BajaNomad

Fun place, good food for bday dinner in La Paz

msrla - 7-3-2013 at 11:31 AM

We know all the usual suspects... but taking a poll - what is your favorite place for a birthday dinner celebration in La Paz? Someplace with good food and good atmosphere -

Lee - 7-3-2013 at 12:28 PM

The courtyard at Tres Virgenes or terrace at La Fonda, Tailhunter or Bismark on the Malecon. All good!

monoloco - 7-3-2013 at 12:47 PM

Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla.

Bajahowodd - 7-3-2013 at 04:57 PM

Kinda depends on how formal you want to get.

Interesting that Tres Virgenes gets a thumbs down from the loco man. But the prices are on the high end.

If you just want to kick back and have a fun time, Tail Hunter would be my choice. And Negro Modelo on draught.

Mula - 7-3-2013 at 05:02 PM

Los Laureles on the Malecon.

acadist - 7-3-2013 at 06:31 PM

Love Tailhunter, favorite spot to watch the sunset on the third floor......how about The Shack? They got the beer flowing yet?

Pescador - 7-4-2013 at 07:08 AM

We think Il Rustico is one of the best in all of La Paz. If I want a good steak, I usually end up at Buffalo Barb-b-Q. If you want a great Mexican style meal, the El Serape is definately much better than Los Magueys.

bajalinda - 7-4-2013 at 08:53 AM

Pescador - where is El Serape? address? cross-streets? Thanks in advance.

monoloco - 7-4-2013 at 09:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Kinda depends on how formal you want to get.

Interesting that Tres Virgenes gets a thumbs down from the loco man. But the prices are on the high end.

We ate there twice in the last year and both times were unimpressed with the food, the portions, and the price. Maybe it's just me, but I feel that when you pay $100+ for dinner for two, you shouldn't leave hungry.

danaeb - 7-4-2013 at 09:06 AM

The patio at Il Rustico gets my vote.

BajaBlanca - 7-4-2013 at 09:08 AM

We plan on spending a couple months in La Paz at the end of the year .... It will be fun to test out different eating establishments.

vandenberg - 7-4-2013 at 09:34 AM

Try the Campestre grill on the way in towards the malecon. Just past Walmart on the bay side of the road. You won't be disappointed I assure you. One of the most popular places with La Paz's expats and locals alike. Reasonable, comfortable and good service.

Paula - 7-4-2013 at 09:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Kinda depends on how formal you want to get.

Interesting that Tres Virgenes gets a thumbs down from the loco man. But the prices are on the high end.

We ate there twice in the last year and both times were unimpressed with the food, the portions, and the price. Maybe it's just me, but I feel that when you pay $100+ for dinner for two, you shouldn't leave hungry.



I think that Tres Virgenes has the best food in La Paz. The scallop ceviche appetizer with ponzu, avocado, grapefruit, red onion and fresh serrano is incredible. The black pasta with shrimp is delicious. The steaks are excellent, and generous. And for the quality the prices are reasonable, less than Il Rustico, and way less than the Uruguayan Steak Pace or Buffalo. We've never come close to $100 for dinner for two at TV.

That said, although the patio is lovely, and the service is good, it has a somewhat formal atmosphere, not laid back fun, but still a pleasant place to be.

coconaco - 7-4-2013 at 10:37 AM

Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla.



Just got back, Catrina's is a great option, say Hi to Martin the head waiter and Rainbow Hawk.

The new Moyeyos was incredible on Sunday. Loved the big hand tied palapa with the complete whale skeleton hanging.
We tried to get into the new GUERO TORO, but was so packed with locals each time. The white bull is the number one mariscos place for the locals.

Mar y Pena was a very good choice for us on monday night.
Met people that eat there every time in they are in town, and we were not disappointed. White table clothes and real chairs.

They need to film an episode of BAR RESCUE at Tailhunters,
fully staffed and empty most nights.

The Shack will be rock'n soon.

Compestre (dinner) and La Fonda (lunch) are rock solid.

Has anyone else had problems with paying the bill Tres Virgines.
The card machine is down, or they do not have any change at all.
I met two other people that also had to go the market next door
for change.

To break up things if you are in town for a while, the Golden Dragon, on Allende. Have them steam your wahoo and serve it in a plum sauce.

