10 Places to Eat in Puerto Vallarta - Zona Romantica

Puerto Vallarta is filled with incredible dining options, especially amongst the wide variety of restaurants in Zona Romantica. You need to know where to go and what to try. This top 10 guide of the best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica will set you up for success and start your trip off right with some of the best eats in the city!

1. Panchos Takos — The Best Tacos al Carbon in Puerto Vallarta!

Panchos Takos was the only place our cab driver mentioned when we asked where to eat on the day we arrived, and he was not wrong. Panchos opens in the evening and specialises in tacos al pastor, a staple among Zona Romantica Puerto Vallarta restaurants. There is usually a line along the sidewalk waiting to be seated in their indoor/outdoor seating area. While you wait, grab a Corona or Pacifico and take a peek at the menu and mark your selections. We suggest 80% of your picks include Al Pastor ;) And don’t forget the guac!

2. Taqueria El Cunado — Local Tacos

Taqueria El Cunado is a family-run taco stand just one block from Playa Los Muertos Pier, a popular favorite on lists of top Puerto Vallarta Zona Romantica restaurants. The quaint outdoor taco stand has served the community for over 30 years and is a staple for locals, and is quickly becoming a hotspot for tourists in the Zona Romantica. Make sure to try all of their homemade salsas! The quaint outdoor taco stand has served the community for over 30 years and is a staple for locals, and is quickly becoming a hotspot for tourists in the Zona Romantica. Make sure to try all of their homemade salsas!

3. Mariscos Cisneros — Ceviche & Seafood

This restaurant specializes in seafood dishes, while operating a taco stand out front during the daytime. Not far from the old part of Puerto Vallarta, Mariscos Cisneros is easy to find and, as one of the standout restaurants in Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta, offers a delicious array of ceviche, seafood appetisers, tacos, and Mexican specialities. We had the Jalapeño Relleno Taco, and it was absolutely incredible. The pepper was stuffed with octopus, shrimp, sea snails, and marlin, then battered and deep-fried. Wrap that in a warm tortilla and you're good to go!

4. El Pechugon — Puerto Vallarta’s Famous Rotisserie Chicken

El Pechugon is an incredible spot if you are in the mood for some amazing meat and potato goodness. They spin that chicken and let the drippings fall onto the potatoes below to capture all that flavour and satisfaction. You can literally smell that goody-good from blocks away. Let your nose guide you to their counter! YUM! An absolute favorite on lists for best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta for rotisserie chicken.

5. Mariscos El Guero — Seafood & Cevicheria

The owner of Marriscos El Guero spends his mornings at the local fish markets to pick out the freshest ingredients for the day. Amongst the top Puerto Vallarta restaurants in Zona Romantica to try, the extra attention in getting a fresh catch makes all the difference. We tried the shrimp ceviche tostada and were not disappointed! We also got to try smoked marlin, which they served with tortilla chips; both were a must-try! The ceviche is made from the freshest catches of the day, marinating the seafood in tangy lime juice, spicy chiles, and crisp onion.

6. Taqueria El Moreno — Street Tacos

This is a go-to spot for a good, quick, and cheap meal. Located on Calle Francisco, Taqueria El Moreno loads up on ingredients, and everything they serve packs a punch of spice and flavour. If you’re wandering deep into Zona Romantica, this is one of the best stops for quick eats amongst the top restaurants in Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta. Try their horchata, and get some Tacos de Birria!

7. Archie’s Wok — Asian

Not in the mood for Mexican food? Archie’s Wok is one of the best restaurants in town to try. Garnering the freshest of local seafood, meats, and vegetables daily, the small staff transforms the ingredients via Wok and grill into delectable Asian-inspired dishes. Archie’s Wok is a favorite of locals and visitors alike, and ranks among the best restaurants in Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta, for Asian-inspired cuisine. This place is extremely popular, so be sure to call ahead and make a reservation!

8. Birria Robles — Authentic Mexican Birria

Birria is a classic Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. Birria is usually made with goat’s meat, with lamb, or even a combination of several types of meat. The use of a combination of meats is common in restaurants or local Birria eateries known as “Birrierías”. The marination and cooking of the meat leaves behind a wonderfully fragrant beef/lamb and onion broth that the corn tortilla is soaked in, before being deep-fried again. Once the birria is assembled, the final product is again dipped in the same broth before being consumed. By far, this was one of our favourite dishes to try in Puerto Vallarta, and Birria Robles is a true favorite admired by locals and a staple amongst the top restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.

9. Taco Birria Chanfay — Birria Street Tacos

This humble taco stand has been serving birria since 1972. Cheap street food where you will find plenty of locals and is a beloved hot-spot being one of the top Zona Romantica restaurants. Make sure you ask for a side of "consume", which is a cup of the juices the meat is cooked in. Add lemon and onions, and you won’t regret it!

10. Fredy’s Tucan — Restaurant and Bar

With more than seventy different dishes, Fredy’s Tucan is a favorite place amongst tourists for the most classic West Coast Mexican dishes amongst Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romantica restaurants. Fredy’s Tucan offers a casual atmosphere with an inside garden, where personal attention is synonymous with their total commitment to provide excellent service. Among the most popular dishes, you can find “El Campesino” (the country plate), which is an “Arrachera”, a tender marinated beef cut accompanied by delicious “Chilaquiles” (corn tortilla with sauce) and refried beans, for a very Mexican breakfast. They also serve spectacular chocolate-flavoured “Black Forest Pancakes” bathed with strawberries, whipped cream, and pecans.

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