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    Tropicante Ameri-Mex Grill

    4.4 (18 reviews)
    InexpensiveAmerican, Mexican

    Tropicante Ameri-Mex Grill Photos

    TROPICANTE AMERI-MEX GRILL ATMOSPHERE

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    Menu and view
    Michelle D.

    Mom and I came here due to the recommendations of other travelers on our trolley to the beach. I'm so glad we decided to move out from the fake city that was created around the cruise ship ports. We ended up being able to get beach chairs and a table although we didn't make reservations ahead of time (I recommend making them). The water and the view and the environment was GORGEOUS. Just what I wanted on a tropical vacation. We ordered some Modelos, daiquiris, pina coladas, and guacamole and chips. The food was perfect for the view and our server Eduardo was so nice and helpful and attentive. There are shops right across the street that you can stroll by and gander at the knick knacks. This is definitely somewhere I'd visit again. Come here if you have a stop in Costa Maya and don't want to go on a tequila tour! (Which sounds awesome, but I'm a lightweight so...)

    Marty C.

    Had this place on the agenda and was hoping to have enough time after returning from a cruise ship excursion to the ruins. Lucky us, we had time. Jumped in a cab, two dollars per person and off we went to el Tropicante. Arrived quickly and were happily surprised to meet the owner and a couple of patrons. What a warm and inviting location. Enjoyed a local beer and also, a shot of the most amazing Agave Tequila called El Compadre. Enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying a bottle to take home with me. Wish we hadn't eaten since the menu looked very appetizing. There was even a small gift shop with very well priced trinkets; and really, cheaper than what I had seen earlier. I will definitely return to el Tropicante when in Costa Maya. Loved this place! Note: Don't forget your bathing suit, the beach is directly in front of this gem of a spot. Must stop for geocachers too!

    Our total bill. $55 American dollars?!?!?!
    Jill R.

    GIFTSHOP CLOSED!!! Be aware, Steve was nowhere to be seen, the gift shop is gone, and there are no more books. If that's why you're going look elsewhere. While we disappointed, we loved our stay. Grab a plate of nachos for sure and then try the affordable massages right on the beach. We spent a very pleasant afternoon at Tropicante, only leaving briefly to walk the boardwalk of shops literally across the street. Yes, merchants will speak to you. A polite no is all you need. I removed one star because of the gift shop. I had been planning to buy their tees and tequila and was so disappointed. It's not the same, but it IS great!!!

    Chrissy C.

    We are HUGE fans of Tropicanate! We first came here 5 years ago on a cruise and again this past January on another cruise. I was ecstatic to see the stop in Costa Maya and immediately emailed Steve to save us a few seats! Rarely people actually sit inside the restaurant, because there is a huge piece of beach in front! They have lounge chairs, tables, and plastic chairs people use to sit in the water. We chose lounge chairs and they are under a some shade. They have really updated the beach front in the last few years so we were super happy! I was sad it was a little cold the day we were there. I mean not freezing, but not exactly a hot sunny beach day. The sun did come out, but we didn't really get in the water more than waist deep. But it was so relaxing resting on the lounge chairs and reading my book. He does have wi-fi, but it didn't quite reach where we were enough to upload photos. At one point I did go sit inside to get those to Facebook. But it just took a few minutes and I made it back just in time for our food to get there. We shared a huge order of nachos with chicken and got a side of guacamole. We moved to a table to better eat. They do bring you small tables to put your drinks on, but needed a table to eat. The first thing to do when you get here is sign up for a massage. A beach massage is just what I needed! It was $30 for an hour which you pay in your bill. But then we tipped the ladies who did the massages. It had only gone up $5 in 5 years and it a great bargain and was super nice and relaxing. They had a pretty large menu and a lot of drink options. We got pina coladas the first 2 rounds. The 3rd round we had a strawberry frozen margarita. They were $6 each so it did add up fast, but cheaper than the cruise ship! The staff here is great and they don't bother you to keep ordering, but area always around to get you another drink. Last time we didn't have anyone bothering us to buy things at the beach, but this time a few people kept walking by, but we just said no thanks. Steve sends great directions and a map so it was easy to get here. It was a long walk out of the port area, but only because they make it that way. We just kept following the signs for the trolley. On the way back we found a short cut through and it was much better. We did take a taxi back and it was $6 total, while the trolley was $3 each. Steve said he may switch back to the taxi as his suggestion. But the trolley ride was nice and there was another couple going to the same place. There were 3 of us. My husband wore his Tropicanate shirt. I was very glad he did. We had seen the Tropicanate and ended up about a block down from it. That walk down that small block were tons of guys trying to get us to go with them to their place, but we just said we had a reservation already and when people saw his shirt they mostly left us alone. And then an actual guy with a Tropicanate shirt appeared and took us the rest of the way! He also helped get us a taxi when we left. That taxi was a huge van and it was just the 3 of us. The biggest issue is just making sure they take you to the correct location and don't convince you to go somewhere else. You won't regret coming to the Tropicanate! I can't wait to go back!

