Marisqueria Mazatlan - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - 2005 [MOVED]
RATING (* for Worst to ***** for Best)
Food: ****
Service: **
Ambience: **
Value: ****
Fodor's Review Site
General: I don't typically review a restaurant that are SOOOO local that it's almost impossible to find without assistance (unless you've lived in a 3rd world country AND speak the local language). Well, I'll make this place an exception. In a town packed with tourist traps, this restaurant offers a refreshing local flavor and top notch food.
Food: Trust me, I almost gave them five stars. It was a close call. This place is heaven for seafood lovers. We enjoyed the three main seafood offerings - different types of seafood cocktails including "ceviche de corvina" (rico!!) and shrimps, pulpos al ajillo (alright, maybe octopus is not for everyone), and grilled fish (BIG and hot plate, too good to describe).
The Pacific Mexican cuisine is quite different from its siblings in the north and Caribbean - it's general more mild and almost 100% seafood. They tend to either overcook it to very well done or just eat it almost raw. It's interesting that while in California the variety of seafood is limited, but down in Mexico - a few hundred miles south - variety is abundant. You've got to try all kinds of things down there!
Service: This place reminds me of a cafeteria with waiters. They are reasonably fast (like everything else in Cabo - to fast to be Mexican), efficient and polite, and they even speak a little English (muy poquito). After they found out I speak Spanish, some gladly switched to their native tongue. I think we were treated better than rest of the guests because we're tourists - so do go in with your sombrero and ask for a margarita when you sit down.
Ambience: What ambience - except a large, barely decorated dining hall with tables and chairs that are falling apart. I do like the fact that one Mexican guy, probably an acquaintance of the owner, was hanging out and playing guitar. Granted he's not great, the extreme local atmosphere made me give them two stars.
Value: Folks, if you are a value shopper like me, hop on a plane and go to this place now. It's doesn't get much better - you can have a ton of seafood - so much you'll feel like a fish - for like $20. Alright, so it's not exactly cheap by Mexican standards, but try any other place in Cabo San Lucas and you'll tell me that this restaurant offers the BEST deal for its quality of food. You just have to ignore the peeling paint....
Bottomline: When I first walked in, I thought Fodor's critic must have had too much Tequila to give this local joint a Editor's Choice. When I walked out, I think anyone who loves food - particularly seafood - should feel devastated if they had missed this place in Cabo San Lucas. Even if you are not a particular fan of Mexican cuisine, you will LOVE their good food - you just have to walk in by blind faith in me!
Last Word: Our whole family, including a 3-year old child, survived eating and drinking (YES, their juices are too good to miss!) there, so I don't think hygene is a big issue. After all, you shouldn't leave without trying the ceviche (which is uncooked) It never hurts to be cautious in a place like this one, which means don't eat or drink anything that you'd question it's freshness.
Food: ****
Service: **
Ambience: **
Value: ****
Fodor's Review Site
General: I don't typically review a restaurant that are SOOOO local that it's almost impossible to find without assistance (unless you've lived in a 3rd world country AND speak the local language). Well, I'll make this place an exception. In a town packed with tourist traps, this restaurant offers a refreshing local flavor and top notch food.
Food: Trust me, I almost gave them five stars. It was a close call. This place is heaven for seafood lovers. We enjoyed the three main seafood offerings - different types of seafood cocktails including "ceviche de corvina" (rico!!) and shrimps, pulpos al ajillo (alright, maybe octopus is not for everyone), and grilled fish (BIG and hot plate, too good to describe).
The Pacific Mexican cuisine is quite different from its siblings in the north and Caribbean - it's general more mild and almost 100% seafood. They tend to either overcook it to very well done or just eat it almost raw. It's interesting that while in California the variety of seafood is limited, but down in Mexico - a few hundred miles south - variety is abundant. You've got to try all kinds of things down there!
Service: This place reminds me of a cafeteria with waiters. They are reasonably fast (like everything else in Cabo - to fast to be Mexican), efficient and polite, and they even speak a little English (muy poquito). After they found out I speak Spanish, some gladly switched to their native tongue. I think we were treated better than rest of the guests because we're tourists - so do go in with your sombrero and ask for a margarita when you sit down.
Ambience: What ambience - except a large, barely decorated dining hall with tables and chairs that are falling apart. I do like the fact that one Mexican guy, probably an acquaintance of the owner, was hanging out and playing guitar. Granted he's not great, the extreme local atmosphere made me give them two stars.
Value: Folks, if you are a value shopper like me, hop on a plane and go to this place now. It's doesn't get much better - you can have a ton of seafood - so much you'll feel like a fish - for like $20. Alright, so it's not exactly cheap by Mexican standards, but try any other place in Cabo San Lucas and you'll tell me that this restaurant offers the BEST deal for its quality of food. You just have to ignore the peeling paint....
Bottomline: When I first walked in, I thought Fodor's critic must have had too much Tequila to give this local joint a Editor's Choice. When I walked out, I think anyone who loves food - particularly seafood - should feel devastated if they had missed this place in Cabo San Lucas. Even if you are not a particular fan of Mexican cuisine, you will LOVE their good food - you just have to walk in by blind faith in me!
Last Word: Our whole family, including a 3-year old child, survived eating and drinking (YES, their juices are too good to miss!) there, so I don't think hygene is a big issue. After all, you shouldn't leave without trying the ceviche (which is uncooked) It never hurts to be cautious in a place like this one, which means don't eat or drink anything that you'd question it's freshness.
posted by His Servant at
9:11 AM
