Location great but food is not. The zenCiI ceviche is about the only decent thing from what we ordered. If you want to have a drink by the beach I think it's a cool spot. But service and food is not the best. Hope this helps! read more

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Fantastic stop at this bar for afternoon drinks. Constance was awesome and very quick with service. Met folks from all over and very friendly vibe. Low cost, good stop, recommended by locals for a spot right on the water. read more

Music sucks during the day. One of the managers takes care of the music and he shouldn't. Service is average at best depending on who is working. Food is very good however and being on the beach doesn't hurt. read more

I was not impressed with this place. i gave it 3 stars, only because it is located on the beach, and the drinks were good. the food is to americanized for me. it's not very authentic. although it was decent tasting I will not return here. 2 adults, 2 children. 2 margaritas 1 beer. 2 plates of nachos. 1 shrimp taco. 1 fish taco. cost me about 60 u.s. dollars. read more

I've been coming here for a while and the food is usually good. Today it was 45 minutes empty restaurant and the food was gross and very chincy for the money. read more

Zenzi - Four strip on a steak sandwich, insane. - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

Oh Zenzi, how I love you so! My hubs and I kept coming back to this beach bar while we were on our vacation. You can use their loungers to relax and lay out by the beach as long as you order 200 pesos worth of food. It's right on the beach with a gorgeous view of the Caribbean Ocean. You can even see Cozumel! The service is great. We spent all day there relaxing on the beach and they never gave us a hard time. The strawberry, banana, yogurt and granola smoothie was great! So was the tuna tostada. The flank steak pepito was good, not great. The fries were average. It's also a fun place to come to happy hour. It's a great atmosphere at night with live music and dancing. read more

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Cool beach bar that has free Salsa lessons each Monday and Thursday. Live music most other nights. It's a great place to meet a group of people, and it's equally well-matched for both lounging and dancing. The food is standard beach bar fare, but since it's within tourist ground zero it's rather pricey. Pro Tip: Order drinks before your current round is done; otherwise you may be waiting a while with an empty glass! read more

Zenzi - Tables in the sand! - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

Small and cramped beach loungers. Service is super slow, shade is patchy and unstable. Bottled water $40 pesos, which I dont mind paying if cold (all drinks arrived warm). The burger was so foul, I had 2 bites and decided to not to eat. To top it off, the water off the beach is rocky, and has a steep slope. This place only gets 2 stars because the reggae band was nice! There are many nicer beach lounges near by. I suggest walking past the pier towards cancun, and trying a beach area after the pier (the sand and water is much better and larger) read more

Zenzi - Small beach with many people crammed in - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

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The food is disgusting The fajitas were stewed, pale, and under seasoned with no char. The Caesar salad is bad. The quality of fish n chips fluctuate from ok to bad. the burger is bad The American (?) guy behind the bar is rude. I can't believe this place is still open. There are so many other options for restaurants in Playa. Don't bother coming here. read more

Zenzi - Pale fajitas..?! Gross!! - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

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Zenzi is a fun place to gather for Happy Hour or just because. We met here with a big group prior to a bar crawl as well as just for drinks because it was a cruddy day for catching rays. Atmosphere is great! Live music that encourages dancing, plenty of tables inside and out as well as loungers and a hug swath of sand (at this writing) for you to lay your blanket on. Service was slow the evening we went there..took literally (yes literally!) 11 minutes to get served at the bar and it was not that busy..and that's when we decided to start timing. We were about to call it and go to the next stop when we finally got recognized and served....and then someone's drink was incorrect. And no we didn't give the bartender 8 drink orders at once (which is fine by me..maybe his English is as good as my Spanish and I wouldn't want 8 drink orders thrown at me either) ...he took one at a time..."Tecate Light".."Tecate Light?" "Yes" ...walks away..brings beer.."Grey Goose and sprite".."Grey Goose and Sprite?"..."Yes"...walks away..brings drink... Are you seeing this pattern? Anyhoo... Service was better when we hung during the day, although not by much. We quickly realized we needed to be ordering another round before our glasses were empty or else we would be going thirsty. Would I make a point to go back there myself? No...only if someone in a group suggested it.. read more

