Jennifer B.

Hubbers is from the Yucatan and he's always wanted to introduce authentic cuisine to me. I've had many chances to try it from a couple of places in Los Angeles, but being in Mexico, the taste may be closer to what I've already tried. Luckily, while being in this city (and with Yelp to the rescue once again) we found one that serves exactly just that: Merida Grill. We actually found a couple more places, but Hubbers highly recommended this place simply because of how good the cochinita pibil looked. (Thank you, fellow Yelpers!) We made reservations for our party of 6. Our cab driver was pretty familiar with this place and immediately gave high praises for it, so the more we looked forward to the experience. We were seated immediately (even if we arrived about 10 minutes early.) Great interior decor - it felt like I was walking in someone's home - and the acoustic music resonating through the high ceilings was a nice touch. Way too many things we wanted to try and after telling Hubbers what we we might be interested in, we pretty much left him to decide what to get. We started off with a few cocktails of course, and it wasn't long before goodies started coming to our table. SALSA AND GUACAMOLE: These two things are what they're really known for. Made fresh table side, I will say both are probably the best I've ever had. There's some kind of magic that went into both because they really were out of bounds. My party wasn't very forgiving. Both were gone by the time our main courses came through. YUCATAN STYLE CEVICHE: As I've been in PV for almost a week, I thought I was ceviche'd out as I had more than enough before getting here. But I didn't wanna pass on it because it is true - everyone makes it different. I'm glad I got to try it here. I'm not sure what their catch of the day was, but every bite screamed FRESH. This, too, was delicious. It paired really well with the fresh made tortillas. STUFFED CHEESE: So... we only ordered this because we were curious: how does one stuff cheese? It was nothing more than a top and bottom layer of cheese with shrimp and sauce in the middle. Sauce was light and seasoned well and the cheese wasn't heavy at all. We all liked this, too. LIME SOUP: Not my order, but it was empty by the time they were done with it. It was served sans the broth, so we were confused at first, but then the hot liquid was added. The aroma was almost intoxicating. Kinda sad now that I didn't get to try it because they finished it before I got the chance! (And I was busy with a few plates, so really, I kinda forgot about it...) At least I know they liked it (a lot!) and mentioned they would recommend it. POC CHUC: Great presentation on the plate. (It really was pretty!) Pork was grilled and seasoned tender with no hint of dryness. Even the tomatoes were a great sidekick to settle the salt level (not that it was super salty, it just somehow kind helped with the taste.) This, I would recommend. COCHINITA PIBIL: Hubbers said this is a must-have or must-try in any Yucatan restaurant. And he's right. This is sorta their own version of Hawaiian roasted pig (you know... the kind they bury underground for hours to cook) and it's delicious. Tried it without the sides or the soft tortillas and it really was stand-alone good. Add the sidekicks and it's elevated to a different level. I agree with Hubbers - this is a must have for this place. MERIDAGRILL SHRIMP: It looked burnt. Well... that was our first impression. But after tasting it, we all realized it was deliberate. The crust added character and taste to each bite. There was sweet and savory and the natural taste of shrimp. The only thing we didn't like with this dish: it ran out quickly! We would have ordered one more, but we already had too much food to begin with. PAN DE CAZON: Like the stuffed cheese, we got this just to satisfy our curiosity. We were told this had no protein in it, so it's more like a vegetarian dish. I didn't expect to like it, but tried it anyway. I liked it - I did! And I even surprised myself that I did. I found it pretty tasty for a dish that didn't have any protein. Lots of flavors within this dish. Kinda hard to explain, but bottom line is I would recommend it. DUCK CARNITAS: This is a first for me. The only difference is this has a bit of game. It didn't take away from the main flavor, though, it was still yum! FOOD: 5. SERVICE: 5. The place was poppin', but I felt our servers did the job. VALUE: 5. Really reasonable for what we got. Their servings are generous. PARKING: Street. This wasn't an issue for us since we cabbed it. OVERALL: 5. I love getting a no-snag experience at eateries. It really was fun times and we really enjoyed the food (as Hubbers hoped!) We're really glad we got to try this place, and if I ever find myself touring this city again, we will definitely make a stop here!

Molly M.

Omg the food here is crazy good!?!! Its Adorable inside, colorful with lights everywhere. A very laidback comfortable vibe. We sat up on the second story. They make the house salsa right at your table but Watch out, it's spicy! The pinacolada was great! Not overly sweet like many places tend to be. Also you can certainly taste the rum;) We tried the first two appetizers on the menu. (Tayoyo zacapoaxtla) which is deep fried and stuffed with potato and cheese and the other (los panuchos) were mini tacos filled with melt in your mouth beef. My tastebuds are still screaming with joy from it. I tried the duck carnitas and they did not disappoint my friends! Absolutely delicious!! Hubs got the grilled octopus. He enjoyed it. It Came with a sauce he really liked. My kiddo got the Ribeye burger and they meant it. It had Ribeye cut into slices on the burger. My son was very happy. The fries were so good!! So crispy and salty, yum! I'd like to come back again before we head home and try some other items since everything was soooo good here.

