There are more and more complaints on social media that Los Cabos has become too expensive. At the same time, its reputation as a food lovers’ paradise has grown dramatically over the past few years. Gringo Gazette has decided that it is important to showcase local restaurants that provide good food and service at a reasonable price, from street food to fine dining. In each issue, three restaurants (one from each of the three towns) will be featured in print with an expanded review.
Editor note: You can now find all of the restaurants being reviewed on this column in our new, free, business directory. Go to www.gringogazette.com/directory/ to look for them .
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From our November 18, 2024 edition
Visitors may come to Los Cabos to surf, fish, or play golf, but if their favorite team is playing, they are not going to miss the game. This means searching out the closest bar that is playing the sport. Los Cabos has lots of great sports bars with big screen televisions surrounding the rooms. Many have multiple sports at the same time. These are a few of our favorites.
San Jose del Cabo: District MX
Located in Plaza Peninsula, on the highway just south of the roundabout in San Jose del Cabo, District has both an outdoor patio and indoor seating at the bar, in booths or at tables. When it is hot, the restaurant is air conditioned. When the weather is cool, all the windows and doors can slide back to create more of an indoor-outdoor dining experience. The center of the restaurant is a long oval bar with seating around three sides. The bar and the room (and outside) are surrounded by flat screen televisions that run off eight different services. So, every sport, pay-per-view or entertainment event can be streamed to these televisions and show several different games or events at the same time.
While District offers sports bar favorites like several different types of chicken wings, poutine, sliders. burgers and popcorn shrimp, the menu provides great choices for almost anyone’s tastes – Mexican, American, Italian, Asian, and vegetarian. The menu is also refreshed a few times a year with items included on Test Menus for diners to vote for their favorites (based on sales levels). There are often special menus for events as well.
Friends frequently join us at District for a meal and their favorite beverage. We visited four times in the first three weeks of September. Here are some of our choices while we were there.
Appetizers – HY’s Famous Cheese Toast, Gyoza, Popcorn Shrimp, Field Corn and Avocado Dip and Onion Soup
Main Courses – Lasagna, Crispy Chicken Sliders, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese, Cobb Salad, Arrachera, Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl, a special from the Hamburger Month menu and Baja Fish Tacos.
Desserts – Key Lime Pie, Burnt Basque Cheesecake, a special Plantain dish for Mexican Independence Day
The food is always good, the service great with people like Sharky, Noe and Valeria. When Dana and Michael, the owners are there, they always stop by to wish us a good time. If you haven’t tried District when you are in Los Cabos, put it on your list of things to do.
Located on Paseo de la Marina in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Cantina has been open since 2007. Billed as the number one Sports Bar in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Cantina has both an air-conditioned indoor dining area and outdoor dining under the restaurant’s large palapa. Both spaces have large flat screen televisions mounted around the rooms. They show all the professional sports and many pay-per-view events. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu offers a full range of choices. The lunch menu offers appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, chicken, pork and beef dishes, seafood, tacos, sandwiches, and burgers. As a Sports Bar, it had all the standard items: wings, nachos, chicken and calamari strips, ceviche, and more. Of course, there is every type of beverage that you could imagine.
We decided to start with guacamole, which was made table side with a fresh avocado, cilantro, onions and jalapeno peppers, and a tray of salsas and a large basket of tortilla chips. I chose the Creamy Chicken and Poblano Soup as my appetizer. It was excellent with at least a whole chicken breast that had been cut up and added to the soup. The poblano peppers gave it both its green color and a touch of spice. For the main course, Beth ordered the Chicken Wraps. There were three wraps with chicken, lettuce, bell peppers, tomato, onion, and ranch dressing in flour tortillas. I selected the Stuffed Baked Potato, which came wrapped in foil and included lots of vegetables (carrots, zucchini, and broccoli) and cheese.
Our server Pablo and all the other staff did a great job. The portions were large and delicious and prices were very reasonable.
As you are driving into Todos Santos, you will see a large mural on the wall on the left with an arrow pointing to Shut Up Frank’s restaurant and sports bar. This restaurant has been in Todos Santos since 1993, when almost nothing else was in this Pueblo Magico. The seven big screen TVs show all the big sporting and pay-per-view events for fans in Todos Santos.
With both inside and outside seating, the menu reflects that of a sports bar. The appetizers include wings, potato skins, chicken fingers, fries, and guacamole. The menu is filled out with salads, burgers and some main courses of meat, seafood, and tacos. We stopped in for a quick lunch and decided to try some of the standard fare. We ordered the potato skins to start, and I decided on chicken tenders and Beth chose fried shrimp. Both came with French fries. The potato skins were loaded with cheese, bacon, and chives and they were served with a small ramekin of sour cream. The chicken tenders and shrimp were deep fried with batter and had a ramekin of chipotle sauce.
So, if you’re up for some sports and fried foods, Shut Up Frank’s is on the main street going into Todos Santos.
From our November 4, 2024 edition
Located behind La Comer in San Jose del Cabo is a small taco place called Lateral Crudo y Asado. With both outdoor and air-conditioned indoor seating, it is a great place to stop for a quick lunch or dinner, which is what we did this week – once for lunch and once for dinner. The selection of Mexican foods on the menu includes tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, volcanos, super burritos and crudos. The selection of veggie, beef, shrimp, fish, pastor and chicken fillings is excellent.
On both visits, we decided to start with their guacamole, which comes with both black tortilla chips and two large tostadas. There is also a selection of additional salsas that can be added or used to add flavor to your choice of Mexican food. We mixed some Pico de Gallo into the guacamole. It was delicious and plentiful. For lunch, Beth ordered on Baja Shrimp Taco and another Chicken Cilantro Pesto Taco. She was so happy with the flavor of the Chicken Taco that she ordered two when we went back for dinner – both on flour tortillas. For lunch, I ordered one Pastor Taco and a Mushroom Quesadilla. Both were very good. I had two Pastor Tacos at our dinner later in the week. While we were enjoying our lunch, a very good guitarist sat on the stool on the street and played and sang several great tunes.
