Moxitos Beach Club

Take a seat at the Moxitos Beach Club, and you are treated to a beautiful view of the Cabo San Lucas Bay. This is the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner from Moxitos’ menu of exquisite dishes from around the world. There is everything from traditional Mexican food, to fresh seafood and delicious pasta. As you may imagine with a name like Moxitos, the signature drink here is a mojito. The secret recipe ensures this is unlike anything you’ve tasted before. Between the excellent views, friendly service, and succulent dishes, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful experience while you admire Land’s End. The spot is, of course, a great option for special events, including group celebrations and weddings. Médano Beach, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-6554, www.cabomoxitos.com. Daily 7 a.m.–10 p.m. (The bar remains open until 11 p.m.) MasterCard and Visa accepted. $–$$$ F.M.
Nick-San Cabo San Lucas

The original Nick-San is located in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Since opening in 1994, a lot has changed in terms of the space and décor. Here, you can enjoy a great Japanese lunch or dinner in a more family-friendly, relaxed ambience. Young people gravitate to this location because of its proximity to downtown Cabo’s bars and nightclubs, which are within a short walking distance. We began our dinner by sitting at the sushi bar—you should try this at least once—and chef Edgar “Eddie” Carbajal attended to us right away. We didn’t even have to look at the menu, since he offered to prepare us a dinner designed around our favorite flavors. We started with the famous tuna tostada, a tasty rice tostada with fresh tuna, avocado, red onions, and a bit of spice. Later, we continued with a Salmon Yuzu sashimi, which is made with thin fresh salmon slices that are filled with crab and avocado and served on a yuzu sauce. It was to die for. As we continued our night, we tasted many other dishes. Among them were the Gorgonzola Shrimp, house-made gyozas, a lobster roll, and many other dishes that were suggested by the manager, Jorge “George” Carbajal. These were accompanied by Nick-San’s very own sauvignon blanc, which is produced in the Guadalupe Valley. To end the night, we had a surprise for dessert: The Propina Roll, as the chef calls this roll just for fun, is a tasteful avocado and eel roll. Ask for it on your next visit, and you will not be disappointed. Boulevard Marina L10–L2, Plaza de la Danza, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-2491, www.nicksan.com. Daily 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m. (One hour free parking available at adjacent Wyndham resort.) Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and vouchers accepted. $$–$$$$
Nick-San Palmilla & Nick-San Garden

You’ll find Nick-San Palmilla at the Shoppes at Palmilla, which is located on the Tourist Corridor in San José del Cabo. The recently remodeled location makes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere—but with an excellent view of the Palmilla Bay and moonscapes. Compared to the original Cabo San Lucas location, Nick-San Palmilla has a terrace and a garden bar. Enjoy a long and relaxing lunch or dinner, with the advantage of having the same menu and specialties you could expect in Cabo San Lucas but in a more romantic and intimate scenario. That transitions nicely into a chic, casual, and cool soirée, with signature drinks and music at Nick-San Garden Lounge. This is the first champagne bar in Los Cabos; which reopened in November (5 p.m. till midnight). Here you can always enjoy great drinks created especially for you and made from sake and champagne. Its owners also propose you celebrate your especial events (birthdays, weddings, reunions with family or friends) in this beautiful place where you can enjoy the great signature dishes of Nick-San as well as the garden. We started our dinner with a champagne cocktail and then we let ourselves get seduced once again by the chef’s recommendations. We sampled a variety of signature sashimis and futame age as appetizers; these pair perfectly with Nick-San’s house white wine. Then we continued with Saiko Yaki (white seabass glassed with saikyo miso) with Nick-San’s red wine, which is a great Bordeaux that is easy to drink and pair with many of the dishes. We’d suggest the ones we had that night: the Gorgonzola shrimp, crispy lobster tempura, Beef Filet Serranito, a tasty green tea pasta with shrimp and curry, grilled gresh salmon with smoked flavor white rice and truffle oil. During our visit, we chose to skip dessert and instead indulge in Nick-San’s aged tequila. Since Nick-San has its own tequila brand, we figured we’d give it a shot. We were pleasantly surprised to find a well-balanced bouquet. Área privativa Ap-15, Shoppes at Palmilla, San José del Cabo, Phone (624) 144-6264, www.nicksan.com. Daily 12:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and vouchers accepted. $$–$$$$
Pan di Bacco

