Spending the holidays in Puerto Vallarta means trading freezing weather for warm ocean breezes, but you won't have to give up roast turkey, stuffing, or pie. This guide tracks 2026 holiday dinners that are actually confirmed, plus what restaurants served and charged in earlier years, across Banderas Bay. It is updated as menus are announced.
Last updated: November 4, 2026.
Key dates for 2026
| Date | What it is |
|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 26 | US Thanksgiving: Not a Mexican national holiday; stores, banks, and tour operators operate normally |
| Dec 1–12 | Fiestas Guadalupanas: Nightly processions down Calle Juárez in Centro |
| Dec 16–24 | Las Posadas: Nine nights of neighborhood processions, piñatas, and gatherings |
| Thu, Dec 24 | Nochebuena: Mexico's main Christmas feast (night of Dec 24); set menus book up rapidly |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Christmas Day: Official Mexican statutory holiday; tranquil beach day, some venues closed |
| Thu, Dec 31 | New Year's Eve: Midnight fireworks over the bay, beach club galas, street parties |
Thanksgiving 2026: what is confirmed so far
Most restaurants announce their Thanksgiving menus in November, and only one 2026 dinner is confirmed in the sources we use (below). Everything else on this page is last year's offer, labelled as such. Reservations are the norm: holiday dinners are usually fixed-seating set menus.
Pool Club PV at Casa Cupula (Amapas / Zona Romántica)
- When: Thursday, November 26, 7:00–9:00 PM (access time listed as 6:30–10:30 PM)
- Where: Callejón de la Igualdad 133, Amapas
- Price: MX$1,399 (about US$82) plus a service fee, general admission
- Included: an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet with traditional trimmings, a welcome signature drink and a live Thanksgiving show
- Good to know: 18+, tickets sold in advance on Eventbrite; bring your ticket confirmation and a photo ID.
Where to look next
These places listed a Thanksgiving dinner in 2025 (see the table below), so they are worth checking directly for 2026: Lil' Southern Kitchen at Awaysis, The Swedes, Daiquiri Dick's on the Beach, Seasons PV, Whiskey Kitchen, No Sé Nada, Eat at David's, Bar Frida y Restaurante, the Vallarta Botanical Garden and Canto. We have not confirmed any of them for 2026, so ask each one for the date, price and what is included.
What restaurants served last year (Thanksgiving 2025)
In 2025, Out and About PV listed 18 restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner. Most cost MX$500–875 a person. A selection:
| Restaurant | 2025 offer | 2025 price |
|---|---|---|
| Lil' Southern Kitchen at Awaysis | Turkey with Southern sides and pumpkin pie | MX$425 |
| Bar Frida y Restaurante | All-you-can-eat buffet | MX$545 |
| No Sé Nada | Traditional dinner | MX$525 |
| Whiskey Kitchen | Southern-style meal | MX$595 |
| The Swedes | Three-course meal | MX$745 |
| Seasons PV | Three courses with live music | MX$750 |
| Daiquiri Dick's on the Beach | Seasonal menu | MX$875 |
| Vallarta Botanical Garden | Holiday meal with live music and open bar | MX$1,499 |
2025 menus and prices. They aren't confirmed for 2026, so check with each restaurant.
Christmas in Puerto Vallarta
In Mexico, the big meal is Nochebuena, the dinner on the night of December 24. Traditional dishes include:
- Bacalao: salt cod cooked with tomato, onions and olives.
- Romeritos: in mole, with potatoes and dried shrimp.
- Turkey or ham.
- Ponche: a hot fruit punch.
The nine nights before (December 16–24) are Las Posadas, with processions, piñatas and parties. December 25 is an official rest day and usually quiet.
Many restaurants popular with visitors serve set menus on the 24th, and some on the 25th too. Hours vary: in 2024 one restaurant opened on Christmas Eve but closed on Christmas Day.
Christmas in Puerto Vallarta: posadas, lights and events→What restaurants served last Christmas (2024)
The most recent published roundup, from December 22, 2024, listed 19 places. Prices ran from MX$495 to MX$1,800 for a seven-course tasting menu. A selection:
| Restaurant | 2024 offer | 2024 price |
|---|---|---|
| No Sé Nada | Dec 24: smoked turkey with trimmings | MX$495 |
| Eat at David's | Dec 25: three-course menu, three seatings | MX$500 |
| Whiskey Kitchen | Dec 24: buffet, noon–8 p.m. | MX$600 |
| The Swedes | Dec 24 and 25: three-course menu | MX$925 |
| River Cafe | Soup, turkey or brisket, dessert | MX$950 |
| Daiquiri Dick's | Dec 24 and 25, 5–11 p.m., several entrées | — |
| Makal and Raíz y Maleza | Dec 24: seven-course tasting menu | MX$1,800 |
2024 menus and prices. This page will list 2026 Christmas dinners once they're announced.
Booking tips
- Reserve early. Most holiday dinners are set menus with fixed seatings, and restaurants ask for reservations.
- Confirm directly the price, time and what's included, since roundups can change after publication.
- Check the bill for "propina incluida" before adding a tip.