The food was very good, the service excellent and the prices great. In fact, the guacamole was the most expensive part of our meal. It would be easy to go for lunch and have two tacos each and a drink and be out of the restaurant for less than $250 pesos. They also have some amazing take-out packages for just two or for parties.
Looking for one of those hidden gems in Los Cabos. Guy Fieri found it several years ago in a little taqueria on the frontage road across from Costco on the corridor – Asi Y Asado. With brightly colored walls depicting cartoon vegetables and more, and a plaque commemorating the visit and a feature on the restaurant by Guy Fieri, Asi Y Asado is a special place.
With a menu that offers interesting appetizers, tacos, hamburgers, salads and house specials, there is a lot from which to choose. We were joined by our friends Bill Girdwood and his mother-in-law Diane arrived so that gave us a chance to see more of the actual menu items prepared. We started with some guacamole and chips. The guacamole was great with the addition of tomatoes and onions to the avocados as well as some small slices of jalapeno. Bill ordered the Melted Cheese with chorizo, and I ordered the Garlic Mushrooms as appetizers. Both were plentiful and very good. For lunch, Beth ordered the chicken flautas, which had five on the plate covered with lettuce, shredded carrots and sour cream. The flautas also came with a small bowl of tomato soup. There was a to-go box for some of these. Bill ordered tacos with deep fried chicken and Diane ordered tacos with grilled chicken. Both said that these were their favorites after many visits. In fact, the server just confirmed what they wanted rather than even having them order (including their Pacificos). I ordered a mushroom taco. There is a set of stainless-steel trays with all the extra fixings and condiments for your meal.
All the lunches were great. The service was very good with several people taking care of us. A great place to stop for lunch after a visit to Costco.
If you like lots of good Mexican food, check out La Generala Restaurant on Cuauhtemoc, one block south of the Pemex station on the main road into Todos Santos. La Generala offers a large Mexican buffet from 8:30 am to 4:00 every day except Thursday. Be warned – you might need a reservation as there has often been a lineup outside when I have driven by, especially on the weekend.
La Generala has outdoor seating in both the front (covered) and the back (shaded) of the restaurant. The buffet is on a long concrete bar in the middle of the restaurant. There are dozens of items to choose from ranging from salad and soup to all the traditional Mexican choices – tortillas for tacos, carne asada, fish, empanadas, taquitos, chili, mole, tostadas, rice, beans, potatoes and much, much more. Bill, Tanya, Dianne, and I went for a quick lunch. Not knowing at the time that it was a buffet, we looked at what was offered and decided to stay.
There were several trips to the buffet bar and we tried a few things at a time. I think that between the three of us, we tried almost everything that was on the buffet. The flavors were great and the atmosphere very pleasant. The staff came over several times to see if we needed anything more to drink and to clean our plates. The most amazing thing was that the buffet was only $250 pesos (about $14.75 US).
From our October 22, 2024 edition
When you are visiting a location like Los Cabos, which is both on the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, you can expect that there will be lots of fresh seafood available. One of the best ways to enjoy it is straight from the water served at a sushi and sashimi restaurant. There are dozens of sushi places in Los Cabos from which to choose. Here are some of our favorites.
Neither my wife nor Mike’s wife like sushi. As they were off shopping, this gave us the chance to have sushi for lunch at Kahe Sushi Bar in the La Comer shopping center in San Jose del Cabo. The restaurant had been totally renovated about a year ago. We arrived just before the rush. The restaurant fills to capacity for lunch at about 2:30 pm. The atmosphere is very pleasant with a bar, sushi bar and both inside and outside seating. There is also a large aquarium for decoration in the restaurant.
The menu is quite extensive with appetizers, ceviche, poke, chef’s specials, special rolls and traditional rolls, some tacos and salads and pastas. We ordered gyoza to start, which comes with two different dipping sauces. Whether you choose the fried or the steamed gyoza, both are very good. There are four pieces in each order and so we had two. For our main course, Mike ordered a spicy tuna roll and a rainbow roll. The rainbow roll comes with tuna, salmon or shrimp wrapped around each of the 10 pieces. I selected a Crunch Especial, which is a roll with special tuna, tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, caramelized onion and a spicy shrimp topping on the outside, crunch flakes. It is all bathed in special sauce. As each of these rolls come with 10 pieces, after our appetizer, we had 30 rolls to share. Boy, were we stuffed by the end of lunch.
The sushi is fresh, the service excellent and the atmosphere comfortable. Check it out.
Koi Sushi has several locations in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. We decided to stop for lunch at Koi Sushi in the food court in the Plaza San Lucas. Walking in the door, the first impression is of a very high-class establishment. There is seating in dining areas on both the first and second floor. There is also seating at the sushi bar and a private dining room on the second floor. The manager, Ernesto Rivera, seated us and gave us the menu. I asked him how long this location had been open. He said that Koi Sushi had had two other locations in the plaza for three years each before coming to the current location nine years ago. The restaurant had a total remodel three months ago, opening the second floor, upgrading the bar and sushi bar as well.
The menu is very extensive. It is 12 pages long and includes appetizers, sashimi, temaki and hand rolls, nigiri sushi, soups and salads, rice, wok, combinations, main entrées, classic rolls, hot rolls, special rolls, no rice special rolls, and a kid’s menu. It is very easy to have a feast as a result.
We started with seasoned pork gyozas and miso soup. This was followed by Teka Maki and Kapa Maki rolls. That was followed by Tuna Sashimi and Tuna and Salmon Nigiri. Of course there was wasabi, soy, and ginger to add to the flavor. The freshness, flavor, and presentation of all the items was excellent. The portion sizes were also larger than many places that we had visited. We watched all types of amazing rolls come from the sushi chefs behind the bar being delivered to the tables around us.
