You begin with an amazing setting, surrounded by lush greenery and the outdoor breeze. The river flies before as you are greeted by the owner, Tony, who is excellent at customer service and making you feel at home. The food is outstanding. It is all fresh, cooked to order and delicious. It is an authentic taste of Puerto Vallarta. This is not your touristy, luxury stop. This is great fresh seafood experience. When you leave Balam Balam, after experiencing the PV hospitality, you will not leave hungry and you will have made a friend for life! Thanks Tony! read more

This amazing restaurant borders by a peaceful river, with a neighborhood across. It's great for views and seafood. We stopped by to get the fresh, charcoal cooked fish The service is amazing! Octopus and fish were exceptional. Best meal and very laid back style in PV! read more

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We love this place. Funky, rustic, overlooking the river, and the seafood could not be fresher or more delicious. The owner is delightful! Great staff, too! read more

We had an amazing experience at Balam Balam! Highly recommended. Very peaceful as you can hear the river... read more

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Stumbled upon this place on previous visit to paradise.... Quiet, by the cuale river - far end of romantic zone away from beach- totally walkable totally worth it!!! Margarita's are not in the menu but we ordered and they delivered! Snapper cooked daily , oysters, octopus, ceviche, cold beers, clean bathrooms!!! I love this spot!!! read more

Balam Balam - Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

The food is was Fantastic. Antonio was an excellent host! Great atmosphere - highly recommend

Balam Balam is a hidden local gem located in a residential neighbourhood. The restaurant is open air and sits next to a fast moving river, very scenic and local vibes. I think I might have been the only tourist at the time when I went to eat, the rest of the tables were locals. The owner of the place was very friendly and funny. He recommended the grilled whole red snapper which did not disappoint, it was really delicious!! The octopus that we ordered was also very tender, probably the best octopus I had in PV. They also had fresh oysters that day but we didn't end up getting it since we already had so much food. If you're looking for a place with great local seafood, I highly recommend Balam Balam. You'll get delicious seafood and you'll be directly supporting local businesses. read more

Balam Balam - Fresh fish ceviche tostadas - Seafood Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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Had a few dishes here and every dish was delicious! It's not a in a touristy area but it's near a river so there is a nice breeze and very Fresca! The service was great, owner touched the table and was talking to us and how he also lived in San Francisco. The seafood was fresh and full of flavor. The sashimi with the lemon soy sauce came with a bottomless basket of tostada chips, Octopus was sautéed with garlic and butter and was very tender. Both dishes came with Rice, veggies and plantains. The fried whole fish also hit home. This place will not disappoint. If you're in Puerto Vallarta and want a change from all the street taco stands, check this place out. read more

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This Mariscos place was AMAZING. We stayed in Romantica zone and it was a nice walk. We love whole crispy fish and this was a treat! You can get this 2 ways... fried or bbq and we got bbq. It takes 45 minutes to grill but we had Aguachiles and beer to pass the time, while we enjoyed the view of the river. Such a cute location and even better food! Don't sleep on this place just because it's off the beaten path! read more

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Great food, Red Snapper on the op n Mesquite fire was great. Lots of shade and very cold almost freezing beer. read more

Balam Balam - Huachinango grilled in mesquite open fire - Seafood Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Fun local seafood gem along the river. Service was okay. Locals definitely take priority over tourists. Don't be in a rush and know what you want from Instagram pics because the waiters aren't very helpful. read more

The owner of our favorite restaurant in puerta Vallarta recommended this place. I love his cooking! This place also has very nice people working here. But the food is just average. I liked sitting by the river. A fish ceviche tostada (a bit bland, with ground up fish and one slice of avocado) The shrimp tacos, grilled, were good once you add the chipotle sauce Comes with cut up onions, limes, and a soy sauce kinda mix. All were good We might come back for the whole grilled fish, but otherwise back to the better place. read more

This is a small little outdoor place along the river. Very clean and honestly our favorite place to eat when looking for fresh seafood/mariscos. We tried the fish tacos, shrimp tacos, shrimp tostada, shrimp ceviche and the aguachiles. You can't go wrong with any of them. However our go to was the aguachiles and we can't wait to try the pescado zarandeado. Friendly staff, service is good and quick. Definitely a must try place if you are visiting or passing by. Very inexpensive and fresh. read more

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I know I haven't vacationed anywhere with so many 5 star restaurants (and that includes New Orleans). By 5 star, I don't mean bogus restaurant ratings from Michelin, but real delicious affordably priced food. This place is yet another. Ordered grilled sea bass, and omg, was it good. We arrived mid afternoon, have read sometimes they run out. I loved every bite of the fish. It's a small outside place, and this was our final meal in PV. So glad we didn't miss it, and I'd return here in a heartbeat. Wonderful! read more

Off the beaten path, modest gem serving the freshest fish and seafood. The fresh octopus is fantastic but you can't go wrong with any of the fresh seafood. read more

Don't bother. Average at best. Owner is a total GRUMP!! Nothing different than most other restaurants grilling over an open fire. One difference....Most others at least act like they're glad you're there. read more

It was ok. The salsa was great. The fish ceviche was ok the ambiance was great the fish tacos decent the owner/cook could be friendlier

This off the beaten path, eatery on the Cuale River is just awesome. Everything we ordered was fresh and delicious! Like others here, no fish on the stick for us, they had run out. We asked and were told if you call a day ahead and "reserve" a fish, they will save you one. Otherwise, the service was great, BEST fish taco in PVR and the pulpo tostada was incredible!!! Highly recommend!! read more

The food is amazing!! Service was first class!!! The Ambience was comfy. The staff and the owner were all very friendly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant!! read more

