Rufo's Restaurant... Yummers!

My wife and I both want to give a double thumbs up to Rufo's Restaurant on Calle Adelita in La Madera after we enjoyed a wonderful evening there the night before last. The service was good, the food was mouth-watering delicious and cooked to perfection, and the ambiance was just perfect with a very talented musician who played some terrific piano and sax. This is what dining out in Zihuatanejo is supposed to be like! Hard to believe he's been there for something like 15 years now. Wow how time flies! Hat's off to a good and hard-working man doing a terrific job! Yummers!

EVERYONE I know goes to Rufo's all the time!

We have walked by there many times going to and from Villa Mercedes and never stopped. There are so many good places to eat on that street. We have our favorite and unless we are with friends going to their favorite place we always eat at the same place. We will have to try it when we go down the next time because of the recommendations.

We dine there at least once while we are there and have never been disappointed!

Agree 100%; this small, unassuming restaurant is a gem.
Rufo is a wonderful guy, always glad to see us when we arrive for dinner with him.
I was solo this year and he asked about my wife, and was happy to learn that she's fine.
The food is great -Rufo is a master at grilling fish!
He makes a great Margarita, too.

If you haven't eaten there, please do stop by soon.

Our first place to eat every nov./dec. trip,also thanksgiving meal.Had the pleasure to met pelicano and his wife many times there. Food always good,service great,if youre lucky you will catch rufo playing guitar with one of his band friends,he is very good,his singing well,needs practice

Our first place to eat every nov./dec. trip,also thanksgiving meal.Had the pleasure to met pelicano and his wife many times there. Food always good,service great,if youre lucky you will catch rufo playing guitar with one of his band friends,he is very good,his singing well,needs practice

Like several other places that we used to enjoy, we have stopped going to Rufo's because the live music makes it almost impossible to have a quiet conversation.

We go to Rufo's at least 5 times a season, when we are in Zihua. It's the first place we eat when we arrive and the last, or second to last, place we eat before we leave. Rufo, Ali and the rest of the staff are great. Always welcoming and happy to see you and the service is great. The food is very good, cooked just right and very reasonably priced. I have never known Rufo to raise his prices unless it was warranted by an increase in his costs rather than an increasing US dollar.

In my opinion the music is anything but loud. Over the years Rufo's has added live music and we have never found it too loud or too intrusive; it is just nice background music. Compared to some other places in La Madera Rufo's is almost silent.

If you had a bad experience with the music in past years, give it another try I don't think you'll be disappointed. But hurry because he does close down for during the off season.

We didn't find the music intrusive on our conversation at all. Nice classical, some jazz, some old movie scores and one easygoing Beatles tune. Nothing loud. I hope you'll give Rufo's another go. Saludos.

We ate there 3 or 4 times when we were in Zihua. We sat right next to the musician most times, and didn't find his music intrusive at all! Au contraire! It was a nice addition to the wonderful atmosphere of the place!

Different strokes for different folks...I too avoid restaurants with live music. Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I find it very difficult to carry on a conversation.

We usually have dinner there two to three times during our visits and always take our visitors there. A couple of weeks ago we had a delicious dinner there and experienced a very magic Zihua moment. Senora Isabel, the juice lady on Calle Adalita was having dinner there. She sang the most beautiful, soulful song, accompanied by the musician there that night. His beautiful guitar playing accompanied by her incredible voice literally brought tears to our eyes. The atmosphere there is always great and the quality of food and service consistent.

That is a great Zihua story!
Two of my favorites of Calle Adelita in one place at the same time.
And who'da ever guessed that Sra. Isabel sings beautifully?

Thanks for sharing.

When our place was finished, we had an open house for the neighbors and Isabel burst into song, as well. A very pleasant surprise.

Different strokes for different folks...I too avoid restaurants with live music. Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I find it very difficult to carry on a conversation.

And not just live music. Last night we split a burger at the new restaurant in the little plaza where the flophouse is, on Calle del Ejido, the same location that, over the past 10 years, has been Mi Chayito, then Teppan Roll, then a burger & beer place that folded not too long ago. Now it's called Palo Santo and advertises "Hamburguesas & Wings". (An odd mix of English and Spanish. To their credit, the wings are listed as "Alitas" on the menu.)
The burger was pretty good, at 70 pesos, and included the meat patty, chorizo, bacon, pineapple, cheese, tomato, mushrooms, etc. Fries (35 pesos on the menu) were included for another 10 pesos.
We would probably go back, maybe to try the wings, except for the recorded music being blasted out of the many speakers. Then again, the place obviously caters to a younger, mostly local crowd, so I guess we were out of our element.

We arrived late at Rufo's for our only visit so far this season, back in November. In fact, we were the only customers. The guitarist/vocalist played for us the entire time we were there - the same wonderful songs that the local trio, SOLO TRES, plays every Wednesday at El Pirata. We didn't get the fellow's name, but it was the kind of quiet music that fit perfectly, and there are many other Zihua restaurants that should take note.
We stayed at Villas Mercedes for two seasons a few years ago, and recall that Eric Reid was pretty loud at Rufo's. If we could hear him clearly over at Mercedes, it must have been too loud.....for us, anyway... inside the restaurant.
Maybe it's an age thing, but we've even stopped going regularly to the bar at Coconuts,(cheepest drinks in town, Cantinero!), where the noise level from recorded music often prevents quiet conversation.

Lets face it Rufo aka Pellicano really opened up Calle Adelita he was one of the first ones there along with El Salvador and ... a few others,, He had the fortitude to ..hang in there with the good and bad times... bueno sierta to Rufo...

Lets face it Rufo aka Pellicano really opened up Calle Adelita he was one of the first ones there along with El Salvador and ... a few others,, He had the fortitude to ..hang in there with the good and bad times... bueno sierta to Rufo...

FYI, Rufo,my best amigo in Zihua, is not Pelicano, that's yours truly that PattyNJ is referring to. Rufo is a diminutive for Rodolfo, which some folks call him....

We will second that ,no where near same person,great friends,rufo/pelicano

We will second that ,no where near same person,great friends,rufo/pelicano

As you may recall, a friendship that even survived him putting me to work a couple of thanksgivings ago (never volunteer) carving 4 bloody turkeys and kept telling me to hurry up....

Remember it well ,a very good thanksgiving dinner,and a very busy rufo,pelicano and ali......