Terraza del Mar — Restaurant in Oaxaca

We visited this restaurant based on its glowing reviews, but unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst dinner experience we had during our four-week stay in Mexico.

Service and Atmosphere • Staff: Although the staff was friendly, they appeared poorly trained. For example, they had little knowledge about the wine selection, simply relaying the chef’s negative opinion about the orange wine rather than offering informed recommendations. • Ambiance: We were the only persons in the restaurant during our visit, which did little to enhance the experience. Unbeknownst to us, the restaurant closes at 22:00, adding to the overall confusion and disappointment.

Food and Beverage • Wine: We requested a bottle of dry white wine due to the unavailability of most wines on the menu. However, we were served a very sweet white wine priced at €60. When we expressed our dissatisfaction, the staff refused to exchange it, leaving us with an expensive wine that did not meet our expectations. • Mussels: Based on staff recommendations, we ordered the mussels. Regrettably, they were not fresh—possibly even canned—and we ended up not eating them. • Gem Salad: This dish was decent but unremarkable, offering little in terms of flavor or creativity. • Seared Tuna Steak: The highlight of our meal, the tuna steak, was well prepared and remarkably fresh. • Espresso Martini: Another redeeming aspect was the espresso martini, which was very well made.

Billing Experience The situation worsened when it came time to settle the bill. We were informed that we had to pay for every item on the menu. When we suggested a gesture of goodwill—such as an espresso martini on the house—to offset the poor experience, the response was extreme: the staff called security, insisted that we pay, and ultimately escorted us out. This reaction was both unprofessional and unnecessary.

Despite a few well-prepared dishes, the overall experience was marred by poor service, questionable food quality, and an inflexible billing policy. We left feeling disappointed and disrespected. This restaurant did not live up to the high expectations set by its reviews.

If you are looking for good food and service, go to Ve El Mar, they have a good grill and stone oven. Very good meat...

There is nothing "amazing" about the service in Terraza. Quite the contrary actually. After 4 years of living in Huatulco full-time I gave up all hopes that Terraza's service would improve. Not a chance. The waiters have a particular knack for "disappearing acts". There might be only 1 or 2 tables with customers but the meseros are often nowhere to be found. Smoking in the back, maybe? Who knows...They have not been properly trained or managed and my tolerance for their bad service has run out. Since last month (August 2025) I have made a pledge to not give Terraza my business again. The proximity to the ocean is a great asset, the food is ok though not consistently good. But the unexcusable, consistently bad service does not make for a decent dining experience. If you want top notch, similar prices, professional dining go instead to Otto, across the...

We were so excited to spend the last night of our wonderful Huatulco vacation at a fancy place. However, we couldn’t have been more disappointed. Due to awful service, we left after our appetizers and walked to the al pastor taco stand past the supermarket. The time it took us to walk there and get our food and drinks was about the same as it took Terraza del Mar to even acknowledge us and take our drink orders. The best service we had was leaving and being chased down for the money (which, if they would’ve actually visited that table, they would’ve found). Worst service we’ve had in years. And by the way, they had 3 servers and 4-5 active tables! But thank goodness for that taco stand. Go there instead!! Or if you’re looking for fancier, go to Terra Cotta in the...