Chef's Pass
Chef's Pass
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Tour with Chef’s Pass - Puerto Vallarta Food Tours and discover the delicious cuisine and history of Puerto Vallarta. Chef’s Pass - Puerto Vallarta Food Tours provides four unique culinary experiences in the historic neighborhoods of Downtown (El Centro) and Old Town (Emiliano Zapata). Chef's Pass - Puerto Vallarta Food Tours features local, family owned and operated restaurants and street stands. Each tour's menus are curated to highlight cuisine that evokes each restaurant's rich cultural and family traditions while allowing for contemporary riffs on classic recipes.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
5.0
60 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
3
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Sheri2605
Valparaiso, IN88 contributions
Dec 2019
We love trying new restaurants and decided to do Chef's Pass: Eat where the Locals eat food tour. It was low season and we were the only couple but our host for the evening was wonderful! We began the evening at Restaurant Pajaritos. The chef and owner, Jorge, served us fabulous fishball soup and Chili Nogales. Both were excellent (I stepped out of my comfort zone eating both of these and I'm so glad I did!) Our next stop was Mariscos Cisneros and the food was also excellent! We also ate at Dona Chela's. By this time we were so full but it was so good we ate again! Would do a different tour with this company in the future!
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
bezerk
San Antonio Tlayacapan, Mexico29,530 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
Chef's Pass Experience
March 1, 2016
I so, so enjoyed the Chef's Pass Dinner Tour. It was a very small group that night but made for a more intimate time and also getting to know the guide Carlos better and even owner David who happened to be in attendance.
Everything was as stated when booked. We started at Mariscos Tinos a great menu ( a restaurant originally from Pitillal) but the two best were the clam chowder, closest to Boston Clam Chowder I have found in Mexico, absolutely excellent. This was followed by a Jaiba de Taco, a crab taco which again was delicious. Pescado Sarandiado ( shaking fish) a true cultural treat. A huachinango ( red snapper) fish, spiced with a secret recipe consisting of hard to find spices. Then it is grilled. Other restaurants do this recipe but it is differently spiced. We had salsa's to add on top and Carlos showed us what was best way to enjoy this "shaking fish". It was quite good and something I would never have ordered. They then served scrumptious coconut shrimp with a great sauce. I loved those. Carlos our guide gave us great historical info on restaurant, food, etc. Conversation flowed smoothly and service was great. Oh almost forgot we started our meal with a welcome cocktail, a margarita. Yes, I did take a doggie bag, keeping in mind what traveled well and would reheat reasonably well.
Then off we went walking to Barcelo Tapas, Carlos giving us info on PV as we walked. They served their famous Sangria and a stacked beets with goat cheese, sauce and walnuts. The restaurant was quite crowded and we did get to observe a great sunset. Conversation flowed and we had a great time getting to know one another. Next up we were served Croquetes de Jaiba ( crab) , again delicious, along with a beef broquet which was tasty but a tiny bit tough to chew. Not a complaint but could have been more tender. Again I took a doggie bag and took into consideration things that would travel and heat up well.
We were given roughly 45 minutes per restaurant, service was efficient and speedy and also given time for restroom breaks. At this stage in game am starting to feel a bit full, but onward and upward walking and might build some more appetite.
Moving on up.. to Mama Rosa. A Family business, that was started in Tepic with a lovely decor. Met the owner Sergio who is also a clothing designer. Lovely live piano playing during dinner. Again a welcome drink along with water of course. Here we started with Arrechera with panela on top, quite tasty and a different way to use panela. Then fish, (tilapia) al Pastor with pineapple, followed by chicken stuffed with homemade chorizo ( Mexican sausage). All of it was tasty and very good. Okay I admit yet another doggie bag ( where was my husband? never would have happened had he been along). I will say between leftovers from Chef's Pass and other dining adventures we went on we had one whole night of a smorgasbord of leftovers, was kind of nice.
Onward and upward...we are having a grand time. We arrive at El Panorama Restaurant and Hotel Suites.
More walking up..to El Panorama Restaurant..elevator up and wham, beautiful views of PV,nice decor and great service. Avocado soup, Flaming caramel crepes, sexy coffee ( flaming coffee) and yes we even did flaming cucarachas, ( a shot of liquor set on fire and sucked thru a straw ) like pros. Our conversation by now was very casual and fun.
This was a really different fun tour. Good food and many different things that most would never think to order. Conversation, informed and friendly guide, Carlos. I actually found that the portions were not overly large, I am a smaller eater but for a hefty appetite they might be perfect. I tried everything and ate what did not travel well and took a doggie bag for what did. You get a digestion break in between restaurants, so that is a good factor. It is a tour not designed for handicapped due to walking uphill. I found it fun. In actuality it was not really too much food, as it was paced.
