-
$$ | |
Dining at Deckman’s is like stepping into the quintessential Pinterest photo, replete with an open-air kitchen, straw floor, and wooden tables adorned with wildflowers. As if the chirping birds, adobe structure, soft jazz, and vineyard views weren’t enough, you’ll find a revolving menu built around seasonable products from the neighboring Mogor Ranch. Exclusively for Deckman’s are fresh eggs, lamb, olive oil, and all things green that travel 0 kilometers from the farm to your plate. The seven-course tasting menu ($70) may highlight foie gras, oyster tacos, grilled quail, beet gazpacho, and enough veggies to justify that berry pie. Complementing the cuisine are wines from Mogor Badan or artisanal beers from Agua Mala. Don’t expect to see a freezer, plastic bottles, or soft drinks for that matter, since every item is local, organic, unprocessed, and as natural as they come. The best part of the restaurant is Drew Deckman himself, an unpretentious chef and true ambassador for the Slow Food movement. Late diners should arrive early since this romantic spot closes at 8 pm.
Carretera Ensenada–Tecate, Km 85.5, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- One of best restaurants in Mexico
- Farm-to-table experience
- Artisanal-ranch menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast. Closed Tues. and Wed
-
$$$$ | Playa El Médano |
One of the more upscale choices near hectic Médano Beach, Edith's is the sister restaurant to popular The Office on the Beach. The Caesar salad and flambéed banana crepes are prepared table-side at this colorful and popular restaurant. Wally's Special, which includes lobster, shrimp, and fish, is also a popular menu item. The focus here is on Mexican ingredients—quesadillas feature Oaxacan cheese and are filled with seasonal zucchini flowers; meat and fish dishes are doused in local chili or tropical fruit sauces. Edith's air-conditioned wine room offers a large selection of domestic and imported wines and is ideal for hosting small intimate dinner parties of up to 10 people. Families dine in early evening, so come in later if you're looking for a less crowded experience.
Camino a Playa El Médano, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- Wally's Special
- Wine cellar for small private parties
- Focus on Mexican ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Centro |
The original Bismark is a bit out of the way, but it attracts families who settle down for hours at long wooden tables, while telenovelas (Latin American soap operas) play on the TV above the bar. Tuck into seafood cocktails, enormous grilled lobsters, or carne asada served with beans, guacamole, and homemade tortillas. Seafood tacos and micheladas are specialties at the malecón location, called Bismark-cito.
Av. Degollado at Calle Altamirano, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000, Mexico
Known For
- Seafood cocktails
- Long dining experience
- Good for families
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | |
This restaurant is the malecón location of its affiliate restaurant El Bismark, also in La Paz.
Alvaro Obregón, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000, Mexico
-
$$ | La Poza |
For those fortunate enough to stay at the sumptuous Posada La Poza just outside town, lunch at its equally lovely restaurant will be one of the highlights of your Los Cabos vacation. Owners Juerg and Libusche Wiesendanger call their offerings "Swiss-Mex"—Mexican food with European touches and careful attention to detail. Start with the vegetarian-based tortilla soup with three different types of dried chilies to give it just enough kick. Then sample the smoked-tuna flautas, quesadillas with chicken or shrimp, or marinated arrachera (flank steak) strips. You'll find dishes such as lamb shoulder in winter. Believe it or not, there is enough of an evening chill in the air that time of year that dining next to the fireplace feels cozy. Top your meal off with a sorbet, flan, or mousse, and possibly the best selection of wines in the region (all Mexican from northern Baja's Guadalupe Valley).The restaurant is open to hotel guests for breakfast (included in the room rate) and lunch; with dinner available by request from Sunday to Thursday. The restaurant is no longer open to the public, save for groups of six or more who reserve at least 48 hours in advance.
