Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    El Faro

    2.3 (29 reviews)

    El Faro Photos

    Recommended Reviews - El Faro

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Do not visit this place!!! SCAM
    Mark W.

    If I could give this place a zero, I would. "Open bar" is a lie...they only give you corona beer and they have 6 or 7 different beers in the bar. The pina coladas, margaritas and rum runners are made with the cheapest alcohol you can buy. I would not go to this establishment for free...they charged us $35 each for "open bar" and $15 for non drinkers. Non drinkers aren't happy either...ask for a water...not cold and a tiny bottle. Stay away!!!! Buyer beware!!!!

    Beef tacos
    Lubra H.

    Overpriced and scammed out money. DO NOT EAT HERE unless you keep the menu to see what they are charging you. Our food should have been around $75 it was over $100. Also say not to the guacamole that is $16 right off and they do not give you enough chips so much wasted. The tacos are good but not worth over $20 for 3 tacos. I guess we paid for the view will never go back!!!

    Chicken tacos
    Stephen P.

    I have no idea why this place has so many negative reviews. We went here in March 2024 and had an amazing lunch. The view and the location is exceptional. Our server, Bronco, was friendly, courteous, and provided outstanding service. The prices were not really high considering the amazing view and having the comfort of being so close to the ship and the safety of being in the touristy area. The chicken and beef tacos were flavorful, the tortillas were incredible and the salsa was fresh and tasted amazing. Everything was fresh and delicious. The skewers were also very good. The piña coladas were very good and actually priced OK and they packed a little punch afterwards. And no, they did not try to screw us with the bill. We paid exactly what the menu said we should pay.

    Lobster tacos
    Melissa G.

    As soon as we parked the car , we were approached by 2 guys showing us menus and pictures and offering beach front seating. We were there to eat and the guys were so insistent that we fell for it and followed them to the restaurant without looking for other options. In hindsight that might have been a mistake. Don't get me wrong, the location on the beach is great and does not get any better than beach front seating , but the prices and the food could have been better. We tried the lobster tacos and the grilled octopus , which sounded much better than what they actually were. Decent but not mind blowing. We asked for smoothies , which are not on the menu but they said could be made to order. BIG Mistake, they were pretty much ice blended with syrup (think fake pina colada or daiquiri syrup) and they were priced as the same price as a a regular pina colada. No bueno! We were also surprised when the bill came and there was an extra charge for "food preparation". We did have a good time there, but i think there are many better options with the same beach front views and possibly better food.

    Tecate with a view please
    AshleyMarie O.

    Yymmmmmm ceviche - very tasty served with what seemed to be homemade tortilla chips The view is amazing The staff is friendly and quick. But THE VIEWWWWW

    10 for $25 bucket of coronitas (7 oz)
    Jose G.

    Great little beach front restaurant/club. Close to the "famed" el tropicante. 8$ taxi ride from the ship. They had plenty of good seats available so we said why not? Got a sub par Pina colada for the wife 12$ or so, and a bucket of 10 coronitas for $25. They water is nice and they fence it off to keep out the notorious mahahual sea grass, makes it very kid friendly. You will encounter plenty of vendors, they are not pushy, but very motivated if you show interest. If you don't plan to buy or don't want to just say no thank you. They're just trying to make a living to survive and provide for their family. Don't be a jerk and try to get them down to crumbs for their products, unless you feel like their trying to rip you off. Plenty of kid vendors selling small paper mache bobble head animals and flowers made by hand from palm. Great place to chill and kick back.

    The place - VN
    Vince N.

    El Faro's oceanfront location at the fake Puerto Costa Maya pier is what drew in me and my spouse before heading back to the cruise ship. After getting used to the dirt cheap prices of Puerto Vallarta, I for one was taken aback with what these guys were asking. ATMOSPHERE: You can't get any closer to the ocean than this! It's so close you'll be covered with sea spray. The place is totally outdoors with protection via umbrellas. There are more covered tables further from the ocean fronting the restaurant but they're along a busy sidewalk and were mistaken for public use by some folks. Country music was played overhead. MENU: Beer, mixed drinks, burgers, skewers, steak, chicken, shrimp, ceviche. Food prices ranged from $15 - $20, alcohol prices between $4 and $14. Pricey compared to other parts of Mexico. We almost ordered a plate of shrimp but decided to just have some beers while enjoying the sensory experiences of the ocean. SERVICE: Our server was welcoming and friendly. OVERALL: Nice ambiance for a drink and ocean views.

