Welcome to this little piece of paradise in southern Mexico. While Chetumal is usually ignored…read morebecause of its siblings, Cancún, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen, this city has been growing, and getting more to offer to its visitors. La Cafetería de la Chapultepec is one of these new options. It has good coffee and varied options for breakfast, from pancakes (called hot cakes in Mexico) to panini, including some meatless options. It might be out of the tourist area of Avenida Heroes or the Bay, but that's a good thing, because you know you'll be eating at a place where locals eat. And, it's only a 5 minute walk from the famous Hotel Los Cocos, or about a 10-minute walk from the Museo de la Cultura Maya. If you were wondering, my favorite combo is a cappuccino and pancakes.

This place was recommended by a local and the food was really good and inexpensive. They have…read moretraditional food from the area, so it was fun to try new foods. The waiter was friendly and explained the menu to us. I felt like I was in "real" Mexico with all the locals around me. I would definitely come back!

We found this restaurant for breakfast on the square. They had a very nice outdoor eating area. We…read morestarted with two Americano coffees with milk and orange juice. My wife decided on red chilaquiles with steak and added an egg. I got the American breakfast which was two fried eggs, potatoes, bacon, and sausage. It came with a fruit plate we both enjoyed our breakfast. Food was hot and eggs cooked perfectly. The service was very good and our waitress very friendly.

At 7:00 they had already run out of my top 2 choices. I ordered the signal pizza. It arrived in no…read moretime, but my husband dish arrived 30 min later. Rude. So he helped me eat my mediocre pizza and I helped him eat his tasty but tough grilled octopus. The waiter spilled our bottle of wine all over the table. He gave the tasting glass to my husband. He nodded his approval. Then gave that glass to me after he filled it. Weird. Nothing was horrible, but nothing was good. We went there for a drink a few days ago. We waited for 20 minutes with no attention, so we left. It's busy, but not THAT busy.

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.

*this is not a food review* We had an excellent time…read morevisiting the rapidos! Such a unique experience--bluest fresh water I've seen that isn't cold. On our visit, they were only accepting Mexican pesos and no cards. We had just enough cash to buy us entry. A few things did disappoint me though. The amount of people who decided to step on the stromatolites was very aggravating, and I wish they had some guards to help enforce this. I also was disappointed that they played nothing but American club music. I wish they had played more local music. I highly recommend the visit, but PLEASE be respectful to the delicate stromatolites.

This place is magical! We spent the entire day here, floating down the river, enjoying drinks &…read morefood & just having a wonderful time! Lots of great Mexican families here and not very many gringos made for a peaceful time. I was especially impressed with the ceviche & tacos. Definitely coming back!

One of the best meals I have had during my stay along the Yucatan Peninsula. Located one block away…read morefrom the lagoon and walking distance from the cute downtown area of Bacalar, the open air restaurant is tastefully decorated with lots of wood features. Serving Italian food, bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar came out first. The pizzas looked amazing but I opted for the local sea bass which came on top of a puree of cream of asparagus. The fresh fish was flaky and was topped with seasoned breadcrumbs, the asparagus puree was flavorful and a beautiful shade of green. I split a bottle of chilled Argentinean Malbec which was light like a pinot noir and surprisingly paired well with the sea bass. Our English speaking server was exceptional, attentive but not overly cloying. The entree with the bottle of wine and tip came to $67. Would totally return here!

restaurant and service by Ulysses for my wife's 50th birthday. Beautiful ambiance, food and serviceread more