Taqueria El Arbolito: Making Delicious Tacos in Puerto Aventuras since 1999!
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If you have spent any time in Puerto Aventuras or anywhere on the Riviera Maya, you probably already know Tacos El Arbolito. When we came to buy our land in PA, our real estate agent wanted to bring us to his favorite taco place. So before we got started for the day, we stopped in at El Arbolito for breakfast. This was our first visit to this wonderful family-run taqueria and we were immediately hooked!
Since then, we have been back too many times to count. We have brought friends and family, customers and clients. Every family road trip south to Bacalar or Belize, Calakmul or Chiapas must start with tacos from El Arbolito to fuel up properly for a day on the road.
Taqueria El Arbolito is owned by the Mendoza family. The Mendozas started small, offering their homemade tacos from a puesto under the big tree on the east side of 307, before the entrance to Puerto Aventuras. They did a booming business with the workers who were shipped in to fill the needs of the developers and contractors building inside the Puerto Aventuras resort community.
These guys were a long way from their villages and families and the Mendoza family’s tacos were a comforting taste of home. The little taco stand under the big tree also grabbed the attention of tour guides and dive masters who would pass through with their clients. Soon, the Mendozas were making a name for themselves as one of the best taquerias in the Riviera Maya.
With the growth of the Riviera Maya including Puerto Aventuras, land values on the properties surrounding the gated community were on the rise. Plans to develop the land just outside the gates meant that Tacos El Arbolito would have to make room for more lucrative endeavors. So the family packed up, moved their operations across the highway and built the taco restaurant they have today.
Year by year they improved their location and expanded the business to accommodate customers arriving to the region from all over the globe. Today, they have their wonderful open-air restaurant in Puerto Aventuras as well as three stands in Playa del Carmen all serving up their famous tacos de guisado!
What are Tacos de Guisado?
One of the most interesting things about Mexican food is that not all tacos are equal. There are different tacos served at different times of the day. If you are looking for tacos al pastor this is the wrong place and the wrong time of day.
Tacos el Arbolito specializes in tacos de guisado which are traditionally served at breakfast and lunch. In fact, in the northern part of the country, you will find them referred to as tacos mañaneros or “morning tacos”. These tacos are literally breakfast comfort food and are generally, stewy, homemade and unpretentious.
El Arbolito prepares and serves their guisados in the traditional way, from earthenware bowls called cazuelas. The extensive menu posted on a lona (sign) at the back of the restaurant lists a wide variety of guisados, any of which you might find on any given day. I am going to conservatively say there are over 30 fillings available at any given time.
Everyone has their own favorite but some of mine are picadillo, papas con chorizo, rajas con queso, chiles rellenos de queso, chicharron en salsa verde, huevos con chaya and mollejas de pollo. While most of the fillings are meat or egg-based, there are several options for vegetarians as well. If you are unsure, just ask for “algo sin carne” (something without meat) and they will point out your options.
You can wash them all down with their delicious horchata, agua de jamaica or an ice-cold Coke. You can also order freshly squeezed juice, a smoothie or liquado served by the liter from the juice bar. They also offer fire-brewed Cafe de Olla served piping hot. If you have never tried Cafe de Olla before, it’s just the thing to wake you up in the morning or warm you up on a dreary day.
The corn tortillas at El Arbolito are made fresh throughout the day. You can watch as the women expertly press the masa into perfectly round discs and cook them on a hot, flat plan called a comal.
Taquerias buying flimsy tortillas from the grocery store or the tortilleria often have to use two tortillas to serve each taco. The handmade, corn tortillas at El Arbolito are made to the perfect thickness and have enough elasticity to wrangle even the most challenging filling from the first bite to the last.
How to Order at Tacos el Arbolito
If you are visiting Tacos el Arbolito for the first time, the ordering process can be unclear. Here´s how it goes.
1. When you first arrive, head straight up to the guisados that are displayed and decide what you want. They are not labeled in any way so you will either have to ask if you are unsure or just be brave and go for it if something looks good!
2. Once you have decided what you would like to eat, decide on your drinks. There are juices, smoothies and liquados in a wide variety of combinations all listed on the lona (sign) behind the juice bar.
