I usually check TA for the top reviews when my wife and I are traveling and want to go out. We are staying on the north end of 5th, and thought this place looked worth trying. Awesome service and food. We had the tuna tartar, with lime foam, and pork belly to start. Wines were excellent, and my wife had... more

Spent our last evening at Playa Del Carmen at Cocina38 and were very impressed and satisfied with our experience. Food - simple, very tasty, no unecessary filler, correct portion sizes (enough room for dessert). Must try the carmelized apple over cream for dessert - it was to die for! Atmosphere - Clean, spacious, light classic jazz (vs your typical mexican... more

Been there twice, once recently and once back in April 2009. Portion sizes are a bit petite but I don't feel like I need to be stuffed to enjoy a meal. The waiter, Dario, was extremely attentive on both occasions and his wine recommendations were great. We are used to Manhattan quality meals and you can get this in Playa... more

Cocina 38 is two blocks away from the touristy section of 5th Avenue, but don't turn around! It's definitely worth walking a few extra blocks! This small, chef-owned restaurant is on an elegant, quiet block with tables both outside and in. The staff is extremely pleasant and eager to accomodate special requests. My friend has extremely challenging food restrictions, and... more

After reading other rave reviews on TA, we (4 of us) located this upscale, chic bistro atmosphere restaurant a block after the end of the 5th Avenue pedestrian mall. Not easy to get to because of all the one way streets going the wrong way but well worth the search. One full wall was covered with Guatemalen masks. the linen... more

Loved the location, size, service, and, of course, the food! It is on Avenue 5, but not in the middle of all of the action, which is nice. Thoughtful, creative cuisine. Owned and operated by a brother/sister duo who clearly care a lot about their establishment. more

We actually ended up going to Cocina 38 twice during our 7 day vacation in the area, the first time based on the Tripadvisor ratings. I have to admit it is very difficult to find, but once we did we felt this was the best dining experience we had in the area. We were 2 couples so we had a... more

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Yucatan Peninsula for the first time. Being a chef and restaurant owner, I did all my research about the area restaurants. It was my great surprise that when I called Cocina 38, which is ranked #1 in Tripadvisor, I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the owners, who's partners with... more

I had heard nothing but RAVE reviews about Cocina 38, from Tripadvisor to friends. So, when we visited Playa, we put it at the top of our list. I was anxious with anticipation when we left the hotel to find Cocina 38... but after an hour of trying to find it, I was down to just hungry. We finally found... more