Introduction
So you’re off to Mexico (you lucky thing) and you’re looking to find the best bars in Playa Del Carmen. Well look no further! There is so much to see and do in Playa Del Carmen, even in the hotels alone you will be truly spoilt for choice, but sometimes its nice to get out and see the local surroundings and Play Del Carmen is the place to do it!
The first time I came here I was pleasantly surprised as it exceeded all of my expectations. This is proper town, not just a few shops, its like a proper shopping experience! They have sooo many shops from local traditional cigar and tequila shops to a huge Victoria Secrets. Its a great place to explore for the afternoon/evening and its right on the beach too! They have some of the most beautiful restaurants and buildings I have ever seen and believe me when I tell you, you never know what you might come across walking down 5th avenue!
I got a fright strolling down the street when I turned to my left and saw a baby panther just playing around with a dust pan and brush, no lead, no harness, nothing. Turns out it was a tourist attraction and you could get your picture taken with them. Not something I wanted to encourage to be honest.
You will also find many traditional shows in the town square that are thoroughly entertaining (remember to tip!) and there is pretty much something for everyone to do here. BUT lets get onto the good stuff as 5th Avenue also has the bet bars in Playa Del Carmen and these are the 4 bars in Playa del Carmen that you MUST visit.
Tequila Barrel
5 Avenida, Between 10th And 12th, 77710 Playa del Carmen
What a great place to start! RIght in the mddle of 5th Avenue and hard to miss is Tequila Barrel. Like most bars in Playa del Carmen its a bit of an indoor/outdoor bar and this works really well considering how crazy hot it is there!.
The first thing I liked about this bar is that you can sit on the street and watch the world go by (and there are some pretty interesting things to watch!)
They have big screens at the back playing music videos and as soon as the sun goes down things liven up!
There are girls dancing on the bar every half an hour or so doing a little show and I even found myself involved in one of the events. All the bar men stood on the bar throwing flaming tequila between two jugs standing next to a tower of glasses. I was asked to sit at the bar and wait for directions. As the video below shows, it was very entertaining. They did all sorts of stuff like this throughout the evening and I actually didn’t want to leave this bar. It was such a good atmosphere and you just never knew what you were going to see next.
The hostess was brilliant and always attentive. Drinks were real cheap and they have some good cocktails!
The theme of the bar was really fun, barrels lined up at the front and it had a kind of Mexican/western feel about it.
They serve really good Mexican/American food and when it gets late the bar turns into a club. I just don’t know what more you could ask for from a bar in Playa Del Carmen.
Senor Frog’s Playa del Carmen
5th Avenue, Loc. 17, 37, 38 y 44, Cir R-8, 77710 Playa del Carmen
The next bar on the list of the 4 best bars in Playa Del Carmen is Senor Frog’s. I love this bar! Its further down the end of 5th Avenue but worth the walk as it is right on the Beach! Perfect for day or night drinking! And one of the reasons it makes the list of best bars in Play Del Carmen.
I have been to the Senior Frog’s in Ayia Napa many times and always had the best night there so I had high hopes for this bar and it didn’t disappoint. In good old Senior Frog’s style it is quirky and fun. You can sit on the bar swings or relax on a beach recliner. This bar is pure relaxation and good times.
Senior Frog’s is famous for its party vibes and this one is no exception. Obviously when you come here you have to order the yard of cocktail! Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri was my drink of choice and it was the perfect way to cool off in the hot Mexican sun.
I loved sitting in the bar with my drink, over looking the sea and watching the ferries make their trip to and from Cozumel.
The bar knows how to party and you wont be surprised if you hear some good old 80’s cheese! The staff are great at putting on a show and there is a whole host of drinking games to get involved in, or if you’re feeling a bit more sensible, you can just watch with amusement.
You’re not going to miss this place when you see it, as you’re greeted by a giant frog! And I would take the time to check out the merch here too, There is some cool bits on offer.
I like this bar because it has everything day and night. The location is second to none and whether its a chilled out beach afternoon you are after or a party night, this has it all.
As with most of the bars in Mexico it also sells some pretty decent grub too!
Easy to see why this makes the list of the best bars in Playa Del Carmen.
Karen’s Restaurant
5ta. Avenida, Between Streets 2 & 4 North, 77710 Playa del Carmen
Karen’s has to make the list of the best bars in Playa Del Carmen because it is a bit of a tradition of mine. When I discovered this cute little restaurant/bar I instantly fell in love with it.
