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Recommended Reviews - ARCA
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Wow wow amazing foodie experience here. Can't recommend enough if you want a unique, superbly tasty experience highlighting ingredients of the region. We had a great server, Jonathan, who gave great recommendations. Each dish was presented with a detailed explanation which was appreciated. Everything was super high quality, unique and delicious.
Made dinner reservations here for a Sunday night and the place was packed. The restaurant/bar was outdoor, with an open kitchen and had candle lit tables. It was very intimate and perfect for couples but can definitely accommodate a large party. The cocktail I ordered was the Naked in Tulum which was mezcal based and tasted good, so much so that I ordered another one. The food we ordered included: the bone marrow, scallop crudo, Mayan octopus, suckling pig, and grilled sourdough. All were good. However the stand out for me was the Mayan octopus (highly recommend). For dessert we ordered the Marquesita which was not too sweet and a great finish to our meal. I can see why this place was on the Michelin guide. But be prepared to pay a pretty penny for your meal. Shout out to our server Melissa for being attentive, friendly, and giving us recs.
The Striped Seabass with green mole and jicama salad is worth the trip. Order 2. You won't want to share. Other highlights include the prawns, wagyu, and bone marrow. Do not skip desert. The ingredients and preparation are outstanding. Believe it or not, the inventive cocktail menu makes the already superlative menu even better. Don't overlook some adventure in a glass. With the tulum vibes in the dining room, open kitchen, and great service ARCA is a must visit.
This is our 3rd or 4th time dining at Arca, out of maybe 10 to 12 times coming to Tulum. The last time hadn't left a great impression, so we wouldn't have thought to bother again, except for our friends wanted to go. The night began with an inelegant ritual of standing in a line crowding around an iPad to scan 2 QR codes, one for internet, requisite for the second one which was for the menu. Understandable, but with a line of 10 people behind us, it was a bit of an uncomfortable start to the night. While of course physical menus are preferable (not to mention more than justified by the price points) and feel more substantial and necessitate less of the entire restaurant looking into little blue screens in an otherwise dark and dim warm candle lit space, I guess I would suggest doing this whole ritual once seated at the table. We ordered eight dishes in all. The kid's dish came first, crispy chicken and potatoes. Big slabs of meat with hidden cartilage, not ideal for our 7 and 3 year olds. The first dish of our meal was the Dzikilpak-- meticulous and painstakingly prepared, and sadly not very interesting. Kind of like a pesto hummus. The work that went into conceptualizing the presentation felt primary, and the food itself a side thought. This was, we discovered, a feature and not a bug. In rapid succession, we were served the bluefin toro, shrimp and crab esquites. The toro looked absolutely gorgeous until a too-viscous red sauce was poured all over it, completely overwhelming its delicate flavor and obscuring any sort of specialness that may have been. The fermented mix underneath didn't make a lot of sense and also seemed unnecessary. Texture was great though, and quality was apparent. Then there were the prawns, 4 of them swimming in a large bowl of cashew sauce--a ratio so absurd--but it was explained to us that if you wished, you could drink the sauce with the emptied out shrimp heads. Thanks. The esquites was the low point of the meal. Offered up in a large shell, the corn tasted like waterlogged corn nuts, having the consistency of chickpeas. Mealy was the word that came to mind. Neither the shell nor the dim light saved its unappetizing appearance, which could have been easily overlooked if it tasted incredible. Seabass was decent but I wouldn't base a whole meal around it. After a long intermission, punctuated by the stinging of mosquito bites, the bone marrow and tlayuda were dropped. The former was overly wrought, too many flavors and far too smoky. The latter was brought, with much pomp and circumstance, in what looked like a bowling ball, dramatically opened to reveal its anticlimactic contents. This was a humble dish, not only in appearance but in flavor--I'm sure the steak was good quality, but I was glad I had asked for habanero sauce to give the dish a modicum of flavor. The pacing was uneven, which again could be overlooked had the meal been exceptional and had the hostess not made such a big deal upon entry about our strict time limit of an hour and a half, a timeline they themselves struggled to meet. The prices were the least offensive part of the meal--far more offensive was its masturbatory indulgence in being creative. I always find it difficult to find the soul of "tricky" food. All in all, I think this would be a great choice for people who are unsavvy diners and easily impressed by modest theatrics. If you want woodfired, go to Hartwood or Casa Banana. Sincerely, an LA diner who felt duped by the high rating so felt the need to add my experience.
