Joe Jack's Fish Shack

We had a nice dinner! It was a very hot July evening and they greeted us with cold washcloths which we were very grateful for! We started with the Crudo which was really excellent and had the best flavor of any of our dishes. Highly recommended. The guacamole was average- good with big chunks of avocado. We all had either fish or shrimp tacos. They were fine- well cooked but they lacked much flavor. There wasn’t much sauce on them and what was there wasn’t very flavorful. The service was efficient and the atmosphere was great. The rooftop dining on a warm evening was great.

The grilled snapper was so moist and delicious. I highly recommend it. We got the medium size and shared among three people. Their drinks were also all very good. Fantastic ambiance and fantastic service. This is a must try place!

A superb place for seafood! I tried their seasonal dish - the snapper - which they said was their best, and indeed they weren't lying. Not only was it delicious, but it was much more copious then it looked. Huge tasty margaritas and very warm service. Also, their upper floor is open and had a nice view of the street. Definitely worth visiting when you're in town.

I ordered the red snapper, the restaurant’s signature dish, based on Victor’s recommendation and our own research. The place is tucked away in a narrow space between Starbucks and Dolce la Vita, but don’t let that fool you—the restaurant is surprisingly spacious. It’s a long, two-story establishment with balcony seating that offers great views of the bustling street below. The ambiance is fantastic—moody and intimate at night, with church candles on every table, plenty of string lights, and well-balanced music (not so loud that you have to shout, but not so quiet that conversation feels awkward). The decor is stylish and adds to the overall charm. Service was quick, and the staff was incredibly friendly. Victor, in particular, took excellent care of us—he even deboned our red snapper tableside, which was a nice touch. He kept the mood light with jokes and made sure we had everything we needed. Highly recommend trying the restaurant, especially the red snapper. The bar area also looked lively, with louder music for those who prefer a more energetic vibe. A great spot all around!

Happened to visit on fried chicken night (Thursday & Sunday) and it was delicious! Fish tacos were also great. Apps were good, but nothing we needed again. Drinks were pretty good as well, especially the paloma.

When I ordered the seafood gumbo, I expected a light soup or chowder with just a hint of seafood. What I got instead completely blew me away. It was one of the most seafood-packed dishes I've had in a long time—loaded with flavor and generous portions of shrimp, fish, and more. The seasoning was absolutely on point, striking a perfect balance of spice and richness. I got bread on the side without garlic butter. Easily one of the best surprises of my trip!

Joe Jack’s Fish Shack is the kind of place that just hits right. I kicked off my night with the Cuckoo Paloma cocktail, and let me tell you—it was the perfect way to start my food binge. Super refreshing, just the right balance of flavors, and a little too easy to drink. Before I even ordered, they brought out a complimentary cucumber salad with lemon juice, which was a nice, light way to wake up my taste buds. Then came the salt cod fritters—I had no idea what to expect, but damn, they were crispy, flavorful, and downright addictive. For my main course, I went with the octopus, and I was not prepared for what came out. It was a whole octopus, beautifully plated, and honestly, one of the best I’ve ever had. Whoever the chef is, they know how to cook octopus—tender, charred just right, and packed with flavor. Absolute perfection. I sat at the bar, which I don’t usually do when I go out alone, but I’m so glad I did. The energy in this place is just different—lively, welcoming, and fun. The staff was having a blast, which made it impossible not to smile and actually talk to the person next to me. I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, but something about the whole vibe just makes you feel comfortable. Bottom line: don’t walk to Joe Jack’s—RUN. Whether you’re solo or with a group, you’re gonna have an amazing time and an even better meal.

Joe Jack’s is always hopping, almost always packed for dinner. It’s a town favorite with the visiting foreigners. With no dinner plans, we walked by and they had an available table. Seafood is their specialty however they have plenty of other delicious options. Hubby ordered the fried seafood combo and I ordered the fish tacos, oh boy, were they delicious!!!

