Punta Corcho — Restaurant in Puerto Morelos

We had this restaurant on our radar ahead of our visit to puerto Morelos thanks to its reputation and the reviews we read ahead of time. We ended up saving this dinner for our last night, and I have two regrets, 1) I wish I would’ve ordered more off their menu and 2) I wish I would’ve eaten here on the first night because I more than likely would’ve came back again and again. The atmosphere: a very clean and comfortable setting on the 2nd floor above some of the local shops. Lit to perfection with a warm evening breeze blowing across the dining room from the open air setting of the restaurant. Neatly and tastefully decorated, very well kept and humming with the staff that simply stayed on the move throughout our entire time there. Atmosphere 10/10 The drinks: one tamarindo mezcalita (not on the menu but they were gracious enough to make it, and one kiwi fashion, complete with a flower planted in the middle of the drink and with every sip I couldn’t help but close my eyes and relax while taking in the wonderful aroma of fresh flowers. Drinks 10/10 The food: they begin by bringing an array of salsas to the table with a small basket of fresh bread and tortillas, making sure to denote which ones were the spicy ones and which ones were not. I admit I didn’t get to try the salsa as my wife decided that she would rather just not share, but the bread made for a great addition to dip into my little cup of shrimp broth that they placed on our plates. Our appetizer was the grilled shrimp with hollandaise sauce, on a bed of charred kale with a slice of lemon. I must have lived a sheltered life because I had never had shrimp prepared this way before, and it was amazing. For the main course we shared a braised short rib. This is all I’m going to say about this because I don’t want ruin any moment you may have when ordering it. And I do suggest that you order it. I don’t think the smile left my face the entire time I was eating it. The bill: everything included- total of 4 cocktails, appetizer and a shared entree plus the salsas, breads and soup the total for our dinner came in around $1850 pesos, or about $91 USD. I have eaten at some incredible restaurants, and some not-so-good ones as well that I paid a lot more for, after the meal we had I didn’t even think twice about what it cost, this wasn’t a slapped together meal, it was very well thought out, planned and executed dining experience that we had. Worth every single penny and then some. After a week in the sun and trying the local restaurants I will say this: punta corcho is an elevated dining experience, one that should not be missed if you find yourself in puerto Morelos. Hidden up there on the 2nd floor just off the town square is probably one of the best kept secrets on the planet, and I will return the next time I find myself in this wonderful little town. To our beautiful waitress, our wonderful and attentive waiter and to the chef and his staff that prepared our meals and drinks I can only say thank you for being here, thank you for sharing your incredible gift with those who travel to your town, I thoroughly enjoyed every single second, your establishment had me sitting there sipping a little smaller, eating a little slower and taking in every possible second of my time in the punta corcho restaurant. Hands down my absolute favorite meal...

We had a spectacular experience. We have been to Puerto Morelos twice before to dine at another restaurant (Mar Bella which is also excellent) and when we told the concierge at our hotel, he suggested we try Punta Corcho as it has been included in the Michellin guide for Quintana Roo. We looked at the menu and the Instagram account and were sold on the pictures and the thought of roasted bone marrow tacos with shrimp. The pizza also looked amazing and since we were traveling with kids, between the prospect of good pizza and a great mixologist, we knew we needed to make a reservation.

The restaurant is on the second floor of a building that has tourist trinkets on the first floor. The entrance is hidden behind soccer jerseys and ponchos but once you are upstairs you have a lovely view of the plaza and the water. It was a quiet day in the plaza and the view of the water was quite nice.

We ordered pizza and pasta for the kids and the four adults ordered the tasting menu. It is an 9-10 course tasting menu and was probably one of the best meals we have had in Mexico inclidnig tasting menus we have had in Riviera Maya and Mexico City. Each of the dishes was so carefully put together and included the flavors of Mexico that was so elevated and unexpected. The service was spot on. Very attentive but discrete.

And in all fairness, we were surprised by this. The restaurant, located on the second floor above a tourist shop overlooking the plaza would have been something that would have sold Bahama Mamas and Sex on the Beach in Cancún but instead served a world-class meal. We will...

No matter which day of the week it is, it is best to book a reservation here to experience their artesanal menu! I would recommend this place more for groups than as a romantic dinner for two: the various tables set up for larger parties makes dinner time too loud for tables of two, and the table for two we had was too long so we asked to be moved to a smaller table to feel more intimate and close.

My partner had the perfect dish while mine was completely ruined from poor cooking techniques. The fantastic plate was the coconut stuffed with seafood with a wonderful presentation and even better flavour profile. The 495 peso/ $25 USD lobster pizza (one of the most expensive meals they offer) had an undercooked crust and overcooked lobster, showing a lack of expertise not only in pizza, but in seafood as well. We ate half the pizza out of desperation for food but left the other half for the trash.

We were impressed with the courtesy bites they gave us: tortilla chips and fresh baked buns with 3 different mouth watering sauces, and a taster of the yummy shrimp soup broth.

This place has much to offer but the chefs need better technique. I can find better cooked seafood at lower prices in the area, but we decided to go somewhere “special” for our last night of vacation and we were half disappointed by this place. Though I want to give 3 stars because I expected better for the price point, I am giving 4 stars because I believe these guys can...