3. Once you have decided what you would like to eat and drink, approach the cashier (caja). This is where you will place your order. Tell the cashier how many tacos you would like in total and your drinks. The tacos are all priced the same, 20 pesos, so all she needs to know is how many you would like. Pay the kind lady. She will give you your receipt which you will use to order your tacos and beverages.
4. if you are having a freshly made juice, smoothie or liquado, head to that counter and order, handing her your slip to show that you have paid. Hint: The drinks take longer to make than the tacos so this is where you want to order first.
5. Next, it´s taco time! Head over to the serving area and hand the sales receipt to the staff. Then, one by one, each person in your group will place their order. You will tell her how many tacos you would like. Tacos el Arbol offers rice and pureed beans to add to your tacos so if you want that, ask for “arroz y frijoles, por favor”. Then, all you need to do is order or point to each guisado you would like to try.
6. Once you have your tacos, it’s time for toppings. You can choose from a nice variety which you will put on yourself. There are usually sliced cucumbers, radishes, shredded cabbage, salsa guacamole, pickled onions, salsa verde, salsa habanero, salsa ranchero, chopped white onion and cilantro, and salsa matcha among others. Hint: The stoppings and salsas are arranged from mildest to spiciest moving from the left to the right.
Finally, loaded tacos in hand, find a seat. There are plenty of tables inside as well as outdoor seating. Keep your eye on the juice bar and send one of your group up to collect your drinks when they are ready. As I mentioned, these can take some time and you may work through one or two of your tacos before the drinks are ready but they are certainly worth waiting for!
I first came to Puerto Aventuras in 2004 and Tacos El Arbolito looks, feels and tastes very much the same now as it did back then. The tacos are just as fresh and delicious all these years later!
Taqueria el Arbolito still opens its doors every day at 5:30 AM to accommodate workers heading off early in the morning. They close up at 3:00 PM but by that time, much of their selection has been exhausted. The best time to go is late morning or early afternoon when you can still get every guisado they have prepared for the day.
If you haven´t found your way to Tacos el Arbolito yet, I highly recommend you make the effort. This is a great place to start your day or even to pick up an assortment of tacos to go or “para llevar” to eat on the beach or while enjoying one of the local cenotes.
El Arbolito is real food made for real people and better than any fast food restaurant. These are, without a doubt, some of the best tacos on the Rivera Maya. Trust me. Your taste buds will thank you!
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How to Get to Tacos El Arbolito
From inside Puerto Aventuras: You can actually walk to Tacos El Arbolito. Exit the gates and walk south along 307. Cross the highway using the pedestrian walkways under the bridge and continue south along the highway. El Arbolito is just past Restaurante Mero Mero on your right.
From Playa del Carmen and Paamul: Take 307 south to Puerto Aventuras. Rather than going over the flyover bridge, bear right on the exit ramp and follow it to the traffic circle under the bridge. Keep straight on the surface road through the roundabout and you will find Tacos El Arbolito just a few meters down on the right, past Mero Mero Restaurant.
From Akumal, Tulum and all points south of Puerto Aventuras: Take 307 north and continue straight over the Puerto Aventuras flyover. Keep to the left and take the retorno just past the Chedraui Multi-Plaza. Keep to the right and take the exit ramp. Keep straight through the roundabout under the bridge and you will find Tacos El Arbolito just a few meters down on the right.
This looks so delicious! The tips about how to order are always helpful when going to a new place for the first time, thanks for sharing!
Man, I would love eating here! I am all about tacos and sauces and toppings.
I love tacos so visiting Tacos El Arbolito is definitely on my bucket list. The fresh ingredients and plentiful offerings are what makes this restaurant a great find. Thank you for sharing!
I’m very impressed that Taqueria El Arbolito has retained its standards and quality as it has grown and become so well known. Well done to them! Interesting ordering protocols! Glad you explained that. I wonder if people find it confusing or if it all just falls into place?
your vivid narratives (AND THOSE PICS 🤤) are making my mouth water! what a culinary gem!
Tacos is something we just don’t seem to get right over here in Europe. These tacos from Tacos El Arbolito look positively mouthwatering. Also the fact they have remained authentic makes me want to go even more!
I love tacos so much: I wish I knew about Tacos el Arbolito back when I visited Riviera Maya! Tasting local cuisine at a family-run taqueria would be a memorable gourmet experience!