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    Tora Tulum

    3.6 (41 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese, Sushi Bars, Seafood
    Open 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Tora Tulum Photos

    TORA TULUM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Touristy
    Trendy
    Classy
    Upscale

    Recommended Reviews - Tora Tulum

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    Julie N.

    SUCH an amazing place to have dinner! If you're looking for dinner with entertainment this is definitely the place! First off, the service is excellent. All the waiters were very attentive and always asked if we needed anything. If a napkin fell, they would immediately come by to pick it up or give us a new one. They also would give photo op suggestions. Every few minutes it felt like the restaurant was celebrating something. Everyone would be given these fireworks (like a morning glory) and you could dance with it. The workers would dance too and a song would play throughout the restaurant that truly brought the restaurant to life. Food was incredible. I ordered a vegan curry which had so much flavor and my bf ordered the seafood risotto which I wish I got since it was incredibly flavorful. Best seafood I've ever had. Drinks were beautiful! Also if it's your birthday; they will give you a free slice of cake!

    Lobster appetizer
    R. L.

    Loud party time restaurant. The short ribs were my favorite thing of all I tried Including the sea bass, Ny steak marinated in whisky, blackened salmon(*another favorite) sushi and the second best was the seafood rice pot. Ronaldo was our waiter / host and he did an incredible job. Service is top notch

    Geisha blossom cocktail!
    Tina T.

    This place is something else, in a good way! We had dinner at the restaurant across the street and as we were leaving, the music in Tora drew us in for a drink at the bar. The restaurant was pretty packed but we were easily able to find two seats at the bar. I ordered this crazy cool cocktail in a globe and ended up ordering another later. I couldn't tell you how the food is but the energy of this place is super fun. There were several "theme" songs and when played, the servers would come out with sparklers, live bongo drums playing, people dancing, etc. This included Rosa Negra attached to the restaurant. My girlfriend and I laughed, danced, and enjoyed the craziness of it all. The only negative is the drug dealers waiting by the bathrooms asking you if you want to purchase anything. Pretty unsettling but an unfortunate staple of MANY of the restaurants along that strip.

    Shrimp & Ginger Gyoza
    Mif M.

    Our first dinner in Tulum. Although the sushi roll menu was limited, we genuinely enjoyed both of the rolls we ordered. I didn't enjoy the black cod miso as much, but the other fish was pretty good despite the bones. I wish the menu was broader and the sushi rolls had more options other then having shrimp tempura in multiple rolls.

    Colossal shrimp, good, but expensive. $50USD. The head is raw/undercooked, as seen here
    Dat H.

    Our experience did not match the great reviews on TripAdvisor. DRINKS - I had the red scarlet, my friend had the cucumber wasabi martini. My drink was very weak, can't taste the alcohol, while my friend enjoyed his FOOD- Fireballs- presentation was nice, but the food itself was underwhelming. It's a ball of mostly rice, minimal crab. Overpriced, I'd def skip Rock shrimp - also among our least favorite Pork belly- this was good and fatty. Colossal Grilled octopus (the larger entree version) - minimal charring, under seasoned, and a bit bland. Had to dip with soy sauce. I'd definitely skip. Colossal shrimp $50 - this was very good, good seasoning and charring. Except, the head was raw/undercooked, so don't attempt to eat it Free appetizer - some sort of cream cheese with plantain. Ironically, we enjoyed this a lot. It was very tasty Atmosphere- very loud music, we had a hard time hearing each other. Also in the restrooms, we were greeted by several guys, selling us cocaine, marijuana, or prostitution. On the way in AND out. To the point we felt harassed and very uncomfortable. I'm shocked that this was tolerated for a restaurant claiming to be high end. CONCLUSION- between 2 stars, where we would not return, or 3 stars, where we're on the fence, it's an easy 2 stars for us. The food was very pricey for what you get ($350 USD with tip), poor value, poor atmosphere. If you're looking for an amazing restaurant with romantic jungle setting and music, where u can actually have a conversation with delicious food, head down to Kitchen Table (which we had the following night, and it was far, far superior (not to mention cheaper)

    Mezcalita
    Mireya R.

    I was expecting to be wowed by this place given the hype. We made reservations and were seated right away. We are 99% certain our waiter was tweaking out on drugs. It was a very weird experience. They sat our group of 5 in a large table where 3 were on one side and 2 on the other. The music was so loud that the 5 of us were not able to carry a conversation for the entire night. If you go to the bathroom, you'll also be asked to buy drugs. At one point while we were there, the server asked us to give him a positive review on Google in exchange for a "surprise" which turned out to be sparkler that the entire restaurant was getting. Super super let down with this place. The food and drinks were mediocre. Would NEVER go back.

