Tauro Steakhouse

While vacationing in Playa Del Carmen, my friend and I made a reservation to eat at this steakhouse based on Google reviews. The ambience, drinks, food and service were seriously exceptional. We did not stay at this resort but from the gate to our dining experience, we were treated warmly at every turn. The food was fantastic. I had the rib eye steak with a side of wedges, salad and dessert and all were delicious. We had dinner with a view, opted to sit outside to enjoy the evening breeze, water and the soft jazz playing in the background. If you love steak, I'd recommend this restaurant during your visit to Playa Del Carmen even if you don't stay at this particular resort.

I have been coming to Fairmont Mayakoba with my family and friends for over 8 years 3 or 4 times per year and have dined in all their restaurants. Tauro was by far our favourite. That was until our most recent visit last Friday. Our waiter was excellent however, the kitchen was extremely slow which meant the service was in turn very slow and yet we were only 1 of 3 tables on the patio. The steaks came out lukewarm at best with little or no seasoning. Very frustrating given the prices have risen dramatically over the past year. I ordered a baked potato as my side. Not on the menu but something the kitchen has always prepared for me given it’s a simple quick cook heated in the microwave. This time they sent out the steak and the side came 30 minutes later by which time my family had finished their meals and my lukewarm steak was now freezing cold. Not one person acknowledged the problem. I asked for the manager. She (Alexia) came to the table with her chef Aldo. Zero apology. He had an attitude was both rude and confrontational. He attempted to use the excuse that they “had to go find a potato on property” which took all the extra time. So I asked him why he went ahead and sent out the food when clearly it wasn’t ready. Stupid excuse. Regardless, they just didn’t seem to care. The waiter apologized and was kind enough to acknowledge how important customers are to their restaurant business and how the waiters rely on the business. It’s a shame the management and chef didn’t concur. Sadly, we won’t be back.

Fabulous! Stayed at the hotel and ate here twice.

Michelin star experience. The food is delicious and the service is perfect (thanks Roberto!). An elevated but authentic Mexican steakhouse experience with exquisite local and European wines. Book well in advance because you don't want to miss it, trust me! There was also a pianist the night we went which just sealed the deal for best meal in PDC/Mayan Riviera.

Inventive dishes, a delightful blend of Asian and Latin. The sushi is for if you are really missing it, beyond that every other dish is great. Try the crispy tofu, miso cod (surprisingly yum), and human chicken. The veggie fried rice is a very good portion, order it for sharing. Service is great, as you likely expect of the Fairmont.

Tauro was the sole dining experience from the week that didn't even come with the great service we had enjoyed elsewhere on the property. The NY strip on the presentation plate they brought out before ordering was twice as thick as what was served on my plate. I ordered rare and got medium. The meat was no better than I would get at a chain grocery store in the US which makes sense since it is advertised as being from the Midwest of the US. The mashed potatoes were slimy and inedible not to mention $15USD for a single scoop. The chimichurri was more oil than herbs and inexplicably had finely chopped tomato. It, too, was and extra $15USD. For a sauce. That means that the side and the sauce cost 2/3 what the steak cost. The chocolate cake was dense and flat. The drink I ordered was listed as having chili liquor, but had absolutely no kick whatsoever and honestly tasted watered down. And all of it was served in a space far too dimly lit and with cheap Persian "rug" wall decorations that looked like someone printed them at a Kinko's. And don't even get me started on the outrageous pricing for all this. We happened to notice that one of the bottles of wine on their wine list was the exact same varietal and vintage as one we had ordered at Bassano the night prior but was literally twice the price at Tauro. Shameles. The only positive comment I heard was that the creme brulee was lovely. It's also highly suspicious that the Google listing keeps showing as permanently closed. We were told that this restaurant was brand new. Seems fishy. Review manipulation?

We arrived at the Fairmont Mayakoba late in the evening due to a delayed flight, but dining at Tauro was an amazing experience! The food was delicious, and the service was outstanding. As someone who often visits the best steakhouses in NYC, I can confidently say that the quality of meat at Tauro exceeded my expectations! Highly recommend that you have dinner there more than once while visiting Fairmont Mayakoba!

Terrific service by everyone from the maître d, to the servers. Genuine smiles. Food was great too. We especially enjoyed the Diezmillo from the wagyu cross cut. If you enjoy ribeye, this is the cut for you as it has the just enough marbling on it, but isn’t as fatty as a wagyu cut. We went back twice during our stay, and will be going to visit a third time. Absolutely fantastic!