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Food tours in Cabo San Lucas: what to eat and which tour to book
Cabo San Lucas sits at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, and its best food comes from the sea: Baja-style fish and shrimp tacos, ceviche and aguachile, chocolate clams and whatever the sport-fishing boats bring in. The resort strip and the marina are built around visitors and priced in US dollars; the cheaper, more local eating is a few blocks inland in downtown Cabo, at taco stands and family restaurants. San José del Cabo, about 30–40 minutes up the corridor, is calmer, with a historic centre, a Thursday art walk in season and restaurants supplied by nearby farms.
Use this page to know what to order, where locals eat and how to avoid paying resort prices for everything. The dishes and areas below say what each part of Los Cabos does well. The tours are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and times change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Cabo San Lucas
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baja-style fish tacos tacos de pescado | Battered, deep-fried white fish in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, a creamy sauce, salsa and lime. The signature dish of the Baja peninsula. | Taco stands and small taquerías in downtown Cabo, away from the marina; also in San José del Cabo. | roughly MXN 40–80 (about €2–4) per taco at a stand; much more at the marina |
| Shrimp tacos tacos de camarón | The same as fish tacos but with battered fried shrimp, or grilled shrimp in some places. | Same taco stands and taquerías. | roughly MXN 50–90 (about €2.50–4.50) per taco |
| Ceviche and aguachile ceviche, aguachile | Raw fish or shrimp cured in lime juice. Ceviche is mixed with tomato, onion and coriander; aguachile is shrimp in a sharp, spicy lime and chilli liquid with cucumber and red onion. | Mariscos (seafood) restaurants and stands downtown and in San José del Cabo. | roughly MXN 150–300 (about €7–15) a plate |
| Chocolate clams almejas chocolatas | Large clams named for their brown shells, common in Baja California Sur. Served raw with lime and salsa, or grilled or baked with butter, garlic and cheese ('tatemadas'). | Seafood restaurants in Cabo and San José del Cabo; availability depends on supply. | roughly MXN 60–150 (about €3–7) per clam, depending on preparation |
| Tacos al pastor | Marinated pork shaved from a vertical spit, served in small tortillas with pineapple, onion and coriander. Late-night food all over Mexico. | Taquerías downtown, mainly in the evening and late at night. | roughly MXN 25–45 (about €1.20–2.20) per taco |
| Fresh catch pesca del día | Tuna, dorado (mahi-mahi), wahoo and other fish from the local fleet, grilled or prepared in garlic butter (al mojo de ajo). Some restaurants will cook fish you caught on a fishing trip. | Restaurants around the marina and downtown; ask your fishing operator which restaurants cook your catch. | roughly MXN 300–600 (about €15–30) for a main; cooking your own catch is usually charged per person |
| Damiana liqueur damiana | Sweet herbal liqueur made from the damiana plant, which grows in Baja California Sur, sold in a distinctive bottle and sometimes used in margaritas. | Bars, liquor shops and supermarkets. | roughly MXN 250–450 (about €12–22) a bottle in a supermarket |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Downtown Cabo San Lucas (inland from the marina)
The streets a few blocks back from the marina and the main boulevard, with taco stands, mariscos places and family restaurants where prices are much lower and many diners are locals.
Cabo San Lucas Marina
The waterfront walk around the marina, lined with restaurants and bars aimed at visitors and cruise passengers. Convenient and lively, but you pay for the location.
Medano Beach
The main swimming beach facing the bay, with beach clubs and restaurants serving seafood and drinks. Prices are high and some places have minimum spends for loungers.
San José del Cabo historic centre
The older town at the other end of the corridor, with restaurants around the main square and the gallery district. A weekly art walk runs on Thursday evenings in the high season.
San José del Cabo organic market
A weekly market with produce from local farms, prepared food, baked goods and crafts, popular with residents and long-stay visitors.
Food tours in Cabo San Lucas compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Cabos: Azteca Cactus Taco Farm to Table Cooking Class | 4.5 hours | from €98 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Cabo: Beach & Desert Single ATV Tour + Tequila Tasting | 2.5 hours | from €44 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Private Cabo Tour: Snorkeling, Food & Open Bar 1-20 People | 3 hours | from €710 per group | private | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
| Cabo San Lucas: Cabo Foodie Grand Tour | 3.5 hours | from €80 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Cabo San Lucas: Taco Safari Tour | 3.5 hours | from €80 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Bites of Baja: Cabo San Lucas' Foodie Experience | 3 hours | from €70 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Los Cabos: Azteca Cactus Taco Farm to Table Cooking Class
On GetYourGuide · run by Dharma Expeditions
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €98 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 17 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Cabo: Beach & Desert Single ATV Tour + Tequila Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Eco Xperiences
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €44 per person
- Rating
- 4.5 ★ from 128 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Bilingual local guide ATV vehicle (Single or Double depending on option) Safety equipment (Helmet, goggles, and bandana) Bottled water Authentic tequila tasting session Safety training and induction Mandatory Eco-Par…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Private Cabo Tour: Snorkeling, Food & Open Bar 1-20 People
On GetYourGuide · run by Cabo Boat Adventures
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €710 per group
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 50 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Cabo Boat Adventures ### Arch of Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas: Cabo Foodie Grand Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Cabo Yummy Tours Mexico
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €80 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 38 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Tastings in 6 of Cabo’s favorite locations An expert tour guide 1 beverage
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Plaza Amelia Wilkes C., Centro, San Lucas, 23450 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico
Cabo San Lucas: Taco Safari Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Cabo Yummy Tours Mexico
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €80 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 6 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Tastings in 6 of Cabo’s favorite locations, an expert tour guide, and 1 beverage.