In opening the lovely downtown restaurant Pan di Bacco, its owners set out to recreate the feeling one gets when eating at a family home in Italy. They succeeded. The menu of wholesome Italian favorites includes everything from hearty panini served on a thick focaccia to stuffed pitas, which are served alone or accompanied by soup, salad, or a side of the special truffle-scented Italian fries. Pan di Bacco utilizes local, organic ingredients, and you can taste their freshness. The restaurant also caters to the vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free guests. The thin crust and uniquely rectangular pizza has many in town buzzing. Another special treat is the Tagliere al Tuo Gusto cutting board selection, which is a creative option that offers guests a variety of multiple croquettes and skewers, all served with antipasti, specialty bread, and a savory dipping sauce. Ignacio Zaragoza S/N, between Boulevard Marina and Lázaro Cárdenas, downtown, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-31508, www.pandibacco.com. Daily 8 a.m.–11 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, and vouchers accepted. $–$$$ F.R.
Pancho’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar

Chiles en nogada and filet mignon are two of the headlining daily specials at the iconic Pancho’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar on Miguel Hidalgo Street’s Restaurant Row. The restaurant’s colorful decor is a visual treat; there are bright reds, blues, yellows, green, and pinks. And the friendly service is a great companion to the delicious menu of dishes that include the famous tortilla soup and Combination Fernando (a tamale, enchilada, burrito, and pico de gallo salad). Other delectable choices—each served with traditional rice and beans—are the Puebla-style chicken mole, carne asada grilled Sonora-style, Oaxacan tamales wrapped in banana leaves, tortilla soup, and a Caesar salad. Lobster with grilled shrimp or beef is available for just $25 U.S. The restaurant also features its own boutique tequila museum with more than 560 labels that owner John Bragg has accumulated during the past 25 years. Miguel Hidalgo and Emiliano Zapata S/N, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-2891, www.panchos.com. Daily 8 a.m.–11 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, and vouchers accepted. $–$$$ F.R.
Peacock’s Restaurant

The dinner plates here are so elegantly prepared that they would fit on the walls of a gallery, and the flavors of chef Emmanuel Prieto’s creations are just as impressive. The México City-born chef’s friendly spirit imbues the entire restaurant. He and his bilingual staff have created a warm, happy ambience perfectly suited for an intimate romantic dinner. The lobster soup is a fabulous starter that arrives with warm, tasty bread. Follow it with the baked New York steak (served with delicious potatoes that are sautéed with mushrooms and sun-dried tomato) or the oven-roasted duck with risotto. Pair either with red wines that arrive from the Valle de Guadalupe vineyards in the northern Baja Peninsula. The service at Peacock’s is genuinely great, another wonderful gem amid Los Cabos’ many excellent restaurants. Paseo de Pescador, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-1858, www.peacocksrestaurant.com. Nightly 5 p.m.–11:30 p.m. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. $$–$$$ F.R.
Penny Lane Cafe

There’s an organic produce market Wednesdays and Saturdays, but fresh, delicious organic specialties are served throughout the week at Penny Lane Cafe, a warm and welcoming patio restaurant and coffee bar in the heart of Pedregal. Jump-start your day in paradise with fresh-squeezed elixirs like the Hangover Healer with parsley, watercress, broccoli, and pineapple juices, or heart-healthy breakfast standards such as gourmet breads and pastries, omelets and French toast. For lunch, savor the signature hamburger grilled with blue cheese, a wild salmon salad topped with cranberries and pecans, or a variety of pastas, wraps, and traditional Mexican fare. Gluten-free selections are available. Camino del Colegio 225 (just off Miguel Angel Herrera), Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 172-0129, www.pennylanecafe.com. Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Visa and vouchers accepted. $–$$ C.S.