La Buena Barra

This restaurant was the best place to eat for our whole vacation. We stayed at the Royal Sands,…read morewhich is just across the parking lot and after finally getting reservations to the Hacienda Sisal we were very impressed. They have indoor or outdoor seating. The grilled fish was delicious, so good that I got it twice. German, our waiter, was very hospitable and friendly and had great dinner recommendations. The food was delicious, everything we eat was so tasty, and we had such a good time that we returned for a second night! You should definitely come to this restaurant if you are visiting the area and hopefully you can get German who was a wonderful waiter. He went above and beyond and made sure we enjoyed our vacation.

We came here to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday and I have to say it was easily the best meal…read morewe had with out all inclusive meal plan. I will say, right off the bat, this place is loud if you're hear during peak meal time. While the mariachi band was a nice added touch, it only exacerbated the already loud dining experience. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic meal, this isn't the place for you. But if you're ok speaking up a bit throughout the meal, do not pass on this restaurant. I opted to try things that I wouldn't easily find at a restaurant, even in Los Angeles where I live. That meant I tried an aztec corn soup for my appetizer (it tasted like liquid corn bread and I say that as a compliment) and then for my main I tried a Molcajete Mixto. It was absolutely amazing. The best way I could explain it is a Mexican bibimbap. Each of the 3 types of meats were grilled perfectly, the special cheese was mild, but had a really great texture to it. The bits of cactus were cooked to perfection where they were soft, but with just the right amount of bite to it. I gobbled that dish up so quickly and considered asking if I could have another one. If I wasn't already stuffed I absolutely would have. It was probably the single best dish I had the entire week I was in Cancun. I've now made it my quest to find somewhere near me where I can get something even remotely comparable. I also appreciate that they had 'kid cocktails.' All 3 of my boys felt so adult sipping on their special mocktails. Our wait staff was a tad out of sorts, they would often say they were going to grab something for us (i.e. a high chair) and then completely dissapear. In the case of the high chair we just ended up finding one ourselves. But I think this issue stemmed from them just being so busy and slightly overstaffed. When they were with us, they were nothing short of fantastic. Honestly, if I ever return to Cancun, I will absolutely be returning here. It was that good. It makes getting the all inclusive package worthwhile. I will, however, avoid going on mariachi night.

Sunday Brunch is delish and if you want strong coffee ask for double expresso :)

Churros

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Storefront

Porfirio's

4.3(890 reviews)

1.6 km•Zona Hotelera

This was a bit of a walk from the Marriott Properties and Secrets which are across the street from…read moreFred's and Crab House but you will save 30 minutes each way by walking--the traffic is horrendous! All-in-all it was worth the inconvenience. Very eclectic menu, warm atmosphere and outstanding service. I started withe the Mango-Tamarind: Lettuce, Indian walnut, mango, blueberries, Cotija cheese, mango-habanero dressing and tamarind billet. Unique and tasty. "Swiss Chicken Enchiladas" for the main course was not what you get at a local Mexican joint -- Four tortillas stuffed with chicken, bathed in a creamy tomatillo sauce with melted cheese and a base of refried black beans. This was a 5-star dish! I couldn't resist ordering a side dish though I didn't need to because the enchiladas were really enough, so I indulged myself with fries: these were not your run of the mill French fries. Porfirio's Potatoes -- French fries with chipotle pepper aioli, parmesan cheese and parsley. Finally, if you like ice cream I highly recommend that you order BOTH offerings: 1) "ICE CREAM TASTING" - Strawberry ice cream, chocolate ice cream from Metate, marzipan ice cream and vanilla from Papantla. Served with grated coconut, chocolate grain, M&M's, Oreo cookies and ice cream cones; and, 2) "PORFIRIO'S MOLECULAR ICE CREAM" - served with cajeta Worcestershire sauce in an ice cream cone. (I know it sounds disgusting right? Nope it worked. The chef is just showing off with this dish)

