The Iguana Restaurant & Tequila Bar — Restaurant in Jalisco

Hands down, best restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, certainly one of the best in the area. Food and Service, excellent.  View and Ambience,  lovely and memorable. There's even a Mariachi band that plays at 630 and 830. I'm from California,  I've never cared for mariachi, which is to say I think it's obnoxious.  However,  these guys were fantastic, playing as it should sound. Changed my perspective on mariachi music. I think one of the reviewers had indicated that you can get tacos and other fare at other places like Barracuda and tuna azul, Etc. Having dined at Barracuda,  there is simply no comparison between the food at the Iguana Hotel restaurant and barracuda. Barracuda is a fun little place on the beach bringing you some relatively decent tacos with American music playing in the background. The food I ordered at barracuda,  tacos and octopus, came out lukewarm. Bleh. The iguana Hotel restaurant is fine dining, and if you're familiar with what fine dining is,  you won't be disappointed. Comparing Barracuda and the Iguana restaurant is like trying to compare a McDonald's mcrib sandwich to proper bbq found in a restaurant in Oklahoma specializing in BBQ. Silly. Additionally, the level of service that you find at the Iguana Hotel again is not comprable to the service and general experience you're going to have at a place like barracuda. Will barracuda be a lot cheaper? Absolutely. Is the iguana Hotel very expensive by Mexican standards? Obviously. However, by Gringo standards the Iguana restaurant hotel is moderately priced dining. None of the main dishes at Iguana really stood out to me. They had lamb chops and prime rib and salmon, Etc. I wanted something more authentic. I ended up ordering three appetizers which were brought to the table as i finished each,  and each one was exceptional. A drink. And dessert. Ran about $80. So with tip a hundred bucks. For one person. I think another reviewer had indicated that he was annoyed that they charged him for a $6 bottle of water. When you sit down the waiter asks you if you want water. I said yes and they brought me a bottle of carbonated water. Later obviously they wanted to charge me 120 Mexican pesos for it. I simply told the waiter that I needed for him to take that off the bill because I didn't willingly order a $6 bottle of water. He had no problem taking it off. Do yourself a favor and go...

I finally got a chance to have dinner here with a very dear friend of 40 years. When we entered, we were immediately impressed by the glamour of the place with all the marble floors, bronze statues and crystal chandeliers.

The dining room was impeccable, as were the staff. Brilliant white, starched linens adorned our table and the views of the ocean and the jungles were stunning.

Our waiter epitomized the image of an old school, world class dining room professional that one would expect at such a place. His uniform was spotless, his manner welcoming and pleasant without the effusion one so often sees these days.

At one point during our dinner conversation, my friend and I were struck with the realization that we were sitting in Elizabeth Taylor's house, enjoying a truly unique experience. It is one I will not soon forget.

I must say though, when the bar is set so high with the provenance and impression of a place like this, the food must also meet or exceed the same high standards.

We shared appetizers of shrimp tacos and flores de calabasa, both of which were well presented and tasty, especially the sauces, but neither of which were exceptional.

For the main course, my friend had the pork shank, which was tender and succulent. I had the salmon a la parilla, which was nicely grilled to a medium rare. It was served on a bed of sauteed spinach and corn which, while tasty, struck me as a bit heavy handed as an accompaniment to the fish.

The high point of the meal was dessert. We shared the chocolate tart and the goat cheese souffle, both of which were exquisite. Indeed, had the final course been our only one, I would have been absolutely floored by our experience.

I think the owners of the hotel have done an outstanding job of preserving the original cachet of Taylor and Burton's home. Casa Kimberly is one of the most famous destinations in Puerto Vallarta, and the Iguana grill certainly one of the best restaurants.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, I simply wasn't as floored by the meal as I was with absolutely everything else. Creating dishes that will match or surpass the expectations associated with such a storied establishment can at times be difficult. I intend to come back though, and I hope all of the planets will align for a...

PROS

Well portioned and seasoned food with house specialties that are truly unique among the restaurants in Vallarta.

A reservation actually reserves (go figure) your table; it is held within 30 minutes of your due time.

Cocktails are an interesting and well executed blend of local and European staples; the drinks are served with imbecile and clean presentation/garnishes.

The traditional Jalisco mariachi band that plays MWF are all talented musicians worth their own tour.

CONS

While the food is very flavorful and immaculately cooked to perfection, the premium paid for the ambiance and privilege to dine here is excessive if not obscene when compared to it's environs and comps. A delicious pan seared fish filet with maybe 6oz of mashed potatoes, 5 asparagus and carrots was going for $700 pesos or aproximadamente $38 US Dolores.

Ridiculous premium placed on wines by the glass. A $250 bottle of Pinot Grigo at even the most expensive Zona Romántica beachfront liquor store was going for $200 A GLASS.

Reservations two weeks out for weekend nights are already booked and sometimes booked even further ahead so not a last-minute type of place.

The staff is attentive and amazing. However, the use of multiple wait staff members per table gets confusing and seems unnecessary given the few tables they have.

I like to believe that you come to Puerto Vallarta to experience the unique blend of cultures, times, and foods. You aren't most likely traveling thousands of miles to recreate Ruth's Chris Steakhouse or Legal Seafoods. While the atmosphere and food are amazing and blend with a local flare, the platings and depth of the menu items are not far removed from what you'd expect in the United States, Canada, or other prominent nationalities that frequent the area.

It is 100% a tourist trap restaurant. The prices are incredibly high, out of reach for most.

I can't justify the cost to value proposition nor can I quell the inner monologue I had with myself walking home when for five people with drinks and appetizers the bill was $7,790 without tip. When we paid, charging $9,000 (1210 tip, 16%), there was a definite souring of the waiter noticeably disgusted...