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    El Palomar

    4.3 (58 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars, Mexican
    Open 9:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    El Palomar Photos

    EL PALOMAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - El Palomar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Clarissa K.

    I saved my 1,200th milestone review for the best Mexican food I ever had which is located in Cozumel Mexico! Which is an extreme contrast of the Mexican restaurant which was my first review! This restaurant is located in the oldest home on the island dating back to 1903. Definitely a find to come here and I share this secret place with my fellow Yelpers. The food is nothing short of amazing. I strongly suggest to follow all the suggestions on what to eat. The highly skilled chef will have you leaving here wondering when you can come back. My favorites were the fresh fish, avocado(aka native to Mexico) as well as all the special and spicy ingredients. It was so relaxing to have a business meeting here while looking outdoors on the beautiful gardens. After lunch we had drinks out front while looking at the beautiful ocean. Definitely the hidden jewel on the entire island.

    Beef Carpaccio
    Melody K.

    After our last years visit with less than stellar service, we were invited back by Chef Paola Torroella, executive chef and general manager to "make it right". Again, making a reservation through Chef Paola, when we arrived there was a huge party taking place, when I told the hostess we had reservation, no one had a clue. I asked for Chef Paola there and after our greeting, all seemed OK. We were able to get one of the last tables for 4 in the front room with a beautiful view of the patio and waterfront. We were a party of 4, starting off with Margaritas (BTW great Margaritas). The food ordered was the Beef Carpaccio, Chicken with Rosemary and Potatoes, Pork Belly Tacos, Fried Fish Tacos and the Shrimp Mezcal Tacos. I think the food is delicious, Atmosphere is a beautiful old renovated home and service was much improved since the last time we were here.

    chilaquiles
    Kelsy J.

    Incredible food, a beautiful view and service that is top notch. This was by far our favorite restaurant that we went to the entire trip. A stop here is an absolute must!

    Sunset view at the bar
    Doug S.

    Great spot for very good cocktails and excellent sunsets. Decent mezcal selection, solid bartenders

    Sopecitos! Very good

    Beautiful restaurant with a perfect view of the ocean. Service was great and the food was amazing...come hungry and try lots of things! The margaritas were also very good. Highly recommend this lovely, peaceful place.

    Lindsey J.

    Five star service and five star breakfast! We got the chilliquilles with barbacoa and added a fried egg and it was DEVINE. We also got the fresh orange pressed juices. Amazing. This was our first visit but won't be our last. Can't wait to see what lunch options they have in store. A culinary delight!!!!! Probably the best food we've ever had in Cozumel.

    Nutella-stuffed French toast with fruit
    Breann B.

    We went here for breakfast and everything was very good. They were pressing juices by hand in the bar area - I regret not getting a juice drink! We got iced lattes which were very good and French toast. The atmosphere was relaxing being by the ocean and they had fans to keep you cool. It was not very busy - overall a nice, relaxing, and quiet place to enjoy breakfast. The prices were reasonable and they take credit cards as well!

    The drinks
    Karyn H.

    Had the Habaneros and Long Island. Very good drinks. Great location. Upscale. A lot of interesting concoctions. The Habaneros has a perfect spicy and lemon and mezcal. Just tasty. The Long Island was good. Not like gasoline. Can't wait to visit next trip.

    Margarita yum!

    Beautiful location and exquisite Mexican food! We had the lobster tacos shrimp tacos and pork belly tacos, all were amazing my favorite was the pork belly tacos!!! Also we asked for them to make us a queso fundido, which wasn't on the menu, and they happily obliged, and it was to die for! Also don't forget to try the potatoes with peanut, so delicious! My husband had the tuna dish on the appetizer menu, he says it was incredible. The location is light and airy with a beautiful view of the ocean and a lovely old architecture design. wistful and romantic and classy! Service was excellent, we will definitely be returning!

    This is by far one of the BEST hidden gems! For a table of 4 with all different plates, there was not one complaint! One of the BEST BURGERS I've ever had in my entire life! They should add pictures and descriptions for their menus but other than that, a 10/10!!!!

