Real, unedited reviews from travelers who skipped the tourist strip and ate where Mexico eats. Updated every day.
Eating With Carmen Food Tours is an award-winning walking food tour company founded in 2017 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, operating in Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, Merida, Mexico City, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. It holds an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 from 4,054 reviews on Google, Tripadvisor, Airbnb, Yelp and Facebook, and is ranked in the Top 1% worldwide on Tripadvisor (Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2026).
Guests most often praise the local, off-the-beaten-path food stops, the history and culture shared along the way, generous portions, and their guides, especially Armando, Enrique, Abbey, Alex, Fernando, Angelica. Reviews below are shown unedited, newest first, last updated October 22, 2026.
We enjoyed this tour so much. It was definitely the highlight of our couples trip because we went during a less busy season. It was just us and the tour guide Alex! Food was great. Felt safe and enjoyed it a lot. We were so full by the end would definitely do this again Next time we’re in Playa Del Carmen.
Google ReviewExcellent experience!! You’re going to hit the local stops, and be ready to EAT. Walking through the market was a delight and our guide’s knowledge about the city was unmatched. The food was truly exceptional. I recommend NO dinner plans afterwards. We were so exhausted at the end of the day, and got home in time for a nice long siesta. Highly recommend.
Airbnb ReviewDelicioso 🤤 Muy rico y deliciosa toda la comida, nuestro guía Fer super persona, súper atento y super explicado todo
Tripadvisor ReviewFood tour Armondo was fantastic. Excellent guide and the food was very good
Tripadvisor ReviewDefinitely a repeat! A great experience! We booked early during the week and ended up being the only ones on the tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable in the history of the area, including thebackground of the food. As a US couple that has traveled to PDC 20+ times, it ranks in our top events!
Tripadvisor ReviewEnrique was a great tour guide in Playa Del Carmen! I’m not someone who care a lot about the history of things like food, but his storytelling was so amazing! It made everything we ate come alive. Also, he took us to great food spots. The food was delicious! I 1,000% recommend making Eating With Carmen a part of your trip!
Facebook ReviewTook us to places we would have never found on our own, and continued the tour through the pouring rain as we chose to make it an adventure!
Airbnb Review
Armando was awesome! Gave us a tour of the town along with some great restaurants and suggestions for our vacation. We’re definitely recommend to anybody at the beginning of their vacation.
Google ReviewBook at the beginning of your stay so you can return to your faves Highly recommend. Our guide Marcos brought ponchos for us because they forecasted rain, and luckily we didn't need them. Marcos was full of positivity, energy, and enthusiasm. We learned history while also eating authentic food that the locals eat. We went back to some of the places afterwards. Ridiculously inexpensive for this Gringo Gordo (me). I recommend doing it early in your stay so that you can return and enjoy the ones you liked the most once more. Wonderful.
Tripadvisor ReviewClarity of Yucatecan cuisine We had a wonderful time on this tour! My dad and I visited Mérida together unsure of all the different types of food in Yucatán, but this tour helped us find so much clarity and understand the preparations of food. We tried salbutes, panuchos, lomitos, agua fresca and much more. Everything was included in the tour fee and we didn’t need to pay anything at any of the eight locations. The tour last 3 hours with our guide. We were told the group accommodates up to 10 people, but having the two of us and the guide during the low season of tourists worked great for us to have a more intimate experience and ask lots of questions. This tour is a must-do while in Mérida!
Tripadvisor ReviewExcellent Excellent walking food trip. Would highly recommend.
Tripadvisor ReviewVery good food Tour of Merida Fernando was our guide. He did a really good job of explaining everything and giving us the full experience!
Tripadvisor ReviewAuthentic food tour We had a wonderful experience. We definitely saw some off the beaten path locations and ate some authentic foods! The portions were large so you won’t leave hungry!
Tripadvisor ReviewThe walking food tour. We been coming to Playa del carmen for over 20 years but only ate on the fifth Ave. So we found this tour it was excellent. I will go back to some of the street food options on my next visit.
Tripadvisor ReviewHole-in-the-wall favorites and local legends, far from the tourist strip.
👉 Find Your Food TourVery knowledgeable guide. It rained, but he had ponchos. I wish we got a little more food for the price.
