Food · Cabo San Lucas · Mexico
What to eat in Cabo San Lucas
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Cabo San Lucas, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Microstar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Baja-style fish tacos, Smoked marlin tacos and Chocolate clams. After a fishing trip, many downtown restaurants near the marina will prepare your cleaned fillets grilled, fried or as ceviche, served with rice, salad and tortillas for a set fee per person. Restaurants on the marina and Médano Beach charge resort prices; walk three or four blocks inland for local taquerías.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Baja-style fish tacos
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tip 10–15% in restaurants if service is not already included, about 10–20 pesos per bag…
- Food experiences
- 3
9 foods to try
Street food
1.Baja-style fish tacos (Tacos de pescado)
Strips of white fish dipped in a light beer batter, fried and served in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, crema, salsa and lime. Shrimp versions (tacos de camarón) are just as common.
Where: Taco stands and small taquerías in the downtown grid back from the marina, around Calle Morelos and Avenida Leona Vicario, are cheaper and better than the boardwalk.
Dish
2.Smoked marlin tacos (Tacos de marlin)
Smoked marlin shredded and cooked with onion, tomato and chile, served in tacos, burritos or as a filling for quesadillas. It is a Baja California Sur speciality that uses the local catch.
Where: Seafood restaurants and taquerías in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo; it is often on the breakfast menu too.
Dish
3.Chocolate clams (Almejas chocolatas)
Large clams with brown shells from the Sea of Cortez, eaten raw with lime and chile or roasted in their shells. They are a classic of the Baja Sur coast.
Where: Seafood restaurants and marisquerías in downtown Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
Dish
4.Ceviche and seafood tostadas
Raw fish or shrimp cured in lime with tomato, onion, coriander and chile, piled onto a crisp tostada or eaten with saltine crackers. Fresh tuna tostadas are another local favourite.
Where: Marisquerías downtown and beach restaurants on Médano Beach; lunchtime is when seafood is freshest.
Dish
5.Aguachile
Raw shrimp butterflied and drenched in a sharp sauce of lime, chile and coriander, served with cucumber and red onion. It is hotter and fresher-tasting than ceviche.
Where: Seafood restaurants across Los Cabos; ask for the green version (verde) with serrano chile for the classic style.
Dish
6.Stingray machaca (Machaca de mantarraya)
Shredded stingray cooked with onion, tomato and chile until almost dry, a traditional Baja California Sur dish eaten in tacos or with tortillas and beans.
Where: Family-run fondas and seafood restaurants away from the marina; more common in San José del Cabo and La Paz.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
7.Chilaquiles
Fried tortilla pieces simmered in red or green salsa and topped with cream, cheese and onion, often with a fried egg or chicken. The standard Mexican breakfast before a boat trip.
Where: Breakfast cafés downtown and hotel breakfast menus; vegetarian versions without chicken are easy to order.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Damiana
An herbal liqueur made from the damiana shrub that grows wild in Baja California Sur, sold in a bottle shaped like a woman's figure. Locals use it in place of triple sec in margaritas.
Where: Bars in Cabo San Lucas offer damiana margaritas; bottles are sold in supermarkets and souvenir shops.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Baja California wine
Most Mexican wine comes from the Valle de Guadalupe in northern Baja, and Los Cabos restaurants pour its reds and whites widely, from Nebbiolo and Tempranillo to blends.
Where: Restaurants and wine bars in San José del Cabo and the resort corridor; supermarkets stock a good range at lower prices.
Food experiences
Cook your catch
After a fishing trip, many downtown restaurants near the marina will prepare your cleaned fillets grilled, fried or as ceviche, served with rice, salad and tortillas for a set fee per person.
Farm-to-table in Las Ánimas
Flora Farms, an organic farm with a restaurant in Las Ánimas Bajas on the edge of San José del Cabo, serves dinners from its own produce in the garden; it is a popular evening out, so reserve ahead.
Taco crawl downtown
Walk the grid of streets inland from the marina in the evening and hop between taco stands for fish, shrimp and al pastor tacos at local prices.
Quick bites and street food
- Baja-style fish tacos — Taco stands and small taquerías in the downtown grid back from the marina, around Calle Morelos and Avenida Leona Vicario, are cheaper and better than the boardwalk.
- Chilaquiles — Breakfast cafés downtown and hotel breakfast menus; vegetarian versions without chicken are easy to order.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Chilaquiles, Damiana and Baja California wine. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Restaurants on the marina and Médano Beach charge resort prices; walk three or four blocks inland for local taquerías.
- Prices are often shown in both pesos and US dollars; paying in pesos usually gives a better rate than the house dollar rate.
- Many restaurants add a service charge for large groups; check the bill before tipping again.
- Drink bottled or purified water and choose busy stands where seafood turns over quickly.
- Seafood is best at lunch; many marisquerías close by late afternoon.
Tipping
Tip 10–15% in restaurants if service is not already included, about 10–20 pesos per bag for porters, and 10–20% of the trip price for fishing and boat crews.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much is it? |
| No, gracias | No, thank you |
| Sin hielo | Without ice |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Cabo San Lucas famous for?
Baja-style fish tacos, Smoked marlin tacos, Chocolate clams and Ceviche and seafood tostadas. Strips of white fish dipped in a light beer batter, fried and served in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, crema, salsa and lime.
+Is Cabo San Lucas good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Chilaquiles, Damiana and Baja California wine.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Cabo San Lucas?
Tip 10–15% in restaurants if service is not already included, about 10–20 pesos per bag for porters, and 10–20% of the trip price for fishing and boat crews.