My Favorite Bars in Playa del Carmen, Mexico (And One Unexpected Stop You’ll Love)
You know that one travel destination you swore you’d never visit again? Book it! In fact, do it right now! Book the flight. Book the hotel. And while you’re at it, go ahead and book the excursions too. But in all seriousness, I recently had a bit of a redemption trip and it’s changed my mind a bit on destinations I’ve had bad experiences in.
A few years ago, I took a trip to Mexico City and it was wonderful. Right after Mexico City, I flew to Cancun to catch an Ado bus over to Playa del Carmen for a little fun in the sun. Yeah, about that fun in the sun, it definitely didn’t happen. I got sick with stomach issues on Day 1 (I’ll spare you the details). Those stomach issues ultimately led to me cancelling the trip an entire week early.
I also experienced bed bugs for the first time. Yeppp. Luckily, I spotted them within hours of checking in to my Airbnb. I later had to hit the Playa del Carmen streets at 3 AM to find an available hotel. And let’s not even talk about how bad the seaweed was. The beach looked like Atlantic City (no shade) and smelled like rotten eggs the whole week I was there.
Despite all of this, I took a chance and booked a trip this month to Playa del Carmen AND HAD A BLAST!! And I was able to drink! I hardly drank during that last trip because of those dreaded stomach issues. I had martinis, rum punch, beer, bourbon, margaritas…it was delightful! So upon returning from my redemption trip, I had to share with you guys my LUSHWORTHY picks for the best drinks/boozy experiences.
Check out my picks below and let me know in the comments if you’ve ever had a redemption trip of your own.
The Roof 28
We ended up purchasing an all-inclusive pass to The Roof 28 (the rooftop pool at The Reef 28 Hotel & Spa) for $100 on ResortPass, and it was absolutely money well spent. The pass included food and drinks, and lasted from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. I sampled a variety of items from the food menu, including parmesan wings, fish ceviche, sushi, and French fries (please no judgement, but I think we went through about four baskets of fries).
On the drink end, I started out with a bourbon cocktail called the Pineapple Pen. It featured bourbon chai tea infused with vanilla, and pineapple juice, and was probably my favorite of everything I drank. From there, I bounced around from margaritas to beer. Oh! And the pool was perfect. It’s a long infinity pool with a gorgeous view of the ocean. The Roof 28 also featured two hot tubs.
Lastly, I’d like to give a shout out to our server Freddy, he was so kind and got our food and drink orders out swiftly.
Dirty Martini Lounge
In the years since I took my first trip to Playa del Carmen, food and drink prices have really gone up. That’s why Happy Hour deals were a must during our trip. And you’ll find one of the best deals at the Dirty Martini Lounge. On Tuesdays, martinis are buy one, get one free. Thanks to this BOGO deal, we were able to try out their Espresso Martini, Dirty Martini and Cosmopolitan. I was impressed by each cocktail and the vibe at Dirty Martini Lounge is pretty chill. We heard some Selenazzz and Bad Bunny, and got to do some people watching on their outdoor deck area that overlooks the street.
Rockas Jamaican Kitchen
Jamaican food in Mexico? Yep! And it was banging. Cocktails were also on point. While browsing the menu at Rockas, I ordered a Rum Punch and was asked if I’d like to make it a double. I declined given that the day before consisted of both The Roof 28 anddd Dirty Martini Lounge. But let me tell you, it was stronggg! I don’t know what a double would have done to me lol. It was also really tasty and was one of the better rum punches I’ve had. My friend’s Pina Colada was also pretty good.
I ordered the Rasta Pasta with Grilled Jerk Shrimp and it was a solid 9 out of 10. I would have ranked it higher, but for the shrimp to be jerk shrimp, I wasn’t getting a ton of jerk flavor. The creamy pasta sauce held more of the jerk flavor. Oh! And the owner is an absolute sweetheart. She was actually the first person to greet us.
Lido Beach Club
This was our first stop in Playa, and hands-down one of my faves. Despite being a beach club, I found that Lido wasn’t overly-priced. Speaking of beach though, there isn’t much actual beach to lounge on. That could change with the seasons and tides, I’m not too sure. We ended up chilling on the deck, which was nice and served as a welcome break from the heat thanks to the breeze and some fans.
They also have daily drink specials. Starting at 4 P.M., we were able to get a buy one, get one free deal on mezcal margaritas. I ordered the fish ceviche and although it was tasty, it was absolutely loaded with onions. Towards the end of my meal I found myself shoveling through mounds of onions to find the rest of my fish. No bueno.
The Convenience Store
No, this isn’t the name of some hip bar. I’m talking about an actual convenience store. My friend bought a bottle of tequila at a local convenience store in Playa and the clerk was so nice, he hooked us up with freshly-sliced limes, Tajin, and cups. Also, beer is pretty cheap in Mexico overall, but they’re an absolute steal at convenience stores. I stocked up on a couple of beers and some waters during our stop.
Well, I hope my picks are helpful if you’re planning an upcoming trip to Playa del Carmen! Cheers!!