Bars and Nightclubs

San José nightlife is low-key compared to the famous clubs in Cabo San Lucas, where you can dance the night away, but there are a handful of places where you can enjoy a few drinks and listen to live music.

Enjoy a glass of wine and tapas on a second-story balcony overlooking the plaza at La Internacional (Plaza Mijares, near the fountain, noon–midnight Tues.–Sun.).

Baja Brewing Company (Morelos 1227, btw Comonfort/Obregón, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/146-9995, www.bajabrewingcompany.com, noon–2 A.M. daily, mains US$10–15) quickly became a popular watering hole when it opened next to Baan Thai in December 2007. As the only brewery in Baja California Sur, it crafts eight different artisanal beers, including a Baja Blonde and Cactus Wheat brew, and you’ll find them on menus as far north as Loreto.

Order a brew-tender and get five pints for the price of four, conveniently served from a mini-tap at your table. The brewery uses its barley, yeast, and beer to make a delicious pizza dough. Spicy chicken wings are another crowd pleaser.

Tropicana Bar and Grill (Mijares 30, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/142-1580, 8 A.M.–midnight Sun.–Thurs., till 2 A.M. Fri.–Sat.) has been a mainstay among gringos for many years. It plays regional Mexican music from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. Wednesday–Monday.

Morgan’s Restaurant and Cellar (Hidalgo and Doblado, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/142-3825, morgans [at] prodigy [dot] net [dot] mx, 6–11 P.M. daily) frequently has live jazz.

Canadian-owned Shooters Bar & Grill (Doblado and Mijares, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/142-9900, lunch and dinner daily, bar open until 11 P.M. nightly, later on weekends), above Tulipán Restaurant, is an open-air rooftop bar with seating in plastic chairs and usually jazz music.

The nautical theme is a bit cheesy and tunes are country oldies, but otherwise the Cielito Lindo Sky Bar (Paseo del Malecón, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/142-9292, 5–11 P.M. Tues.–Sun.), in the lighthouse tower of the Hola Grand Faro resort, is a great place to catch the sunset.

Behind the Mega shopping center, the Baja Blue Bar and Grille (formerly the Rusty Putter, Paseo del Malecón, San José del Cabo, tel. 624/142-4546, lunch and dinner daily, bar open until 11 P.M. nightly, later on weekends) is a large sports bar and restaurant with live music on weekends, plus satellite TV and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

Expats who live near Playa Costa Azul convene at Deckman’s at Havana (Km. 29, Carr. Transp., tel. 624/142-2603, www.deckmans.com, breakfast–late night daily), on the north side of the highway, for nightly live jazz.

Across the street and a little farther west, Zippers (Km. 28.5, Carr. Transp., tel. 624/172-6162, 11 A.M.–10 P.M. daily) plays oldies for the baby-boomer crowd on Friday and Saturday nights.

Festivals and Events

On weekend evenings during the high season, you can almost always find a fiesta in progress at Plaza Mijares, complete with music, dancing, cotton candy, mimes, and piñatas.

The weekly Art Walk on Thursday evenings (5–9 P.M.) has become a town-wide celebration during the high season, with wine and food served at many of the galleries. The streets close to traffic and Cuban dancers perform in front of the Centro Cultural. When the galleries close, the party moves to the Baja Brewing Company, which stays open late.

San José celebrates the feast day of its patron saint on March 19, a day of more music, dancing, food, games, and a parade.

On June 1, San José celebrates the annual Día de la Marina, a national day of honor for the Mexican navy, with great fanfare, including a fishing tournament, carnival, music, and even a greased pig.