El Bunker de JP

Seafood and car washes don’t tend to be the stuff of stellar pairings, but at El Bunker de JP, some of the finest ceviche and sashimi in Puerto Escondido lies hidden behind giant water tanks and soaped-up vehicles.

Wander down a narrow path and you’ll hit an open-air restaurant filled with locals. They’re tucking into lightly spiced, salty-sweet ceviche, chewy pulpo (octopus), and onion-and-cilantro topped tiritas (strips of fish marinated to umami perfection). Everything gets paired with the satisfying crunch of toasted tortillas and washed down with beers (which come in standard 12-ounce or jug-like “mega” sizes), mezcal, or soda. It’s comfortingly informal—with plastic tables and chairs, motorbikes propped up against its perimeter fence, and plants scattered across the dirt floor—but the food far outshines most of the fancier tourist-strip options.

The secret may be out about the once lesser-known surfer haven of Puerto Escondido (its name even means “hidden port”), but this bunker remains a tucked-away treasure.