El Palomar de los Gonzalez

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#53 of 1,780 Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta$$ - $$$, Mexican, Latin, Vegetarian friendly

+52 322 222 0795+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Mon

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Tue

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Wed

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Thu

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Fri

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Sat

5:30 PM - 11:30 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,229 reviews

#53 of 1,780 Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta

Travelers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$15.00 – $90.00

CUISINES

Mexican, Latin, Seafood, International

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

Aguacate 425, Puerto Vallarta 48380 Mexico

+52 322 222 0795

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Does this restaurant offer free wifi?

Yes

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Details

Manage this business?

PRICE RANGE

$15.00 – $90.00

CUISINES

Mexican, Latin, Seafood, International

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner, Late Night

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music

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4.5

1,229 reviews

Excellent

948

Very good

142

Average

Poor

Terrible

zauchebruce

Montecito3 contributions

A Gem for Dining on the Hillside

Nov 2024 • family

Our entire family of eight is here in PV to celebrate our matriarch's 80th birthday. We all went to El Palomar de lost Gonzalez for dinner the second night we were there. It was by far the best prepared, presented and served meal of our trip. The view is spectacular from the hillside. The restaurant itself has a homelike atmosphere -- with museum grade artifacts and antique furniture on display. Other guests stopped by our table to chat briefly before their departure to assure us we were about to have a wonderful meal. There was a singer/guitarist whose voice was stellar and who provided atmosphere throughout the evening from the time of our arrival to liesurely departure. Throughout the experience, the wait staff could not have been more welcoming, warm and attentaive. The desert of bananas foster was a spectacular finale to a memorable evening.

Written November 28, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dorothy F

Bluemont14 contributions

A Lovely Romantic Dining Experience

Jan 2024 • family

My husband and I had a romantic dinner here the last time we were in Puerto Vallarta a decade ago, and it still does not disappoint. It is a beautiful spot to watch the lights of Puerto Vallarta awaken from dusk to night and the food is very good. A waiter prepared a delightful Caesar salad at the table for the three of us (husband, adult son, and me) with a friendly, welcoming banter in English (incidentally, he also speaks French as well as his native Spanish. Charming). I had the Tutakhamon Shrimp (wrapped in crispy bacon with a bit of cheese inside) which was served with a nice sauce on the side and a lovely, delicate rice pilaf. A bit salty (well, bacon!) and delicious. Of course we shared the Bananas Flambe for dessert--the presentation was spectacular with blue flames pouring from pitcher to pitcher. Quite a floor show, really. At first with Sinatra singing in the background followed up by a local, live guitarist, this place is a lovely evening out: beautifully decorated venue, spectacular view, excellent unhurried service, food that is a pleasure to eat. We really enjoyed ourselves.

Written February 5, 2024

Tooteroo

42 contributions

A great meal in a gorgeous house

Jan 2024 • couples

One of the few remaining “old standards” in Puerto Vallarta, everything about this place is delightful. The location in the Alta Vista neighborhood (the hillside just south of Zona Romantica) provides a great view of the city and the bay, the house is a gorgeous hand-built architectural artifact that hasn’t been destroyed with unfortunate renovations, and the staff—Victor manages the dining room, Hector manages the kitchen—are skilled professionals. To top off the experience, every plate and every cocktail are well prepared from fresh ingredients. Dinner at Palomar is a step into PV’s authentic glamorous past. Go soon, before long-term staff retire and another piece of Puerto Vallarta’s history is lost to updates that better suit the era of social media. (A note to folks who are in search of “old Puerto Vallarta”: in addition to Palomar de los Gonzales, seek out the restaurants Chez Elena, La Palapa, El Panorama, and La Playita. Each is a uniquely enjoyable. La Palapa isn’t the loose beachfront bar it was in the ‘60s, but it’s still a great setting, the kitchen is fantastic, and the historical photos in the back corridor are fascinating.)

Written January 16, 2024

SciTchr

Denver1419 contributions

Wonderful Dining Experience at El Palomar de los González.

Nov 2023 • friends

Our dinner at El Palomar de los González started a little bumpy. We had made reservation for a specific special table after dining there the previous year, but somehow that did not happen. When we arrived to find we were to be seated in a different area, we were disappointed, but we were happy with the table they gave us. We had a beautiful view of the city and it was a bit private. We were happy with it all. Victor, the manager, was very courteous and apologetic about the mixup. He kindly brought us a delicious tuna carnitas dish to share complete with guacamole, salsa, onions, cilantro and tortillas on the house. Next visit I might choose this for my entree. We all enjoyed our entrees in the beautiful setting that El Palomar offers. The service by multiple waitstaff was very attentive. For dessert, Victor brought us a complimentary cheesecake with a strawberry topping to share that was delicious. We had a wonderful evening at El Palomar. Thank you Víctor and crew! We will return next year.

