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$ | Laguna Hills |
Fronted by miles of secluded East Cape beach, this casual seaside cantina (with cheap cervezas) gets rave reviews from locals who make the 10-minute drive out of San José del Cabo. The palapa restaurant serves reasonably priced seafood entrées, such as coconut shrimp; breakfast burritos; hefty build-your-own burgers; and house flan. Indeed, this custardlike dessert could easily be enough for two or three—try it with a shot of Kahlúa poured over the top. Also, Sunday breakfast is a big hit.
Old East Cape Rd., San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Giant burritos
- Coconut shrimp with piña colada dipping sauce
- Laid-back bar with sandy floor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Aug. and Sept. No dinner Sun, Cash only
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$ | |
Not far from hotels, restaurants, and important downtown sights, this small café is a great place to recharge with a morning espresso, chai, or smoothie, along with great pastries. Wi-Fi is available here, so you can catch up on your email. Credit cards are accepted.
Esquerro at Calle 16 de Septiembre, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000, Mexico
Known For
- Great pastries
- Wi-Fi available
- Centrally located
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon.
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$$ | |
Omelets, bagels, granola, and whole-grain breads delight the breakfast crowd at this casual small eatery; deli sandwiches, fresh salads, and an array of burritos, tamales, and flautas (fried tortillas rolled around savory fillings) are lunch and dinner highlights. Check for fresh seafood on the daily specials board. Gourmet pizzas, pasta, and steak are also available.
Calle Centenario 33, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, 23305, Mexico
Known For
- Delicious deli sandwiches
- Gourmet pizzas and pastas
- Daily seafood specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, No dinner Mon. Closed last two weeks of Sept.
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$ | Marina San Lucas |
In addition to its great selection of beer and wines, as well as organic and frozen foods, healthy and low-calorie offerings, and cheese, this corner shop carries familiar products and brands from the United States. A second location has been added at The Shoppes at Palmilla.
Blvd. Marina at Camino del Cerro, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Excellent prices
- Extensive beer and wine selection
- Healthy and organic options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun
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$$ | Centro |
Lobster's the thing here, but daily specials like surf-and-turf combos round out the list. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this typical Mexican sit-down locale has a happy hour that runs from 8 am to 6 pm—and prices are super cheap. You can get a lobster tail with rice and beans for 14 bucks; El Charro tequila shots are a mere 20¢; and Don Julio tequila shots are less than $3. As you sit under the open-air palapa enjoying this feast fit for a king, strolling mariachis will pass by, providing your dining soundtrack.
Hidalgo at Zapata, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- Excellent people-watching
- Open-air dining
- Incredibly cheap and generous food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Sept
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | |
Dining at Deckman’s is like stepping into the quintessential Pinterest photo, replete with an open-air kitchen, straw floor, and wooden tables adorned with wildflowers. As if the chirping birds, adobe structure, soft jazz, and vineyard views weren’t enough, you’ll find a revolving menu built around seasonable products from the neighboring Mogor Ranch. Exclusively for Deckman’s are fresh eggs, lamb, olive oil, and all things green that travel 0 kilometers from the farm to your plate. The seven-course tasting menu ($70) may highlight foie gras, oyster tacos, grilled quail, beet gazpacho, and enough veggies to justify that berry pie. Complementing the cuisine are wines from Mogor Badan or artisanal beers from Agua Mala. Don’t expect to see a freezer, plastic bottles, or soft drinks for that matter, since every item is local, organic, unprocessed, and as natural as they come. The best part of the restaurant is Drew Deckman himself, an unpretentious chef and true ambassador for the Slow Food movement. Late diners should arrive early since this romantic spot closes at 8 pm.
Carretera Ensenada–Tecate, Km 85.5, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- One of best restaurants in Mexico
- Farm-to-table experience
- Artisanal-ranch menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast. Closed Tues. and Wed
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$$$$ | Playa El Médano |
One of the more upscale choices near hectic Médano Beach, Edith's is the sister restaurant to popular The Office on the Beach. The Caesar salad and flambéed banana crepes are prepared table-side at this colorful and popular restaurant. Wally's Special, which includes lobster, shrimp, and fish, is also a popular menu item. The focus here is on Mexican ingredients—quesadillas feature Oaxacan cheese and are filled with seasonal zucchini flowers; meat and fish dishes are doused in local chili or tropical fruit sauces. Edith's air-conditioned wine room offers a large selection of domestic and imported wines and is ideal for hosting small intimate dinner parties of up to 10 people. Families dine in early evening, so come in later if you're looking for a less crowded experience.
Camino a Playa El Médano, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- Wally's Special
- Wine cellar for small private parties
- Focus on Mexican ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | 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
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$$ | |
This restaurant is the malecón location of its affiliate restaurant El Bismark, also in La Paz.
Alvaro Obregón, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000, Mexico
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$$ | 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
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$ | 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
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$$$ | |
A dark, wood-paneled restaurant with leather booths, Mexican antiques, and a large central fireplace, this is one of Rosarito's oldest eateries, and the best in town for atmosphere. Diners unimpressed with newer, fancier places come here for grilled venison, lamb, and quail from the owner's farm in the Baja wine country. Made-to-order tortillas, salsa, and margaritas are remarkably fresh. Farm-grown mangos, strawberries, and melons are infused into simple syrups for cocktails. They serve organic vegetables, have a delicious flan, and offer wine tastings in their small damp cellar. Ask for a table on the back patio where potted plants and a waterfall make a pleasant setting in the charming greenhouse.
Benito Juárez 67, Rosarito, Baja California Norte, 22710, Mexico
Known For
- Tortillas made table-side
- Strong margaritas
- Charming patio
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$$$$ | |
It's well known that Las Ventanas is one of the best hotels in Mexico, and the on-site dining likewise does not disappoint. A diverse Mexican menu pays homage to the country's culinary traditions, with a focus on family recipes. Highlights include seared octopus with mole chichilo, poblano chili stuffed with seafood, and kurobuta pork with puréed corn. For a social appetizer, start with the "Taco Experience," a customized taco bar for two served on a rotating turntable. If you haven't already blown through your dinner budget, order the tiramisu, eclair, or mango crumble. There's live music nightly, and private cooking demonstrations in the Rosewood herb garden (by reservation).
Carretera Transpeninsular, Km 19.5, The Corridor, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Gourmet tacos
- Traditional Mexican dishes from around the country
- Nightly live music
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | 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
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$$ | |
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
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$ | Centro |
The scent of fresh-baked French baguettes and a picture-perfect display of croissants, éclairs, colorful candies, and ice creams greet you at this café-bistro just off San José del Cabo's main square. In the creperie area, the cook tucks delicate crepes around eggs and cheese, ground beef and onions, or shrimp and pesto. If you choose to eat in, salads, and other standard fare are offered. The patisserie has a well-designed drink menu of fine wines and tequilas and a full list of organic coffee and tea-based drinks.
Manuel Doblado at Av. Hidalgo, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Organic local coffee
- Chocolate truffles
- Scrumptious breakfast crepes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | 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
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$$ | 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
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$$$ | Marina San Lucas |
For a good steak in a rustic atmosphere accented by wood tables and leather stools, head to La Casa Country. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with sports games playing on oversize TVs in the background, La Casa is the spot for toothsome carne at reasonable prices, and a wide variety of Mexican fare. The establishment is set against the bustling backdrop of the marina's many boats.
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23453, Mexico
Known For
- Marina views
- Abundant steak options
- Generous breakfast menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | |
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