Dinner in the cancun strip…read more We decided to pick Porfirio's for the evening from all of the restaurants outside of the all inclusive resorts. I took some notes and this is what I thought of the dishes. Xoajacan Imoladas - The mole is perfection. The flautas, superb. Everything in this plate is a symphony of what I would expect from Xoajaca. 9.5/10 Barbacoa Bonemarrow - Barcacoa is on point. The Marrow is Sublime. Together with the accompaniments is superb. I dream of Marrow everyday. This is a 10/10 Yellow fin Tosatadas - Superb!!! One of the best tostadas I have ever had. The microgreens, the sauce and the square Tostada works well all together. 8.8/10 Salmon - Cooked perfectly. The corn is a great accompaniment. The fish is impeccably seasoned. This dish is heaven sent with a 9.8/10 Grilled Octopus - Grilled perfectly, I can tell by the texture. The mash is superb, they used margarine instead of butter and I absolutely love the contrast from the traditional mash. 9.8/10 Mexican Rice - Its pretty good. It does have a nice seafoodish finish. The pepper was actually spicy. Nice and pleasant rice dish. 8/10 Charred Avocado Salad - Grilled avocado is a bit of a wash. It did make it look good on the plate. The dressing is a little weak. Needs a little more zip, some citrus or vinegar would give this salad some justice. Its a little uninspired 7/10 Service is impeccable and attentive and the atmosphere is lovely.

Dining room

Yellowfin tuna

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Outdoor dining and entertainment

La Destilería

4.2(246 reviews)

0.1 km•Zona Hotelera

It's no longer La Destileria :( so we went to Harry's instead. It needs to be updated as closedread more

Best lagoon deck dining in the hotel zone. Best vacation size margaritas, too! Great food. I'm…read morecrushed they closed

If you sit outside by the lagoon the sight is beautiful.

Bar area

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This is the Molcajete de Arrechera y Pollo, a must try... (Steak meat and chicken.) You will not be disappointed.

Tacun

4.2(330 reviews)

1.4 km•Zona Hotelera

Our favorite lunch spot! Tacun was just down the road from where we were staying, so we loved…read morecoming here for a quick, affordable lunch. My favorite tacos were the cochinta, served with pickled onions. So yummy! We also loved the gauc, queso, and chips and salsa. The carne asada tacos were delicious too. The tacos come with a mild, medium and spicy option. The spicy is sooo hot so be careful, but the others are really yummy! The servers were super nice, and food came pretty quick most of the time. I miss the tacos from Tacun!! Need to make another trip to Cancun for them soon :)

Great food! The ambience is nice and they have great and friendly service. We enjoyed our Al pastor…read moretacos and some drinks as well.

Local is the best

Shrimp tacos

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Cerveza

El Fish Fritanga

4.4(912 reviews)

0.0 km•Zona Hotelera

Delicious and authentic Mexican seafood restaurant overlooking the laguna. If you want beautiful…read morescenery, high quality seafood, and a less-touristy atmosphere in the hotel zone, check this place out! Waiters speak Spanish and English, are very friendly, and absolutely no wait for the waterfront table. The shrimp ceviche had so many shrimp with a tasty sweet sauce and avocado garnish. Guacamole was perfectly prepared, and all meals come with tortilla chips and a variety of salsas on a decorative boat tray. The tuna steak and Salmon with Lime Sauce were prepared perfectly and were both tasty and high quality. Sadly, the food was so delicious and filling we had no room to try the desserts. About a block away from the Isla Mall, but a much more authentic experience than the mall restaurants. A must-try dinner spot for seafood lovers in the Cancun hotel zone.

