Mar Y Vino — Restaurant in Jalisco

I have occasionally had bad experiences at places and never have I ever left a bad review - for this place I certainly am. When I saw the bad reviews for this restaurant, I figured to ignore them as I’m a very easy going and an understanding person - but those reviews were definitely accurate.

The quality of staff at this restaurant undermined the entire experience which was also very poor. I had called to make a reservation to sit in the water section for my birthday and they took all of my information down without mentioning I needed to pay or confirm anything. When we arrived the day of our reservation at 6:40, 50 minutes early to check in and potentially eat sooner if we could, the two hostesses said they didn’t have my reservation at all. From there, they were not very helpful in solving the problem in which they gave me the tablet to find my reservation that eventually they explained that they cancelled our reservation because they accidentally sent the confirmation to a different phone number so they gave our table away (which they also never mentioned anything about a confirmation on the phone when I called to make a reservation because otherwise I would’ve called asking where it was) - but it happens and that’s understandable. But from there, they didn’t even apologize, and offered us a table behind a pole and not in the water. When I asked if they could let me know if there were any cancellations/open tables, they said yes but never did. When we came back for our 7:30 table behind the pole not in the water 50 minutes later, they still said the water section was booked even though there were 7+ tables not being used - but they said they were still reserved and that seemed understandable - however, after our meal continued, the 7+ open “reserved” tables still had no one there (with only about 8 or so tables being occupied so they weren’t busy or understaffed) so I asked if we could move to one of them - and I had been super understanding and polite the entire time. They still said no and that they were reserved and that I could speak to their manager who never came by as she said - which as I’ve read from other reviews, the manager is rude as well. Once we finished our meal, at around 8:45 which was 2 HOURS after we had initially arrived and asked to sit in the water section, there were at least 6 tables in the water still open with barely anyone in the section - the restaurant looked fairly empty as you can see in the photos I attached from 8:30!! As someone who works at a restaurant myself and understands that a) miscommunication and things happen and b) reservations are prioritized, the hostesses clearly not doing their jobs as the restaurant was at most half full and declining seating shows that they don’t know what they are doing - AND were rude about it when they made the mistake in the first place - ESPECIALLY on a special occasion AND it had been hours since their “reserved” tables had been completely empty in which plenty of families could have sat, eaten, and left BEFORE these “reservations”.

On top of that, I would’ve hoped the food would redeem that frustration but it didn’t. Luckily the lobster was pretty good. However, for the other courses, after one bite to try it, I didn’t even continue eating the pastry appetizer and the celery ice cream because it was not good at all, all for about $1000 USD (only ordering water for drinks) for a family of FOUR! Servers however were very nice and were one of the few positive aspects of our experience.

Overall, I hope the restaurant learns how to better manage their organization and try to be more helpful, proactive, and own & fix their mistakes - will definitely not be back and highly...

When in this part of Mexico it is a must that you stop here at Mar Y Vino for a eat. Let me start by saying the reason why a 3 and 1/2 star Instead of a full 4 or 5 star. Seafood that is meant to be served hot should not at ANYTIME be served look warm #1. #2 If each entree cost at least 390 pesos (and they do) and the place has clientele everyday purchasing the minimum of 1 entree then surely the establishment can upgrade the banos from an out house porta potty appearance to a marble floor and decorative wall and doors? Come on, add some zing to a bathroom!! Separate hand wash clothes for persons to dry their hands in a basket outside of the restroom is cute but I'm sure from a business perspective very costly. But I get the idea. We were skeptical about stepping off of the platform Into the pool like area which houses the table and chairs. Yes we had chairs and table in the water which makes for a good look but can also be a scary thing. If your 70 year old Grandma/pa had to step down into the pool like area where are the rails so she/he can hold on to climb up or step down? The tile floor in the water was a bit slippery although the platform floor stepping up on has a more textile and rough surface ,it remains wet which can be tricky to gain footing when one foot is in the pool and the other on the platform and no rail. Perhaps they should look into steps with handrails for everyone's safety. Good idea the layout but safety before decor is a greater way to tell clients the establishment has their safety in mind. Let's talk about Mario...our waiter was professional, fast and spoke our language without stutter. He suggested the sample platter and we were glad we went with his suggestion BUT it was not served hot. IT WAS SUPPOSE to be. Our appetizer of stuffed clam shell was good. The entree we had came with pulpo, 1 small lobster split into 2, shrimps, bay scallops (@ the price we paid for the meal we should have received Sea Scallops) filet of fish and soggy vegetables. Yeah you are reading correctly. The broccoli and carrots were over cooked. Both of these veggies should have a snap when bitten into, at least for my palat. No complaints made at the time so I am saying it now because we were pushed for time. So we left the veggies on the plate and asked the waiter to pack the rest of the food when it was time to go. All and all if you don't mind being in the downtown area of this part of Mexico where you have to watch your step, watch your pockets and watch your back at the same time then take a second and pull up to the restaurant and order a meal, just make certain to tell them to bring you your food 🥵 Hot,...

Ok. This place is a little touristy/gimmicky, but I kid you not: The food and drink are really good and the service is excellent. Also, you cannot beat the view. I highly recommend you check this place out.

We were strolling the boardwalk when a fellow invited us to come take a look. We told him no and went on our way, but we talked about going up there on the way back just to see what it was like. After we did our shopping we headed back and saw that same guy. He was friendly and told us we could go up just to see the view if we wanted. So up we went.

When we got up there we discovered that they have a bunch of tables in a shallow pool right over the beach. We did not expect that. The guy explained that we could kick off our shoes and put them in bags they provide. Then we could enjoy a snack at one of the tables in the pool. Gimmicky, yes. but also very relaxing in the heat and they had great umbrellas to keep the sun off.

We had a couple of hours to kill before we had to be somewhere so we bit. We spent the next 2 hours relaxing with a snack and some adult beverages. Honestly, it was a great time and the staff were super friendly. Rodrigo was our waiter and the captain was Angel. They took such good care of us that we vowed to go back the next night for our anniversary dinner.

The dinner was equally good if not better. We did get rained out of our pool table but a sudden squall, but the staff were great about moving us quickly and safely to a covered table where we enjoyed a huge platter of grilled seafood and vegetables including lobster, fish, scallops, shrimp, and more. Even with the rain, the meal was excellent. Jose took care of us that night and made sure we had some excellent photos, a wonderful tres leches cake, and even a special song from the singer they'd brought in that night.

Sure the pool tables are a gimmick, but this place really delivered where in counts: delicious seafood and excellent service. Whether you want a casual meal or a fancy splurge, Mar Y Vino delivers....