($$$) During the day, Bandido's takes advantage of its location directly across from the Artisan's Market to offer a sampling of traditional Mexican food and refreshing beers and cocktails to passersby. At night, they ramp it up with live music by some of the best local and imported bands featuring popular Mexican music, standard Cuban salsa favorites, and the occasional jazz tune. The waiters can double as dance partners and, many nights, you'll find locals celebrating special occasions here and welcoming you to join la fiesta.

don't miss: the bartenders make a brisk mojito, a mean margarita, and can serve up just about any cocktail you order with their broad bar selection.

just the facts, ma'am: open from 11am - 2am, 7 days a week during high season (closed on Sundays during green season). With close proximity to where most cruise ship passengers disembark, there can be quite a lunch time crowd on cruise ship days. Live music often doesn't start until 11:30 so plan to meet up for cocktails somewhere else if you don't want to pay "live music" prices beforehand. Credit cards are accepted with a 400 peso minimum.

meet me @: Bandido's is easy to find at the edge of Zihua Centro on Cinco de Mayo, next to the Catholic Church and across from the Artisan Market (not to be confused with the central Mercado).

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($$) Yes, there is a creperia in Zihuatanejo! Café Mandarina specializes in both savory and dessert crepes in addition to being one of the first locations to serve strong-brewed coffee and espresso drinks. The menu doesn't stop there, though! There is a full selection of Mexican tortas and other traditional fare, contintental breakfasts, large entree salads, and cakes. The owners, Carlos and Esperanza, are genuine people who get to know their customers and are constantly working to improve the cafe through menu changes, decor improvements, and training their employees in good customer service.

don't miss: the savory crepes are very filling and the dessert crepes are almost too big! In fact, I've never finished managed to finish one. The chef's salad with a honey mustard dressing is especially satisfying on a hot day.

just the facts, ma'am: open daily from 9am until midnight.

meet me @: Café Mandarina is located directly across from the Church on Cinco de Mayo, on the same side of the street as the Artisan's Market.

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($$) Captain's Daughter is closed for green season but will reopen in September. Start your diet now so you can indulge in a tray of chicken wings and a night of margaritas when they return! La Playa Bar (located beneath Captain's Daughter) will remain open throughout the summer. A recent dinner at The Captain's Daughter restaurant began quite naughtily with the sinful combination appetizer platter but ended with redemption in the form of entree-sized salads. The appetizers included authentic (and picante!) Buffalo chicken wings, jalapeño poppers with cream cheese, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and french fries accompanied with various dipping sauces. It was more than enough for 2 people and if you're planning on eating an entree, you'll want to share with a whole table so you don't get stuffed. The salads are meals in themselves with ingredients ranging from blackened chicken to mango & toasted pecans to cheeses to a standard (but filling) "house" salad. Don't forget the main courses that include certified Angus beef burgers, BBQ ribs served with sweet corn, pastas, a roasted vegetable sandwich, and tuna steak.

don't miss: As co-owner, Kenny, warned us, "forget the diet!" Many of the foods on the menu, especially the pub-style appetizers are gloriously breaded and deep fried. However, there are quite a few healthy options on the menu including large salads, vegetarian sandwiches, and tuna steak. Margaritas are the house cocktail, made strong but quite reasonably priced at 35 pesos.

just the facts, ma'am: Enjoy drinks and dinner while checking your email on your laptop with free wifi in the restaurant. This new restaurant is filling up fast but with a dozen tables and 4 seats at the bar, you can usually find a place to squeeze in. Wine is sold at 40-60 pesos/glass and 220-265/bottle. The appetizers run 25-60 pesos (with the massive combination platter for 130 pesos) and dinner can range from a 35 peso vegetarian sandwich to a 10 oz rib eye steak for 160 pesos.

meet me @: the brother and sister team of Kenny and Tanya Jones created The Captain's Daughter above their popular downtown bar, La Playa. Enter the restaurant via stairs just inside the bar on Nicholas Bravo between Vicente Guerrero and H. Galeana. Both La Playa and The Captain's Daughter are closed on Mondays.

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($$) For fans of chili, this recent creation of Canadian Deborah (of "Mamma Norma & Deborah" fame) is the place to be. This colorful restaurant serves a wide variety of Mexican and American/Canadian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, some of it leaning in the direction of Tex-Mex (which is generally not readily available in Mexico). Vegetarian dishes, including vegetarian chili, are also included on the menu.

don't miss: a must-have is Deborah’s clever creation, the chili chili, which is a chili relleño filled with chili. Absolutely delicious! Also, the nacho supreme salad and the BLT salad with honey mustard dressing are quickly becoming all-time favorites.

just the facts, ma'am: open daily from 7:30am to 11pm. Choose between airy sidewalk or shaded indoor seating with quite possibly the most complete collection of chili- and bean-themed décor!

meet me @: Chili Beans is located on Ixtapa Blvd, at Ixtapa Plaza #5, just across the street from the Emporio Hotel.

