CaboBrian - 8-27-2006 at 07:39 PM
Hi, I will be spending 2 nights in la Paz next weekend before heading over to Cabo for a week. Any tips on good places for dinner and Menudo for
breakfast??
Thanks
jim janet - 8-27-2006 at 07:54 PM
mr sugar is number uno
comitan - 8-27-2006 at 08:19 PM
Agreed, Mr. Azucar on 16 september 3-4 blocks on right from abosolo.
Paula - 8-27-2006 at 09:14 PM
Haven't heard of Sr. Azucar-- what is it like?
La Costa
bajajudy - 8-28-2006 at 06:29 AM
I like La Costa for excellent seafood.
Go to the end of 5 de febrero and take a right. It is down one block on the left, right on the bay.
I forgot
One of my favorite things to do is breakfast at La Perla. The food is not wonderful but the people watching is the best.
[Edited on 8-28-2006 by bajajudy]
gnukid - 8-28-2006 at 07:42 AM
As soon as you admit there are almost no good restaurants in La Paz it all becomes easier to digest. Reduce your expectations and do not order big
meals. The city has no idea of service or quality food, it is not what they do... though the casa paticulars or restaurants in the home are often the
best for pozole, menudo etc. A paceno goes to restaurant and sits there and orders nothing! Nothing! Then later, much later say 12pm-4am you visit
the hotdog stands, and taco stands that open aften late at night... that's La Paz. Lunch is 1-4pm dinner is 10pm on. Don't fight it.
In general these are good when open...
Gorillas for breakfast
Los Arcos for dinner
El Tesoro for lunch on the beach all the way up the malecon toward balandra bay.
7 crown could be good.
Bizmark should be avoided for your health. Been sick there too often. Carlos and Charlies is horrible frozen food, Perla gross, Rancho Viejo is okay
but worth skipping the fatty overpriced food. Don't go to Super Burro Authentico-they don't even use meat in the meat, skip the Dock cafe unless you
want a nice view and overpriced cold food and bad service.
Take it from someone who eats out every meal, every day in La Paz, the best way to enjoy La Paz restaurants without being sick and horribly
disappointed is to go to CCC store and buy something healthy that you know you can eat such as peanuts and fresh fruits washed well and soaked in a
bowl of water and anticontamination drops and drink some good bottled water and have a nice drink in your hotel room or home... then later go walk the
streets and visit the restaurants and order just one little plate. You won't be disappointed by expectations and you won't be sick from eating a whole
meal poorly prepared. Don't order a mixed drink, margarita, wine or coffee, you will be very disappointed. Pacenos just don't have the background or
the wherewithall to make a good meal in a restaurant. At this point in the year the average restaurant doesn't even have supplies and they won't even
go to the store until you place your order-you're going to wait.
comitan - 8-28-2006 at 07:45 AM
Interesting, good food, inexpensive, go Mon -thurs, live music older man plays oldie but goodies.
bajajudy - 8-28-2006 at 08:54 AM
Jeez gnu.....you got me scared and I eat out in La Paz all the time. Never tried the new Bizmark and wont now. El Bistro and Milana are good
choices, next door to each other up the street and on the opposite side from Perla Dept store.
I love Gonzalez Hmnos for a street taco. Los Arcos is a good reasonable choice for dinner. They used to have an excellent chateau briand for two
that was under $20.
If you are wanting to get out of town. Club Marlin in El Centenario is killer.
Comitan...where are you talking about? Sounds like fun
longlegsinlapaz - 8-28-2006 at 09:09 AM
WOW gnukid!!!!!!!
You either have epicurean tastebuds or a very delicate digestive system!! Granted I haven't found any 5-Star restaurant in La Paz in my 7-years here,
but there are a lot of very good restaurants! Yes, there are a lot of greasy meals, but it depends on what you order! Mr. Azugar's is a great place,
the owner & his wife are wonderful people & have on occasion prepared something NOT on the menu upon request. There is a baked stuffed potato
place on Allende & Altamirano; the make awesome stuffed potatoes, but it's open air seating & the flies would probably be more than you could
cope with! Some of the best food comes from little hole-in-the-wall places, and I don't do spicy at all!
The only comment you made that I totally agree with is avoiding Bismark! I've NEVER bought the anticontamination drops & I've never been gotten
sick from just washing my fruit & veggies in tap water. And I do NOT have a cast-iron stomach! I drink the water, not bottled water.