I don't know what I could possibly say about Arca that would do it justice - this is a food experience that I genuinely will remember forever. Despite staying at an all-inclusive in Tulum, once we all heard that there were so many Michelin restaurants in Tulum, we knew we had to leave the resort and experience some incredible cuisine in Tulum. Arca doesn't just feed you, it gives you a cultural experience in addition to the absolutely incredible food and drinks that are unlike anything I've experienced - and for a price that you couldn't touch anywhere else given the quality, ambiance, and experience. Stepping into Arca is like stepping into a jungle experience with its outdoor seating, wood fired ovens, with beautiful greenery around you, and candles everywhere to light the area and also keep the vibe special and natural. It's also spacious - no tables on top of each other so you just feel like you can breathe and take your time. The DRINKS! A great mix of classics and ones that brought in a really unique cultural vibe - for example, my friends ordered dirty martinis, while I opted for the Mestizo Margarita - which used sour orange which is native to Tulum and recado negro syrup to give it the black coloring. DELICIOUS! Everything was fully explained to us when it was brought out, which really added a special touch to the experience. The FOOD. Oh my god, my mouth is watering as I write this review. The food at Arca is my favorite vibe - tapas to share, so plays nicely into my typical "Do you guys just want to get a bunch of apps?" vibe. We threw everything in at once, but it was all spaced out and basically arrived 2 at a time. We had the sourdough bread that was hot and so fresh, served with a coconut butter that lives in my dreams which arrived with the bluefin tuna crudo, served in an aguachile and with a vegetarian take on a chicharron. All dishes come out with explanations of how they should be eaten as well as the culture/history behind them as well. From there, we got my personal favorite, the whole squash, which was literally a roasted squash prepared so many ways and included squash blossoms and this AMAZING sauce. That came out at the same time as the grilled broccolini that was basically a deconstructed Caesar salad with some really unique, delicious twists to elevate it. Lastly, we had the crab esquites which was a massive portion served with corn, tomato, and in this delicious broth (it was also served in a massive shell) and the Mayan octopus that sat on lentil puree with radishes. Everything was AMAZING and it was the perfect amount of food for us. Again, the service was just top-notch, next level with every dish presented and described - you could feel the pride everyone had in being a part of the dining experience at Arca and it was truly special being a part of it. As a last surprise and delight, they brought out a cake and candle since my best friend and I were in Tulum to celebrate our collective birthdays. It was SO good and came with a goat cheese ice cream that I will also probably crave forever. This is truly a must for those who want a cultural experience in a gorgeous environment with people who are truly the best of the best at what they do. This is a dining experience I still think about and cannot wait to return to for the next time I'm in Tulum!
Pros: The food is actually as good as they say online, and their beverages excel in quality compared to everything on the main Tulum street. Good vegetarian and pescatarian options. My partner has a huge aversion to mushrooms and he inhaled the mushroom ttlayuda. The ambience is amazing, an introverts paradise if you're a fan of dim ambient mood lights. Cons: Expensive! Steep. They were out of most of the mixology options on the menu that we were there to try. While seafood plates were good, the octopus was overcooked and a bit chewy. Crab tacos tasted or were primary just batter, no meat.
We went for dinner a couple weeks ago when we were in Tulum. I'm still thinking about the amazing seabass and green mole! It's so unique - doesn't taste like any seabass I've had. And so delicious and flavorful. We also got the Dzikilpak spread. It was unique and flavorful and filling. The restaurant is trendy and outdoors - typical for Tulum. Service was as expected for Tulum.
Really nice spot. Excellent service. We did the chefs tasting with alcohol pairing. Everything was small bites but so delicious and you can order more if you want. The presentation for each dish was pretty and explained with background of all the ingredients. Each pairing went well with each course. Would def recommend a nice fine dining experience here.
