10 Best Seafood Restaurants in Playa del Carmen in 2025

Looking for the best seafood in Playa del Carmen? You’re in the right place!

Playa del Carmen is home to a wide variety of seafood restaurants, from casual beachside eateries to upscale dining spots serving freshly caught fish, ceviche, and more.

But with so many options, it can be hard to know where to go for the best flavors.

As a travel blogger who has lived in Playa del Carmen for many years, I’ve rounded up the top Playa del Carmen seafood restaurants that are worth a visit.

Whether you’re craving fish tacos, a classic ceviche, or an elegant seafood dinner, this guide has you covered.

Let’s dive in and discover the best seafood restaurants in Playa del Carmen!

1. El Pirata

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 10AM–8PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

El Pirata is the best seafood restaurant in Playa del Carmen with a really local feel. It offers some of the best food, with good seafood, hefty portions, and a laid-back atmosphere.

The restaurant is only a block off 5th Avenue (“La Quinta Avenida”), Playa del Carmen’s main shopping and walking street.

It’s an open air restaurant venue, so it’s best when the weather is good. There’s no air-conditioning, and the place is decked out in simple wooden chairs and tables. But this just adds to the authentic ambiance.

The most popular menu option is the fried fish platter, which includes fish served whole and a side of beans and rice. However, the fish and shrimp tacos are also popular menu items.

2. El Doctorcito

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 11AM–10PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

El Doctorcito is a seafood restaurant a few blocks from the beach and Coco Bongo and about a block from Walmart. They’ve also opened another location at 1st Avenue and 26th Street.

It’s a great spot for lunch and has a very hip, local vibe and an all-around good place to unwind with a few beers and great seafood.

The restaurant usually plays loud music and often has a DJ, with painted walls from floor to ceiling and a straw-thatched roof.

It’s known to have some of the best clamato drinks in town (a blend of tomato juice, clam broth, seasonings, and seafood pieces often mixed with alcohol for a bloody Caesar or Michelada).

The ceviche and aguachiles are also really popular here. Aguachile is similar to ceviche, a Mexican food made of shrimp submerged in lime juice, raw vegetables, peppers, and other ingredients.

Just be careful with the aguachiles–they will leave your mouth burning!

3. Los Aguachiles

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 11AM–10PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

Located off Avenue Constituyentes and Fifth Avenue, Los Aguachiles is another popular seafood restaurant in Playa del Carmen, right near the beach.

This is the place to go if you’re looking for good aguachiles. But Los Aguachiles Playa del Carmen has so much more than that too. 

Some of the most popular meals include shrimp cocktails, seafood cocktails, shrimp ceviches, and fish tacos. And my personal favorite menu item is the ahi tuna tostada!

The seafood is fresh at reasonable prices, given its prime location and great atmosphere. Overall, it’s a casual place to relax and enjoy delicious dishes.

4. Las Hijas de la Tostada

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 12PM–1AM
• 💲Price Range: $$

Las Hijas de la Tostada is one of the most popular seafood restaurant chains in Playa del Carmen. 

There are 3 different locations around Playa del Carmen: 2 on 5th Avenue on opposite ends of the walking street and 1 local spot on Constituyentes past the main highway.

The 2 on Fifth Avenue are more popular, especially for tourists. The busiest location is on Fifth Avenue with Calle 2, near Parque Los Fundadores. The second downtown location is on Fifth Avenue with Calle 38.

Las Hijas de la Tostada is a very trendy place and almost always busy because of its convenient location, good service, and quality menu.

It’s known for its small plates and seafood tostadas, which are flat, fried corn tortillas topped with seafood and seasonings.

My favorite menu items are the mezcal octopus tacos and the Cobá tostada made with fresh tuna, watermelon, and mango. 

They also have a full bar and some great cocktails to choose from. I love the Lipstick Wine cocktail–it has wine, vodka, and fresh berries. 

5. El Calambrillo

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 2PM–10PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

El Calambrillo is a real hidden gem in Playa del Carmen with some of the best seafood dishes in town, and rarely ever packed.

This restaurant is located just off 5th Avenue, past Avenue CTM. Most people don’t wander this far down the street, so it’s significantly less crowded than some of the other best restaurants in Playa del Carmen.

Although it’s not as well-known, it’s an incredible dining option with great seafood and ambiance. The restaurant has string lights at night, cozy seating, and friendly staff.

Some of the most popular dishes here are the seafood burritos, quesadillas, and tacos but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here.