God Bless that town, Peace Out!


Can't wait to get back.

Paula - 7-4-2013 at 12:22 PM

From Momoloco on July 3:

"Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla."

From Coconaco on July 4:

"Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla."



So... are you guys twins?

There are so many good restaurants in La Paz-- no need to slam any of them, or anyone else's opinions for that matter....

monoloco - 7-4-2013 at 12:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
From Momoloco on July 3:

"Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla."

From Coconaco on July 4:

"Seriously? Tres Virgenes is over rated and over priced, and the Bismarlcito on the Malecon is a second rate establishment with bland and boring food. I had a decent meal recently at Las Catrinas on the side street by La Perla."



So... are you guys twins?

There are so many good restaurants in La Paz-- no need to slam any of them, or anyone else's opinions for that matter....
We are not twins,I think it was supposed to be a quote of my post by coconaco. The OP asked a question about other's experiences with La Paz restaurants, I gave mine, other's may be different, that's what restaurant reviews are about. As for Tres Virgenes, I realize that any restaurant can have an off night, that's why we gave it a second chance, but our experience the second time was exactly the same as the first.

willardguy - 7-4-2013 at 02:47 PM

right on the heart of the malecon! with the money you save here you can have a nice celebration later in the evening a couple streets back at "amnesia":yes:

My Personal Problem

Bajahowodd - 7-4-2013 at 04:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Kinda depends on how formal you want to get.

Interesting that Tres Virgenes gets a thumbs down from the loco man. But the prices are on the high end.

We ate there twice in the last year and both times were unimpressed with the food, the portions, and the price. Maybe it's just me, but I feel that when you pay $100+ for dinner for two, you shouldn't leave hungry.


Two years ago, we walked in to have dinner. I inquired if Jesse (Jesus) was there. He was not. We just figured that we'd go elsewhere because a part of our experience eating there was to chat with the owner.

Couple of months ago, on our way to stay at El Morro, I swung by the place in the late afternoon and inquired about Jesse/ Jesus and was told that he was down in Cabo buying wine.

We ate at Tailhunter.

I realize that when it comes to fine cuisine, there is really no comparison between the two places. But, after having been on the road from Santa Rosalia, a laid back place was more inviting.

Just getting the sense that Jesse/ Jesus is not spending as much time as he used to overseeing the operation.

vandenberg - 7-4-2013 at 06:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula[/i

I think that Tres Virgenes has the best food in La Paz. The scallop ceviche appetizer with ponzu, avocado, grapefruit, red onion and fresh serrano is incredible. The black pasta with shrimp is delicious. The steaks are excellent, and generous. And for the quality the prices are reasonable, less than Il Rustico,



Disagree, overated and overpriced.

Also, tried Tailhunter twice and hate to say, nothing positive to say about the place. Service non existence.

[Edited on 7-5-2013 by vandenberg]

rhintransit - 7-4-2013 at 06:41 PM

I'm going to agree about Tres Virgenes...limited menu, high prices, and non-accomodating chef. the last time I ate there, they were out of ribs, out of one of the steaks, and had only salmon for a fish choice. I didn't care for the sauce on the salmon, so asked if they could use a different one (on the menu for a different entree). waiter came back sheepishly and said the chef wouldn't substitute. we left after having had only salads...I was hard pressed to find even one appetizer that was appealing...and finishing our wine we'd brought, an expensive champagne the restaurant didn't carry. corkage was 10 bucks.
before the menu changes, and with Jessie there, things were different.

I'd vote for Il Rustico or Tailhunter for a birthday party...

DENNIS - 7-4-2013 at 09:15 PM

So..... where's Jesse? Did the help shove him down the garbage grinder?

Paula - 7-4-2013 at 09:42 PM

From Monoloco:

" The OP asked a question about other's experiences with La Paz restaurants, I gave mine, other's may be different, that's what restaurant reviews are about. As for Tres Virgenes, I realize that any restaurant can have an off night, that's why we gave it a second chance, but our experience the second time was exactly the same as the first."

Actually the OP asks for your favorite place for a celebratory dinner in a positive light, not your negative critique of La Paz restaurants. msrla just asks for your favorite...

Many Nomads seem not to like TV... and I agree with rhintransit that the chef could have done what she asked.

