[Update 2022/2023: After decades of serving delicious food in Xcalak, The Leaky Palapa has closed its doors. The following post is simply for posterity as we all loved eating at this restaurant.]
Sleepy Xcalak may not seem like the kind of place you’re likely to find fine dining. Fortunately, it is! The Leaky Palapa in Xcalak is a gourmet dining experience (in a small fishing village) that revivals any big-city restaurant.
Tucked down a side street in Xcalak village, the Leaky Palapa is the place to treat yourself after a hard day of snorkeling, hammock-swinging, fly fishing, or sun-bathing.
During high-season the Leaky Palapa in Xcalak is open for dinner Thursdays through Sundays, 5pm – 8:30pm.
And the place is popular. At the time of writing the Leaky Palapa had 200 “Excellent” ratings on TripAdvisor. You can *and should* make a reservation via email before arriving (there’s a link to their website at the bottom).
Prices on the menu are in US dollars; and the Leaky Palapa in Xcalak accepts US dollars, pesos, or PayPal.
The Leaky Palapa in Xcalak has a reputation for great food and good times, and it delivers both. Far from rowdy, the Leaky is laid-back but raises the bar on class. The garden setting, dark wood furniture, and upscale menu make this the kind of place you want to dine for a special occasion.
Comparable to well-known restaurants in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, the menu features fresh fish and seafood (naturally), as well as several pasta dishes.
(Mexican-food lovers, keep in mind that Sunday has a special gourmet taco menu!)
We wanted to eat the whole menu (everything sounded that good).
We finally decided on the huitlacoche raviolis, and the local fish served on squid ink risotto. The photos above don’t do the food justice. The food was magnificent.
If you still have room after your meal, choose from several tropical desserts including pineapple cheesecake and Caribbean bread pudding (our favorite).
“The Leaky” has an extensive cocktail menu, and the margaritas are highly recommended. Relax and sip an after dinner coffee drink, to help cap off your meal.
At the Leaky Palapa, you’ll see that although Xcalak is far-flung, it certainly isn’t barbaric. A casual, fine dining experience with excellent food and beautiful surroundings.
Click here to go back to the overview of restaurants in Xcalak