Hidden Gems of Playa del Carmen: The Lost Tiki

Choosing a restaurant for dinner as a foodie is no easy task and comes with heaps of self-induced pressure.

You want it to have a nice ambiance. Preferably with dim lighting. Perhaps streaming from an artistic lighting fixture that elicits a, “I’d love that in my home!” statement. You want reasonable and fair prices. Nothing gets my skin itching quite like $15 for subpar tacos or $12 for a flimsy smoothie bowl. And, most importantly, you want it to be utterly delicious.

Stomach real estate is a valuable commodity. You don’t want to sell it to just any meal. Not to mention, a poor choice leads to heaps of self-beratement because you’ve ruined the night and have let everyone down. In reality, no one actually minds. But as a foodie, you can’t fight the underlying feeling of shame and failure.

Sometimes my restaurant picks are abysmal misses. But sometimes they are total home runs– and boy does the victory taste sweet.

It was my turn to pick out a dinner spot in Playa del Carmen, and I discovered an off the beaten path spot that looked promising: The Lost Tiki. Would it be a total hit or a complete miss?

There was only one way to find out!

The Lost Tiki Ambiance:

We arrived at The Lost Tiki, and I was immediately pleased with the ambiance. Dark and cozy with a thatched roof, a Mayan-inspired mural, and Asian-inspired lanterns. Seating was casual. Staff were relaxed. Fellow diners were kicking back enjoying good conversation. A DJ was playing fun music.

Ambiance, check!

The Drinks:

I’m not a fruity cocktail gal, but tiki bars are my exception. Besides, if you go to a tiki bar and don’t get a sugar-filled cocktail served in a cute glass, preferably with a little umbrella, did you even go to a tiki bar? The Lost Tiki drink menu has 20 (give or take) types of cocktails that are fun, flirty, and fruity. Check out the menu HERE! Many have a unique Mexican spin with local ingredients like horchata and mezcal.

I went with the Paloma Tiki, which had mezcal, grapefruit juice, hibiscus tea, and rosemary syrup. The rosemary balanced out the grapefruit, and the mezcal added a unique smokiness. My system wasn’t sent into a sugar shock, and it was only $100 mxn ($5usd)!

Reasonable prices, check!

The Food:

The Asian-Mexican fusion menu was a thrill to look at, and it was even more thrilling to taste. We started with the al pastor egg roll and curry coconut chicken roll (80mxn/$4usd each). The Al Pastor egg roll was loaded with tender, juicy al pastor meat and the roll itself was nice and crunchy. Dip it in salsa verde and sweet pineapple chutney, and you’ve got a flavor explosion that’s complete genius. The curry coconut chicken roll (pictured above) was yawn-inducing in comparison. And while it was fresh with a lovely coconut flavor, there wasn’t any pop or zing got my blood pumping.

Tacos are 35mxn ($1.65usd) each, so we went loco. The Korean beef taco had delightfully tender meat and a generous heap of kimchi, which added the perfect crunch and freshness. The peri peri chicken taco was a total firecracker to bite in to—loads of garlic, a kick of chili, and ultra-tender chicken. The baja fish was my favorite—blackened fish with coleslaw and dressing. The ingredients were simple, but the fish was cooked perfectly and it tasted delightfully fresh.

My socks were knocked so far off that we skipped dessert and ended the meal with an order of bang bang shrimp (120mxn/$6usd). The shrimp were lightly battered and served with a zesty sauce that packed a punch. Who needs cake when you can have crustaceans?

Delicious food, check!