Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Nektar at Vidanta Riviera Maya

4.8

4.8 (559)

MXN310 to MXN500

Regional Mexican

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Nektar is a restaurant that serves specialties of the region. Located in the Vidanta - Cirque du Soleil Theater Complex, it offers typical dishes from the State of Yucatan and spectacular cocktails

Top review

Jennifer

Dined 6 days ago

Try the pork tacos. You won’t be disappointed. Add some lime

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Tramonto at Vidanta Riviera Maya

4.8

4.8 (962)

MXN310 to MXN500

Italian

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Experience a taste of Italy at Tramonto. Chef Luis Angel Torres Casarubias champions a creative menu that features a rich mix of American and Italian cuisine. Visit with a friend for dinner and indulge in a delicious made-to-order pasta dish or some juicy prime rib. Stop by the bar for some wine or a lively cocktail. Located in the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort, this upscale restaurant is an ideal pick for a romantic date. The restaurant is a popular pick for many tourists and comes with an outdoor smoking area. Tramonto is open Monday to Sunday.

Top review

Andrew

Dined 3 days ago

We ate here twice during our stay. Everything we ordered was delicious.

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Popular dish

RIB EYE

Ha' - Playa del Carmen

4.8

4.8 (274)

MXN500 and over

Contemporary Mexican

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

HA’ Restaurant
The first restaurant in Xcaret to be awarded a Michelin Star. Also honored with 5 AAA Diamonds for its exceptional service.

Carlos Gaytán, the first Mexican chef with a Michelin Star both inside and outside of Mexico, presents HA’, a unique proposal in Contemporary Mexican Cuisine in Riviera Maya. With a 9-course tasting menu in which, Carlos shows us that flavors, textures and temperatures are elements that tell us a surprising story and help us learn about his love for his roots.

When you think you have found your favorite dish Gaytán’s inspiration proposes new creations as the seasons change, ensuring your experiences are always unique and different. Come and have a unique culinary experience at Hotel Xcaret Mexico

Cost of experiences with just wine $3,800 MXN and without wine $2,900, experiences just for adults +18 years old, with dress code (no shorts and no flip flops/no sandals). Pay just credit or debit card.

Top review

Mitul

Dined on Dec 19, 2024

This was an amazing experience. The wine pairings were excellent and I didn’t realize there were so many good Mexican wines of this high caliber in both red and white. I’m vegetarian and so I was not full after this meal but my wife and her brother do eat meat and they were stuffed. A filet mignon is more filling than the same size piece of eggplant. So the value for a vegetarian was not as good as other high end tasting meals that I have had. But the taste of the food, the presentation, the wait staff, the ambience of the restaurant, even the bathrooms were awesome.

Primo

4.7

4.7 (135)

MXN310 to MXN500

Mexican

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Inspiration for Primo comes from the love for food, ancient spirits, local crafts and rustic cooking. Trying to recreate in a small outdoor space under a beautiful tree, the essence from original Playa del Carmen and bring an authentic Mexican food where everything is cooked with wood fire, underground oven, comales and grill, as has been done traditionally in most Mexican small towns for centuries. Primo means cousin in spanish, as a common slogan in Mexico we say Primo to refer to really close friends, the ones that may be closer than family. Our intention with this name is that guests feel the confort of gathering in a place that will taste and feel like home as we do. We have developed the interior design with locally made tzalam wood furniture, bejuco lamps and a chukum finish for the walls. We pride ourselves of using local and sustainable suppliers for most of our ingredients.

Top review

Lynette

Dined on Nov 24, 2024

Primo is my favorite restaurant in playa. The staff is friendly and ready to deliver excellent service in a casual environment. The food is 👌

Zapote Bar

4.7

4.7 (39)

MXN500 and over

Mediterranean

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Showcasing hand-crafted spirits, Zapote celebrates artisanal producers and sources from local small-scale farms to create cocktails that are at once familiar and nuanced for both casual and discerning drinkers. The food reflects the diverse culinary heritage of the Yucatán Peninsula including Middle Eastern flavors with a special focus on live-fire cooking. Zapote Bar is a love letter to the Yucatán, its products, culture and people. Created and operated by Rosewood Mayakoba under the leadership of Director of Mixology, Joshua Monaghan, Zapote Bar is an internationally recognized destination for Yucatan-inspired craft cocktails and a celebration of hacienda culture and Mexican hospitality. It is located at Rosewood Mayakoba, 12 minutes north of Playa del Carmen.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Nov 23, 2024

Deliscious food, good service and nice tmosphere until the live music began…way too loud

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Experience

Martes de Locales | Every Tuesday 6 pm to 11 pm

Gong at Vidanta Riviera Maya

4.6

4.6 (711)

MXN500 and over

Asian

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Take a culinary tour through the orient at Gong. Located within the elegant grounds of the Vidanta Riviera Maya luxury resort, this restaurant serves fusion Asian cuisine in charming surroundings. Helmed by Chef Gualberto V�zquez, the menu features Far East favorites like sushi, lobster rolls and peking duck. Diners can also enjoy a selection of sashimi and soup. It also includes select gluten-free dishes for diners who prefer this option. Gong provides a savory alternative to contemporary Mexican fare. The restaurant�s spacious interior features linen-covered tables, soft overhead lighting and Asian-inspired d_cor. Gong is open for dinner every day.

