Guide – Craft Beer in Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun and Isla Mujeres

Last Updated by October 25, 2021

There is a whole world of beer to discover in Mexico beyond the mass produced “cerveza nacional” beers like Corona, Pacifico, and Dos Esquis and we’re here to tell you all about it. In the last couple of years, craft beer has been making its way into popular tourist destinations in Mexico, like Playa Del Carmen, Tulum and Cancun, which is great news for those of us who support craft beer and prefer it to the typical mass produced beers. Yes, you can still enjoy a Modelo or Corona but having options is good! In this post, we’ll help you find “cervezas artesanal” in the Mayan Riviera area so that when you tag your photos #drinklocal, you really will be drinking local!

How to use this guide:

When there is only one location of the place mentioned, if you click on its name, you will be taken to a Google Map where you can pin the location for future reference. When possible, we also included the place’s official website but many of the smaller places only use Facebook or have a Yelp listing. For more information about some of the places mentioned in this guide, see our “Related Posts” at the bottom of the page for detailed review/information. As we continue to visit the area and discover new places, we will keep updating this page.

Breweries:

• Cerveza Pescadores: Cerveza Pescadores has a facility in Puerto Morelos where you can stop by and enjoy a few beers and food from a food truck. We have never had the chance to stop in but it is in our to-do list as the space looks fun and inviting. For more information: https://pescadores.mx/en/page/brewery
• Chela de la Playa (Cerveceria Akumal): Chela de la Playa is Akumal Brewing’s restaurant and tasting room in Playa del Carmen. They have indoor and outdoor seating and some of the seats outdoors give you a nice view of the cenote. They have a daily happy hour daily with specials on beers and due to COVID restrictions, you need to order food too but the guacamole and chips is a good deal and delicious.  They also sell beer to go which makes it convenient to pick up a 6 pack for the beach too. For more information: https://www.cheladeplaya.mx/
• Isla Mujeres Brewery: If you are coming to Isla Mujeres, we recommend making a stop at this little brewery. They don’t currently have a beer garden but they have a small tasting room where they will let you sample all their beers and you can buy some to take with you.  Make sure to return your bottles to get back the deposit! For more information: https://www.facebook.com/islabrewing/
• Cerveceria Punta Sur: Cerveceria Punta Sur on the island of Cozumel, in town, is a great place to enjoy one of their locally made craft beers along with a pizza. They also have good cocktails and other delicious snacks, like lionfish ceviche, empenadas, salads and choripan. For more information: https://www.cerveceriapuntasur.com/?lang=en
• Hermana Republica Tulum: Hermana Republica is a brewery/gastropub in Tulum town where you can enjoy their craft beers and Mexican/Mediteranen fusion food. We really enjoyed the beers here and would recommend a visit here. For more information: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/hermana-rep%C3%BAblica-tulum  . **Hermana Republica Tulum is permanently closed.

Bars:

• Barra Artesanal: Located in Playa Car, Barra Artesanal is a small craft beer bar that features about 6 taps; 1-2 are German beers and the others from Colima, Pescadores, etc. Beers cost 65-80 pesos (size and type) and they accept card and cash but the card machine doesn’t always work but since it’s in a mall complex there is an ATM nearby. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/barraartesanalmx/
• Club de la Cerveza: Club de la Cerveza known as « World Beer Club » is located in Playa Del Carmen town on the pedestrian street between Calle 34 and Calle 38. In addition to featuring an impressive draft beer selection, they have many bottles as well. Club de la Cerveza draws a local crowd as well as tourists for beer and food. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/clubdelacerveza.mx/
• Colectivo Mexicano Cervecaro: CMC is similar to Club de la Cerveza but a little more quiet and spacious. CMC is conveniently located down 5^th Avenue. They have a great selection of draught beers and bottles. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/CMC.playa
• El Grifo: El Grifo is a craft beer and mescal bar located on the main street in Tulum. They offer cocktails, craught beer, and canned beer to enjoy there as well as beer and mescal to go. For more information: https://www.grifo.mx/

Grocery Store/Markets:

• Chedraui: Chedraui is a big box grocery/department store with locations along the coast (Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, etc.) and has the largest selection of craft beers to purchase in individual cans or bottles. If you’re interested in seeing the selection and prices, visit the Chedraui website: https://www.chedraui.com.mx/.
• Chedraui Selecto: If you are staying in the hotel zone in Cancun, you may want to visit the Chedraui Selecto if your resort doesn’t have craft beer as they have a great selection here too.