I suggest trying this tour for a totally different experience. It was presented very well and organized. I plan to do it again with my husband in July. If he likes it well we are going to have to see what ideas Chef's Pass has for repeat visitors in regards to menus or restaurants.
I might add we had a buffet in our room at our resort, our last night in PV with leftovers from our dinners out all week and all was wonderful. I plan to return to the restaurants another time on our own as well.
Give this tour a try, I think you will like it.
March 1, 2016
I so, so enjoyed the Chef's Pass Dinner Tour. It was a very small group that night but made for a more intimate time and also getting to know the guide Carlos better and even owner David who happened to be in attendance.
Everything was as stated when booked. We started at Mariscos Tinos a great menu ( a restaurant originally from Pitillal) but the two best were the clam chowder, closest to Boston Clam Chowder I have found in Mexico, absolutely excellent. This was followed by a Jaiba de Taco, a crab taco which again was delicious. Pescado Sarandiado ( shaking fish) a true cultural treat. A huachinango ( red snapper) fish, spiced with a secret recipe consisting of hard to find spices. Then it is grilled. Other restaurants do this recipe but it is differently spiced. We had salsa's to add on top and Carlos showed us what was best way to enjoy this "shaking fish". It was quite good and something I would never have ordered. They then served scrumptious coconut shrimp with a great sauce. I loved those. Carlos our guide gave us great historical info on restaurant, food, etc. Conversation flowed smoothly and service was great. Oh almost forgot we started our meal with a welcome cocktail, a margarita. Yes, I did take a doggie bag, keeping in mind what traveled well and would reheat reasonably well.
Then off we went walking to Barcelo Tapas, Carlos giving us info on PV as we walked. They served their famous Sangria and a stacked beets with goat cheese, sauce and walnuts. The restaurant was quite crowded and we did get to observe a great sunset. Conversation flowed and we had a great time getting to know one another. Next up we were served Croquetes de Jaiba ( crab) , again delicious, along with a beef broquet which was tasty but a tiny bit tough to chew. Not a complaint but could have been more tender. Again I took a doggie bag and took into consideration things that would travel and heat up well.
We were given roughly 45 minutes per restaurant, service was efficient and speedy and also given time for restroom breaks. At this stage in game am starting to feel a bit full, but onward and upward walking and might build some more appetite.
Moving on up.. to Mama Rosa. A Family business, that was started in Tepic with a lovely decor. Met the owner Sergio who is also a clothing designer. Lovely live piano playing during dinner. Again a welcome drink along with water of course. Here we started with Arrechera with panela on top, quite tasty and a different way to use panela. Then fish, (tilapia) al Pastor with pineapple, followed by chicken stuffed with homemade chorizo ( Mexican sausage). All of it was tasty and very good. Okay I admit yet another doggie bag ( where was my husband? never would have happened had he been along). I will say between leftovers from Chef's Pass and other dining adventures we went on we had one whole night of a smorgasbord of leftovers, was kind of nice.
Onward and upward...we are having a grand time. We arrive at El Panorama Restaurant and Hotel Suites.
More walking up..to El Panorama Restaurant..elevator up and wham, beautiful views of PV,nice decor and great service. Avocado soup, Flaming caramel crepes, sexy coffee ( flaming coffee) and yes we even did flaming cucarachas, ( a shot of liquor set on fire and sucked thru a straw ) like pros. Our conversation by now was very casual and fun.
This was a really different fun tour. Good food and many different things that most would never think to order. Conversation, informed and friendly guide, Carlos. I actually found that the portions were not overly large, I am a smaller eater but for a hefty appetite they might be perfect. I tried everything and ate what did not travel well and took a doggie bag for what did. You get a digestion break in between restaurants, so that is a good factor. It is a tour not designed for handicapped due to walking uphill. I found it fun. In actuality it was not really too much food, as it was paced.
I suggest trying this tour for a totally different experience. It was presented very well and organized. I plan to do it again with my husband in July. If he likes it well we are going to have to see what ideas Chef's Pass has for repeat visitors in regards to menus or restaurants.
I might add we had a buffet in our room at our resort, our last night in PV with leftovers from our dinners out all week and all was wonderful. I plan to return to the restaurants another time on our own as well.
Give this tour a try, I think you will like it.
Written March 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you so much for you kinds words and this nice review of Chef's Pass - Puerto Vallarta. So glad you enjoyed your experience.