For a start, in my opinion they do the best fajitas in town and they are the most welcoming and friendly place I have been to in Playa Del Carmen.
Its a great spot for some relaxing drinks or food when all that shopping and midday heat has taken it toll. There is a real family feel to this place which really makes it one of a kind and I always feel a sense of comfort when I am here. I think everyone has their spot when they go on holiday that becomes their local, and this is mine.
They really know how to keep up with some of the bigger bars whilst still making it feel intimate. They have a Mariachi band that plays here regularly which is a lovely feature and goes hand in hand with the traditional Mexican décor and food.
I think my most memorable experience here was when a magician that turned up to entertain us half way through our meal. (not sure if its one for the kids but I found it hilarious).
After dinner take a seat on the bar swings and sip on your favourite drink and watch the world go by on 5th avenue.
My favourite drink and one I will thoroughly recommend is the pint of margarita with a bottle of beer…literally…thrown in. Great way to get a quick buzz!
Karen’s also sells lovely merch and you can get a personalised bottle of tequila with your picture on to take home with you if you want. Among other things!
Coco Bongo Playa del Carmen
Av 10 y calle 12, Playa del Carmen 77710 Mexico
Pro Tip –
Book your tickets for Coco Bongos through a tour operator or the promo team, preferably at your hotel.
This will give you the best price, best seats, probably some free merch thrown in too and you will get a shuttle bus pick up and collection too.
Ok so now we are on to the big daddy of bars in Playa Del Carmen. If there is ONE place you should go, its here! You will have never experienced anything like it before and you will not regret it!
Coco Bongo is based on the club from the film The Mask (The Mask will be everywhere in Coco Bongo and you can get your picture taken with him if you fancy it).
So lets start from the beginning. As the pro tip above says, I would highly recommend booking your tickets in advance. You will get a choice of where to sit but to be honest, and from going here several times, all the seats are decent so don’t worry about that too much. There are a few ticket options but all tickets include unlimited drinks. I have done two options, the first is you just pay for your seat and get a choice of drinks when you arrive, the second is a slightly more expensive ticket price but it is bottle service. Both are good, just depends on your preference.
You can choose the day you want to go and you will be given information about what time the shuttle will come to collect you and where.
The minute you get on the shuttle the party starts! They have beer available to buy on the shuttle to get you in the mood and the music is banging.
So you arrive…..brace yourself!
From the minute you walk thorough the doors you are given as many shots and cocktails as you can mange until you work your way down the corridors and find your seat. When you get to your seat you will realise you have a handful of random stuff and know idea how you got it! This is all before you have even sat down!
Once at your seat you will meet your host (I would give them a generous tip when you first arrive and you are guaranteed to get great service all night! ).
When I bought the seat only package I found the host figured out my drink of choice pretty quickly and a new drink arrived before I had even had chance to finish the drink in my hand (remember its all included in the ticket price so milk it!)
You’re going to think the show has started before the show has actually even started.
They have camera men searching the audience for unique characters and putting them on the big screens with all sorts of funny captions under their image. Its a great warm up and gets the party going. There is also party music and dancers warming everyone up too.
Then the show starts, and my god it was more than anything I could have imagined.
The show consists of acts that come onto the stage every 15 minutes or so. The acts are based on film scenes and music videos and its WILD! Imagine, confetti cannons, balloon cannons, ice cannons, pyrotechnics, acrobats, people jumping from the ceilings, sword fights in the air, silk dancers, hoop dancers, the lot. I mean, my senses went into over drive!!!! Every 15 minutes a new act comes on and the excitement in waiting to see what its going to be was great. There is something for everyone and I have honestly never been to a club that has been as crazy as this. It was THE BEST!
After the show the party continues with music until the early hours (if you can last that long!) and I found myself dancing on this huge stage firing balloons out of a canon at one point, all the time asking myself “how on earth did I get here?”
This really is an event not to be missed if you like to party. Its my favourite thing about Playa Del Carmen and is the number one spot of the best bars in Playa Del Carmen!
So there you have it. There are lots of other bars in Playa Del Carmen to check out but I would highly recommend you try these bars whilst you are there. You will not regret it.
Please do comment and let me know your recommendations too!
Check out my other posts under My Adventures
Thanks for reading!
Enjoy Mexico
Emma x
Regards for helping out, fantastic information.