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($$$) De Donde Eres is on green season hiatus until further notice - they have to travel to find inspiration and spices for all that yummy world cuisine! Many of the regulars simply call this new Zihua favorite, "World Food," which is an apt description as any. The menu changes nightly with dishes coming from Malaysia, Thailand, India, the Mediterranean, and even the occasional proper British fish and chips. The 3 dishes - typically one seafood, one meat, and one vegetarian - offered each night reflect the freshest local ingredients mixed with owner/chef, Shunik's imagination. Desserts are simple treats - often a homemade ice cream or mousse - made daily by Sabrina that compliment the spicy, complex flavors of the entrees.

don't miss: on slow nights, Shunik comes out of the kitchen with a bottle of tequila to share and the didgeridoo to pass around. Unfortunately, the restaurant has become so popular, there aren't many slow nights! This season brings a cocktail menu, a wider variety of wines, and occasional guest chefs.

just the facts, ma'am: open from 6 until 10pm, Tuesdays through Saturday. The small restaurant can get very crowded and sometimes the food is devoured so quickly that late-arriving patrons are served last minute concoctions from the leftover bits and pieces. Don't worry, though, sometimes these improvised dishes are even better than the planned menu!

meet me @: another restaurant on the "restaurant street" - Calle Adelita - in Colonia la Madera.

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Pass through the non-descript archway on Avenue Morelos in Zihuatanejo, and you enter a spacious, courtyard setting that is Restaurant El Pueblito. The garden and the sunbathing iguanas add to the tranquil experience. The menu includes a variety of chicken, beef and seafood dishes, all in the style of Guerrero-state cuisine. Pozole, the Guerrero soup made with hominy and either pork or chicken, is available on Thursdays.

don't miss: The shrimp cocktail has a picante kick to it, and goes down real well with a cold beer. The coppola filet is a fish fillet with a unique peanut-y sauce that is delicious.

just the facts, ma'am: El Pueblito is open daily for lunch and dinner, from 12pm to 10pm. Live music every night. Thursday is Pozole day, and the volume of the music is pumped up quite a bit with really large speakers.

meet me @: El Pueblito is on Avenue Morelos, #249, Colonia Centro

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($$$) Because Zihuatanejo is a fishing village, there are numerous seafood restaurants to choose from, but Jarocho is unique in that it is Vera Cruzana seafood. The beautiful architecture with exposed wood and Segusino furniture provides a lovely setting for this casual dining experience. (All furniture and artwork is for sale at Segusino, listed in our shopping section.) The menu includes a wide variety of seafood, steaks and paella on Sundays.

don't miss: the seafood conchas (on the shell) is a rich appetizer and a great way to start the meal. The fish filet with lemon and capers is delicious.

just the facts, ma'am: Jarocho is open daily except Mondays for lunch and dinner 2 to 11 pm. Choose between indoor and outdoor seating. Large groups welcome.

meet me @: Jarocho is located at H. Galeana, #15, on the corner of Nicolas Bravo, just down from Cinema Paraiso (where the former favorite Gondwana used to be).

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($$) For an inexpensive meal that is away from the crowds of tourists check out La Cabaña de Otero. This outdoor restaurant is located in the shady front garden of a residential neighborhood and is mostly frequented by local Mexicans. The lunch menu varies daily, but generally provides a choice of three traditional dishes made with pork, chicken, beef or vegetables. The chicken in creamy chipotle sauce is a tasty dish on the picante side, and is served over rice. All meals are served with queso fresco, beans and homemade tortillas.

don't miss: The fried fish is a whole fish, generally red snapper, cooked with garlic until it is deliciously crispy. It is not always available, but if you ask in advance, they’ll make sure they have it.

just the facts, ma'am: La Cabaña de Otero is open daily except Mondays for breakfast, lunch and early dinners, from 9 am to 5 pm. On Sundays, the menu includes barbecued lamb.

meet me @: La Cabaña de Otero is located on the corner of Paseo de la Boquita (the road to Comercial Mexicana) and Las Huertas Avenue (the road with TelMex).