Awesome. Nothing new for Cancún eats on Hotels Kukulcán…read moreBlvd. Totally dug the wide variety of fresh selections sitting at this gorgeous beachfront locale. From varying tortas, quesadillas, & burritos; to seafood risotto's & shiny tuna steaks.. (get the Camarones à la Mexicana). (Needs to get the Octopus off menu; cmon.) Check out the outdoor cabana-style comfortable seating area next to the joyful boat dock. Service is quick, efficient, extremely friendly, and informed.. as expected ;)

Storefront

Tacos Gobernador

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Tecate Roja in can. Would prefer the bottle

La Parrilla

3.4(191 reviews)

0.6 km•Zona Hotelera

Cute, sassy, and exactly what you want for an inexpensive lunch or dinner…read more This place gets straight to the point. Great waiter (charming without being overbearing), and yes--they do have an English menu if you ask. I had the skirt steak quesadilla and bless them for cutting the meat into bite-size pieces so I didn't have to channel my inner Hannibal Lecter at the table. Food = thoughtful Salsa was just okay, and the chips are a little different than what we're used to in the States--but no complaints because the food delivered. Do. Not. Skip. the loaded charro beans--cheese, meat, absolute magic. Margaritas were icy cold (as they should be). Tasty food, great service, left full and happy. All in all? Solid win.

This resturant was very nice. The food is scrumptious and authentic. I had the seafood grill with…read moregrilled chicken, grilled steak, grilled fish with refried beans and rice. It was very filling. I also, had a Cadillac margarita and guacamole. The guacamole was very tasty and filled with the perfect ingredients. The service was excellent and the restaurant had a cool vibe. Not handicap friendly for people who can not walk stairs. Their restrooms are located upstairs with no accessible elevator. The margaritas were beyond delicious.

Colorful Decor

As you can see in the corner of the picture, the guac is gone their best dish yet

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The view was amazing

La Bamba

4.8(101 reviews)

3.1 km•Zona Hotelera

This is a smaller place in a plaza, so blink and you'll miss it. I started with a margarita as…read moreusual. It's huge, as far as presentation it's not very fancy, it was tasty but as large as it was you'd think it had more alcohol to offset the size. But it did not. My wife ordered the aguachile with octopus. I ordered the Tuna Burger, and we got the steak quesadillas as an appetizer. My wife said she would give her aguachile a 3.8 out of 5. I thought the tuna burger was very tasty. Basically they took a tuna steak and put it between a hamburger bun. I can't really compare it to a regular meat burger. But on a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 7. It came only with lettuce and tomato, but it had flavor enough. The quesadilla's were good, but nothing special, I'd say they were comparable to any you get at an average Mexican restaurant in the states. We came here because of the high ratings. Maybe we ordered the wrong things to try, I thought everything was good, but nothing that was so good it made me want to hurry back.

Decided to come here because it's expensive to eat on the resort we're at. We were sat down…read moreimmediately and they promptly took our order. The menu is simple with just enough options to where everyone can find something they like. I had the skirt steak tacos and my friend got fish tacos, We also ordered a frozen margarita and mojito that were huge!!!!! The prices were fair for what you get and the atmosphere is casual and comfortable. The music is not too loud so you can have a conversation with your group. They are not pushy to get you in and out like other places. Will definitely be back

Restaurant decor

Tacos and coconut shrimp plte

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Xkat-Ik restaurante yucateco y mexicano

4.6(156 reviews)

3.7 km•Zona Hotelera

Mayan cuisine! We came here after visiting the ruins in…read moreMexico. This place specializes in Mayan pre-Colombian food, not Mexican food! Big difference! Many of the dishes have strange ingredients that the regular gringo hasn't heard of, which makes this even more exotic! I consider myself a mexican food expert, to some degree, and they're serving dishes that are so inventive, so wild, so fresh, so delicious! The dining area is split between a covered outside area, and seating on the grass overlooking the lagoon. Be careful, there's alligators in there! The service was fantastic- the waiter was patient, spoke English, and made excellent recommendations. I got fish with peppers, octopus ceviche, and some mezcal, followed by a honey and anise Mayan drink. All of which were delicious! My dining companion had a strange pepper with some fish- also nom! Coming here was like a history cuisine lesson, mixed with delicious food, wonderful scenery and a pleasant meal! My favorite part of this place is the artwork when you come in. They've got a Mayan god in a cenote at the doorway that just is amazing!

