La Parrilla Cancún — Restaurant in Cancún

If you are a gringo I would beware of this place. I went in there because I love mariachi music so my understanding was they had Mariachi singers playing for different sets of time close to 45 minutes for each set and then they would take a break and play again for another 45 minutes etc to make up a total of two or three hours for the evening so I went under the assumption and ordered a glass of red wine to enjoy while I was listening to the music so I went to also enjoy her glass of red wine while listening to the music. Unfortunately they have a routine there where they only play a couple songs followed by going out into the audience just listed tips or donations for people to individually pay them to see birthday greetings or whatever. I am a temporary resident of Mexico so I'm not a tourist having traveled all over this wonderful country of Mexico in many of the 32 states including Guadalajara which is the center of mariachi music. I wound up having to go outside to take a couple of phone calls so I could still hear music which was infrequent. When it came time for me to leave one of the other waiters other than the one who had been helping me he came over to present me with a bill of about $50 for someone else for me to pay. Of course I called over the waiter who had been helping me and he stood up for me saying no that was not correct I only ordered a glass of wine which was about $7 plus 15% tip so I would just be very aware of what's going on there because it's easy to get a little inebriated and not realize what people are doing to you or trying to do to you. The waiter who is trying to pull this dishonest activity off was also assuming that I was a tourist so he was talking down to me translating how much the bill and pesos was in dollars which I'm perfectly aware of what the case of the dollar rate is since I am once again a temporary resident of Mexico. Apparently there's also a taxi parked outside but I would be wary of taking that taxi driver since he's parked in front of this restaurant which I don't trust anymore. I already had a bad experience with another alleged Uber driver who was really a taxi driver a week ago I don't need any more of that stress in my life. I need to be treated with respect and integrity so I will not go to the places again where I am not treated...

We ended up here by accident on January 4, 2025, while searching for another restaurant recommended by a friend’s sister, but fate had a better plan! When our initial choice was closed, we turned to our Uber driver for a suggestion. He confidently recommended La Parrilla in downtown Cancun on Yaxchilan Street. Initially, I was skeptical, worried it might be a tourist trap. I asked, “Would you bring your mother here?” His enthusiastic “yes” was enough to convince us to give it a try.

When we arrived around 12:30-1 PM, the restaurant was nearly empty, which gave me pause. However, the welcoming staff immediately set a positive tone. It quickly became clear this was a spot frequented by locals rather than tourists, and we discovered why.

La Parrilla offered a seafood and meat buffet for just $21 USD, and it was an absolute delight! Every single dish was fresh, flavorful, and authentically prepared. The handmade tortillas, crafted before our eyes, were a standout, as was the vibrant paella. Our server, Memito, was incredible—friendly, attentive, and fun! He even carried our drinks on his head, adding a touch of entertainment to the impeccable service.

As time passed, the restaurant started to fill with locals, and a lively trio of musicians began playing, creating a wonderfully festive atmosphere.

A few tips for future visitors: • This location is outside the Hotel Zone, about an hour from resorts like Paradisus using public transportation. • Be specific with your Uber driver to ensure you’re taken to the downtown Yaxchilan Street location.

This hidden gem exceeded all expectations, and I’m so glad we trusted our Uber driver’s recommendation. It’s a spot worthy of him bringing his mother—and we’ll definitely be returning the next time...

Food was okay actually, quite tasty, nobody got sick of it, everybody I talked to said it was fine and I thought it was good too. The restaurant is clean, there is a US dollar to peso exchange Booth right in the restaurant, so you can just come in and pay in the US dollars if you like. Understand when I say that the food was tasty and good, that's true, however it was not as good as the tacos for approximately $2 each that I got from the little restaurant next to the gas station. You're not really paying for the food in this place, you're paying for the little band of people to come up and play music to you. You're also paying for somebody to come up to your table take pictures of you eating there, and then try to sell you the photographs afterwards. The bill was $140 US dollars, I handed the waiter two USD $100 bills, and he seemed really shocked that I wanted some change back. My friend went, got one drink for 300 Mexican Pesos, and he left a tip of 50, and the waiter came to him specifically pointed to the bill and said that he hadn't left big enough tip. If you think that leaving a $60 tip on a $140 bill is completely normal, then this is your restaurant. If you want to have a little band of three people playing loud music next to you when you're eating, and then you pay them, then this is absolutely the place you should go. If you happen not to own a mobile phone for some reason, and you require somebody to come up to you and take pictures of you while you're eating, and then pay them for it, then this is absolutely the place...