If you’re planning a trip south of the border, here are a few key things to know about dining out in restaurants in Mexico. Below the restaurant tips I’ll include restaurant recommendations from each of the destinations we visit while traveling in Mexico. I’ll add to these restaurant recommendations as our Mexico travels expand.
What to Know About Eating Out in Restaurants in Mexico
Just Sit Down.
If there isn’t an obvious host stand or restaurant greeter, just find a table and sit down. That’s how it works.
Don’t Expect Overly-attentive Service.
You might get overly-attentive service, but don’t expect it. Don’t expect your restaurant experience in Mexico to be the same as the restaurant experience in your home country. You’re in Mexico now. Maybe the service will be better than what you’re used to! It doesn’t matter. It’s helpful to eliminate your expectations. You’re in Mexico. Relax.
If The Menu Is Entirely In English, You’re In The Wrong Place.
But if the menu is entirely in Spanish, you’re in the right place. If you don’t speak any Spanish, that’s okay, you’ll figure it out. Maybe the waiter will help you, maybe not, but don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Just point to stuff on the menu. If the waiter says something and you don’t understand, just nod your head like you do understand. Eventually, the waiter will leave and then eventually return with food. Worst case scenario, you’ll get a bowl of soup with a cow’s foot in it, that’s highly unlikely, but even if it does happen, that just means you’ll have a great story to tell.
CG and I are traveling long term in Mexico, but packing light. We’ve been traveling now for more than a year carrying a single Osprey Porter 30 Travel Backpack each. You can find more info about our travel packs and the current prices for these travel packs here.
Can I Drink The Water?
Tap water in Mexico is not drinkable, but don’t worry about tap water while dining out. You’re not going to be served non-potable tap water in a restaurant. The ice in your drink is made from filtered water. The water and ice served in restaurants is fine. It’s what everyone else is drinking. Relax. Also, Aqua Fresca is not water. It’s drinkable water with fruit juice and sugar. It’s mostly good, although sometimes too sweet for me. Horchata is drinkable rice water with sugar and cinnamon, and it’s very good. And many places will have cold cans or bottles of soda as well.
How Do I Get The Check?
Don’t wait for the check to arrive on it’s own. When you’re ready for the check, ask for the check. Simply say “La cuenta, por favor”, which means “check, please” or you can just motion for the check like actors do in the movies by scribbling in the air with your hand. I have never gotten a restaurant check in Mexico or Chile without asking for it first. Don’t twiddle your thumbs waiting for the check. And if you’re in a hurry, ask for the check before you want it. Servers in Mexico do not hover around the table. For the best restaurant experience, try not to be in a hurry.
Note The Prices On The Menu.
Note the menu prices especially if you’re in a tourist trap. Try not to be in a tourist trap, but if you are, pay attention to the prices. Take a picture of the menu. You’ve got a phone, that’s what a phone is for. It’s fine to be in a tourist trap and get ripped off. It’s not even getting ripped off, it’s just what can happen in a tourist-centric locale. If you wanna eat in a tourist-centric restaurant and be treated like a tourist–not necessarily a bad thing!–that’s your business. I hope you have a great time. You probably will. I wish I could do that, but I’m too cheap. I’ve just worked in too many tourist resorts, restaurants, and hotels myself, so I crave a different experience.
Cash Only?
Know beforehand if the restaurant accepts credit cards. Some of the restaurants in Mexico where we like to eat accept credit cards, but many do not. Cash is ideal for exploring smaller, local mom and pop restaurants. But even some smaller restaurants aren’t thrilled if you pull out a $500 peso note; this is especially true if you’re dining at a street or market vendor operation. Have cash, and have some smaller bills.
Learn Your Numbers In Spanish.
Knowing numbers in Spanish will make paying restaurant bills a lot easier. Learn your Spanish numbers, and practice using them. Here’s some help learning what you’ll need to know to navigate cash transactions in Spanish. Learning and practicing Spanish numbers will make paying for stuff in Mexico much less of a hassle, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to grasp the basics. For practice, when I’m walking around or driving, I’ll mentally translate the numbers I see from English to Spanish; licence plates, phone numbers, addresses, etc.. Do this on and off for a few days and your command of Spanish numbers will quickly improve.
What Should I Tip At A Mexican Restaurant?
Definitely tip your servers. What should you tip? There is no wrong answer, just be sure to tip something. I’ve spent most of my life working for tips in destination resorts and hotels, so I personally appreciate a good tip, and I have rarely ever gotten a bad tip. It’s pretty simple, don’t be a jerk to serve, and leave at least a tip that you would be content to receive yourself. I tip 10-20% depending on the service and the type of establishment, even if it’s just a coffee stall or food cart. If it’s a sit down restaurant, I’ll tip 15-20%, but I tip something almost everywhere, even if it’s not a sit down restaurant. If someone working in food/drink service has to prepare an item specifically for me, I tip them.
