The Mismaloya Grill Restaurant and Bar is Located in the La Jolla de Mismaloya Condominium Complex, on Playa Mismaloya, 30 Minutes South of Downtown Puerto Vallarta
Enjoy Lunch or Dinner and Drinks on a Terrace Overlooking Historic Mismaloya Cove, Where The Movie Night of The Iguana was Filmed at The Mismaloya Grill
The Mismaloya Grill is a Perfect Place to Catch a Puerto Vallarta Sunset with Drink in Hand
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Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler, and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.
That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and
The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or
dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
This week we are going south of Vallarta to Mismaloya, to eat! You will be meeting Juan Pablo Reyes. Juan Pablo and His wife Paola have a beautiful restaurant called The Mismaloya Grill, overlooking Playa Mismaloya, located in the La Jolla de Mismaloya Condominium complex across from the Barcello Resort. Juan
Pablo has a lovely story and you will be thanking me for introducing you to this beautiful restaurant. But before we get to Juan Pablo and the Mismaloya Grill, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 2nd of April, 2023…
Contact Information For Mismaloya Grill, Puerto Vallarta
- Phone: +52 322 262 8058
- Email: mismaloyagrill@gmail.com
- Address: Carretera a Barra de Navidad km 11.5 48980 Mismaloya, Jalisco, Mexico
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantmariabonita/
- Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/mismaloyagrillrestaurant/
It’s Semana Santa in Puerto Vallarta
It’s Semana Santa in Puerto Vallarta, which as I mentioned last week lasts till Easter Sunday, followed by Pasqua, which lasts till the following Sunday. It’s a busy vacation week for the locals as well as visiting tourists, and when the two cultures collide, it’s going to be very crazy and crowded, but don’t despair, be prepared, be ready and go with the flow Vallarta style. If you are in town, enjoy, amigos.
Saturday April 8th, the Taco Fair in Parque Hildago in Puerto Vallarta
Now if you are planning to be in town this weekend, Saturday April 8th, the Taco Fair will be taking place in Parque Hidalgo, that’s in Cinco de Diciembre.
They will have at least 20 participating taco stands that will be cooking more than 50 varieties of tacos including vegetarians and all kinds of cuts of meat and much more.
In fact, I ran into Edgar Rivas the day I was cutting out of town last month in the Plaza in front of City Hall. Edgar was pulling a permit for this particular event. He didn’t know the date at the time but I can tell you it’s planned for this Saturday April 8th, at parque Hidalgo from 2 in the afternoon till 11 at night. So, with that, let’s go to the Plaza in front of City Hall and grab a white wrought iron bench and have a chat with Edgar Rivas, Promoter of the Feria Del Taco, Puerto Vallarta…
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Thank you, Edgar.
You can’t miss it. It’s going to be amazing! There will also be stalls with aqua Fresca, desserts, craft beer and cocktails with Mexican spirits.
Remember once again, That’s Taco Time…Saturday April 8th, at parque Hidalgo from 2 in the afternoon till 11 at night. Get your taco on…
Salvador, The Candyman Looses His Wife
Last week was an especially tough week for my friend Salvador Estrada, the Candyman on the Malecon who sells candy, cigarettes and trinkets from his wheelchair where he sits almost every day, near the three loud clubs there on the Malecon. The Zoo, Mandala and La Vaquita, and if you don’t know Salvador’s story, I’ll link it for you In the show notes. But last Friday, Salvador’s wife, his pareja Dolores Delgado Sevilla, died, surrounded
by her immediate family. Dolores had been treated for breast cancer over the last 2 years, and she was looking really good back in October. She had been in remission for about a year by that time, but she started having headaches in December, and she was diagnosed with brain tumors which spread so fast. Salvador had been so very depressed especially because, as he explained to me, he felt helpless not just because of her condition and situation, but because of his incapacity and his inability to physically help her or her family. So, I’m in daily communication with him and he’s going through the motions. He tells me It’s better for him to be out working and keeping busy than it is for him to be sitting at home and thinking about Dolores.
