The setting is the reason — a converted underground cave system beneath Playa, with stalactites overhead and dim lighting. The menu is contemporary Mexican-international and well-executed; but guests come first for the cave, second for the food. Reserve ahead; the most memorable dinner table in the region.
Why It Belongs on the List
Alux (the Mayan word for a mischievous underground spirit) is the most extraordinary restaurant in Playa del Carmen — built inside a 90-million-year-old cave system with a cathedral-sized cavern dining room and mood lighting. The menu is contemporary Mexican with international influences — good but secondary to the setting. The cocktail menu uses xtabentún (an anise-honey liqueur), habanero, and fresh tropical fruit. Cave entrance on Avenida Juárez is easy to miss — look for the unmarked wooden door.
What Stands Out
- Restaurant built inside a 90-million-year-old cave — unrivalled setting in the Riviera Maya
- Stalactite-lit dining room — notably otherworldly atmosphere
- Cocktails with xtabentún (Yucatán anise-honey liqueur) — uniquely regional
- Live music in the cave lounge on weekends
- The entrance on Avenida Juárez is unmarked — look for the wooden door