El Anclote, Punta
de Mita, Mexico

An Overview of El
Anclote; Surf, Beach, Restaurants and Fun
(The Break at El Anclote is in the center and El Faro is
off the Far Point)
Ahhh, El Anclote. El Anclote
is actually made up of two villages, Emiliano Zapata and
Corral del Risco. The main beach in El Anclote is
directly in front of the El Anclote Condominiums and is
connected by a sky bridge that leads from the bluff to
the beach. El Anclote Beach is simply awesome.

Some of El Anclote's
Beach Front Restaurants
There are
numerous beach-front palapa restaurants that serve
excellent cuisine. Typically, folks arrive to spend the
day on the beach and take up residence in one of the
many beach front restaurants that open in the morning
for the purpose of serving their patrons for the day.
Many Americans are used to being rushed through their
lunch when dining in an ocean front restaurant because
the tables are in such demand. This is not true in Punta
Mita where one can spend the entire day eating, drinking
and enjoying the sun.
After a wonderful lunch and a few "mui frio cervezas" (ice-cold
beers) you will find the custom addicting. One can sit
in the sun, jump into the tropical water for a swim,
enjoy a snack, have a beverage, get some more sun, go
snorkeling or surfing, take a swim and simply relax the
entire day. That is what El Anclote is all about.
When the day is over, you
can stay for dinner at one of the beach front
restaurants that serve very sophisticated menus. Many
folks from the Four Seasons Hotel and the surrounding
homes and condos enjoy dining here and the menus at the
restaurants are gourmet and
excellent. Here are our favorites for dinner.
There are currently (March,
2008) at least two more beachfront restaurants under
construction (one looks fabulous) and the flavor of the
beach is getting better and better. There are also
several wonderful restaurants in town that I am not
including here for the sake of space. These restaurants
will insure that you have a wonderful dining experience
if you choose to go out for dinner. I have listed them
in no specific order other than as I think of them.
El Anclote Beach Restaurants
Mariscos Tino's

Mariscos Tino's
Restaurant
Mariscos Tina's: This
is one of the larger restaurants on the beach and serves
a wonderful menu of seafood. Tradition in our family has
it that on the first night of a visit and the last
night, we dine at Tino's and enjoy our favorite dish.

Under Tino's Palapa Roof
For me, it is bacon wrapped shrimp, as it is simply to
die for. We always enjoy a bottle of wine and an ocean
front table with our favorite dog Molly at our feet.

Tino's From the Beach
Their menu is extensive and full of dishes that will
make you completely satisfied. This is one of the more
expensive restaurants on the beach, but it is still
reasonably priced. Marico Tinos is open for lunch and
dinner.
Margarita's

Dining at Margaritas
Restaurant
Margaritas: Margaritas is an excellent restaurant.
It is a small restaurant located right on the beach. We
love to enjoy a bottle of wine and watch the sun go down
during dinner enjoying an ocean front table. When I say
ocean front, I mean right on the ocean.

The Margaritas Fireworks
Show After Sunset
Their menu is extensive and
everything on it is excellent. I love the Bar B Q spare
ribs and my wife swears that their coconut shrimp is the
best on the beach. Prices here are very reasonable and
Hector, the gentleman that operates the restaurant is
very accommodating. Margaritas is open for lunch and
dinner.
El Dorado Restaurant

El Dorado Restaurant
El Dorado Restaurant:
El Dorado is one of our favorite restaurants in El
Anclote. First of all, it is located right at the
foot of the sky bridge and is a large restaurant with a
huge dining area under an impressive palapa roof. It
offers an extensive menu of seafood and other treats and
a complete wine list to boot.

The Main Dinning Area at
El Dorado Restaurant
There are two upstairs
dining areas that over look the beach and ocean that are
excellent places to enjoy the sunsets

One of The Balconies at
El Dorado
My favorite
dishes here are the El Dorado special that includes both
lobster and shrimp and also the Kahlua shrimp. It is to
die for if you like Kahlua.. Note that El Dorado offers free wi-fi Internet access to all patrons, so if you bring
your notebook computer that is wi-fi enabled, you can
use their access here absolutely free.

El Dorado Entrance
The entrance to the El
Dorado Restaurant is not at all impressive. You walk
over a small bridge that goes over a turtle pond. But,
the food and service more than make up for the entrance.

El Dorado's Beach Dining
Ding at El Dorado can offer
you a number of different experiences. You can choose to
dine on one of the balconies, in the main restaurant or
on the beach itself. No matter what you choose, you will
have fun and a great meal. El Dorado is open for
breakfast (try the Punta Mita omelet made with lobster)
lunch and dinner.
Swimmers Restaurant

Swimmers Restaurant
Swimmers Restaurant:
New in 2008 is Swimmers Restaurant. This was formerly
the El Coral Restaurant, but has undergone a complete
reconstruction of its building and restaurant.

One of Swimmer's Bars
Swimmer's
owner is a surfer and it is quite apparent when you walk
through the front entrance that you will feel at home.
Swimmers quickly became our restaurant of choice to
spend the day at for a number of reasons. The restaurant
overlooks the break at El Anclote, so you can watch the
surf as it evolves all day long. The beach staff is
attentive and the food is excellent. Most
important, the beers are ice cold when they are served.

