wife and our four kids expecting a great seafood experience. The staff seemed friendly, but when it comes to pricing, you really need to be careful. We ordered coconut shrimp and ceviche as appetizers, and the server suggested a "special ceviche" that ended up costing 1,245 pesos. He also recommended larger shrimp, which came out to 1,020 pesos. We ordered snow crab as well, but it was severely overcooked and dry. We barely touched it, yet the restaurant refused to remove it from the bill. For two adults and four kids, our total came to 11,135 pesos. Be sure to ask for prices before placing your order. read more

Mar-Bella - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

This used to be our favorite place to eat in all of the Cancun area, but we will NEVER return since last weeks dinner. I took my family, 5 people in all, and we had family style service. They told us only sea bass was available along with lobster priced by weight 2,000 pesos/kg. We were shown 2 lobsters, and I asked for the larger one for the table. When the bill came, the lobster was 3,600 pesos for 1.8kg. I have never seen a 1.8kg lobster, and looking backe on it, I believe they actually charged me for both the lobsters we were shown. I used to enjoy having fresh quacamole made at tableside, and had asked about it when making reservations, but when we ordered it, we got a premade bowl, not nearly as pleasing as it used to be. Many other problems came with this meal...there were no tools for opening the lobster, I had to ask my server 4 times before he finally brought the condiments I wanted. There was a minimum of sides offered with the meal, we had oredered pasta and fried bananas, and there was not enough fo everyone at the table. The bill with gratuity came to over $soo DOLLARS Canadian for 5 people, and at the end it felt like they could not get us out of there fast enough! Save your money, there are many nicer spots that will treat you better! read more

The freshest seafood in Cancun with a gorgeous ocean view. This is a hidden gem. From the outside it looks like a dilapidated building and it feels even more sketchy that you have to enter through a mini mart and walk up a flight of stairs in the back. But once you get to the top and you see the restaurant and the ocean view, then you understand why people keep on coming back. Locals frequent this place more than tourists. We've been here twice and never had anything bad. We've tried Kumamoto oysters, grilled sea bass, sautéed scallops, octopus, and king crab legs. Everything was delicious, especially the king crab legs. You are on vacation, get the best. You deserve it. For cocktails I had the passion fruit margarita and it was very tasty! If you've never had a passion fruit margarita, it's worth a try! Overall, come here to get the freshest and tastiest seafood, enjoy the view and eat like a local. read more

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It was hard for us to find Mar-Bella, and our first impression walking in wasn't very good - you have to climb some rickety stairs after entering a mini-mart. That said, once we got upstairs, we were delighted to find a beautiful terrace with some spectacular ocean views! The restaurant doesn't have printed menus; you either have to read about the catch of the day and other specials on the chalkboard, or consult your server. We consulted our very friendly and helpful server, and discovered that the food here is nothing short of amazing! We tried the pescadillas, tuna tostadas, and the octopus Mar-Bella. Everything was totally fresh and completely delicious. The prices turned out to be surprisingly low as well. Bottom line: The beautiful views, friendly service, delicious food and low prices make Mar-Bella totally worth looking for - highly recommended! read more

Cancun's Best Kept Secret! Upon touching down on the tarmac. Our phone are glued to searching for authentic mexican cuisine experience. Seafood was top of the list. Most recommended were the usual touristy faves. However my daughter said let see the locales favorite spot, and boom! Food are tasty Fresh & Great....the best Chips we ever had too. Ceviche is a must! Service is efficient & welcoming. Ambience is awesome...wind breeze is so refreshing amidst Cancun's hot weather. Plus the view of the ocean & Cancun's hotel zone is spectacular. Though it's our most expensive lunch so far but it's worth. Hopefully this review will not open a pandora's box and lead to more tourists flocking this place. As most of the customers are locales on that Friday except us. Frontage is some kind of deceiving as it's like a small market but a vallet will greet you & point a finger up...which you just answer...SI SENOR! read more

Mar-Bella - Monster Lobster, Giant Octupos, White Sea Bass, Mangoes..a Mexican Coke...etc.. - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

This place was amazing in ALL ways! Ambiance, food and service!! This place Isha's been in the top 3 choices! Love the food, ambience and quality service read more

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Loved it here! Food was so good and Jorge was so great. Overall lovely experience. The location is so nice, watching the waves and the boats. Jorge recommended items to us. The ice cream was also very good! read more

Mar-Bella - Table - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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Jorge did an outstanding job in presenting our fish before they cooked it! He did so great! We went above and beyond. He placed the food on my plate bc my son was in my arms. Restaurant is on top of a market. They have valet but we walked from our Vrbo Keep in mind, the only have a staircase. No handicap access. ** the restaurant has spotless modern bathrooms** read more

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Delicious!!! Went to both locations! Puerto Juarez and Isla Mujeres. Hands down... amazing both times!