This was an absolute must from all the videos and reviews I've read about. Also Tim's of people recommended this spot for a meal. We stopped in for lunch which is when they opened up. There's the main dining area with the full bar as well as an upstairs patio as well. The place is well decorated with lunch plants and beautiful colored decors. When we arrived, it was just opening so there were only two other parties seated. By the time we ordered, it was more than half full. If you want seafood, well this was the place for it. Crudites was brought out with sprinkle of tajin and lemon for snacking. We started with a mimosas and a beer. Then with the shrimp tostada and mixed seafood cocktail. It'll was mini tostadas which also made it nice bite sized snack. The flavors were excellent and served on top a tostadas with lettuces and topped with a radish. Seafood cocktail, a good portion served with crackers and chips. The flavors all mixed together adding to the taste. So far so good with the starters. As for entrees, we had the fish and chips which was excellent as the fish was chunky and not full of batter. You actually get fish gets batter, that was served obviously with fries and tartar sauce. It was your traditional tater but quite good. And the piece de resistance, their famous whole snapper. That was served on with a garlic sauce and loads of cloves and some garnish. Accompanied by a side or rice, beans and tortillas. If you please, they can deboned the fish for you. It was excellent and worth it. Hence all the good mentioned of this place. By the time we finished, it was packed and with a waiting list outside. Definitely a must if you're looking for seafood. And best affordable.

Overall Rating: Round 4 Location: Zona Romantica few steps ahead of Panchos Tacos. Seating: Downstairs with bar, additional seating upstairs with balcony Vibe: Casual Seafood Felt like a tourist hotspot based on the crowd Service: Quick and Good, accepts credit cards Food: Everything tasted good, margarita was good. I could tell the flavors were westernized to some extent. Ordered guacamole, grilled fish tacos, bbq chicken and grilled fish. Fish was fresh and chicken was cooked perfectly. While everything was delicious and I have no complaints, there was not one thing that stood out exceptional and memorable. Definitely recommend this place if you are in Zona Romantica area.

Joe Jack's Fish Shack is a staple in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica area. What you'll get is a no-frills, clean, and solid meal each time - consistency is the key word here. I've been here more than a few times, and it's always a safe bet for lunch or dinner when you aren't looking to spend too much thought on a vacation meal! The staff are always kind, warm and welcoming too. The Fish & Chips is really good. Like, really good. You're served a piping hot plate of three meaty pieces of fish - they definitely don't skimp! The batter is light and crunchy with just the right proportions. Last night, we tried the Red Snapper based on a friend's suggestion, and it was a solid addition too! Be warned: it can take up to 25 minutes to prepare, so there's a wait. I enjoyed the smoked grilled fish and its unique lime flavors, though my partner wasn't too much of a fan. Overall, Joe Jack's Fish Shack is super reliable! And bonus: they accept credit cards, which is always good to know if you're short on pesos or need to save them!

Joe Jack is one of the popular spot in Zona Romantica, serve really good seafood dishes in town, the best is their grill whole fish. the fish is grilled in their special sauce and topped with roasted garlic that added so much flavor to make your own taco. they offer to debone for you.

This review is for the drinks only had some amazing Mojitos, excellent service, amazing ambience and decor in this place. Seen some of the food being served looked amazing, i chose Italian next door for my Christmas dinner.Definetly will return for dinner here next week .2 for 1 Happy Hr Mojitos fir 7$ is insane very high quality drink and ingredients.

Drinks and food were amazing!! Santiago was the bartender making our drinks and he was amazing! He had some drinks he had created himself that were very good. Victor was our server and he was wonderful- so funny and attentive! Food was great!!! Chicken on the Caesar salad was to die for. Tuna ceviche was delicious. Ambiance was great! It was very clean inside and decor was very nice.

We were lucky to sit upstairs on a perfect evening. The roof retracts, exposing the beautiful night sky. Because one of the spotlights shone in my dining partner's face, I sat to block it. That was a good move but every time I moved, he got a blast of glaring lights in his eyes. Turns out, I'm not excellent at sitting still. The service and food was good. I had tasty and generous garlic shrimp and green beans atop rice. I'd order that again. My spotlighted dining partner had a delicious, tender steak. My strawberry lemonade was a bit too much (think freckled lemonade from Chevy's or Red Robin in the states). As the ice melted, the drink improved. This was my ordering error--I like simple foods and drinks. My husband's margarita was wonderful, just like every margarita he's enjoyed in PV. While we had a good experience, I'm not sure we'll be back. The vibe felt off to me. They were great at turning tables (and they were busy) but it felt very mechanical to me. I like a slower experience for dining out. I can see why Yelpers rate this place with 5 stars, but it didn't feel like the other restaurants I've come to know and love in this beautiful city.

