I'm going back to Veracruz soon for work and looking for a little advice about where to go in the evenings. I've been a couple times for previous projects, but this time I am traveling with a colleague who is a little nervous about traveling in Mexico.
This isn't helped by our nervous-nelly risk manager who says stuff like "I wouldn't set foot in Mexico if you paid me I want my colleague to have a fun time, relax a bit, and I don't want to be holed up at the hotel the whole time. We only have evenings free, so basically go out for dinner, a drink, maybe a little wandering around. So, I am thinking about taking my colleague over to the area of Boca del Rio by the Rio Jamapa one night.
I haven't been down there yet, but it looks like a pretty chill area with several restaurants with views, some shops, the zocalo. What do you guys think? We'll be staying by Plaza las Americas and Plaza del Sol, so it would be a relatively short taxi ride over there. Another night, I am thinking about going to Villa Rica Mocombo - I think he would enjoy the giant palapa and eating next to the beach. Then of course there are the restaurants right around the area where we'll be staying - at the Plaza del Sol, etc.
In boca del rio by the river you'll have a number of options for restaurants. Overall that is a really fun area to spend some time. If you're here over a weekend then you may want to consider going to El Candelabro. It's an adult bar with live music. The music is usually by performers, people who are professional musicians, not kids playing covers.
You may also want to try eating at Azafran. So you can have a nice quiet dinner upstairs and then go downstairs for some drinks and fun. Personally, I was underwhelmed by Boca del Rio - a collection of mediocre but expensive restaurants by the boat launch and tours up the river - it's OK, not great. You might take your friend to one of the little open air fish restaurants over by the aquarium. The food is good, but expensive. The nice thing is the atmosphere - sipping a cold one at a table in the sand while Veracruzano trios serenade on harps and guitars.
