In 2025 we gave this place a try. Service is prompt and friendly to help you sort out how to place your order. Orders are placed at the cash register and paid for before you get a number to place on your table. You get your own soft drinks and salsa at a self serve bar. Kitschy atmosphere and decor. The food was good but nothing to rave about. We had a beef taco salad and a chilies rellenio. Both were good. read more

Playa-Azul - Beef Taco Salad. - Mexican Near Me - Kenai, Alaska

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Everything was good. You pay first and there is a salsa bar. I had enough fajita leftovers for days!

Halibut tacos- no bueno Seems like they had no clue about how to prepare them. Had they never eaten a fish taco from Mexico? - Fish was chopped small- sign of low quality fish, what are you hiding? - Soggy tortillas- water from frozen fish or watery salsa? - Lettuce was not fresh, wilted. Fish tacos should have cabbage, not lettuce - Salsa- looks like they heated pico de gallo up in a pan and poured over fish. Salsa was watery and made tortillas soggy. - Cheese- totally wrong cheese type for a fish taco. The cheddar cheese was strong ond funky tasting, and did not compliment the mildness of the halibut fish. - Cilantro and onions were totally missing You order at the counter and pay, then food is delivered to your table number. Service was prompt, staff was friendly. They cleared the table. read more

Playa-Azul - Halibut tacos - Mexican Near Me - Kenai, Alaska

Great place in Kenai. Relatives just moved up from SoCal a few months ago. Missed all the great Mexican food places for good food. This place is good with a salsa bar and horchata. Will be going back again Not as cheap as California but I did not expect that with shipping in food. But compared to other places it's a good deal with good portion sizes, and very close to we are staying. read more

I tried their food and was not impressed. Service was also kind of slow. My parents ended up going there. My dad ate two bites of his food and couldn't stomach anymore. After leaving the restaurant, he started vomiting and was sick for a day! I'm never going back. read more

Being from Texas where we have phenomenal Tex-Mex food, it is hard to compare, however we thought the food at Playa Azul was good overall. I am reducing my rating specifically for the following: 1) service experience being odd b/c you have to get up to order, self-serve your own drinks and salsa, which was all fine - but one of the hostesses/waitresses was also eating her lunch in front of customers which was not ok (she would eat her food then hand you something you asked for, etc) 2) tortillas are not hand made, and were not particularly good 3) chicken in the chicken fajitas was not fajita meat - and it was in teeny tiny little pieces Positives - we liked the salsa bar, the fajita veggies were good and plentiful, the food was generally good. read more

Solid food, pretty reasonable prices, salsa bar is a nice touch. Would definitely come back. read more

Playa-Azul - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Kenai, Alaska

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We had the seafood enchiladas and the seafood chimichanga, and they were both excellent. Others in the group had the chicken chimichanga grande. It was also excellent. Great value for the meal. read more

Oh its great food, fun atmosphere amazing staff and the drinks are phenomenal. Dan don't hesitate to go here for lunch or dinner.

The food was really good. The salsa selection was good but the pico and mango salsa were a bit too heavy on the onion. The service was friendly and the food came to our table within about 10 minutes. The dining area isn't larger so it can fill up quickly. read more

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This is a gem of a place. Coming from Chicago, we had a good share of authentic Mexican cuisine and this place stands out, it exceeded our expectations. The food is delicious, the vibe is great, service is outstanding and salsa bar is to die for. Highly recommend. read more

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We love this place! But my son and I went to dinner there last Tuesday 26 we both thought that the food had a strange taste to it, but we thought maybe it was just cause there was maybe a different cook back there. We both got so sick when we got home both had sitting on the toilet and puking in a bucket. Don't know if we're gonna be going back there anytime soon. read more

Look, Mexican food would never in 1000 years be my top choice in a place so very far from Mexico, but it happened to be one of like two places in Kenai that were open for lunch on the day we were passing through, so we went with it. And we were pleasantly surprised! Doesn't look like much from the outside, but the vibrant decor inside set the tone. We were seated with menus and told to order at the counter when ready. I'd already read plenty of reviews about the surly hostess/server so felt prepared for the level of apathy that was unleashed upon us. To be honest, we sort of loved the attitude. At least it was entertaining. Veggie quesadilla was massive and came with rice and beans. I took half of it with me. Great assortment of mild to spicy salsas at the self-serve salsa bar. All in all, we could have done a hell of a lot worse and I'm glad things tended toward the better side on our visit! read more

Delicious hot food. Great portions. Friendly staff. It is always busy but we got seated fairly quickly! A keeper!

