Need Advice: What's your #1 favorite restaurant

Try del Santos. Expensive but very trendy. Not something you would expect to find there. You literally walk off the street into a whole different atmosphere. Even has an open-roofed dining area. Very cool. Great food!

There are so many wonderful restaurants that it is pretty hard to decide on which is #1, but (since you insist...) I will nominate Las Cazuelas (on north side of Basilio Badillo, out a ways beyond most of the restaurants on that street).

It is a long-established family restaurant serving mostly home-style (but elegant) Mexican food from old family recipes. Mama is a very friendly, courteous hostess and Papa is a funny, often ironically witty pleasure. They have a somewhat limited menu (supplemented by a few specials), but as is frequently the case, the small menu means that what they do they do very well. The setting is lovely; the east side wall has hanging plants (and, if I remember correctly, a waterfall). Not cheap by any means, but worth a visit for a leisurely, relaxed delightful meal.

Dave

This is GREAT! Thank you to all how responded and anyone else out there, please keep them coming. By the way, we are staying at the Westin Regina, ( in a timeshare so we know about the \"sharks\") and will probably eat close to home the first night. Any suggestions for Marina Vallarta. Also tlippy, any chance you would/could share your database?

how come nobodys mentioned mama deloras,s on southend of olas altas? great turkey dinner on sundays,also a good curry.i will be there for new years.(all you can drink champagne if its like last year).

Try this. We print out a few days before we leave for PV every year

http://www.pvconnect.com/dining.html

IMHO, this turning into a pretty good post! Thanks to everyone so far... I am really getting excited to try out some / all (I wish) of hese recommendations. Special thanks to Tlippy for the database and for the link to PVC.

Cathy and I are living here for 5 months and we found CHILES 3 blocks up the hill from Los Arcos and half a block down towards the beach. Nice atmosphere and the prices. Whole baked chicken, potato salad, green salad, hot bread, and 2 beers for $8. You have to remember you dont have to pay expensive prices for a great meal here. Some of the fancy restraunts put on a little show flaming the fajitas or making the guacamole at your table but you will pay twice the price for the show. Look around old town Basillo Badillo

Mel....my favorites are:

Red Cabbage - small place in a residential neighborhood in the river. authentic Mexican dishes, good service.
La Palapa - on Los Muertos beach. romantic in the evening. great food and excellent service.

Enjoy!

Hi, we just returned yesterday from my first trip to P.V. I would highly recommend a restaurant called DeSanto which is in the old downtown on Ave. Juarez (I think). Go later in the evening for dinner and you will be dining with the wealthy class of locals. Beautiful space, with a live D.J. spinning. Great people watching, and the food and service is first rate. Dress is casual elegant. Also, the best Mexican Cuisine we found is at Pueblo Real, also on Ave. Juarez. Really gracious service, and delicious authentic food.

Have a great time
Rick Forster, San Francisco