    A great day in Costa Maya.  Great service.  Good food.
    John L.

    A great day on the beach. Great service and good food. A must if you are in Costa Maya.

    View from our table

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Stopped for the geocache, ended up trying a local brew and making friends. Hope to come back. Very friendly atmosphere.

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    Review Highlights - Tropicante Ameri-Mex Grill

    We took a cruise that landed us in Costa Maya and didn't want to go through a whole hassle that day.

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    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Shrimp ceviche with nachos

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef

    4.9(29 reviews)
    0.2 km

    I had such a nice, chill day at Jamie's At The Blue Reef! If you're looking for a spot to just…read morerelax and enjoy the ocean, this is definitely it. I loved the beach loungers, they were so comfortable and made it easy to just hang out all afternoon. The whole environment is super laid-back and exactly the "vacation vibe" I was looking for. I was also really happy with the prices. The drinks are very reasonably priced, especially for being right on the water, and the mix of Seafood and Mexican food was great. It's the perfect no-stress spot to grab a bite and a cold drink while soaking up the sun.

    Feels like a place where you feel 'special' because you are in the know. Jaime's at the Blue Reef…read moreis a restaurant the offers an AYCE food/drink experience on the beach at Costa Maya for $61 for a day pass per person (if you contact the business directly). It also includes free rental of canoe or paddleboard (which we did not take advantage of). They only have a certain number of slots per day, though on our day, there were plenty of spots still open. My brother and I spent a half day experiencing their hospitality on a port day from the Harmony of the Seas, and it was great, exceeding my expectations. My brother was able to book directly with them days before. Once off the boat, we took a taxi from the cruise port for $5 a person. It was .about a 10 minute ride, going through very bumpy and potholed roads. We got dropped off in a rural area, and it's definitely an island vibe in the area. Blue reef is the hotel which the taxi driver knew and routed towards. Once we checked in at the hotel, we got the choice of shaded loungers closer to the water or a bit further back (good to bring a rented towel from the boat). The beach in back of the hotel has palm trees to provide shade, and the water is extremely shallow, protected by a man-made barrier . It's a public beach, so a lot of vendors initially asking for purchases, but after enough 'no, thanks', they left us alone (though new ones popped up during our stay). It wasn't so busy, so our waiter/beach attendant came by pretty often to check on us. The first order of business was to get the wi-fi password, and the wi-fi worked well throughout our 4 hour stay, letting me catch up a bit. Of course, we started with drinks, so off the focused menu, got two mojitos. They were surprisingly good...served in cheap plastic mile glass, but had plenty of fresh muddled mint...tasted really good and I probably had too much. Also towards the end of our stay, got a mango margarita (served frozen, but done so a bit melted, preventing a brain freeze) and a tequila sunrise. Both were well made, with a decent amount of alcohol. As for food, we ordered a lot off the menu and everything was decent to very good, especially since it was served to you beachside in small portions. The corn tortillas were fresh, home style, thick and greasy: perfect for the various dishes that we ate with them. Nachos had choice of chicken and beef, and both proteins were excellent: good flavor, cooked over a flame. It also used nacho cheese, and a good mix of diced onion and cilantro. The quesadilla used good flour tortillas, intentionally cut into very small squares for sharing, and used the same good meats. I had to try their shrimp ceviche, and definitely better than i expected, with good mexican white shrimp and a good mix of lime juice and tomato/onion to bring out the flavor. Recommendation is to keep ordering every time the server comes back, until one is satisfied. The friendly service was excellent, with Roberto (main server) and Chucho being the two servers with Ale being the bartender, who made the excellent drinks. One can definitely get much food and drinks as wanted in the shade, and with the constant excellent weather, a really great way to spend the day if coming in for the day on a cruise.

    Photos
    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - View from lounger of ocean

    View from lounger of ocean

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Fish tacos

    Fish tacos

    Jamie's At The Blue Reef - Cold Sol BEER!

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    Cold Sol BEER!

    Tropicante Ameri-Mex Grill - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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