Popocatepetl in Rotterdam Centrum

Delicious food! Starter and main course were great! For dessert we had an Irish Coffee and a Spanish Coffee, don't do it, it's dramatically bad ... and especially watery. Otherwise had a great evening.

It's a shame that hospitality apparently isn't a priority here.

Great service, great food and great location 😊❤️

There were six of us ate and we all thought it was delicious, very cozy and great service

Very good Mexican food. My wife's meal was even adjusted because we didn't know what onion was called in Dutch, as my wife is allergic to it. Thank you for the good service.

Great place, by the water. Delicious food, good service.

I loved the food and the atmosphere was great!!

Lots of good food, a bit tasteless salad. Delicately laid out on the plate. The food was not quite hot. Cold plates. Little avocado! Ok Chorros.

[🇳🇱] Netherlands Popocatepetl Popocatepetl in Rotterdam is not just a restaurant – it’s one of those places that manages to bring the spirit of Mexico right to the heart of the Netherlands. Located in an attractive location in the city center, near the Oude Haven and Markthal, this restaurant is known for its vibrant atmosphere, cheerful service and authentic Mexican menu. It is named after the famous Mexican volcano Popocatépetl, which is a symbolic introduction to the volcanically good food served here. The interior is decorated in bright colors, with murals depicting Mexican landscapes, motifs from the Aztec and Mayan cultural heritage, and decorative details such as sombreros and colorful lanterns. Guests often say that they feel like they have stepped into a different world as soon as they enter the place. Pleasant lighting, Mexican music in the background and the smell of spices in the air contribute to the overall experience. The food is what attracts people the most – the portions are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and the spices are carefully dosed. Popular dishes include tacos al pastor, enchiladas, burrito bowls, and guacamole prepared in front of guests. Vegetarians and vegans also have a wide selection, and many guests praise their impressive margaritas and tequila selection. The staff is often praised for their friendliness, willingness to explain the menu, and suggest combinations according to the guest's tastes. Reviews often mention that the atmosphere is very friendly, making the place ideal for dinner with friends, as well as for a date night or a family outing. The restaurant can get quite busy in the evening, so reservations are recommended. Desserts, such as churros with chocolate sauce and tres leches cake, are also particularly praised. Popocatepetl is part of a chain of restaurants located in several cities in the Netherlands, but many point out that the Rotterdam location is one of the best, both because of the team and the energetic atmosphere. The price of the dishes is moderate compared to the quality, and the experience it provides is often described as "a little trip to Mexico without a plane ticket". Near the restaurant you can also visit the famous Kijk-Kubus (cube houses), which are a symbol of Rotterdam's architectural innovation. Erasmusbrug is just a few minutes' walk away, perfect for an evening walk along the river. Art lovers can also visit the Kunsthal or the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, while the nightlife in the surrounding streets is very lively, with numerous bars and clubs. For anyone looking for an explosion of flavors, an authentic atmosphere and pleasant service, Popocatepetl is a place not to be missed. Regardless of whether it is your first time in Rotterdam or you live here - this restaurant leaves an impression and invites you to return. -------------------------------- #2025-07-05 [🇷🇸][🇳🇱]

Excellent food. We had gambas fajitas and the ribs. Very well presented and cooked. The Margherita was spot on and real! Not the usual glass of crushed ice with hint of tequila! We also had great service.

One of my favourite places to go for nice beers and food in Rotterdam, specially when the weather is nice

The portions weren't excessively generous. The food was tasty. It was hot inside and there was no air conditioning. It's best to book outside in summer.

Good service and the atmosphere is nice, next to the water. Food was a bit mild flavour wise. It was alright, but nothing special. The steak fajita and the nachos were good!

The best Mexican restaurant I’ve ate in for a long while. Great service too

Food fine. Nice atmosphere. Pricey though.

Fast and smooth service, food is delicious but for me personally the portions are a bit too small, I am a big eater... top location with a cozy terrace next to the water

Mexican food is quite tasty and not excessively spicy.

If you are Spanish and you are lost...everything is very delicious, especially the ribs!!! They have treated us very well and cheaply.