But why are we obsessed by Jesse's personal presence or lack thereof? I've found the restaurant to be good rather or not he shows up. We've eaten many times at Tailhunter too. Good place, very different that TV, both are nice for different reasons. For all the times at Tailhunter, I've yet to meet Jonathan Roldan. Funny that his absence isn't an issue here.

monoloco - 7-4-2013 at 10:01 PM

When reading reviews for anything, I generally find the negative ones more helpful than positive, if the OP was to only receive positive reviews it would be very hard to make a choice. I'm sorry that I don't like your favorite restaurant, but apparently it's an opinion shared by others here. I do agree that it should not matter whether or not Jesse is there, food and service in a well run restaurant should not depend on the presence of the owner.

Paula - 7-5-2013 at 07:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
When reading reviews for anything, I generally find the negative ones more helpful than positive, if the OP was to only receive positive reviews it would be very hard to make a choice. I'm sorry that I don't like your favorite restaurant, but apparently it's an opinion shared by others here. I do agree that it should not matter whether or not Jesse is there, food and service in a well run restaurant should not depend on the presence of the owner.



Interesting.... I find positive reviews more helpful, especially when details are included. I do like knowing why someone liked a place.

Pescador - 7-5-2013 at 07:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalinda
Pescador - where is El Serape? address? cross-streets? Thanks in advance.


Here is the info on El Zerape. The owner was the one who sponsored the world record burrito on the malecon in La Paz a couple of years ago. The restaurant is fun with all of the art and different areas.

http://www.elzarapelapaz.com/english/inicio.html

weebray - 7-5-2013 at 10:53 AM

There are any number of great places to eat in La Paz. For a birthday party you would be hard pressed to surpass Apostile on Madero esq. Morelos. The chef/owner is an "old school" cruise ship chef. (Before canned sauces etc.) My 2nd choice would be La Pazta on Allende 1/2 block up from the Malecon. The chef at Mr. Fisher on Morelos entre Revolucion y Madero is an expert on the grill. Last Sun. he grilled a 2" thick piece of Jurel for me. This is not easy as Jurel can easily dry out. He hit a home run, it was awsome. By the by, I really appreciate honesty about a resturant. It is good to hear the bad as well as the good.

DENNIS - 7-5-2013 at 11:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by weebray
Mr. Fisher



Any idea on how it came by that name?

bajalinda - 7-5-2013 at 11:38 AM

Glad to hear that Mr. Fisher on Morelos is open. We have wanted to try it for a while and we went there a couple of weeks ago only to find it all closed up. It was 8PM or so on, I think, a Thursday. Perhaps they were on a vacation break and are back now?

Is Apostile the Greek place?

Lee - 7-5-2013 at 01:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
Interesting.... I find positive reviews more helpful, especially when details are included. I do like knowing why someone liked a place.


Agreed and negative reviews also make a statement. Service was slow or non-existent. Food was bad. Music too loud. I think some people have bad restaurant karma -- usually to mostly get bad food and service.

Bismark is a popular place with locals and to call it second-rate makes a statement about the reviewer. I've always had good food there and service has always been excellent. I've eaten there everyday for weeks.

Negative people write negative reviews. Except for my consistently negative review of Mama's, which I'm up for trying again this year, I always get good food. I must be lucky.

monoloco - 7-5-2013 at 01:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lee

I always get good food. I must be lucky.
Or not that picky.:lol:

vandenberg - 7-5-2013 at 01:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
Quote:
Originally posted by Lee

I always get good food. I must be lucky.
Or not that picky.:lol:


Like Mickey.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Lee - 7-5-2013 at 02:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
Quote:
Originally posted by Lee

I always get good food. I must be lucky.
Or not that picky.:lol:


Touche. My wife knows good food. She tells me when it's good. My taste buds -- well, they're going South.

Because...

Bajahowodd - 7-5-2013 at 04:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
From Monoloco:

" The OP asked a question about other's experiences with La Paz restaurants, I gave mine, other's may be different, that's what restaurant reviews are about. As for Tres Virgenes, I realize that any restaurant can have an off night, that's why we gave it a second chance, but our experience the second time was exactly the same as the first."

Actually the OP asks for your favorite place for a celebratory dinner in a positive light, not your negative critique of La Paz restaurants. msrla just asks for your favorite...