    Pork skewers
    Taira H.

    So glad we found this spot! It's a hip spot to go to on a weekend night! They have the best DJ and music and the restaurant is gorgeous! It gets packed so be prepared. Overall the service was great and the food was beyond amazing. It was great quality foods and the portions are bigger than tapas but get a few dishes. We tried the pork skewers which were amazing. The 30 day aged steak with sauces was delicious. All their drinks are IG worthy and fun! We got the spicy yellowtail roll with red peppers on top, be aware.. it's spicy! Be prepared for it to be busy. Service was good until we had to pay our check which took 45 mins but we did have a group of 10 as a walk In. Either way they were blasting great music so we didn't mind!

    Spicy tuna roll
    Brittany P.

    This was one of the coolest dinner experiences I've had! Not only was the vibe awesome it was a whole experience. Everything we ordered was amazing. One of my favorites being the signature steak with the truffle sauce... WOW. The mushroom rice & flaming rice balls !! They served us super fast and all of the employees made the experience fun with sparklers & having us stand on our chairs at one point. If you're boring, don't go here... lol it's a like a party at dinner & I honestly debated sleeping there so I never had to leave would go back 100x, we were there for at least 3 hours so overall it's totally worth the price.

    Don Chatto
    O M G.

    We intended to go Rosa Negra for dinner but could not be accommodated and I'm not sure how this place is split up or what but they said we can eat at Tora which was literally walking through the restaurant to the other side. Vegan options were noted on the menu. Drinks were on the flashy side-- well the place was more like a flashy fun type place. It was dark and they would hand us sparklers every now and then and encouraged standing on your seat, being loud and creating this atmosphere and ambience of what some might consider a good time. If you wanna just eat in a quiet place-- you've come to the wrong place. People enjoyed hookah, dancing on the bar, cheering with flashing lights. I didn't expect it and looked around like wtf.. but i went with it and had a good time. The signature drinks were ok.. it was more of a marvel to look at than anything. The vegan food I had was ok with the exception of the kimchi roll. That one I liked most and would have again. An amuse bouche of sorts was given but the staff was good in letting me know it wasn't vegan but a vegan option wasn't given so that was a wtf as well. Be prepared and know what your in for when you go to Tora. Dinner in the dark with maybe a lit candle at your table with intermittent sparkler activities. I was also offered drugs leaving the restroom so there's also that.

    Black cod with miso
    Tina C.

    Came here for dinner on a Saturday after seeing the menu and pictures of the food and restaurant. Tora is a trendy spot with great ambiance and even with a club-like atmosphere after a certain time. I instantly fell in love with the decor and the vibe of the restaurant. We arrived around 7:30 pm and at this point the restaurant was still pretty empty with the exception of a few earlier diners. We peruse the drink menu and I decide on the Geisha's memories, which comes in their unique glass sphere on ice. The drink itself was okay, but you're definitely paying for the presentation of the drink. We started off with the tartare platter, fire balls, crispy spicy octopus, and the soft shell crab. The tartare platter came with salmon, tuna, and hamachi and the potions were disappointingly small. There was white truffle oil on all three tartare, which gave it an elevated flavor. The crispy spicy octopus came out next, which is pretty much their calamari. The batter was too thick and I could barely taste the octopus. It was also not spicy, as advertised. Meh. I've had way better. The soft shell crab was also battered way too much but it was decent. The fire balls were flambeed table side, which was a nice touch. It came out with four rice balls mixed with Alaskan King crab. This was pretty good and had a nice smoky flavor to it. For our entrees, we ordered the black cod with miso and the USDA prime spicy fillet (medium rare). The black cod was delicious, although a very small portion. The steak, however, was overcooked and very tough and dry. They did recook it for me and it was better the second time around but it was still not a very good steak. We also ordered the Japanese mushroom hot rice pot which had shaved black truffle in it. This was a tasty side to share and reminded me of a risotto. For dessert, we ordered the yuzu key lime pie, which is also flambeed tableside. The key lime pie was very creamy and rich and reminded me more of a cheesecake than a custardy key lime pie. Very big portions and is great for sharing. About halfway through our dinner, we noticed the restaurant starting to fill up and starting to get very lively. By the end of dinner, it seemed like a full-on dance party while dining. Every other table was getting fire sparklers delivered to them for either ordering a round of shots or for birthdays. Nonetheless, it was packed and reminded me almost of a club. Overall, this place is hip and trendy with decent and very overpriced food. If you're looking for a quiet, classy dinner with good food, this place is probably not the place for you. However, if you're looking for a place with good drinks and a fun atmosphere, you'll enjoy Tora.

