Every night Acapulco's restaurants fill up, and every night you can sample a different cuisine, whether you opt for a small, authentic loncheria (small, family-run café) serving regional favorites or an establishment with the finest international dishes. On the Costera Miguel Alemán there are dozens of beachside eateries with palapa (palm frond) roofs, as well as wildly decorated rib and hamburger joints full of people of all ages who enjoy a casual, sometimes raucous, time. Most places that cater to visitors and locals purify their drinking and cooking water.

Villas Caribe Acapulco Restaurant Selections

Coyuca 22:
Continental, $15 to over $25.  This may well be Acapulco's most beautiful restaurant. You sit gazing down on Doric pillars, statuary, an enormous illuminated obelisk, a small pool, and the bay beyond; it's like eating in a partially restored Greek ruin. Choose from two fixed menus or order à la carte; all dishes are artful. Seafood and prime rib are specialties. Reservations essential. AE, MC, V. No lunch. Closed Apr. 30-Nov. 1. Address: Av. Coyuca 22, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  Phone: 744/482-3468 or 744/483-5030

Baikal:
Contemporary, $10 to over $25.  Modern, ultrachic Baikal is the place to see and be seen. The dining room has a white-on-white color scheme and 12-foot-high windows that frame the sparkling bay; sea-theme short films are shown from time to time on drop-down movie screens. The menu is small but select, with dishes that fuse French, Asian, and Mexican preparations and ingredients. Try the cold cream of cucumber soup spiced with mint and mild jalapeño; the sliced abalone with a chipotle (dried, smoked chilies) vinaigrette is also a good bet. Soft bossa nova and jazz play in the background. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon. May-Nov. No lunch.  Address: Carretera Escénica 16-22, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  Phone: 744/446-6867

Hard Rock Café:
American/Contemporary, $5 to $25.  This link in the international Hard Rock chain is one of Acapulco's most popular spots, among locals as well as visitors. The New York-cut steaks, hamburgers, and brownies, as well as the Southern-style fried chicken and ribs are familiar and satisfying. Taped rock music begins at noon, and a live group starts playing at 11 PM (except Tuesday). AE, MC, V.  Address: Av. Costera Miguel Alemán 37, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  Phone: 744/484-6680

Carlos ‘n’ Charlies:
American/Contemporary, $10 to $25.  A branch of a large and popular chain, Carlos 'n' Charlie's isn't big on authentic Mexican culture, but it is an Acapulco landmark. It also cultivates controlled craziness: prankster waiters, a joke-filled menu, and eclectic decorations. Picture a frat-house party where you don't know your fellow partiers and where the waiters are the hired talent. The crowd is mostly young and relaxed, and the menu straddles the border with ribs, stuffed shrimp, and oysters among the best offerings. AE, MC, V.  Address: Av. Costera Miguel Alemán 112, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  Phone: 744/484-1285 or 744/484-0039

La Cabana:
Seafood, $5 to $25.  In the 1950s this local favorite was a bohemian hangout that attracted renowned bullfighters along with Mexican songwriter Agustín Lara and his lady love, María Félix. You can see their photo over the bar and sample the same dishes that made the place famous back then: baby-shark tamales, seafood casserole, or shrimp prepared with sea salt, curry, or garlic. The restaurant is smack in the middle of Playa Caleta, and there are free lockers for diners who want to take a swim, as well as banana and wave-runner rentals. AE, MC, V.  Address: Playa Caleta Lado Ote. s/n, Fracc. las Playas (a 5-min taxi ride east of town square), Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico  Phone: 744/482-5007

Baja Cantina:
Mexican, $5 to $25.  Hidden in a shopping district downtown (signs point the way), this spotless open-air eatery with pink walls is in a league of its own -- expect beer-hall tables and chairs, colorful Mexican decorations, and photos of Acapulco of yore. The varied menu includes outstanding sopa de tortilla (tortilla soup), chicken mole, and flan. No credit cards. Closed Mon.  Address: Calle Alonso Martín 1721, 2 blocks from Av. Costera Miguel Alemán, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.  Phone: 744/485-7735