La Palapa, Mexican restaurant on Los Muertos Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
La Palapa is a Mexican restaurant sitting directly on Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta, with tables both inside and on an open terrace that extends onto the sand. The terrace faces the Pacific Ocean, so diners eat with a direct view of the water in front of them.
The restaurant opened in 1959, when Puerto Vallarta was still a small fishing town with very few places to eat along the beach. As the city grew into a travel destination, it became one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants on the waterfront.
La Palapa draws on the cooking traditions of Jalisco, with dishes like aguachile and grilled fish prepared using local ingredients from nearby markets and fishermen. The menu reflects what people along this stretch of coast have eaten for generations.
The restaurant sits on the sand, so beachwear is fine, though sandals or shoes with grip make walking on the beach easier. Booking ahead is a good idea, particularly around sunset, when tables facing the water fill up fast.
Every evening, musicians play live while guests eat with their feet in the sand, which turns dinner into something closer to an outdoor event than a standard meal. This has been a regular part of the evening here for decades, long before it became common along the bay.
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