    Paalika B.

    Amazing! Unique food with such a wonderful atmosphere, definitely gets packed on any given night so make reservations! They do everything they can to make sure your food tastes great and your night remains entertaining!

    Isa N.

    This is the only place is Tulum I gave 4 stars, the reason is they are a little disorganized. First day I came, we didn't have a reservation and they told us to do it via Facebook for the next day. Next day we made reservation and they didn't find it in the system. The lady gave us a table after talking to her and the tanle was right next to the entrance and people around us were walking so close, that finally they have to move our table. Besides that, service of waiter was suuper super good. Food is ok. Ambience is like you are in a party.

    Jonathan L.

    Tourists beware! We came in a big group and they brought us water we did not request. For 17 water bottles we were charged 133 USD!!! Unbelievable! Environment is extremely stuffy and hot! They turn the entire restaurant into a suffocating smoke hot box with all the fireworks. NOT COVID SAFE!! Very irresponsible and unethical. Drugs sold in the bathrooms. Did NOT feel comfortable. Will never return.

    The tuna and salmon tartare, highly recommend!

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    Review Highlights - Tora Tulum

    Sushi and mushroom rice were also fantastic.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    NÜ Tulum

    NÜ Tulum

    4.4(91 reviews)
    1.1 km

    Was a bit underwhelmed by this spot to be honest. The aesthetics were on point, open air concept…read morewith widely spaced tables, candles, decent music. They start you off with a complimentary piece of toast with some vegetable chunks. Each of us got a quarter of a piece of dry white bread that I would pass on in the future but the vegetables paired with it had decent flavor. I got the passion fire as my drink and very much enjoyed it. It was sweet and refreshing with just the right amount of heat. 9/10. For appetizers my group split the duck tartlet with pink mole, the sweet potato agrodolce, and the hamachi tiradito. The duck was well cooked and tender but lacking in flavor. The pink mole wasn't adding much to the dish other than creaminess. The tart shell was awful. It was thick and dry and reminiscent of a premade store bought tart shell. 5/10. The sweet potato agrodolce was good, the sweet potato and squash ribbons had a nice firm texture and snap but all of the flavor came from the yogurt sauce that they were sitting on. 7/10. The hamachi tiradito was my favorite of the apps. The fish was fresh and light, the flavors were interesting with the combination of the sweet banana vinaigrette, the salty umami ponzu, and the sweet tangy mango, chili, cucumber salsa. This dish was the best of the night, 8/10. For mains we split the catch of the day, which was red snapper, and the broken beet. The fish was underwhelming, being a bit overcooked and dry. The sauce it was drenched in helped with the dryness but didn't lend much flavor. The yuca chips were a nice addition, adding a nice crunch to contrast the soft textures of the fish and sauce but again, not lending much in flavor. Chips could have been salted. 6/10. The beets were cooked well, they were soft and tender and paired nicely with the sour cream, turmeric oil, and salad. The turmeric oil added acidity, the salad added freshness and also acidity from the dressing it had, and the sour cream added a nice creaminess and tangy. These flavors offset the richness of the beets nicely. My second favorite dish, 8/10. For dessert we went with the "corn," which was a cake shaped like a corn cob with a chopped nut center and what I think was real corn kernels across the exterior, paired with a corn ice cream. Overall a solid dessert, the chopped nuts added a nice crunch however the cake as a whole was a bit dry. The ice cream added some needed moisture and paired nicely with the cake, though the texture was a bit icy, more like a corn sorbet than a corn ice cream. 6/10. Overall a good experience but with its high prices and small portions I wouldn't go back. The apps were on average between $20-$30 usd, with mains being between $25-$50 usd, and dessert $20 usd.

    Nü is the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner! The food and cocktails were amazing and reasonably…read morepriced. Our favorite was the duck confit tartlets and short rib. The entire place was beautiful decorated with so much greenery. Service was attentive and they also have bug spray in case you forget. Would highly recommend to anyone going to Tulum!