Best food I've ever had. My first experience at a Michelin featured restaurant. The soft shell tacos were INCREDIBLE. The crab was perfectly tempura fried giving the taco a nice crunch. The tortilla is subbed out for a leaf, which I found worked perfectly with the tempura. Where a regular tortilla could have been too heavy, the leaf gives a nice freshness to the taco. All of the flavors worked well together. The saltiness of the sea urchin paired well with the sweetness of the scallops. The bass was cooked to crisp perfection and I could drink the green mole sauce. The sauce was slightly smoky which worked well with the light and bright jicama salad. The salad also cut some of the richness from the sauce and the fish. The mushroom tlayuda was perfectly crisp with smoky, meaty mushrooms and fresh greens. The prawns were soft and juicy and I could drink that sauce as well. The atmosphere was laid back and sophisticated. Great music, not too loud. Definitely very pricy but worth it for the experience.
Hands-down my favorite dining experience in Tulum. We had a 5:30 PM reservation and were seated immediately. As a family of five, it was comforting to see other families dining there as well, since some restaurants tend to lean on the clubby side. But Arca is not that, you can tell they that their focus is in the quality of their dishes. First off, I must give major props to the spots amazing taste in music, from disco to Feist, I couldn't stop singing when I wasn't sipping from the delicious cocktails. The restaurant is moody and chic, tucked under gorgeous palm trees. All of the food is shareable, and it's more fun that way so that you can taste a bunch of things. We ordered about five dishes, excluding the kids, delicious crispy chicken and potatoes. EVERYTHING WAS 10 OUT OF 10!! We live in Los Angeles and dine out frequently, a lot of restaurants are trying to pull off the Tulum thing..and while they are absolutely delicious and elevated, Arca is top tier. Highly recommend visiting.
We went there when vacationing in Tulum. It was a perfect dinner for the occasion. We all loved our drinks, perfectly balanced, not too strong or too sweet. The food was served in smaller portions so we probably ordered 8 items for 5 people. Everything was very delicious. The ambience was amazing. We sat by the open kitchen and it was so much fun to see their actions. They are definitely in the top 50 as awarded.
4 months ago
Second time at Arca and much better than our first! We had * our go-to soft shell crab tacos- lightly breaded and served with local edible leaf as a taco shell * prawns with curry sauce- perfectly grilled with the head on * grilled octopus * scallop ceviche that was amazingly presented and seasoned, served with in-house crackers * sea bass filet * dessert- coconut/passionfruit/ mango ice cream served in a husk. Great mixture of flavors! Chocolate ice cream - beautifully presented and some rich chocolate ice cream as well, and another dessert that I forgot. So maybe that one may be just okay LOL * drinks - Miami Nice (passionfruit) and a no name drink that the resto blends into a clear drink, served with a guava block. You take a piece of the guava block and leave it on your tongue, and sip your drink. Very very smooth! Would highly recommend this unknown drink. Michelin starred, reservations highly recommended. Better to come without heels since the flooring is made out of pebbles, dim lighting contributing to the dining experience, and fantastic service. read more
1 month ago
The food was unique. We ordered the venison tartare, the soft shell crab taco, the bone marrow, and suckling pig. We wanted the Mexican Wagyu for the kids but they were hesitant about cooking it medium well so we passed. Everything was so good except the pig. It was not crispy like the description and it was sour. The service was so so. The waitress took really long to take our order after telling us to make a full order when we sat down. The bus boys were more attentive and definitely were on point clearing tables and bringing dishes. The restaurant was outdoor and there was limited lighting. It was so dark and had to use my flashlight to see the dishes. There were big fans so it was nice and cool and they had citronella somewhere to avoid the bugs. read more
Wow wow amazing foodie experience here. Can't recommend enough if you want a unique, superbly tasty experience highlighting ingredients of the region. We had a great server, Jonathan, who gave great recommendations. Each dish was presented with a detailed explanation which was appreciated. Everything was super high quality, unique and delicious. read more