Had dinner here last night with a couple of friends. The starters were fine. The mains were very disappointing. For main we had 2 carne asada which was just a piece of steamed steak that hadn't seen a grill. I had the enchiladas which were the worst enchiladas I've ever had in my life, they had a very weird almost floral taste, the meat was dry, they just dumped a small amount of cream cheese on them and a tiny amount of cilantro. The side was a clumpy flavorless bit of rice. Ordered extra cheese and the mole in hopes of making it edible but alas. The mole was more like a funky tasting Indonesian satay sauce. After complaining to the waitress I was offered a coffee on the house. The ribs were bland. Sauces you have to order separately which is a huge let down. For dessert I had the tres leches with lemon curd. The tres leches was bland and grainy, the curd wasn't a curd and they put 3 minuscule dots of it on the plate. The churros were ok and so was the cheesecake. Overall I really missed the Mexican flavors in every bit of food we had. I expected the staff to remove the enchiladas from our bill seeing as they were inedible but that didn't happen. I also had the mezcal mule which other than the cup it was served in had nothing to do with a real mezcal mule. The servers were great. Sadly some of them didn't speak Dutch luckily all 4 of us do speak English but I can imagine it being a problem for the non English speakers to eat here. I wouldn't recommend eating here if you're excited to taste Mexican food, you're probably better of buying a good Mexican cookbook and cooking at home. I had been wanting to try the food at Popocatepetl for a long time sadly it was a major disappointment.

Insanely delicious, real Mexican in a top location

Great service, great food and perfect drinks. We were here again after 2 years and it is still an absolute recommendation for every Rotterdam trip.

Super friendly staff and the food was great too!

We had a delicious meal here. Unfortunately, due to circumstances, our food arrived in stages. When we indicated that we were sorry, the manager Jordy immediately took appropriate action. Later that evening the chef also came to apologize, which we greatly appreciated. We will definitely come back here more often.

The food is not amazing, quite bland and not worth the price. Drinks and location are good. The "big" burrito is a small wrap with a bit of veggies. Also wouldn't recommend the calamari.

Patio was super busy. Asked to sit on banquette..was told only available table was a small table in the middle. Yet, 2 couples behind me both sat in those seats? 🤔 They were also served long before us. We had to flag server to even get menu. We almost got up and left. :( Once we ordered, we received food and drinks quickly. Food and drink were both tasty and service was very friendly. The location is great and we'd like to come back again to try their dinner menu..we shall see 🤷‍♀️

It was very tasty food, but the portions were very small. You pay a high price but get small portions...

No. If it's too full you shouldn't sit down. Waited 20 minutes only to find out that there were no available tables inside. Then we sat outside...with children. 2 hour wait for food. Nachos are good. Burrito, chicken wings and emolades were not convincing in terms of taste. Gluten free enchilada and nachos were good. No menu in English, no gluten free menu provided.

Great restaurant! Food is fresh and of good quality. The employees are extremely friendly and committed. The menu is continuously improving with adjustments, which makes it fun to eat there often. Definitely recommended!!

Our starter was okay, not too special. Main was a lot better although not the Mexican flavour that stays with you. The cheesecake was fantastic! That's exactly how a cheesecake should be!

The enchiladas with stew and the pie/cake with lime curd were very tasty! The dishes were good in portion and also in price. It was very busy at the cash register, because everyone in a large group wanted to pay for us separately. We therefore had to wait 10/15 minutes at the cash register. Perhaps this can be arranged differently next time. Other than that it was a great evening. We will come back soon to taste other dishes from the menu.

Nachos were cold and small plate and for the main course we are waiting more than an hour and I ask, when will our food come, and the waiter (woman) said, "very rude" ..yes eh! We are full! 😕 Not so nice to celebrate the birthday of my sister-in-law and mother-in-law... I hope the main course is still warm.. The cocktails were tasty, compliments to the bartender.

What a cozy restaurant with delicious food and drinks. The staff was super friendly. We had a birthday girl in our midst and had submitted a request for a small surprise, the table was decorated with balloons and streamers and she had fireworks in her dessert, which was brought out by the staff while singing. All in all highly recommended!

Something has changed. For me, Popocatepetl was one of those restaurants where the menu had been the same for 30 years, you had your favorite dishes that you especially went for. That's no longer the case... It's a bit of a shame. End of an era

This was fun, very unusual but very tasty food.