    Phill A.

    Overall we had a great experience dinning at El Palomar. This was our first time dining out in the city center and the food and ambiance was on point! From the amazing colonial / Caribbean architect to its lively vibes this place is a must try if you are in Conzumel. The service was 10 out of 10. Ivan, our waiter was so kind, attentive and helpful with such amazing recommendations. We had a minor dilemma because we wanted to try lobster but also craving fish. We asked what the catch of the day (which is off the menu) and he recommended the "spicy snapper". He then suggested we try both! Two lobster tacos ( they were delicious) and the fish / spicy snapper-which was sooooo delicious, savory and moist / juicy (#flavorful af)! All in all, I highly recommend this place. Upon finishing up, the owner, Paola came up to our table and introduced herself, asked if it was our first time visiting, and since it was she gave us free (top self) tequila shots! It was definitely a great and memorable experience. Check it out if you're in the island!

    Tricie C.

    The experience here was a really mixed bag. My boyfriend and I sat at the bar around 6:30 and were able to enjoy the sea view while we had some cocktails. After dark, the atmosphere seems to switch into factory mode and service became quite spotty. While our guacamole came out in a timely manner, my boyfriends tostadas came out after a while and was finished long before my lobster tacos came out. By this time my appetite was almost gone which was a blessing I suppose as the tacos were more on the scale of an amuse buche. The lobster was unidentifiable and completely overpowered by the aioli and hard char. The tortillas were delicious though. The shrimp and fish tostadas were average at best. Adding the salsa that came with the chips was definitely needed in order to add some moisture and acid. We may try again but won't rush back. On an unrelated note, the bartenders all had a strange procedure of holding the orders in their mouths while mixing drinks. Slightly unhygienic? I smudged the faces of at 3 bartenders...

    Keith S.

    Awesome vibe on this gem. Food is excellent, love the tuna tostada. Ana and Marco are true cocktail experts

    Delicious

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    4 years ago

    Best concha ive had, it was so fresh and warm. My husband and i came here alot. The food was amazing and the views were spectacular.

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    10 years ago

    BEST mixed ceviche EVER!!!! Had to place another order of it because I was so blown away. Seriously good stuff. I'll be back for more.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Review Highlights - El Palomar

    Margarita was the best I have had in Cozumel and the view of the sunset from the veranda was great.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    Pancho's Backyard - Quesadillas

    Pancho's Backyard

    4.3(72 reviews)
    0.1 km
    $$$

    Pancho's is a great spot to hang out and get a meal. It served as a festive and cool reprieve from…read morethe heat with extremely friendly servers, fun drinks, and delicious food. It also boasts spotless bathrooms, which warrants a special shoutout. The food was solid, albeit on the pricier side. I had the mole enchiladas and my wife got the carne asada, and we had the fun coqueta, which is basically a margarita. Pancho's real stand out are its marimba players. We were the only diners at 6 on a Saturday night (presumably post-cruise crowds) but the marimba players gave us, essentially, an hour long private concert. This absolutely thrilled my one-year old son, who could not stop dancing. The marimba players even invited him behind the board and let him hold one of their mallets (which my son tried to steal. He's got a lot of his mama in him). So yes, the food and atmosphere are really good. But it's the supremely friendly staff who made our experience great--and certainly the highlight of the trip for my son.

    Stopped by Pancho's Backyard while in Cozumel and it ended up being one of the best meals of the…read moretrip. The chicken mole enchiladas were outstanding -- the mole was a rich chocolate mole with the perfect amount of spice. You could really taste the depth of the sauce, not too sweet, not too spicy, just perfectly balanced and incredibly flavorful. We also tried the shrimp alioli, and that was just as impressive. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the garlic alioli sauce was rich without being too heavy. Everything tasted fresh and made to order. The atmosphere is beautiful -- lush garden setting, relaxing, and it really feels like you're dining somewhere special rather than just another tourist spot. Service was attentive and friendly the whole time. If you're in Cozumel, this place is absolutely worth a visit. I would go back just for the mole alone.