Written November 15, 2023

LindsZ

Plymouth79 contributions

NOT 5 star service

Jan 2023 • family

We went here for my 40th birthday with my family and some friends. We had 4 kids with us (1, 3, 4, 5). Kids were well behaved but the dinner was so long that it was challenging. Overall, was not super impressed with my biggest complaint being the service. SERVICE slow and not very good. Many of us say with empty drinks for a long while. It was also difficult to get them to take our order (with children it’s usually good to get food orders in and keep it moving). Didn’t check on us. Difficult to get their attention. Asked us to tip in cash. View : pretty good but you cannot see the sunset except for one small part of the restaurant. Food: good..not great. I tried many things at the table. Honestly the shrimp fajitas were the best thing I tried. I ordered the fish with a creamy sauce. I thought it was good. Others at the table order broiled fish and said it was over cooked. I would not recommend this restaurant with children and don’t expect to get a five star treatment in general.

Written January 31, 2023

Shari

3 contributions

A special place in my heart

Oct 2024 • couples

We were fortunate to have a romantic dinner here. A special place for us as this is where my husband proposed 27 years ago. We were greeted warmly and the service provided was beyond compare. Had a delicious seafood dinner for 2(giant shrimp, lobster tails, grilled fish fillets, scallops with cheese, fried fish). It could have been dinner for 4! Also received a complimentary anniversary cheesecake. Everything was delicious and the view overlooking the city at night was great. Highly recommend!

Written October 26, 2024

tallerash

Montana16 contributions

Year after year, we return!

Mar 2024 • family

We’ve made sure to visit El Palomar anytime we’ve been in Puerto Vallarta—approximately 2-3x per year since 2016. The service is always excellent, the food is delicious, and the restaurant has a beautiful view of the ocean and is full of character. This is great for large groups (we often had 8-15 people), but could also be very romantic for a couple. The Palomar fish was fantastic, as were the drinks we ordered. Absolutely worth a trip here.

Written March 28, 2024

SeattleDolly

Seattle10 contributions

What a Dissappointment!

Mar 2023 • couples

Was expecting an evening of elegant fine dining, but instead experienced unprofessional waitstaff, loud 50s-60’s recorded music and mediocre food. We were greeted at the door and seated in an almost empty restaurant at 6:30 on a Saturday night. Though we were there for the sunset we were led to a table with no view. Offered drinks, but when I asked for a wine list there was none. So I ordered a margarita-which was very good. The Palomar salad and cheese bread were also good. My shrimp taco appetizer/entree was fine, but my husband’s Normandy chicken was mediocre at best. The entire atmosphere was ruined by the music and young servers. Where is the management at this place?

Written March 12, 2023

Patrick E

Toronto19 contributions

Valentines disaster

Feb 2022 • couples

Last night we wanted to take another gay couple out for a special Valentines dinner. We arrived, got seated at a terrible table difficult to see the views. There were better tables available. We waited for half an hour before a waiter came by. One of the other couples who is a Mexican resident asked a passing waiter for menus. Again, we waited and waited. Finally, our friend asked if we could get served. We had been sitting so Long, we already knew what we wanted to drink and eat. We ordered a round of Sangria, a bottle of wine with dinner, 4 Caesar salads, soup and our entrees. We all felt we got lots of attitude. After about 40 min our sangria came. Another 40 min they brought two salads. We mentioned we had ordered four. 20 min later two more salads arrived. Again, we waited and waited. A table of two straight couples who came in after us got a much better table and were being served their dinners and we hadn’t even gotten our apps. Finally I said to my husband and friends, embarrassed as hell cause I was the one that chose the restaurant, we are leaving and going home and I will Make dinner. Asked for our bill and the waiter said there was no charge. Very very disappointed:-(

Written February 15, 2022

Dan H

3 contributions

Great food, great view, outstanding service!

Apr 2024 • family

This was our third visit to El Palomar de los Gonzalez (first 33 years ago, second 10 years ago, once each time we've visited Puerto Vallarta). We love this restaurant, its location, the view, the service, and the food. And they obviously love what they do, as this family business has been going strong for 40 or so years. Every visit we've had has been outstanding. Victor and the rest of the team made our third visit so memorable, with a warm welcome, a balcony table to enjoy the sunset, and a great menu to choose from. Our group of 4 each had something different from menu, and everyone enjoyed their selections (mine was the Shrimp in Wine). We finished with an unforgettably mouth-watering dessert prepared and served by Victor at our table. We had the flambeed bananas, and it was a production to behold. If you're looking for a fun, relaxing, and satisfying dinner in Puerto Vallarta, do yourself a favor and book a reservation at El Palomar de los Gonzalez. I don't know when our next visit to PV will be, but when it does, it will include dinner again here. Thank you Victor!

