There are so many excellent restaurants on Isla Mujeres. These days, I stay for two months, giving me lots of time to visit a lot of places. Writing for this blog and the Isla Mujeres’ Food Facebook group gives me lots of opportunities to eat at a lot of places. I could easily eat three meals a day in a restaurant and still have plenty of places I couldn’t get to. So the competition is stiff. 

There are a couple of places I will frequent more than a few times every trip. One of those places is Fredys Bar and Restaurant. Opened in 1996 by Fredy Poot Ucan, Fredys has become an Isla institution and Fredy has become my dear friend. We met almost 20 years ago. 

 Over the years Fredy has helped my family celebrate all kinds of events. Thankfully he always accommodates our requests for a table of 12 or more of our family and friends.

The year my niece got married on the island there must have been close to 30 of us. Kath & Doug have even had Fredy’s Pork Chop for Christmas dinner at Fredy’s one year. They brought their kids that Christmas and their first grandbaby even had her first solid food at Fredy’s-a pork chop bone!

And in turn, Fredy has always included our family in his Anniversary celebrations. 2026 will mark 30 years and he’s already been busy planning. 

Fredy has not achieved his success alone. His wife Anna is at his side. And you’ll often find his kids pulling shifts to help out.

This particular night that we visited, his youngest Mindy was pulling double duty. Bartending during her break dancing with her troupe for Carnival.

Fredy is famous for his double bone-in pork chop which is grilled to absolute perfection. Photo pending.

His fish and seafood are always fresh. Everything is make from scratch. Or as Fredy would say “not from Costco”!  We have always loved that his mains are served with potatoes and fresh vegetables sautéed in butter.  

So if you’ve yet to visit Fredys, located at the Northern most block of Hidalgo, let me highly recommend it. Not only for the fantastic food and the kick a$$ margaritas but to meet the man himself. He’s quite a character with a heart of gold. 

Insider Tip: Fredy often cooks ribs on Saturdays over peak season.

Kath’s quote: “Although the skills aren’t hard to learn, finding the happiness and finding the satisfaction and finding fulfillment in continuously serving somebody else something good to eat, is what makes a really good restaurant.-Author Unknown

Love never fails.

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