Airbnb ReviewThis walking tour was a highlight of my stay in Playa del Carmen and an unexpected total delight!! Even with a downpour during the last half hour - for which Enrique was well prepared - the walking tour was amazing! The food was fantastic. This historical and cultural tour presentation was exceptional. Each establishment was prepared to serve us and, as stated, the food was superb. Expect a truly local cultural epicurean experience! ¡Guau, fue realmente fantástico! 💜 Carol McSween-Brooks 💜
Airbnb ReviewOur guide, Enrique, was AMAZING! Our tour wasn't just about the food; it was about Playa del Carmen's history and culture and present opportunities and challenges, and it was a beautiful opportunity to share stories and experiences among the group. Enrique and the other tour participants were also awesome about accommodating my mom, who moves more slowly and needs frequent breaks, but who was really excited about being able to do the tour and fully engaged throughout. When it started raining, Enrique knew how to modify stops a bit and had ponchos for us when it started raining heavily. You'll get to taste amazing food from TRULY local spots, you'll get to see a bit of the city beyond the tourist zone, and you'll have a marvelous time. Highly recommended!!
Airbnb ReviewFantastic tour. Really great street food and knowledgeable guide sharing all about the town and the food history. The tour doesn’t specifically look at the street graffiti (description should be updated) but you will see some and the guide can answer questions on this. I would highly recommend to anyone coming to the area!
Airbnb ReviewWe had a great time discovering the markets and food in Merida. I can only recommend doing the tour and learn about the taste of Yucatan.
Airbnb ReviewAdrian was a great guide to both the food and various topics about Baja and Mexico in general. All 3 eateries were delicious with a range of dishes from the freshest, moistest and lightest Baja fish tacos imaginable to ceviche and empanadas. Also a decent selection of beers and micheladas to accompany them. He was also patient while I shopped for a pendant for my wife. Really nice guy with life stories to share, including working as a personal chef and galley preparation on deep sea fishing boats. He definitely knows his seafood.
Yelp ReviewThe tour guide Aura was amazing. She was very welcoming and friendly. She showed us all around the city and authentic Mexican food. We truly felt like a local diving into the yummy food.
Airbnb Review
Excellent tour with Abbey. She was knowledgeable, fun and always concerned with out well being. Highly recommend
Google ReviewThis food tour is highly recommended. We are from New York and Angelica our guide was absolutely amazing. She's educational on the local foods and history of Mexico and awesome person to have conversation. The food was amazing freah seafood and awesome delicious beers. Don't be that person to miss out. No regrets!!!
Google ReviewLaura was a fantastic guide who fed us amazing dishes! She was knowledgeable about the history of the city and the food, and we ate to our heart and stomach’s delight. Highly recommend!!
Airbnb ReviewWe enjoyed this food tour so much!!! Armando was a wonderful guide; he was incredibly knowledgeable and personable!! Exactly the type of person to facilitate this type of tour! We’ve done a number of food tours before, and this was definitely our favorite!!! I would recommend this tour to anyone, especially if you want a more authentic side of the gastronomic scene here in Tulum! A wonderful experience!
Google ReviewWe had an amazing experience doing a food tour with Angelica from Eating with Carmen. While the tour started in the tourist area with some information about Playa del Carmen, we quickly got off the beaten track and into some local places. The pace of the stops and variety of food was perfect, and Angelica really demonstrated a passion for Mexican food, culture, and history. We would definitely recommend doing this at the beginning of your trip so you can get some tips on how to find the best food in the area.
Google ReviewWe booked this tour because we wanted to see the city, try some food, and learn about the area. Our tour guide, Alex, was unbelievably personable, super knowledgeable, and made it a memorable experience! Not only did we learn a lot, eat authentic food, and have fun, we felt safe doing so. You could tell this company has built a reputation with the area food vendors and they wanted to support each other. We also did not venture far from 5th Avenue. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience great culture and local food!
Google ReviewOur family took a food tour with Eating With Carmen and our tour guide was Angelica. Angelica took us outside the tourist area of Playa del Carmen where we were able to eat some real mexican food that was fresh, authentic and delicious. Angelica was not only knowledgeable about the food but about the history of the area. She made the tour very informative and enjoyable for the entire family!
Yelp Review
The food was amazing and all our questions about the history of each food item were answered. The host and hostess were kind and friendly. Will definitely do another tour.
Yelp ReviewAbby was a fantastic guide and the company really focuses on family run businesses with longevity, it helped us know where good food was, the items we tried were all delicious, we had a great time talking with Abby and we would definitely do a food tour with them again in other locations.
Google ReviewThis tour was very enjoyable! The tacos were DELICIOUS - we have a new place to take our friends now, and the guys at the brewery provided us with lots of beer! 10/10 recommend!