Camino a La Poza 282, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, 23305, Mexico
Known For
- Swiss-Mex cuisine
- For hotel guests only, except to parties of six or more with 48 hours notice
- Dinner on request five nights per week
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$ | Marina |
This two-story palapa restaurant, named “The Drunken Sailor,” is always packed with locals and tourists alike. It’s no wonder: the location across from the marina is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while enjoying a ginger mint mojito or tamarind margarita. Several dishes feature unexpected Vietnamese and Costa Rican influences, such as the panko-crusted fish taco with ginger cream and the shrimp enchilada with coconut pineapple sauce and fried plantains. The shrimp burger on homemade bread comes with chili lime fries and pairs well with an ice cold michelada (salt-rimmed Mexican beer with lime, spices, and hot sauce). Timid palates must overcome any hesitation and try the best dessert in Los Cabos: the avocado-lime chocolate cream pie on graham cracker crust.
Puerto Los Cabos, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23200, Mexico
Known For
- Unique ceviches menu
- Best Los Cabos dessert: avocado-lime chocolate cream pie
- Sunset view
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Mon
-
$$$ | |
A dark, wood-paneled restaurant with leather booths, Mexican antiques, and a large central fireplace, this is one of Rosarito's oldest eateries, and the best in town for atmosphere. Diners unimpressed with newer, fancier places come here for grilled venison, lamb, and quail from the owner's farm in the Baja wine country. Made-to-order tortillas, salsa, and margaritas are remarkably fresh. Farm-grown mangos, strawberries, and melons are infused into simple syrups for cocktails. They serve organic vegetables, have a delicious flan, and offer wine tastings in their small damp cellar. Ask for a table on the back patio where potted plants and a waterfall make a pleasant setting in the charming greenhouse.
Benito Juárez 67, Rosarito, Baja California Norte, 22710, Mexico
Known For
- Tortillas made table-side
- Strong margaritas
- Charming patio
-
$$ | Centro |
From its chateaubriand bouquetière to the savory chicken chipotle cooked with brandy, port wine, and cream, this classy French restaurant has been family-owned since 1947. Louis XIV–style furnishings and an attentive staff make it both comfortable and elegant. In addition, the restaurant pays tribute to its heritage with family photographs that line the hallways, starting with a portrait of founder Doña Pepita. As the oldest French restaurant in Mexico, it's also considered one of the top of the pack with more than 10 Five Diamond Awards. Impressive preparations of Caesar salad, crêpes Suzette, and café flambé create a show at your table. For larger parties, request one of the three private rooms modeled after Paris and the Palace of Versailles. The sidewalk tables are a perfect place to dine and people-watch. The small café in the front sells pastries that are made on the premises.
Av. López Mateos 1000, Ensenada, Baja California Norte, 22800, Mexico
Known For
- French pastries
- Table-side Caesar salad
- First-rate service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | |
From the moment you see guests clinking glasses atop wine-barrel towers, you know you’re in for a memorable dining experience. On the edge of sprawling vineyards, this rustic setting under tin roofs has a seasonal menu to match. Chef Javier Plascencia is famous for his mesquite wood–fired favorites like quail with chard and polenta or beef-cheek tacos. The homemade sausages and slow-cooked lamb come with sizzling sides on cast-iron skillets. If you’re just looking for a starter with a view, try the oysters, chocolate clams, or ahi tostadas with jicama kimchi. By day this alfresco spot is a family favorite, and by night romance kicks in with fire bowls illuminating grapevines creeping toward the sky. Finca Altozano is just one branch of the family tree made up of several businesses—including four eateries, a café, shop, hotel, and farm—all within the property.
Carretera Tecate–Ensenada, Km 83, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte, 22750, Mexico
Known For
- Regional ingredients
- Oak-grilled quail
- Famous wine-barrel towers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast
-
$ | Centro |
If you're looking for some entertainment to go along with your tacos or tortas (sandwiches), listen for the blaring Beatles' tunes at Gordo Lele's, then watch owner Javier Reynoso don his Beatles wig and sing along to "I Want to Hold Your Hand" or "Let It Be." The walls here are filled with Fab Four photos and album covers. Javier's tacos and tortas are made with loving care, and his fans can have two or three ham-and-cheese tortas for what would be the price of one anywhere else, plus an assortment of generously sized tacos.
