Habana Banana

You can use the bathroom for free but that is about the only plus. The ceviche was ok, not great. My friend had tortilla soup and it was not great. The «free» margarita was a large shot glass and just okay. The baby animals were so sad to see. I felt guilty eating there.

the place is strictly a tourist trap and the Cruise ship management should tell people to avoid it.
The good news is the government disallowed the sick practice of using wild animals to lure customers inside and placed the animals in zoos. Hopefully they no longer have to exist in small cages.

One of the tour bus companies that takes tourists to La Bufadora gives tickets to get a free Margarita at this place (to get you in, of course). Don’t expect a drinking spree. They are about the size of a large shot glass. And we weren’t that sure it had much tequila in it.
However, we decided to stop and have lunch, and picked on a few things to eat (there were 7 of us).
I ordered a nachos to share, with all the meats, chicken, meat, and shrimp. I wasn’t expecting much for the overpriced dish, but to share with 7, I figured we’d at least get a chip or two each. This thing was massive, and piled high, and had really good flavor. I was impressed. The others had purchased a few other food items, not knowing he size of the nacho, and all were pleased. Of course, I neglected to remember what they ordered, so no reviews on that. We did order the «two burrito» plate, but nothing to write about. I’d go with the nachos again if ever visiting.

Came here on a trip to La Bufadora with the family and was presently surprised at the flavor of the food. Had fish tacos and a seafood cocktail to go with the great view. My son ordered the best vegetarian enchilada he’s ever had, and the other a pizzadilla which he also enjoyed. The bathrooms are the usual by Mexican standards and should be avoided unless you really have to go. Our bill was around $ 100 with tip for 2 adults and 3 kids. We were on vacation so that didn’t bother me either.

This is my review for the view from the second floor bar area, drinks, and free bathroom use. My friend and I had a margarita and beer, the little one had a strawberry lemonade with real strawberries inside.
Let me begin by saying, the view from the upper floors are amazing and breath taking. We must of spent longer than we should sitting there. We were mesmerized by the ocean brushing up against the large rocks in the middle of the water. We just watched the endless ocean shimmering it’s bright reflective lights from the hot sun. This was 5 stars in itself.
The margarita, I was a bit disappointed. I’ve had better and was hoping I would be able to experience amazing margaritas in Mexico. However, I think margaritas are not authentic Mexican drink, just like egg rolls are not authentic Chinese.
Overall, we loved the view. We didn’t get to see the animals on the bottom floor as we walked straight up to the second floor from the side corner entrance. We were happy and so was the little one. If I ever return, I’d probably head straight to the second floor, have a cold brew, and chill out for a while from the hot sun. Enjoy!

Zero stars. Touristy rip off that abuses poor baby wild animals like lions and monkeys. Got sucked in to go here as a tour from a cruise ship last minute. It wasn’t a cruise sponsored excursion but the shuttle that they offered to get you into town had their own tours and during the drive in to the city center they sell you on going to the blow hole since there is «nothing to eat downtown» unless you want American chains. Never planned on going here so did no research as where it was best to eat.
As the tour progressed, our disdain increased, and I realized we fell for a nicely crafted scam to get tourists to part with their dollars. On the way there, the guide only talked about how not to be ripped off by the various merchants, and how Habana Banana was the only authentic Mexican dining experience. When we got there is was so obvious that she was getting kickbacks for all the people she was bringing in to the various establishments. When I travel I AVOID places like this at all costs, but we were hungry and we were able to use the restroom facilities for free (other places charged) so we acquiesced.
The ceviche, though nicely presented, contained fish and seafood that were cut into such minuscule pieces that you couldn’t detect what you were eating. If you truly have fresh beautiful bounty from the sea, would you butcher it in such a way? The chips were awful, thick and almost crack a tooth crunchy. They may have made them from their massed produced stale corn tortillas which were a disgrace. The freshly sliced avocado was the best thing about the dish. The marlin in my husband’s fish tacos was deep fried. Again, if this is fresh from the sea, why manipulate it so? The sauteed shrimp I ordered, actually had decent flavor and were fresh tasting. The problem was that each was a different size so some pieces were cooked perfectly, others overcooked.
What sealed the deal for us was seeing the baby lion cub and a poor monkey shrieking in a cage. The woman carried around the cub like a rag doll. It sickened me to see such abuse just for the almighty dollar. Of course we did not participate in any involvement with the creatures, but I felt some guilt believing that by dining here we were in some way supporting this terrible practice.

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. I would pay money to have this establishment SHUT DOWN. Here’s why, they have BAD food and they are CRUEL to POOR animals. The food is OVERPRICED and SO BAD.
They bought animals from the black market to make money. The animals they have are DRUGGED and ABUSED. I saw them handle the animals, they were literally throwing them around. They are drugged and forced to take pictures with tourists all day. After the day ends, these animals are SEDATED and put to sleep.
I made a mistake by taking a picture with one animal. The animal actually bit me and left my hand bleeding profusely. The employees did not care at all. All they say is «no problemo» 100 times, with no solution. I ended up leaving with the worst pictures ever, blood all over my hand, and a dent in my wallet. They FORCED me to pay because they are just that greedy.
Do not support animal cruelty. Do not go to this place.
Check the reviews on TripAdvisor to see how BAD this place is.

Recommended by our tour guide, we stopped in the center of the La Bufadora Swap Meet to use the restroom, grab our free margarita (included with our tour), and enjoy a snack to power our MUCH NEEDED resistance to the extremely AGGRESSIVE shop owners.
Speaking of the restrooms, they too (like everyone else around here) CHARGE to use the restroom. I think it was a nominal .50 or $ 1 fee… which is most likely removed if you become a patron to their establishment. One of the more dilapidated examples of an interior outhouse I’m sure you’ll encounter.
First of all, the view is OUTSTANDING. They lead us to the top floor, which had an EXCELLENT view of the ocean. The cool breeze playfully entering through a single open window, much appreciated given the surprising heat that lingered within the second floor on this beautiful 60 degree day. Be mindful, this heat would probably be overwhelming during the middle of summer.
Just like every other Mexican restaurant you’ve dropped coin, chips and salsa soon appeared like the random battle Pokemon you know to expect walking through the tall grass. These chips were overcooked, a bit too crispy with a lack of salt. Salsa was DELICIOUS though, a tad spicy with plenty of depth! They could definitely sell this salsa in a tub at the local market :)
We ordered the Tortilla Soup which was also good. Rich, thick broth with a bit of spice! We’re doing good so far…
And last but not least, the Ceviche (Fish & Shrimp). Very good ceviche, fresh tasting with a medium citrus tone. The consistency was great, tender with a good mix of fish/​shrimp/​veg ratio. Ours came with a side of COCKROACH hiding under the cucumber though!!! What a way to ruin a memorable meal :(
If we did not have out little surprise at the end of the meal, this would have been a solid 3 – 4 star spot, especially taking in consideration the view and the shelter provided from the constant barrage of shopkeepers.
LOOK BEFORE YOU EAT!!!