Made dinner reservations here for a Sunday night and the place was packed. The restaurant/bar was outdoor, with an open kitchen and had candle lit tables. It was very intimate and perfect for couples but can definitely accommodate a large party. The cocktail I ordered was the Naked in Tulum which was mezcal based and tasted good, so much so that I ordered another one. The food we ordered included: the bone marrow, scallop crudo, Mayan octopus, suckling pig, and grilled sourdough. All were good. However the stand out for me was the Mayan octopus (highly recommend). For dessert we ordered the Marquesita which was not too sweet and a great finish to our meal. I can see why this place was on the Michelin guide. But be prepared to pay a pretty penny for your meal. Shout out to our server Melissa for being attentive, friendly, and giving us recs. read more
The Striped Seabass with green mole and jicama salad is worth the trip. Order 2. You won't want to share. Other highlights include the prawns, wagyu, and bone marrow. Do not skip desert. The ingredients and preparation are outstanding. Believe it or not, the inventive cocktail menu makes the already superlative menu even better. Don't overlook some adventure in a glass. With the tulum vibes in the dining room, open kitchen, and great service ARCA is a must visit. read more
7 months ago
This is our 3rd or 4th time dining at Arca, out of maybe 10 to 12 times coming to Tulum. The last time hadn't left a great impression, so we wouldn't have thought to bother again, except for our friends wanted to go. The night began with an inelegant ritual of standing in a line crowding around an iPad to scan 2 QR codes, one for internet, requisite for the second one which was for the menu. Understandable, but with a line of 10 people behind us, it was a bit of an uncomfortable start to the night. While of course physical menus are preferable (not to mention more than justified by the price points) and feel more substantial and necessitate less of the entire restaurant looking into little blue screens in an otherwise dark and dim warm candle lit space, I guess I would suggest doing this whole ritual once seated at the table. We ordered eight dishes in all. The kid's dish came first, crispy chicken and potatoes. Big slabs of meat with hidden cartilage, not ideal for our 7 and 3 year olds. The first dish of our meal was the Dzikilpak-- meticulous and painstakingly prepared, and sadly not very interesting. Kind of like a pesto hummus. The work that went into conceptualizing the presentation felt primary, and the food itself a side thought. This was, we discovered, a feature and not a bug. In rapid succession, we were served the bluefin toro, shrimp and crab esquites. The toro looked absolutely gorgeous until a too-viscous red sauce was poured all over it, completely overwhelming its delicate flavor and obscuring any sort of specialness that may have been. The fermented mix underneath didn't make a lot of sense and also seemed unnecessary. Texture was great though, and quality was apparent. Then there were the prawns, 4 of them swimming in a large bowl of cashew sauce--a ratio so absurd--but it was explained to us that if you wished, you could drink the sauce with the emptied out shrimp heads. Thanks. The esquites was the low point of the meal. Offered up in a large shell, the corn tasted like waterlogged corn nuts, having the consistency of chickpeas. Mealy was the word that came to mind. Neither the shell nor the dim light saved its unappetizing appearance, which could have been easily overlooked if it tasted incredible. Seabass was decent but I wouldn't base a whole meal around it. After a long intermission, punctuated by the stinging of mosquito bites, the bone marrow and tlayuda were dropped. The former was overly wrought, too many flavors and far too smoky. The latter was brought, with much pomp and circumstance, in what looked like a bowling ball, dramatically opened to reveal its anticlimactic contents. This was a humble dish, not only in appearance but in flavor--I'm sure the steak was good quality, but I was glad I had asked for habanero sauce to give the dish a modicum of flavor. The pacing was uneven, which again could be overlooked had the meal been exceptional and had the hostess not made such a big deal upon entry about our strict time limit of an hour and a half, a timeline they themselves struggled to meet. The prices were the least offensive part of the meal--far more offensive was its masturbatory indulgence in being creative. I always find it difficult to find the soul of "tricky" food. All in all, I think this would be a great choice for people who are unsavvy diners and easily impressed by modest theatrics. If you want woodfired, go to Hartwood or Casa Banana. Sincerely, an LA diner who felt duped by the high rating so felt the need to add my experience. read more
1 year ago