Matamoros, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- Delicious affordable tortas
- Generously sized tacos
- Beatles decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards
-
-
$$ | Centro |
Celebrity chef Tadd Chapman and partner Miguel Guerrero joined forces to re-launch this traditional Mexican restaurant in its new location and with fresh new culinary techniques. Opt for lunch specialties of octopus tacos and black scallop ceviche, and for dinner, try the seafood risotto, or the grilled NY strip with habanero chimichurri. Exceptional breakfasts—ranging from stuffed French toast to eggs Benedict prepared five ways—are served from 8 to noon for about $10.
Jose Maria Morelos 134, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Known For
- Home-baked banana zucchini bread
- Guacamole with chapulines (grasshoppers)
- Octopus tacos
-
$$$ | Marina San Lucas |
For a good steak in a rustic atmosphere accented by wood tables and leather stools, head to La Casa Country. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with sports games playing on oversize TVs in the background, La Casa is the spot for toothsome carne at reasonable prices, and a wide variety of Mexican fare. The establishment is set against the bustling backdrop of the marina's many boats.
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23453, Mexico
Known For
- Marina views
- Abundant steak options
- Generous breakfast menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | |
Seafood soup and grilled fish are options at the "House of Lobster," but clearly the lobster, fried Puerto-Nuevo style, is the star. This is one of the best spots in town to try the deep-fried recipe created by Susana Diaz Plascencia in 1956; otherwise, try their fresh lobster steamed or stewed with seafood and salsa inside a traditional molcajete stone. Most wooden tables in the large dining room are covered with platters of fried or grilled lobster and all the standard accompaniments like rice, beans and paper-thin flour tortillas. Start with the clam chowder or jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon. The medium-sized lobsters tend to be a bit more flavorful than the larger ones. There's an actual wine list here, and it has several Baja wines. On a hot day opt for the tart margaritas.
Av. Renteria 3, Km 44, Puerto Nuevo, Baja California Norte, 22716, Mexico
Known For
- Fresh marlin soup
- Large portions
- Lobster prepared five different ways
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Centro |
This popular Italian restaurant right in the center of San José on the town's zócalo (square) is known for authentic and affordable Italian fare. Locals and visitors alike flock to this reasonably priced perennial favorite for antipasti and wood-fired-oven pizzas, a never-ending selection of pastas, and steaks and seafood dishes. The homemade beef ravioli with four-cheese sauce is to die for. Reservations are necessary on Thursdays after the Art Walk. Another outpost can be found in Cabo San Lucas.
Av. Zaragoza at Av. Hidalgo, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Authentic Northern Italian cuisine
- Handmade pizza baked with mesquite wood
- Great Caesar salad
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon
-
$ | Centro |
Massive globes of 15 types of margaritas and a Mexican guitarist singing American covers makes this a magnet for tourists, but it also draws locals. If you're looking for cheap and delicious Mexican food, you've come to the right place. Tacos stuffed with chorizo, marinated pork, and flank steak pervade the menu, though it's the quesadillas, with fillings like pumpkin flower, poblano pepper and onion, and pork skin that shine. Chilangas, or fried, folded-over quesadillas with melted cheese, also merit the trip, while the volcanoes (hard-shell taco cups filled with cheese and your choice of meat) are not to be missed. The outdoor-garden setting of Las Guacamayas is kitschy, with trees sprouting up from the floor, and Christmas lights strung from branch to branch. Painted murals run along the walls, and wooden chairs surround tables with plastic coverings.
