After visiting El Tapeo I would say, don’t walk but run to this restaurant. It is a hidden gem in Puerto Penasco. El Tapeo is located in the Playa Bonita resort. It is connected to Hotel Laos Mar on the south side of the resort and faces south. This gives you the ability to watch a sunset on the Sea of Cortez when seated outside.
El Tapeo has a warm, cozy, and slightly rustic feel — think wine-bar meets tapas tavern. The outdoor patio is a highlight: perfect at sunset, with views and atmosphere that lets you take in the sea breeze.
Live music is a big part of the experience. Thursday through Saturday nights offer live music on the the patio. Bands will play until 1AM, so getting to El Tapeo for a late dinner and live music is perfect. Once a week they have a Salsa band and teach Salsa dancing. El Tapeo seems to have entertainment for any genre and caters to all.
The decor inside and outside includes wine bottles, art pieces, and a friendly, laid-back presentation. Many hand made rock artist portraits adorn the walls. Outside are huge wine barrels with tables inside, once more facing the ocean for stunning views.
El Tapeo has one of the best wine selections in Puerto Penasco with a huge menu. The staff is knowledgable on all of the wine and based on what you are ordering will give suggestions on pairings with your meal. Many of the wines are from Mexico and the ones we were offered were exceptional. We have not had the greatest Mexican wines in the past but this changed our minds. There was also a large craft beer selection, including one brewed only for El Tapeo. Like many other bars, there is also an extensive list of cocktails.
As for food. This was the highlight for us as we love tapas (small plates of food.) Several pages of Tapas were on the menu and what we ate did not disappoint. We are planning many trips back to doing tastings of many other items on the menu. The menu also includes 15 types of small pizzas (pizzetas) which spans every possible combination of Italian and Puerto Penasco seafood. There were also many cheese based tapas as well as a huge charcuterie-style board.
Standout items includes the cheese boards, crostinis (asparagus, crusted cheese), the stuffed mushrooms and a very creative grape-prosciutto-date pizza.
On Thursday night they do paella — seafood-rich and Spanish style. It contained shrimp, clams, octopus, mussels, Spanish chorizo and meat. They sell it in a single serving plate which I would suggest getting one for each person in your group. The rice was rich and amazing, almost like a risotto with saffron. They start serving Paella at 5PM and sell out before 7PM so plan accordingly.
Portions are generous (especially the cheese and charcuterie plates) so it’s a good place to share.
The staff is amazing. Some have been there over 8 years. They know the menu, they offer suggestions and are wine pairing experts. Not once did we have an empty glass or a dirty dish. They were attentive and caring. As I said earlier, the wine selections were spot on with the meal.
As with many gourmet Puerto Penasco restaurants, service may be at times slow. This is due to them using fresh ingredients and cooking everything from scratch. You need to be patient and enjoy your drinks. It is worth the wait.
The pricing was reasonable for a tapas and wine bar. Several people have stated it is too expensive for Puerto Penasco, but this is one place you want to splurge. For two people with drinks, dinner and appetizers it was $60usd. That was great for the amount of food we had.
The wine, the food and the entertainment justify a night out, a relaxing evening or a special night. All is covered in this magical place.
Address: Playa Bonita resort, P.º Balboa Supermanzana final, Bella Vista, 83555 Puerto Peñasco, Son.
Phone: 52-639-380-5017
HOURS:
Sunday 5–10 PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 5S–10 PM
Thursday 5 PM–1 AM
Friday 5 PM–1 AM
Saturday 5 PM–1 AM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElTapeoWineBarPenasco
