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    Tamarindo

    4.3 (16 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Tamarindo Photos

    TAMARINDO ATMOSPHERE

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    Tacos - Pastor style. IG: Jenuine_reviews
    Jennifer H.

    4.5/5 stars This restaurant is located inside the Dreams hotel. The ambiance and service here are top notch. They started us off with chips with salsa and fresh guacamole. For the appetizers, I enjoyed the tostada (fish tasted fresh). The grilled cheese basket and the melted cheese tamarindos were so delicious! We had to order a second one of the melted cheese tamarindos because it was just that good. The pastor style tacos were also good. The tortillas tasted fresh. The entrees here were just ok. The flank steak had a good flavor, but was chewy. The fish filet could have been more tender. The poblano pepper needed more flavor and more seafood inside. The tamarindo ribs were pretty dry. We tried two types of enchiladas, which were super good. I enjoyed the enchiladas suizas a little more. The tortillas had a nice crunch Desserts included a corn cake, chocolate mousse, churros, and flan. I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the desserts The dishes were presented so beautifully! I overall really enjoyed my experience here! Even though the entrees weren't great, the appetizers, cheese dishes, tacos, and enchiladas made the meal amazing.

    Chips & guac
    Mandie B.

    Wow! This restaurant was amazing and I am still thinking about it today. I wish I could go back right now for another meal. When we arrived around 830 on a Tuesday, there was about an hour wait for a table! I guess everyone wanted to eat tacos on a Tuesday! The wait wasn't too bad though because we went up to the lobby to enjoy the view and a cocktail and eventually the pager went off so that we could be seated. Waiting an hour felt like forever, but it went by quickly which was nice. Once we were seated, our server came over to take our drink order and told us that we could be getting chips and salsa soon. I think the guacamole was lost or forgotten though because I had to ask for it twice! But when it arrived, I was so happy to try it! Honestly, it was so creamy and fresh and tasted great with the chips. When it was time to order, I asked for the stuffed poblano which was stuffed with seafood and sounded divine. I also ordered a side salad. My hubby ordered the el pastor tacos and a salad. Our meals came out quickly and looked amazing (see pics). I was so happy to eat my poblano and all the seafood inside that I didn't even realize how spicy it was until I was halfway though. I have a weak tolerance for spice, so you may not think it's too spicy....but I certainly did. However, it was so worth it. The flavors were great and I could always take some guac whenever my mouth was on fire as a way to cool it off. Service was great. Food was excellent. The atmosphere is also really nice and felt like I was enjoying a nice romantic dinner while on vacation.

    Denise W.

    Service was great. Food was ok. They say it is an authentic Mexican restuarant inside Mexico Puerto Vallarata. The food was not bad but I have had better Mexican food elsewhere. We were staying at Dreams resort and this restaurant is inside the all-inclusive resort. When we sat down, we were serve chips with pico de gallo. The server came by and made fresh guac for us. I ordered the poblano pepper stuffed with lobster and shrimp. There were hardly any lobster in it. I don't recommend ordering that dish. I heard the enchilladas and flank steak were very tasty here. I think those are probably a better choice. Decor was nice here.

    Wall
    John C.

    Needed reservations to dine in. Great ambiance, awesome service, but food was on the bland side. This is more catered towards people that haven't had real Mexican style food or want to try something out of their comfort zone. Loved the 2 cheese entrees, sad about the quesadillas as Cafe Rio in Utah has better tasting ones and they aren't that great of a restaurant IMNSHO. :-) Saw some people celebrating their birthday party and "WOW" looked so fun with the singling and the sparklers with everyone singing and clapping. The highlight of the night was that. Would I return? Maybe but need something that the locals would order not a foreigner.

    Corn dessert - pretty good, my second favorite dessert here.
    Kristi C.

    Went here last night while staying at Dreams resort. All of our meals were very good. The chips were freshly made, pico was good. They had a table side guacamole that was excellent. We had the flank steak esquite which was unique. It was corn and flank steak with a white sauce. It needed a green salsa on it, but otherwise was good. The fajitas were excellent and came with a quesadilla. The poblano pepper meal was great too (had seafood in to, can't recall the exact name. A great start to our trip. This was the first night we stayed here and this was an excellent meal:

    Inside the restaurant
    Misty M.

    Love the ambiance, service was amazing, food was authentic. If you're staying at the secrets resorts for sure try it out!

    Braised short ribs
    Veronica P.

    Came back a year later...still delicious however, less presentation but still mega flavor...my favorite

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    Tamarindo Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Tamarindo

    I was so happy to eat my poblano and all the seafood inside that I didn't even realize how spicy it was until I was halfway though.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Pepe's Taco - Carne asada

    Pepe's Taco

    4.6(614 reviews)
    1.4 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)
    3.4 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)
    3.7 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)
    3.2 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

    Tamarindo - mexican - Updated May 2026

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