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($$$) There are few places here in Zihua where you can get just steaks and barbecued ribs, but thanks to the new Restaurant La Costilla de Adán (translated Adán’s Rib), we have one more option. Owner Adrián Romero Hernández has come up with a meaty menu that keeps you coming back for more. In addition to some unusual soups, salads and appetizers, the menu includes a variety of cuts of steak and several rib options, and your choice of pepper, honey mustard, or barbecue sauce.

don't miss: The waiter recommended the baby back ribs with barbecue sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. Also delish was the side order of mushrooms with chilies – I don’t know what the glaze was made of, but I can’t wait to have it again.

just the facts, ma'am: La Costilla de Adán is open every day from 2 to 10:30 pm. The lounge upstairs has comfy couches and is a nice place to “chill” over happy hour (2 for 1 beer and domestic drinks from 7 to 9 pm). The restaurant is completely enclosed, to keep in the cool A/C, but airy and spacious enough that it’s not too much of a distraction that smoking is permitted and there are ashtrays on every table. Parking is available.

meet me @: La Costilla de Adán is located at Heróico Colegio Militar #65, just past the Supermarket El Cacahuate, and just before Immigration (across the street from DHL).

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($$$) La Gula is a celebration of gourmet food, beautiful quiet ambiance, and special touches. The restaurant practices the international tradition of "Slow Food" making everything fresh and to order in their open-plan hot and cold kitchens. Every dish is an original La Gula recipe from the empanadas criollas (pasta filled with shrimp, vegetables and string cheese, with pineapple & ginger cold sauce) to the mignon punta madera (filet mignon with "Atoyac" coffee sauce). The menu is filled with surprising appetizers, salads, soups, and entrees, topped off with truly decadant desserts. Most surprising, though, is the generous servings paired with equally generous prices.

don't miss: the amuse bouche, or "gift from the chef" is a whimsical miniature hor d'oeuvre that will alert you to the culinary delights ahead.

just the facts, ma'am: the "Slow Food" practices guarantee fresh, savory dishes but also takes a while to prepare so bring patience, a good conversationalist as a dinner companion, and enjoy a glass or two of wine. Dinner is served Monday-Saturday, 5:30 - 10pm.

meet me @: La Gula is located on Calle Adelita in Colonia la Madera, a short walk from downtown. Just cross the second footbridge over the canal and look up to see the row of international flags marking the restaurant. A narrow staircase on the left will lead you up to the 2nd floor.

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($$$) La Malinche in Ixtapa is a lovely, relaxing setting for a nice meal. They serve a variety of traditional Mexican food for prices that are moderate for Ixtapa standards.

don't miss: a trio of salsas is served with tortilla chips while you wait for your meal. The tomato salsa is fabulous, and the others are delish as well. The tortilla soup is served with the customary condiments of avocado, crumbly cheese, chilis and sour cream, and is a tasty light meal or appetizer.

just the facts, ma'am: La Malinche is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 8 am until midnight. Happy hour (two for one beers and margaritas) is from noon until 5 pm.

meet me @: La Malinche is located in the Ixtapa Plaza, Anador Punta Potosi # 17, behind Señor Frog’s.

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The small street of Pedro Ascencio is quickly becoming Zihua's own "Little Italy"... or rather, Italia Chica. Across the street from Don Memo's (where the calzones are as big as your head!), is a new restaurant from accomplished Italian chef & businessman SImone Bigazzi Amerini. Originally from Florence, Simone owned a successful Italian restaurant in Aguascalientes but has now relocated to Zihuatanejo. The outdoor cafe setting, the handmade pizzas and pastas, and the passersby on the predominantly pedestrian street of Pedro Ascencio will transport you from the beach to Florence before you even finish your first glass of vino.

don't miss: Before you dive into the dozen pizza varieties, make sure to sample some of Simone's antipastos including funghi trifolati, traditional bruschetta, and a light serrano ham & cheese plate (perfect for hot summer - or any time of the year - Zihua evenings!). He also has many seafood and chicken dishes served on risotto and pasta. And if that isn't enough to break your diet, don't forget the selection of homemade postres including flan and tiramasu! Yikes!

just the facts, ma'am: Yes, you can travel to Italy and back without breaking the bank. Tapas and other appetizers cost between 40 and 85 pesos, pizzas (sharable) are 75-100 pesos, and postres are 40 pesos. Visit La Pergola seven days a week between 1 pm and midnight.

meet me @: La Pergola is located at Pedro Ascencio, No. 6 which is on the small street perpendicular to the "alley" behind Coconut's Restaurant. It is between the Jungle Bar and Barracruda.