Service was excellent, and everything we had to eat and drink was great. The seafood chowder is the best I've had, and the red snapper was just amazing. The hibiscus mezcal drink was good, but the paloma was the absolute best drink I had.

Came for lunch and it was superb! Had the fish sandwich. It's a bit of a mess because there is so much in it! I "deconstructed " it and it was so tasty. Large portion of delicious fish and an olive tapenade that takes it over the top instead of the traditional tartar sauce. YUM. We were given cool cloths to refresh ourselves prior to the meal which was a great touch. Our waitress was new but definitely was being closely supervised- she dodged great though! The strawberry mojito was amazing!

I've had a lot of Red Snapper in PV, always my favorite, including 4-5 times this trip around town, and the Red Snapper at Joe jacks was THE BEST Red Snapper ever. Going back tonite.

Lovely atmosphere, delicious food served in beautiful pottery and wonderful service! Highly recommend. Might have been my favorite in PV .

Had the sea bass as recommended by the server....Was perfectly cooked!! The skin was crispy and the fish melted in my mouth it was so tender and juicy! Served on a generous bed of what you see pictured. I was extremely happy that my final meal was the perfect meal!

I had their fish and chips on a regular weekday, and the breading was extremely tasteful with no hint of burnt oil. The fish was fried to perfection. The chilled peel and eat shrimp appetizer was very good. The strawberry Mojito was flavorful as well. Then, I went for all you can eat fish and chips on a Friday, and had a poor experience. It was obvious the oil was burnt and needed to be changed, because the fish breading had that burnt flavor taste. You know what I'm talking about. So basically, I would not recommend going on a Friday night and getting any of their fried food on that night because the oil is used too much. I'd recommend going on any other day though.

This spot is near the main happenings - easy to get to. The seating area on upstairs patio was quaint anf very chill. The service from the team was friendly, fun and responsive. The food was exceptionally good and the drinks were very nicely poured and presented. The red snapper was simply delicious and wonderfully prepared table side. The ceviches are delightful. Will be a place we frequent every trip to PV. Highly recommend.

Came here on Christmas because we heard how great the grilled fish was. Everyone was right. The small fish was HUGE and not small. It was cooked perfectly and our waitress deboned our fish for us. It comes with rice and beans and corn tortillas so you can make your own tacos if you want. The fish was a little spicy and cooked in really good sauce. I want it now. We also got the fried fish and chips. That fish was cooked so well and the batter was crispy. Very flaky. Don't skip out on the tuna poke appetizer either. The wonton crisps were delicious. Our drinks were Christmas themed and tasty, but not strong. Overall we enjoyed our meal!

Service was wonderful! Our waitress had great energy. Flor was wonderful, and definitely helped make the experience a great one. The food was cooked perfectly! My only critique for that is that it tasted as if the oil may have been old or burnt; but that could also have been my own fault for coming at the end of the night. The lighting is dim and the menu doesn't have a lot of contrast between its color and the color of the text, so it's a bit difficult to read in the low light; but thankfully, the menu is simple and comprised of straight forward options. The noise level was at about a 7/10. Just enough to need to lean in to speak to someone across the table.

Always a place we visit at least once while we are in PV service is always exceptional drinks and food are great What really set it apart on this visit, my partner left his wallet on the table when we left. It had to be at least 20-25 minutes later when he realized he didbt have it. When we got back to the restaurant they were fully aware what we had done and quickly gave us the wallet back I cant thank them enough.

I won't lower the star rating but this place was mediocre. I know that it's well reviewed and is on a lot of YouTube videos. Unfortunately I would say that the food was just ok... You get what you order. You order shrimp and chips and it just taste like shrimp and chips nothing special. Service was great everything was great but the food was just mediocre. My biggest thing was that the octopus was over cooked. The texture was like a soft potato. Once again I'm not going to lower the rating but I just won't believe the videos or the rating you see.

I had the mahi mahi and hubby enjoyed the shrimp. Great atmosphere and good service. Rooftop and outdoor seating available.