Overall, it was an excellent and highly recommended experience with great food, service and atmosphere.
Located on Calle Ravel, Noah Japanese Food has a small dining room under at palapa roof with about eight tables with a kitchen at one end and a bar at the other. The appetizers include curricanes, gyoza, edamames, wontons – sashimi, 12 different sushi rolls, and main courses include teriyaki, poke bowl, salads, grilled fish, yakimeshi, and more.
I decided to sample several items from the menu starting with the chicken and vegetable gyoza in a ponzu sauce. I asked for the Noah Sashimi, and she said there was no fish today. I was devastated as I had driven from San Jose del Cabo to try the restaurant. She said that the Blinky sushi roll with shrimp was excellent and so I ordered that. As I was enjoying the delicious gyoza, a fisherman entered the restaurant and went to the kitchen with a freshly caught fish. So, I waved at my server and said, “Sashimi?” I watched the chef cut up the fish to prepare it to be used for the different items on the menu. My Blinky roll was also excellent with 10 rolls with tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber in a rice roll topped with spicing shrimp.
The sashimi was 12 slices of fish with garlic, ginger, a serrano sauce and small jalapeno slices. There is nothing like sashimi straight from the ocean.
The quality, presentation, and flavor of all the dishes that I experienced at Noah Japanese restaurant was excellent. The service was friendly and attentive. Overall, a great experience. ,
From our October 8, 2024 edition
One of the great things about Los Cabos is all the activity on the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. Even if you don’t want to sail, scuba dive, or surf, you can enjoy it by eating and drinking in restaurants that give you a view of what’s happening on the water. Here are three restaurants with views of the activity on the water.
Cabo San Lucas: Sancho’s Sports Bar. Located between docks K and L on the marina in Cabo San Lucas is Sancho’s Sports Bar. This is one of the favorites of locals from the boats in the marina. It is a great place for a drink at the bar or on the deck with a view of the activity in the marina.
One of our neighbors asked if several of us wanted to join him and his wife for the Saturday special – Cajun-style boiled shrimp. Sancho’s has daily specials that are a great deal. Nine of us met at Sancho’s. Everyone except Beth and I had the shrimp – a full pound of boiled shrimp. Beth decided to try the hamburger, and I had to have their famous Pink Tacos. Walt had a shrimp platter for himself and said that he could easily eat two because he liked them so much. There were lots of sounds of delight around the table. The Pink Taco (with your choice of filling) is a hard-shell taco surrounded by a tortilla that has been dyed pink. In between are refried beans and I chose chicken. I had two and they were delicious and very filling. Beth said the hamburger was one of the best that she had had in Los Cabos. Anah even ordered the Pink Taco dessert filled with ice cream. Ruby, our server did a great job.
Sancho’s is a place where lots of locals like to eat, drink and hang out. Angie Vertti, a great musician and vocalist, was sitting at the bar talking with a friend. DeAnn Kizzar, a scuba instructor who posts amazing underwater photos, was there with two friends. The outside deck is pet-friendly.
UPDATE: Cerritos Tropical is temporarily closed due to change of the development ownership. Stay tuned.
Todos Santos: Cerritos Tropical. Looking for a laid-back beach experience? Visit Cerritos Tropical on the beach in Cerritos below the Hotel Olas. It has a bar/restaurant under a palapa on the beach. Their concession on the beach includes two volleyball courts, a smoker and a grill as well as lots of tables under umbrellas.
Cerritos Tropical is set up for all those people who want to enjoy the beach but aren’t interested in carrying all their gear with them. It’s all there — including surfboards. While you enjoy the sun, view, beverages and food, you will also enjoy the surf music either through their great sound system or live. When I visited, Mexican Weirdohs were there playing the great surf hits of the 60s.
The menu is full of great bar food: guacamole and nachos, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, ceviche as well as hamburgers, French fries, and lots of shrimp dishes. For dessert, there are popsicles, ice cream and ice cream bars.
Of course, as it is first and foremost a bar, I started off with a gin and tonic made with Hendricks Gin. There are lots of 2×1 specials on cocktails, and beer was $50 pesos. Then I ordered the Tuna Tostada, which was more like tuna tartare with small chunks of Yellow Fin tuna, avocado, cucumber, and onions in a spicy sauce.
Cerritos Tropical has been open on the beach since November 2022 with a great manager named Nancy. While you would expect a beach bar to be full of young people, Cerritos Tropical had families, retirees, men and women of all ages and, of course, dogs.
San Jose del Cabo: Zipper’s Beach Bar. Big Tony has offered good food and good music on the beach in Costa Azul for decades.
You can always count on friendly service, a menu with lots of choice, a view of the surf break on Costa Azul and music — either Margaritaville on SiriusXM or live music. All the seats at Zipper’s have a view of the surf break on the Sea of Cortez and you can even rent a board or get lessons. There are often vendors set up on the beach in front of the restaurant selling carvings, blankets, and more. We dropped in for lunch and arrived when the music was being set up to start at 1:00 pm. The menu has a full range of choices – appetizers, salads, baskets, hamburgers, Mexican food, deli sandwiches, main courses from the grill, seafood, and much more. We decided to start with some chips and salsa. After nibbling on chips and Pico de Gallo, I ordered my favorite crispy chicken tacos. Eight taquitos are covered with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and served with guacamole, Pico de Gallo, sour cream and limes. Beth had a craving and ordered a Beef Dip, which comes with crispy French fries, the beef juice to dip them both into as well as coleslaw, pickles and a large jalapeno. It was a very pleasant afternoon and a pleasure to see Big Tony supervising everything (Solly Wolly). As always, the food was very good, service friendly and the atmosphere great.