Small hidden excellent food. No grilled fish today because the proprietor didn't catch any in the last two days. Hah fishing is not catching He did acquire fish and shrimp from the local mkt. We had sashimi fish tacos grilled grouper excellent excellent. read more

In A Nutshell: -Balam Balam needs to be PUT-ON-THE-MAP! -In business since 1986, the owner Antonio speaks excellent English due to him having lived in San Francisco, L.A., Miami & New York City. -It's definitely a "locals" streetfood spot, located alongside the Rio Cuale, beneath some guamúchil trees, which Antonio happily picks its fruit for you to try. -The Ceviche Tostados one w/ Shrimp & the other w/ Octopus were the b*mb. -The Octopus was so soft & tender, I thought it was gonna be rubbery & I'm glad I was wrong. -If you love pescado + grilling you need to order the Mackerel or the Red Snapper. -The Red Snapper was lathered in a garlic & oil coating, had crispy skin & moist delicious white meat. -The service was awesome, Antonio will offer some friendly conversation & you can get as many Fresh Tortillas, Avocados & Cucumbers as you want to eat. -The total cost was less than $20 USD or 288 pesos. Overall, This place exceeded my expectations! If you are in PV, make sure you come eat here & help make this place get on the Yelp radar! read more

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Hidden gem! We have been here 3 times in 2 days- making outrageous way through the menu. From the staff to the food everything is fabulous! You cannot go wrong with any of the dishes! The whole grilled fish is amazing and the the Octopus is the best I have ever had! read more

Balam Balam sits just a little bit off the beaten path of Puerto Vallarta. This is a spot where locals come and they come here for good reason. The food is wonderful, the prices are right, and the hospitality is as warm as you would hope for. From the moment we set down, the owner took care of us personally as he does with everyone. He spoke excellent English and instead of offering a printed menu, he simply told us what was fresh, what he can make, and what he would recommend. Unfortunately, we missed the whole grilled fish as we were there later in the day and so instead opted for two fried fish tacos, seafood mixta, comprised of fish, octopus, rice, and veggies, as well as a couple of beers. Our meal started with a few different salsas and chips, or more like fried, thin, crisp, tostadas. What caught my eye and then later captured my palate was the soy sauce concoction of onions and peppers. Absolutely amazing! Just the right umami flavors from the Chinese soy sauce and a touch heat from the peppers. This is a sauce you can put on everything - and we did. The fried fish tacos were wonderfully fresh and the fish was perfectly moist, but needed a touch of salt. The batter had great flavor, but was a tad limp. Served on a soft homemade tortilla topped with a little bit of cabbage and carrots. Moving on to the seafood mixta we were first enveloped with the sweet flavors of butter in which everything was prepared. The rice was perfectly cooked and did not overwhelm the dish in flavor nor amount. The octopus was expertly prepared with just the right softness, but still retained its ever so slight chew. The fish and the shrimp were okay, but nothing to rave about. Of course, once it all was wrapped into that beautiful flour tortilla and dabbed with fresh salsa and soy sauce, it all gelled together quite nicely for that perfect bite. So go ahead, get away from the tourist traps on the main roads and get just a little bit lost in this beautiful city full of flavors. read more

Balam Balam is an amazing little restaurant held by its chef, Antonio. As tourists on a break in Puerto Vallarta, we were looking for new spots every day to eat fresh and good ceviche and other Mexican specialties. Well, Balam Balam was the most specials of the places we went to. The first time we went there with two of my friends, it was a bit random. Antonio came to us with a big smile, offered us agua de goyava and told us the different dishes of the day. The three of us had ceviche. And it was amazing! The fish was fresh, well prepared. We also had a great guacamole and in desert platanos (bananas) with vanilla cream (offered by Antonio). Well, after that, we actually came back every day for lunch for one week. From one day to another, Antonio would ask us what we'd like him to prepare for us. We tried all the types of ceviche (octopus, fish and shrimp), we tried the grilled fish (also delicious), with rice, platanos, frijoles... Everything tasted great! So two words: TRY IT !! You won't have any regrets ! read more

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Superb food, perfectly prepared, served piping-hot, fresh guacamole, cheap prices, very gracious host who shares his Ricea at the end of your dinner, lovely setting right by the river with usually a lovely cool breeze. Wish he served wine! And we wish he stayed open later. One of our favourite authentically-Mexican restaurants. read more

Some of the best seafood in Puerto Vallarta, the owner is friendly and very attentive! Try the whole fish on a stick it's delicious! read more

Balam Balam - Whole fish cooked on charcoal! Yummy - Seafood Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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Charming spot with great seafood by the bridge on the river, near the food markets. I've just had the tacos and ceviche tostadas, but really need to try the whole fish dishes. Some are slow-cooked on a stick, and I think locals call ahead since it takes a while. But it's a really nice spot to hang out while you wait! read more

The service was good but the cook uses too much salt. Heavy handed. The view of the Cuale river is outstanding.

Wow this is the bomb the sea food is so fresh and customer service is amazing . The view of the local river makes it idea and relaxing .

The BALAM BALAM restaurant has awesome food! I am so glad I found Antonio, the owner of the BALAM BALAM again. 27 years ago I ate at Antonio's Restaurant, called the Balam and loved his cooking so much, we ate there every day for a week. 15 Years ago, I went back and same excellent food! Fast forward to today, Antonio has recently opened a outdoor setup by the River and is still serving excellent food at inexpensive prices. My husband and I had 2 shrimp tacos, one octopus taco, a large grilled Grouper fish in garlic, 4 beers at such cheap prices.... Antonio is also very friendly and visits with the customers. We will be back!! read more

Nice location, along The River. The man that owns it is very attentive. It is outdoor and quaint. We enjoyed stopping here for a drink. We did not eat the fish but we did get to see the fresh catch. read more