I don't know what I could possibly say about Arca that would do it justice - this is a food experience that I genuinely will remember forever. Despite staying at an all-inclusive in Tulum, once we all heard that there were so many Michelin restaurants in Tulum, we knew we had to leave the resort and experience some incredible cuisine in Tulum. Arca doesn't just feed you, it gives you a cultural experience in addition to the absolutely incredible food and drinks that are unlike anything I've experienced - and for a price that you couldn't touch anywhere else given the quality, ambiance, and experience. Stepping into Arca is like stepping into a jungle experience with its outdoor seating, wood fired ovens, with beautiful greenery around you, and candles everywhere to light the area and also keep the vibe special and natural. It's also spacious - no tables on top of each other so you just feel like you can breathe and take your time. The DRINKS! A great mix of classics and ones that brought in a really unique cultural vibe - for example, my friends ordered dirty martinis, while I opted for the Mestizo Margarita - which used sour orange which is native to Tulum and recado negro syrup to give it the black coloring. DELICIOUS! Everything was fully explained to us when it was brought out, which really added a special touch to the experience. The FOOD. Oh my god, my mouth is watering as I write this review. The food at Arca is my favorite vibe - tapas to share, so plays nicely into my typical "Do you guys just want to get a bunch of apps?" vibe. We threw everything in at once, but it was all spaced out and basically arrived 2 at a time. We had the sourdough bread that was hot and so fresh, served with a coconut butter that lives in my dreams which arrived with the bluefin tuna crudo, served in an aguachile and with a vegetarian take on a chicharron. All dishes come out with explanations of how they should be eaten as well as the culture/history behind them as well. From there, we got my personal favorite, the whole squash, which was literally a roasted squash prepared so many ways and included squash blossoms and this AMAZING sauce. That came out at the same time as the grilled broccolini that was basically a deconstructed Caesar salad with some really unique, delicious twists to elevate it. Lastly, we had the crab esquites which was a massive portion served with corn, tomato, and in this delicious broth (it was also served in a massive shell) and the Mayan octopus that sat on lentil puree with radishes. Everything was AMAZING and it was the perfect amount of food for us. Again, the service was just top-notch, next level with every dish presented and described - you could feel the pride everyone had in being a part of the dining experience at Arca and it was truly special being a part of it. As a last surprise and delight, they brought out a cake and candle since my best friend and I were in Tulum to celebrate our collective birthdays. It was SO good and came with a goat cheese ice cream that I will also probably crave forever. This is truly a must for those who want a cultural experience in a gorgeous environment with people who are truly the best of the best at what they do. This is a dining experience I still think about and cannot wait to return to for the next time I'm in Tulum! read more
Pros: The food is actually as good as they say online, and their beverages excel in quality compared to everything on the main Tulum street. Good vegetarian and pescatarian options. My partner has a huge aversion to mushrooms and he inhaled the mushroom ttlayuda. The ambience is amazing, an introverts paradise if you're a fan of dim ambient mood lights. Cons: Expensive! Steep. They were out of most of the mixology options on the menu that we were there to try. While seafood plates were good, the octopus was overcooked and a bit chewy. Crab tacos tasted or were primary just batter, no meat. read more
We went for dinner a couple weeks ago when we were in Tulum. I'm still thinking about the amazing seabass and green mole! It's so unique - doesn't taste like any seabass I've had. And so delicious and flavorful. We also got the Dzikilpak spread. It was unique and flavorful and filling. The restaurant is trendy and outdoors - typical for Tulum. Service was as expected for Tulum. read more
Really nice spot. Excellent service. We did the chefs tasting with alcohol pairing. Everything was small bites but so delicious and you can order more if you want. The presentation for each dish was pretty and explained with background of all the ingredients. Each pairing went well with each course. Would def recommend a nice fine dining experience here. read more
1 year ago
Tasting menu - hands down 10/10. From appetizers to mains and desserts, chefs kiss! Delicious food on our last dinner in Tulum with my girls. Servers were nice and attentive, cool vibe overall. read more
9 months ago
The food was authentic and exquisitely done. Fresh, simple, high quality ingredients, prepared perfectly with excellent waiting and table attendant, excellent cocktails. read more
4 months ago
