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Mazatalan Restaurants ••• The Mazatlan dining scene is fairly diverse.  Of course the seafood here is always a good choice.  But many of the local restaurants serve up great steaks, prime rib, Italian food, oriental food and other pleasant surprises.  Most of the better restaurants are located in the golden zone or along the Malecón.  There are restaurants of almost every description and cuisine.  Mazatlan also pleasantly disproves and old theory about "hotel food".  Some of the best meals to be eaten in Mazatlan come from the restaurants in the hotels.  The historic zone is home to many pleasant sidewalk cafes, a great place to enjoy a casual coffee or a leisurely meal.  The beaches all along the Malecon and the beaches just north of the Golden Zone are lined with numerous restaurants and stands serving fresh seafood, most offering a very high quality menu.  When you are choosing a local seafood restaurant, be aware that looks can be deceiving.  Some of the Mazatlan's better taste treats come out of some pretty suspicious looking establishments.  Take a close look, check out the menu, ask some of the customers, and then decide if you want to try your luck. Fast food restaurants, of many different varieties, are fairly abundant and many of them will deliver to your hotel or condo.  Call first, to inquire about "Servico a domicilio" (home delivery). Samples of Basic Mexican Dishes in Mazatlan Carne Asada: Roast Beef, may be served in a taco, or cut up pieces with potatoes or vegetables. Asada a la Plaza: Generally is grilled beef, cut up into pieces, served with potatoes and/or another vegetable with lettuce, onions and tortillas. Pollo a la Plaza: Grilled chicken with potatoes and/or another vegetable served with lettuce, onions and tortillas. Gorditas: Open-faced thick corn tortilla deep fried topped with beans, a topping such as chicken, pork or beef, and lettuce, onions, etc. Sometimes you can order this with a piece of grilled chicken on the side (Gorditas y Pieza Pollo). Chiles Rellenos: Pablano chili stuffed with cheese, breaded and pan fried or deep fried. Sometimes served in a soupy ranchero sauce. I've never figured out why the name is always plural on the menu but they almost always only bring one chili. Tacos: Soft flour or corn tortillas filled with your choice of beef, pork, chicken or shrimp. Tamales: My favorite Mexican basic food. NOT like tamales you get up-north. Interestingly, they aren't that easy to find. Chicken, beef or pork with a few veggies or potato piece surrounded by cornmeal and wrapped in corn husks. Sweet versions are also sold. Pozole: Bowl of seasoned stew with pork and hominy. Usually served with onions and cabbage on the side to add as you wish. Refrescos: Soda Pop. In addition to the ever-present Coke and Pepsi, try a carbonated apple cider, or Toni Col, a locally bottled vanilla-based soda. Liquados: Blended fruit drinks with or without milk. Agua Frescas: Could be anything from fruit flavored water drinks to mashed sweetened rice mixed with ice water. These are made with purified water and safe ice cubes. Eating Out in the Golden Zone, Mazatlan Please Note. This guide accepts no advertising and these listings are our choices, where we pay to go eat! Also note, we mention more places in the downtown area since the prices are so low. It's easy to stumble into many tourist places in the Golden Zone and even though the prices are higher, the food quality and "resort" atmosphere are great. There are too many excellent restaurants for us to mention all of them here. Everywhere you go you'll see interesting and delightful little places. Don't be afraid to try them. If this is your first trip to Mexico, you may be worried about purified water, ice cubes and cleanliness. All water and ice cubes served in restaurants and bars is purified, and it is generally OK to eat salads, fruits and vegetables in better restaurants. Use your common sense. A street stand selling tacos for three pesos, that only has a bucket of water for washing hands, utensils, etc., is more likely to give you Montezuma's revenge than a permanent restaurant with running water. (I eat often at the stand-up taco bars...but if you’re visiting for just a week, you probably don’t want to chance it.) Here are some of our favorite places to eat, starting with the most expensive and getting cheaper as you go down the list: Poncho's (on the beach).  