Of course, he depended on her to drive him to work. He has this Van, and Dolores would drive him in the Van, to a spot on the street near the Hotel Rosita, where she would park, and help him set up for the day. She helped Salvador get in and out of the van. Load up his tray of Candy onto his wheelchair, and then wheel him
down to his spot just south of La Vaquita. Then, she would go back up to the van, and bring down the rest of his display stuff and set that up next to him. From there, she would either walk back, or take a bus back to her kid’s house. In the evening she would come down to help him move from just south of La Vaquita, to the other side of Mandala where he works till around midnight or 2. Then, Dolores would help him move everything back to the van, where she helped load him in, and where Salvador sleeps, usually for 4-5 days at a shot, going back and forth from the van to his spot on The Malecon. Then, usually Monday morning, Dolores drives the van and
Salvador home to Paso Ancho, and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, he spends at home, resting up for his next stint on the Malecon. And that’s Salvador’s routine. That is, unless Dolores isn’t well. Then he needs to find other help which he really can’t afford, but what can he do? I asked him who’s driving him around and
helping him set up, and he told me he has a guy, that’s been helping him. I asked him how he’s compensating him, and he said he’s feeding him. He said he’s pretty dependable and well, he explains that it’s not easy finding someone to help him who he can trust. He has to hand over his keys of his van to someone. It’s not easy being Salvador. So be kind to him and buy some extra candy from him.
I asked him if he needed any help with the funeral arrangements and he said sure, whatever I could help with would be appreciated. He mentioned the funeral, well, the service or the wake for Dolores was the same day she died, and I said wow, that’s pretty fast. He said yes, it’s a little complicated. They were going to have a service at Celis Funeral Home in Cinco, and that the package included a service with coffee and cake, but that it didn’t include the cremation. So, what happens is they have a funeral wake, and take up a collection to finish the job so to speak. Anyway, very sad for Salvador, I’ll see if I have a picture of Dolores and if so, I’ll put them in the show notes.
JR’s Birthday Bash and Return to Vallarta
And I’m planning on spending a bit of time with Salvador when I get back to Vallarta the end of the month for JR’s 83rd birthday bash. Shows what good clean living will do for a guy….
And this year my wife is coming to celebrate her own birthday in paradise. So, make room JR, we’re celebrating with you at Gringo Loco on April 25th. Larry has his house band Paranoia serving up the dance music and
Gringo Loco has the coldest beer in town. The drinking starts at 3, the music and dancing starts at 6. Come on by if you are in town and party a bit. Maybe buy JR a drink, have a little birthday cake. I may even bring a recording device with me.
That’s in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, Gringo Loco Cantina, Francisco I Madero 403. Tuesday, April 25th. The festivities start at 3…see you there.
My Stay in Pitillal and Restaurants and Shops
My wife Debbie and I are super excited to be staying with our buddies Ray and Debbie from Alberta Canada. Their casa is in Central Pitillal, and I’ve been getting myself acquainted with the area. There’s a great taqueria at the end of their block called Candora’s, which is pretty good.
Candora’s Tacos Pitillal Facebook Page
Birrieria Robles, El Lic Facebook Page
There’s a Birria place behind the big church in Pitillal called Birrieria Robles, El Lic it’s called and it’s been there for almost 30 years. The food is fantastic, the service is great. They hand make their tortillas and they
serve the real birria if you like. They serve both the goat and beef birria. All your Mexican favorites It’s a lovely sit down place but they have limited hours. They are open 6 days a week. They are closed on Tuesdays but open from 8 in the morning till -3 in the afternoon Wednesday through Monday. Check them out if you are looking for a nice spot to sit and eat in Pitillal. I have pictures in the shownotes. And you can find them on Calle Hidalgo 200 in Pitillal, , right behind the church, the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. Right on the town square. A great place. Have breakfast and lunch with La Gente.
Pitillal is a real working town. Known as Piti-Citi, it’s a real self-contained area. Cute little places for leather boots and hats. Priced very reasonably. Woodworking shops…real industry. I met a very interesting guy named Joseph, who was an engineer working for NASA, who is an auto mechanic, getting ready to open his own repair shop. This guy has an incredible story. I’ll be having Joseph on the show soon.
So, Piti-Citi, Pitillal is on the list of places we will be heading to with the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show, as well as some wonderful new restaurants and places to explore all over town.
Speaking of restaurants all over town, let’s go a half hour south of Puerto Vallarta, to Mismaloya, and visit a place you need to visit and know about, and that’s the Mismaloya Grill, Restaurant and Bar.
Mismaloya Grill, Restaurant and Bar, in Mismaloya, Puerto Vallarta
Back in 1996, my wife Debbie and I brought our two little boys to paradise. Zachary was 3 and a half and Jake was 18 months old at the time, and we decided to stay at the new resort, The La Jolla de Mismaloya. It was a beautiful property with ocean view rooms and kitchenettes. We could eat all our meals at the restaurants on
the property, the pizza bar and whatever we wanted as we sat on the beach. It was a perfect set-up for a family. There was a little market across highway 200 and the bus stop was right there to easily whisk us into town when we wanted a little excitement. The place is still there and it’s called the Barcello. Mismaloya is of course famous for its Hollywood history. Much of the movie the Night of the Iguana was filmed on the set, which was
built into the cliffs of the southern part of the little bay. The area is closed off to visitors today but back then, we were allowed to wander through the ruins, and I have pics in the show notes of how things looked back in the 90’s. And when I say show notes, I mean the blogpost that I put together with links, maps and pictures at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com and go to the podcast and blog page where you will find all of that information.