Written April 21, 2024

Steve

Jacksonville11 contributions

Last Evening in PV Dinner - AMAZING!

Dec 2022 • none

El Palomar was recommended to us by our vacation resort concierge. We were a family of 7, and were seated at a beautiful table overlooking the mountainous city and bay. The ambiance of the restaurant was nothing short of fantastic! The entire wait staff were very attentive to us, providing us recommendations and excellent service throughout the evening. The food was even more amazing - many of us had seafood dishes which were very flavorful, visually appealing, and tasted so fantastic! I ove seared tuna, and this place offered one of the best preparations of seared tuna and spinach vinaigrette salad I have ever had. The best part of the evening was the presentation of the staff making our Spanish coffee deserts! Amazing skills and showmanship by the wait staff as they prepared each coffee individually for us! We STRONGLY recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a very local, authentic, and genuine Puerto Vallarta dining experience!

Written December 28, 2022

5 contributions

Amazing Service and Best Food - You will enjoy

Feb 2023 • family

We came here on the recomandation of a local. Very glad that we got the recomandation, because this was one of the best experiences and 100% a memorable highlight of the trip. We were greeted with warmth from Victor and Alexis, who were very friendly; with Alexis positive energy bouncing onto everyone he talked to and Victor treating us like good friends - we felt as if we were at home. Once seated, we were mesmerized by the amazing view of the PV bay, with the skyline and mountains in view. Alexis asked us for drinks after we were seated, and we were brought drinks quickly. We were given parmesan bread as a starter, which was very enjoyable, the bread perfectly crisp and golden. The wait was 15-20 minutes I would say, but completely worth it. The chef, Hector, made amazing food. Not a single flaw in any of the dishes. The food was not just good, but amazing. The best I've had. I simply cannot stress enough how well Hector made the food. I recommend the seven seas pasta, the seared tuna, the Palomar mahi mahi fillet, and the shrimp tacos. Not only that but Victor gave us the banana flambe on house. That itself was a performance, a performance conducted by Juan. His friend demeanor and sense of humor made the whole show quite memorable - and the food tastier. You will enjoy this experience, and be happy with your choice.

Written February 25, 2023

Karen B

1 contribution

Not a Good Night

Nov 2022 • couples

We were traveling to Puerto Vallarta and we were going to be there on our 40th anniversary so I was looking for a special place to celebrate. Saw the great reviews of Wl Palomor de los Gonzalez so before we arrived I went online and booked a reservation, this was done on Nov 8 for our anniversary on Sunday, Nov 27, 2022, I received an email confirming our reservation. We are staying in. Nuevo Vallarta, so last night we took the 40 minute, 310 peso cab ride to the restaurant, arrived in time for our reservation only to find the place locked up, closed! I called the number and someone answered, I asked if they were open and was told No they are closed on Sundays so I asked why I had a confirmed reservation, he didn’t have a response for that. The only upside was because we were stranded there I asked the man on the phone to call for a cab for us, which he did. This might be an amazing place but we will never know. Please make sure your website and online reservation online is updated so future customers will not suffer the same disappointment. Not the way we had planned to celebrate a landmark wedding anniversary.

Written November 28, 2022

Tina S

3 contributions

Stunning view + amazing staff

Mar 2024 • family

Our large family of 15 were able to get a reservation here during sunset timeframe. Spectacular! Victor and his staff took amazing care of us. We got a pitcher of sangria to start us off, and were quite surprised how good the Cab Sauv from Mexico was! Lots of Garlic shrimp ordered at our table as well as the Beef Filet with Palomar sauce. Bacon wrapped shrimp also a must. So good! We did not have enough room after ordering so many appetizers for the dessert, but saw many tables around us getting the Banana's Foster. Quite the show and so good per their report! We enjoyed the Caesar salad that was made table side. Highly recommend this place if you want to get an exquisite taste of "Old Vallarta."

Written March 12, 2024

Peggy G

Barrie8 contributions

Not to be missed !!

Mar 2023 • couples

Another outstanding evening at this restaurant last night . As always , the food quality, service and ambiance did not disappoint . Salads, Normandy Chicken and the Rib Eye Steak presentations were tasteful and delicious . Our primary server Juan Victor was so attentive, professional and showed off his amazing talents while preparing our Flambé Banana for dessert . Manager Victor made us welcome and ensured our evening was going well . This is one of the oldest establishments in PV and Juan kindly recited a bit of its history which was welcome . Always worth the trip up those cobblestone streets. Taking in a bit of the history and charm is always an additional perk to the wonderful service and meal . It remains on our list of “ must haves” when we return to PV each year .

Written March 3, 2023