La Palapa

The food had lots of depth, with some really unusual flavor combinations. The chocolate lava cake with raspberry coulis was rich, and the churros served in a ring were a hit. Vegetarians had fewer choices, though the options we tried were tasty, while the fish and meat eaters were very happy. The setting is lovely, especially at sunset, and the service was the best we’ve had in Puerto Vallarta.

I could have stayed all day. We started with breakfast served right on the beach, with the staff looking after everything, even bringing a stand for my purse. Then it was just a few steps to a lounge chair under an umbrella, where the team kept bringing drinks, food, or whatever we needed. Vendors came by with things to buy, and we picked up a few. The ocean was bath-temperature, so we floated for two hours. I also had a 30-minute leg and foot massage while sipping a banana daiquiri on the beach. Best experience ever, 200 out of 10 recommend. If you do nothing else, do La Palala.

The standout dish for us was the mole enchiladas, a delicious, rich surprise and especially worth trying if you like duck. There’s also a great range of fresh, flavorful seafood. La Palapa sits right by the ocean in Zona Romántica, Puerto Vallarta, with tables along the beachfront. A lovely spot for seafood while you’re staying in PV.

We’ve been coming to La Palapa for decades and usually love the beach loungers, the service, and the whole setting. We don’t mind the vendors, and meeting the $500 pesos/person minimum for loungers has never been an issue. This visit, though, the mimosa bill put a real damper on an otherwise lovely morning. The menu doesn’t list full drink prices, and there was no mimosa price to check. We ordered breakfast, four mimosas in total, some cielo rojos, bottled water, and a Cuba libre. When I asked for the bill, the mimosas alone came to $1300 pesos, or $76 USD for four. That feels outrageous to me. The other charges seemed reasonable, and I have no complaints about anything else, but this nearly spoiled the morning. I’m disappointed because without a published price, it felt like we were taken advantage of. La Palapa, you can treat your patrons better. I’m sure we’ll return because I really enjoy the setting and service, but I won’t order mimosas again, or anything else whose price I can’t confirm first.