Is Eating Mexican Food Unhealthy?
If you’re young, eat what you want whenever you want. If you’re middle aged or older, don’t eat too much meat and bread. It’ll be very easy to eat too much meat and bread in Mexico. The meat and bread is so good, and it’s everywhere. Eat some meat and bread, then next time eat something else, maybe a salad. I’m not a doctor, but that’s a pretty good tip.
Two things we’ve incorporated into our diet in Mexico is fresh lime and papaya. Tropical fruit is supposed to be very beneficial to your digestive system, and we’ve been eating it quite regularly during our travels. Here’s everything we’ve learned about papaya in Mexico.
The food in Mexico is great. You’ve probably read that statement before, or heard it, and it’s true. I had beans with my breakfast this morning. I ate a spoonful of the frijoles, looked across the table at CG and said, “WTF?” The beans–the simple side of beans–was fantastic. I wasn’t expecting that. And that’s what eating in Mexico is like, one unexpected, wonderful dish after another. Not everything has been a winner, for sure, but a lot has. Enough to make me say, “the food in Mexico is great”, just like everyone else says.
How Expensive Is Eating At Restaurants In Mexico?
We eat out everyday. It’s crazy not to. If you’re traveling on US, Canadian, or Euro currencies, then the cost of eating out in restaurants can be extremely affordable. For CG and I, our bill this morning for 2 full breakfasts in a cute, sit-down restaurant, including coffee and tip, came to $86 MX pesos. At the current exchange rate for US dollars, that’s $4.42. And breakfast was fantastic.
We generally spend between $5 and $15 USD when we eat out in Mexico, and that’s for both of us. But we eat local foods where the locals eat, and I tend to steer us away from fancy-pants places. The dishes are just too good not to, and the prices can’t be beat. Sometimes we’ll spend $15 to $25 USD for a fancier dining experience, just as a treat, but it’s easy not to spend a lot of money for great food if you’re eating in non-touristy areas.
That being said you can spend more money for sure. You can eat trendy foods in tourist areas and spend as much as you like, but why would you? Last week we went to an upscale restaurant in Guadalajara and spent around $1100 pesos on dinner, or about $60 USD. And it wasn’t that great. Luckily, I’m a fast learner, so I won’t be making that mistake again. Bigger restaurant bills don’t make for better food in Mexico. (CG says I just can’t appreciate a more costly meal.)
Mexican food cooked by Mexicans for Mexican people is the way to go when it comes to dining out.
Recommendations for Restaurants in Mexico
So far we’ve spent time in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara and here are some of the cafes, restaurants and eateries that we have frequented and enjoyed in each city we have visited.
Puerto Vallarta Restaurants:
Le Bistro Cafe
Great for breakfast. Beautiful location. Fantastic prices. Seriously….cannot be beat for breakfast.
Restaurante Fredy’s Tucan
Kinda touristy, but very good breakfast.
La Isla de Marin’s Seafood
Great Seafood. Terrific prices. Closes kinda early, but a perfect choice for lunch or early dinner. We recommend the ceviche and filet of fish cooked in garlic butter.
Guadalajara Restaurants:
Kamilos 333
Right away servers drop delicious soup, tortillas, and roasted onions on the table. It’s a tasty start to a super nice meal and a great deal. I recommend ordering the “Kamililla”. Might be multiple locations, but here’s the restaurant locale we enjoyed.
Asadas Dany
Maybe my favorite place to eat in Guadalajara (so far). Small and the seating is tight and fills up fast, but the food is terrific and the price is super low.
Luna Cafe
Loved going here for a hot latte in the morning.
El Terrible Juan Cafe
Small, but really nice space to relax. The Bacon Sandwich thing in the video is from this restaurant…I need to learn how to make one, although my heart might disagree. Here’s the location, not too far from trendy Chapultapec Ave., but still good.
Gran Pan
Really good lattes, and tasty baked items to enjoy with the coffee. Very small, but super friendly folks. Nice place to pop in for a coffee while strolling the neighborhood.
Pandaleria la Providencia
Best bakery we visited…and we went to quite a few. Giant selection, and they have wedding cookie looking things there that might even be wedding cookies, but whatever they are…if you see something that looks like a wedding cookie, buy at least 20 of them, or you will wish that you had
I hope these tips have been helpful and will make your dining experiences in Mexico more enjoyable. We’ll add to this list as our travels continue.
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