Hey… if you’re an American in Playa del Carmen for Thanksgiving, you’ll more than likely be looking for a place to grab something close to a traditional Thanksgiving Day feast – whether you are simply here on vacation or like us and make Playa del Carmen your full time home.
Places for Thanksgiving Playa del Carmen in 2015
I gotta be honest with ya… there are some beach bars / restaurants that I frequent on a very regular basis. But, I wanted to kind of give a run down of all of them and feature whatever special they were doing for Turkey Day. After cruising websites and Facebook pages, I only came across two of them right on the beach that are promoting a Thanksgiving Day special here…
Fortunately, I’m very familiar with both of them and have been to each many times. I’ve actually been to both of them for Thanksgiving as well so I have a very good firsthand idea of what they bring to the table. No pun intended… That being said, I’m a little disappointed that more places aren’t advertising something for Thanksgiving. I don’t know if it’s lack of social media savvy or they just aren’t doing anything. Either way, I’ve got two very good and quite different recommendations with personal experience to back up my info…
Zensi Playa del Carmen
First up is Zensi Beach Bar right in the center of Playa del Carmen… It’s on the beach and 10th St so it’s easy to find and in a very convenient location. The beach in this area is quite good and the seaweed issue has gone away so it perfect for dining right on the beach and watching the waves lap at the shore while you spend time with family and friends.
The Thanksgiving dinner here is normally the classic fare – turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing and the works. Just like Mom used to make. Only on the beach. Which makes it pretty awesome…. 🙂
Zensi appeals to more of younger, hipper sort of crowd, although you will find people from all age ranges and demographics. The common thread is a love of the sea and the live bands that you will find playing salsa, reggae and other music of Latin and Caribbean influence. So eat your turkey, get your salsa lessons and live the good life celebrating the holiday in Playa del Carmen!
Wah Wah’s Beach Bar
Wah Wah’s is an old Playa del Carmen stand-by. A big, wide open space that has a dance floor, a stage for the classic rock musical acts and is completely open to the beach outside. Seating is accommodated throughout the building as well as the beach where you can find tables and lounges alike on which to relax and enjoy your traditional Thanksgiving Day food.
The beach here is also very good, stretching out to the blue water of the Caribbean and giving it a throwback beach bar sort of feel. Wah Wah’s caters more toward the older, retired gringo set, with bands playing covers of many classic artists such as Pink Floyd, Journey, AC/DC and many others from the 70’s and 80’s. Once again, you will find people here from all over and from every age bracket, but it definitely leans toward the older types here.
It has great energy and a family atmosphere where you can feel comfortable with kids, your family and friends.
Where to go?
My personal choice for this year would be Zensi… because I’m in the mood for a little Caribbean and Reggae flavor. But… that being said, don’t look for me in Playa this year since I booked tickets home to hang out with the family in Minnesota. (Yes, I’m aware of how cold it is…) I’ve spent the last 3 years here in Playa and although I’ve been home for Christmas, I have not been home for Thanksgiving so I’m making a run for the border.
Truthfully, you can’t go wrong at either place. Both have amazing food and a great atmosphere. I would recommend getting to whichever one you choose fairly early, as they tend to be extremely popular on any holiday, but especially so on Thanksgiving.