Zenzi - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

We were sucked in by the great reviews, the beautiful scenery of Playa beach and the live music, but it wasn't all that we expected. First, I will say this is definitely a bar catered to the "American people".. and while yes, I am American, I would have preferred a more authentic cuisine. In all honesty, I can't really complain since we didn't order any exotic menu items. Our drinks; margarita and long island were very bland, they didn't pack a punch as we expected them too, just tasted merely like lemon juice (both drinks) still good for the price I suppose. For our entrees, we ordered the giant plate of nachos and the shrimp spaghetti (poor protein selection for a red sauce pasta). The shrimp was overly cooked and the chicken on my nachos were extremely dry. One upsetting factor was that I ordered a side plate of fries, that never arrived - but after eating the regular entrees, I probably would have been upset since I saw that they were steak fries; which in my opinion are the worst kind of carbs you can consume. Overall, I loved the atmosphere of the bar and the people are friendly but I likely wouldn't go back. read more

This little place was really close to our condo. We decided to see what it was like and so glad we did. We decided on the Jumbo Shrimp plate and the guacamole. It was soooo good. I would highly recommend this place. read more

Waste of money.....mediocre food at best. Shrimp pasta is spaghetti with cheap shrimp...they give you calamari with teriyaki sauce...no alcohol in the Margarita.....waste of money and time read more

I was looking for a good Gold Margarita, theirs taste like lemonade. Could not feel the Grand Marnier. I though Playa. Tastes like a regular margarita. Food was OK. Chips were a little stale read more

This is a must try beach bar if vacationing in Playa! Zenzi has strong drinks and a fun atmosphere with live music. The music genre changes everyday. The beach ambiance is great for anyone looking for a beach bar that could accommodate the interests of all the adults in the family. read more

Zenzi - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

Stopped here for a drink and really enjoyed the vibe. There are live bands every night. Lots of tables by the beach and also inside the bar. Apparently they have very good dirty martinis but did not stay long enough to try them. read more

If you're in Playa del Carmen you want to check this place out! Great drinks, fantastic food and your on the beach. It's probably half the price of any of the restaurants on 5th Ave. The staff are very friendly too. read more

Great food, great view. Friendly staff. Mahi mahi catch of the day special was great. 2 for 1 caprihans were good too

We found our evening visit Zenzi very agreeable for adults. Lovely beach view assorted tables, chairs and sofa very inviting. The music was super and gentle to the ears, particularly if you are speaking to someone. The rock band scheduled that night was superb. They played a variety of Doors, Kansas style songs. Although there were few dancing, we took advantage of the floor. We dined on delicious guacamole, chicken satay appetizers, drank a couple beer. Food and service were great. So pleased we found this restaurant/bar. Next time we return, we will catch the 60 and 70's night read more

Killer beach bar. I was drinking Don Julio Anejo for $6/shot. They chose to close because of the Corona virus just like many other local bars(to their credit). Great staff and friendly management/ownership. Thanks for having me on your(temporarily) last night of business. Great people. read more

Great bar on the beach. Right on the beach. You see and hear waves crashing. Location is awesome. Live bands every night. Lots of cover tunes, but the bands are good. Bartenders very attentive. Never waited for a drink. The ceviche was really good. All the food looked good. Fun place to hang out and drink, even when the weather is bad they button it up and keep going! read more

Beautiful location on the beach. Various types of live music depending on the night. Enjoyed a few drinks as the moon came up. Friendly staff with a diversified crowd and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere with reasonable prices. read more

Zenzi - Margaritas On The Beach - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

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Best bar in Playa del Carmen. Great prices. Friendly staff. Amazing view of the ocean.

This is a nice hidden gem right on the beach. While on our walk down 5th avenue, we decided to take a turn down to the beach. As we started hearing salsa music, we began to walk closer to it. As we approached the bar, we were greeted by a friendly server and to our amazement, there was a full band playing salsa music. I must say that I've seen salsa bands play live and when they usually play, everything is rehearsed. After hearing these guys play, I noticed that they were so good at what they do, one guy could start something and the rest could pick up and all improvise. We danced a little and then just sat and relaxed right next to the water, in Zenzi's cool ambience, listening to beautiful music by awesome musicians. read more

Zenzi - Bailando - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

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I'm not going to lie, I found it really hard to get comfortable in Playa Del Carmen. Most places that I travel to I usually find my go-to bar or restaurant on the first or second day and tend to return if my daily explorations don't lead me to anything more fun and exciting. I never found that "old faithful" in PDC. Zenzi was definitely my favorite hang in this tourist trap of a town, but not necessarily my speed either. I did love that it was on the beach, which, believe it or not is a bit difficult to find as most eating and drinking holes are on the city streets. Well, with our toes in the sand we were able to relax for a few hours over plates of guacamole, live music and some cold cocktails here - a welcomed change to the hustle and bustle on the streets above. Top it off with some approachable prices and this is definitely a place that I'll post up at before searching out other gems on my next visit. read more

Cannot beat the location as literally on the beach. Usually beach place have flimsy tables but these were not. There are plenty of them as able to handle our party of 6 on a weekend night. Live music was nice but maybe a bit loud so if want to talk easier get table closer to water. People enjoyed it as usually a few people dancing. Food was good as nicely cooked and not too fatty flank steak. Peppers were hot and recommend cutting them up with onions and spreading heat throughout dish. Service was good as handled group of 6 well with. All entrees coming at sane time. Might have been currency as now 18.5 to dollar and comparing to hotel prices but bull was very reasonable. read more

Thanks to Snowzilla (the blizzarad that struck DC in Jan 2016) I was trapped in Playa Del Carmen for an extra two days. Well, "trapped" is one way of putting it. Another way is saying that lady luck smiles on me more often than not, making me stay in a warm sunny beachside town for a bit more time than I was supposed to be there. All of my traveling companions had left back for the states except for one friend who had fallen ill. Saturday night, I found myself alone in Mexico, so I went out to this bar and ended up meeting several expats there. Cheap beer, good company, great music, and the breeze coming in off the gulf. Pretty good times. At one point someone dragged me onto a dancefloor where 20 or so people were doing salsa, and doing so perfectly. Naturally I went out there, joined them, butchered it with awful steps. Yet somehow it seems that USA-Mexican diplomatic relations weren't set back by my terrible out of step ways. At least for now. More shots, more laughter, more cheers, more music, and more dancing. I'd say if you go to this spot with the right attitude you might have an amazing time. read more

It's on the beach with salsa dancing, Great drinks, and reasonable prices. the food is pretty OK, what's not to love? Wish there was more options in town with beachfront dining like this. Also, has anybody looked at engineering tables to sit on the beach that aren't at a 45° angle?!!! Just saying :-) read more

The location is what makes this place so attractive the live music is also a plus. The drinks are reasonably priced nothing special but not watered down. If you order anything here you're free to leave your things and take a dip in the beach. They have an out door shower to rinse off too. read more

Zenzi - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

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Are you really kidding me? Worse service in Playa del Carmen. I'm very shocked this place is even open. Very poor service. Food takes a long time then when they serve it it's cold. The waiters act like they don't want to be there or we are bothering them. The ones that clear the tables are nice. If I could I would find the ones that work real hard a better place to work. I'm not sure if the Hotel is part of the restaurant or not. But save your money, save your time and stay clear of this place. I will never go back. I'd rather warm up tortillas in my hotel with butter!! And have water... read more