Martin F.

One of the finest places in many years. The service is superb, nothing is left to chance. Table made salsa to your level of heat. Foods that I've never tried before (and not for a lack of trying), incredible taste and textures. The duck was crispy on the edge, tender and flavorful in the rest. The pulled pork was so tender it falls off your fork. The empanadas are an excellent starter, hot and very tasty. While we couldn't eat everything we ordered, we couldn't pass up dessert and with the churros we finally found something we could finish. Beverages: we started with ginger/pineapple infused water that was very refreshing. I ordered a ginger Mojito and wow, a huge symphony of flavors. The place is stunning, I couldn't help myself from taking all these photos. The food, the place, the service... 100% attention to details and bringing you a dining experience you will not forget. We will be back, you won't be disappointed to try it. Trust your waiters suggestions.

Van H.

For a dining experience is unforgettable this will be one a few places in Puerto Vallarta that we perfect visit. The ambience of this particular place, definitely remind me of the time I was in Merida, Mx. Did drinks it's a punch out amazing, here I can find ethnic flavored I would been wanting for soursop and lychee infused margarita w/ salted rim. The portion were adequate, and the services were the best I've received the attention to details of the staffs here are world's best dinning quality. If you like amazing plating skill, this would be one if you place your follow up with the facts of the plates here are very neat and beautiful. No appointment needed during Covid, but because of space limitation, I would recommend to make your reservation. The best table in the house to my opinion is near the entrance next to a huge tree stump, with a fan right behind it, facing the gorgeous painting above and the bar. The restaurant theme off from the state Veracruz -- Known for seafood. However, other dishes are also quite unique. Total bills was less than $30 for two, my driver Carmen took us to some Churros after-- so amazing to have fresh churros.

Ben W.

Merida Grill was a wonderful experience. The wait staff is friendly and inviting. The decor has a traditional Mexican feel, with many interesting touches throughout. The duck confit tacos were out of this world! And they make homemade salsa at your table, which is complimentary. Best restaurant we tried in Puerto Vallarta!!!

Kevin N.

Enjoyed the food & service restaurant has a very interesting menu. Shout out to the awesome manager/staff for providing excellent service!

Jamie R.

Favorite place in PV! I've been now 3 times. The food is delicious. The salsa is made at the table. Start with a Mezcalita Cocktail. Get the Stuffed Cheese (share w 4) and the Ceviche to start. They make a seafood stew that is amazing if you want something light. All of the entrees look good - especially the grilled fish.

Angela A.

This amazing restaurant serves excellent Yucatan cuisine, which if you haven't tried before you should not miss the opportunity especially when it's done as well as it is here at Merida Grill. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted at the door by hostess and they are following the usual Covid 19 pandemic protocol: checking your temp and providing you a squirt of sanitizer and all staff uses face masks properly. They offer in-house dining with air conditioning or in their spacious second floor level that is beautiful and still very cool and comfortable. We chose to eat on the second floor Our waiter was Aldo and he was attentive and friendly. He gave us some cocktail suggestions and we went with margaritas with mezcal. They offer an awesome selection of Mezcal cocktails. Our drinks were made perfectly and yummy. As we sipped on our drinks, another staff member, Dulce, prepared at table-side a flavorful salsa. We ordered an appetizer of chicken sopes ( three sopes) that I highly recommend. We followed that with an order of red snapper which was accompanied with grilled veggies, rice and a tangy tamarind sauce. The food by chef Milton Daniel is not only beautifully presented but delicious! I give this spot 5 stars because the staff was attentive and friendly. The ambience is beautiful. Food is amazing. For the two of us our bill was about $45. Highly recommend this great spot. We will definitely be back.

Roe P.

I've been coming to Puerto Vallarta for 5 years. This is hand downs the best restaurant I've eaten at here. The ambiance for a nice dinner is great, the service is the best you'll get in town, the food is incredible (with a wide variety), the drinks are delicious, and the prices are very reasonable. I ordered guacamole to start, prepared at your table, and it was the best guac I've ever had. $5 USD. For an entree I order the Cochinita Pibil. The meat was delicious and tender and came with generous guac, salsa, and onions on the side. I can't say anything bad about the place. Give it a try.

Daniel E.

A taste of Yucatán in Puerto Vallarta! Vibrant and welcoming ambiance, delicious food, and live music. Fresh, complimentary salsa made table side with roasted tomatoes. The cochinita pibil and grilled octopus are a must. Definitely a go-to anytime we're in PV.

Marc B.

My favorite restaurant in puerto Vallarta ! The Ceviche is amazing - different with lots of fruit such as lichi. The duck tacos are amazing, so I ate the shrimp

The owner made a special vegan enchilada which was excellent! The mango/lychee margarita was a great starter as was the guacamole and the salsa. To top it, was the churro with molten chocolates (Jorge assured us that the dark chocolate was vegan)