Puerto Vallarta restaurants

Welcome to La Palapa Restaurant

La Palapa Restaurant combines gourmet cuisine, friendly service, and the tropical setting of Los Muertos Beach to achieve the perfect balance between fine dining and the warmth and charm characteristic of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Located on Playa Los Muertos in the heart of the Romantic Zone, this popular restaurant is one of Vallarta's favorite places to enjoy great food in a casually elegant atmosphere.

La Palapa's daily menus feature savory entrees and appetizers complemented by deliciously prepared desserts and an impressive selection of wine and spirits. Using only the freshest ingredients, our chefs blend fresh seafood with regional fruits and spices to create innovative and imaginative dishes that have earned the restaurant international recognition and awards.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, La Palapa Restaurant and Beach Club's exceptionally warm service and comfortable, relaxing surroundings provide the perfect setting for a sunny afternoon at Los Muertos Beach or a balmy evening enjoying delightful views and spectacular sunsets over Banderas Bay.

By night the tropical sophistication of La Palapa's intimate dining area is enhanced by live Latin Jazz and a spectacular view of the moonlit bay. Candlelit tables on the beach lend a romantic ambiance and offer the exquisitely enjoyable opportunity to enjoy fine dining with your toes in the sand.

At La Palapa Restaurant you will discover all of the ingredients to a perfect dining experience and a relaxed atmosphere, attentive service, fine wines and fabulous food. No matter what the occasion, from breakfast with business associates or lunch with friends to a romantic dinner for two, La Palapa defines fine dining in Puerto Vallarta.

La Palapa Celebrates 50 Years!

La Palapa, the icon and gold standard of Vallarta tradition is celebrating a golden birthday--she turns 50 this year! Originally the brainchild of the late Rodelinda Perez and her husband Guy Dickey, La Palapa was the first beach front restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, opening her "palapa" in 1959. Imagine a time before Night of the Iguana found its way to this untouched topical village, a time before bridges were built over the Rio Cuale, and time when only the jet setters with private planes could experience the peace and tranquility of this undiscovered paradise. Hosting celebrities and movie stars, along with the common folks. La Palapa soon made a name for herself....fun, music, great food and plenty of "coco locos". Over the last 50 years this restaurant has seen many changes, but many of her guests and customers are lifelong friends who gather at the beach club, or under the palapa year after year to enjoy her many gifts.

Over the years members of the Perez family each took part and made a contribution in their own way to the success of La Palapa. Many of them were in the kitchen creating dishes, in the boutique designing and making traditional clothing, creating the architectural design or simply serving the clients as managers, waiters or bartenders. La Palapa has seen much history and many changes over the last five decades since the dance floor was merely a flat space of sand on the beach, and the dancers wore little more than bikinis. She has been a cantina, a pizza place and a disco. She even faced down Category 5 Kenna, and when the waves wiped out her dining room, she was reborn with more beauty and resilience than ever.

Alberto Perez, Rodelinda's youngest brother took ownership of the business over 20 years ago, and has since elevated the level of cuisine, decor and service to achieve many awards and honors including the coveting 5 Star Diamond Award. Creating a fusion of classic Mexican flavors with a tropical theme, La Palapa has remained a consistent landmark for breakfast, lunch, dinner and special events over the the last 50 years. Music has always been an integral part of its ambiance, and the tropical jazz combo which plays in the evening make it even more special, as the candlelit tables and tiki torches sparkle over the ocean waves.

When you are in Puerto Vallarta, locals and visitors alike know that La Palapa is a must....you can always expect the same warm and friendly service that has evolved over time.


Palpito 103 - Col. Emiliano Zapata (Old Town, Los Muertos Beach)

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico