From dining above the jungle in a bird's nest, to drinking Kava and Kratam by a cenote to a speakeasy dining experience, here are the must visit restaurants in Tulum right now.
Where should you go for dinner in Tulum? What are the top foods to try in Tulum? Where do you go if you're just looking for drinks? Where do you go if you're looking for a loud or low-key party scene? What are the best restaurants in Tulum and how expensive are they? These and more questions are all answered in my personal guide to restaurants in Tulum. Each of my recommendations is very different from the other and each is accompanied by a detailed description of why the place is unique and worth trying, whether it's because of the food, ambiance or experience.
1. WILD
You should eat here if: You're looking for beachside feels on the jungle side and a good low-key vibe. And if you're looking to taste the local Mexican delicacy-chapulines, or grasshopper
Must-Try: Mezcal with chapulines (grasshoppers), crushed coffee and cacao beans and orange peel
WILD came highly recommended and was right around the corner from us. It has low key vibes that definitely stay on the calmer side of things. Occasionally on Thursdays they might turn it up a bit, but typically this is a good spot for cocktails, music and a romantic dinner.
The menu itself is definitely "wild." The Michelin starred Executive Chef mixes Mexican cuisine with his international inspirations. As a starter we ordered the gyoza so that we could really experience WILD's fusion specialty. That was then followed by octopus and short rib as our starters. We could see our meals being made from the open aired kitchen on the other side. The meals were playful and fun and had us questioning what those peculiar yet complementary flavors were throughout out entire meal.
For dessert we ordered churros. We couldn't be in Mexico and not order churros, it's like going to Italy and not having gelato. To finish we decided to try a must-try specialty in Tulum, but some would argue all of Mexico: Mezcal. Patrick's new favorite digestivo alongside whiskey. For those that don't know what Mezcal is, it's your new go to beverage. It comes from the agave plant, similar to tequila. But unlike tequila, which is steamed in industrial ovens, Mezcal is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. This gives it a much smokier taste and completely different feel in the mouth. I, who like whiskey but can't drink it because it's so strong, found Mezcal to be delicious.
But it wasn't just the Mezcal that was new to us...the Mezcal came paired with three distinct sides to be enjoyed with every sip of Mezcal. Crushed cacao and coffee beans, orange slices and crispy grasshopper. That's right--crispy grasshopper aka chapulines in Mexican. Apparently, it's a very common delicacy in Mexico. It reminded me of the strange food that was sold in the foods stands in Beijing. Continue reading about my first-time experience eating chapulines in Tulum >>
Location: End of Tulum Beach Road before the entrance to Sian Ka'an Bio Reserve, on the jungle side
Hours: 6PM – 11PM
Price: $12 for starters, $17 for main
Want More Mezcal Experiences?
There are plenty of Mezcal plantations to visit, tastings and classes you can participate in and dinner pairings you can enjoy at restaurants in Tulum. We didn't get to experience a formal class, but I recommend you do if you have the chance. I know we will be booking one ASAP next time we're in Mexico. To really understand the smoke and the clay-pot process I mentioned, you can book a dedicated Tequila and Mezcal tasting. It’s the best way to graduate from "tourist shots" to actually appreciating the agave like a local.
2. The Secret "Sacred Well" Bar
You should go here if: You're looking for a natural "high" using ancient botanical elixirs and a swim in a private cenote.
Must-Try: Their specialty...gatekeeping for now! More on it below.
This jungle hideaway specializes in plant-based cocktails that relax the mind and body, a far cry from the sugary margaritas on the beach road. But the real draw? It’s one of the only spots in the area that has its own private, open-aired cenotes right on the property. You can grab a drink, listen to the DJ play low-key tribal house, and hop into the "sacred" water to cool off. Because this spot is small and I want to keep the crowds at bay, the exact pin and my recommended 'dosage' for their botanical teas are only in my Tulum Google Map.
There are not many cenotes on Tulum beach road, which is what makes this spot so unique. You actually get to enjoy a cerveza, or beer, in one of their TWO free, open-aired cenotes. Cenotes are these watering holes found throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. They were once considered "sacred wells" by the Mayans. It is believed that the Yucatan Peninsula has over 6,000 cenotes and many of them are interconnected. For everything there is to know about cenotes, continue reading my 101 article on cenotes.