Food was just okay. Not really worth the hype given from reviewers. Lower level seating is small and stuffy. Upstairs is a sweat box! Service was good. Burger would have been great except it had Zero seasoning and was bland. Fish' and chips had a ton of breading on them.

This spot is in an easy area to find, walkable from where I was staying up the road. I sat at the bar (early afternoon visit), service started out a little slow but was fine after a short wait. (the bar wasn't super busy) I ordered some grilled fish tacos and a margarita. The tacos were tasty but could have used a little more spice. The margarita was refreshing. The prices are reasonable and it's a good option in an area of PV with lots of food choices.

Service was very good and restaurant is spacious and comfortable . We went with a group of 8 and everyone felt the food was average. I thought the Margaritas were quite good and not too sweet. The prices are extremely high , almost double that of other restaurants.

Joe Jack's is a terrific spot for good, drinks, and fun.. They have a wonderful menu with many tasty options... And, best of all, the service is outstanding.. All of their staff are very friendly, attentive, and helpful... Pro-Tip: Ask your server what number "Joe" are they.. Everyone there are "Joe" and their number is a sense of pride & seniority... "Joe-42" is outstanding!! Provecho!!

Joe Jacks is what people would consider a "Gringo" spot for Mexican food, but their great flavours really did appeal to my tastes and executed traditional Mexican fare with quality ingredients. The menu features the standard like tacos and ceviche, but also a page of translations for English speakers, basically letting you know they exist to serve tourists. It may sound like something that disqualifies the restaurant's authenticity, but the food is truly all I care about here. The ceviche was served in a sundae glass, a bit tacky, but the flavours were very well balanced and showcased the fresh fish flavours of the bass perfectly. It's clear they have used quality ingredients here. The shrimp taco was fantastic as well and comes with a small mix of different level of spicy salsas. Try them all, because the spicy one was honestly the best one out of the bunch by far. My only complaint was the shrimp taco did get a bit soggy when served. The restaurant has a second floor balcony, highly recommend to sit near the edge of the balcony to enjoy the ambiance of the gentle breeze and the lively street as you dine. The service was very quick and informative. All this to say give Joe Jacks a try, especially if you've just landed and want to slowly transition to a more authentic restaurant but still want some quality flavours.

One of the best meals we had in PV! Excellent service, drinks were awesome and the food was amazing!!

Another Puerto Vallarta vacation, another stop for fish and chips. I know they aren't Mexican food but they are delicious. Seriously probably my favorite fish and chips anywhere. When I am not here I stop to wish I was. They're that good. The service is good as well and eating on the roof is a great spot. It even has a retractable roof if it rains!

Joe, Jack's, in the heart of the city, always our Friday go to place. Fish and chips were outstanding as always with coleslaw. A nice treat, we also had a variety of creative cocktails. Our service was very fine and we always enjoy this place.

Joe Jacks has a beautiful two story location in the Romantica area, it's upstairs has a fresh and adorably decorated patio, perfect to watch the bustling area, and the downstairs area has a very nice bar and also had a beachy upscale feel to it. The menu is fairly small, mostly featuring fresh seafood, some local type dishes; such as the grilled snapper, and a lot of classic American type dishes such as fish and chips, burgers etc. Our server was friendly and attentive, we ordered two drinks, both were very yummy, not strong though. We ordered the tuna poke, and fish chowder to start with, the poke was fresh and wonton chips nice and crispy, the chowder was really really tasty, and the server brought it in two bowls which was very thoughtful, the shrimp in the chowder was tender and not overcooked and the broth was hearty and flavorful, we loved it. We ordered the grilled snapper to share as our main course, couple of things I really appreciated, the snapper came in a smaller size making it affordable and allowing us to try other items, also it came grilled not fried, which can just totally dry out the fish, the grilled fish came out extremely tender, perfectly cooked and juicy. The server also deboned it for us, and I asked for flour and corn tortillas and he gladly brought out both, what a nice change up! Also the fish was well seasoned and had a garlic glaze, the rice and beans it came with were great, also a bit different from the just okay rice and beans we've been served around town. They made some fantastic fish tacos, and we also got a delicious side of guacamole that was fresh and yummy. The prices here are decent not cheap by any means, but you definitely get what you pay for the food quality was wonderful with each dish, and service was really great. Perfect pretty venue for a large party, or just drinks and snacks, thanks Joe Jacks!