Best food I've ever had. My first experience at a Michelin featured restaurant. The soft shell tacos were INCREDIBLE. The crab was perfectly tempura fried giving the taco a nice crunch. The tortilla is subbed out for a leaf, which I found worked perfectly with the tempura. Where a regular tortilla could have been too heavy, the leaf gives a nice freshness to the taco. All of the flavors worked well together. The saltiness of the sea urchin paired well with the sweetness of the scallops. The bass was cooked to crisp perfection and I could drink the green mole sauce. The sauce was slightly smoky which worked well with the light and bright jicama salad. The salad also cut some of the richness from the sauce and the fish. The mushroom tlayuda was perfectly crisp with smoky, meaty mushrooms and fresh greens. The prawns were soft and juicy and I could drink that sauce as well. The atmosphere was laid back and sophisticated. Great music, not too loud. Definitely very pricy but worth it for the experience. read more
Hands-down my favorite dining experience in Tulum. We had a 5:30 PM reservation and were seated immediately. As a family of five, it was comforting to see other families dining there as well, since some restaurants tend to lean on the clubby side. But Arca is not that, you can tell they that their focus is in the quality of their dishes. First off, I must give major props to the spots amazing taste in music, from disco to Feist, I couldn't stop singing when I wasn't sipping from the delicious cocktails. The restaurant is moody and chic, tucked under gorgeous palm trees. All of the food is shareable, and it's more fun that way so that you can taste a bunch of things. We ordered about five dishes, excluding the kids, delicious crispy chicken and potatoes. EVERYTHING WAS 10 OUT OF 10!! We live in Los Angeles and dine out frequently, a lot of restaurants are trying to pull off the Tulum thing..and while they are absolutely delicious and elevated, Arca is top tier. Highly recommend visiting. read more
We went there when vacationing in Tulum. It was a perfect dinner for the occasion. We all loved our drinks, perfectly balanced, not too strong or too sweet. The food was served in smaller portions so we probably ordered 8 items for 5 people. Everything was very delicious. The ambience was amazing. We sat by the open kitchen and it was so much fun to see their actions. They are definitely in the top 50 as awarded. read more
1 year ago
ARCA was such a brilliant culinary experience we came back a second time! The whole atmosphere is designed to please- open air kitchen where the artist chefs create delish dishes. The soft shell crab tacos were amazing, the wagu was perfectly tender, the prawns flavor was to die for. Every waiter and waitress were kind and enthusiastic. Not many places that boast these kinds of prices can live up to it but ARCA surpassed expectation! read more
1 year ago
WOW - we had zero expectations going here... but we were absolutely mindblown by this incredible place. When we arrived it was unfortunately raining so we got sat in the back covered area near the bar which was a little less 'vibe-y' if you will. However that didn't matter to us once we started eating. We got a number of things including the Scallop Crudo, House Pulque Sourdough Bread Octopus al Pastor, Seared Prawns, the Coconut Oil Pan-Fried Fish and for dessert the Goat Cheese Ice Cream. Everything... was truly unbelievable. So many flavor profiles that just worked so well. Our server (I wish I remembered her name, we ate on Mon, Aug 14 ~8pm) explained each dish as it came and we really appreciated it, she had a lot of knowledge when it came to any question we had. I definitely recommend coming to Arca if you are in Tulum- it will be the first restaurant I go back to! read more
Arca is the best restaurant in Tulum! Our server, Oscar, was the best server I have ever experienced. Ask for Oscar when you come here. Truly impeccable. He gave the best suggestions and recommendations. I highly recommend this restaurant, it is definitely worth the price. Highest quality food, and great for any occasion. We got the bone marrow and octopus. The food was amazing and delicious. This restaurant is tapas style- meaning small/medium portions with a detailed description and recommendation of experience. The restaurant ambiance and vibe is something else, and truly represents the beauty of the jungle. They also have a dedicated smoke fanner, which repels the mosquitoes very well. This is huge for me, and mosquitoes are very attracted to me. The drinks were also incredible and unique. I will definitely be coming back. If you are in Tulum, Mexico, you HAVE to go here. You will not regret it. read more
1 year ago
