La Caprichoza — Restaurant in Playa del Carmen

We are a couple in our 40's travelling alone. We stumbled on this place as we strolled 5th Ave looking for a restaurant with an authentic Mexican feel and good menu.

This place had an extensive menu posted on a large billboard in front so we thought we would give it a try.

We ordered chicken tacos and Camerones rellenos (bacon wrapped shrimp), 2 mai thais and 1 margarita. The presentation was very nice but everything was lacking flavour.

We were given a complimentary dish of tortilla chips and Pico de Gallo and mango habanero sauce (not very spicy)

The chicken tacos were extremely bland. If it wasn't for the in house mango hot sauce there would have been no flavor at all. The Shrimp was pretty good but only because of the smoky bacon flavour. The mai Thai's were terrible. It was straight fruit juice for 10 bucks a glass. The margarita was better but I believe it was made with Fresca and not lime juice.

The experience was OK, to start with. The view was nice on the second floor and they did have an air conditioned room if it was just too hot for you.

The sub par quality of food aside the worst part was the attempted "add on sale" during our meal.

After we had been seated and placed our order we were approached by someone claiming to be part of the family who owns the restaurant. (This isn't atypical in of itself, to note). He engaged in small talk (you look like honey mooners, you look like a famous wrestler etc.. just to butter you up) and ended up taking our picture while seated at the table. I thought it was strange, but quickly wrote it off as it was nothing.

We finished supper and then he stopped by our table again to present us with a "gift made for you". While we were eating he printed off our picture and stuck it to a tiny tequila bottle and a very cheap "riviera Maya" frame. Quite cheesey, but I see what he was attempting to do (like going to xel ha).

Anyway, the gift of a small tequila bottle (not the picture) was offered at 600mxn. When I refused the price dropped to 500mxn. When that was refused he quickly dropped the conversation and abruptly left.

The experience wasn't especially underhanded or anything, just stupendously cheesy. Akin to what you would expect to find on a cheap off resort excursion. It was off putting enough that, the experience coupled with the blah food, we would not return to this restaurant.

Additionally it was quite expensive for what you got. I recommend trying elsewhere if you're looking for an authentic upscale mexican...

The food was good and a cool atmosphere. But be please be aware of the scams they pull!! We were seated at our table and ordered food and then another guy at the restaurant who worked there asked to take a picture of me and my friend at our table which he said will be used for a Facebook page or the restaurants website we said that was cool and obliged. Heres when the scam started..the guy came at the end of our meal when were paying for the food already in hand he carried two 200ml tequila bottles with our pictures on there and he gave them to us. We were surprised he did not tell us it was a price and he said thank you for visiting we assumed they were a gift at that point. My friend paid for the food with his card which was about $70 US that was fine we even left a nice tip on top of that for the great experience so we thougt. We were picked up shortly after leaving the restaurant and taken back to our resort where we’re staying. My friend checked his bank account and seen that there were two charges from the restaurant we had just eaten at the first charge was about $73 for the food and then there was another charge for 95$. So this guy at the restaurant must have swiped his card two separate times and charged almost a $100 dollars for those two small bottles. DO NOT FALL FOR THE TRICKERY! And it wasnt even real tequila the bottles had frozen in the...

My kid and I were encouraged to give this place after viewing the menu outside. Prices of what we wanted listed around 220 mxn each. Heat wave in the city and staff on the street said AC was upstairs. My son was like they lied. We were seated close to a fan. Being able to people watch from the balcony was nice.

Food was bland but we we hungry, hot, and happy to have something. Staff seemed friendly, asking about our travel plans. I should have been more alert. A non-itemized bill was presented to me of 858 mxn for a kids meal, Shrimp Alfredo, and Guacamole. We had no drinks. We entered the restaurant with our own water bottles.

I was shocked and then the waiter asked me if I wanted to leave a cash tip, having already closed my tab on his hand held device. I’ve always been able to add tips to my card and did not have cash on me at the moment. He pointed to a close atm, which I then discovered only provided cash in USD. After finally processing that I paid double, I decided a tip was like thanking someone for robbing you. Ask for a itemized bill, compare with the menu, and clear how tips are handled before you hand over your card. Many may not agree but I just don’t feel like I should have to be on guard to eat out....