Calle Paseo de los Marinos, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23410, Mexico
Known For
- Outstanding marinated pork tacos
- Great prices
- Live music and outdoor seating
-
-
$$$ | |
Named for its location on the map, this upscale restaurant at El Cielo Vineyards specializes in grilled cuts and Baja-Yucatán cuisine. Suggested El Cielo wines are listed next to each menu item to assure a perfect pairing with dishes baked in annatto, sour orange, and other unique indigenous spices. The pork belly tacos are particularly good, as is the cast-iron octopus bathed in chili oil. The main challenge is deciding between the guava cheesecake or the chocolate ganache pudding. If you come by for lunch, you’ll likely see a hot air balloon or helicopter landing on the lawn right in front of your table. This is one of the most prestigious forms of arrival for weekend wine tasters coming from San Diego.
Parcela 118, Km 7.5, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- Baja-Yucatán fusion
- Certified Angus cuts
- Panoramic views
-
$$$$ | Marina San Lucas |
Gleaming hardwood floors and polished brass give a nautical flair to this second-floor dining room, where fresh lobster is king. Lorenzillo's has long been a fixture in Cancún, where lobster is raised on the company's farm. That Caribbean lobster is shipped to Los Cabos and served in nearly a dozen styles (the simpler preparations—steamed or grilled with lots of melted butter—are best). Menu items are named after pirates and Caribbean marine history: Jean Lafitte is grilled filet mignon; Henry Morgan is broiled yellowfin tuna served with cognac and pink pepper sauce; and El Comodoro is a fillet of Angus beef and lobster tail. The dessert list is lengthy and mouthwatering, and if you're in the mood for a less formal meal, an oyster bar with a limited selection of the same menu sits on the pier near the entrance. Flaming coffee cocktails are another specialty of the house. Try the Xtabentun, which showcases a Mayan liqueur made from rum, anise, and fermented honey.
Av. Cárdenas at Marina, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23410, Mexico
Known For
- Xtabentun cocktail with Mayan liqueur, anise, honey
- Specialty flaming coffee cocktails
- Pirate- and marine-themed entrées
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | |
Locals swear by the mole poblano and chiles en nogada at this pleasant outdoor restaurant. The menu is ambitious and includes several organic, vegetarian options—rare in these parts. At night the place sparkles with star-shaped lights. Take a stroll through the adjoining landscaped desert garden while you wait for your food.
Calle Hidalgo, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, 23305, Mexico
Known For
- Mole poblano and chiles en nogada
- Vegetarian options available
- Adjacent desert garden
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Las Animas Bajas |
A former sugarcane mill dating back to 1888, this quaint restaurant is surrounded by farmland that provides organic fruits and vegetables to many of Cabo’s top eateries. Wildflowers in Mason jars and hand-painted clay dishes set the scene at this rustic spot where the menu is based on the season’s harvest. Start with heirloom-tomato soup and a microgreen salad with tamarind vinaigrette. For something fresh and innovative, try the shrimp tacos on thinly sliced jicama (instead of tortillas) topped with a pineapple salsa. A selection of pizzas, and slow-roasted meats like the pork shank with green mole and baked eggplant, are cooked in a wood-fired oven. One of the secrets to the fine flavors is the homemade herbal oil that is dribbled on breads and meats. A cooking class takes place at 10 and 5, by reservation only.
Calle Animas Baja, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Four-hour cooking classes ($95)
- True farm-to-table dining experience
- Homemade herbal oil on breads and meats
-
$$ | |
With sprawling views of vineyards, this restaurant and open-air kitchen is shaded by a thatched palapa and surrounded by acres of farmland where chef Roberto Alcocer gathers ingredients. Beer, wine, vegetables, fruit, cheese, bread, meat, eggs, honey—nearly everything served is from the on-site farm, making this a true farm-to-table experience. Each plate is a work of art, including the fish tostada with salsa macha and the grilled oyster mushrooms. Fresh fish is adorned with edible flowers, like the catch of the day with black jícama dyed in squid ink. Ten-course tastings are available for $75, which is reasonable considering the quality of the food. The date tart with grappa ice cream is not overly sweet, allowing you to taste the flavors rather than just the sugar.
Carretera Ensenada–Tecate, Km 96, San Antonio de las Minas, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- Locally sourced food
- Tasting menu featuring Mexican flavors
- Baja seafood and ranch-grown foods
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues
