Lo de Marcos sits about 90 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast. This small beach town in Riviera Nayarit isn’t well known with foreign tourists.
But you’ll find expats and Mexican families from Guadalajara who want a relaxed beach holiday without the crowds.
Some call it what Sayulita was like 30 years ago. There are no mega resorts here. You won’t find spring break parties.
What you will find is a genuine Mexican beach town. The pace is slow. The beaches stretch for miles. And the food scene punches way above its weight.
Limited accommodation in Lo de Marcos means many visitors stay in nearby San Pancho. A local bus makes the 20 minute trip easy, more on that at the bottom of the page.
I Loved Lo de Marcos Food
The town has organic shops next to produce stands. Bakeries sell crusty sourdough. Small cafes line the streets. For a place with just a few thousand residents, the food options are excellent.
The town fills up with Mexican tourists from November through April. We visited in October as we prefer low season.
It was great although many places close as owners take their own vacations before high season starts.
I was lucky as Anne from Go Squab has spent quite a bit of time here as a housesitter and she sent me her favourite food in Lo de Marcos.
Some places were closed so I have included where I loved eating but also the best restaurants in Lo de Marcos I missed.
Tacos Al Vapor Doña Lola
This street cart sets up on the main drag each morning at 8am. Get there early. When the tacos run out around 1pm, they close.
Tacos al vapor means steamed tacos. I had tried tacos de canasta or basket tacos in Tlaxcala, which are steamed in advance and sold in baskets.
This was my first time trying al vapor, which are steamed before serving. The cooking method keeps the meat tender and juicy. Steam rises from the pots as locals line up for their morning tacos.
These carts are a Mexican tradition. You won’t find them in tourist areas. This is where locals eat before work or on their way to the beach.
The cart sits on Luis Echeverria between Miguel Hidalgo and Aldama. Look for the steam and follow the crowd.
Tacos Al Vapor Doña Lola
Luis Echeverria (between Miguel Hidalgo and Aldama), Lo de Marcos
El Cafe de Lo De Marcos
A proper coffee shop in a small beach town feels like a luxury but actually there are several here in this tiny town. It was tough to choose but ultimately we chose coffee here because it has this green outdoor seating.
The iced Americano hits different when you’re in the heat. They pull good espresso and have pastries if you want something sweet with your coffee. The iced latte stays cold even in the October heat.
We stayed here for an hour just chatting and only left because Alan saw a hat across the street he wanted to buy.
El Cafe de Lo De Marcos
Luis Echevarria 10 A, 63729 Lo de Marcos
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Marthita Cevicheria
This place started as a popular street food cart. Now they have a small shop but kept everything that made them great.
The portions are huge. Prices are much lower than Puerto Vallarta. The service is friendly and fast.
I tried both shrimp and fish ceviche and they were fantastic. Along the coast I’ve noticed the fish ceviche tends to be like this Mexican fish ceviche recipe where it is usually ground.
It may seem strange at first if you’re accustomed to to cubed fish, known as cuadritos, but it’s perfect for a tostada, nothing falls off.
When locals rave about a ceviche spot, listen. It was light, bright and so tasty. I wish I had room to eat more.
Marthita Cevicheria (aka Doña Martha)
63729 Lo de Marcos, Nayarit
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Restaurant Alzarohi
Tables sit right in the sand on the south end of the beach. Your toes touch sand while you eat. The water is just steps away.
Fresh coconuts arrive ice cold. I heard from other diners that the cocktails are strong. The food menu runs deep and prices stay reasonable, again far less than Puerto Vallarta.
The staff gave me tips for flying my drone around the area. They also shared other local spots worth checking out.
When humidity made the walk back to the highway feel impossible, they called a taxi. That kind of service matters.
Restaurant Alzarohi
63729 Lo de Marcos, Nayarit
Best Restaurants in Lo de Marcos I Missed
La Tropical Botaneria
I think I would love this place with small Mexican snacks, bright flavors and traditional drinks in Mexico like tejuino and pulque.
It’s new but so far locals rave about the people being as stellar as the food.
La Tropical Botaneria
Luis Echevarria 75, 63729 Lo de Marcos
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La Seafood
This small restaurant serves fresh seafood with both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu covers typical Mexican dishes like tuna tostadas, aguachiles, ceviche and fish tacos. They also make sushi.
My friend Anne housesits in Lo de Marcos. She says this place makes her favorite aguachile verde de camaron anywhere.
Not just in Lo de Marcos. Anywhere.
They open at 1pm Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
La Seafood
Naranjo 20a, Centro, 63729 Lo de Marcos
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Apapacho
This isn’t traditional Mexican food. They take traditional dishes and do interesting things with them.
Strong vegetarian and vegan options set it apart. The owners are known for being welcoming. Their cocktails get mentioned in reviews often.
Google reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
Apapacho
Benito Juárez 12, 63729 Lo de Marcos, Nay.
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Carnitas Sahuayo
Beach towns mean seafood but locals love their meat. When people say a place has the best carnitas in the region, you pay attention.
This spot has a 4.6 rating from over 125 reviews. That’s a good sign.
This is that place.
Carnitas Sahuayo Lo de Marcos
Luis Echevarria #74, 63729 Lo de Marcos
Instant Pot Carnitas
Tacos Licho
Some people claim these are the best tripe tacos around. Tripe isn’t for everyone but if you like it, you seek out the best.
Locals say this is where to go.
Tacos Lichos
Esquina con Allende y avenida principal, Luis Echevarria 55, 63729 Lo de Marcos
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How to Get to Lo de Marcos
It’s only a 90 minute drive from Puerto Vallarta but it’s also easy to get there by bus.
Compostela Bus
Get the Compostela bus at the Walmart bus stop in Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita for MXN 60 . It takes just over an hour, depending on traffic From there you can take a bus all the way to Lo de Marcos for MXN 45.
Pacifico Bus
At the Puerto Vallarta Central Bus Station you can take a bus all the way to Lo de Marcos. We went to San Pancho first and the cost was MXN 134 and it’s MXN 15 more to go to Lo de Marcos.
It costs significantly more than the Compostela bus but is faster because it doesn’t stop until San Pancho, which is only 20 minutes away.