    View from table. Perfect.
    Wendy K.

    You cannot beat the location, the view is amazing with the sand under your feet and a breeze on your face. We had the green ceviche (perfect!) and guacamole (fresh) and margaritas (nice- always a good choice !) Great service and ambience... not loud and drunken screaming like most cruise ship stops. Totally recommend.

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott T.
    0
    145
    12

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Don't go here,Go to Krazy Lobster for better service. Ordered fried fish and I never received my order.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mimi C.
    251
    462
    2496

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brian E.
    1
    120
    28

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Clarissa K.
    4041
    1835
    10907

    7 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Wendy K.
    71
    12
    11

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    No good drinks. Drinks are flat and expensive. Amazing view to the sea and the beach. Nice server

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Isa D.
    7
    35
    41

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Rip off artists that will bill you far exceeding the price on the menu. STAY AWAY. They know exactly who to charge extra

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C C.
    0
    3
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    El Barril Grill

    El Barril Grill

    4.2(6 reviews)
    73.9 km

    Every time we visit Bacalar, we always dine here. Everything that they do is on point. From the…read morefood, drinks, service and ambiance. Yolanda is our lovely and kind server tonight. She gave us wonderful recommendations on the menu. The Corazon burger is amazing!!! And that fillet tuna is definitely a favorite. I highly recommend visiting this place to finish off a great vacation in Bacalar. Thank you El Barril!!!

    I'm not sure how this place has so many great reviews. We went for dinner on the recommendation of…read moreour host. We were sat quickly and had our choice of seating. The atmosphere was nice. The server was nice but inattentive. We repeatedly had to ask multiple times for water, the bill, basic condiments. She didn't bother to return after delivering the food to see if everything was OK. The waitress had to go ask someone about every request, even the simplest ones. We ordered the mixed grill which was edible but an uninspired pile of mostly chicken with one pork rib, one sausage and a few vegetables thrown in, all smothered in BBQ sauce, which left everything tasting more or less the same. We also had the guacamole, which was decent but needed salt which I had to ask for. If I had visited the bathroom before we ordered I wouldn't have even bothered to eat there. The women's bathroom was out of order so I was pointed to the men's room. The water in the sink was not working and there was a bucket of cloudy soapy water in the sink presumably to "wash" my hands in. There was a pile of dirt and rocks all over the counter next to the sink. They don't accept credit cards and when we paid cash the exchange rate they gave was well below what is typical for the area. This in a place that is frequented by tourists. The food was expensive for the quality and service provided. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. There are other much better options in the area.

    Photos
    El Barril Grill - Tuna Fillet

    Tuna Fillet

    El Barril Grill - Menu 2020

    Menu 2020

    El Barril Grill - Salad

    See all

    Salad

    Nohoch Kay

    Nohoch Kay

    4.6(49 reviews)
    2.6 km
    •$$

    Most beautiful fish ever!! So tasty and garlicy. Folks I came to the area on a cruise and thank…read moregoodness this restaurant was open!!! Best meal of my vacation!!

    This review is exclusively based on our Hook and Cook fishing charter with Nohoch Cay as we did not…read morespend time at the restaurant or resort itself. During our 3 hour fishing trip we caught 1 Mahi Mahi, 1 barracuda and about 8 small fish that were too small to keep. Our Captains Nacho and Miguel were very nice, however the issue with the trip was based on my communication during the booking of our trip that I was only interested in reef fishing. We have 3 kids that have gone both deep sea fishing and reef fishing and strongly prefer the experience of catching small fish frequently vs the chance of catching larger fish in deeper waters. During my inquiry emails prior to booking, I made it very clear that we were only interested in a reef fishing experience. We arrived right on time and were on the water within minutes. They immediately put out the trolling lines which if we were doing in route to the reef, I had no issue with. About 45 minutes into our trip, we were still on the way to the reef and all three kids were on their phones. I again reiterated our desire fish on the reef, but right about then we hooked our MahiMahi. Maybe 15 minutes later, we caught a barracuda, which my son that got to reel that in, greatly enjoyed. Unfortunately, that was the last big fish we caught. 2 hours into our 3 hour trip, we finally arrived at the reef where two of my kids had not yet gotten to touch a fishing rod. At that point, half of our group was sea sick and was ready to be done. We stayed for about 30 minutes and caught 8 fish at the reef. I feel like had we started with the reef as I had asked, the experience would have been a much more positive one. Instead, two of our kids that were sick and didn't catch any fish immediately declared they never wanted to do a fishing trip again. I don't know if it was a language barrier problem or whoever I was emailing back and forth with to make the reservation didn't share our Reef fishing interest with Nacho and Miguel but our trip was very disappointing as a result. I don't take low reviews lightly as these are exactly the types of reviews that I look for when I'm deciding what company to book with, but our trip today was a major disappointment that in my opinion could have been avoided very easily.

