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    Melissa's

    4.8 (85 reviews)
    InexpensiveSeafood, Mexican
    Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Melissa's Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Melissa's

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    Whole red snapper with fried garlic!
    Thuy C.

    Simply AMAZING! What's a fantastic place. Great service, best virgin strawberry daiquiris (according to my daughter and she has a virgin daiquiri every restaurant we go to on vacation). She asked me to try it and not gonna lie, it was delicious so I ended up order their margaritas (frozen and on the rocks and wow, they don't lie... the best in PV. For food we ordered seafood soup and whole red snapper! To die for! One of our favorite local spot in PV.

    Lunch with a view.

    We love Melissa's. I recommend if you are in Puerto Vallarta you go there. They welcome you like you are coming into their home. Christen was our waiter the day we were there. Say hi for us. Food is amazing, fresh fish, home made salsas. Great margaritas. We will be back!

    Tequila Shrimp
    Rosi C.

    The Tequila Shrimp plate was so good. The sauce and polenta was amazing! My friend tried a bite off my plate and she said it was orgasmic. I also ordered a non-alcoholic pina colada and it was really good too. Anna Lo took care of us!

    Yummy fish soup!
    Kacey R.

    The food and the service was excellent! We would definitely come back. The margaritas were delicious. The RED Snapper was to die for!! The fish soup was super flavorful.

    Mussel app. Not like a bucket full at home, grilled nicely. Infused with grilled flavor!
    Michael G.

    Roof top was great to enjoy sax musical. Whole snapper with butter garlic was a treat. Fine tequila for sipping. Muscle app was flavor full. Service and walk in accommodated. Much appreciated the kind seating on the roof top

    Octopus
    Shawn T.

    A fantastic dinner experience. Diego made sure we were well taken care of. They have a nice open upstairs dining patio. We ordered mojitos and they were good. The food came and it was even better. Fresh cooked and to order. You gotta get the red snapper. So good. The octopus was very good as well. All of the food was amazing. Highly recommended!

    Chloe C.

    Food was delicious! We had the grilled red snapper and the mussels appetizer which was amazing!! Our waiter was so sweet and fun to talk to! The outdoor patio was wonderful and a great spot to view the parade of The Fiestas Guadalupanas.

    Shrimp ceviche
    Jennifer N.

    Ugh, finally a GOOD sit down dinner spot in Puerto Vallarta that isn't overpriced. It seems that on our trip so far, most of the best food in PV has been the street food but sometimes you just want to sit down at a proper table yaknow without it being a tourist trap. Melissa's has phenomenal seafood, it really reminded us of Sayulita. Highly recommend: Fried whole red snapper Seafood soup Shrimp ceviche Plus the service is sooo friendly and they go the extra mile. If you are looking for good seafood that isn't overpriced, look no further!

    Red snapper and secret sauce on top is fiya!!

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    1 month ago

    My wife and I enjoyed everything about this place. The food and service were excellent.

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    1 year ago

    Very nice setting. Close walk from the condo. Whole red snapper and seafood soup were fabulous. Very attentive wait staff

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    1 year ago

    Great food. The mussels are exceptional, never had anything like it. Super nice service. Go to the patio upstairs, so nice with shading.

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    Great food, great ambience, great service, great value! And great family owned restaurant.

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    2 years ago

    Great food I highly recommend this place knocked it out of the park for me great food great service just a wonderful experience.

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    Christian is an excellent waiter. Rooftop dining has good ambiance. Food is fresh and we have been here several times, always excellent.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Melissa's Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Melissa's

    It turned out; the potato salad was also the perfect compliment to the crispy red snapper.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Pepe's Taco - Carne asada

