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Grand Riviera Princess Restaurants & Buffet Guide

This guide is part of our full Grand Riviera Princess review. We travelled as a family of ten — three generations, including grandchildren aged 5 and 7 — and ate our way through the resort over seven nights, comparing notes at the table every evening. With that many opinions, picky eaters and adventurous ones, we got a thorough read on the food. Here’s exactly where to eat, what to order, and what to skip.

Which Grand Riviera Princess restaurant is best?

Across the week we ranked every venue we ate at as a family. Here’s how they stacked up:

Is the buffet at Grand Riviera Princess good?

What impressed us most wasn’t just the selection—it was the consistency. Throughout our seven-night stay, the food was always fresh, well-seasoned, and regularly replenished, so nothing ever felt like it had been sitting under heat lamps for hours. Even after eating there every day, we rarely found ourselves repeating the same meal.

For a family of ten spanning three generations, that’s no small achievement. The five-year-old found familiar favourites, the adventurous eaters tried something new almost every meal, and the grandparents always found dishes they genuinely enjoyed. Nobody ever left disappointed or searching for something else to eat.

By the end of the week, after trying several specialty restaurants, we found ourselves genuinely looking forward to going back to the buffet. That tells you almost everything you need to know.

The Gallery — book this one first

The Gallery was, without question, the standout restaurant of our entire stay. If you’re only booking one specialty dinner, make it this one. The filet mignon was outstanding—perfectly cooked, incredibly tender, and easily one of the best steaks we ate all week. In fact, it was one of the few dishes that genuinely surpassed the buffet. The slow-cooked duck leg was equally memorable, with crisp, golden skin and rich, flavourful meat that practically fell off the bone.

Because The Gallery is widely regarded as one of the resort’s best restaurants, reservations fill quickly. Book it as early in your stay as possible rather than saving it for your last night—you won’t regret it.

The Italian — better than expected

The Italian restaurant ended up being another favourite. It isn’t trying to be authentic Italian, and that’s part of its charm. Instead, it serves creative comfort food done really well. The homemade tortellini soup, with fresh pasta and a rich, comforting broth, was one of the best starters we had anywhere on the resort. The bruschetta was fresh and flavourful, and the lasagna was unlike any traditional version we’ve had—different enough to surprise us, but so good that everyone around the table kept going back for another bite. The wood-fired pizzas were also excellent, coming out with crisp crusts and fresh toppings that made them an easy hit with both the kids and the adults. It’s a relaxed, family-friendly restaurant that we’d happily book again.

The steakhouse — the one to skip

The steakhouse was the only restaurant that left us disappointed. Part of the challenge was the language barrier—our server spoke very little English, which made it difficult to ask questions about the menu or explain exactly how we wanted our steaks prepared.

Unfortunately, the food didn’t make up for it. I ordered my steak rare, expecting a proper sear with a cool centre. Instead, it arrived with almost no sear at all, looking more like a raw piece of beef with a light grey exterior than a properly grilled steak. The cut itself was fairly ordinary, and overall it was one of the weaker meals we had during our stay.

The biggest surprise was that the buffet consistently served better steaks. Freshly grilled to order with a proper crust, they were more flavourful and more enjoyable than what we received at the steakhouse. If you’re craving steak during your stay, I’d recommend ordering the filet mignon at The Gallery or visiting the buffet grill instead. Based on our experience, both delivered a much better steak.

Coffee, desserts and the café

Coffee deserves its own section because it genuinely exceeded our expectations. Breakfast starts with traditional pot coffee at the buffet, served with whole milk rather than cream. It was good, fresh, and exactly what you’d expect with breakfast.

After breakfast, however, the coffee experience becomes much more impressive. Most of the bars around the resort serve proper espresso-based drinks throughout the day, including cappuccinos, lattes, iced coffees, and espresso. The 24-hour sports bar became one of our favourite stops, serving surprisingly good cappuccinos, frappés, and iced coffees at any hour of the day or night.

The real gem, though, is the resort’s café. Beautifully designed with artistic décor, textured plaster walls, comfortable seating, and a cozy atmosphere, it quickly became one of our favourite places to unwind every afternoon. The coffee here was exceptional—rich cappuccinos, creamy iced coffees, expertly prepared espresso drinks, and some of the best specialty coffees we’ve enjoyed at any all-inclusive resort.

The only disappointment was its opening hours. During our stay, the café didn’t open until around 3:00 p.m. and closed around 10:15 p.m. Had it been open in the morning, it genuinely would have been our first stop every single day.

The desserts throughout the resort deserve just as much praise as the coffee. The buffet featured an enormous selection every day, including cakes, cookies, pastries, candies, fresh tropical fruit, ice cream, and countless other sweets that somehow changed often enough to keep everyone interested. The café took things a step further with beautifully presented cakes, delicate pastries, macarons, buttery croissants, chocolatines, and other French-inspired treats that paired perfectly with an afternoon cappuccino.

Even the specialty restaurants finished meals on a high note. We tried everything from crème brûlée and tiramisu to a creative take on a cannoli. It certainly wasn’t an authentic Sicilian cannoli, but it was still delicious in its own right. Across the entire resort, desserts consistently impressed us and were every bit as memorable as the meals themselves.