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- We meet at the gazebo in the Plaza Amelia Wilkes park, next to the "KM. 0" 3D sign. The park is located in the corner of Francisco I Madero and Miguel Hidalgo streets at Cabo San Lucas Downtown. This is a well-known location, any taxi or transportation service can easily take you there.
Bites of Baja: Cabo San Lucas' Foodie Experience
On GetYourGuide · run by Eating With Carmen Food Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €70 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 5 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- A guided tour with 6+ stops Taste traditional aguas frescas, birria, sopes, assorted tacos, paletas, and more Vegetarian options available Dive into the rich history, culture, and community Transportation to and from…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Selecto Súper Chedraui Puerto Paraíso
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food here means taco stands and small taquerías: fish and shrimp tacos at lunch, al pastor and other tacos at night. Pick busy stands with a turnover of fresh fish, and help yourself from the salsa bar.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down dining ranges from simple mariscos restaurants to expensive resort and corridor restaurants. Prices at the marina, Medano Beach and the resorts are often near US levels; inland and in San José del Cabo you get the same seafood for less.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Los Cabos usually teach Mexican staples such as salsas, tortillas, mole or ceviche, often with tequila or mezcal tasting. Some are at resorts, others at farms near San José del Cabo; check whether transport is included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | MXN 500–800 (about €25–40): taco-stand lunch and dinner, supermarket breakfast |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | MXN 1,200–2,000 (about €60–100): a seafood lunch and a sit-down dinner with drinks |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | MXN 3,500+ (about €170+): dinner at a corridor or resort restaurant with wine |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Possible but limited at taco stands, where most fillings are meat or seafood. Ask for tacos with beans, cheese, mushrooms or nopales (cactus). Resort and tourist restaurants usually have vegetarian dishes. Refried beans may contain lard; ask ('¿sin manteca?').
Halal: Halal food is very limited. Seafood is the easiest option; pork is common in al pastor, carnitas and many stews, and lard is used in some beans and tamales.
Gluten-free: Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, which helps, but Baja fish and shrimp tacos are battered in wheat flour. Ceviche, aguachile and grilled fish are usually safe; flour tortillas are common in the north, so ask for corn ('tortilla de maíz').
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Timeshare sales staff at the airport, marina and on the street offering free meals, tours or excursions in exchange for a 'short' presentation that takes hours. Say no to anything 'free' that comes with a presentation, and walk past the stands in the airport arrivals hall.
- Paying in US dollars at a poor exchange rate, or with change given back in pesos at a bad rate. Pay in pesos where possible, check the rate on the menu if paying in dollars, and choose to be charged in pesos on card machines.
- Tip already included ('servicio incluido' or 'propina incluida') on the bill, with staff still expecting another tip. Read the bill before tipping; if service is included, extra is optional.
- Beach-club loungers that look free but come with a high minimum spend on food and drink. Ask about minimum spend before sitting down, and compare a few places along the beach.
Top tours & activities in Cabo San Lucas
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Can I drink the tap water in Cabo?
It is better not to. Drink bottled or purified water; most hotels provide it. Restaurants and bars aimed at visitors generally use purified water and ice, and many taco stands do too, but if you have a sensitive stomach, be careful with ice and raw garnishes at small stands.
Should I pay in pesos or US dollars?
Dollars are widely accepted, especially around the marina and resorts, but each place sets its own exchange rate, and it is often poor. Paying in pesos is usually cheaper. When paying by card, choose to be charged in pesos rather than accepting the card machine's conversion. Bank ATMs give the best rates; avoid stand-alone machines with high fees.
How much should I tip in Cabo?
In restaurants, 10–15% is normal, and many visitors leave closer to 15–20% at tourist restaurants. Check the bill first for 'propina incluida'. At taco stands, tips are not expected, though leaving small change is appreciated. On food tours, roughly MXN 200–400 per person for a good guide is customary.
Where do locals eat in Cabo?
Mostly away from the marina and the beach: at taco stands, taquerías and mariscos restaurants in the streets of downtown Cabo inland from the marina, and in residential neighbourhoods further from the coast. San José del Cabo also has more locally focused restaurants. Prices drop noticeably once you are a few blocks from the waterfront.
Can a restaurant cook the fish I caught?
Yes, many restaurants in Cabo San Lucas will cook fish you caught on a fishing trip, usually for a set charge per person that includes sides such as rice, salad and tortillas. Ask your fishing operator which places do it, and bring the fish cleaned and filleted. Check the price per person before you hand over your catch.
Is Baja street seafood safe to eat?
Usually, if you choose stands with a steady queue and fresh fish. Fried fish and shrimp tacos are cooked hot in front of you. Raw dishes like ceviche and aguachile carry more risk: eat them at busy places with good refrigeration. In the hottest months, roughly July to September, be extra careful with raw seafood that has been sitting out.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.