Mar y cielo — Restaurant in San Miguel de Cozumel

The visit started off well. Juan was attentive and dropped our drinks off fairly quickly. We finished our guacamole and our drinks and didn’t see anyone for 20 minutes. We waited and ended up going up to the bar to pay once someone returned to the bar. The manager tried to get us to tip 16%, which I wasn’t comfortable with. He was very pushy asking for my car and wanted to input the tip himself. I asked if I could put it in myself. He said “never in my life have I let someone use my machine.” I told him I wanted to put my own tip in. He said “I’m not robbing you” to which I said I never said he was. He was incredibly pushy and so rude. He then said that I come to his country and act like this, when in fact I’m not comfortable with anyone taking my credit card and having control of it. I’ve worked in the service industry for over ten years. I know what good service is and I know what bad service is. I wasn’t tolerating his rudeness and this just frustrated him more. He also only addressed my male partner and didn’t address me. I would not recommend this place. The guacamole was good and the drinks were okay, but the service was...

We only had drinks. They were fine and the service was fine up until the end. When I asked to pay by credit card the waiter brought the portable machine. When he presented the machine he asked me if I wanted to leave a tip on the card. This is common practice in Mexico and I told him "no" I would leave a tip in cash. I used to be in the service industry and cash tip was always easier. I had planned to leave a generous tip. When he handed me my paper receipt after charging my card I questioned the amount. I remembered the amount being around $289 and the receipt said $333. I asked to look at the bill to confirm. He pointed to the bottom of the bill which said 333 and that includes a 15% tip. He apologized and said that is the amount on the bill. I've seen this shady practice happen in Playa del Carmen many times but never in Cozumel. If you go to this restaurant check your bill carefully and don't let them cheat you. I did not...

Mar y Cielo offers a stunning oceanfront setting, but our recent visit left us feeling more like reluctant participants in a magic trick than satisfied diners. Everything started off well—the breeze was perfect, the menu looked tempting, and we were ready for a relaxing lunch.

However, when it came time to settle the bill, things took an unexpected turn. Once our waiter knew we were paying in cash, he simply gave us a number. The total was much higher than what we had actually ordered. We asked for clarification, only to be told that a 20% service charge had been added.

Had we not noticed, he would have walked away with both the hidden fee and a tip—quite the clever little setup.

So, if you’re planning a visit, enjoy the view, savor the food, but double-check your bill.Transparency should be part of any good dining experience, and unfortunately, that’s where Mar y Cielo...