For a city of 200,000 people, Playa del Carmen fights well above its weight class in restaurants and bars. Its unique position at the center of the active tourist zone of Riviera Maya and its now famous/notorious Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) have made it a huge pull for tourists, both those who are staying at hotels in town and also for those staying at nearby Riviera Maya resorts. The biggest draw is Fifth Avenue, which de facto acts like one of the longest pedestrian malls on the planet. Stretching now more than 20 blocks, or almost 2 miles, the avenue is chock full of stores, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and small hotels. Recent years have seen the growth of larger shopping centers with many name brands from the United States, and there are at least three Starbucks lining the street at various points. However the only chain restaurant we know of is from Sanborns, a well-known Mexican chain.
We highly recommend planning a trip for your group to a highly rated restaurant in Playa del Carmen during your stay if your wedding venue is anywhere along the Riviera Maya.
At last count there were more than 500 restaurants listed in Trip Advisor for Playa, the vast majority of which are marketed toward tourists. They may not all be located on or near Fifth Avenue, but almost all lie within a quick taxi ride or walk away from the tourist zone. There is stiff competition for spots at the top of the popularity list.
We highly recommend planning a trip for your group to a highly rated restaurant in Playa del Carmen during your stay if your wedding venue is anywhere along the Riviera Maya. You can combine dinner reservations at such a restaurant with a stroll along Fifth Avenue and a shopping spree in many of the shops that line the pedestrian street.
While several of the best restaurants are quite small and might not fit your whole group, there are plenty that are big enough to handle groups of 20-30, and some even have private dining rooms. However, the best way to enjoy the experience is to have tables right out on the Avenue so that people can enjoy the endless flow of passers-by.
Please see our reviews of various restaurants in Trip Advisor, but here is a quick list of our recommendations, correlated for quality, originality, and ability to handle groups of around 20 people without causing consternation.
One small hiccup: most of the best authentic restaurants that serve fresh fish and shellfish in Playa close typically at 6:00-7:00 p.m. when they have sold out their inventory. They are more geared toward the lunch and afternoon crowd rather than the night crowd. IF you are interested in this experience, which we HIGHLY recommend, please take that into consideration in your group planning.