A few of my currently favorite inexpensive (but tasty) food places in Cozumel:

[El Graduado]

Los Moros de Morritos. Av. 35 between Morelos and Calle 3. Comida del dia (like Frijol con Puerco on Mondays, and Queso Relleno on Sunday). Not to be confused with El Moro.

El Negro. (NOT Tacos El Ñero). Av. 30 between Calles 19 and 21, in the parking lot behind Restaurant Las Tortugas. Tacos de guisados until noon or when they run out (usually before noon).

Dapur Kantic Buffet. In Las Portales building on Av. Andres Quintana Roo on north side between Gonzalo Guerrero and Av. 5. All you-can-eat Indonesian buffet, your choice of bottle drink included. Also a three-item price. Open when cruise ships are docked.

Parripollo. Charcoal-grilled, chicken marinated in pineapple juice, to go only. Av. 30 at Rosado Sales on NE corner.

Los Morelitos. (Meaning from state of Morelos) Open evenings. Between Av. 70 and 70 bis on south side of Juarez. Traditional tacos (sudadero, tripas, and more) made on a traditional comal de bola. Killer caldo de res as starter.

The food offerings on Cozumel are changing all the time. For an idea of how they have changed over the years, read my book The True History of the Foods of Yucatan, available on Amazon. To see images of some of Cozumel's restaurants from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, see my newest book, Cozumel's Golden Years, also available from Amazon.

 

[ReefHound]

I like Moros but wouldn't put them in the inexpensive category.

 

[El Graduado]

I like Moros but wouldn't put them in the inexpensive category.

I thought 120 pesos (say, $7.50 usd) for chips, salsa, soup, warm tortillas, rice, large serving (way big enough for two) of queso relleno and a drink was reasonable on Cozumel. I am talking about Moros del Morritos on Av. 35, not El Moro on Av. 75 bis.

 

[gianster]

That would be great to have a list of taquerias that serve cerveza and or margaritas. When I’m on vacation I like to have drinks with my tacos. A lot of the best taquerias are dry.

 

[El Graduado]

That would be great to have a list of taquerias that serve cerveza and or margaritas. When I’m on vacation I like to have drinks with my tacos. A lot of the best taquerias are dry.

Truly great tacos and a liquor license are pretty much mutually exclusive.

A pull-down list on the search box of my interactive map of San Miguel shows many of the city's taquerias. Being included in the map is not a recommendation, it is only meant to show their locations. Try the map. It has all kinds of restaurant and bar locations marked. It is searchable by restaurant name or by type, like "Seaview" or "Ethnic."

Interactive City Map - EverythingCozumel

 

[Zane]

Truly great tacos and a liquor license are pretty much mutually exclusive.

Why is this?

 

[ReefHound]

Why is this?

Maybe because the best tacos are by small family owned businesses and it takes mucho dinero to get an alcohol license.

 

[El Graduado]

Why is this?

Really great tacos are like (as a matter of fact ARE) "home cooking." These great taco places usually precook and prepare the ingredients at home, and then bring them to their place of sale and warm them up. These places of sale are generally set up in rent-free locations; the side of the road, in the back of a pick-up, in someone's parking lot, etc. Their patrons are not tourists with money, or even expats. They rely on the local "working stiff" to keep them afloat. These kinds of taco places don't make enough money to buy a liquor license, or stock bottles of booze or cans of beer. When you find one of these places that you like, it will remain consistent in its quality and recipes, because the owner is the cook. These "mom and pop" places are not like the taquerias with a storefront dining room, a liquor license, and cooks who come and go. Try a place like El Negro's and see what I mean.

 

[gianster]

Does El Negro allow customers to bring their own cerveza? I know Diego’s stopped allowing that. A couple months ago Los Sera’s and Ruta 25 welcomed it with no problems. I have always wanted to try Mr. Taco as well but no cerveza. I wonder if they allow it? Sorry I sound like a complete alcoholic but when I only have a week at a time I want to make sure I have the best experience possible every night.

 

[El Graduado]

Does El Negro allow customers to bring their own cerveza? Sorry I sound like a complete alcoholic but when I only have a week at a time I want to make sure I have the best experience possible every night.

There are morning taco places and evening taco places. El Negro, as I said in my post, is a morning taco place. They close when they sell out, usually around noon. So, unless you are a morning beer drinker...