Top review

Mary Lea

Dined on Dec 17, 2024

Our food and services were excellent but our table location was horrible

Ilios - Playa del Carmen

4.6

4.6 (722)

MXN500 and over

Greek

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Ilios honra los diferentes matices de la gastronomía tradicional griega al llevar la cocina de todas las regiones de Grecia a un nuevo nivel de elegancia y sofisticación en medio de una decoración inspirada en el paisaje conspicuo y la belleza escarpada de la península griega.

Un oasis de cocina mediterránea moderna influenciado por la comida y la cultura griega, un lugar donde la gastronomía mediterránea converge con el buen gusto, representando lo mejor que la cultura griega tiene para ofrecer.

Top review

LarryVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Outstanding food. Excellent service. The atmosphere is very lively, especially starting at 8 pm when they parade dancers through the dining room to get everyone amped up — kind of like at a wedding dinner/reception.

Sonora Prime Playa del Carmen

4.5

4.5 (512)

MXN500 and over

Fine cuts

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

On the famous Fifth Avenue of Playa del Carmen steps from the beach and near Coco Bongo and Coralina Daylight Club. Indulge yourself with its delicate selection of ingredients and prime quality cuts such as New York, Rib Eye, Porterhouse, Tomahawk, Cowboy, and exclusive Kobe cuts with a high level of marbling, tenderness, juiciness, unique texture, and flavor that guarantees an unparalleled sensory delight. Every day, enjoy double drinks and signature mixology. If you prefer wine, discover Punto Medio, the house wine that offers Malbec, Selection, Rosé Malbec, and White Chardonnay; designed to achieve exceptional pairing.

Fascinate yourself with our signature mixology, elegant, innovative, and refreshing blends of aromas and flavors that will surprise your senses.

At Sonora Prime Playa del Carmen, the experience is for everyone. The youngest ones are welcome with a kids' menu while they enjoy recreational activities with educational carts or have fun in the playr

Top review

BryanVIP

Dined 3 days ago

A little too loud and you could definitely get new steak knives since it was difficult to cut the steaks

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Lunes y martes de Punto Medio

Porfirio's - Playa del Carmen

4.5

4.5 (954)

MXN500 and over

Mexican

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

PORFIRIO’S es pasión, orgullo y excelencia. Un restaurante que elogia lo mejor de México, transformando sus tradicionales sabores, texturas y aromas en los más exquisitos platillos de la alta cocina mexicana. Un sitio que renueva el concepto de cocina urbana contemporánea, equilibrando recetas caseras con acentos tomados de cada rincón de México, que se traducen en audaces sabores resultado de una cuidadosa selección de ingredientes y un ambiente donde música, decoración y sazón se entrelazan armoniosamente.

Top review

Amy

Dined 1 day ago

Porfirio’s was an amazing experience. The service was great- everyone was very attentive to our needs and we had a very large party. The food was amazing. We were impressed with the quality of food and not super expensive. The ambiance was very upbeat, loud music but good music. We will definitely recommend this place to others and we’ll definitely be back!

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Experience

Un año nuevo de sabores y festejo en Porfirio's!

Alux Restaurante

4.4

4.4 (2013)

MXN500 and over

Contemporary Mexican

Playa del Carmen / Riviera Maya

About the restaurant

Alux is a restaurant inside a natural cave. A unique place to enjoy a magical evening. The creation and formation of the cave is ancient. In this environment of true underground palaces decorated with unique stalactites and stalagmites you can enjoy a natural spectacle. With a capacity of more than 250 guests, our cavern has various environments designed for you to enjoy your stay to the fullest, all accompanied by our haute cuisine and mixology that distinguishes us in this region of the Riviera Maya.

Service only for dinners. À la carte service. Entry with reservation. Dress Code: Smart Casual. Kitchen closes at 11:00 pm. Payments are accepted with Cash, Credit and Debit Card AMEX, MasterCard and Visa. Children welcome. Smoking area. There is no corkage.

Minimum consumption $1,000.00 pesos per person.

Top review

Natalia

Dined 2 days ago

Best restaurant in Playa del Carmen both for food and general experience. Unique location, excellent service, good music and excellent food

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