Wonderful to have a Mayan restaurant in Cancun again since Lana closed…read more Really unique dishes, including vegetarian options and good seafood.

PANUCHOS DE TZIK RES. TORTILLA FRITA RELLENA DE FRIJOL CON SALPICON DE RES

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COCHINITA PIBIL. CERDO HORNEADO DURANTE 8 HORAS COCINADO EN JUGO DE NARANJA AGRIA Y AXIOTE

Mextreme

4.0(591 reviews)

3.6 km•Zona Hotelera

Shrimp tacos were great. Servers friendly and lively…read more If you like spice- ask for the habanero sauce. Passionfruit daiquiri is frozen and good too

I had a wonderful experience at Mextreme! The staff were welcoming and the prices are reasonable…read morewithout added hidden fees. The space is huge and it has both AC and outside seating. We didn't get an opportunity to take pictures of the food but everything was delicious. We had the pancakes, chicken and shrimp omelette, waffles and coffee to drink.

The new building (Jan. 24, 2026).

Guacamole

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Mole enchiladas

Mb

4.5(26 reviews)

0.3 km•Zona Hotelera

MB was probably the most upscale dining experience we had at Live Aqua, and it definitely felt like…read morethe restaurant that was aiming for a higher-end atmosphere. There is a separate steakhouse on the property that costs extra, but honestly, MB did a great job and even has steak options that made me question whether I'd need to pay extra at all. This is one of the few places where there is actually a dress code. They seemed a little relaxed about enforcing it, but generally you're looking at collared shirts, pants, and closed-toe shoes for men, while women should avoid beachwear and flip-flops. The meal started with fresh bread rolls and what I believe was a strawberry butter, which was surprisingly good. I also tried the habanero cream soup. A lot of people recommended it, both online and around the resort, but for me it was just okay. It had a nice little kick and came in a bread bowl, but it wasn't the standout I expected. My marinated salmon course was good, although it arrived a little cooler than I would have preferred. For the main course, I ordered the stuffed chicken with shrimp, while my girlfriend ordered the veal cheek, and we also split the filet mignon. The stuffed chicken was excellent, but like most restaurants at Live Aqua, the portions were on the smaller side. Thankfully we added the filet mignon, because that ended up being the star of the night. It was fantastic, and if we had stayed longer, I probably would have come back just to order the steak again. For dessert, we tried the brownie with white chocolate, the hibiscus soup, and the lemon pie. The brownie was decent but pretty standard. The desserts were good overall, but the main courses were really what made the meal memorable. Service was good, although it had the same issue we noticed throughout much of the resort. The staff was friendly and attentive enough, but there were stretches where it felt like you were waiting around for someone to check in or refill a drink. One thing I wish they would change is the timing of the live piano music. They have a pianist from 6 to 9, but many of the resort activities and events happen between 7 and 9. We ended up dining around 9, and by then the piano was finished. Since the restaurant stays open much later, it would have been nice to still have that live music and atmosphere during later dinner reservations. Even with a few small complaints, MB delivered one of the best overall dining experiences we had at the resort. The atmosphere felt elevated, the filet mignon was excellent, and it was one of the places I'd make sure to visit again on a future trip.

MB is by far the highlight of Live Aqua's restaurant scene. There was a lot of hype before we came…read moreto the resort about MB and it did live up! It's a classy place with a lot of options. We went two nights in a row! We loved the little watermelon dish each table gets. The bread served was great, and we tried a handful of dishes including salmon, ahi tuna, filet, habanero soup, mushroom soup, pasta, dessert and a few others. Everything we had was really good. Definitely recommend.

Dirty martini

Entrance

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Our table

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Diane L.