    Pepe's Taco

    4.6(614 reviews)
    0.9 km
    $

    There are places that simply serve food--and then there are places that become part of your story…read more Pepe's Tacos is exactly that for me. Having come here since I was 10 years old, this iconic taquería isn't just a local favorite--it's a timeless institution that continues to define what truly exceptional tacos should be. Since 1987, Pepe's has built a reputation that extends far beyond Puerto Vallarta, and one visit is all it takes to understand why. The star of the show--their legendary tacos al pastor--is nothing short of extraordinary. The pork is expertly marinated and cooked to perfection, resulting in meat that is incredibly juicy, tender, and bursting with deep, savory flavor. Each slice is carved with precision and layered onto warm tortillas, creating a perfect foundation for what comes next. What truly elevates these tacos is the balance of toppings. The sweetness of the pineapple and the sharpness of the fresh onions cut through the richness of the meat beautifully, enhancing every bite with contrast and complexity. It's a masterclass in simplicity done right--every ingredient playing its role to perfection. Beyond the food, the experience itself is just as memorable. The service is impressively fast and efficient, especially considering how popular this spot is, and there's an undeniable energy in the air that makes it feel alive at all hours. It's the kind of place you can count on for a late-night bite, where the atmosphere is casual, vibrant, and always welcoming. Pepe's Tacos isn't about reinvention or trend--it's about consistency, tradition, and delivering excellence time and time again. Decades later, it still holds its place as one of the best taco spots in Puerto Vallarta, and for good reason. Some things never change--and when they're this good, they absolutely shouldn't.

    Thirty five years in the game and Pepe's runs like a well oiled machine. The dining room is its own…read moreecosystem, a natural choreography of service where everything flows without friction. Out front, the trompo spins over charcoal fire, hand turned, on display to the street. The man at the blade is a performer, part craftsman, part showman. He hones his knife between razor thin shavings of al pastor, then in a reflexive flourish nips the pineapple crowning the meat, sending a sliver flying only to catch it with a tortilla. It is theater, but it is also instinct. Inside, the crowd looks like the United Nations. A tour group from India next to a Dutch family with half a dozen kids in tow, the Canadians eye the Americans with deserved suspicion, and a few locals whose plates are piled high while tourists settle for modest portions. It is the natural order of things, and nobody complains. The charcoal scent in the meat makes clear this is al pastor's intended preparation. I have never had the pleasure of eating from a coal fired trompo before, and it is instantly apparent that this is the way it was meant to be. Someday, somehow, I will rig one of these up, because I need this in my life. Pepe's is not just a taco shop. It is a master class in tradition, theater, and flavor, with a dining room that feels like the world gathered around one spit.

    Photos
    Pepe's Taco - @endoedibles on Instagram 10/11/24

    @endoedibles on Instagram 10/11/24

    Pepe's Taco - Al pastor! Killed 21 of these and 3 carne asada for 3 people!

    Al pastor! Killed 21 of these and 3 carne asada for 3 people!

    Pepe's Taco - Cebollitas Asada - delicioso

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    Cebollitas Asada - delicioso

    Pancho's Takos - Al pastor This plate is sooo loaded we had to quickly plan our strategy to tackle it!

    Pancho's Takos

    4.6(1.3k reviews)
    1.2 km
    $

    Charcoal fired al pastor tacos are my new obsession, and Pancho's delivers the most overstuffed…read morestreet sized tacos I have ever seen. These things are too big to eat straight. You have to pluck a third of the meat with your fingers just to get the tortilla to structurally hold. There is always a line. On a random Tuesday it stretched down the street long before the door opened. I waited twenty five minutes at four in the afternoon for a seat inside. No to go orders, no doggy bags. You eat what you order and leave behind your self respect. The dining room is packed tighter than a turtle's pecker. A dozen staff members move around each other like bees tending the hive, the rhythm wild and relentless. The tacos themselves are intimidatingly large, the vibe unlike anything I have ever seen. Come for the al pastor, and come hungry. If you cannot finish, no option exists but to weep over the abandoned morsels.

    Tried Pancho's Tacos in Puerto Vallarta and really enjoyed it. The tacos were good and the salsas…read morewere delicious. The vibe was fun and lively, which made the experience even better. Ordering was a bit confusing since they give you paper forms to fill out. It's tricky to order for different people in your party, and they tend to rush you, which can be stressful. Despite that, the food is so good that I'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Pancho's Takos - View from my little table

    View from my little table

    Pancho's Takos - Al Pastor - the star of the show! Beware! It is very loaded! I can usually eat 6-8 tacos, and I can only eat 4 of these!

    Al Pastor - the star of the show! Beware! It is very loaded! I can usually eat 6-8 tacos, and I can only eat 4 of these!