DO NOT GO HERE unless you want to get SICK!!! The food is Rotten not fresh and has no taste, I Oder octopus it was the worst taste ever not to mention rotten, I immediately spit it out. Sent it back, they still charge me for it, They also charge me for and extra plate I didn't even order. So make sure to check your bill for extras. When I complained they threatened me with calling the police, which I told them to call them but they never did, instead he pretended to take the items of my bill. He took a dollar off. I would give them No stars if I could. We had a party of 5 all of us got sick from the bad taste and poor quality of the food also leaves a bad rotten taste in your mouth read more

Mar-Bella - Rotten old octopus - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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Delicious and fresh clams. Love to go to this spot whenever we are in cancun. Prices have significantly risen compared to before but still tastes good. read more

Mar-Bella - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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Excellent place to have a nice brunch or romantic dinner or even to have a good time with friends. I love this place. There is no set menu, here the seafood is made fresh to order. We (husband and I) were very informative about what was available for the day, very helpful. For our first time we had oysters, the sautee scallops, octopus (me first time trying octopus), 2 beers and for dessert a carrot cake. The second time we had their famous Mar-bella rice with octopus, shrimps and crawfish, 4 crab claws, a Bohemia beer and a glass of Carelli 34 chardonnay all of that for less than $50US. You can't find anything like that here in the US. read more

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It looks sketchy from the front , looks like a liquor store but they have a valet . Then you walk in and it's just a store , they tell you to go upstairs and it's a spiral staircase so if you have walking issues it might be a problem. Then once you come out to the second floor and see the fresh fish and the view , you get transformed into a beautiful beach side rustic restaurant . Everything is fresh and sold by weight so prices are harder to gauge. We ordered drinks , fish sashimi, oysters and clams to start . Everything tasted really fresh ! Then we ordered grilled octopus with adobo , and shrimp Alfredo . It's pricey but it's good to try at least once . read more

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This amazing little hideaway was recommended to us by one of the locals we stayed with at an AIRBNB and we were not disappointed. Hidden away upstairs from a convenience store, you are immediately greeted by some super fresh seafood just waiting for you to taste it. We had an amazing server Ivan who literally took us on a tour of what they offered. Complete with some humorous anecdotes, Ivan explained the menu and we made out selections. We started with the Japanese oysters on the half shell. Super tasty and salty and super fresh. Next we had the ceviche! Sooooo much crab meat in this dish. So fresh and amazing with the crackers they brought. Then we had smoked oysters with guacamole and pico with some habanero kick to it. My mouth is drooling when I think about the smoky flavor. Last we have the crawfish! finger licking good (literally) We had margaritas and mescals with our meals and they were both expertly made. If you are in Cancun... you are missing out if you do not try this place. Super fresh seafood with a beautiful view. You wont be disappointed! read more

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Best place next to the port and maybe even in the whole Cancun. Super fresh seafood and fish and amazing chef who personally came talk to us and explained every single dish. Definitely will come back read more

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Had a great meal here! There's no menu, but they have different specials each day and of course you can get any seafood you see in the case. I had a margarita that was a bit sweet for me but you could tell the ingredients were fresh. For food, my mom and I started with a decent salad with avocado, then I had a delicious shrimp taco. For the entree, we shared a seafood rice dish that had octopus and shrimp. It was amazing (the massive amounts of butter involved helped) and there was a lot of octopus. The portion was huge and we couldn't finish it. So good. Finally, I had a jar of passionfruit ice cream for dessert; it was just perfect. Service was great and they accept credit cards. And the view of the ocean is amazing! read more

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Fresh seafood must try. Got a lobster and red snapper for two persons. We are partial raw and the rest in tacos. Taste great and beautiful view. Must try in Cancun. read more

Mar-Bella - Restaurant view - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

Amazing fresh seafood. Ceviche is the best in Cancun. Decent margaritas. Good service and good upstairs .

