There’s a word that you really need to know when you come to Mazatlan.

Well, to be fair, there are likely many Spanish words you would be well-served to know throughout Mexico. Si. Cervesas. Por Favor. El bano.

But in Mazatlan, you really should be aware of the word mariscos, or in English, seafood.

Mazatlan’s coast is a bounty of delicious seafood, especially shrimp (or, if you prefer it in the mother tongue—camarones).

In fact, the city is the shrimp capital of the world, shipping more than 40,000 tonnes of the succulent shellfish per year.

And a delicious place to dive into Mazatlan’s stellar seafood status is Cuchupetas, a homey, unfussy joint known for its dishes from the sea.

Where to Find Cuchupetas

Cuchupetas (pronounced coo-choo-pay-tas) is actually just outside of Mazatlan’s city limits, in a small town of about 6,000 people called Villa Union.

To get here, you can either opt to take a cab or the bus. Either way, make sure to check with either your hotel’s front desk or locals.

They’ll know how much a cab fare should be, so that you can negotiate a fair rate.

And they’ll also be able to direct you to the correct bus route.

All in the Family Style

When I arrived at Cuchupetas’ salmon pink building with splashy logo on the side, I admit that I wondered, “Is this it?”

My guide had already told me that the restaurant could accommodate 300 people. The building just didn’t look that big.

But once I walked through the plain aluminum front door, I realized there was much more to Cuchupetas than what appeared.

The restaurant is actually a sprawling single-storey house, with each room converted into dining rooms. Think just about the complete opposite of open concept. (There’s also another dining room across the street).

As my friendly server guided me to my table, I felt like I was walking through someone’s home.

After passing through several rooms, each packed with groups of diners happily feasting away, I finally got to a long table in one of the far rooms.

The décor was simple and unfussy, with solid wooden tables and chairs made in nearby Concordia, and plastic covering white tablecloths.

Pictures of celebs (including former Mexican President Vincente Fox) and other notable diners, along with old-school pictures of Mazatlan and Villa Union, adorned the pink, white and yellow stucco walls.

Seafood Spectacular

Mariscos, as already covered, is king here: Cuchupetas has more than 40 seafood dishes on the menu.

Scallops, shrimp, crayfish, lobster, oysters, tuna—you name it, this place has it.

I started with the fresh scallops—a sizeable heaping of just-about-raw scallops sprinkled with salt, on a plate with slices of red onion and cucumber (about 120 pesos, or $12).

Dipping them in La Guacamaya (one of the six piquante sauces on the table), I sighed blissfully at the pure, fresh taste of the scallops.

Any scallop past its prime would taste fishy. But there’s no worry here—the scallops, plucked from the Baja waters north of Mazatlan, were as fresh as can be. Delish.

I was creeping closer to being stuffed, but I forged on (purely in the interest of research, of course).

I decided to try the crayfish, house-style (85 pesos, or about $9). The shellfish had been grilled to perfection, then smothered in a garlicky, creamy sauce. Oh. my.

Taking a fresh tortilla from the pile that had been dropped off at the table, I ripped off a piece and grabbed bits of crayfish, making sure to scoop up globs of this sinful sauce.

The Final Say

On my next trip to Mazatlan, I should—nay, I must—try the house-style shrimp.

And the marlin tacos. And the shrimp diablo (a spicy sauce). And the pan-fried whole fish.

Having been open for more than 20 years, owner Manuel Sanchez Villarpando has had ample opportunity to expand Cuchupetas with locations in Mazatlan.

But when his restaurant is full day after day with hungry locals and visitors here in Villa Union, he figures, why not just stay here?

Cuchupetas is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., so come early if you’re looking for supper. Note: this restaurant is cash-only. 

Video

Check out this video we found on YouTube that gives you a sense of what it's like inside Cuchupetas.