Why go
Cabo San Lucas sits on the water, and its downtown seafood restaurants prove it — fresh catch, neighborhood prices, and none of the markup that comes with an ocean view at a resort.
How to pick a seafood restaurant in Cabo San Lucas
Most of Cabo San Lucas' best seafood is not on the marina — it's a few blocks inland, at small, family-run counters that have been serving the same neighborhood for years. These places skip the ocean view and the markup that comes with it, and the fish is no less fresh for it.
If you want the scenic version, Solomon's Landing sits right on the marina for a sit-down dinner near the boats. For everything else, the better plan is a downtown lunch: pick a counter, ask what came in that day, and order the ceviche or the whole grilled fish rather than anything that reads like a hotel menu.
Cash matters here more than at most restaurants in Los Cabos — several of these are small enough that they don't take cards at all.
Mariscos La Palmita – A Six-Table Downtown Ceviche Counter
Place
Mariscos La Palmita
Small, family-run seafood spot in downtown Cabo San Lucas (six tables, open-air, cash only) serving Veracruz-style ceviche, whole grilled snapper, and seafood cocktails a block off the tourist strip.
A block off the tourist strip in downtown Cabo San Lucas, this family-run counter seats six tables, takes cash only, and leans on whatever the boats brought in that day. The menu runs from customizable ceviche and whole grilled red snapper to Veracruz-style preparations with tomato, capers, and olives, garlic seafood served sizzling in a skillet, and — when supply allows — lobster and chocolate clams. There's no yacht view or white tablecloth here, just neighborhood pricing and a counter pouring classic margaritas and fresh lemonade.
Where to go for seafood
All six sit in or near downtown Cabo San Lucas, from taco-style seafood counters to a full sit-down table on the marina.
Place
Mariscos La Palmita
Small, family-run seafood spot in downtown Cabo San Lucas (six tables, open-air, cash only) serving Veracruz-style ceviche, whole grilled snapper, and seafood cocktails a block off the tourist strip.
Place
Mariscos Las Tres Islas
A spacious downtown seafood restaurant serving mixed seafood platters with fish, shrimp, scallops, and octopus.
Place
El Toro Guero Seafood
A seafood restaurant operating since 2008 in the Mariano Matamoros neighborhood, serving traditional Baja seafood preparations at moderate prices.
Place
Mariscos El Torito
A seafood restaurant known locally for pescado zarandeado, a whole fish marinated in chile sauce and smoked over charcoal.
Place
Maro Shrimp House
A seafood restaurant in downtown Cabo San Lucas serving shrimp and lobster by the kilo in several preparations.
Waterfront Seafood Restaurant
Solomon's Landing
A waterfront seafood restaurant on the marina in Cabo San Lucas.
A waterfront seafood restaurant right on the Cabo San Lucas marina — a laid-back, scenic pick for a midrange dinner near the boats.
Seafood Basics
- What to expect
- Ceviche, whole grilled fish, and shrimp or lobster by the kilo
- Payment
- Several downtown counters are cash-only
- Best plan
- Marina tables for a scenic sit-down dinner, downtown counters for a faster, cheaper lunch
Pro Tip
Keep exploring
Best Tacos in Los Cabos
Where locals actually eat — open-air taquerías in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, not the resort taco bar.
The best tacos in Los Cabos are rarely at a resort — they are at open-air taquerías locals have relied on for years, where a full meal costs a fraction of a resort cocktail.
Hidden Gems and Local Favorites in Baja Sur
The spots that repeat visitors and residents recommend — none of them are on the main tourist trail.
The places that repeat visitors remember longest are never the resort restaurant or the marina chain. They are the corner taqueria, the bakery you found by accident, the rooftop that only fits twelve people. These are those places.
Nearby alternatives
Best Spots for Morning Coffee and Remote Work in Los Cabos
Laptop-friendly coffee shops and breakfast spots with better vibes than another hotel lobby.
The right coffee stop changes an entire workday in Cabo, especially when you need Wi-Fi, decent food, and somewhere that still feels like you are in town.
Best Tacos in Los Cabos
Where locals actually eat — open-air taquerías in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, not the resort taco bar.
The best tacos in Los Cabos are rarely at a resort — they are at open-air taquerías locals have relied on for years, where a full meal costs a fraction of a resort cocktail.