Restaurant recommendations for dinner?

[cozcharlie]

We always rent a car because usually stay at El Cid or an AirBNB near the Money bar. I also like to cruise the 'hood' to check out all the different neighborhoods and roads in Cozumel. It's probably cheaper to do the taxi thing but it's not what we like. Would love to rent a true 4 wheel drive and head up to Punta Molas Lighthouse on the east side someday.

Attached is a list or restaurants & Mexican Food Glossary that I've pilfered over the years.

Has anyone done the "10 Experiences" Food Tour (https://www.10experiencestour.com/)? It looks like fun but seems awfully expensive for Cozumel so trying to decide if our group should do this in March.

Nice list , the only thing I would flag is that I think some of the relative price indications may be a little off. Think Azul Madera/Guidos/La Cocay all probably in same price ball park if you order similar dishes. Not really important , but something to think about if you are in the updating mood sometime.

I used to think of La Cocay as more expensive than most other nice island restaurants (and I was happy to pay the premium since it is my favorite ), but it seems like their prices have gone up more slowly over the years so they wind up being similar to several other places if not even the better value on their steak nights.

Thanks again for posting

 

[sefuchs]

Nice list , the only thing I would flag is that I think some of the relative price indications may be a little off. Think Azul Madera/Guidos/La Cocay all probably in same price ball park if you order similar dishes. Not really important , but something to think about if you are in the updating mood sometime.

Ya looking at it now you are correct. Obviously I need to spend much more time in Coz to keep up on the restaurant scene!

 

[jonhall]

How expensive would you say it is to eat out for an entire week for two people, on average?

From two different 1 week trips about a year apart, here were some of my numbers - yes, I'm one of those who keep track of almost everything.

Week spent at El Cid La Ceiba: ~$647 on food. $17 of that was on groceries. Three days of AI at $70/day - what I can't remember is if that was for 1 or 2 people - leaning toward per person or $140 for 2 of us per day. With that in mind, we spent $210 eating out 4 days which were lunches at taco stands, 3 dinners (at Rincon, Tiki Tok, and on pirate cruise,) and breakfast at Ernesto's, the closest restaurant to El Cid and a great place to eat. The $210 would also have included any meals we ate at airports, That's what I can remember. If you're budgeting, you would have to include the taxi fare if not staying in town - we paid about $3.50 US one way to town

Week spent at the Melia: This ones a little easier. $684 total. $660 for 2 of us for AI (pretty cheap) and $24 for anything else we ate. We pretty much stayed at the resort the whole week - I left for diving.

Have also spent $572 total for 2 weeks in Cabo, $621 for 10 days in Nuevo Vallarta, and $748 for 2 weeks just north of Playa del Carmen - no AI - all eating at restaurants on resort grounds, off the grounds, and groceries (keeping in mind a small portion of the total was likely spent eating at the airport.) All totals were for 2 of us.

Having looked at some of my past experience in Mexico, eating for 2 people is pretty cheap. I'll probably try to find menus of some of the places recommended in the thread before we go later in the year.

**Most likely any meal we actually ate at an airport was more expensive than any meal purchased in Mexico!!

 

[Windlaker]

Okay. I just scrolled through all the pictures. I don't think I want to do AI now. How expensive would you say it is to eat out for an entire week for two people, on average? I know it depends on where you go to eat, but what would be a comfortable amount to figure in your budget for a week's stay? I really don't plan on eating breakfast out and would either stay somewhere that included breakfast or stay at a place where I had a little kitchenette, enough to make oatmeal, toast in the mornings. We don't want a heavy breakfast anyway before diving.

Janie,

When my wife and I go (2 weeks) we usually budget about $600.00 per week. That included eating, drinking, and 1/2 rental car (3 or 4 days...we split the car with another couple).

We go out for breakfast about half the time, one NICE dinner (Kinta, usually). The rest are taco joints or middle of the road priced places.

We've been coming to Cozumel for about 10 years, and this is a pretty consistent number.

 

[Janie88]

Janie,

When my wife and I go (2 weeks) we usually budget about $600.00 per week. That included eating, drinking, and 1/2 rental car (3 or 4 days...we split the car with another couple).

