Acapulco, Mexico

Eating out in Acapulco, Mexico

Dining out is one of Acapulco's most popular activities - and the quality and variety of the restaurants prove it. Diners can fulfill any craving they may have, including Italian, Belgian, Japanese, American, and of course, the best Mexican food around. The food is consummately fresh, since the chefs buy their fish, poultry, and produce in the Mercado Municipal the same day they serve it. And these days, the water is safe, with most restaurants purifying their drinking and cooking water. Most establishments open daily for lunch, close briefly, and re-open at about 6:30 for dinner. For dinner, the dress code spans the range from shorts and T-shirts to ties and jackets, so call ahead if you are unsure.

Gourmet

Madeiras offers a view of Acapulco Bay. The décor includes sensational wood-carved animal table bases and table settings hand-crafted by silversmiths in nearby Taxco. Dinner, which includes choices from a 4-course prix-fixe menu, is served in several intimate dining areas that are open to the evening breezes. The delicious selections include roast quail stuffed with tropical fruits, fresh fish in orange sauce, frogs' legs in garlic and white wine, and red snapper baked in sea salt (a Mexican specialty). Carretera Escénica #33, Fracc. El Guitarron.

Highly Recommended

Casa Nova is carved out of a cliff that rises up from Acapulco Bay, offering spectacular views from both the terrace and the glassed-in, air-conditioned dining room. Marble floors, beautifully draped curtains, and tuxedoed waiters add to the ambiance. The menu, comprised of prix-fixe and a la carte meals, features ravioli in lobster sauce, trout with artichoke hearts, cappellini alla primavera, and veal chops with mushrooms. Carretera Escénica #5256.

Local Flair

El Amigo Miguel is among the best of the downtown seafood restaurants. In the lively, open-air dining room, chefs serve up delicious camarones borrachos (drunken shrimp), seafood-stuffed red snapper with poblano pepper sauce, and grilled shrimp with garlic. This restaurant is so enormously popular that the owners opened a second El Amigo directly across the street. Juárez 31, at Azueta.

Romantic

Coyuca 22, once a private villa, is elegantly set on a series of terraces floating off a mountainside. The splendid view features Acapulco Bay on one side, and the Pacific on the other. Flickering candles and Italian columns and fountains create an atmosphere so beautiful it was featured on TV's Love Boat series. Choose from 2 fixed menus or order a la carte. The sophisticated entrees include duck a l'orange grand mariner, shrimp provencal, imported prime rib, New Zealand lamb chops with fine herbs, and veal scallopini. Avenida Coyuca 22 , Fracc. Las Playas.

Going party in Acapulco, Mexico

Sunset in Acapulco means one thing - party time! Glittering lights and happenin' music from the Costera's innumerable bars and dance clubs fill the air with excitement. People of all ages don their party clothes to dance the night away in clubs with million-dollar interiors and state-of-the-art sound and light systems. The club scene starts as late as 11:00pm, and often lasts until dawn. If you're something of an early bird, you can opt for several sunset cruises and concerts. But wherever you go, frosty margaritas and dark Mexican beer abound.

Baby-O

This Costera club maintains the glitz of Acapulco's original discos, and plays everything from swing to hip-hop to rock 'n' roll. Tiers of tables and tropical, cave-like walls surround the main dance area. A small snack bar and a hot tub give you a chance to catch your breath.

Señor Frogs

Very popular among tourists, this Costera hotspot is legendary for its over-the-top sangria chugging challenges.

Enigma

A lavish, Egyptian-themed club on the Scenic Highway, with murals by a famous Cuban artist. The dance floor holds some 700 people, and glass walls offer a spectacular view of Acapulco Bay. Fireworks light up the sky on the weekends.

Palladium

A waterfall cascades downhill from the dance floor level, which is surrounded by 50-foot high windows that allow a fantastic view. Scenic Highway.

Carlos 'n' Charlie's

A serious party place, with pounding music and great food. Step outside for a view from the terrace overlooking the Costera.

Common events in Acapulco, Mexico

While Acapulco doesn't offer much in the way of festivals, its beautiful neighbor, Taxco, which was designated as a national monument in 1928, hosts many entertaining events throughout the year.

Feast of Santa Prisca and San Sebastian

Music and fireworks add to this fun celebration honoring the town's patron saints. January.

Holy Week

From Palm Sunday to Easter, this religious celebration blends Indian and Christian traditions, with animated processions and other events. April.

Jornadas Alarconianos

This event honors one of Mexico's greatest dramatists with concerts, theater, and dance. Fiestas also abound, flooding the city with music, fireworks, and street dancing. August.

Saint Michael's Day

Observed with native dances and pilgrimages to the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel. September.

National Silver Fair

Hundreds of artisans from around the world display their work. Activities include contests and concerts. November - December.