Welcome to Nightlife in Cabo!
Party Guide From Daytime Cantinas To Best Bars


PubClub.com gets soaked with the party scene in Cabo San Lucas.

Blame it on the tequila.

Where else but Mexico – and Cabo specifically – would one subject himself or herself to the body cruelty of a margarita mixed in the mouth by a complete stranger with tequila bottles hanging from a six-shooter belt and sporting a sombrero the size of a table umbrella?

This, simply, is Cabo.

Having margaritas at the beach are part of the pleasure of being in Cabo.

Don't party too hard so you can enjoy the beach and other aspects of Cabo.

There's a lot to look at – and admire – in Cabo.

Watch out for a tequila-pouring John Belushi look-alike at The Office.

Cabo is laid-back, and this carefree atmosphere is an incubator for frenzied socializing. The dress code is casual – shorts are widely acceptable for guys and girls are most comfortable in sun dresses.

Drinking in the streets and on the sand is acceptable, and it's often possible to walk right up to a beachside bar and take a seat with beer already in hand.

This being Mexico, the party starts early and continues late. Daytime drinking is a ritual, often a warm-up to a big night ahead. You can do all sorts of fun things in Cabo –  go out to Lover's Beach (the one with the arch) and take a snorkeling booze cruise, among them.

A prime destination for Southern Californians looking to cut completey loose Cabo can be wild, raucous and rebellious. Oh, the stories those hoel room walls could tell!

Just don't forget to that that early-evening "power nap," known as a "siesta" in Mexico.

PubClubbing – Cabo's Beach Bars and Nightlife

The hot party place in Cabo, as it has been for years, is Squid Roe.

There are only two words to know when it comes to partying in Cabo: Squid Roe.

No matter where one begins the evening, all roads eventually lead to this bar.

El Squid Roe is large, lively and libidinous, a laboratory for love-seeking singles far away from home and responsibility.

At Squid Roe, a girl with a whistle puts Jell-O shots in your mouth.

She's not reflecting in the moment, she's dancing at Squid Roe.

Dancing on the balcony is part of being at Squid Roe.

This is THE place to party in town. With dancing atop mulit-level metal platforms, constant music and waiters who are more anxious to serve you than you are to drink, Squid Roe provides a potent combination that is hard to beat anywhere in Mexico.

Most people don't arrive until after midnight, and it cranks until about 4 in the morning.

They look under control now, but they really are under the spell of Cabo.

There are several bars along the beach; The Office is the best of them.

While all activities may end up at Squid Roe, they don't begin there. Now, most people won't think of spending time at the office while on holiday, but The Office in Cabo is quite different from the one back home.

At this Office,there's no desk, telephone, no anxious clients and no boss. Only a chair in the sand, beer served in ice buckets with eager waiters ready to for the next refill a tequila-hoisting John Belushi look-alike who encourages people to take shots and mix margaritas in their mouth. A day at this Office does not encourage productivity.

Next door are two more places, Mango's and BillyGan's. Just choose your afternoon poison.

Located right on the sand on Playa Medano, The Office is the central daytime bar stop. At least for those not sunning next door by the pool at the Melia Hotel. For revelers, the swim-up bar is the Melina's big attraction. It's got a Euro-style feel to it – hip music, good vibe and pool-side bungalows. At night, this becomes a very cool bar, mostly locals.

By the harbor, a row of cantinas look out to the fishing fleet. The most popular of these is Baja Cantina and it's especially lively on Fridays.

The pool at many hotels have swim-up bars as a good pre-party to later.

Nights generally begin at the Giggling Marlin. The specially here is the "Skip and Go Naked," an appropriately-named cocktail of mysterious mixings and dubious color. Drink a bowl by yourself and it's on the house. Of course, those attempting such a feat are not likely to make it to Squid Roe later.

The Giggling Marlin is a smaller version of Squid Roe, a good first-stop bar. It generally has a bit of an older crowd (mid-30s to mid-40 is not uncommon) and is where couples go to cut loose in Cabo, thereby escaping the largely 20s frenzy of Squid Roe.

Not everyone spends their evening at Squid Roe. (It just seems that way.) In the other direction from the Giggling Marlin is Cabo Wabo. Opened by the rock group Van Halen, it is now home to singer Sammy Hagar who on occasion makes an appearance, largely to promote his own brand of tequila.

Cabo Wabo is more nicely appointed than Squid Roe, with a dance floor and tables and chairs for relaxing.

On a fairly upscale note – upscale for a place with dirt roads and celebrity millionaires – Zoo is a classy option.

Dining and Restaurants

This is one of the best of the many taco stands in Cabo San Lucas.

Despite all the restaurants, true Mexican flavor can only be experienced at the roadside taco stands. One of the best is Lobster Tacos, featuring its namesake. Located across the street from Squid Roe, it's an open-air treat and also a good place to meet other travelers.

The Giggling Marlin serves reasonably-priced Mexican fare. The Office also serves reasonable food, as do other restaurants lined along the beach. The Sand Bar is a small hangout for part-time residents that's a deck right on the beach. For more of the authentic Mexican flavor, Felix' is the place to go. The homemade sauces are tremendous. Fresh fish, a large selection of shrimp dishes complement more standard Mexican plates. At less than 100 pesos a plate, it's a hard deal to beat (closed on Sundays).

The cantinas along the harbor (and the aforementioned Baja Cantina) offer Mexican fare with a view of the fleet, which with a few margaritas, is no fleeing moment.

If you like your food with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes, a big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer, then good gosh almighty, steer towards Cheeseburger & Fries. The food is good, the atmosphere great and it's the best place for watching sporting events.

More formal dining is available at The Trailer Park. Don't be fooled by the name, it's arguably the best restaurant in the area. For lobster in Cabo, this is the place to go.