Across from the Barcello, formally the La Jolla de Mismaloya, was, and still is a beautiful condominium complex called The La Jolla de Mismaloya Condominiums. And located within the confines of that condo complex, is a restaurant with a stunning view of Mismaloya Beach, and the bay little bay. And that restaurant is
called The Mismaloya Grill, Restaurant and Bar. Now because the restaurant is located in a condo complex, for security purposes, there is a particular protocol that must be followed, if you don’t happen to live there, and
want to eat at the Mismaloya Grill, and Juan Pablo and I will be discussing the process during the interview so stay tuned for that.
There is also the process of getting there. It’s a bit of a ride. From the Church in Centro Vallarta to Mismaloya takes about 30 minutes along highway 200, a distance of approximately 13 km. If you take the bus, make sure
you tell the driver to stop at the Condos as he approaches The Barcello. That way you won’t end up walking up the highway. But most of you will be taking a taxi or an UBER. Looking at my Uber App, the price to get you from Tile Park to the La Jolla de Mismaloya Condos is about 160 pesos, or around $9 US. For a taxi, off the top of my head, maybe add another 100 pesos or $14 total US.
I suggest as always, when heading to Mismaloya to prepare yourself for little bugs so repellant and proper attire will be definitely appreciated by you, I promise. And as I said, there is a process to access the property. With that in mind, for sure make reservations just to be sure you aren’t making this trip for nothing. Plan
ahead. I have all the contact information in the shownotes but it’s just as easy for you to use Google or the Facebag and type in Mismaloya Grill so you can call or message, right?
So why am I taking you to the Mismaloya Grill? I’m taking here you because it’s a destination meal for most of you, Because the view is stunning and the location is historic, because the food is delicious and the staff is
courteous and attentive of course. But the main reason you will love this place, is this beautiful family who runs it. Paola and Juan Pablo are the real thing when it comes to caring for their clients, and making sure their experience is one that will keep them coming back for more.
So, for a special occasion or just for pizza night, imagine taking off for a romantic meal just 30 minutes drive away. Where you’ll find yourself seated at a table outside on a terrace with the backdrop of Playa Mismaloya
and within sight of the ruins of the Night of the Iguana set. And there you are, with the sounds of music, the crashing of waves, the singing of birds and throw in a stunning sunset over Mismaloya and the Bahia de Banderas. What more do you need?
I was very fortunate to meet Juan Pablo at the restaurant for the interview. I was hoping to have both he and Paola together for the interview, but this couple is very busy with the business and a young active family. In fact, Paola was baking desserts for the restaurant at the time I cornered Juan Pablo.
So, we now that we know how to get to The Mismaloya Grill, I think it’s about time I take you there now. To a lovely Terrace overlooking Playa Mismaloya, Lets enjoy some coconut shrimp and a lovely margarita, at a table
set for two….Let’s meet Juan Pablo Reyes, Your friend at the Mismaloya Grill Restaurant and Bar, in Mismaloya, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico…
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Contact Information For Mismaloya Grill, Puerto Vallarta
- Phone: +52 322 262 8058
- Email: mismaloyagrill@gmail.com
- Address: Carretera a Barra de Navidad km 11.5 48980 Mismaloya, Jalisco, Mexico
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantmariabonita/
- Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/mismaloyagrillrestaurant/
Thank you Juan Pablo…Folks, you need to make you way to this restaurant. Remember they are a seasonal operation so follow them on Facebook to see when they are open and their hours, and of course, their special nights like the pizza, night and BBQ night Every night is special at the Mismaloya Grill.
Check out the pictures and the links in the shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com
Okay, that should do it for today…next week Stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more. Until then, remember, this is an
interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.
And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange
for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take
one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and I have links to all of those in the show notes.
And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and follow share with a lover of Puerto Vallarta or give me a good review wherever or however you happen to be listening. That way we can
get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you
really need to have a look there. I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.
Thanks so much Edgar Rivas from the Ferria de Taco. Get to Parque Hidalgo this Saturday if you are in town for tocomaina, You will have a great time if you do, and thank you to Juan Pablo Reyes, restaurateur
extraordinaire. Thank you for telling us the story of The Mismaloya Grill Restaurant and Bar in Mismaloya. Go for the food, drinks and desserts as well as the view, and the people….Juan Pablo and Paola….thank you so much for sharing your story.
And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos.
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