We were surrounded by a mix of tourists and locals, all enjoying the lively ambiance, cold drinks, and the incredible beachfront views.
It’s a good place to stop for lunch and dinner to enjoy the weather, the food and the view. Enjoy!
From our September 23, 2024 edition
La Mash Burger
Taking the location of Entre Barrios, on the north side of downtown Cabo San Lucas on Guaycura Street is La Mash Burger. Created by Chef Deva Zakar, La Mash Burger features all Angus beef in their 150-gram burgers. The buns have the logo of Mash Burger burned into the top of them. The menu, which is posted on the wall of the restaurant in a few places, offers several different burger choices – classic with cheese, with bacon, or with pineapple. All the burgers come with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions. There is even a double burger and a chicken burger. But it is the quality of the beef that makes the burger. The flavor is a big step up from fast food restaurants.
You can also enhance your meal with French fries with sea salt or they can be served with bacon and cheese, or with beef, bacon, and cheese. Crispy onion rings are also on the menu. Water, sodas, and beer are available as beverages with your meal.
Beth, who is a fan of hamburgers ordered the classic burger, without cheese and regular French fries. I decided to try the chicken burger with an order of onion rings. A mineral water and Diet Coke rounded out our meal. The Angus beef patty is large and thin on a homemade bun. Whether you have beef or chicken, it is full of all the fixings and even a little chipotle sauce. Beth loves mayonnaise and adds mayonnaise and ketchup to her burger. The food was very good. Service was good but you do need to know enough Spanish to order. Burgers under $180 mx
There were small games on every table to play while waiting for your meal. We had a few games of tic-tac-toe.
For more information about La Mash Burger visit them on the Gringo Gazetter webpage at https://gringogazette.com/directory/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lamashburger. The menu is available at https://menu.plick.app/lamashburger
Todos Santos Brewing.
On Wednesdays (Hump Day), Ted and Liz Mitchell man the bar at Todos Santos Brewing and offer a 15% discount all day. Todos Santos Brewing is one of the few breweries, restaurants, and live music venues in Baja California Sur. Opening in 2017, the Australian couple left their jobs at one of the largest brewers in Australia to come to Todos Santos on a surfing vacation in 2016 and they never left.
Todos Santos Brewing now has 27 craft beers, hard lemonade, and homemade sodas on Top. The beers range from light with low alcohol content and bitterness to dark heavy beers. TSB has every style you could imagine and even sells a few by bottle to take home. The location provides fun for the town with live music on Sundays (and some other days), Trivia Nights on Fridays, and Karaoke on Saturdays. There is an air-conditioned inside dining room and an outdoor courtyard with a stage. The menu offers fresh bar-style foods, and the chef does a great job. During the summer there is a limited menu that includes Tacos, Burgers, some appetizers – guacamole, nachos, fries, vegetable sticks – and even a pulled pork sandwich. There are a few big screen TVs mounted in the indoor dining room and the Olympics were showing when we went there.
We had gone to try the burgers. Beth ordered the beef hamburger with no cheese, and I chose the chicken burger. Both come with hand-cut French fries. We were not prepared for the size of the burgers! The Beef Hamburger is 200 grams (almost 1/2 pound) and piled high with lettuce, tomato, and more. I think that the chicken burger was even bigger. Unlike many chicken burgers that use ground chicken, this one was a huge chicken breast that had been breaded and fried. The homemade buns were great, and it was filled with coleslaw. Beth asked for some mayonnaise for her burger, and they gave us small ketchup and mustard squeeze bottles.
My Bitchin Blond ale went very well with the Chicken Burger and Beth had some of their homemade lemonade (with lemons from their own trees at home). We had a very pleasant chat with Ted and Liz, watched the competition at the Olympics and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner – and with the 15 % discount.
For more information about Todos Santos Brewing and its events visit their website at https://www.todossantosbrewing.mx/ or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TodosSantosBrewing
Barrio Burger
When Barrio Burger lost its lease on Jose Maria Morelos across from El Encanto Inn & Suites in San Jose del Cabo, the restaurant moved to the top of the hill on Calle Zaragoza (down the street) to the former location of Baja Karbon. But much more than the location changed. The chef and owner also changed. Barrio Burger was taken over by Volker Romieke. Chef Volker was for many years the Executive Chef at Pitahayas in Cabo del Sol and then had his own restaurant Mirai at Allegranza in San Jose Del Cabo.
Entering the gate at Barrio Burger, the first thing that you see is a large sign that says, ” Nice to Meat You,” with a drawing of a big hamburger, the specialty of the restaurant. Barrio Burger has about 10 outdoor tables in the front and along the side of the kitchen. A small stage is set up at the front of the restaurant for live music. The menu offers some interesting appetizers and salads. Has a wide choice of Hamburgers, including two mini burgers as well as several steaks and BBQ ribs.
The three of us order our drinks – two margaritas and a limonada mineral – and two of the interesting appetizers – the onion rings and the grilled asparagus and tomatoes with parmesan cheese and pesto. The asparagus was delicious, the onion rings were very large, and the batter was great.
For our main course, we each chose a different hamburger. Jerry ordered the Texas BBQ served with coleslaw and I selected the Blue Cheeseburger, and we split an order of French Fries. Beth went for the Mini hamburger (100 gms instead of 200 gms) without cheese. The mini comes with French Fries. The regular hamburgers were huge with lots of good extras, and the fries were crispy. The hamburger was so large I took half home and decided in the future that I would order a mini.
Chef Volker told us that we had to try his special dessert – Xanga – a deep-fried dessert with banana and ice cream. I must say that it was amazing. Jerry also ordered the flan, which he liked a lot.