La Paz is a Mexican town, most restaurants cater to Mexican tastes & cooking is done using predominently local techniques & ingredients. Yes,
Mexicans eat a lot more greasy food than gringos do. But I think you forgot to leave your gringo tastebuds & expectations at the border. You
have to accept the fact that this is not a fast food society, customer service is view totally different here. This is a laid-back culture, not a
fast-paced one!
Personally, I think a few of your comments were right on the mark, but the majority untrue & very unfair to the majority of eating establishments
in La Paz. If you take the attitude you took in writing your comments into restaurants with you, it's possible that you're being treated & served
in the manner you treat the people serving you. This is a different culture!! But common human courtesy is universal. IMHO, you tarred the entire
food & beverage industry in La Paz with the same brush....inaccurately & VERY UNFAIRLY! The list of places that I've eaten that I'd return to
is MUCH LONGER than the list of places I'd never go back.
gnukid - 8-28-2006 at 09:18 AM
I personally never get sick I even drink filtered water from my tap in la paz and I enjoy every single taqueria, in fact you'll see me hanging in the
kitchen learning the secrets and trying everything. I also love to cook and enjoy shopping at almost every market.
My point, is for visitors of which I have many, a new arrival should be very careful to not have high expectations and not overeat your first few few
days there. Best to eat early, something healthy, since we are accusmtomed to that, then walk and cruise and check it all out and eat again late a
small meal.
A normal scenario for new arrivals, the newbie arrives hungry so you go early, order and wait accidently get drunk on bad alcohol then wait and wait
and overeat bad food and get sick.
Just my advice, and I do know.
toneart - 8-28-2006 at 12:44 PM
I don't live in La Paz but I visit often. Los Arcos is always good. My favorite food is in the Mercado. I have tried several of the food stands in
there and the food is always good, and I have never gotten sick.
Often for breakfast I like to sit in patio at The Dock. I enjoy the conversation with the yacht people and I like to look at their boats while eating.
The food is overpriced but OK. Service is usually ok. I leash my big dog to my chair. Nobody minds. It is also a WIFI hotspot.
Right across the street from the yacht harbor and The Dock is a very popular Italian Restaurant (I don't remember its name). While I was there, there
was a big band with lots of gringo and Mexican musicians playing jazz. They were very entertaining. Some of the musicians were better than others. The
food was good but the service was v-e-r-y s-l-o-w. I didn't care. I was alone and there for the evening.
Unless the food is inedible and/or the service is rude, I am just happy being there, in La Paz.
villadelfin - 8-28-2006 at 03:45 PM
The name of the Italian place is Ciao Molina. Famous for its Wednesday night jam sessions.
The restaurant at the former Hotel Posada de Engelbert does a wonderful breakfast, well-executed dinners and has a 2-1 happy hour. We've watched many
a sunset there.
Skeet/Loreto - 8-28-2006 at 05:04 PM
WOW! Has anybody tried the Taco Stand on Jalisco near the Plumbing Store out near the CCC. I have eaten there many times as well as the Fish Taco
Stand about 5 blocks East of the 16th of Sept. I understand it was run by the Bismark 11 Cooks. I started eating at the Bismark in 1968 when they
still had Turtle Soup . I have never been sick, of Course I did not allow my Guests to load upon Beer/Food the first day of their Visit.
Sure do like that Ice Cream Store near the Pier and the Starbucks Style Place a Block up from Carlos and Charlie. Always my first visit when I arrive
is the Chinse Food Place above the Starbucks Style Coffee House.
They serve Carlo Rossi White Wine!
Skeet/Loreto
la paz food
CaboBrian - 8-28-2006 at 05:59 PM
Thanks for all your suggestions, I really appreciate it and now have some choices to make which is great!! I guess all i have to worry about now when
I fly in on the 2nd is tropical storm John!
Thanks again
[Edited on 8-29-2006 by CaboBrian]
Paula - 8-28-2006 at 07:35 PM
Jesse,
How is your restaurant coming along? Don and I are in Montana until October, but we're looking forward to visiting your place.
Don Alley - 8-28-2006 at 08:03 PM
I was going to post a review of the La Paz Burger King but I didn't want to embarrass Paula (who did NOT eat there).