What a secret gem this is! You have a secret password-"Vengo con El Capitan!" will work! You slide through the convenience store & up a steep circular staircase--into the majestic views of el Caribe, en la orilla del mar, en Puerto Juárez, Cancún! The views are spectacular: we came around 4:30 PM, during a thunderous, spectacular rain storm, so the skies were charcoal grey. We could still pick out fishing boats departing & the ferry to/from Isla de las Mujeres, flashing lights, que bella la vista! What a cornucopia of fresh seafood! What a terrific wait staff--!gracias, el joven Lionel! Direct from the fishermen's pangas: we spun through oysters on the half shell, ceviche, caldo de camarones, deditos de róbalo, y yo--varios cubas-thank you very much read more

Mar-Bella - Las pangas en frente Del Mar-Bella, Puerto Juárez, Cancún! - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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Fishmarket / restaurant seafood is delivered here and distributed from here to the restaurants in the city, prices are much lower, fish is fresher and on display ( daily catch ). Hidden gem restaurant is semi hidden on the 2nd floor of a liquor store with a big Tecate sign. read more

Mar-Bella - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

Very overpriced and no flavor at all. Please do yourself a huge favor and go somewhere else. Our bill was 180 us dollars for 2 adults and a child( child had fremch fries) and it was the worst meal in Cancun. Everything was cold....even margarita wasn't good at all.... read more

As mentioned by others, this is truly a hidden gem of a restaurant and off the beaten path, but you will be rewarded by an amazing seafood meal! It's possible to get here if you're staying at the hotel zone. Take the R1 bus headed to Puerto Juarez (not the downtown area) and get off at Puerto Juarez. You'll have to walk 5-10 min further north to reach your destination. If you think you're lost, just ask a local and they'll be able to help you out. Folks nearby are quite friendly. First, the service was great. It's overwhelming if it's your first time there b/c there is no set menu. It's based on what is available that day and priced by the kilo. Our server walked us through the menu and her suggestions were on target. We had grilled octopus, Caribbean rice, fish ceviche, and fried fish. Everything was cooked to perfection and had such a unique spin to typical seafood dishes. Also, the drinks were great! We had their house specialty of a flavored margarita with a touch of mezcal. We opted for passion fruit and tamarind. Both were delicious! read more

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This is the closest thing in Cancun to a "hidden" restaurant. It was so hard to find because the map marker on Google Maps and Waze were incorrect. To make it more difficult to find, there is no sign whatsoever on the street side. You enter a mini-mart whose only sign outside is for Tecate beer and in small letters below the beer sign is written "Mar-Bella Mini Mart". In the back of the store is a spiral staircase which takes you to the second floor where their fish market is located. When you pass through the fish market, ta-da! you're in the restaurant. And it's a beautiful restaurant! They have chandeliers made of seashells and a grass thatch roof. The view is incomparable--the tables all look out on the beautiful turquoise Caribbean Sea. The waitstaff are very attentive and you don't have to wait to get their attention. The seafood couldn't be fresher, as the fishermen are unloading their boats right in front of the restaurant. They have just about anything you'd expect to find in a seafood restaurant including local items and imported ones (such as Alaskan king crab and New Zealand crayfish). We had a couple of beers and a few appetizers. Besides great Mexican beers, they have imported beers from Belgium and France. I just wish I was hungrier when we came because there were so many that I wanted to try. Everything we did try was excellent. The prices are lower than you'd pay in the Hotel Zone or on Isla Mujeres, without a doubt. I highly recommend that you dine here if you're in Cancun--it'll be a fun adventure and you'll get some great photos. read more

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So second visit first in feb 2020 (which was amazing) place is totally different now. Real disappointment! The menu is non existent the protein is by kilo n you should know how you want it prepared. No description on menu which u have to go to fb to find. Plastic cafeteria dishes,cheap silverware --bathrooms were disgusting. Julio(manager ? - never introduced him Self) he was defensive and argumentative with my husband (who has been in cancun restaurant business for 30 years) we never asked to talk to any one ... actually my review is spend your money else where. We support local business but will not be back. Kitchen is good if you know what you want but overall, expensive. So many better options! read more