Lovely ambience, great service and a range of food choices! HIGHLY recommend

Cozy atmosphere and friendly and correct service. The Margarita is highly recommended! A small point of criticism would be that some Mexican dishes are a bit on the bland side. Maybe put something on the table so that it can be made a little spicier or spicier? A hot sauce or something. Furthermore, a pleasant business where we like to come.

I thought the food was fine, but I thought the service was absolutely great! Miguel did an amazing job! Really loved his vibe✨ Thank you for the great time and service!!

Expensive, little, and Mexican atmosphere only the decoration.

Delicious food, sitting well together. Definitely recommended.

If you have children with allergies or intolerances, either be very alert or don't go here. The information on the children's menu is very limited. We ordered nachos without cream from the children's menu. As a second children's dish we had enchiladas with chicken. No cream was indicated on the enchiladas, but we still got a generous dollop of cream on the taco. Despite our previous instruction of no cream with the nachos due to allergies. Too bad there was also avocado spread on it. I would have preferred to see it separately. The avocado was also not indicated on the children's menu The enchiladas were quite small, and came with lots of rice and salad. I personally ordered fajitas with vegetables and cheese. Very tasty in terms of taste, only relatively small tacos and lots of filling. In short, it's a shame about the brief description of the children's menu and the ratio was missing among the dishes. Tastes good.

I always enjoy every food I try here.

We had a fantastic meal in this cozy restaurant on the Oude Haven, the staff was very friendly and the surprise dessert from the Chef was also delicious. In short, we had a great afternoon/evening. Thank you!!!

Delicious food! Cozy atmosphere. Definitely recommended.

Nice place on the cozy old harbour. Despite the understaffing of the staff who were working very hard, the help was super friendly and attentive. Enjoyed the sangria, burritos, spare ribs and cheesecake. Had a great evening!

Definitely not tasty, the service was great, but only come here if you don't know what spices to put on chicken

Not what it used to be. Mediocre quality and quantity. I had the enchiladas, 1 with vegetables and 1 with Mexican stew. I have no idea what kind of stew it was, but there were a lot of veins and blobs of fat in it and even a piece of bone. Was it shank or oxtail meat? It tasted a bit strange. It was just 2 small enchilada rolls and a mini bowl of salad and some rice. Disappointing and not what I'm used to from this place.

Fajitas taken with steak, tough cuts, little meat for the price. It all took a very long time too. We were put at table four with 5 people, so there was little space. The vegetarian option was not tasty, so I would politely say not to eat it. The churros dried out bite

We had a great evening. The chef gave us a tour and the food was delicious. We enjoyed it... And to top it all off, we were the first to enjoy the very latest dessert. Mr. Adam chef we will be back soon!

Asya was such a kind and lovely server, looked after us & gave great service. The food was delicious - definetly recommend!!

A nice place for a casual dinner, good price/quality ratio and overall good atmosphere. The food came in quite big portions and was pretty tasty. The service was super friendly and kind and we definitely enjoyed eating here. The pulled pork nachos were delicious and an amazing appetizer.

The margaritas are great!!! We enjoyed the Mexican food: tacos, quesadillas and enmoladas... Will definitely come back here 😍

My first visit to the restaurant was fantastic! The food was delicious and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. I immediately felt welcome. Definitely a place to come back!

Not what it used to be, but fine for a quick bite.

I was there with my girlfriend for a date night, and the experience was amazing! With a cozy atmosphere, quality service from the staff, good food and affordable prices! Even the chef came to my table, and gave us some reccomendations on the menu! I will be there again for sure, the next time I'm in Rotterdam! Thanks Popo!

This was my first time eating Mexican food and I loved it! The view next to the water with all the lights at night, make it very romantic at night, and its perfectly located in the old harbour next to the city center. I really enjoyed the "Torta de queso" and the delicious desert "cheesecake dulce de leche"! I will definately be back again!

Slightly disappointed. We expected better according to the reviews. Drinks were tasty and arrived quickly to the table. Nachos were not very flavoursome and stuck together with hard cheese. We were surprised that the veggie burritos came with the sour cream, guacamole and rice on the side and not within the burrito. Sadly the restaurant was rather cold. Staff were friendly and service was good.

The food is OK without being fantastic. The servers are friendly but the dishes are dropped twice, causing dirt on the guests' clothes. The atmosphere is nice.

Food was very good and a nice selection. Service was very good and it's located right on the water. Reconvene for dinner

The food was good. We were in a small group including a Mexican chef and even he raved about the food. If desired, the fajita could be ordered made of corn flour instead of standard wheat flour. Chili sauce was also added upon request. Overall, both food and service were good. Definitely recommended.

After we got our drinks it took half an hour until someone came to ask if we were coming to eat something. After this we spent another half hour on the food that had a hair in it. Furthermore, it was tasty but poor service.

Had dinner here with friends on a Friday evening. Atmospheric tent with friendly, attentive staff. There was plenty of choice on the menu and wine list. Delicious and enjoyable food, highly recommended!

Enjoyed a delicious dinner for two last Saturday. What friendly staff! Beforehand we had the fried cauliflower florets (sooo tasty) and dips. Then the steak, perfectly cooked for both. Add a good bottle of good wine and you're done. Enjoyed the atmosphere. Now we understand why it is always full. We will definitely come back!

Cozy place. Unfortunately got the wrong right. Highly recommended.

Atmospheric location, both outside and inside 👍 The food was well prepared. It was clear that effort had gone into this. I didn't necessarily find the taste overwhelming in the sense that I would say "you know where to go!!". But that doesn't change the fact that the food was absolutely fine and tasty. That's why I'm not a Mexican food fanatic. Nachos pork ☆5.0/5 recommended! Nachos beef ☆ 5.0/5 recommended! Quesadillas ☆ 4.5/5 tasty but not enough Enchiladas Stew ☆ 4.0/5 tasty but burrito was better Burrito ☆ 4.0/5 tasty meal, not "blown away" Cheesecake ☆5/5 recommended For those wondering: no dish is very spicy. My girlfriend doesn't like spicy food and she found it all very tasty. Friendly staff too!

Delicious food, nice atmosphere!

Very tasty food, friendly service and nice music

We were here with a fairly large group. At first we had two separate tables, which we could later put together, which was nice. Taking the drinks went quickly, but serving them took longer. We had various dishes from the group menu at the table. The starter consisted of all kinds of separate dishes to share. This was a lot of fun. The main courses were quite tasty, they lacked some Mexican twists here and there, but they were certainly not bad. The deserts were also tasty.

The food is super tasty, the atmosphere is great both outside and inside. The staff are helpful in explaining the menu. I definitely will try the restaurant again.

Popocatepetl is one of my go-to's for delivery or dining in. Cute spot, diverse menu with fun appetizers, nice drinks, decent prices. I love the chicken wings, the pulled pork nachos, the cauliflower bites, and the jalapeno bitterballen.

The food we ordered was fine, but the steak was quite tough and the cheesecake quite hard compared to other cheesecakes we have had. Other than that, the popo bowl was the tastiest thing I ate. The vannile ice cream was way too sweet. I might come here again, but it was nothing to write home about

Had a great evening at Popocatepl yesterday, with delicious and surprising dishes, the tastiest house wine in Rotterdam (from an unexpected country, Romania I believe) and very nice staff! The girl who helped us (with blonde hair) was really good at her job; cheerful, hospitable and thought along with everything. We chatted afterwards about how much fun it was. Popocatepl is really a wonderful thing! We will be back very soon, hopefully on the beautiful terrace. Edit: learned tonight; The lady at the counter was called Madu. Great class!

Good drinks, well served. The food is delicious although it is more Tex Mex than Mexican. The pleasant atmosphere and the always friendly service, the location is good, you have a relaxing view of a small pier.

Delicious food, friendly staff, great prices, good portions, nice place to sit outside. Overall very happy!

Came with 11 people for our 50th wedding anniversary. If nothing was ready, we were allowed to set the tables properly ourselves. Not a huge problem. Starters very tasty! Everyone satisfied. Main courses, very variable. Steak very small. But that's to be expected with that price. Not a great piece of meat. Chicken really was the driest chicken we had ever had. Very unfortunate. Burgers very dry. Enchiladas are good. It all looked good otherwise. Little alcohol in Margerita and half full chocolate milk. Maybe they were too busy tonight.

