Mazatlan is one of the great seafood cities of the Mexican Pacific. Shrimp comes off the boats year-round and shows up everywhere — grilled, in aguachile, in ceviche tostadas, deep-fried in zarandeado style, or stuffed into a chicharrón de camarón at a street stall. Prices are far lower than in Cabo or Puerto Vallarta for food of similar or better quality.
The Centro Historico and Plazuela Machado are the best ground for a long sit-down dinner. The Zona Dorada has the chain places. For a cheap fix, the marisquerías around the mercado Pino Suárez are the local choice.