The Entrance to Swimmers
Swimmers offers free wi-fi
access to its patrons and is open morning, noon and
night for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is an ATM
machine at the entrance to the restaurant and plenty of
lounge chairs to relax in on the beach. All in all,
Swimmers is a great spot. Try the Olito Burger for
lunch, as it is excellent! Swimmers is open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Blue Water Grill

Also new for 2008 is the
Blue Water Grill. We love this place! First of all, they
serve excellent wines by the glass. They have
entertainment many nights of the week and the food is
outstanding.

Blue Water Grill Tables
and Stage
Their menu is very limited.
They usually offer a local fresh caught fish and a steak
dish. But, don't let that fool you. The servings are
huge and the entree is prepared over an open flame to
your taste. They also have probably the best chips in El
Anclote.

The Blue Water Grill Bar
The bar is set up for
complete enjoyment. It over looks the panga harbor and
the trees that surround the bar are full of exotic birds
that sing and chirp so loudly that you would think you
were in an aviary somewhere. If you like grilled steak,
make sure you dine here one night. The Blue Water Grill
is open for dinner.
Acuario
Restaurant

The Acuario Restaurant
The Acuario Restaurant is my
favorite place to have breakfast. Finding the restaurant
from the street is somewhat tough because the entrance
is very innocuous.

The Interior of Acuario
Restaurant
Once you find your way into
the restaurant you will see two staircases leading up to
the second level.

The View From Acuario
Restaurant
Once you are on the second
level of the restaurant, you see that it has the very
best view of the El Anclote surf break. Not only is the
food excellent (I get ham and eggs with avocado slices
and tortillas) but it is a great way to check out the
surf.

The Beach Front at
Acuario Restaurant
Before Swimmers opened, this
was our favorite beach to hang out at. The lunches are
great and you can spend all day at the beach here
enjoying Acuario Restaurant. Acuario is open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Debo's
Restaurant

Debos Restaurant
Just down the street from
the Blue Water Grill is Debo's. Debo is a Texas gal who
has been coming to Punta Mita for decades and simply
decided to live here full time. She operates Debo's and
it is excellent! It is open for breakfast, lunch and
dinner and the food is excellent. Debo claims that her
burgers are "World Famous" and they should be. She
offers dining for surfers and fisherman and lots of
healthy choices. Debo is also very friendly and is
always willing to help everyone that visits her
establishment. She has a small Internet cafe (free for
patrons) and wi-fi. She also offers a paperback book
exchange.
I would suggest going to
Debo's for breakfast on you first day in El Anclote, as
she and her patrons can answer all of your questions and
get you plugged into El Anclote's current going-ons.
Debo's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (with
entertainment some nights).
Cafe
des Artistes

Hotel des Artistes
Ummmm, I am not sure about
this one. The Cafe des Artistes is a famous New York
restaurant for its unique cuisine and presentation.
There is also one in Puerto Vallarta that is said to be
an excellent restaurant. However, Joanie and I intended
to dine there on our most recent visit and got sticker
shock just walking into the boutique hotel, much less
the restaurant. They have a small gym with a couple of
treadmills and such. The price to work out there? We
were told $USD40.00 per day, ouch! We looked at the menu
and immediately decided to go somewhere else. I am sure
that the food is excellent and the service fantastic (it
had better be for those prices) but it just seems out of
place in the area. Either someone knows something I
don't or they didn't do their homework.

The Patio Dining at Cafe
des Artistes
At any rate, maybe I will
try it on my next visit and report back as to its value
proposition. Cafe des Artistes is open for lunch and
dinner.
El Anclote
Restaurant

Right next to the Cafe de
Artistes is the El Anclote Restaurant. This was one of
the first palapa restaurants on the beach and offers a
great beach, good food and a wonderful bar.

The Bar at El Anclote
Restaurant
This is another restaurant
that you can spend the entire day at. While I haven't
had dinner here, the lunch fare is good. The El Anclote
Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.
Rocio
Restaurant and Bar

Rocio Restaurant and Bar
Rocio Restaurant and Bar is
right next to the El Anclote Restaurant and they share
the same beach. You can enjoy the entire day at Rocio.

The Interior of Rocio
Restaurant and Bar
Rocio offers seafood and
Mexican cuisine with a local flavor.

The Beach In Front of
Rocio and El Anclote Restaurants
Rocio and El Anclote
restaurants share the same beach and it is a great place
to spend the day. You have a clear view of the El
Anclote surf spot from the lounge chairs. Rocio is open
for lunch only.
4 Vientos
Restaurant and Bar

Look for This Sign to
Find the Restaurant
4 Vientos is a wonderful
little restaurant buried behind some commercial
buildings. Its entrance is obscure, so be sure to look
for this sign and then make your way into the
restaurant.

The Interior of 4 Vientos
Restaurant
Complete with a sand floor,
this palapa restaurant is a favorite with locals who
bring the entire family for the day.

Dining and Lounging on
the Beach at 4 Vientos Restaurant
4 Vientos Restaurant is a
good choice if you have children with you. The beach in
front of the restaurant offers calm water that kids
love.

Sunset at El Anclote
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