During our dinner, we were entertained by a guitarist and vocalist playing popular Spanish songs. It was a very enjoyable evening. The appetizers and hamburgers were amazing with great service. Chef Volker was the perfect host. Burgers $295 mx
For more information about Barrio Burger visit them at https://gringogazette.com/directory/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/barrioburgersjd
From our September 9, 2024 edition
Almost every Italian restaurant in Los Cabos includes pizza on their menu. There are lots of different styles – thin crust, thick crust, wood-fired, or oven-cooked. However, there are only a few truly pizza places in Los Cabos. In this issue we explore a few of those true pizza places.
Todos Santos: Pizzeria RomAntica. Pizzeria RomAntica is a delightful Italian restaurant on the corner of Militar and Zaragoza in downtown Todos Santos. Dining is in a walled courtyard surrounded by trees and plants. On a recent visit to the restaurant, we had the opportunity to meet Giorgio Cortellessa, the chef and owner. The first thing he did was ask me to tell him the name of the restaurant. He told me the capital A in the name was very important. The restaurant was named, Roma Antica – old Rome. He asked if we had tried the pizza, and we hadn’t, making me promise to try it on the next visit. The pizza is made with a special combination of six flours to create the unique flavor of the crust.
The menu at Pizzeria RomAntica offers a full range of Italian delights – from appetizers and salads to pasta and homemade pasta specials, main courses – fish, lobster, beef and about 30 different pizzas. On the first visit, Jerry and I started with a bottle of Chardonnay and the bruschetta. For pasta, Jerry selected the Rigatoni a la Norma and I chose the Bucatini Amatriciana. Both pastas were excellent with a good tomato sauce. Jerry had to have the Panna Cotta for dessert while I drank more of the wine.
On the next visit with Beth, we tried three different pizzas – Margherita, Vegetarian, and Dolce Vita. The Dolce Vita had prosciutto, mascarpone cheese as well as mozzarella and tomato sauce. The Vegetarian included mushrooms, zucchini, black olives, onions, artichokes and capers along with the mozzarella and tomato sauce. The crusts were thin on the bottom and fluffy around the edges. The flavor of all the pizzas was excellent.
The atmosphere at Pizzeria RomAntica is delightful, the service excellent and the food very good. Chef Giorgio, thank you for demanding that we try your pizza. It was excellent.
Cabo San Lucas: Wicked Pizza. Wicked Pizza is on Blvd Marina across from the Tesoro Hotel in Cabo San Lucas. Originally opened in 2009 by a couple from Boston who fell in love with Mexico, it moved to its current location in 2011. Wicked Pizza says, “We Make a Hell of a Good Pizza.” It is New York-style pizza with recipes from the North End of Boston (the Italian area). The restaurant makes its dough and tomato sauce fresh every day.
The restaurant is a true hole-in-the-wall style pizza joint with about six tables, a big screen TV for sports (the Olympic Opening Ceremonies were on when we were there), and a wall of Wicked Pizza branded merchandise. The menu provides choices of lots of different pizzas as well as a Make Your Own option with a base price of $220 mx. There are two sizes – medium (16″) and large (18″). Both are huge. The menu also offers a few sports bar-type items – wings, jalapeno poppers, meatballs, fries and some salads.
We ordered two medium pizzas – a Make Your Own with sliced tomatoes and a Veggie Pizza (without the broccoli and black olives). When they came, they took up two tables on their stands with a spatula to serve each. Beth, a New Yorker, folded her version of the margherita and started eating right away – but it was very hot. The Veggie Pizza was piled high with toppings and would have been even more so with broccoli and black olives. The crust was very crispy and the pizza was very good. The two pizzas could have fed eight people so we took a lot home with us.
The owners of Wicked Pizza have given back to the community from the start and now donate the proceeds of their “Pupperoni Special” on Tuesdays to local pet shelters. The atmosphere was fun, the pizza and service were great, and the prices were very reasonable (compared to most of the Italian restaurants in town). www.wickedcabo.com
San Jose del Cabo: Corleone Pizzería. While the United States may have Godfather’s pizza, San Jose del Cabo has Corleone Pizzeria. Using the stylized image of the Godfather and his altered sayings – “I’m gonna make him a pizza he can’t refuse,” The history of the Corleone family is on a large bulletin board inside the restaurant. Corleone Pizza is in the small plaza in the Hotel Zone with Le Bar, JJ Burgers and Salads, and Thrifty Ice Cream. Seating is outside on a built-in banquette and free-standing tables.
Corleone Pizzeria offers both red and white (no tomato sauce) as well as salads, antipasto, pasta and lasagna. They also have some good desserts. I had a craving for pizza and as this restaurant is relatively new, I decided to give it a try. I ordered a veggie pizza with extra mushrooms and without the spinach and black olives that are usually included. The thin crust was crispy and great, and the pizza was covered with green peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. The servers were attentive and friendly. I would definitely go back again to enjoy their pizza. www.facebook.com/corleonepizzerialoscabos
From our August 26, 2024 edition
Los Cabos has truly become a foodie’s paradise.
If you are thinking that all you will find is Mexican food, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There is every type of food that you can imagine – Mexican, Italian, Japanese, American, Texas BBQ, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Mediterranean, Cuban, French and more. In this issue, we will be introducing you to some great choices of ethnic food available in Los Cabos.
San Jose del Cabo: El Grill
Located on the frontage road on the highway going south two blocks before Walmart (Valerio Gonzalez) is El Grill, a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant. The chef and owner Waleed is from northern Iraq and cooked in Cyprus, Greece and London before moving to Los Cabos. As you enter the main gate, the kitchen is on the right and the main dining area is under a huge palapa. A bar runs down the whole left side of the interior of the restaurant.
It is easy to see the Mediterranean influence as you look at the menu. From the appetizers – hummus, tapenade, tatziki, babaghanoosh, dolmades, spinakopita – to the main courses – shrimp, chicken and beef kabobs, special Greek fish preparations, moussaka, Thalassina with seafood. The menu also has pita pizza, vegetarian selections, pastas, steak, lamb and several salads.
