We dined at the new restaurant in the Zona Hotelera that has been open just 20 days. Ambiance and decor are sophisticated yet casual, lagoon view. Wait staff was attentive and a little too much but they were clearly interested in making sure we had a good experience. Food was very good. My wife and I gave it a 4 out of 5. We would like to go back and try some of the other menu items and we might move it up to a 5. We had the quacamole as a starter ( I know so typical) but it was excellent and we like the "good fat" in avacados. My wife had the asparagas salad with goat cheese and shaved parmesean she said was excellent. I had the octopus tenacles in lemon butter with red,green, and yellow roasted peppers as an appetizer even though it is usually a main course. This dish was amazing, A taste and texture of New England lobster claw. I highly recommend it if you can get past the idea of eating the tenacles. Muy bueno!! They break up the meal with a lime sorbet flavored with anise in a quava fruit which was also excellent. We both had fish veracruz style. I had the whole fish and struggled with bones in the fish and would recommend the fish fillet veracruz that my wife had. The veracruz sauce was superb, rich tomato,onion and pepper with a light touch of hot pepper. Both main courses came with wild rice and beans that I assume are the habichuela beans that the restaurant is named for. The small bean does have the texture and taste of lima beans.
We had a bottle of Italian pinot grigio that was good. The wines are on the high side price wise.
We did not have dessert but they make the flambayed crepes tableside accoding to our server Rubin.
We paid about $35 per person for the food. A bargain given the excellent service and attention to the food preparation. We plan to go back and try some of the other menu items.

Look no further! Every year as I take the three kids and my wife to Cancun, I pick a special night for just me and my wife to enjoy a great quiet evening of great food and fantastic atmosphere at the La Habichuela - I love to cook and am very fussy about fine dinning - Now right it down as you will truly forget the name when you get there as you try to describe this restaurant to the Conceige. Call it (The Habitual) restaruant for short as you will go back if you return to Cancun. This restaurant was built in 1977 with a romaantic setting of gardens with illusions of Mayan ruiins under the starlight sky. The meat dishes alomg with fish are superb as well as the wines. This award winning restaurant also has a hugh vertical aqaurium filled wiht colorful tropical fish that have become quite used to the patrons as they follow you around the glass! It's been my number one pick in Cancun for nealy twenty years.Bon Apetit!

My family just returned from a trip to Cancun. Twenty some years ago my husband and I went to Cancun and visited La Habichuela and had an extremely memorable meal that we still talk about. So when planning this trip with our children we were very excited to see that the restaurant was still in business in the original location and was still highly rated. This was truly our best meal again in Cancun. The service is extraordinary and the setting can best be described as a Mayan garden with beautiful lighting. We had our choices of different types of fresh breads that we selected out of a basket from the waiter, different soups for appetizers, sorbet to cleanse the palate in between, and then our main course. Everyone love their food choices. I had the house specialty again called La Cochicheula which was curried lobster and shrimp over rice served in a hollowed out coconut. It was great to be in a restaurant that is still high quality after so many years. A photographer also took a professional picture of my family for a nominal fee at the conclusion of the meal which will be a great souvenir of our best meal in Cancun.

While staying with friends in Cancun we took the bus from the Royal Sands to Cancun City. Our friends asked us not to judge the restaurant by the area. We were somewhat apprehensive as we got off the bus at the end of rush hour and wandered down the main street and then veered off down a side road. La Habichuela was at the end of the road in an unimpressive building. When we entered, I was pleased to see the inside was modern with glass and wood. But my friend said, "Wait, we're headed out to the back to eat." As we exited out the back door, we walked into what I can only describe as a beautiful Mayan garden with lights in the trees, stonework and fabulous white iron peacock chairs.

The service here was very attentive and the food was bountiful and very good. My girlfriend and I ordered the La Cochichuela which is shrimp, lobster, rice and coconut in a tasty sauce served in a hollowed out coconut. It was good, but I thought it was a bit pricey. Hubby had a chicken in wine sauce that was excellent and quite large with sides of vegetables and potatoes. Girlfiend's husband also had a chicken dish which looked good. The rolls were light and heavenly. This restaurant is a must do when in Cancun...and in hindsight, the area was fine. We just think that in the future we may take a cab there instead of the bus as we don't know if we would ever find it again.