Best Mexican food in the Kenai/ Soldotna area! Friendly service with HUGE portions and a salsa bar, never a disappointment. Eat there in a colorful restaurant, or take out...so good! read more

Hands-down, best Mexican food in the Kenai Soldotna area. I think taco stand on steroids. Wonderful menu with lots of huge flavors. Has very much the spirit of taco/burrito king but with a little bit of extra (not really sure what) thrown in to put it over the top. I would make a day trip Kenai just to have lunch there. read more

Good Mexican option in Kenai. Nice selections of salsa. Order at counter, then they serve you. Hard working family owned business!!

Best Mexican option in Kenai/Soldotna/Nikiski Great atmosphere Prices recently went up, and dish quality lowered I would have preferred to just pay more and still get the same quality I was use to My Fav: -Steak Fajitas -Horchata read more

Thank goodness for an authentic Mexican restaurant. We were in Kenai on vacation and most of the restaurants were closed down, and yet we found a good one. Good Margaritas..yippie. read more

Playa-Azul - a brightly decorated restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Kenai, Alaska

I crave tacos that Taco Bell cannot satisfy & this place is IT. Friendly fyi, the grandma mild sauce is more spicy guacamole than green sauce. I definitely like it but I also like mixing diff salsas like a heathen and creating an extra wet taco. :p read more

First & foremost the server Morgan. Was incredibly rude to me & then my sister in law who went right up after me I was over the top sweet even left a $5 tip at register because I was concerned she may spit in the food she was SO disgruntled & apparently either has an issue with liking woman ? or hating her job ? Idk I know I can't be the only person to see this I met the manager very kind & cheerful man & helpful although when I told him about her attitude he immediately came to her defense and pardoned it to being busy in which I informed him no I work in hospitality business that's no excuse and we spent over $85 for take out to go orders missing some items from our order once home realized the food was also so so nothing to write home about it this was our first time visiting & will be the last as long as she's the cashier and he makes excuses for poor behavior read more

Our family had a good dinner here. The food was tasty, the portions are large and there is a wonderful salsa bar! Service was excellent and the place is tidy and efficient. read more

Never expected Mexican food this good in kenai. Being from southwest and I've eaten some pretty good mex food these guys nailed it.

Poor attitude and customer service. We arrived around 5:30 pm and were greeted with: "sorry we're really busy" No hello or welcome or a smile. We noticed a couple of reserved tables but a booth was empty. We put out jackets down and just as we were ready to sit down we were told: "someone else wants that table". Odd because we did not see anyone waiting and definitely no "reserved" sign. We left feeling very unwelcomed and decided never to return if we found a better place. We did indeed! Los Compadres down the street is super clean, lots of seating and everyone is happy to serve you. They have wait staff that comes to your table and the food is excellent! This is our new place for sure!!! read more

For being a Mexican restaurant my favorite dish there is the cheeseburger. I also like the seafood enchilada. The ambience is very colorful. The staff has always seemed friendly and attentive. We've never had any issues. read more

Maybe, if you're into fishing, there's something to do in the town of Kenai. As for me, I find it pretty plain and generic. This place is a great dash of color in this bland peninsula town. They've got pretty decent tacos, and you can add the cilantro yourself. (read: go crazy). They also have some pretty respectable salsas. read more

Must have hit it on the cook's off day. Shrimp salad with non grilled shrimp, dead lettuce, greasy oil for dressing with no taste. A few shreds of cheese, and a couple of very thin slices of avocado and tomato. That's it. Friend's taco salad with dry tasteless shredded beef. Not coming back. read more

Called and ordered 3 chimi grande for pick up. Went to get it and was told by "Eric" that he only heard one chimi grande because "it was loud". Curious that the receipt clearly showed 3 guests listed on the printout like it was adjusted post order. Also, it wasnt a chimi grande but a small chimi with beans and rice sides. He and the other staff refused to correct their mistake as it was now closing time. They blamed the customer and offered no customer service or resolution. I'm saddened by this as it is the locals who keep them afloat especially during these times. What a waste and disappointment. read more