Written March 23, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JEK58
Lethbridge, AB75 contributions
Feb 2019
Did a tour with Alvaro. Was just my husband and myself. Was a great tour. Went to 3 restaurants we would never have found on our own. And to the Churro Man which was so good. Alvaro explains a lot of the history of PV. Excellent tour. Highly recommend.
Written February 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
kfg75
Cary, NC10 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
My husband and I recently took our first trip to PV, and we did this food tour on our 2nd night. We are so happy we did it because all we wanted to eat the rest of the trip was the street food we tried on this tour! Our guide, Al, was very friendly, personable and spoke impeccable English. Not only did he take us to some delicious places to eat (off the beaten path, non-touristy) but also gave us cultural insight into the historical area. As part of the tour, we were introduced to foods we normally would not have tried (i.e. cabeza and lengua tacos) but we are glad we did because it was all delicious! At the end of the tour, we were very full!
Written January 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
leandro
Willmar, MN5 contributions
Jan 2016 • Friends
Delightful night of food and fun
I’m a tour director for a large tour company in the States and I’m always on the lookout for unique things to do for our groups at every location that we tour. I wish every city had a culinary tour like Chef’s Pass! This is the first time I’ve ever been to one where I got a real sense about the restaurants and their ambience. We spent about 50 minutes at each location as the courses were served casually one at a time. Each place had a manager, owner or chef come and talk to us and explain their restaurant before service, which is a fresh approach to the typical food tour. And, the food was fabulous!!!
I’m a tour director for a large tour company in the States and I’m always on the lookout for unique things to do for our groups at every location that we tour. I wish every city had a culinary tour like Chef’s Pass! This is the first time I’ve ever been to one where I got a real sense about the restaurants and their ambience. We spent about 50 minutes at each location as the courses were served casually one at a time. Each place had a manager, owner or chef come and talk to us and explain their restaurant before service, which is a fresh approach to the typical food tour. And, the food was fabulous!!!
Written March 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
DavidWschneider
New London, MN15 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
Do this food tour. My wife and I cannot say enough about this experience that introduced us to local restaurants we never would have found on our own. It was definitely the highlight of our trip for our first time in Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I travel all over the world and love going to different restaurants and it was great to find this tour. It did all the work for us. We had so much fun trying different foods that we decided to do our own along the restaurants on a beach on the south side of town later in the week as well. It’s such a great idea. We loved Barcelona Tapas so much we also went back there the night before we left. BTW - We had a 15% discount we found online on vallartainfo.com. If it’s still there, use it. But it’s definitely worth the full price.
Written February 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the nice review of Chef's Pass. Very happy you enjoyed your experience.
Written March 23, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gary B
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico852 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
Food Tour: "Eat where the locals eat in Old Town. One night. Three restaurants plus dessert stand. Two courses plus a beer or margarita per restaurant. Seven courses total." Chef's Pass provides four tours and we took this one through Southside, Puerto Vallarta. Once you experience these family/local eateries, you will want to go back on your own, with friends and family members.
The top attribute of this tour is the stops were well-researched and offer basic traditional Mexican cuisines, not dishes geared toward the tourist, but thrilling anyone with a taste for experimenting in the foods of this country. Alvaro was our fine guide who knew the neighborhood and had frequented these places on numerous occasions, supplying the answers for even the most obscure questions.
First stop was Restaurant Pajaritos near the Río Cuale, a family place a little hard to find. Weaving back past tables and counters a spacious room is located beside the kitchen. A lovely soup of meatballs [albondigas] stood out, sporting a fresh housemade stock. Some sipped agua fresca made of passionfruit [maracuyá].
Stop two, Mariscos Cisneros, is the typical neighborhood spot known nearly exclusively by local Mexicans and Anglos. They started with a street stand then expanded into the building. So, seating is provided both outside and in a back courtyard garden area. Seven tacos de mariscos are offered and they are prepared beautifully and so full of flavor.
Stop three finds us at the classic, authentic El Brujo, where lines of diners form many nights. The establishment also has expanded, doubling in size with a new side open kitchen. They are long-known for fajitas and various house recipes using shrimp, beef or chicken. We were treated warmly and with it earning exclamations of returning for a full meal.
We finished the evening in grand fashion sampling a dessert crêpe made to order at a popular stand across the street from El Brujo. The stand specializes in tacos al pastor but we visited where the neighboring lady grilled large fresh crêpes from a container of batter. Some of us chose banana or fresh strawberries with toppings including Kahlúa, chocolate and cajeta.
Owner: David Ostlund
Writer: Gary R. Beck
Puerto Vallarta, JAL.