Paula - 8-28-2006 at 08:09 PM
Yep, Don loves that BK, but I can't bring myself to eat a whopper with Gonzalez tacos so close by.
msrla - 8-29-2006 at 09:03 AM
Hi Brian,
Here are some of our favorites:
As many suggested here, definately the nice restaurant at Hotel Los Arcos for a special dinner. I think it's called Bermejo's.
Le Bistro Francais and Cafe Milano are right next door to each other and very good -- try the pork in mustard sauce at Bistro Francais...yummmmmm
We tried a place called "La Divina Uvas" last time, met the owner on the beach up at Tecolote (which also has a great place to eat, try the chocolate
clams, fish tacos there are yummy too!) and he invited us -- it's over by the Marina/Yacht area, it's a nice spot -- I know many here don't care for
it but we had an excellent meal there and you can watch the boats....
The restaurant at La Concha is also very nice, and it's right outside on the beach, great spot to kick back and enjoy the sunset. The seafood is
usually fresh and very good there.
Not sure of Rancho Viejo these days, used to be very good but I heard a bunch of folks have gotten sick there.....
Palapa Adriana, someone else mentioned here, nice location, food is ok there....
Ice cream place on the malecon by the polka dotted tree is also excellent! Also the dessert place under the chinese restaurant a block off the
malecon in town is very good, but I'd avoid the chinese restaurant upstairs -- For chinese, Nuevo Pekin definately!
Hope this helps, have a great time!
villadelfin - 8-29-2006 at 12:39 PM
Kate, I never found Bismark either, only Bismark II. It's in your neck of the woods
http://www.lapaz-mexico.com/food.html
Jack Swords - 8-29-2006 at 12:50 PM
There are many good restaurants in La Paz. Many have been mentioned and good and bad based upon personal preferences. We spend 6 months in the
winter in La Paz and eat out frequently. We have never been sick, never had a bad meal (some mediocre ones). We eat out with friends and try new
places all the time. One very special place is La Serape where the food is changed to reflect that found in regions all over Mexico. The staff is
excellent, very helpful in explaining the many different dishes. As in other places a breakfast buffet is available weekends. La Serape is away from
the water. La Concha has a great breakfast buffet, as does the Marlin Club. The ex- Posada de Englebert Humperdink (now another name, but everyone
knows the old name) has a great restaurant and view spot with nice plantings. The problem in La Paz is one can eat too well!
comitan - 8-29-2006 at 01:02 PM
The original Bismark was on the 16th Sept. downtown, its now a ferriteria.
bajajudy - 8-29-2006 at 01:21 PM
Jack, where is La Serape? por favor
bajajudy - 8-29-2006 at 03:25 PM
Larry
Thanks for the clarification on the address. I was thinking that Oaxaca and Nayarit ran parallel.
Marie-Rose - 8-29-2006 at 04:43 PM
Gee, I think that the Bizmark is where we go for the smoked marlin taco's at lunch
Have never had any problems and have found them very tasty. On the malecon...a restaurant that also has a taco stand at lunch time??? Am I thinking
of the right place?
Has always been very busy when we have been there.
Also agree with Judy's recommendation for La Costa. Have had great seafood there...esp their seafood soup. Can have a bit of a chilly breeze in the
spring.
Paula - 8-29-2006 at 05:12 PM
Although we haven't been to the Bizmark, we've heard that the taco stand is excellent, and the restaurant is terrible.
I love the Bistro Francais-- the courtyard is so pretty and the duck dishes are always good.
I'm out of synch with everyone on Bermejo at Los Arcos-- didn't care for it.
Food is generally better in US restaurants to tell the truth, but I'd always rather eat out in Baja for the atmosphere-- whether fancy or taco stand.
The best foods in La Paz to me are Hmnos Gonzalez tacos and the rose petal ice cream in the place by the wonder bread tree.
Looking forward to getting back to do more research!
The Gull - 8-29-2006 at 06:33 PM
Hmnos Gonzalez and El Zarape for me. Could eat there everyday until the forklift would cart my expanded size away.
M_Man - 8-31-2006 at 12:12 PM
What? Two pages on La Paz chow and not one mention of Mar y Pena?
Nomads, we're slipping!
We went twice in a week at the end of June, I had the Seafood Chili Rellenos both times...still delicioso!
Excellent crab salad, anything in their chipotle sauce is great too.
Mar y Pena is a cab ride away from the Malecon, and worth the ride!