6. La Floresta

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 10AM–5PM
• 💲Price Range: $

La Floresta is an absolute favorite amongst Mexicans and locals and one of the best taco joints in Playa del Carmen. 

It’s on the main highway several blocks from the beach so it’s not usually as popular with tourists.

That being said, it’s a hidden gem with some of the most authentic and tasty seafood tacos you can find in the Riviera Maya.

It has a super casual atmosphere, is only open for lunch or an early dinner, and you’ll have to take a long walk or quick taxi ride from downtown Playa to get here, but it’s worth all the trouble.

Instead of a menu catering to tourists, you’ll find simple seafood dishes like fish and shrimp tacos, fried fish, ceviches, and cocktails. They have the best fried fish in Playa del Carmen!

The tacos are going to look really bare when they come out but once you dress them up with all the salsas and toppings, they are mouthwatering!

Overall, it’s an authentic experience with quality food at affordable prices.

7. El Oasis

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 11:30AM–10PM
• 💲Price Range: $

El Oasis is one of the best Playa del Carmen restaurants and one of the most popular local hot spots. This restaurant is only a few blocks from La Floresta. 

It is on the main highway connecting Playa del Carmen to Tulum, Cancun, and other popular destinations in Quintana Roo. You’ll be able to spot the restaurant by the fake upside down shark hanging right out front.

There are rarely any tourists here, but it’s almost always packed, meaning it’s a popular spot for locals.

This is one of the best places to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Playa del Carmen, as it feels like a true retreat away from other tourists.

The restaurant has almost everything you can imagine, but the delicious tacos and fresh ceviche are some of the best things on the menu.

8. Luma Taverna del Mar

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 12:30PM–11PM
• 💲Price Range: $$$

The name Luma Taverna del Mar translates to “Luma Tavern of the Sea,” which is very fitting as it’s only steps away from the main beaches in Playa del Carmen.

The restaurant is small but has a very cozy ambiance on the beautiful 38th Street. There’s a small outdoor patio out front, a great spot for people-watching or enjoying the nice weather outside.

The restaurant’s specialty is Italian, but many of the dishes incorporate seafood into the pasta and entrees like shrimp, lobster, and calamari.

But the menu has a handful of non-seafood options, so there’s a little something for everyone. There’s also a great cocktail menu with various drinks, beers, and wines.

It’s a little more expensive than other seafood restaurants, but it’s a great option if you’re looking for a nicer seafood restaurant for dinner.

9. Mariskinky

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 11AM–10:30PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

Mariskinky is a hip and trendy seafood restaurant off 5th Avenue and Calle 38.  It’s a popular spot with good food and music and a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner.

The restaurant is relatively small, with several high-top bar seating and about a dozen tables. But it’s rarely full and has a great atmosphere.

The restaurant’s tagline is “Funky Beachfood,” but they have a large variety of regular seafood and more unique cuisine. 

One of the favorite dishes is the ceviche, but they also have a blend of custom-made, local seafood cocktails that are worth trying.

I would also recommend the shrimp tacos, which are so good they rival any street food you’ll find around this area.

10. Chiltepin

• 📍 Location: Google Maps
• 🕒 Hours: Daily from 11AM–11PM
• 💲Price Range: $$

Chiltepin is often called a hidden gem for those looking for tasty and affordable seafood in Playa del Carmen. 

It combines local cuisine with fresh shrimp and seafood ingredients to make some of the best tacos and other local dishes.

The restaurant is on 20th Avenue and Calle 34, and is more popular among locals. There’s also a small pool inside the restaurant in the outdoor seating area.

Although it doesn’t look anything fancy outside, it’s the perfect place to get away from 5th Avenue, enjoy delicious dishes, and experience a piece of real Playa del Carmen.

Their specialty is seafood so you can find dishes like tacos, tostadas, ceviche, cocktails, calamari, and more.  But they’ve also got a good selection of non-seafood items too. 

If you’re in the mood for seafood in Playa del Carmen, hopefully, this guide has helped you narrow down the many choices.

Being a beach town, you can find seafood in many of the restaurants in Playa del Carmen but I’d recommend sticking to the restaurants on this list for the very best!

The seafood in Playa del Carmen is really authentic and really shouldn’t be missed if you are a seafood lover. 

You can enjoy a laid-back atmosphere, live music, and some really fresh ingredients.

Regardless of which seafood restaurant in Playa del Carmen you choose, I hope you leave full and satisfied!