While staying at Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay last March, we walked to Surf's Up cafe on a few occasions. We were never disappointed. We will be spending a couple of weeks at Emerald bay this year & plan to walk up the beach again on a number of occasions.
Apart from the one person who was disappointed the cuisine wasn't Mexican, I agree wholeheartedly with the reviews. There are many restaurants serving Mexican cuisine & it is good to have something different occasionaly. Maybe they should have asked about the cuisine before booking.

We went with a group of friends, having made an evening reservation. We have heard rave reviews about this restaurant and it is always difficult for expectations to meet reality. Leanne had prepared a special menu to cater to the tastes of a fairly large group.

My wife and I are definitely Mexicophiles and traveling out to where the restaurant is located is a bit like entering a totally different world - not what we view as being Mexico.

The beach front location is very appealing and everything was spotless. Now to the food.

We both had the house salad and it was excellent - pomegranate seeds gave it a wonderful texture.
I had a shrimp dish cooked in a fabulous wasabi sauce. Very often wasabi is overpowering but this really enhanced the flavour. The dish was accompanied by rice, carrots, broccoli and eggplant. The eggplant was wonderfully prepared but the other veggies, although al dente (good) were lukewarm (not good).

For dessert there was a delicious coconut apple pie with a super crispy crust and very flavourful.

Drinks were very reasonably priced and the service by Jon was attentive and friendly.

So, why the ambivalence?

This was a restaurant that could have been airlifted from some relatively affluent location anywhere. There was nothing on the menu to indicate we were in Mexico.

I am sure that there are many people who will love Surf's Up because the food is good. For many people the items on the menu will not be too "adventurous" and the food is all well served in spotless surroundings. Leanne is an accomplished cook and everything is freshly prepared but for people who are expecting an authentic taste of Mexico, they may well find themselves disappointed,

Surf's Up Cafe was a great lunch place. It's on the beach in Nuevo Mazatlan and a little out of the way, but worth the trip. It is open for breakfast and lunch only and for dinner by a reservation only. The breakfast items looked excellent. We had a variation of a "Cubano" and a veggie curry dish with chicken over rice. Both great.

Today I went with a group to Surf's Up Cafe in the northern part of Mazatlan. Our seating was outdoors with a lovely view of the ocean. The menu had a very nice selection of breakfast and lunch items not typically found in Mazatlan. I had an open faced chicken sandwich with grilled peaches served on toasted mango bread slathered with chipotle aioli. For my side I chose Cream of Brocolli soup, which was very fresh and very tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed my chicken sandwich - try it. On top of all the great food, we were treated to an exquisite view of the ocean. There are tables outside in the sand and some on patios. It doesn't matter where you sit because every seat is a front row seat. All the people in our group thoroughly enjoyed their meal. The wait staff was attentive to all of our needs. Meal prep was on the slow side, yet with the spectacular view and good conversation, the time passed by only it can when 12 women are chatting away. My suggestion is take a bus to Cerritos, then take a cab or truck or pulmonia to Surf's Up.

This beach side cafe on the grounds of El Sol La Vita is amazing. Owner and chef extraordinaire Leanne Wright is making her mark. In only a year her cafe is now ranked #16 of all reviewed restaurants on TripAdvisor. A true testament to her culinary skills.

There is no other restaurant in all of Mazatlan that has offerings like Surf's Up Cafe. You can set inside or right on the sand with the beach and surf in total view.

Leanne offers breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday and dinner by reservation. Her menu items will astound you. It's all fresh and cooked to order for each customer.

Yes, it's off the beaten path in Nuevo Mazatlan but don't let that stop you. People walk over a mile or so from their hotel just to savor Leanne's great fare.

Beer, wine and mixed drinks are available as well.

If there is only one place you go to eat in Mazatlan make it the Surf's Up Cafe. My wife and I stayed at the hotel and had numerous breakfasts, lunch and an believable dinner at Leanne's cafe.

Don't be left out. Make the drive and treat yourself to something very special.