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Chinese food in Mexico, you ask? If you live in Zihua, the answer is “heck yeah”! Man (and woman) cannot live on Mexican food alone, and thanks to places like Mi Chayito, we don’t have to. Mi Chayito’s menu also includes Mexican food, but the main nighttime draw is the Chinese food, with familiar favorites such as pot stickers, spring rolls, mushu pork, sweet and sour chicken and Szechwan beef. The menu has recently been broadened to include new dishes such as hot braised eggplant with green beans and ginger beef.

don't miss: One local favorite is the Shanghai Chicken, which is a dish of battered chicken in a tangy sauce. Also, the new location is airy and beautifully decorated and provides a lovely dining experience.

just the facts, ma'am: Mi Chayito is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. If you prefer to eat at home, they are happy to pack up your food to go.

meet me @: Mi Chayito is located on Vicente Guerrero, #34, Colonia Centro in Zihuatanjeo, right between the laundry and the photo shop, and around the corner from Banamex.

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($$) Conveniently located in Zihuatanejo Centro, Paccolo's Restaurant provides a full menu of Italian-influenced food. A variety of different salads, pasta dishes and pizzas are available, as well as grilled steaks, chicken and ribs. There is live music every night during high season and on Saturdays and Sundays during green season.

don't miss: the shrimp-stuffed avocado is a delicious starter and the pepper steak is always tender and melts in the mouth. Save room so you can finish off the meal with a flambé dessert.

just the facts, ma'am: open daily for lunch and dinner. Live music can make conversations difficult at times so plan accordingly.

meet me @: Paccolo’s is located on Nicolas Bravo #22 in the Centro district of Zihuatanejo.

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($$-$$$) Zihuatanejo is blessed with numerous great restaurants overlooking the Zihuatanejo Bay, and Puerto del Sol is one of them. Perched above Playa La Ropa, you can watch the sun set, or watch the twinkling lights over the bay and the city while you enjoy your meal. The menu includes a variety of Mexican-style seafood, chicken and beef dishes, as well as a few pasta dishes.

don't miss: Flambé! You can start with a house Caesar salad (prepared at your table), have pepper steak (flambéed at your table), move onto bananas flambé for dessert (also done at your table) and finish with a flaming Spanish coffee. It is quite the hot -caliente! - experience.

just the facts, ma'am: Puerta Del Sol is open daily for dinner from 5 to 11 pm.

meet me @: Puerta Del Sol is located on the road to Playa La Ropa, right after you pass Kau Kan.

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($$) For a fabulous beachfront meal on La Ropa, without the fancy hotel prices, check out Restaurant El Manglar. Take the bridge from La Ropa across the crocodile estuary, and you enter this spacious, shaded restaurant. Choose from a full menu of seafood, chicken and steaks made in the traditional Mexican style and also with a little flare.

don't miss: The 27-spice tuna steak with homemade teriyaki sauce is delicious and totally unique. After your meal, relax in a hammock and watch the local wildlife, which includes birds, iguana and crocodiles. Also, El Manglar is the only place on La Ropa that has wireless internet access.

just the facts, ma'am: El Manglar is located alongside a lagoon, which is the crocodile estuary. Mosquito repellent is suggested, as it is suggested anywhere near standing water. But don’t worry about the crocs, they are well fed and are just there to look at.

meet me @: Open daily except Wednesdays for lunch and dinner from 12 noon to 9 pm. El Manglar is located on Playa La Ropa and can be reached by crossing the bridge at the far end of the beach. If you’re going by car or taxi, cross under the yellow arch at the far side of the road to La Ropa, go right, and take the first left. The entrance to El Manglar will be on your right, and is sign-posted as the restaurant and an RV park.

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($$$) Canadian owner/chef Deborah has developed some tasty twists on the traditional Mexican favorites in this airy restaurant in Ixtapa. Menu items for breakfast, lunch and dinner include the traditional (breakfast burritos, enchiladas) and the unique (chili relleños with lobster and shrimp), and is certain to satisfy all types of tastebuds.

don't miss: piña colada pancakes, signature dish orange chipotle shrimp and Deborah’s award-winning chocolate cake.

just the facts, ma'am: open daily from 8am until 11pm. It can be crowded at dinner time during high season, but it’s worth the wait if there is one.

meet me @: the purple awning marks the restaurant, located in the commercial shopping center between Señor Frog's and Banamex in Ixtapa.

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($$) Hamburgers, ribs, chicken, shrimp, and fish - all sizzling right off the grill! Rufo's is a charming outdoor restaurant with rustic bamboo furniture, Japanese-style lanterns, and... did we mention lots of grilled meat?

don't miss: the ribs are slathered in sauce and tender enough to just fall off the bone. Make sure to pace yourself while eating the complimentary smoky chipotle salsa with tortilla chips or you won't have room for your meal when it arrives!

just the facts, ma'am: Rufo's is open for late lunches and dinner Monday through Saturday. Dishes are served with vegetables, beans, and french fries.

meet me @: the corner of Calle Adelita in Colonia Madera, across from La Ceiba Suites.

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