Super cozy place, delicious food. Only thing; It would be nice if there were reservations on the reserved tables. The sign that indicates a place for you is easy to miss, at least by us. And we were sent twice from our own chosen table because it turned out to be reserved. That was a less pleasant start. But...that was soon forgotten. 😊

Fantastic place on the water and what delicious food. Keep it up!

Lovely spot on the water. Food is tasty and what a nice staff. We had a half-Italian waitress who was very friendly and served us very well. Definitely another reason to come back soon! Thanks for a pleasant evening

Very friendly staff and a cozy place! Great enmoladas and tapachula. Had a great time with family!

Nice place, friendly staff. The pulled pork nachos were very tasty. However, the rest of the food was disappointing; it didn't have much flavor except salt.

Delicious food for a reasonable price. The interior decoration could be a bit more cozy

Nice dinner with some bachelors.

What particularly impressed us about the restaurant was the friendly and helpful staff! Especially on warm summer days, the outdoor area is very nice and you have a great view. Our food was very good, so we were completely satisfied with our first holiday evening in Rotterdam.

Unfortunately we didn't particularly like it. We sat in a kind of passageway to the toilet, even though we had a reservation. Service was good. The food, on the other hand, was not convincing at all. The vegetarian burritos were hardly seasoned, only the strong cinnamon taste was very annoying. That was very unpleasant. Everything else was bland, even heavy salting didn't help. The enchiladas were clear and a little better because of the chicken, but not good either. Unfortunately, if you're looking for Mexican food, you won't find it here. A pity.

Quite overrated. The food was bland, not authentic at all. The dishes we had were on the dry side and every kind of sauce costs extra. The corn on the cob was regular European sweet corn, not Mexican. All in all hardly any flavor. Not much atmosphere either, it's just another restaurant.

Very good service, solid prices, cozy atmosphere and very, very tasty spare ribs. I can only warmly recommend the restaurant to everyone. The cocktail prices in particular are in the lower normal range for Rotterdam. The nachos are also highly recommended and super tasty. I will gladly come again!

Delicious food, worth repeating Air conditioning could be a little less

Best mexican food I’ve ever had. Special thanks to the chef making our experience unique by coming to our table and talking to us. Very authentic design. Best margaritas in the city!

Very nice, hospitable tent in a lively location! The food was delicious and the prices were good. Lovely staff who did everything they could to give us a good spot because we had made a reservation. Highly recommended!

1. Waitresses uninterested and unbelievably slow. I expect service whereby I receive a knife and fork to eat food but I had to get it myself and on top of that waiting for more than 15 minutes for 2 soda’s is ridiculous. It wasn’t even rush hour for them. 2. I’ve never had spare ribs in my life before that tasted so bad. I don’t know who runs the kitchen but the skin from the ribs were dry af. Disappointed as it may be the food in general was mediocre I left my ribs (that never happened before). Bad job guys!

Delicious food and nice spontaneous service. I will definitely come back here again!

Food was delicious and served really quickly

Very nice place, especially if you sit in the terrace with the beautiful views of Oude Haven. Tasty food and big portions. Super friendly and attentive staff. There was some delay with our main dishes but they were kind enough to offer us complementary drinks and nachos while waiting. Very much appreciated.

The staff was friendly but obviously understaffed. Took more than one hour for us to get our food, and it wasn’t even so full in the restaurant. When it finally arrived the salmon was undercooked and one wrong order. The staff tried to do the best out of the situation but all in all the quality of the food was pretty bad. And I don’t understand how it takes such a long time to make 5 dishes that truly ain’t anything special. Could have made a better version myself in 1/4 of the time it took them

Beautiful location, very friendly b3service, food was great

Nice full tent and good food...almost real Mexican 👍

Starter and dessert were fine, but I have had better enchiladas at this restaurant in the past

Delicious food, generous portions, friendly staff, perfect atmosphere for small and large groups

Waited 1hour for food… Food was also not warm and we didn’t not receive good service

Very tasty, great portions and amazing atmosphere. Pleasantly surprised, would recommend!

Very nice restaurant in a beautiful location. Good food, quick service, and Margarita was a great one.