This place is amazing! Very inexpensive for a tourist, but then again, so is most of Mexico. The bill was $130 for 3 people and that was after order 3 different meals with a 7KL lobster. The place was extremely clean and the service was incredible. The boys were extremely attentive and met our every need. Now the food. The food was out of this world. One of the reasons i want to return to Mexico, is so I can eat here again. read more

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The best meal that we had in Cancun. The food was fresh and the service was fantastic. The staff gave excellent recommendations and the price was very fair. read more

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Excellent service, fast and friendly! The entrance is a bit weird, but the restaurant is very very nice! You need to try the Tuna Carnitas" and the Octopus!! Flavour is insane good. Extremely recommended! Price is good for the quality of food, like $600 pesos or $45CAD read more

Mar-Bella - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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If you come to Cancun. You must come here to eat if you love seafood. Food is so so good. And a very safe place to eat. Very tourist friendly. Incredible fresh seafood read more

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Great seafood and excellent service and atmosphere. Prepare to pay thru the nose for it.

This place is a hidden jewel, it is literally "hidden" . To begin with, to enter you have to go through a small convenience store and on the second floor there's a terrace which is the restaurant . They have a fish market offering from local to imported products such as different kinds of tuna, tanks with different kinds of oysters and clams, lobster etc ... So at this place there's no menu, you have to select your protein and they can cook it any way you want and they charge you by the weight, not by dish . If you by a ginormous lobster you can ask them to make maybe tacos, boiled and some in ceviche . The specialty is "pulpo Marbella " omg this is by far the best octopus !!! Ask them to serve it extra crunchy. They have Kumamoto oysters (which you can buy per piece ) read more

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The fam had a great dinner in this highly recommended local seafood restaurant. The food and drinks were really great overall, except that our main server forgot to place one of our orders and said that we didn't ordered it when he even asked us which fish we preferred between grouper or sea-bass, and how would we like it cooked. And he also mislead us to order one of the most expensive seafood item he recommended that we were unaware off since they don't provide menus on the table. The male Manager could careless and did not resolve the issue. read more

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MAN OH MAN let me tell you abt this place Mar-Bella.... it is a hidden gem in Cancun (a little hike away from the hotel zone) but WELL worth it. Personally I like more of a local feel when I travel, and upon face value when walking into the market downstairs you it appears to be just that a normal convenience store, and even when you walk up the stairs it appears to be a fresh fish market. This by far has to be the best sea food in Cancun. The service is excellent PLEASE ask for ALEX GARCIA I can't speak for anyone else but his service is phenomenal. The menu can be a bit confusing, but he suggested the Caribbean rice, I was initially unsure of the octopus, but he made me a believer and I don't regret it 5/5!!! read more

Mar-Bella - Mexican Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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I was excited to find that this restaurant was close to my Airbnb.. love out of the way hidden places. This restaurant completely fits the bill, sitting on top of a tiny connivence store. The only give away is the valet parking stand outside! You walk in and head for the spiral stairs which leads your to the fish market / hostess area. The restaurant itself was huge and open air with thatched roof overlooking the water. Wonderful view. There is no menu... a chalk board in Spanish..and apparently the one waiter who did speak English was already gone but I managed with my rusty Hs Spanish my waiter's equally rusty English. Complimentary chips with four kids of salsa; i was happily enjoyed the one i liked best when i came across a long hair. I asked for the local catch of the day which happened to be sea bass and ordered it with vegetable and a dozen oysters. The oysters where served .. room temp no ice which threw me off and they were very fishy... they were ok. The sea bass came butterflied grilled, with a side of garlic butter (yum) and breakfast like potatoes. The fish was ok.. again a bit on the "fishy".. now I know y'all are thinking yeah fish might be fishy but fresh fish does NOT smell or taste fishy.. might be because I was there at 6 and the place closed at 7, but I don't think that should be an excuse. The bill came to 45 with tip and a bottle of water. All things considered it did not live up to the ratings and the bill. I'm from nyc and frankly know a few places I can get something better ( wo view) for the same price. Last note: applies not only to this place but other restaurants.. if you pay by cc, they do not bring you rcpt with a space for tip.. rather you have to tell your server to add it before the card is charged or tip on cash. Rather awkward ... I've read that tipping is about 10%.. but they seem to have other expectations from non locals. read more