    Photos
    NÜ Tulum
    NÜ Tulum
    NÜ Tulum

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    Simple

    Simple

    4.2(31 reviews)
    0.7 km
    $$$

    Simple was simply delicious! Bad jokes aside, this place was located in a very touristy area filled…read morewith restaurants and boutique hotels, and the food and service were great! My friend and I split the Simple Fish Ceviche (peanuts, chia seeds, serrano peppers, red onions, etc.) and that was so fresh and flavorful! He got the tuna dish which was also great, but my black rice with octopus, calamari, and plantains was seriously A+. The black rice must have been made with squid ink or something but the total combination was a seriously savory seafood dish that was extremely filling and not like anything I've ever had before. I highly recommend getting this dish, but, be warned, it is EXTREMELY filling! After the ceviche and a passionfruit mojito (also delicious), I only had room for half of my entree. Another upside is that many of the staff can speak English. The only downside we had was a weird moment with the check. The receipt said "tip" in Spanish but then had a bolded "No tip included" at the bottom. We also tried paying with card because we didn't have any cash, and the first time around our waiter said the internet was down and he couldn't run the card through. We asked him to try again and it went through that second time. Also, this is a much pricier restaurant than other places in Tulum/Mexico with dishes mostly in the $20 range. Aside from that, I really recommend going to this place for the delicious food!

    Pricing here is like at Tenadie's infamous place in Les Mis: "charge 'em for the lice, extra for…read morethe mice, 2% for looking in the mirror twice!" The food is already overpriced, even by Tulum tourist standards. Then adding the posted exchange rate, the cost unexpectedly increases 15%. And they charge an additional 5% for using a credit card. AND there is an automatic gratuity of 15% for any size party, which is insult added on injury for the painfully slow service. If you want outstanding Tulum seafood try EL CAMELLO JR on highway 307. That's where local fishermen sell their FRESH catch DAILY. El Camello is easy to find or reach by taxi, it gets a higher Yelp rating, and the service and prices are honest and friendly. Be aware that El Camello only accepts cash, a testament to its local authenticity and popularity. El Camello was recommended by our concierge when we asked for a seafood recommendation, and it was well worth the 10 min drive. You'll wait a lot longer than that for your food to be served at Simple. If you'd rather eat on the Tulum strip, then just a few yards down the road try Alma Tulum which has equally good food (including grilled seafood), an ocean view, great ambiance, and genuinely warm Mexican hospitality without abusive pricing for unsuspecting tourists.

    Photos
    Simple - Super cute decor

    Super cute decor

    Simple - All that deliciousness

    All that deliciousness

    Simple

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    Casa Banana

    Casa Banana

    4.1(213 reviews)
    0.3 km
    $$$

    We stumbled upon Casa Banana while walking the beach road in Tulum looking for a dinner spot. It's…read morea Michelin guided restaurant and we were lucky to get a table on a Wednesday night since we didn't have a Rez. It's a very vibey spot with low lighting and a boho atmosphere. The highlight of the entire night was the baked fig appetizer! It was gooey and delicious! We also ordered the whole fish baked in the wood fire oven. The fish of the night was yellowtail. First time to ever eat a whole fish and wow was it good! For cocktails we got the Pilar, which had the lightest hint of hazelnut, and the Emerald whiskey cocktail. It was unique, but the Pilar was better. Service was very attentive and made great recommendations. Go check this place out and try and make a reservation for the weekends.

    This was by far my favorite meal during our mini moon in Tulum!…read more The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the ambiance had a good balance between intimate & lively. All the dishes and drinks we had were delicious but the stand out was their sweet corn & leek empanada! I enjoyed the flaky crust against the creamy filling. The salsa that came with it gave it a nice spice! The Rucula salad was also delicious! And the sea bass! We ordered 5 dishes and the portions were perfect. We left satisfied! I plan on returning when in the area and I highly recommend!

    Photos
    Casa Banana - Wood fire oven

    Wood fire oven

    Casa Banana - Asparagus with goat cheese and garlic

    Asparagus with goat cheese and garlic

    Casa Banana - Snapper with sauteed vegetables and mashed sweet potato.

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    Snapper with sauteed vegetables and mashed sweet potato.

    La Malinche - Grilled Octopus and Al Pastor Taco

    La Malinche

    4.7(85 reviews)
    0.6 km

    Came here for a nightcap after dinner. We ordered a Pina Colada and Passion fruit Margarita with…read moreMezcal. The Pina Colada was watered down and the taste of alcohol was absent. I hardly drink and did not get even a baby buzz from the drink. The Margarita was OK. The service was OK. Each drink was $300 MXN or around $17 USD. Maybe I visited on an off day? There's plenty of other places in the area, this place would be a last resort.

