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    Playa Azul

    3.5 (68 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Playa Azul Photos

    Business Info

    PLAYA AZUL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Playa Azul

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    Reviews With Photos - Playa Azul

    Dinning room
    Darrin C.

    It's been 10 years since I was last here and food is just as good as I remembered. Staff was very friendly and quick with the drinks! The plates are still hotter than Sydney Sweeney so you know the food will be on point! My favorite Mexican restaurant in puyallup

    Radford G.

    Super friendly people..I give it 4.5 stars the crispy tacos were good and the blackberry margarita was awesome but the service was seriously what made it worth it!

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food. Great people. We've been coming here for years. Not fancy; just really good.

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    2 years ago

    Another good find today, very friendly, great food and reasonably priced. Thank you Playa!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Service is okay, the chips and salsa had a very long black hair and the chips are not fresh. Wait time for food was long.

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    We go here all the time. Good food, friendly service, clean, timely. No complaints. We usually do take out.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor

    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor

    4.4
    (859 reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    From the moment we sat down to the moment we left, the service at Cactus in Proctor Tacoma was…read moreoutstanding. Our waiter, Mark, was incredibly attentive -- checking in regularly, keeping drinks topped off, and making sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. Exactly the kind of hospitality that makes a meal memorable. We started with the Guacamole Sampler -- Traditional, Carlito's Way, and Austin Style -- served with warm housemade chips and their signature salsa. Every style had its own personality, and the flavors were spot‑on across the board. A fantastic way to kick off the meal. For my entrée, I went with the Seasonal Al Pastor Tamales, and wow... this dish is a true taste of the south. The ancho, guajillo, and achiote citrus slow‑roasted pork was rich and tender, perfectly balanced by cumin black beans, pickled pineapple, white onion, and serrano salsa. Every bite had depth, heat, and brightness. My wife ordered the Smoked Chicken Tomatillo Soup -- hominy, red bell peppers, carrots, onions, chipotle, buttermilk crema, cilantro, and blue corn tortilla strips. Served with fresh housemade sopes, it was comforting, flavorful, and beautifully layered. A perfect bowl for any season. We also shared the Navajo Fry Bread -- honestly, this should be listed under desserts. Warm, soft, slightly sweet, and absolutely delicious. The overall vibe was relaxed and inviting. It can get a bit noisy -- especially for someone like me who's hard of hearing -- but the energy is still warm and enjoyable. Cactus never disappoints. From the kitchen to the front‑of‑house, the team consistently delivers great food, great service, and a great experience. Hats off to the cooks and staff for another fantastic visit. We'll definitely be back.

    I always enjoy my visits to Cactus restaurants in the Puget Sound area. The food is to notch, mouth…read morewatering, so flavorful and I always enjoy something new that is just over the top. Our waitress, Brianna's recommendations were helpful, so good and exceeded my expectations. I had the Poblano Chili Relleno - love them and this was exceptional! I also had the house margarita that was so amazing - I was actually surprised by it. They have quite a few crafted margaritas so ask what is popular as they might have something seasonal. The Bitter Orange Margarita is the bomb! The restaurant in Tacoma is using the Yelp waitlist so please use that as this place fills up quickly on the weekends and at night has a massive wait so tap that Waitlist button!

    Photos
    Restaurant booth facing the bar
    Restaurant booth facing the bar
    Sonoran Spa Chicken
    Sonoran Spa Chicken
    Smoked Brisket Tacos

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    Smoked Brisket Tacos
    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar

    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar

    3.9
    (1.3k reviews)
    8.6 mi
    $$

    Doing an update after not being in Moctezuma's for a long time…read more Someone gave me the impression that the food wasn't as good as it used to be and one of the last times I was here the wait to get seated was quite long. It's good that they are doing so well however. The parking lot always looks full. My last visit here was after a planned meal stop somewhere else fell through. I still wanted supper and I was in the vicinity and decided if I could get into Moctezuma's. I got in with ease (there was just me) and seated right away. I haven't had a taco salad in I don't know how long so I ordered one of those. I also got a small sized Spicy Cucumber Margarita. The taco salad was good, very satisfying as well as the chips and salsa that came along with it. The Margarita was great, very refreshing with the cucumber and spiciness blending together nicely. Service was prompt and friendly. I still have a good impression with what I had for this place from meals of several years ago and if you do precise timing (like early supper arrival time (4:30-5 p.m.) or lunch you are more than likely to find seating easier.

