After visiting all three El Fogón locations in Playa del Carmen, I can confidently say they're all…read morefantastic. The service is quick, the prices are incredibly reasonable, and the food is consistently delicious. Before your meal even arrives, you're served a plate of fresh radishes, cucumber, and lime wedges, plus a selection of toppings including tomatoes, onions, and both a green and red salsa. Unfortunately this location didn't give us the cactus like the other locations did. The red salsa was my favourite, it paired perfectly with the tacos and had just the right amount of heat and flavour. The standout for me was the al pastor taco. The meat was incredibly flavourful with crispy edges, a smoky char, and the perfect balance of savoury spice and sweet pineapple. It was easily one of the best al pastor tacos I had in Playa del Carmen. I also tried the sirloin taco and the chicken breast plate, both of which were excellent. The portions were generous, everything tasted fresh, and the quality was impressive, especially for the price. El Fogón absolutely lived up to the hype. If you're looking for authentic, delicious tacos and grilled meats that won't break the bank, this is a must visit. I loved it so much that I ended up eating at all three locations and every visit was just as good as the last.

We had a fantastic meal at El Fogón in Playa del Carmen! The atmosphere was fun, lively, and felt…read morevery authentic. The service was outstanding, and everyone made us feel welcome. My wife and I shared the chicken fajitas, which were excellent. My friend ordered the al pastor fajitas, and his wife had the pork chops--everyone agreed the food was delicious. The guacamole was fresh and amazing, and every dish was flavorful and generously portioned. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food with excellent service and a great atmosphere, I highly recommend El Fogón. We would definitely come back!

Food: I'll never be able to explain just how amazing this food was. From the dips at the table to…read morethe amazing mango margarita to every taco and quesadilla; it was prepared masterfully. I'm sure to the incredible chefs here it's just another day in the kitchen but it made our trip memorable. Nothing was greasy or poorly executed. The quesadillas were incredible; the cheese they use has the perfect stretch to it and it tasted so good. The Al pastor, which I normally stay away from in America, was especially special; beautiful char and flavor to it, as well as the chorizo! Service: Impeccable; happy and smiling faces all around. We were sitting around sweating so you can imagine being the servers who never stopped moving. But there was a joy to their service and I loved that they recommended food that was incredible. Ambiance: When you're sitting amongst locals, the experience is that much better. It was awesome to see the place so busy (we ate here twice in three days). Even the warm tequila shots were nothing to complain about. Grateful for the amazing company that was with me both times. You will love this place, I can guarantee it. So if you're nearby for a vacation, skip that resort food and dine here with the people of the city.

Back again two years later (From our last trip to Mexico). Hadn't changed at all which in this case…read moreis an excellent compliment! Same great staff who deliver exceptional service. In fact, we were greater and taken care of by the same people. The food! Delicious. Our favorite place to visit when we arrive in the Riviera Maya area. Our favorite is the taco loco and chorizo queso. We always order extra food to take back to our hotel. Will we be back! Absolutely yes!

Always great eats- al pastor tacos, guacamole habanero green sauce and service by JOSE always an…read moreawesome time!

Food is spectacular, we got alambre de pastor/de pollo. Portions were smaller, and cost was pretty…read morehigh ($220 for each plate). We noticed that (as common in PDC) our mixed drinks did not have liquor in them. We thought we found a honest restaurant but it seems they have trickery too, so we won't be going back. Service is nuanced too; we had a great server the first time and a server that misheard us and didn't ask again the second time. First server seemed happy with a small/moderate tip, while second didn't even say thanks for the same tip (when we went a second time). Ambiance is okay... part of the restaurant is next to the road outside and chairs are within "grabbing" distance, which makes leaving a purse hanging or just not watching your back a bit stressful. We also got approached by multiple people offering roses made out of folded leaves... and had to continuously say that "no, we didn't want it".

This spot is definitely low-key, so don't go expecting any frills or even AC. That said, it's…read moreabsolutely worth the walk. I did a mile and a half round trip from my hotel just to try it, and I'd do it again. They are cash only and prefer pesos, and there's very little English spoken. But don't let that stop you. Just point to what you want on the menu sign, say how many in Spanish, and they will take care of the rest. The birria I had was incredible. It felt like I was sitting at a family member's table, being served something made with love. Warm, flavorful, and filling. If you're in Playa del Carmen and want a great burrito with no extra fuss, this is definitely the place. I didn't try the sauces on the table since they're left out continuously, but honestly, the food didn't need it. The service was great too. Our waitress did her best to understand my order, and everything came out perfectly. Ten out of ten, highly recommend.

I just ate there. I got 3 birra tacos with cheese. My expectations were moderate, but I had seen a…read morelot of talk about the place on different sites including this one. Very underwhelmed. Not much flavor and full of grease. Thank goodness for the limes I put on them. All the different salsa they had was not safe for muy gringo's like myself. Price was good at 32 pesos per taco. Maybe that had something to do with it.

Good stuff! Quick dinner - a couple of tasty tacos, more than reasonable cost and excellent service.read more

Fast service and great food. While probably not the most authentic Mexican food it sure was good…read more Pineapple salsa is very good as well as the Fajitas. Would recommend for a quick dinner or lunch.

Excelente comida.. gran selección de platos con base de camarón, pulpo en cebiches y otras…read morepresentaciones. No tienen pescado entero pero tienen algunos cortes en filete. Un servicio muy bueno por Daniel!... muy atento y servicial. Un ambiente familiar con música en vivo con corte cubano. Yo regresaría con gusto cada vez que esté en playa. No es un restaurante fancy pero un lugar que amerita su vista. Los felicito y recomiendo.. sigan con el buen trabajo

Nicer restaurant with cool vibe off the main road. Casual enough for kids. We couldn't figure out…read morehow to make a reservation online and no one answered when we called but it wasn't an issue for us as walk in's. Definitely get the guacamole. I know it's Mexico and it's generally done well a lot of places but this guacamole was notable. Seafood was excellent. I have a shrimp allergy so it was good that they indicated that the fish fillet was cooked in the same style and to avoid. Instead I had a fantastic tuna tostado and King Octopus dish. Their aguachiles fish was fresh and tasty as well. All in all, highly recommend. Price point is on the higher side but not as much as fine dining.