The view is nice, the prices are reasonable and the food is great. I like the fish prepared Veracruzana style, with tomatoes, onions and other veggies in a sauce on top of the fish, cooked in tin foil. Panama Probably the number one recommended eatery for visitors and is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The food is great, the place is very clean, the menu is extensive, and the prices are very reasonable. You won't find any friendlier or more service-oriented staff than here! Check out the day's specials which run approximately 40 pesos. Panama is also one of the best pastry bakeries in town, so check out their goodies for desert! La Casa Country Fun place in the Golden Zone for steaks, ribs, grilled chicken and seafood. The country combo is reasonably priced for the GZ and is delicious. They are now located in a new building across the street from the Holiday Inn Hotel.  Senor Frogs Del Mar halfway between Golden Zone and Downtown. It's hard to not include this place in a guide about Mazatlan. Not necessarily because the food or prices are special, but because no matter where you are in Mazatlan you'll see the official Señor Frog's stores selling all kinds of "souvenir wear." Considering that you are frequenting one of Mazatlan’s biggest tourist spots, the menu is good, the party atmosphere is fun, and after dinner, enjoy drinking and dancing in their disco bar. Gus & Gus (pronounced goose goose...not sure why they leave out the "and"). Great spot across from the Costa de Oro Hotel. Sidewalk cafe feel to it, although it is mostly covered. Mexican dishes, snacks, reasonably priced beer. Many evenings offer live music.  The Sheik is in the Valentino's complex and offers a stunning veranda setting complete with waterfall behind you and ocean waves all around you.  Jungle Juice One block away from the beach from the Sr. Frog's main store. Great breakfasts and lunch specials.  Villa Italia The pizza is good . Across the street from El Cid.  Casa Loma  One of the nicest places to eat in Mazatlan.  Eating Out in Historic Downtown Mazatlan (Centro) El Tunel Located opposite the Angela Peralta Theatre. Open only in the evening from 6:00 pm (closed Wednesdays), this tiny restaurant offers a limited, but authentic Mexican menu. Panama Downtown location is on B. Juarez across from the cathedral. For description, see the Panama listing in the Golden Zone section. Copa de Leche Olas Altas area next to Hotel Belmar (within walking distance from the central market). This is a great little terrace-type cafe where you can listen to the ocean waves or enjoy a sunset while you dine. Great place for a variety of breakfast dishes at reasonable prices. El Shrimp Bucket Also along Olas Altas below the La Siesta Hotel. This was the first of the Anderson chain restaurants that are now found in many tourist resorts around Mexico. This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at rates that are usually lower than the Golden Zone and yet pricier than most other "Old Zone" listings.  El Marismeno Within one block of the Shrimp Bucket, you’ll forgo the decor and receive excellent food at lower prices. Cafe Pacifica H. Frias and Constitution, beside the Plaza Machado. Prices are a little higher for the downtown area, yet lower than the Golden Zone eateries. They offer sports TV, pool table, sidewalk seating, bar, pastries, coffee (including espresso!) and snacks. Also surrounding Plazuela Machado you'll find other great restaurants such as Pedro y Lola. One of the higher priced on the square, but a very enjoyable evening spot to sit outside and people watch, or gather for a glass of wine after a concert a the Angela Peralta Theatre. The square has the best hamburgers in Mazatlan at Beach Burger. Across the square you can get reasonably priced fish tacos. Vegetarian Restaurant Ambrosia Located just of Plazuela Machado. Even for non-vegetarians, this is very clean, fresh, delicious food at reasonable prices for the quality.  Midtown Tacos Martin. Located on Najera about three blocks going away from the ocean from the Fishermen's Monument. No matter what you order, they'll bring a small free bowl of their famous soupy beans and grilled small green onions. Yum. Try the tacos al pastor where they shave the blended pork off the rotating flame. You can get quesadillas with just cheese, or with cheese and chopped carne asada. Once you have decided on a destination contact us. Call Us Toll Free: 866-566-8078 Email Us: Jim@MexicoXpress.com