Great service, wonderful fresh food with vegetarian options...and, they accept credit cards.

Had a really nice meal here on a Monday night. No reservation but got right in. We ended up sitting on the first floor next to the bar. My wife ordered a margarita which she enjoyed and I ordered the Bullett Bite. Bourbon drink with ginger ale and lime syrup. I like bourbon so I enjoyed it. My wife ordered the shrimp tacos and I ordered the fish and shrimp with chips. I ordered a side of cole slaw. Both our meals were good. The fish mild and shrimp good. My wife ended using my slaw to eat on her tacos. Service was good and fast delivery of food and drinks.

The Mexican version of Joe's Crab Shack. The service was great and the food was pretty good. We sat upstairs which was nice because we had a good view of the people passing by. While it wasn't my favorite spot, it certainly was a nice place to grab some food after a long day of snorkeling.

This place is great. We have been wanting to try this for a while and finally took the plunge. All of the food was really good. We got a special herbed chicken sandwich that needs to be on the regular menu in my opinion. The sea bass salad was really good and fresh. Highly recommend and the servers are extremely pleasant and knowledgeable about their menu. The building itself has a lot of fun art and would recommend to anyone to try to sit in their upstairs section.

This is always our first stop when we get off the plane in PV. BOGO mojitos and a slew of appetizers is where it's at!. Everything ok the menu is delicious and service is always A+. Sad we missed the fried chicken meal on Thursday.

My family ordered a lot of food to share. I really loved the shrimp in aguachile and their fish and chips were really good. Everything was fresh and delicious. Staff were friendly. Ambiance was quiet and relaxing.

I have dined at Joe Jack's on previous trips, and would have barely given it a 4, but my meal tonight was much closer to a 5. I ordered an espresso martini (no azucar por favor)and it was perfect. We had two of the specials, the Waldorf Salad and the local Seabass. Both dishes were fresh, flavorful and well balanced in flavor AND texture. We also made some new friends... William. Kudos to Joe Jacks for a great meal.

Ricardo from Vidanta recommended Joe Jack's Fish House to me and my friends. Joe Jack's is located in the Zona Romantica. He said the food was amazing and they are also known for their cocktails. My friends and I made our way to Joe Jack's for early dinner and indulged in the 2 for 1 mojitos...each! Our waiter 'Joe' started us off with an ice cold wash cloth that we used to cool ourselves off (it's hot and humid in PV). He also served a refreshing and cool cucumbers, jicama with tajin and radish. We started off our food journey with the special crudo platter which was made up of fresh red snapper, tomatoes, lime juice and pepper. The pepper gave the dish a little heat. My friend ordered the fried chicken special. The crispy fried chicken was accompanied with a side of corn on the cob and mashed potatoes. The flavor of the chicken was on point and he highly recommends it. My other friend and I ordered the whole fish red snapper which was prepared on the grill and flavored with fresh cilantro and garlic with a side of fresh corn tortillas. I highly recommend the fish! The fish was juicy, fall off the bone tender and full of flavor. Totally shareable. The service was also top notch! Our server was very attentive (ie providing us with a purse stand, folding our napkin if we left the table, wiping the condensation from out mojitos that puddled on the table and more)! Highly recommend this place if you are in PV.

I think this is one of the best restaurants in PV. Whenever I visit, I have to eat here. I normally get the peppercorn ribeye as it's just a beautiful dish. I'm sure the other entrees are good as well but this is chefs kiss amazing. Looking forward to eating there again on my next trip. The staff attends to your every need. Nice atmosphere and the second floor overlooks the street outside. You can do some people watching while having a great meal.

Well - it's kinda touristy, but really good. I had the chicken dish and it was amazing - one of the best dishes I had in PV. They have a 2 for one drink special every night and a super nice rooftop area to hang out in. We went back 3 times. It was super nice.

