Cabo San Lucas and Los Cabos Nightlife
When The Sun Goes Down . . . Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas Come Alive
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico

The night starts with sunset and for some, it's the most magical time. While sunset may be viewed from any number of bars and restaurants in Los Cabos, for diehards, western facing vantagepoints are a must. Solmar Suites, Terra Sol Resort and Casa Grande all on the Pacific, have casual oceanfront bars with snacks and wandering Mariachis. Here, it feels like the edge of the world, as the tangerine sun sizzles into the liquid Pacific. Up above, perched on the craggy cliffside, is the Hotel Finisterra's Whale Watcher Bar with good drinks and appetizers. On the other side of Bahia San Lucas, a few miles outside of town, upscale Da Giorgio is unbeatable for sunsets. A popular restaurant, they will also accommodate guests for drinks and snacks. Da Giorgio is perched cliffside overlooking the arch and the bay and is more formal than most places in Los Cabos; you may want to dress up a bit. Many weddings and receptions are held here and reservations are recommended if you're staying for dinner. To catch the sunset, make sure to arrive by 5 p.m. on winter nights. Bring a wrap, it can be cool on the multi-level terraces. From this side of the bay, the sun sets behind the spine of Land's End in the winter months, painting the sky a vivid fuchsia.

Sunset time is also splendid at Pitahayas Restaurant located in the Hacienda del Mar Resort at Cabo del Sol in the Corridor. Try a cocktail and Pacific Rim inspired appetizer on the romantic beachside patio. Further east, the Twin Dolphin and Cabo San Lucas hotels take you away to old Mexico with gracious hospitality and postcard perfect views. At the Cabo Real Resort, the intimate La Concha Beach Club is another good choice with an oceanfront setting so lovely you may want to stay for dinner. Also in the Corridor but closer to San José del Cabo, the La Paloma bar at the Hotel Palmilla has been a marvelous hideaway for sunset lovers and romantics since 1956.

During the early evening, happy hours abound in Cabo San Lucas, and this is the time to bar hop. For a small town, the list of watering holes is staggering. Some places start happy hour as early as 2 p.m., while others favor the more traditional cocktail hours. All around the marina are bars of every flavor. Near Plaza las Glorias, try the Baja Cantina, Solomon's Landing and Captain Tony's. Over at the other end, from Plaza Bonita around to the mouth of the bay, there's Margaritavilla, The Nowhere Bar, Olé Olé, La Concepcíon and the Rainbow Bar. Around town, the choices would fill an entire week's worth of happy hours alone: Latitude 22, Squid Roe, Hard Rock Café, Carlos 'n Charlies, Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo, The Elbow Room, Casino Real. If that's not enough, out at Medano Beach don't forget the Cosmic Oyster Bar at the Hotel Hacienda, Billygan's Island, The Office, Mango Deck, The Sand Bar and Las Palmas. Every locale has a different look and feel and almost all of these bars do double duty as popular restaurants. Where you end up later will depend on how lively or subdued you want to be. Around the marina, you'll also find floating bars: from rowdy sunset booze cruises to elegant motor yachts and quieter, more romantic charters perfect for honeymooners.

Happy hour is also the perfect time to sample the ample variety of Mexican beer, called cerveza, at two for one prices. Many people don't think of Mexico when they think of beer, but immigrants of German origin began brewing in the late eighteenth century. Today, two producers dominate the market, The Femsa Group's Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, and Grupo Modelo, both among the largest beer producers in the world. Mexico produces 25 different beers in three categories: Pilsner or Lager (light); Viena (semi-dark); and Munich (dark). Most favorites are lagers or pilsners like the award winning Dos Equis Lager Especial, Superior, Tecate and Carta Blanca, all produced by Femsa. Whatever your preference, Grupo Modelo's lager Corona Extra is the biggest seller in Mexico with imports to 120 countries. For a fuller bodied beer, try regular Dos Equis, an amber, in the brown glass bottle; or the darker, Munich-style Negra Modelo. All bars carry at least the top favorites, for lesser-known brews, like Sol or Indio, finding them is half the fun.

Nearly all happy hours have a special house drink and the most popular is the Margarita. While the traditional Margarita is made with tequila blanco, limejuice and orange liquor, and served in a salt-rimmed glass, its origin is claimed by several sources. Whether it was invented in 1942 by Pancho Morales of Cuidad Juarez or in 1948 by Margarita Samas in Acapulco, one thing's for certain, if you're not used to tequila's potent punch, drink your Margarita with plenty of water on the side and frequent protein snacks. Most of Cabo's bars feature seasonal fresh fruit varieties like mango and papaya, in addition to the old lime stand-by.

While bar hopping for Margaritas may be fun, true tequila connoisseurs sip it straight and there are many to sample. Some say it's an acquired taste, but quality 100% Weber blue agave tequila, whether your choice is blanco, reposado or añejo, is much smoother and palatable than the blends available in the U.S. and Canada. While it's assumed tequila is made from cactus, the blue agave is actually related to the lily. Agave plants need up to ten years to reach maturity and produce a 100-150 pound core called a piña. Piñas are split in two and cooked in large ovens. Once cooled, they're crushed and strained to produce a juice called agua miel, which is then fermented and distilled. Most agave is grown within a hundred or so mile radius of the town of Tequila in Jalisco state, where almost all of Mexico's distilleries are located. Much of the gold tequila sold north of the Rio Grande is a blend of 51% agave and 49% cane sugar with added caramel coloring, and cannot be compared to the real thing. Before you sample some of the finer añejos, check the price. While some are reasonable, Herradura Seleccion Suprema costs over $200 USD per bottle! Local expert John Bragg, of the very popular Panchos Restaurant, has devoted over five years to the study and collection of tequila and mescal. Pancho's has well over 200 varieties, possibly the largest collection in the world. Bragg will lead you through an unique and informative tequila and mescal tasting of brands not available outside Mexico.