The top attribute of this tour is the stops were well-researched and offer basic traditional Mexican cuisines, not dishes geared toward the tourist, but thrilling anyone with a taste for experimenting in the foods of this country. Alvaro was our fine guide who knew the neighborhood and had frequented these places on numerous occasions, supplying the answers for even the most obscure questions.
First stop was Restaurant Pajaritos near the Río Cuale, a family place a little hard to find. Weaving back past tables and counters a spacious room is located beside the kitchen. A lovely soup of meatballs [albondigas] stood out, sporting a fresh housemade stock. Some sipped agua fresca made of passionfruit [maracuyá].
Stop two, Mariscos Cisneros, is the typical neighborhood spot known nearly exclusively by local Mexicans and Anglos. They started with a street stand then expanded into the building. So, seating is provided both outside and in a back courtyard garden area. Seven tacos de mariscos are offered and they are prepared beautifully and so full of flavor.
Stop three finds us at the classic, authentic El Brujo, where lines of diners form many nights. The establishment also has expanded, doubling in size with a new side open kitchen. They are long-known for fajitas and various house recipes using shrimp, beef or chicken. We were treated warmly and with it earning exclamations of returning for a full meal.
We finished the evening in grand fashion sampling a dessert crêpe made to order at a popular stand across the street from El Brujo. The stand specializes in tacos al pastor but we visited where the neighboring lady grilled large fresh crêpes from a container of batter. Some of us chose banana or fresh strawberries with toppings including Kahlúa, chocolate and cajeta.
Owner: David Ostlund
Writer: Gary R. Beck
Puerto Vallarta, JAL.
Written February 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Gary - You nice review of the Old Town Tour is so much appreciated. We are happy you had a great experience and took the time to write such a detailed review. Hope to see you on another again somebody soon.
Written February 7, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Geoff P
10 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This was a great local food experience. Alvaro was a great guide, taking us around the Old Town to some of his favourite spots. He took time to walk us along the river and tell us about the history of the town, as well as showing us plants and trees that were being used as ingredients in what we were eating. The food was spectacular!!! I would highly recommend this tour, I would also recommend going on an empty stomach! We were absolutely stuffed at the end.
Written June 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
daveostlund
Thank you for choosing the Eat Where the Locals Eat in Old Town tour. We're very happy to learn you had a great experience. Thank you for the nice review.
Written September 16, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
theouyangs
12 contributions
Mar 2019
Our three-generation family of ten had an absolutely fantastic evening with our guide, Daniella, and Chef's Pass on the evening Taco Tour in the Emiliano Zapata/Old Town area of Puerto Vallarta. We ventured into areas we would have missed on our own. Always felt very safe and an easy walk, even for the eldest in the group who was in his mid-80's - probably just under a mile of walking with plenty of rest time along the way and minimal grade. We all had an opportunity to try tacos we definitely wouldn't have otherwise attempted (cow tongue, cow lips, cow eyeballs), had the best fish tacos of our life in a true hole-in-the-wall neighborhood restaurant and better versions of our favorite al pastor tacos. There were still delicious alternatives for the less adventurous eaters in our group as well as some with seafood allergies and one with a meat restriction. There was more than enough to eat for even the biggest appetites in the group including one of the teens who is known to power through 15 al pastor tacos in a single sitting. There were multiple desserts along the way (ice cream, crepes, churros) and even an unanticipated stop for some fresh made bread literally directly out of the brick oven. However, what our group really felt made this evening special was the enthusiasm, knowledge, flexibility and pride that our guide, Daniella, brought to the tour. Everything just came to life - the culture, the history, the people, the neighborhood, the food. Worth every penny!
Written March 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
daveostlund
Very happy to hear that you enjoyed the Tacos' and Street Food Adventure. We work hard to make sure we bring our guests to the best street stands that offer unique tacos for those with more adventurous palates, mixed in with more traditional offerings. We hope to host you again soon.
Written September 16, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gary-Irvine
Irvine, CA35 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
My husband and I booked this tour a week in advance of our visit. Our guide Alvaro "Al" Madrigal met us as arranged in front of El Brugo restaurant. It was just the two of us plus Al, so we had undivided attention. He was quite knowledgeable about each restaurant and their specialties. He was wise to advise us not to load up on chips and salsa as there was plenty of food by the time we stuffed down the ninth course. Conversation flowed effortlessly and you can tell he really enjoys these tours (he leads several other "foodie" tours) and loves his city.
Written March 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sarah M
Landrum, SC78 contributions
Just confirming, prices are in USD or pesos?
Dave Ostlund
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico8 contributions
Yes, the prices are in US Dollars.