3. Cenzontle
You should eat here if: You want to dine at one of the up-and-coming top restaurants in Tulum, if you weren't able to get reservations at Hartwood. And you're in the mood to feel "inside-out," more on what I mean below...
Must-Try: A Rita Hayworth cocktail: Mezcal, cucumber lime, epazote leaves and the duck carnitas
The vibe isn't the only thing appealing at Cenzontle. When you walk into this open-aired restaurant, you feel like your still inside a house. There are corners set up to look like a small niche table setting in a French household with paintings and lanterns on the wall and couches on the sand to make it feel like you're in a living room. You truly get a bit turned around and can't understand if you're outside or actually inside. But aside from the décor there are 2 things that are a can't miss on the menu. Everyone raves about the duck carnitas tacos...and trust me, they are worth the rave. The duck carnitas tacos were tender and savory with just the right amount of spices. The other are the cocktails, the mezcal cocktail was refreshing on a hot night. The cucumber lime watered down the mezcal giving it a smokey, yet almost healthy taste.
Location: Tulum Beach Road on the jungle side, next to Hartwood
Hours: 6PM – 11PM
Price: $10 for appetizer, $20 per main
4. La Eufemia [Permanently Closed]
You should eat here if: You want a cheap, but delicious speakeasy taco place.
Must-Try: Tacos
La Eufemia is hidden behind a small alley that you wouldn't even think twice about walking down. There's a small wooden sign that reads "tacos" and we trust it. It takes us down a narrow alley with a ceiling lined with glass bottles. After a few curves around graffiti covered walls here and there, you start to hear music playing in the distance. Ok, the beach and taqueria needs to be near. All of a sudden you see the beautiful Caribbean sea, an open grill, and a wooden deck overlooking the beach. We choose the wooden deck over the beach set up so we could enjoy the view from above. There's a live band playing below us on the sand. The vibe is hopping.
The food is just as good. It feels like a homemade, simple, not overly complex taco--and at the right price. I watch them prepare our food as sombreros hang from the ceiling nodding back and forth to the wind. The wooden chairs we're sitting on are decorated with artwork of people so it looks like there is someone actually sitting in the chairs, even when there is not. The place is quirky and it's exactly what we wanted.
Are you a taco purist?
Then one spot isn’t enough. You can join a curated Tacos Tour to find the absolute best street stands that don't have signs, or dive into an Authentic Mexican Food Tour to taste the real Tulum town flavors that the beach road usually misses.
Navigating the difference between "Tulum Beach" and "Tulum Pueblo" (Town) is where most people trip up. I usually suggest my Trip Planning clients split their time to get both the high-end nests and the $2 tacos. If you want a 2026 itinerary that balances both, let's talk.
5. Azulik: Kin Toh or Tseenja
You should eat here if: You're into Disneyland, for adults. It's perfect if you're looking for the ultimate Tulum dinner 'gram shot or if you're with a group of friends.
The line to get into Azulik--a famous Tulum hotel, restaurant and art gallery--is very long. In fact, you can't get in without a reservation so make one at least a month in advance before you go--even if it's just for drinks. Even if you just want to see the art gallery installation, you need a reservation. Azulik and it's restaurants in Tulum are a touristy stop, but worth stopping by because it is so unique to Tulum. The experience begins by walking into a large woven wooden tunnel that takes you up into a floating treehouse. We order some drinks at our table before exploring the grounds. The first stop was exploring how guests at Azulik got around the hotel. It was through suspended jungle gyms (see video on the left). If you're afraid of heights you may want to reconsider trying them as they feel a bit flimsy and scary. But it's very cool.
After feeling like a child again, we made our way to the rooftop. This is where Azulik's famous restaurants in Tulum can be found--private lunch and dinner nests. Their two restaurants in Tulum, Kin Toh and Tseenja, cater to the nests above, perfect for groups looking for a birds eye view of the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Mayan jungle on the other. They have 1 or 2 nests available for just 2 people, but those get snatched up fairy quickly.
As we make our way back down to our table, we pass by the "Bridge of Tseenja," an intimate dining experience secluded from everyone else. The only way to get to it is by walking on a bridge of water. The drinks and ambiance here were nice, but we were looking for something a bit more local, low-key and not as Disney-landish. Definitely come here dressed upscale. So we went to dinner at Gitano's...more on that below.
Location: Beginning of Tulum Beach Road, on the beach side
Hours: 7:30AM – 11:30PM
Price: Expensive
6. Gitano's - Jungle Side
You should eat here if: You want to go from dinner to dancing without leaving.
Gitano's has become so popular, a location has opened up in New York and Miami as well. It started off in Tulum, so this is the OG location. It has 3 locations in Tulum: Beach, Jungle and Meze. My personal favorite is the Jungle because it's bar boasts over 50 Mezcals and dinner turns into dancing in the Jungle Room under the disco ball on Friday nights. The ambiance here is quiet romantic, but lively as well. Think candlelit dinners and low-lighting with upbeat mood music.
Location: Tulum Beach Road on the jungle side, next to Hartwood
Hours: 5PM - Closure
Price: $12 for appetizers and $26 for main
7. The "Grandmother’s Kitchen" Beach Club
You should eat here if: You want handmade pasta that actually tastes like it was made in Genova, served right on the Caribbean sand.
Must-Try: Fresh hand-made pasta or pizza.
Getting to this beachside restaurant is an experience in itself; you have to weave through a series of "entrances" before the view opens up. The recipes are 100% grandmother-approved, and they even flew in specialized ovens from Italy to get the dough exactly right. It’s an exquisite, refined Italian meal with your toes in the sand. It’s cash-only, they don’t take reservations, and if you don't know the 'sweet spot' time to arrive, you’ll be waiting for two hours. I’ve dropped my personal timing strategy and the exact GPS coordinates in my Tulum Google Map.
8. Speakeasy Dinner Experience
You should eat here if: You're looking for a private party and Speakeasy experience with a social media blackout.
Must-Try: They're tasting menu and communal dinners.
This is the real, old-school Tulum—unfiltered, unbothered, and entirely private. It begins with an inconspicuous wooden entrance that looks like a private residence. Once you step inside, the outside world disappears. They actually place a sticker over your phone camera the moment you walk in. Why? Because what happens here is meant for the moment, not the feed.
The night starts with a long, heavy stone table lit entirely by candlelight under the high jungle canopy. You aren't ordering from a menu; you're trusting the chef to serve whatever was fresh at the market that morning, all cooked over an open wood fire.
But don't let the "communal dinner" vibe fool you, once the plates are cleared, the transition is electric. A DJ drops in, the live music kicks up, and the space shifts into a full-blown jungle party. It is raw, primal, and deeply liberating. Word of advice: don't come here if you're a prude. This is a place where people truly let go, the energy is high-vibration, and the vibe is "anything goes" (read: yes, it gets risque, and yes, you might see some skin). It feels less like a restaurant and more like an underground party at a billionaire’s eco-compound where the rules of the outside world don't apply.
Because this spot relies on total anonymity to maintain its vibe, I’m not sharing the name or the hidden cross-street here. I’ve included the name exclusively in my Tulum Interactive Google Map.
If you can get in...a few more restaurants in Tulum to add onto your list
Of course, all good things come to an end, and there is just so much space I can make in my belly for delicious food. If I had more time to eat on Tulum (and had I made reservations a month in advance--that's really the key here), these were some additional restaurants in Tulum I would visit and eat at next time I’m there.
Top Foods to Try in Restaurants in Tulum
Tired of the Instagram hype and looking for the "Real" Tulum? Between the "social media blackouts" at the Treehouse and the hidden cenote bars, Tulum is a city of secrets. If you want me to handle the 30-day reservation windows, the stroller-friendly transport (now that Sibby's on board!), and the vetted local contacts, book a travel consultation with me here. I’ll make sure your Mexico trip is as "Wild" or as low-key as you want it to be.
>> Next: 7 Can't Miss Park City Restaurants & Saloons
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