Located in a white cement building with an air-conditioned dining room and small brick courtyard, Chabelita (1 Calle, just short of the Río Cangrejal, tel. 504/440-0027, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Tues.–Sun., dinner only Mon.), has some of the better seafood in town, though you may die of hunger before the food arrives. Don’t go in a hurry and you’ll enjoy yourself. Flavorful conch soup, fried snapper, and monster shrimp are served at reasonable prices (US$6–10 per entrée).

Mango Tango (1 Calle in Barrio La Isla, open from 5 p.m. Wed.–Mon.), a large champa restaurant near Hotel Versalles, is a popular spot with a good selection of seafood, as well as pork chops and steak and always at least one vegetarian dish for about US$5–12 a plate. Most entrées include a trip to the salad bar.

Just across the street is the Office Bar and Grill—although the feel is decidedly more champa than office. Dishes include seafood soup, fish, shrimp, and conch, as well as meat kebabs (pinchos) and fajitas (US$9–11 a plate).

For eats right on the beach, try El Guapo (4–11 p.m. Tues.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri.–Sun.), in a champa a few steps west along the beach from the Quinta Real. El Guapo serves a variety of seafood plates, including fish, shrimp, and ceviche for about US$5–10.

Locals heartily recommend the seafood at the Garífuna seafood restaurant La Kabasa (5 Calle in Barrio La Isla), especially its ceviche.