Is The Kanan Jungle Rooftop Restaurant Better Than Azulik?
kanan jungle nests & rooftop bar
Location
From the street the bar at Kanan is relatively unassuming, blending in with all the other bohemian jungle exteriors lining the heart of the hotel zone in Tulum. Anywhere else in the world the entranceway would demand attention, but in Tulum, the bar at Kanan looked like one of the many bamboo-clad places to enjoy a drink amongst the backdrop of the jungle. That’s why the initial invite from one of Kanan’s hotel hosts to come upstairs for a minimum spend of $150USD per person was originally balked at. Tulum is littered with beautiful places to enjoy a sunset drink, surely this bar couldn’t be so spectacular that we would need to spend $300USD to see it.
The host confidently convinced us that Kanan has a rooftop you can’t miss. After reviewing the dinner menu, and driven by our fear of missing out, we decided to give it a shot. We cautiously made our way through a winding labyrinth of bamboo elevations and the ceiling above us began to open up. The light began to reveal the spectacularly designed treetop setting of the restaurant, nestled in amongst lush jungle foliage.
Atmosphere
As we regained composure and agreed the view on its own was well worth the minimum spend amount, we were ushered to our table. We could hear the waves of the beach crashing in the distance and as the sun began to slowly descend behind the clouds, a violinist appeared at a podium in front of us. This was one of those magical moments that will be burned into my memory forever. The romantic sound of the violinist playing, while being basked in the warm glowing sunset, tropical fragrance floating through the balmy jungle air. As I sipped my refreshing cucumber G&T I began to wonder whether life could get any better than this moment. Turns out it could.
Food
The food was to die for. Light, fresh, and full of flavor. We opted for the pork belly, spicy tuna & jalapeno sushi roll, as well as some grilled prawns. Everything we ordered was perfectly cooked, and we won’t hesitate to recommend any of these dishes to our readers. The delivery of the dishes and service was on point, and the waiter politely catered to our dietary requirements throughout the experience, providing great suggestions for substitutes when required. The starters and mains were so good that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity for desert. we ordered a creme brulee to share. It was flawless. The top was lightly charred with a delicate layer of crunchy caramel, served on top of soft creamy custard. We left feeling full, happy, and thinking about when we would be able to book our next visit.
Final Verdict
The Kanan jungle nest and rooftop bar is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, well worth the 150USD minimum spend per person.
It’s great for:
Couples looking to celebrate a special occasion,
A romantic location for a proposal or engagement
An intimate dinner.
You can reach out to Kanan hotel to check entertainment and restaurant bookings via their virtual assistant on their website here.
If you are thinking of staying at Kanan check out our review of their beach club in our guide to Tulum’s best beach clubs
Read more about dining in Tulum