Mar-Bella is a fantastic seafood restaurant just outside the over-priced Hotel Zone of Cancun. When you arrive, you walk through a convenience store and up the stairs to the restaurant which bills itself as a "fish market." There's no menu - just a room full of shellfish, lobster and fish on ice. The prices per kilogram (about 2 lbs) are located on a wall. Your server instructs you to choose which fish you want to eat, how much of it you want (i.e. the whole fish, 500 grams, etc.) and how you would like it prepared. We had the Robalo (i.e. Snook). Snook are not for sale in the United States as they are considered endangered. But in Mexico, they are plentiful. We picked out a 1300 gram fish for about $25. We had it prepared whole on the grill - half in garlic mojo sauce and the other half in red spices such as paprika and chipotle, it with a side of black beans and vegetables. DELICIOUS. That's the only world to describe it. The meal came with a number of delicious sauces, from sweet to incredibly picante and chips. The wine menu was also amazing. Lots of great European and even local Mexican wines to choose from by the glass. All for less than $7 a glass! Overall, with two glasses of wine and a glass of pineapple juice, the fish, beans and vegetables and chips, our meal was less than $50 including the 20% gratuity. Thanks to Alejandro 1 and Alejandro 2, our servers. They were fantastic. read more

A bit late to post to Yelp, but well deserved. My fiancé and I spent two weeks in Cancun while waiting to travel back home and we were walking distance from Mar-Bella. It's not easy to find if you don't know where to look and it took us a bit to realize that it's actually above the convenience store, you have to access it via a staircase in the back of the store itself. Overlooking the beach, Mar-Bella offers picturesque views and fantastic service. We ate there nearly every single day over the course of our two weeks. We shared dishes, tried new ones, and had an amazing experience overall. The passionfruit margaritas are to die for, as are the mojitos. The service is fantastic and all of the staff was very friendly and accommodating despite our limited Spanish. I tried the tuna tacos on our last meal and my only regret was not trying them sooner! They were so delicious, the tuna was perfectly seasoned and cooked. We also tried something similar to empanadas but I'm not 100% certain what they're actually called. Again, regretted not trying them sooner. The coconut shrimp is to die for, as is the octopus and the house ceviche. Everything was fresh and cooked to perfection, even the sauces were paired perfectly to complement the dish they were offered with. I told my fiancé that if I could only eat at one place for the rest of my life I would happily pick Mar-Bella, no questions about it. Don't skip out on this place, you'd be missing a real gem. read more

Fresh seafood but way over- priced. Expect to pay $50 per person for average sized serving

This place is amazing! Very inexpensive. The venue is clean and the service is very reliable. The waiters/waitresses are attentive to your every need and only check in when it looks like you need them to. The food is the freshest seafood around. You are able to pick out the exact fish you would like cooked for you and however you would like it cooked, is exactly how they will prepare it for you. The octopus rice is absolutely delicious and so is the grilled shrimp (Camarones a la plancha). Order a few brews, tecate or modelo, they did not have Coronas to wash down the meal with and you are all set. Did I mention their desserts are absolutely amazing as well. Home made brownie with vanilla ice cream on top. There is nothing lacking here and when I return to Cancun once again, I will most definitely make another appearance for lunch at this hidden gem. read more

Great little hole in the wall... no signs... just a white building with a little general store. You enter through a spiral staircase inside the store and voila! You are in a tiny fish market with the fresh catch of the day... fish, jumbo shrimp (U12) & some live mega lobsters... choose your food (pay by the weight or amount) and they'll prepare it for you however you like. You are then led outside to the terrace and you are met with a beautiful breeze and view of the beach & the sea. Great service... fresh seafood... great music and environment. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. My wife and I just feasted there for $70-80USD food/drinks/tip... A must if you come to Cancun! read more

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Love this best kept secret! What a gem, to see this little storefront you would never think that there is a gorgeous restaurant waiting for you inside on the 2nd floor, we are lobster out of the tank, dozen oysters an oyster shooter with tequila, a mix of crab, shrimp and fish it was amazing, wish we had tried other things but I was sooooo full, service was fantastic very attentive and nice. We will definitely be back to enjoy the rest of the seafood. read more

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