Food is very good. Perfect presentation fish and chips are great. Did not think the waiter was very friendly. At the end of the meal he just slapped down the cuenta. Without us even asking for it. So unusual for a restaurant in Mexico to get the cuenta without asking for it

Our server Antonio was such an amazing person who was happy to be at work. He guided us to the right choices for tequila and entrees. Food alone was 4 stars but our service, ambience and welcoming attitude of the staff makes it 5 stars hands down.

Didn't think it was great, wouldn't come back expensive, and seviche was not good I liked the space, and vibe and the service was good

Our table had the fish and chips which tasted great but have to admit they were a little heavy. Busy place and service was good.

In the pouring rain of the aftermath of Hurricane Kay and subsequent tropical storms, we dashed into Joe Jack's Fish Shack while in Puerto Vallarta. Wow! What a find! I had something off the specials menu - the cold Asian noodle salad with jicama, cabbage, and shrimp. It was sort of thai-tasting in a way with a Mexican flair. It was delicious and refreshing for this humidity and heat. My partner had the sea bass off the specials menu as well, and he ate every bite with gusto. And he doesn't even really like seafood that much . It had capers, olives, sweet tomatoes, and it was so light and delicious. THEN...we had the butterscotch boudin . My mouth exploded with happiness! Creamy, delicious, sweet, and I wanted to lick it (get your mind out of the gutter!). Seriously...with 2 strips of bacon to dip in it and 4 morsels of pecan shortbread cookies. I'm dancing with glee right now. For drinks, we had the passion fruit margarita and the mango mint mojito. They were beautiful and tasty, with just enough alcohol. And to top it off, we got plastic bags to wear to walk home in the rain! I'm so coming back here!!!!

Adorable rooftop setting with a retractable roof in case it rains (this happened to us). Our first meal in Puerto Vallarta, the bar was set quite high because of Joe Jacks. Food is simple and great - nothing overly fancy. We really enjoyed the fresh made guacamole and salsa, as well as the whole grouper for our shared main. The fish was HUGE - thank god two of us were there to split it. We also had tuna and octopus ceviche. At first I thought it was pretty good but as I dined at other places throughout the trip, reflecting back it was not that great - and certainly was a small portion. While the food was very good, I cannot say the same for their drinks. Something was just off about them. First I tried a Mojito and it tasted watered down. Second I tried a Passion Fruit Margarita and this too was off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, and certainly won't make any baseless accusations. After a few sips of each though, I decided to stick with bottled sparkling water. Overall a fine place to eat. Would come back for the food.

Great service by everyone named Joe on their shirts lol. Lunch on open air patio was perfect with the weather and fans. Food was really good with the stars being the poke and snapper for sure.

Jan 19, 2024. Wonderful ambience. Dinner at 7pm. Joe our service was attentive and very professional. My husband and long-time friend had the fish and chips of course which need no introduction. Our server suggested the Meatballs Al forno and OMG, this is the best dish I've had in years anywhere. Great time!

Although I didn't eat out at too many spots in PVR, this one was our favorite. The space is nicely decorated with a fully stocked bar. There is a small terrace on the second floor, which was where we sat. For drinks, I had the Bulleit Bite (165 MXN), which was good. For appetizers, we had the Traditional Ceviche (195 MXN) and Calamar A La Panche (195 MXN). Both of these were yummy, but the calamar was a favorite with its tender and smoky texture. Of course we also got tacos, so ordered the Baja Style Tacos with Fish (195 MXN) and Shrimp (215 MXN). Fair warning, each plate came with three huge tacos as I thought we were just ordering one each, oops. The batter is so light and crispy and the fish and shrimp are plenty. One of the better tacos I have had for sure. None of the food disappointed here and the ambiance was great. The waiter were always checking up on us and refilling drinks. While in the heart of PVR, get a meal here.

We were in PV for vacation. We saw this restaurant on Yelp. We tried it and we were not disappointed. The service was fantastic; the ambiance was amazing and the food was phenomenal. We started with ceviche and it was so tasty and fresh. We each had a margarita and it was amazing. For our entrees, I had the mahi mahi and my husband had the garlic shrimp. Both entrees were equally delicious. I can not wait to go back.

When I looked at these fish tacos, I was expecting much more. Wasn't disappointed, but something tells me I'll be ordering a burger next time. Great location and fun upstairs area. "Joe" the server was very helpful and attentive