    I placed a to-go order, and Alejandra completely changed what could have been just another quick…read morepickup. She went above and beyond what I would expect from a hostess. She was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely cared about making sure everything was right with my order. She treated me like I mattered, not like I was just another customer grabbing food and leaving. The tip I left was specifically for Alejandra because she earned every bit of it. She did far more than simply hand me a bag her kindness, professionalism, and willingness to help made a lasting impression. Great customer service like hers deserves to be recognized. Thank you, Alejandra, for making my experience such a positive one!

    Photos
    Inside - entrance
    Inside - entrance
    Mimosa flights
    Mimosa flights
    Tequila Flaming Fajitas, Birria Tacos, rib eye tacos

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    Tequila Flaming Fajitas, Birria Tacos, rib eye tacos
    Picazo's Taco Zone

    Picazo's Taco Zone

    4.1
    (238 reviews)
    6.5 mi
    $$

    Wanted Asado Fries and boy oh boy they don't disappoint…read more They are great with any protein and the flavors are amazing. Service is very good and since it's all homemade it's always perfect. Casual and a great place to watch soccer. Jerry the owner is great and always welcoming.

    I was in the Puyallup area and decided to patronize this Mexican restaurant which was featured by…read moreseattlefoodie Steven Nguyen on KING 5 news. Bottom Line Up Front...One star for the cleanliness, easy parking and the thoughtful decor. Steven missed on this one big time. The fact that they didn't have customers when he visited them could have been one of three issues (food quality, poor service, inflated prices). In my case, it was all 3. There were older white folks who saw Steven's article and did mention it to the wait staff. Some of those tables received chips and salsa, most didn't, not sure what goes into their criteria for who gets it and who doesn't. I chitchatted with the wait staff and asked them their specials and what they would want me to tell the Yelpers about them. They wanted me to give the community my honest opinion and said their best sellers are the Quesabirria and ramen (what what?) . Well we decided on neither of those and ordered the $17.95 Chicken Enchilada mole and the $12.90 Chicken Mulitas (each $6.45, staff did not ask if I wanted one or two). To be brutally honest...the Enchiladas were "lean" & dreadful. The mole sauce tasted like mud. The rice and beans was barely palatable (La Preferida from Safeway might have been better!). The Mulitas was ok but not something that I would miss. The red and green salsa from those plastic bottles was salty...as were all of the dishes...saltier... The plates were small, the price tag was hefty, paid extra for mole sauce (this was NOT a side order but something that is supposed to be the core dish sauce), extra for credit card use (3%). Nickel and diming...what next...clean your own table... quarter for restroom use! Of course, none of these upcharges were mentioned or listed anywhere that I could see... Service was just ok...they didn't talk about any specials or drinks...so we didn't order one. And the biggest kicker...no complimentary chips and salsa unlike those other hardworking Mexican joints awaiting your business. There was no hook; all sinker...Somehow, they think of themselves as "Cactus" but lack the basics of competing for your business. I ended up with an upset stomach later that evening. Don't take my word only...read the other reviewers observations in a bit more detail while ignoring the stars and judge for yourself. Sorry if my review sounds too brutal, which I hate to do knowing how hard it is to run a restaurant. I greatly respect the hard working folks in the restaurant industry. I wish they seriously consider their customers' feedback and make some changes for the better.

    Photos
    Picazo's Taco Zone
    Birria taco
    Birria taco
    Margaritas $7 on happy hour

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    Margaritas $7 on happy hour
    San Blas

    San Blas

    3.3
    (109 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    We came on a federal holiday and due to the mixed reviews, we were not sure what to expect. However…read morewe were pleasantly surprised with delicious food, attentive and friendly service, extensive cocktail menu and a beautiful and cozy space. The murals are really quite lovely. Some of the food is a bit bland, but when paired with some salsa verde, it was delicious. I think often in the U.S. Mexican restaurants keep their food kind of bland to accommodate their white customers. Once I had some green sauce my food was great.

    I was suspicious of this place. The overall review score isn't real strong, but let's be honest,…read moremost restaurants aren't impressing like they used to. There aren't a lot of solid Mexican choices in the area, so sometimes you got to settle for whose established on the block. The last time I had Mexican here, there was a place called Melaque, or something to that effect, but they are long gone. Service here was really slow, from being seated, to having our order taken to getting our drinks refilled. That said, despite service being inexcusably slow, it was polite and friendly. The chips didn't taste real fresh. And the salsa was less than chunky r flavorful, but the meal was served hot. All restaurants say hot plate, but these people meant it. The meal was probably a C+, but the way that plate was smoking, it promoted the flavor to a solid B. Price and portion were both reasonable and if this place was on my block, I wouldn't hesitate to come back. Another beef I have has become more common. Places are not serving signature plates for lunch like Carne Asada, Carnitas, etc. Only ground beef and chicken items. Lunch is a great way to sample the menu and you are serving those items anyway, so why not for lunch. In the end, pretty basic and nothing special other than the heat of the meal. 3/5.