Many Nomads seem not to like TV... and I agree with rhintransit that the chef could have done what she asked.

But why are we obsessed by Jesse's personal presence or lack thereof? I've found the restaurant to be good rather or not he shows up. We've eaten many times at Tailhunter too. Good place, very different that TV, both are nice for different reasons. For all the times at Tailhunter, I've yet to meet Jonathan Roldan. Funny that his absence isn't an issue here.


Jonathan's main interest is running fishing boats. His wife, Jilly, is virtually always right on the premises usually chatting up customers.

weebray - 7-5-2013 at 04:40 PM

Yes Apostile is a Greek resturant altho one of my favorites is the fillet. I'm not sure where the name came from or even if I'm spelling it correctly. Both Apostile and La Pazta are pretty upscale, dressy and on the more expensive side. For a "fun" party Mr. Fisher has picnic tables and if you stick a couple of pitchers of margaritas on a picnic table pretty soon someone will be saying; "get off the table Mabel the money's for the beer." It is a fun place and also very reasonable. As for the comment that only negative people write negative reviews I think that they are useful if not vitriolic. I can usually tell the difference.

weebray - 7-6-2013 at 11:16 AM

Talked to the chef at Mr. Fisher yesterday. He is open every day from noon to 8PM. He did say that he ocassionally closes early if he is catering a banquet. That happened 3X in June.

El Toro Guerro

capitolkat - 7-6-2013 at 12:00 PM

My wife and I really like this place-- It's on Abasolo at Sinaloa, Great selection, good seafood c-cktails and , always a mariachi band in the wings to play a birthday song, my wife eats shrimp emapanizado wherever she goes and she says theirs is the best, They also have some fiesta meals of shrimp and seafood that are served in a "pig" with all types of preparations in the same serving that accommodate the tastes of several diners, good service, a little rustic as it's open air and always crowded with locals.. Norm


BTW-- LTV is off our recommended list- too expensive for variable cuisine- also like the restaurant at Pichilinge beach, right on the water, great views, good margaritas, good guacamole, great octopus c-cktail, and the whole fried fish is our go to meal.

bajalinda - 7-6-2013 at 12:36 PM

Thanks for that info weebray. We must have got to Mr. Fisher after he closed up for the day. We had just assumed that they'd be open later. Will try again - and will get there earlier.

mulegemichael - 7-6-2013 at 08:50 PM

i must say everyone needs to at least consider trying "the shack", now on the malecon....travis and rosie, even while they are very casual and relaxed, offer some of the best food that baja has to offer...my bride and i experienced the very best shrimp eouteffee,(sp), that in all my almost 70 yrs cruising restaurants around the planet could even imagine.....was that a sentence?....whatever...good food!!!!!!!

TecateRay - 7-7-2013 at 07:22 AM

If you don't have to have seafood my favorite is Rancho Viejo. It is just up the hill from Papas and Beer. Great food and drinks, good atmosphere and service - hard to beat!

msrla - 7-8-2013 at 11:14 AM

Hi everyone, I'm the OP and really appreciate all the banter and reviews, good and bad... Been coming to La Paz for the last 20 or so years and have seen a lot of places come and go - we had decided on Il Rustico (always a great atmosphere and good food) but ended up at Azul as we were in town most of the day, came back to our place and didn't want to venture back in (in our opinion Azul is one of the best and, most important, CONSISTENT restaurants in LP - but Rustico for fun party atmosphere - we will hit it this week) - i have to agree about Tres Virgenes..... we loved it at one point, but we haven't gone back there in years - found it inconsistent and overpriced and I had to laugh at the "change" thing because that is precisely what happened to us too! La Pazta? haven't been there in years, did not enjoy the food at all (how can you mess up pasta? if I can cook it better, I won't be eating there again) This trip we will definitely go to THE SHACK, BUFFALITO (not Buffalo - there was a time when you could get a good steak but they changed the cut of meat they served and the quality? not parallel to the inflated price (we sure miss the chateubriand at Bermejos!) ... also there is a great little pizza place in town I can't remember the name but it's near the cathedral...will try that again and hopefully it's as good as it was - that is really the key to the La Paz eateries - CONSISTENCY! lots of great suggestions from the nomads here, Campestre we've heard great things about too so we will be trying that as well! Gracias amigos!!