Mazatlan, Mexico

Considering a somewhat last minute Easter week trip to Mazatlan. Found a pretty good deal on flight/hotel. Didn't see a dedicated thread - any relatively recent info on restaurants/markets/bakeries etc... appreciated.

Easter trip didn't happen but we are set to leave tomorrow morning. Our first vacation since having our daughter 2 1/2 years ago! (She'll be with Grandma & Grandpa.)

I trust you strangers (and a few aquaintences,) way more than Trip Advisor so if anyone has any Mazatlan food experiences to share I would appreciate it. Either way, I will report back with ours. Thanks!

We weren't sure what to expect from Mazatlan as we chose it somewhat randomly. Prior trips to Mexico include the City, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel de Allende, and Merida. We like to experience a new city each time we go.

In short, Mazatlan was fantastic. Lots to do and see, great weather, super-friendly people, and a vibrant restaurant scene. There are many old-school seafood spots but also some newer more adventurous places as well. These seem to be catering to the tremendous amount of snowbirds that come down from Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

A few years ago this post would have been extremely long and travelogue-esque. However, today I am trying to squeeze it in during my 2 1/2-yr-old's nap, so here goes:

We arrived late-afternoon on a Friday and went looking for a snack. Puerto Viejo was a very short walk from our hotel and we satisfied our hunger with a couple of ceviches and a few Pacificos (brewed in Mazatlan.) This is right on the malecon and great for people-watching and just hanging-out. We saw lots of locals here over the course of the week.

Shrimp Ceviche Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

View from Puerto Viejo Restaurant, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

We returned later in the week for another light lunch of steamed octopus that was perfectly tender.

Pulpo @ Pueblo Viejo, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

We stayed at Casa Lucila. It's not inexpensive, but worth every dime. From a friendliness/service standpoint alone they went above and beyond. We enjoyed breakfasts there 4 out of our 5 days as they were absolutely outstanding. And you couldn't beat the view along the malecon. Our first day we wanted something on the lighter side so shared yogurt w/ house-made granola, fruit, and toast w/ homemade preserves. Great coffee too. The egg dishes we tried another morning were also wonderful.

Breakfast @ Casa Lucila, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Huevos Rancheros @ Casa Lucila, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Chilaquiles Verdes @ Casa Lucila, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

One of the newer places that we really enjoyed was Delirium Taco Bistro Galleria. The young chef was also our server and her partner was managing/bartending. It's a place I could see doing really well here in Chicago but they could use some more support in Mazatlan. The tacos are simple with just a few ingredients each but are put together creatively and all the flavors came together perfectly. A lot of the offerings are vegetarian with a few vegan options as well. My favorite taco was the roasted beet/goat cheese/guacamole. I wasn't sure how the guac would work but it did, and so well that I found myself thinking about this taco days later.

Marlin "Pibil-style" Sopecita @ Delirium Taco Bistro, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Tacos @ Delirium Taco Bistro, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Not a great photo - it was pretty dark in there.

We took a cab over to the Golden Zone for one dinner and chose La Concha restaurant in a massive resort called El Cid. We had a drink first at the pool bar and were treated to a shot of their "house" tequila. Of course, we then received a (fairly mild) sales pitch to buy a bottle or three.

We had booked a table outdoors and were seated very close to the beach. The menu was fairly small and while our food was good, the best parts of the meal were the view/ambiance and the truly warm yet professional service from all the staff we encountered. Again, sorry for the photo quality due to darkness + vacation cocktails/wine.

House Smoked Salmon Pate Appetizer @ La Concha, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Grilled Shrimp @ La Concha, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Mahi Mahi @ La Concha, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Jonathan thought his Mahi was a tad overdone.

Another fabulous lunch was had at La Corriente on the beach. Octopus taco was just perfect. Great fresh flavors and lots of crunchy veggies. The salsa appeared mild but had a surprisingly powerful kick to it. As did the margarita.

La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Salsa @ La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Fish Taco @ La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Tuna Taco @ La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Pulpo Taco @ La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Smoked Marlin Hash Taco @ La Corriente, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Our 2nd to last night we dined at El Presidio. This is also fairly new with owners that also have a bar and a couple of pizza places. It was incredibly dark, so only two photos. FYI, this was the most expensive of all our meals. First, the ambiance:

El Presidio Restaurant, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

The highlight of the meal for me was my appetizer of local oysters topped with a fried grasshopper. I've been on LTH long enough that I actually thought of Cathy2 when I ordered these and I ate every last one with relish.

Ostiones de Chapulin @ El Presidio, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

We spent our last day taking a ferry out to Rock Island and lounging on the beach. We found a great spot to relax with drinks. When we decided to have a bite to eat I chose the shrimp empanadas just to get some variety from the ceviches and steamed seafood we had so much of throughout the week. I was so glad I did! This was one of my favorite bites of the trip. It's impossible for me to describe how light and fresh these were. Just perfect dough and fresh shrimp, no filler. The owner confirmed the entire process was made on site.

El Velero, Isla de Piedra by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Pacifios @ El Velero, Isla de Piedra by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Shrimp Empanadas @ El Velero, Isla de Piedra by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Empanada Interior @ El Velero, Isla de Piedra by MsLynnB, on Flickr

It was a lot of fun to be in Mexico during the Christmas season and we found places weren't as crowded as they will be in January and February. If you are in a Vallarta/Cancun rut I would highly recommend giving Mazatlan a try. We had a great time.

Feliz Navidad, Mazatlan by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Due to time constraints, I'm not adding contact info for the above places. All are easily google searchable and most are listed on Trip Advisor for Mazatlan. (Edited once for ridiculous grammar errors. I may or may not have gotten them all.)

Looks fabulous, I'm drooling! I've never been that far up the coast, did you drive up from the airport at Puerto Vallarta or are there reasonable connecting flights going in?

We booked an air/hotel package that had us fly in directly to Mazatlan via a connecting flight in Dallas. On the way out our connecting flight was through Phoenix. The Mazatlan airport was a quick 25 minute cab ride to/from our hotel.