    Ok, so we're in Tulum and it's time to smash on our first dinner sesh. After walking around…read morechecking out what we fancy we settled for this spot. Welcome to La Malinche. Lets get to the food shall we. Chapulunes Tacos - Yes I like this stuff. I adore the preparation. The avocado doesn't really do much for the rest of the taco, but sauced up its a 6.8/10 Mushroom Taco - I couldn't stress enough about my partiality to vegan food. I adore the texture and the taste. I feel they put all the effort on this taco. 8.7/10 Al Pastor - It's nice and juicy. The the pineapples are present. Taste does fall a little short from the ones I've had before. 7.6/10 Service was pleasant. The ambiance was a total vibe. I would definitely recommend. If you ever make it to Tulum, do give this spot a proper go at it and let me know what you think. Hit that like and follow for more food and travel adventures by yours truly. Share this review with a smash mode buddy. And thank you so much for reading along.

    Photos
    La Malinche
    La Malinche - Welcome Tequilla Shot , their region's tradition is paired with fried crickets ...yes you read that correctly

    Welcome Tequilla Shot , their region's tradition is paired with fried crickets ...yes you read that correctly

    La Malinche - La Malinche

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    La Malinche

    Hartwood - Shrimp

    Hartwood

    4.0(430 reviews)
    0.0 km
    $$$$

    Where to start. If Our friends had not told us to try the beet, we most likely would have missed…read moreit. I have to tell you you have never tasted anything quite so delicious. So definitely the beet! We are sure tried the fish collar, which many people skip not realizing that this might be the most delicate and flavorful part of the fish. In fact I was tempted to just have two orders of this as my main dish. I had the Wildflower drink, which was light and delicate. We were able to come early at 6pm, only half an hour after they open, and by the time we left an hour later, to say they were full is an understatement. If you like to start the evening calm, as I do, I'd highly suggest coming early and then wandering the street. This also gives you a little time to talk to your wait staff. The server we had (I apologize, I have forgotten his name but I'll ask my husband and add it later) guided us through the menu and had excellent knowledge of each item. And, like everyone we've encountered here, was so gracious with his time and presence. I never feel rushed here as I do in some other tourist focused places. Gratuity is included, yet I'd say adding some is most deserved.

    Excellent food, excellent experience. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, good music, and…read moreattentive staff. Menus are written on sandwich boards placed around the restaurant and the waiters come to your table and explain every menu item in detail. My waiter was very helpful with recommendations and answering any questions I had. I ordered the collar de pescado and the tostada de tartar for my apps, the fillete de robalo (sea bass) for a main, and the berenjena (roasted eggplant) for a side. The collar de pescado, the sea bass collar, was absolutely delicious. The fish was soft and tender, topped with a robust tomato based sauce. Super flavorful. 9/10. The tostada de tartar was also outstanding. The crisp tortilla paired perfectly with the soft fresh fish. The fish mixture was light, creamy, and a little spicy, topped with some greens for freshness and finished off with some lime juice for acidity and brightness. 10/10. The sea bass fillet was cooked perfectly, the fish was soft and juicy and had an incredible crispy skin that gave it a wonderful crunch. It was paired with a creamy sauce, spinach, and cauliflower. The different elements of the dish worked well together, with the vegetables cutting through the richness of the fish and the sauce adding flavor and a contrasting texture to the crispy fish skin. 9/10. The eggplant was good, however it was my least favorite dish. The eggplant was soft and flavorful on the inside, however the skin was a little bit tough. The mole it was paired with had a nice smoky flavor and I wish there had been more of it. 8/10. For dessert I got their only dessert, the honey cake. OH MY GOD THIS DESSERT WAS LIFE CHANGING. Probably one of if not the best dessert I've ever had. The cake was very dense, with the consistency of a blondie. The honey taste is subtle and there is also a slight smoky flavor that comes through from being cooked in their wood fire oven. The cake is topped with a chamomile whipped cream and salt. The whipped cream is so light and airy while still being incredibly creamy. The lightness of the whipped cream works perfectly with the richness of the cake. The salt on top really takes it up a notch. 11/10. My only complaints are that the wooden benches you sit on are very uncomfortable and it gets very smoky from the wood burning oven, and I was seated almost at the other end of the restaurant. It was also quite loud but the place is small and it was packed, nothing the restaurant can do about that. Prices are steep but well worth it in my opinion.

    Photos
    Hartwood - Hartwood

    Hartwood

    Hartwood - Shrimp

    Shrimp

    Hartwood

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    Tora Tulum - japanese - Updated August 2026

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