We were recently there with new neighbors and ordered a variety of items from the menu. As appetizers, we ordered the Greek potato salad made with spinach, olive and capers rather than mayonnaise and mustard. Amanda ordered the spanakopita as an appetizer – phyllo dough with spinach and cheese inside. For main courses, Val chose the moussaka, Amanda ordered the Santorini – a shrimp dish with fresh vegetables and feta cheese, Beth ordered the chicken souvlaki – skewers with chicken and vegetables – which was served with rice pilaf. I chose the chicken with noodles.
The portions are large and flavorful. The service was excellent. The prices very reasonable.
https://www.facebook.com/elgrillrestaurant
Cabo San Lucas: Rich Taste of India
About 6 ½ years ago, Kapil and Priyanka moved to Los Cabos. Priyanka was interested in opening a restaurant. She started cooking and selling from home, then opened in a container park in Cabo San Lucas. In February last year, Rich Taste of India opened in their current location on Francisco Villa. They also opened in the food court in the Walmart Plaza.
The menu offers a full range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers and main courses as well as rice and breads. Everything is fresh every day. The vegetables and chickens are purchased in the morning, and the gravy preparations are done on the same day. We started with three different chicken appetizers – chicken pakoras, chicken samosa and a chicken roll. The chicken samosa came with two different dipping sauces, and was like a small, deep-fried taco of chicken. The chicken pakoras were small, battered chicken balls. The chicken roll was like a burrito in with chicken, peppers, onions, and some Indian spices. The flavors of all these appetizers were excellent.
For main courses, Bill ordered the Butter Chicken, and I chose the Chicken Korma. Both came in large bowls with gravy filling the bowl. We each chose our level of spice. The main dishes came with rice and naan – the Indian bread. The Chicken Korma has sliced peanuts and almonds in the gravy, which tasted almost like a peanut sauce. The flavor was amazing with just a touch of spice. Bill had some Rice Kheer for dessert, which is a hot rice cooked in milk with sliced almonds on top.
I was very impressed and will be back and will visit the food court location as well. Main courses $250 mx. https://www.facebook.com/richtasteofindia
Todos Santos: La Morena
Located on the main street of Todos Santos (Benito Juarez) on the block west of Hotel California is La Morena. Erik Castellanos and his Cuban chef wife run the restaurant and offer great food and service. The dinner menu includes appetizers, salads, main dishes with fresh fish, shrimp, pork, chicken and steak and even a vegetarian platter. There are also great desserts. When you are in the indoor dining area at the bar or the outdoor dining area in the patio (where the stage is for live music), you will see a menu of specials written on a large easel. The Cuban influence in the dishes is clear on the special board. Dishes like Cuban Pork Ribs served with rice and salad, Ropa Vieja – shredded beef service with plantains, rice, and mixed vegetables – and Fish Fillet in Chile Guajillo butter with rice and vegetables. Camarones a la Cubana are also on the menu. The spices on many of the items on the menu reflect the Cuban style of cooking.
My guest Mike chose the Cuban Pork Ribs, and I debated between the Ropa Vieja and Slow Cooked Pork and ordered the Slow Cooked Pork. Both came with rice and salads. My Slow Cooked Pork also had grilled plantain slices that were delicious. All at a very reasonable price. We added a Mango Margarita and a Santo Tomas Chardonnay to enjoy, while we waited and ate the chips and salsa that were offered as a starter. The food was very tasty and flavorful.
The food was great, the service excellent and friendly, the manager helpful and the entertainment among the best we had experienced in Baja Sur. Entrees mid $200 mx https://www.facebook.com/LaMorenaTodosSantos
From our August 12, 2024 edition
Breakfast is supposedly the most important meal of the day. In Los Cabos, there are lots of restaurants and hotels that offer elaborate brunches. Places like Flora Farms, Casa Martin, Torote Restaurant in Valle del Sol offer incredible brunches on Sundays and breakfasts on other days. Brunch prices in Los Cabos can range from $1,100 mx to $1,900 mx (or about $61 to $105 US). In Restaurants That Don’t Break the Bank, we search for local restaurants that have great food at a reasonable price. Here are some suggestions for your consideration.
Cabo San Lucas: Cabo Grill Shop El Tezal. Cabo Grill Shop is a family-friendly hidden gem in Los Cabos. The first thing that you see when you enter is the large cactus leading to an outdoor dining area. To the left is a very large play area for almost every age of kids – swings, slides, trampolines, and even a small climbing wall. At the back under the palapa is a ping pong table. The center of the outdoor dining area is dominated by their Shop, offering pastries, salsas, granola, and more homemade products for sale. The bar and another dining area are under the palapa, along with the kitchen. Chester, the owner’s English Sheepdog sat under the palapa overseeing the outdoor dining area.
Breakfast is served until 1 p.m. every day, except Sunday. The menu offers a wide range of traditional breakfast items – lots of egg dishes, waffles, French toast, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, fruit bowls, and granola. However, several of the preparations are anything but traditional. I ordered the Shakshuka – poached eggs on fresh sourdough bread with avocado, lettuce, tomato, onions, carrots and mushrooms between the bread and the eggs. It was an incredible breakfast. Jerry ordered the Burrata Cheese Toast, which was also served on sourdough with a large piece of burrata cheese, salad and nuts (he was testing the breakfast for his wife who is vegetarian). Again, very impressive.
So, if you want something to do with your family for breakfast, it is available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with lunch starting at 1 p.m. and the full lunch and dinner menu available from 2 until 10 p.m., the Cabo Grill Shop is a great choice. The owners, Miguel and Barbara and their staff are great hosts. For more information visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cabogrillshop/
Todos Santos: Caffe Todos Santos. Caffe Todos Santos is located on Centenario Todos Santos. This unique dining space played the role of Caffe Todos Santos in the morning and Tre Galline in the evenings. It is a favorite for many locals for breakfast. The restaurant has three different seating areas. In the front of Centenario is a seating area with a pastry bar at the front. Through the kitchen (or entered on the next street down) are three levels of dining.