The amazing service at Arca started when we first arrived. We were excited to have a reservation and arrived at 5:30PM. The hostess offered to take our picture to celebrate our special occasion, then proceeded to show us which areas of the restaurant had the best backgrounds. Really great welcome! From the moment we sat down, each member of the staff made every effort to make sure that we felt like special guests. They each provided recommendations on their favorite dishes, going into great detail to explain each aspect of the plates. We ordered five dishes in total, and everything was incredible. The presentation was impressive, the ingredients were interesting and fresh, and the blend of flavors compelled us to want more and more. It was a top-tier experience that we would recommend to anyone! read more
2 years ago
Michelin-listed, and lived up to it! Classy ambiance and impeccable mosquito control, which mattered outdoors! Reservation a must--this place was popping and we could see why. The food: beautifully presented and rich flavor profiles. The drinks: creative and chic. Only a matter of time until ARCA has that coveted star. read more
OMG!!! Best restaurant in Tulum! You can't miss this place. The dishes are unlike anything I've ever had, so unique and a beautiful presentation. The ambiance is in the middle of the jungle so it's pretty cool. I can't say enough good things about this place. It is on the hotel strip so a close walk if you are staying at Ahau or any of the other boutique hotels. Check this place out for a beautiful dinner in Tulum! read more
11 months ago
Arca has been at the top of my list for must try places in Tulum. It exceeded my expectations in every way! For 2, we ordered the bluefin tuna crudo, soft shell crab taco, striped seabass, Mayan octopus, suckling pig and for dessert we got the cake with lavender ice cream and goat cheese. Everything was a 10/10, the flavor profiles for each were so unique and meshed very well together. My favorite was the softshell crab taco, I've never tried anything like it, it was so tasty! The service was great, our server explained every dish to us when it came out, and he was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance was gorgeous, with lots of trees and it was dark. A must visit for anyone in Tulum. :) read more
2 years ago
The food and whole experience was 10/10! Our server was so helpful and answered all our questions. The bone marrow was the most disappointing, it tasted like a bbq burger but everything else was amazing!! This is such a good spot with great food! read more
Visited Tulum in April 2024 from Los Angeles and I would say this was our favorite dinner in Mexico during our trip. Growing up in San Diego and living in Los Angeles we are blessed with a lot of Mexican food but the flavors down in Tulum are completely different and we were really impressed with everything that we ate. It was a short walk from our hotel Shibari to ARCA and when we arrived, the power had just gone out, but it came back on 10 minutes later. It was a bit warm at first eating outside, but once the breeze picked up, it was really nice. The whole restaurant is dark, but in a romantic way. The kitchen is definitely modern and pumps out delicious and upscale food items. Our waiter was extremely polite, helpful, and very fast with refills. Dishes here are a bit smaller and are designed to share so they recommend everyone ordering 3 to 4 dishes, but I would suggest ordering 2 to 3 because some of the dishes are more filling than others. We ordered many of their items, but some of the most memorable for us were the Soft Shell Crab Taco, the Bone Marrow, The Roasted Prawns, and the Striped Seabass. I would say my favorite of all these were the Prawns because the broth that they came in truly made it for me. Each of the items were exceptionally good and there is something for everyone at ARCA. It's so nice to be able to eat outside and feel the ocean breeze, while having some really elevated cocktails and cuisine. I was really impressed with the meal and would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Tulum. read more
I've noticed that a lot of the restaurants in Tulum are more for partying. You have a late dinner - in a very dark/loud environment and eventually, the restaurant seems to turn into a nightclub. Arca was one of these places. Our group of 11 came in with an 8 o'clock resso for a Thursday night. We had the roasted pepper tartare (the rows of almonds freaked me out a little bit), soft shell crab, roasted bone marrow, suckling pig roulade, seared sea bass, and two desserts - I think something raspberry ish and the other was avocado ice cream. I probably just liked half of the dishes. The outstanding dishes included the roasted bone marrow, the fish, which was very fresh, and the soft shell crab. Everything else was honestly just bites of something - not very memorable. The menu does change so maybe others would have a better experience depending on when they go/what's in season. read more
2 years ago
