Carlos’n Charlie’s

Once again my girlfriend and I were in adventure explore mode while on vacation. We took a cruise to Cozumel and we had no idea what we were going to do. We are not big fans of excursions because they cost a fortune and they are not even worth it. We got off the boat, off the cruise terminal and we walked a few blocks into the island. We picked up a random cab.
He was pretty cheap, for $ 20 he offered to stay with us the whole day and take us wherever we wanted. He did mention if we toured around the whole island we would have to pay him more to gas. Our intentions were to find a good spot to hang out. We asked him to take us somewhere fun, but not over crowded or expensive. It came down to Señor Frog or Carlos n Charlies.
We have no clue why we picked Carlos n Charlies, maybe because my name was Carlos too and I was being biased against Señor Frog? We got there rather early around 10am. This restaurant is decorated like a huge tiki with fun décor. Its backyard features the beaches of Cozumel which includes water sport games and other attractions like jet skies and para sailing. As soon as you walk in you are greeted by fun, energetic young staff. They all speak english, accept dollars and visa for those of you wondering.
We were starving so we decided to get lunch. We started with the Ceviche Acapulco. Not really sure what fish they used other than «fresh fish» marinated in lime juice, mixed with pico de gallo. Maybe not your traditional ceviche if you are used to Peruvian style. It was served with chips and salsa. Believe me when I tell you this appetizer is a must have, and definitely recommend to my fellow Unilocalers. The only thing that killed us was the whopping $ 15 charge!
Being a huge taco fan, we ordered tacos for entrée. We tried the Charlie’s Tacos which featured carne asada, chicken and chorizo sauteed with pico de gallo. They were served on soft corn tortillas dressed in sour cream. We also got the Fish «Baja» Tacos. Crispy battered fresh fish served on soft tacos with shredded cabbage, chipotle mayo and tamarind sauce. Once again, these dishes hit the spot and flavors were fresh and spot on. Each entrée comes 3 tacos for about $ 15 each, once again pricey so be careful when ordering!
I would also advise to get one of their frozen drinks. I forgot what I got but it had strawberries and rum in it. On a hot sunny vacation day, its the perfect compliment. Not only that but after eating, most people just walk onto the beach and relax anyways so feel free to keep your tab open. The servers walk into the beach to check up on you. Being a customer of Carlos N Charlies you have access to the water sports at no charge and discounts on some of the local excursions. When you are ready to leave, there are always cabs waiting at the door.
So yea, they have other things on the menu like burritos, enchiladas and fajitas. Is this place expensive? Yes it is compared to what we are used to in the states. However, Cozumel is a very touristic spot and the prices of this restaurant is comparable to others in the area. The vibrant atmosphere will definitely bring me back one day! Overall experience five out of five, knocked it down one star due to pricing vs food portion. An extra taco or two on the dish and I would been fine with paying what they charged!