We chose a table in the dining area near the entry from Avenida Legaspy. Our server greeted us, brought us the menu, and asked what we would like to drink. Beth ordered a cup of coffee and both of us ordered a fresh squeezed orange juice. The glasses of orange juice were clearly just squeezed and very large. Beth said that the coffee was very good. For our breakfast, Beth ordered a Denver Omelet without cheese. The omelet is served with hash browns and toast with butter and strawberry jam. I ordered the Huevos Al Gusto. In my case, this was Huevos a la Mexicana, which were served with refried beans and flour tortillas. Both portions were very large. I used the tortillas to make a few burritos filled with eggs and refried beans. On a previous visit, Beth had ordered a bagel with eggs and bacon, which was served with tomatoes and avocado. It was a great breakfast, excellent service, and a very pleasant atmosphere. The prices were very reasonable with entrees below $200 mx (about $11 US).
For more information about Tre Galline and Caffe Todos Santos visit them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tregallinets/
San Jose del Cabo: Casa Azul
In our continuing search for great local places to eat, friends have repeatedly suggested that we visit Casa Azul on Paseo de Pescador right beside the CFE office in San Jose del Cabo. You can recognize it easily with its blue front (Azul) and large palapa that covers the restaurant.
The restaurant is huge with two levels under the palapa. My server came over after I sat down with the extensive menu. The breakfast choices include eggs in almost any way that you would like them, different omelets, chilaquiles and four different breakfast specials. In addition, you can choose from fruit, hot cakes, burritos, sandwiches, quesadillas, smoothies, and other items for your breakfast. You can select coffee, hot chocolate, sodas, fresh squeezed orange juice as well as other juices to drink.
I decided to have my favorite, Huevos a la Mexicana. The plate was huge with eggs, refried rice flour tortillas, and included some sweet plantains with icing sugar and toast. The flavor and portion size were amazing.
The portion sizes, the food taste and quality were excellent, and the prices were great. Most of the breakfast items are $200 mx or less (about $11.00 US). This is truly a great value and a local place to put on your list.
For more information about La Casa Azul visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lacasaazulcabo
From our July 29, 2024 edition
Todos Santos: 5 Tacos and a Beer. Plaza Victoria, located on Camino Las Playitas in Las Tunas on the north side of Todos Santos, is home to several different restaurants, including Bonjour Madame, Bajavaria and 5 Tacos & a Beer. Open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day but Wednesday, 5 Tacos & a Beer are on the menu for $195 pesos. This small garden restaurant offers outdoor seating and fresh food at a reasonable price. Taco Tuesday includes specials and live music.
I recently visited just after they had opened to try the restaurant for the day. I decided to start with a Mezcalita, one of their specials, which came with chili salt on the rim. I watched the bartender shake the drink to mix all the ingredients.
Looking at the menu, I decided to try two of the tacos from the seven offered that were different than the traditional beef, el pastor or chicken. So, I ordered the pulled pork and the vegan taco, which came with mushrooms and tempura cauliflower. The tacos were served on blue corn tortillas and came with a few salsas to add spice if you liked. While I waited for the tacos, I enjoyed some guacamole along with my Mezcalita.
Miguel, the owner, came by to see how I liked the food. I had arrived just after opening time and he explained there was live music starting at 6:30 p.m. That was when I saw Ashbolt Stewart and Juan start to set up their instruments in the restaurant.
This local taco restaurant offers very good tacos and friendly service at a very reasonable price. Where else are you going to get 5 tacos and a beer for $195 pesos? I will be back to try out Taco Tuesday and its specials soon. Profile on Google at https://5tacostodossantos.com
San Jose del Cabo: The Hangman. Located in Chamizal, a block or so north of the highway in San Jose del Cabo, with an almost 30-year history in San Jose del Cabo, The Hangman is a favorite of locals – especially those who like spicy food. Walking in the front door, gives you a sense of the eclectic nature of the decor. Hanging from the ceiling and the walls is a treasure house of unique items – clocks, old carousel horses, tools, serving trays, tin advertising signs for a range of products and paintings. Above the host desk is a sign that says “Certified Junkologist.” The restaurant is family-owned and operated with Sergio (the father) still spending time in the kitchen, while Sergio (the son) works in the restaurant.
The reason that I indicated that people who favor spicy food love The Hangman starts with the incredible condiment tray that covers the whole middle of the table. Seemly innocent items, like small pieces of pineapple, will have you screaming for something to cool down your mouth. Even the small, boiled potatoes are spicy. Ask for suggestions on which ones are mild – there is one light avocado dip with no spice. The menu has a great selection of Mexican food – tacos, quesadillas, baked/mashed potatoes and even fondues and vegan and vegetarian specials.
If you like, your meal can start off with a cup of their bean soup, which is excellent. I usually order a potato with the special mushroom sauce that is normally served with pork in a quesadilla. Beth ordered the potato with steak and no cheese. The potatoes normally include cheese on top. Our friend Ethan ordered three different tacos – steak, beef fajita and chicken with tomato sauce. We were all delighted with our meals.
There is live entertainment every evening with a guitarist playing and singing American and Spanish hits. The service is always excellent and the prices very reasonable. This is a place that you don’t want to miss on a visit to Los Cabos. https://thehangmansurfandtacos.negocio.site/ or www.facebook.com/thehangmansurfandtacos
Cabo San Lucas: Bar Restaurant Campestre. Located in north Cabo San Lucas just before the highway to Todos Santos starts on Salvatierra s/n between Lopez Mateos and Camino al Faro is the traditional Mexican Restaurant Bar Campestre. This local favorite has been in business since 2001 owned and operated by a family that provides authentic Mexican food with good service at very reasonable prices. With indoor dining under a walled palapa, diners can choice from one of the three item daily specials – soup, a drink and a choice of main course for $160 pesos (or about $8.00).