Drinks and the sports bar

The drinks were excellent throughout our stay, and with bars scattered across the resort, we were never far from our next cocktail or cold drink. Whether we were relaxing at the swim-out pool, one of the main pools, or enjoying the evening entertainment, there was always a nearby bar serving a huge selection of cocktails, beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks.

One thing we particularly appreciated was the pool service. Throughout the day, friendly servers regularly walked around the pools taking drink orders, so we rarely had to leave our loungers. It was a small touch that made the vacation feel even more relaxing, especially during the hottest part of the afternoon.

Frozen margaritas, mojitos, daiquiris, piña coladas, and countless other tropical cocktails quickly became our favourites. The bartenders were generous with the pours without overdoing them, and they were always happy to make recommendations or customize drinks if you wanted something different.

With multiple swim-up bars, pool bars, lobby bars, lounges, and the 24-hour sports bar all included, there was an incredible amount of choice. No matter where we happened to be on the resort, finding a great drink was never more than a short walk away—and we honestly don’t think we were ever thirsty.

Reservations, dress code and dietary needs

Reservations were much easier than we expected. Even travelling as a group of ten, we had no trouble securing tables at the à-la-carte restaurants throughout the week. Reservations are made through the resort’s website, making the process simple and convenient. Availability will naturally vary depending on the season and occupancy, so if you’re travelling during peak periods or with a larger group, it’s still worth booking your preferred restaurants early in your stay. The buffet, café, and 24-hour sports bar don’t require reservations, giving you plenty of flexible dining options.

Another pleasant surprise was the relaxed dress code. Unlike many all-inclusive resorts that require long pants and dress shoes for dinner, Grand Riviera Princess was far more casual during our visit. Shorts, T-shirts, sandals, and flip-flops were all perfectly acceptable at most restaurants, making dinner much less stressful for families returning from a day at the pool.

The resort also does a good job accommodating different dietary needs. We noticed vegan and gluten-free options available throughout the property, including at the buffet, specialty restaurants, and café. Whether you have dietary restrictions or simply prefer plant-based meals, there were enough choices that nobody in our group would have struggled to find something enjoyable.

Things we’d do differently

• Reserve The Gallery on the first day instead of mid-week.
• Skip the steakhouse entirely and rotate between the buffet and The Gallery.
• Spend even more meals at the buffet — it was that good.
• Plan coffee runs around the café’s afternoon hours.
• Learn a few Spanish food phrases to smooth ordering.

Who this is best for

• Families with mixed-age, mixed-taste groups who need variety at every meal
• Large or multi-generational groups who want easy reservations
• Travellers who value a strong buffet over formal dining
• Coffee and dessert lovers

Verdict

The food was one of the strongest parts of our Grand Riviera Princess stay, and the buffet was the headline. Book The Gallery early, lean on the buffet, enjoy the coffee, and don’t bother with the steakhouse — do that and you’ll eat very well all week. For the full picture of the resort, read our complete Grand Riviera Princess review, and if you’re weighing it against other properties, our best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico guide helps.

Grand Riviera Princess food FAQ

Is the buffet or the à-la-carte better at Grand Riviera Princess?

In our experience the buffet was just as good as, and often better than, the specialty restaurants — especially for variety and for the buffet’s fresh-grilled steaks. The Gallery is the one à-la-carte that clearly stands out.

What is the best restaurant at Grand Riviera Princess?

The Gallery, for the filet mignon and duck. If you only book one specialty dinner, make it that one.

How many restaurants does Grand Riviera Princess have?

The wider complex offers two international buffets plus several à-la-carte restaurants (including Italian, a grill/steakhouse, seafood, Mexican and gourmet options), a café, and a 24-hour sports bar. Family Club guests can use the full complex.

Do you need reservations for the restaurants?

The buffet and sports bar don’t require reservations. The à-la-carte restaurants do, but we found them easy to get even as a group of ten — book early in your stay if you’re a large group.

Is there good coffee at Grand Riviera Princess?

Yes — the café served excellent cappuccinos, iced coffees and espresso, with phenomenal desserts. Note it opened in the afternoon during our stay rather than the morning.

Is the steakhouse worth it?

It was our least favourite — our steak arrived badly under-cooked, and the buffet steak was better all week. We’d send steak lovers to The Gallery instead.

Are the restaurants good for kids?

Yes. The buffet is ideal for kids thanks to the variety and dessert selection, and the Italian restaurant’s comfort food went over well with our grandchildren. The sports bar is a fun, casual late-night option.

Is there food available late at night?

Yes — the sports bar offered 24-hour service with pub food and a snack station, which was perfect when someone got hungry again after the evening show.

Is the food good for a large group?

Very. With ten people of different ages and tastes, everyone consistently found something they liked, largely thanks to the buffet’s range.

Was there a language barrier in the restaurants?

Sometimes. A few restaurant staff spoke little English, so ordering occasionally took patience, but everyone was polite and helpful.