    Photos
    Nohoch Kay - Beach time a Costa Maya

    Beach time a Costa Maya

    Nohoch Kay - Must order some chopped habanero with lime & pepper to add to your food as a garnishment

    Must order some chopped habanero with lime & pepper to add to your food as a garnishment

    Nohoch Kay - Michelada

    See all

    Michelada

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Shrimp ceviche with nachos

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef

    4.9(29 reviews)
    2.4 km

    Feels like a place where you feel 'special' because you are in the know. Jaime's at the Blue Reef…read moreis a restaurant the offers an AYCE food/drink experience on the beach at Costa Maya for $61 for a day pass per person (if you contact the business directly). It also includes free rental of canoe or paddleboard (which we did not take advantage of). They only have a certain number of slots per day, though on our day, there were plenty of spots still open. My brother and I spent a half day experiencing their hospitality on a port day from the Harmony of the Seas, and it was great, exceeding my expectations. My brother was able to book directly with them days before. Once off the boat, we took a taxi from the cruise port for $5 a person. It was .about a 10 minute ride, going through very bumpy and potholed roads. We got dropped off in a rural area, and it's definitely an island vibe in the area. Blue reef is the hotel which the taxi driver knew and routed towards. Once we checked in at the hotel, we got the choice of shaded loungers closer to the water or a bit further back (good to bring a rented towel from the boat). The beach in back of the hotel has palm trees to provide shade, and the water is extremely shallow, protected by a man-made barrier . It's a public beach, so a lot of vendors initially asking for purchases, but after enough 'no, thanks', they left us alone (though new ones popped up during our stay). It wasn't so busy, so our waiter/beach attendant came by pretty often to check on us. The first order of business was to get the wi-fi password, and the wi-fi worked well throughout our 4 hour stay, letting me catch up a bit. Of course, we started with drinks, so off the focused menu, got two mojitos. They were surprisingly good...served in cheap plastic mile glass, but had plenty of fresh muddled mint...tasted really good and I probably had too much. Also towards the end of our stay, got a mango margarita (served frozen, but done so a bit melted, preventing a brain freeze) and a tequila sunrise. Both were well made, with a decent amount of alcohol. As for food, we ordered a lot off the menu and everything was decent to very good, especially since it was served to you beachside in small portions. The corn tortillas were fresh, home style, thick and greasy: perfect for the various dishes that we ate with them. Nachos had choice of chicken and beef, and both proteins were excellent: good flavor, cooked over a flame. It also used nacho cheese, and a good mix of diced onion and cilantro. The quesadilla used good flour tortillas, intentionally cut into very small squares for sharing, and used the same good meats. I had to try their shrimp ceviche, and definitely better than i expected, with good mexican white shrimp and a good mix of lime juice and tomato/onion to bring out the flavor. Recommendation is to keep ordering every time the server comes back, until one is satisfied. The friendly service was excellent, with Roberto (main server) and Chucho being the two servers with Ale being the bartender, who made the excellent drinks. One can definitely get much food and drinks as wanted in the shade, and with the constant excellent weather, a really great way to spend the day if coming in for the day on a cruise.

    I had such a nice, chill day at Jamie's At The Blue Reef! If you're looking for a spot to just…read morerelax and enjoy the ocean, this is definitely it. I loved the beach loungers, they were so comfortable and made it easy to just hang out all afternoon. The whole environment is super laid-back and exactly the "vacation vibe" I was looking for. I was also really happy with the prices. The drinks are very reasonably priced, especially for being right on the water, and the mix of Seafood and Mexican food was great. It's the perfect no-stress spot to grab a bite and a cold drink while soaking up the sun.

    Photos
    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - View from lounger of ocean

    View from lounger of ocean

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Fish tacos

    Fish tacos

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Cold Sol BEER!

    See all

    Cold Sol BEER!

    El Faro - mexican - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...