We go out for breakfast about half the time, one NICE dinner (Kinta, usually). The rest are taco joints or middle of the road priced places.

We've been coming to Cozumel for about 10 years, and this is a pretty consistent number.

@Windlaker thanks! We don't drink, so that helps with the budget. I was thinking the same thing, one nice dinner and the rest taco joints etc. I will look up Kinta. Breakfast would never be a big deal with us since we're always going out diving and don't want a big breakfast before diving.

I have been looking more and more at Roberta's Scuba Shack and staying at Village Tan Kah. Still working my head around taking a cab into town for dinners which doesn't sound appealing, even though most people say it's very easy and cheap. Since I'm in bed by 9p it would be early and no issue getting back before the curfew. It just sounds like a hassle. I'm thinking maybe it's not something we'd have to do every night but limit it to 3 nights and the rest of the time we could eat at one of the places near Scuba Shack even though I hear they aren't great, but maybe okay for 2-3 nights.

I'm also considering Fiesta or Cozumel Palace which are both close to town.

I am seeing where many of the hotels are offering to put you up for 14 days if you test positive for COVID and can't leave. Sure makes me feel more comfortable booking while all this is going on with the restriction of testing to get back to the U.S. Before that, I had been looking into a hotel or B&B that provided breakfast in town, but I don't want to take a chance on getting stuck and paying $$$$$ because we can't leave.

 

[jbjclj]

Wow those are opposite ends of the spectrum.....most expensive and one of the least. Look at Villa Las Anclas right in the heart of restaurants....1/2 block from 3 P and Aldora

 

[Janie88]

Wow those are opposite ends of the spectrum.....most expensive and one of the least. Look at Villa Las Ancl as right in the heart of restaurants....1/2 block from 3 P and Aldora

Okay thanks. Yes as you can see, I am all over the place when it comes to where to stay. I've narrowed down the dive ops to 3, but having a harder time narrowing down where to stay. I am very drawn to Roberta's Scuba Shack but for the taking cab back and forth.

At this point in time I am a little wary of booking a place where on the chance I test positive for COVID and can't fly back home, I also can't stay on at the hotel. That worries me, so for now I'd rather stay somewhere that has an assurance of allowing guests to stay on if unable to leave. Scuba Shack has that option for 50% of regular rate and I am seeing some of the hotels (maybe more the all inclusive?) have even posted 14 days free if unable to leave.

 

[flyboy08]

Okay thanks. Yes as you can see, I am all over the place when it comes to where to stay. I've narrowed down the dive ops to 3, but am having a hard time narrowing down where to stay. I am very drawn to Roberta's Scuba Shack but for the taking cab back and forth. That is not appealing.

Get an ABNB in town? Make your own meals when you feel...walk to all local restaurants when you feel. Walk to the pier to get picked up by the dive ops....

We did a split last december..one week at an AI (Grand Occ) and one week in an ABNB...enjoyed them both for different reasons.

 

[Janie88]

Get an ABNB in town? Make your own meals when you feel...walk to all local restaurants when you feel. Walk to the pier to get picked up by the dive ops....

We did a split last december..one week at an AI (Grand Occ) and one week in an ABNB...enjoyed them both for different reasons.

@flyboy08, now that sounds perfect. Spending two weeks and splitting it like that would be great. Unfortunately we can't do more than a week, maybe 8 nights. Something to consider for down the road when we can spend more time.

 

[ggunn]

@Windlaker t
Still working my head around taking a cab into town for dinners which doesn't sound appealing, even though most people say it's very easy and cheap.

DISCLAIMER: Although I have been to Cozumel 30 or 40 times, all the data I have is pre pandemic.

VTK is on Melgar (the main drag) and cabs are constantly cruising that road between town and La Ceiba (past VTK) looking for fares. It is rare that I walk out to the street from my hotel (Blue Angel) and have to wait more than 5 minutes before one cruises up flashing his lights. The drivers know all the restaurants and nearly all have enough English that even if you have no Spanish at all you'll have no trouble getting where you want to go. The only minor hassle with them is that they deal in small denomination bills and coins, and they rarely can or will have change for a large denomination note. You can, of course, pay in US$, but the exchange rate they use is very much not to your advantage.