Hotels/Resorts:

All in all, hotels and resorts in Mexico have more and more craft beer options for guests.

• Hyatt Ziva Cancun: Most all-inclusive resorts serve the run-of-the-mill cervezas nacional so if you’re looking for something different, consider the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun. We stayed at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun which has its own brewery onsite that makes a pale ale, an IPA, and a stout. The great part was that we could take the beer to go and enjoyed it at the other restaurants onsite that didn’t have any craft beer. If we’re totally honest, Jason chose this resort over others because of the craft brewery onsite!
• Andaz Mayakoba: The Andaz Mayakoba does have craft beer at its restaurants and in some cases, it is more or less the same price as their generic national Mexican beers. One restaurant offers a craft beer tasting where you can sample 4 bottles chosen by the bartender.
• Encantada Tulum: We stayed at Encantada in Tulum and we were happy that they had craft beers from the bar even if they were pricey because it allowed us to stay on resort and enjoy a beer on the beach.  
• JW Marriott Cancun: We stayed at the JW Marriott and were able to get craft beer on the beach at Sacbé Beach Shack located at the Marriott next door. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/SacbeBeachShack
• Colibri Hotels in Tulum: The Colibri Hotels in Tulum all offer craft beer and each one has different options. We really enjoyed the beer list at Mi Amor the most!  

Restaurants:

• Los Aguachiles: Los Aguachiles has restaurants in Cancun, Playa Del Carmen (2 locations) and Tulum. In addition to national beers, they also feature bottled craft beers from Pescadores which pair well with their seafood tostadas. The Pescadores beers costs about 70 pesos. For more information: http://www.losaguachiles.mx/
• TaconTenedor: TaconTenedor is a seafood and taco restaurant located on Avenida Constituyentes in Playa Del Carmen town. In addition to national beers, they also feature craft beers in bottles and cans from a number of breweries in Mexico and the US. Bottles and cans vary in price but range from 50-90 pesos. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/Tacontenedor/.  **Last we saw in January 2019, TaconTenedor has permanently closed down. 
• Safari: Safari is a restaurant on the beach area of Tulum. In addition to a small menu of items like tacos, ceviches and salads, they feature a selection of craft beers from Pescadores and Colima. For more information: https://www.safaritulum.com.mx/

Did you know there were so many craft beer options in the Mayan Rivieria? Did we forget any places you visit to find cervezas artesanal? Are you tempted to try cerveza artesanal on your next trip or will you stick to the cerveza nacional?

Related Posts:

Plan/Do: 

• 4 Days in Cozumel – A Travel Guide
• Getting to Cozumel by Ferry from Playa Del Carmen
• Getting Around – Renting a Moped / Scooter on Cozumel Island
• 24 Hours in Tijuana
• Travel Advisory for Mexico – A Vacation Horror Story
• Plan – Flying out of PAE Paine Field on Alaska Airlines
• Flying Interjet Between Canada and Mexico: What You Need to Know
• Mexico City: Walk, Eat, Drink and Repeat
• Playa del Carmen: Local Culture and Beaches in the Mayan Riviera
• Sargassum Seaweed in the Caribbean: Will it ruin my beach vacation?
• Tulum: Planning a Day Trip from Playa Del Carmen
• Unfinished Business: 3 Days in Tulum

Stay:

• Review: Playa Escondida, Sayulita, Mexico
• Review: Hotel La Semilla, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
• Review: Ignacia Guest House, Mexico City
• Review: Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen Resort
• Review: Hyatt Ziva Cancun All-Inclusive

Indulge:

• Indulge – Where to Eat in Cozumel
• 24 Hours in Tijuana – Where to Eat
• 24 Hours in Tijuana – The Craft Beer Scene
• Guide – Craft Beer in Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, and Cancun
• Review: Los Aguachiles in Playa Del Carmen Mexico
• Review: El Fogon in Playa Del Carmen Mexico
• Review: Birria Tacos y Consome in Playa Del Carmen Mexico
• Review: TaconTenedor in Playa Del Carmen Mexico