This has been my worst dining experience in Playa! First, I ordered fish tacos, and they brought me shrimp. When I notified the server he took them back, but then the waitress brought them back out to me and told me I ordered shrimp. I told her l didn't and then she argued with me telling me that yes, I did. I couldn't believe how rude that was! She finally agreed to take them back but when the fish tacos came out they were raw on the inside. The fish was wet and not close to flaky. The manager came out and took everything odf the bill. I decided to leave instead of attempting to order anything else. read more

Zenzi - Raw fish in my taco. - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

I'll give it two starts because the drinks were decent. The service is what absolutely hurt this rating. We made our order and clearly saw it was written up by the waiter correctly . It came out one meal short and the fajitas were cold as possible. We gave them an opportunity to redeem them selves and reminded them of what we wanted as well as one more drink which was still never brought after 25 minutes . We asked for the check and promptly left. I will say The shrimp tacos were good , the Miami vice was also pretty good. But not good enough to make me return. To the owner . Hire more staff during busy hours or keep on them. They seemed very flustered and overwhelemed. Not their fault . It is a management issue as well as communication with the cooks . Get it together and your place can do much better. read more

Came this afternoon, we didn't really enjoy it nothing outstanding however the managers are very good, it doesn't make sense that their beach chairs are on the floor in the sand because you will get sand in your eyes from people passing by or the wind. The food isn't fantastic but doable. And if you want wifi don't bother sitting on the beach the bar and closest to the bar is best, otherwise it will go in and out. read more

Zenzi - The calamari was too chewy wings were good fries usual. Don't sit out by the water you will get sand in your food and eyes from passers by - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

We went here on a Tuesday night and it was really great. Live music, dancing, super chill couches. The atmosphere is great, the music is not so loud you can't talk. I loved the lights, the waves crashing in the background and the overall vibe. Great place to grab some drinks and chill. We'll be coming back for dinner. read more

The good: the mushroom ravioli is one of the best Italian dishes I have ever had. Being in Mexico, and in a very touristy spot I do realize how unbelievable that sounds, but it's true. Also the bread appetizer that comes for free is delicioso! The bad: terrible music. Some Europop. Location is right along busy shopping street which is fun but you can't get away from the car exhaust of the cars driving by. read more

drinks are reasonable, fun atmosphere especially during any Dutch event- e.g King´s Birthday, Soccer Matches etc. Reasonable service. They have beach chairs but charge $220 pesos unless you purchase that amount in food, drinks (USD 20)p/p. Tried the Sunday Barbecue, which was ok, but realized that many ítems were not actually grilled on the BBQ but grilled/cooked in the kitchen and kept warm on the BBQ/grill. read more

We ended up going to this place twice, and when traveling this is something I don't always do. This place has a good vibe. We were there in the afternoon for a bite to eat and ended up staying longer sipping on mango margaritas. One of the best margaritas I have ever had, ever! Zenzi has a live band when the night falls. We were there two nights in a row, and it was a different band both nights. The food is pretty good. I just didn't like their chips, but I am super picky with chips. The service is not the greatest mainly because they are pretty busy, and they don't communicate well with each other. But nonetheless, they are very fast and friendly. Mrs. Clean right here, I would give them 5 stars if they kept their cushions cleaner or change them more often. Specially if you go to eat and lounge. read more

Situated right on the beach- a relaxed place for dinner with good service. The live band in the evening adds a very pleasant touch. Food was good but not mind blowing. read more

Zenzi - Ceviche with a view - Bars Near Me - Playa del Carmen, ROO

Location is great however not a fan of the vibe, as the location is on the beach but the vibe is not a real beach vibe. The drinks, food and music are good. read more

This place, because of its location beside the sea, is great for a drink or two, to enjoy the view and ocean breeze. The food and service was just ok. The grilled chicken satay was very dry and fiber tasting. The tuna tostadas was ok, but the mayonnaise was stealing all the attention. The aguachili was also, ok but not memorable. read more

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