This little gem sits off 5th Avenue. We almost walked past and glad we came up this little street…read more The Mayan lobster flambé is made table side. This is amazing!!!!!!! The aroma of fresh garlic, onion and peppers filled the air immediately. I was over joyed with the flavors and medley of the dish coming together. Fresh ingredients, bold mix of flavors and amazing staff!! I love this place

Carboncitos was a really enjoyable experience overall. The food was genuinely delicious. I started…read morewith the chicken soup, which had great flavor, but the portion was pretty small. For my entrée, I had the skirt steak, and it was tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The sweet potato with honey and cinnamon was absolutely delicious. My only real complaint is the portion sizes on a couple of items. The salad was very small, and I would have loved a more generous serving. I also ordered an amaretto sour. It was a little weak at first, so I asked for more amaretto, which made it better, but it still wasn't quite as strong as I prefer. The service was phenomenal. The staff was attentive, kind, and genuinely friendly throughout the entire experience. I felt well taken care of and truly enjoyed myself. I would definitely return.

Axiote Cocina de México was an incredible, beautiful restaurant, and one of the highlights of our…read moretrip--a perfect reminder to get out of the hotel and experience the local fare. The space is warm and completely unpretentious--wood, simple tables, an open kitchen and a palapa-style roof. Nothing about it screams "fine dining," and that's part of the charm. The perfectly prepared food does all the work. We chose the tasting experience, and bite for bite it was outstanding. The fried mushrooms were perfect, the fish ceviche was awesome, and the beef tongue was cooked beautifully. And don't be afraid of the grasshoppers--seriously. Yummy. Even ingredients I normally don't gravitate toward, like black beans, were used so thoughtfully that I enjoyed them. The drink pairings were equally impressive--tequila, beer, wine and espresso--and each one genuinely complemented the course it accompanied. We were basically the only guests that evening, and our waiter turned that into a wonderfully personal experience. He patiently answered every one of our many "American questions" about the ingredients, preparation and pairings, never making us feel rushed or out of place. A sincere thank-you to him, the cooks--who my partner and I gave a standing ovation to--and the entire team for making the evening so memorable. My one tiny suggestion? Cloth napkins. With that many courses, sauces and textures, the paper ones felt a little out of step with the quality of the food. But when the napkin is your biggest criticism, they're doing something right. And then there's the value. For an experience of this quality, the price was remarkable. Our total was about $320 including tip for the full tasting experience and pairings for two. We have spent more than twice that on comparable special-occasion dinners at home, so Axiote felt not just exceptional, but genuinely budget-friendly for what you receive. Axiote is relaxed, confident, welcoming and absolutely worth leaving the resort for. Go hungry, ask questions, trust the kitchen--and yes, eat the grasshoppers.

Great experience last Friday night at this Michinlin Bib restaurant. So glad I stopped by this…read moreplace is bomb and super not pretentious! Wish I got the tasting menu but I opted for 3 of the specialties instead and they were delicious... Tasting menu is best value tho! I got the raw trout sashimi thing and it was by far the best plate of the meal (first dish/appetizer) , then got the shrimp flautas (good not amazing) then I got the trout loin for the entree (good not amazing) Skinny marg was perfect and so was the waitress! Would recommend and go back but like I said I would for sure do with the 6 or 8 course tasting menu!

Four vegetarians in Mexico can struggle finding delicious authentic food that we can eat. The chef…read morecame out and helped us order and customized our dishes and did not disappoint. The food looked beautiful and tasted incredible. We had veggie fajitas, a burrito and a plate of nachos that went on for days.

We read good reviews so we decided to have drinks and appetizers. It's a small place off of fifth…read moreAvenue, which made it much quieter. We ordered the guacamole chips and they were below average . We've been having guacamole and chips every day and these seem to be on the lower end of the taste spectrum for all the guacamole we've had so far. The piña colada did not taste like a piña colada . The margarita tasted really good. It's a small restaurant so the menu is a little on the small side. The service was quick and we were able to get our check quickly too .

Sad that last place to eat dinner before heading back home was mediocre restaurant. I saw some…read moregood reviews and food looked good so thought I give this place a try. Friendly staff like all the other place. Menu was simple and price was not too bad. Ordered guacamole to start, pastor taco, carne Asada taco, stuffed casadilla with Carne Asada. Guac was some what blend, lacked in flavor just mashed up guacamole.. But tasted pretty good. Pastor taco was better than some of the other places. Carne Asada taco meat was little bit on the tough chewy side.. It lacked in flavor but they do give you good amount of meat and tortilla to make your own. Casadilla was not bad, added cheese made it little bit better. Over all food was OK, nothing here made me go man I'm glad I came here.. Nothing I couldn't get it at home.

Best pastor I have ever had! I got a "volcano" which is like a crispy flat tostada. I also enjoyed…read moresome chips and 2 hot salsas (verde and rojo) which were very delicious. I tried a michelado which is beer mixed with a spicy red juice, also good. Very cheap! Watching them cook everything fresh on the griddle was fun and the food was so hot (temp) due to the extremely quick service. My server was also very sweet. I loved watching and listening to the bumping Señor Frogs across the street while supporting a small local business and enjoying undoubtedly much better food at a much better price! Show this place some love!