    Photos
    Mural
    Mural
    43.- Enchiladas San Blas
    43.- Enchiladas San Blas
    San Blas

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    La Rioja Mexican Cuisine

    La Rioja Mexican Cuisine

    4.5
    (131 reviews)
    8.4 mi
    $$

    This was our first visit back to La Rioja since the ownership changed, and we had a fabulous meal!…read moreLa Rioja has been one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, and they still create some of the tastiest dishes we've had in the region! The atmosphere of the restaurant has changed just a little, but the cooks are the same and the food is delicious. La Rioja is a little different from most local Mexican Family restaurants in that the dishes are a bit more up-scale and refined, with an emphasis on finer cuts of grilled steak and delicious sauces. You will not see ground beef used here - the tacos come with grilled strip cuts, and they offer a range of steaks which are delicious, served with an excellent chimichurri, on a sizzling stone, with ample sides. Portions are large! My chili rellenos were well prepared, sauced, and twice what I could eat. There were left-overs for everyone in our group! The horchatas were delicious. The food was well seasoned. The dishes came with cilantro and onion, pico de gallo, salsa, or habanero sauce if you wanted it. I did, and it was potent but perfect. The desert custard was talked about all the way home! Service was excellent. Francisco was delightful, attentive and made sure we were getting anything we wanted. If there was a hiccup after the change of ownership, it looks like it has been fixed things nicely. We loved all of our meals and can't wait to go back. The menu is a considerable step up from the typical "taco, enchilada, fajita" fare, but still robust and delicious. With the emphasis on steak cuts and great meat dishes it may be more expensive than many typical Mexican Restaurants but it is well worth it. We will be back!

    3.5 stars, but not quite 4…read more Pros - decorations are nice, the staff were nice and came across as warm, casual. They had a taco guy set up outside so we got tacos de carnitas, which were very good, and a mix of cabeza meats. The queso tasted good, and the steak marinade was different but good. Husband is hard to please with salsas, but he liked these ones. Horchata was great, but again, the price was exorbitant. Cons - a $6 coke and my husband's tacos being served on a random paper plate...prices are crazy for the area this restaurant is located at. I got the feeling that the restaurant was a fancy cover for a casual taco place, meaning fancy looking but the staff kept calling out to each other, kind of yelling, obviously not caring about the plating, etc. The queso fundido came with a random piece of tripa, which kind of grossed me out, but I understand cross contamination is bound to happen with an outside cooking station. The steak marinade reminded me of a rice/Asian marinade, so while it was good, it didn't quite fit with the Mexican cuisine for me. Also, I kept burping it up 2 days after, so clearly it didn't sit right with me. Husband felt they skimmed on the chorizo sausage, as his plate came with a piece of sausage, not a full one.

    Photos
    Cute decor
    Cute decor
    The doraditos with carne asada
    The doraditos with carne asada
    Flan

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    Flan
    Red Star Taco Bar

    Red Star Taco Bar

    4.1
    (360 reviews)
    7.4 mi
    $$

    My visit isn't complete with the chips and guacamole and you can't beat the prices. The last time…read morewe were there, the AC was blasting, so being a sweater. The service was just okay. We walked in and the host was having a conversation with one of the wait staff and instead of greeting us and asking us to hold one for a second while they finished up, they ignored us, and continued talking for probably a full minute before acknowledging we were there. O get needing to finish a thought or tell someone something important about something going on that night, but at least greet your guests and ask them to wait a minute. Feels like common courtesy.

    I am going to bump up a star for Red Star Taco Bar. They have the Sunday Sip here which is a drag…read morequeen show along with brunch. Sunday Sip's were previously at a different venue but just recently it started here and it's a great place for this event. I have always liked the food here and we have gone here twice now in recent times not only for the Sunday Sip but also for a meal with friends. The mixed cocktails are great as is the food which I have always been partial to. Out of the recent visits I had an amazing torta, something I haven't had in a long time and a bowl with their tequila chicken for the meat which was also excellent. The more I come here the more I like it having it come at five stars at this point and time.

    Photos
    Tofu and cauliflower taco. So good!
    Tofu and cauliflower taco. So good!
    Taco plate
    Taco plate
    Quick tacos at Red star!

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    Quick tacos at Red star!

    Playa Azul - mexican - Updated August 2026

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