6 Best Bars in Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula, Mexico

Popular among the trendy, local crowd, this three-story bar around the corner from Médano serves up some of the very best cocktails in town, handcrafted with fresh ingredients. Thirsty patrons spill out into the street on weekend evenings, but will happily clear the way for you to order a drink.

This cocktail bar is the main "late night" option in Todos Santos, staying open until a whopping 11 pm. Visited primarily by the local expat community, owner and bartender James Katona is happy to chat up new faces as he slings his signature margaritas. Decorated with quirky artifacts that are mostly gifts from regulars, The Dirty Rose is located within the unmarked building with the thatched roof (speakeasy meets tiki bar, anyone?) across from Shut Up Frank's.

Owner Os Navarro is always coming up with original recipes and inventive twists on classic cocktails from behind "the good" bar. There's limited seating here, so try to come early (or prepare to hover) to claim a spot.

As far as posh hotel bars go, it's hard to top the Hilton Los Cabos La Biblioteca (meaning "The Library"), a fancy little bar completely dedicated to the celebration of tequila and mezcal. There's nothing raucous here, just intimate conversation over a Margarita or other agave-based cocktails. Mexican antojitos (small appetizers) and raw snacks provide the perfect complement or you can choose to pair your cocktails with an intimate five-course dinner. 

"Mezcal for everything bad ... and also for everything good" is one of La Miserable's punchy catch phrases. You can order 1 oz. or 2 oz. pours of nearly every varietal under the sun, all from artisan distilleries from different states of Mexico. The house cocktails mix an espadín with fresh fruit juices, and both domestic and craft beers are available, too. Open until 2 am six nights a week, this is one of the most reliable late-night haunts in La Paz.

Though it's around the corner from the clubbing scene, the vibe at Vas Que Vuelas couldn't be more different. Come by to enjoy an artisanal cocktail or pour of small-batch mezcal; they've got the largest selection in town. Like the drinks, the food is also inspired by Oaxaca; order a tlayuda for a great late-night snack.