In addition to La Bodequita del Medio, love this restaurant, check out La Tratorria del Centro on 26 Calle between 5th and 10th Avenue. Early in the evening they may have a musician or two. Wonderful Italian menu, the boys from Florence do not disappoint.

La Cuevo del Chango on 38 Calle about 200 feet east of 5th Avenue has genuine Mexican fare. It's really popular for breakfast, but lunch and dinner are very special if you want to try Mexican cuisine.

Amate 38 is a little further east across the street, and offers some nice entertainment. It's really beautiful along 38 Calle in the evening.

Everyone in the restaurant business speaks English in Playa.

Mom and Pop traditional Mexican restaurants speak English in PDC. Wow I'm surprised, even in PV, they usually didn't speak English.

I think I may not have been specific enough though in my request. We like hole in the wall places that literally is a Mexican family run restaurant, In our travels all their meals are delicious and half the price of restaurants that are usually serving expats. I'm checking recommendations and $230 peso for a burger & fries is a lot, even if the burger looked amazing, just out of our budget.

Oh, you want to eat at Loncheria Dona Mary on 28 Calle (entrance on 28) and 30th Avenue. Opens at 5PM. Empanadas, salbutes and tamales. Usually costs about 100 to 200 pesos. The chicken impenadas are great.

There are a number of small local restaurants along 30th Avenue or nearby.

El Fogon is on the corner of 6 bis and 30th Avenue. There is also a 6 calle and 6 bis is one street over. I love their Frijole soup and conchinita pibil. Also inexpensive.

Mostly locals at both these places.

If you love seafood, you would really like El Pirata, located up on 40 Calle between 5th and 10th Avenue. Half the building is a fishmonger shop and the other half a restaurant. Seabass filet runs $185 pesos and several types of big shrimp at $240 pesos. Lots of fish choices, but also skirt steak and chicken. Menu in Spanish, English or Canadian.

El Fogon also has a restaurant on Constituyentes between 25th and 30th Avenue. This is further north than the one I go to.

El Fogon del May is on the southeast corner of 30th Avenue and 32 Calle, much further north.

You might really like Papa Charly's on 30 Calle close to 25th Avenue, combination Italian and Mexican, great food.

“ $230 peso for a burger & fries is a lot”

You can get that at Smashing Burgers for about 1/2 that price. 30 and Constituyentes or the new location 5 between 4&6. Most restaurants in the tourist area like 60% fluency in English but throw in a few words or slang that are not recognized and all bets are off.

Thanks for the latest suggestions, will check them out online,

All of the empinadas at Dona Mary are 20 pesos. I couldn't eat 20 of them, impossible. El Pirata has very fresh fish and the locals love this place. El Fogon is very inexpensive, my kids usually grab the check here. Papa Charly's is such a good value for the money.

This suggestion might be a little far north but we discovered it when we were in Playa in April. Ceviche Corazon has excellent tacos and aguachili. It is on 5th Ave and 54th. Very reasonable too.