We had tried to go several times before we finally succeeded. We had tried on Saturday (when they are closed) and a few times when the line up outside made it unrealistic to stop. Clearly a very popular local place, the regular menu offers appetizers (e.g., nachos, guacamole, soup, shrimp cocktail), salads, a children’s menu and main courses of fish, chicken, shrimp and steak. There is a large range of Mexican regulars from tacos and quesadillas to enchiladas, sopes, chile relleno and fajitas.
We started our lunch with guacamole that was added to the tortilla chips and salsas that had already been served. Beth ordered the chicken flautas, served with refried beans. Beth said they were very good and took two of the five to go. There were five large flautas. I ordered plain cheese quesadillas. Much to my surprise, there were three large flour tortillas filled with cheese, served with French fries, pico de gallo, refried beans and avocado slices – all for $95 pesos. They were huge and I took two of the three quesadillas home for two more meals!
The restaurant was doing an amazing business with tables filled and a very busy take-out business, with cars lined up out front to pick up their orders as we were leaving. If you want a great local Mexican restaurant experience, Restaurant Bar Campestre is truly worth a visit. https://campestrerestaurant.com/ or www.facebook.com/restaurantbarcampestreloscabos
Todos Santos: Pacifica Fish Market. There is a great little fish market and restaurant on the north side of Todos Santos on Calle Horizonte. The menu is posted outside the door with a sign saying to order before going to sit. The menu only offers seafood items with a few vegan specials. With two columns, one describes the specials – three tacos with different preparations of the fish and types of tortillas, burritos with fish, shrimp or vegan, fish and chips, or a fish plate and salad. The second column describes fish, shrimp, Pacifica or vegan tacos. You can choose corn, blue corn or flour tortillas and the fish Baja style, blackened or grilled. There are also a few sides. We ordered one fish plate with blackened fish and flour tortillas and one Baja fish taco and one vegan taco.
After ordering and paying, you walk back into a very pleasant outdoor dining area decorated with surfing and fishing items, including several mounted fish. The kitchen is at the back of the space and a semi-circular bar is at the back. We ordered a cucumber and a hibiscus margarita to start while waiting for our food to be delivered. Our order number was displayed on the table. The fish plate had four large pieces of snapper, salad, rice and beans. There was enough food for two people to share. The fish taco had two big pieces of fish with guacamole, chipotle mayo, shredded cabbage, pickled red onion and cilantro. The vegan taco replaced the fish with black beans and pico de gallo. The flavors were all very good and the service was quick and friendly. The market price on the fish plate was $400 mx – the most expensive item on the menu. www.instagram.com/pacifica_fish_market
Cabo San Lucas: Los Kurricanes Restaurant. Attached to Pescaderia (Fish Market) on Calle Alikan, Los Kurricanes offers all kinds of fresh fish dishes. The owners, Juan and Lupita, divide the responsibilities – Lupita runs the business and Juan catches the fish. The fish at the Pescaderia and on the menu at Los Kurricanes were caught overnight and are served fresh. Los Kurricanes only has about eight tables in a very pleasant space with a wall-long saltwater aquarium. But the menu is not small. Their cold bar includes sashimi, ceviche, seafood cocktails, and tostadas using all kinds of seafoods. The specialties menu has tacos, and skewers with different seafood, or steaks, chicken, and salmon are also available. However, their real special is their filet of fish. You can select the fish that you would like that is available in the Pescaderia, have it cooked in the style that you prefer, and choose from a series of sides (both hot and cold) that are available in the front of the kitchen adjacent to the dining room. You can even order complete packages to eat in or to go for two, four or eight people and pick them up 20 minutes after you order.
We started our meal with some octopus ceviche that was piled high on a plate with avocado slices, tomato, onion and more. Our main course choices included a whole fish, two filets of sea bass with a garlic butter sauce, with different sides and deep-fried shrimp. A plate of flan ended the meal. The food was delicious, the portions huge and the service excellent. Full fish dinners $320 mx. Every year, they have special, huge Christmas and New Year’s Eve packages to take out with appetizers, main courses, dessert and wine at great prices www.facebook.com/loskurricanes
San Jose Del Cabo: Kefish Seafood. New to the scene is Kefish Seafood Market. Taking over the space of Las Cazuelas del Don on Malvarrosa, two blocks north of the highway at the light before Walmart, Kefish Seafood Market is both a restaurant and a market. The two owners, Luis Lujan and Juan Carlos Montes, are dedicated to only serving fresh fish. With two sources, one a spearfisher, who provides them with their fish daily, they take the whole fish and filet it to get the exact cuts that they want each day. Kefish is open from 11:30 to 6:00 pm each day (except Tuesday) to ensure that the fish served that day has been caught and prepared on the same day.
The small outdoor dining area, with about 10 tables under fabric cover, has been nicely done with multi-colored tables. The menu is on a blackboard near the door and accessible from a QR code on the table. It offers both cold and hot appetizers, tostadas, sashimi, tacos and some special fish plates, all at a reasonable cost. On our recent visit, we selected the tuna tostada with mango, tuna sashimi, kampachi sashimi and Baja-style fish tacos on flour tortillas. The sashimi platters had eight pieces each along with garnishes. The tacos had two large pieces of curel (a type of kampachi) battered and deep fried with an amazing pico de gallo that included mango pieces. All the items were fresh, delicious, and with ample portions. The service was great. We even tried a special Mezcal from Oaxaca accompanied by sliced oranges with chili salt. Tacos were $55 mx and sashimi $220 mx. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556095674558 www.instagram.com/kefish.seafood.market