Casino Real Nightclub has a wine bar with a piano man from 5 to 8 p.m. and a dinner show featuring a live band and M.C. from 8 p.m. to midnight. It's a more civilized alternative to the hardcore party scene with Latin and light jazz rhythms. Reservations are advised and there's a $10 USD cover per person for the dinner show.

The Giggling Marlin, one of the oldest and most popular tourist restaurant-bars, offers risqué floor shows mid-evening with dancing waiters and a lot of audience participation. Located on Boulevard Marina across from Pizza Hut, they're open all day for breakfast and lunch. Short skirts beware, nights get loose with many patrons strung upside down on the fish scale or dancing on the bar. Drinks pack a punch, the food is CalMex, and there's a cover charge at night for the floorshow.

Air-conditioned Cabo Wabo Cantina, on Guerrero Street with a second entrance in Plaza de los Mariachis, plays its rock loud and proud until the party's over. The club, owned by Sammy Hagar who performs occasionally, is large with an elevated stage and good service. Also open all day for breakfast and lunch, Cabo Wabo has a new full dinner menu in their Tequila Factory restaurant, open daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. There's also a giftshop on the premises, stocked with tee shirts and Hagar's own signature tequila. Live music happens some weekends throughout the winter months with both Mexican and imported bands playing all night long.

Pazzo's Cabo, on Morelos a short block up from the stoplight, serves tasty pizza and handles seafood with flair, but it's equally known as a fun cantina with live music most nights of the week. Top-flight bands play blues on Mondays and salsa and reggae other nights from a second story balcony. Gregarious waiters keep glasses full and the kitchen busy. Next door is Pazzo's cigar shop with a good selection of Cubans, tequilas and wines. Pazzo's is open until at least midnight weeknights and later on weekends. Across the street check out the Love Shack, a hot new local bar with pool tables and lots of atmosphere.
Note: Pazzo's Pizza Cabo is no longer in operation.

Cabo's own Icon, El Squid Roe, is now three stories of pulsating energy and more crowded than ever. Some nights, making your way from the entrance to the top floor restrooms can take forever. On the way, anything is bound to happen. Waiters equipped with spray tanks of tequila ply their way through the throngs while table-dancing patrons get lost in the loud dance beat. The open-air dance floor, on the main level, is surrounded by hoards of onlookers three levels high. Located across from Hard Rock Café, this is one place where the waiters definitely deserve danger pay. A voyeur's heaven and totally outrageous, but take note, the Squid is definitely not for the prudish or the faint of heart.

There's plenty of glitz at the Hard Rock Café, located in Plaza Bonita. The Hard Rock is a restaurant-bar with tried and true food and drinks and known the world over. Early evening, before the dancing starts, is a good time for families. Kids will enjoy the rock memorabilia and parents can relive those feel good days of their youth. Hard Rock also has live music almost every night with a '70's, '80's and 90's playlist. Accented with plenty of brass and wood with a classic feel, it's a great party spot adding a touch of glamour to the local club scene.

Plaza Bonita has several more hot bars both inside the plaza and out along the marina. The Blue Agave, opened in the spring of 1999, features a spacious, contemporary setting with delicious food, full bar and live music on weekends. Marina side, check out Ole Ole for Spanish tapas and frosty drinks, and The Nowhere Bar, very popular with locals. Next door, Margaritavilla, open from 7 a.m. for breakfast lunch and dinner is an excellent vantagepoint to sample one of the best Margaritas in town with a killer marina view.

Exotic clubs provide top-notch entertainment for men, with a showcase of beautiful women from all over Mexico. Performances start nightly from around 8:00 p.m. and all clubs feature private dances. The clubs are comfortable and softly lighted, with well-stocked bars and relaxing surroundings. Some also feature full menus and Cuban cigars. Glitzy 20/20 Showgirls on Lazaro Cardenas; Mermaids, and Splash, across from Cabo Wabo; and Lord Black, on Boulevard Marina behind Plaza Nautica are the top clubs for exotic entertainment. Air-conditioned 20/20 Showgirls also has satellite TV sports and pool tables.

In San José del Cabo, nightlife is confined to a handful of restaurant-bars and clubs but that doesn't mean you have to go to Cabo San Lucas to party. The Tropicana Bar and Grill on Boulevard Mijares, does a brisk happy hour trade and features live Mexican bands on weekends. The "Trop" is air-conditioned and is as packed during the hot summer nights as it is during high season. There's more action down the street at Cactus Jack's, with live music and munchies until 2 a.m. or later. Piso 2, on Doblado a few blocks up from Mijares, is a nightclub popular with Gen X'ers and plays disco, Mexican rock and rap every night 'til 2 a.m. or until the party's over. For a more subdued atmosphere, try the charming bar at the new Casa Natalia hotel off the main square a few doors from Damiana, or Morgan's Inn at Doblado and Hidalgo, near Tequila.

Havana, across from Costa Azul beach, is the home of salsa music, seafood and Cuban rums. With a good ocean view, Havana regularly features live salsa and Latin music on weekends and is open from noon-ish to 11 p.m., much later when the music's live. The Rusty Putter, across from the Fiesta Inn, has live bands on weekends through the winter season with a great Sea of Cortez view, good eats and plenty of TV's for sports fans with a laid back attitude.

So, don't forget to take that afternoon siesta. In Los Cabos the hottest times are happening well after midnight, and in some cases, the action doesn't stop until dawn.


Read the 2006 Cabo San Lucas Nightlife Review by Sabrina Lear.