Aperitivo before dinner or dinner before cocktails: two completely different ways to build the same Playa night
Not every night starts the same way.
Some people need dinner before even thinking about going out.
Others would rather start with a drink, see how the evening feels, and decide where to eat later.
In Playa del Carmen, both approaches work.
The city makes it easy to build nights that flow naturally: start with a terrace, move into dinner, and finish walking along Fifth Avenue—or do the exact opposite and let dinner become the beginning of something longer.
So the question is simple:
Dinner first or drinks first?
Route 1 | Drinks First
For travelers who like to start slowly and decide the night as they go
This works particularly well when you still don't know how big the night is going to be.
Start with an aperitivo.
You don't need to go straight to a nightclub or search for the busiest bar.
Find a terrace or bar where you can order a spritz, mezcalita, glass of wine, or cocktail and still have an actual conversation.
The point is to transition out of daytime mode without committing to the entire evening.
Keep the First Drink Light
Dinner is still coming
Your first cocktail doesn't need to become the main event.
Actually, it probably shouldn't.
A spritz, wine, citrus-driven cocktail, or something lighter makes more sense than beginning with the strongest thing on the menu.
You're opening the night.
And ideally, your appetite too.
Let the First Drink Decide Dinner
Sometimes it's easier to know what you want after you've sat down for a while
After that first drink, the group usually has a better idea of what happens next.
Casual food?
A long dinner?
Seafood?
Mexican?
Italian?
Steak?
This is where Playa works particularly well.
You can move between Downtown, Fifth Avenue, Calle 38, and nearby restaurant areas without dinner feeling disconnected from the rest of the night.
Food simply becomes the next stop.
Dinner Can Be the Ending or Just the Beginning
That's the advantage of starting with drinks
Tired after dinner?
Perfect.
The night already worked.
Aperitivo.
Dinner.
Maybe dessert.
Maybe a walk.
Done.
But if you still have energy, you're already dressed, already out, and probably know exactly what mood everyone is in.
That's when another cocktail, music, or dancing can happen naturally.
Best for: spontaneous nights, couples, small groups, and travelers who don't want to overplan.
Route 2 | Dinner First
For travelers who want to handle the food first and let the night grow afterward
The second option starts with a little more structure.
Book dinner.
Arrive hungry.
Sit down.
And make the meal the first major event of the night.
This works especially well when there's a restaurant you've genuinely been looking forward to or when food is a major part of your trip.
Playa del Carmen has enough restaurants to make dinner the entire plan.
But it doesn't have to end there.
Book Dinner Relatively Early
If you want to continue afterward don't start too late
If cocktails or nightlife are part of the plan, dinner somewhere between 7:30 and 9 PM usually gives you more flexibility than sitting down at 10:30.
Not because there's a correct time to eat.
But because a good dinner can easily last two hours.
And afterward, you may still want to walk, switch neighborhoods, or find a bar.
The best night is the one where nobody is watching the clock between courses.
Make Dinner Worth Being the First Stop
If you're building the night around it choose somewhere you actually want to stay
Good atmosphere.
Great food.
Cocktails or wine.
Music.
A table that makes you want to linger.
Even better if the restaurant is close to other places you can walk to afterward.
That way dinner doesn't interrupt the night.
It starts it.
Don't Automatically Go Back to the Hotel After Dessert
The second half of the night can be much simpler
Enter the after-dinner drink.
You don't need another “destination venue.”
A good bar.
A rooftop.
A mezcal.
Wine.
Live music.
Even a walk along Fifth Avenue can be enough before deciding whether to keep going.
That's what makes this route interesting.
Dinner comes first.
The night gets lighter afterward.
Drinks After Dinner Have a Different Mood
You're not starting the night anymore You're extending it
The after-dinner cocktail feels different.
There's no rush.
You don't need several.
It can simply be that final drink that turns dinner into a full evening.
And if there's good music or a social atmosphere?
Maybe it becomes two.
That's where trouble starts.
The good kind.
Best for: food lovers, dates, celebrations, and anyone who wants to make sure dinner is great before anything else happens.
Which Route Works Better for Groups?
It depends on how much everyone agrees
Traveling with friends and nobody knows what they want?
Drinks first can help.
Sit down.
Order something.
Talk.
Decide.
Much easier than debating the entire night in the middle of the sidewalk.
But if the group has an important reservation or you're celebrating something, dinner first is usually more practical.
Dinner gives everyone a clear meeting point.
Afterward, people can decide whether they want to continue.
Which One Works Better for a Date?
There's no single answer here either
Drinks first feels more spontaneous.
Aperitivo.
Conversation.
Then dinner if the night is going well.
Dinner first is more classic and works when you've already chosen somewhere special.
Afterward, walk, get a nightcap, or find some music.
The real difference is whether dinner should be the center of the night or simply one chapter of it.
What If You Have Early Plans Tomorrow?
This one's easier
Dinner first.
Eat early.
Have one cocktail afterward.
Go back to the hotel.
Done.
Drinks first has a dangerous tendency to become:
“One more.”
“Let's eat here.”
“Since we're already out…”
And suddenly it's 2 AM.
You've been warned.
You Don't Have to Pick the Same Route Every Night
That's exactly the fun of it
One evening can start with a spritz and no real plan.
Another can begin with a dinner reservation and end with cocktails.
There's no correct way to go out in Playa del Carmen.
Part of the appeal is being able to completely change the pace depending on the night.
So Dinner First or Drinks First?
Want something more spontaneous?
Drinks first.
Food is the priority?
Dinner first.
Traveling with an indecisive group?
Drinks first.
Important reservation?
Dinner first.
7 AM tour tomorrow?
Definitely dinner first.
And if you have absolutely nothing planned tomorrow?
Well.
Start wherever you want.
The Best Night Leaves Room to Change
Playa del Carmen works best when you don't try to control every hour.
A drink can become dinner.
Dinner can become cocktails.
A walk can become another stop.
Or the night might end before midnight.
That's fine too.
Because the best night isn't always the longest one.
It's the one that found its own rhythm.
Follow our blog for more restaurants, bars, nightlife, and different ways to experience Playa del Carmen after sunset, and follow us on social media to keep exploring the city one night at a time.