    Photos
    Pancho's Backyard
    Pancho's Backyard - Quesadilla

    Quesadilla

    Pancho's Backyard - Steak tacos

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    Steak tacos

    Cielito Lindo - Molcajete de Piedra Caliente Parrillada (regional dish; basically a mixed grill in a stew with tortillas?)

    Cielito Lindo

    4.5(95 reviews)
    0.9 km
    $$

    Terrific food, intimate vibes, just a couple of blocks off the main touristy beach road. It's not a…read morelarge restaurant, maybe 5-7 tables total, along with some outdoor seating if weather allows. That said, they weren't that busy when we arrived, and we were immediately seated. They have a couple of great regional Yucatan dishes here, like the Molcajete and the Cochinita. San Miguel de Cozumel is admittedly not the most beautiful or interesting Mexican city to do touristy stuff in, so it was a treat to find some great regional cuisine to try. I was with a group, so we ordered the Molcajete (basically, mixed grilled meats in a stew), ceviche, and cochinita (stewed pulled pork), along with tortillas. All of it was great. The sauces, from the salsa to the stew broths to the ceviche sauce, were all terrific. There was mention that they dishes were spicy, but in the end, none of the stuff was super-spicy. Furthermore, the spicy stuff was often a salsa served on the side, or a whole roasted pepper that wasn't integrated into the dish, so you could calibrate your spiciness to your taste. Bathrooms: Basic, but clean and functional.

    The service was outstanding! Both the server and the bartender were great and friendly. The chef…read morewasn't visible but the food was delicious! The Fajitas were amazing and everything was fresh, and my small group included two vegans. The restaurant staff did their best and created delicious vegan meals. The Spicy passion fruit Margaritas were Amazing! We only had one day in Cozumel since we were coming from a cruise ship and it was raining that day. So we got off the beaten path and enjoyed the food and drinks at this restaurant. It was only $2.50 pp to take a taxi from the cruise port. Be sure to negotiate your taxi fare. The music was good too and nobody seemed to mind that I got up to dance for a few minutes! Overall the experience was amazing! I definitely recommend the fajitas and the guacamole appetizers and the drinks!

    Photos
    Cielito Lindo - Cielito Mexican cuisine

    Cielito Mexican cuisine

    Cielito Lindo - Fajitas with beef, red and yellow peppers!

    Fajitas with beef, red and yellow peppers!

    Cielito Lindo - Spicy Passionfruit Margaritas

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    Spicy Passionfruit Margaritas

    No Name Bar - ...relaxation

    No Name Bar

    3.8(28 reviews)
    1.5 km
    $$

    This particular bar caters to the crew members of incoming cruises in Cozumel. It is within walking…read moredistance to the Punta Langosta cruise terminal. Since our ship docked elsewhere else on the island, we had to take a taxi ride over which was relatively inexpensive. The menu is cutesy in that the food and drinks are named after crew positions on a cruise ship. I ordered some chips and guacamole but was not very impressed. The guacamole was literally ground avocados only. I was rather disappointed. My friends were complaining about how watered down their drinks were. It took forever to get our drinks. It also took forever to get and pay for our bill. The only saving grace for this place is the views of the water but that goes so far, even with a couple of drinks. This bar is convenient if you are staying at Hotel Barracuda.

    We've been coming to Cozumel for over a decade and have been to No Name many times. Today when we…read moresat down we were told it was $42 minimum consumption, per person. We literally came here two days ago and they didn't tell us that. We had burgers and a few drinks with no issues. Today the server asked us first before she even said hello, are you here for vacation. We said yes. Maybe she thought we were cruise ship passengers and didn't know any better. Were not, we grabbed up our bags and left. We won't be back. We refuse to patronize businesses who try and rip off tourists. It's unfortunate but there are plenty of other bars in Cozumel.

    Photos
    No Name Bar - It was an adventure riding to Cozumel over 3000 miles 5000 km

    It was an adventure riding to Cozumel over 3000 miles 5000 km

    No Name Bar
    No Name Bar

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    El Palomar - bars - Updated July 2026

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