First of all, it's got a wonderful atmosphere. This place was absolutely amazing! The food was unreal. Sometimes, I couldn't ever explain it in words, so I laughed. The staff is QUICK, friendly and SUPER attentive. I would go back again tonight, but the Mr. Said we need to try other places.... There's nothing I disliked, except for the mosquitos but they're everywhere. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Omg what an incredible experience! Let me start off by saying we came here on a Friday aka day zero and what should've been a 15-20 minute drive turned into an hour so we were super late to our reservation so make sure you plan accordingly. Fortunately, the staff was able to seat us. We ordered cocktails and literally everything off the menu but I have to say my most favorite item on the menu were the prawns. This place is definitely a must when in Tulum! I'm home now but I'm still daydreaming about this place. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
DO NOT GET THE 9:30/21:30 RESERVATION. THEY JUST DONT CARE! Went here for my birthday and had a reservation. First thing they asked if I was celebrating anything and I said "my birthday" (Not that it mattered. More on that soon). They acknowledged and said happy birthday/congratulations. Then they tell us our table is not ready so we wait at the bar. This must be the bartenders first night because we waited 10 minutes for our drinks which she forgot to make. Another bartender took over. We also asked for bottled water and they gave us filtered water out of a carafe. When we asked why she said "it's the same thing." Then the host asked us to move over at the bar so 2 other people can sit. ASKED US TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE 2 SEATS AVAILABLE ON OUR OTHER SIDE. We waited another 10 minutes for our drinks. As soon as they arrived our table was ready but we had to wait another few minutes to pay the bill at the bar before going to our table. Table was at the side of the restaraunt with even less lighting than there already was throughoutthe dimly lit restaraunt. Okay no biggie because even though the candle illuminsting the table was almost out half the meal the food was fantastic. What really ruined it for me was the last 2 things. 1- Because we had to wait an extra 20 minutes before sitting we were told it was last call at the kitchen and if we wanted more food we should order now. How the heck am I supposed to know if I wanted to order more food if all my courses I ordered had not come yet. Idk if the dishes were bite size or not. 2- Throughout the night I see desserts with candles delivered to tables for people celebrating birthdays. At no point did our waiter bring me a candle. On top of everything I felt insulted and that was reflected in their tip. When we left, the hostess didn't even acknowledge us. Even 711 cashiers say "Thank you!" What the heck Arca?! If you are going to market yourself as a top restaraunt you need to do more than serve good food. read more
2 years ago
It was a mind blowing experience similar yo what I have had in a Michelin star restaurant. The dishes are experimentative yet delicious. Everything we had (5 dishes plus 1 dessert) were extraordinary, very well presented and relishing. I highly recommend it. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
A real standout! Unique, creative and utterly delicious menu. The service was extremely attentive and the ambiance, like to many of the restaurants in Tulum was gorgeous. Dimly lit with candles or warm incandescent bulbs. We were a group of 6, so I got to try a wide variety of dishes: Dzikipak, Pink Aguachile blue fin tuna, seared prawns, grilled green beans Cesar salad, Maitake Tlayuda, seared striped sea bass and roasted local squash. All of them were nothing I'd ever heard of or seen before, and like I said earlier, totally unique and wonderful! They were also very attentive to one in our party with dietary restrictions. The portions were not small and prices were not over-the-top, especially for the quality. It was too dark to get good photos of the food, so I just screen-shotted the menu. read more
This was amazing. We came here for our first meal in Tulum with very high expectations and it did not disappoint. We got the soft shell crab tacos, prawns, octopus, bone marrow, sea bass, suckling pig roulade, and two desserts: their cheesecake and ice cream. Every single thing was great, and the portions were deceptively big -- this was a ton of food for two people. My absolute favorite, though, was the bone marrow, which was absolutely perfect and so delicious. Definitely would like to come back here on our next trip to Tulum. read more
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Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila Km 7.6
77780 Tulum, Quintana Roo
Mexico
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http://www.arcatulum.com
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