455

212

184

6 years ago

Amazing bar and ambience. Highly recommend the sea-bass. They have inside and outside seating. The boats can dock and you can walk up to the restaurant. The drinks are fancy w dry ice. I highly recommend checking this place out read more

Mark D.

7 years ago

Excellent service and exquisite food.

La Buena Barra - bars - Updated August 2026

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SCAMMERS!!!! SPEND YOUR MONEY ANYWHERE ELSE!!!!…read more They will tell you it takes 10 minutes and it takes half an hour - I had an excursion booked and couldn't waiting any longer, just to take your money!! I was staying at a hotel next door, WAITING to try this place. I came before it opened was told to come back at at 8. I had an excursion booked and was waiting on my shuttle at my hotel, I asked the blonde bartender how long it would be for 2 burritos, she assured me 5-10 minutes. She said she UNDERSTOOD I couldn't missed my shuttle for my trip and it would be fast!! By 8:30, my shuttle had arrived and I had to leave. I told the bartender I can't wait any longer and had to leave, she asked would I be coming back tonight after my excursion. I told her I would. When I came back at almost 9pm, I had to go back and forth with the manager about what happened. He said he understood about catching the shuttle and he had to make a call to his boss. After 45minutes of waiting and going back and forth, he said his boss checked the camera and I left even after waiting half an hour for 2 burritos, so I get no refund and no burritos!! I SHOWED HIM SCREEN SHOTS OF MY RECEIPT WITH THE TIME I was charged and the time I had to leave!!AND HE ACCUSED ME OF LYING SAYING I SHOULD'VE WAITED LONGER than half an hour, so he wouldn't help, just argue with me about why I left? I came back later that night thinking they would give me a burrito that I paid for!!! To go back and work and argue over something so frivolous, after THEIR EMPLOYEES misinformed me of the time it would take!!! If the PERSON YOU HAVE AT THE FRONT IS TELLING PEOPLE IT CAN BE MADE IN 5-10 minutes THATS WHAT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED!!! They took my money and REFUSED THE COMPENSATE!! Then the manger accused me of lying - disgusting business and unprofessional management. Took my money and my food. Trash business. Unprofessional service. While we were arguing, other people weee complaining about their service too. If you're a tourist, DONT COME HERE!

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Very simple and similar to a chain-restaurant back home. Food was very good. Had the chorizo and…read moreshrimp enchiladas and the were outstanding- just don't order them spicy unless you really like spice. In hindsight I would've ordered medium spice or medium/mild Burrito was great and so were the steak tacos. The restaurant is a bit confusing- because there is a smaller restaurant right on the water that was busy, but then they had a separate dining room that wasn't on the water but had the same food- and we didn't have a wait at all Call ahead for reservations

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Traveling to Isla Mujeres in early February 2026, we wanted to try Rosa Sirena's for dinner based…read moreon the many good reviews we had read. A reservation was easy to obtain via email and we were all set for a sunset, evening meal. We were warmly welcomed and promptly seated. The service was impeccable, the atmosphere pleasant with an acoustic duo playing mellow tunes in the background. Honestly, we were a little disappointed with the view that most reviews rave about. Our sever was knowledgeable and made several suggestions. We selected the Pepita Crusted Tuna for a starter, my companion had the fresh catch which was grouper, blackened with a side of the peanut sauce. I chose the Surf and Turf. For dessert, we shared the Key Lime Pie. Everything was beautifully presented, and quite artistic. The tuna appetizer was very good, but the main courses were frankly a disappointment. The creativity of the plate did not make up for the lackluster food. The steak was tough and poorly seasoned, the lobster was just passable but also chewy and not tender. The fish was not as well cooked as other restaurants downtown and again the seasoning was lackluster. The sides, lentils and mashed potatoes were just ok. The homemade Key Lime Pie was enjoyable but again seemed to lack a depth of flavor. If the food could match the service, presentation, and atmosphere then perhaps this could be one of Isla's better dining establishments, until then "the juice was not worth the squeeze."

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