I'm not normally a Mexican Restaurant fan, and that's probably because I'm really only used to what Kenai, Alaska has to offer as a Mexican establishment. When I frequent them I normally go for a burger or steak as that seems to be the safer choice. But when Playa Azul moved in to the spot that Funky Monkey was in, every one of my friends wanted to try it. And I have to say I've not been disappointed. It's been interesting and fun to see the menu and the place grow. From the first visit they've now added televisions, a beer and wine menu, and more seating. At its heart has always been the superb food and who can forget the salsa bar? Head to the counter to order - if you're not sure what to try the appetizers are generous portions. I can make a meal and then some of the nacho plate - and it's all made to order so it's hot and fresh! (Don Jose's and Acapulco should take note!) You can tell the guys in the kitchen have a heart and passion for what they do. Then while you wait for your order, grab some salsa from the salsa bar and grab a table. A server will bring a basket of chips to you, and before you know it your food will be delivered, too. Overall, the price is more than fair, and the food is the best you'll get in -dare I say it- all of South Central Alaska. read more

This place is pretty dang tasty. I've had there burger, burrito, and taco. They have a great little salsa bar you can grab a couple for your food. The fries are super tasty! Lol they are like the beer batter fries. I'd definitely order again. read more

We'd been here before once or twice on previous trips to Kenai. This trip the food didn't seem to be quite up to the same level as our previous visits. I seem to recall that they had chili colorado something on our prior trips but not this time. Salsas, chips and beer selection were fine as was the horchata my wife had. I'd likely go back but I'd hope they'd get a bit more authentic. I'm sure they know that in Mexico, you don't really find many burritos. read more

This is a great Mexican restaurant. We love the salsa bar! The staff are always very kind and helpful. The food is made quickly and is always delicious! read more

Excellent tasting food that recalls my childhood living in Puerto Morelos. Many choices for everyone! read more

This is the best in the STATE! I've had Mexican food everywhere, this is hands down the most amazing place to eat. Do not pass up the opportunity to eat here, the Poblano Burrito had such great flavor, you can't go wrong when bacon is added to a steak burrito. read more

Playa-Azul - Mexican Near Me - Kenai, Alaska

a very unassuming outside, set inside a mall, you might not guess it's as good as it is. we went twice while on a mini vaca out of town. Great service and atmosphere. They do not have liquor, but do have beer. Even without the luxury of having a real margarita ( they do have a wine margarita) we were pleased with everything else. they have a beautiful self serve salsa bar and very friendly staff. read more

The real Rihanna here, wanted to write this review with my big forehead to let you know your tea was definitely mixed with coffee. Your beans were hard. And your pork was flavorless it was hard for me to eat. Im a big bicth and I was ready to eat a big meal. Yours truly, Rihanna read more

Being born and raised in the city of Atlanta, Georgia and having the abundance of various restaurants around me. I have had plenty of authentic and good Mexican food. After moving to Alaska I've tried various Mexican restaurants in town that were recommended to me and they always disappointed. So when I tried Playa I didn't expect much. Upon arriving I noticed all the adorable decorations that filled the place. The ambience of the place made me feel like I wasn't in Alaska anymore. Which was nice for a change. So this place is a order up front kind of restaurant. Which is nice, you get the payment out of the way. So you don't have to wait after your meal for your check if the waiter/waitress is busy. You can refill your own drinks and let's not forget help yourself to an unlimited supply of salsas! Pleeeassseee try the mango salsa! The food was extremely satisfying. After picking at my friends food and mine. This restaurant was just as legit as the ones in Georgia. If you ever want Mexican food this is the place to go! read more

Good food...Fast service. We live right up the street and by the time we get off the phone and drive up to the restaurant it's usually done. Nice staff and lots of choices on the menu. read more

I loved the food, and I've been a couple of times, but the last time I went (Maybe 2 Years Ago) My father found a USED band-aid in his food. While there food is amazing, this was a major flaw and hopefully this hasn't happened since. read more

Truth- haven't found better Mexican in Alaska yet - too bad we don't live closer! Haven't found anything on the menu we don't like yet, and they are consistent. Their chips are warm and fresh and the self serve salsa bar is awesome. Great service too! Can't wait to come back. read more