    Pancho's Takos - Al pastor

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    Al pastor

    La Palapa Restaurant - PESCADO ENTERO zarandeado, arroz cremoso, ensalada de jitomate fresco, cebo

    La Palapa Restaurant

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    1.5 km
    $$$$

    5/5 Our favorite…read moreplace to eat in Puerto Vallarta. The food is delicious, the service is perfect, and you're right on the ocean. Come for the dinner and stay for that gorgeous sunset view.

    So we walked along the beach from our hotel and arrived at La Palapa, and right away it sets the…read moretone. The entire front portion of the restaurant sits directly in the sand, so that's where we chose to have breakfast--under the iconic palapa roof, feet in the sand, overlooking the ocean. From our table you can watch the fishing boats and excursion boats heading out for the day, which gives the whole experience a relaxed, resort-like rhythm without feeling touristy or rushed. Service was excellent from the start--attentive, warm, and genuinely welcoming. They brought out a selection of pastries you can add if you want, like banana bread and cinnamon rolls, which felt like a thoughtful touch rather than an upsell. The coffee was very good, with plenty of options ranging from cappuccinos and café lattes to classic American coffee, all well prepared. For food, I ordered the scrambled eggs with Mexican chorizo, refried beans, and hash browns. It came with a basket of warm corn tortillas and several house salsas, letting you customize each bite. Everything was flavorful, comforting, and clearly made with care. We also ordered the shrimp eggs Benedict with spinach, which was beautifully done--rich, balanced, and fresh, with the shrimp cooked just right. One thing that really stands out is the ambiance. Being right on the beach, hearing the waves, feeling the breeze, and being encouraged (without being told) to slow down and take your time makes the meal feel like part of the vacation itself, not just fuel for the day. They also offer freshly squeezed juices, which pair perfectly with breakfast by the ocean. The menu is extensive, almost overwhelming in a good way--there are so many appealing options that it's genuinely hard to decide. That said, what we ordered was absolutely delicious and satisfying, and it left us wanting to come back and try more. Overall, La Palapa delivers on every level: location, atmosphere, food, and service. It's the kind of place where breakfast turns into a memory, not just a meal.

    Photos
    La Palapa Restaurant - The view from our table

    The view from our table

    La Palapa Restaurant - Tortilla soup

    Tortilla soup

    La Palapa Restaurant - Table on the sand

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    Table on the sand

    Sonorita

    Sonorita

    4.6(270 reviews)
    1.0 km

    Our new favorite taco joint. We went there, were seated right away. Service was good and fast…read more We ordered the casa fundido with Al Pastor on top. It's thicker, more cheesy than what I've ever had before and very delicious. We paired that with the prime rib tacos, it was a plate stacked with meat and 4 tortillas under it, more than we could eat. The seasoning was great, it was diced so small that it was easy to eat. I got a virgin strawberry margarita, the wife got a coke. It was very affordable.

    Having researched a few traditional spots that serve authentic tacos in Zona Romantica, this place…read moreconsistently came up with good reviews and this place did not disappoint. Vegans are easy please. Give them clear marked options, even if there is one option, we are pleased. This place had a few clearly marked options plus the staff was fully aware and can provide suggestions. The only downside it is a cash only place. Guacamole and chips - fantastic. The guacamole freshly prepared and chips fresh fried. Amazing. The 3 types of vegan tacos we got were vegan chorizo, mushrooms and cactus (trying for the fist time). The vegan chorizo was the best, slightly spicy but not overly. The poblano peppers were predictable but very good. The onions with it were a good addition. Nicely seasoned and prepared. The cactus was good, we found that it was less seasoned. Just stir fried cactus. The star of all the three types tacos was the fresh blue corn tacos. We could have those everyday. The other superb tasting was the salsas and fresh toppings. 4 types of salsas, white onions and cilantro. The salsa were of varying different levels of heat and even the mildest salsa was the best. The virgin margarita and virgin mojito were great. Margarita being slightly better even though we love mint. Good atmosphere, clean surrounding and great service and vegan food - what more can one ask?

    Photos
    Sonorita - Cool atmosphere

    Cool atmosphere

    Sonorita
    Sonorita - Virgin Margarita

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    Virgin Margarita

    Melissa's - seafood - Updated May 2026

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