Google ReviewAmazing tour. Aurora was a great tour guide. Her welcoming personality, knowledge of local history, and just her overall love for life was infectious. The choices for a variety of local food were pleasing and gave our group of 4 a nice exposure to fun Mexican food options. Would recommend for an alternative to the usual snorkeling or visit to the natural beauty of the country.
Yelp ReviewFernando was a great guide--friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable--and the food was delicious! We enjoyed learning about the market and buying some spices and other small items.
Facebook ReviewGood guide and good food. Picked out fabulous restaurants. Easy to converse with. His being a chef helped a lot.
Yelp ReviewMy husband and I took the vegan walking tour of Tulum with our guide, Armando. It was the BEST time. So informative, so delicious! Highly recommend!
Yelp ReviewThis was my first food tour. Carmen was a great tour guide, best ever! The places we stopped introduced me to a lot of things I've never tried. Really delicious! I highly recommend this tour.
Facebook ReviewEnrique was a great guide, added lots of knowledge and history to the items that were served. Nice variety of food with reasonable walking distances between stops. Definitely arrive hungry as there's plenty to eat!
Yelp ReviewMy wife and I had an amazing time on our food tour! Armando was kind, upbeat and very knowledgable of not only the food, but the history and culture of Tulum. Thank you!
Yelp ReviewAbbey was absolutely the most wonderful food tour guide we’ve ever had and we have taken food tours around the world. She was fun, so informative about the food, cultural influences of both the food and area-we had such a wonderful experience. The food was outstanding! So much so that we went back for more (after digesting ALL we were given) and they were closed because they were sold out! Delicious food!
Facebook ReviewAn Unforgettable Taste of Mérida with Eating With Carmen If you're headed to Mérida and love food with a side of culture and history, I’d insist that you book a tour with Eating With Carmen. I recently did their Merida Local Experience tour, and it was one of the best tours I’ve taken in from South America to Mexico. Our guide, Manuél was passionate, knowledgeable, and a fantastic storyteller. He didn’t just lead us from one delicious bite to the next; he brought the history and heart of Yucatán cuisine to life. You could feel his pride in the region’s food traditions, and his warm, friendly energy made the whole experience feel like exploring the city with a friend who knows all the best local secrets. The food itself? Incredible. We started with a soul-warming sopa de lima, bright with citrus and deeply savory from long-simmered chicken broth. Then came panchucos and salbutes, each fried to crispy perfection and topped with tender meats, pickled onions, and fresh herbs. We cooled off with agua fresca in tropical flavors you only dream about (mine was guanábana—swoon), and wrapped things up with tropical helados that were the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing in Mérida’s heat. What I loved most was how this tour focused on authentic local street food, not touristy versions. These were stalls and vendors Manuel clearly knew and trusted, each hugging him on our arrival. Each stop felt like it had its own story and special place in the city’s food landscape. It was the kind of experience you’d never find on your own without a local’s insight. If you want more than just a food tour—if you want a deeper appreciation for Yucatecan cuisine, culture, and community—Eating With Carmen is the way to go. It’s more than just tacos and tamales; it’s a full-on flavor adventure with people who truly care about what they’re sharing. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a very full, happy belly. ¡Gracias, Manuel! Note: I was given a free tour in exchange for being able to use video footage to teach my online community of home cooks. BUT it did not change my opinions and my review is absolutely heart-felt and honest.
Facebook ReviewWas an absolutely great tour. Our guide was wonderful, friendly, engaging, took time to care about our interests. Food stops were great, little hole in the wall places we never would have discovered on our own. This was a great tour, you wont go home hungry that's for sure! Highly recommend this tour.
Facebook ReviewAfter enjoying learning about Cabo Restaurants I have never been to, I can't wait to try their San Jose tour too! Felix was a great tour guide taking us to different, truly local places that I have seen for years but never tried. He made it easy and the food was delicious, we even found a new Birria place! The fish tacos were incredible. And they take your photos for you and you get them for free!🥰
Facebook ReviewWhat a great tour in playa del Carmen! We had Marcelo as our guide. My wife and I were the only two on the trip. The stops were great and the food and history of the area was excellent. Would highly recommend!
Facebook ReviewCouldn’t have asked for a better tour with Abbey! Food was amazing and she was great. The ceviche was my favorite but the entire tour was so good. Even had two places give me desert and a free shot for my birthday which was awesome. Will definitely be back!
Facebook ReviewWe had a great experience and culinary adventure with Eating with Carmen Food Tours led by Alex in Playa del carmen. we recommend to all food enthusiasts!
Facebook Review
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