Owners Scott and Amanda Osborne have helped make this one of the most popular downtown bars, fusing great pub-style food and eclectic music to create a thriving late night party atmosphere in their courtyard location at Plaza Real (next door to Happy Ending). The music varies according to the time of day (or night), ranging from country to hard rock to late night dance mixes. A hard rocking band plays six nights a week, and the crowds are generally going strong well after midnight. But perhaps the best thing about Cabo Blue is that it not only draw hordes of tourists, but has also become popular with the local crowd via competitive prices and daily specials. The food is consistently good, particularly the hamburgers and french fries.

This place has a loyal clientele, and it's easy to see why. Their ongoing offer of two beers and two tequila shots for five dollars remains the best deal in town. Unlike many bars in Cabo San Lucas that don't really hit their stride until after midnight, Happy Ending is a perfect spot to while away the afternoons and early evening hours - beer pong, anyone? - as well as a congenial stop for happy hour. The sound system plays rock and country standards, their televisions show all the latest sporting events, and there is plenty of shaded seating. And don't forget the bar menu, and the area's best souvenir t-shirts. Free phone calls to the U.S. and Canada are another added benefit.

If Cabo San Lucas had a hall of fame for drinking establishments, Giggling Marlin would be in it. Although not as popular as it once was - its halcyon days as a party mecca were in the 1990s – the place still retains an esteemed spot on the local nightlife circuit. Things get crazy here after dark, with generous shots and people being voluntarily hung upside down on a fish scale (getting their pictures taken for the "well-hung club"). But by day or night, this is a good spot to stop for something to eat. Their menu is simple but good, with many affordable options. Breakfast offerings run to breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros, while all-day options include tamales, enchiladas and chile rellenos.

Billed as the "World's Smallest Bar," Slim's packs a lot of atmosphere into a very small space at Plaza de los Mariachis: four seats facing the bar, with two standing room spots at the front window. The décor consists largely of signed dollar bills affixed to every conceivable wall space, and shelves filled with myriad varieties of México's national spirit. Like the nearby Fenway Bar, Slim's Elbow Room is as much a photo opportunity and merchandising outlet as a watering hole. Tourists will sometimes crowd the front entrance on the main boulevard waiting to get their pictures taken at the bar, and hats and t-shirts are always in high demand. Beer and tequila are the beverage options for those holding up the barstools, with the house version of the latter a smooth, triple-distilled sipper called Cinco Perros (Five Dogs). Classic country music adds a downhome feel that pairs well with the intimate dimensions and straight shots of tequila.

Tanga Tanga is a favorite of locals, and a great place to hang out if you want to end up in a conversation with a grizzled expat or a member of the local drinking society. It's located at the Plaza de la Danza near Nick-San and the Tesoro Los Cabos resort, and features plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Great live music is a semi-regular occurrence, and this is one of the more popular places in Cabo San Lucas to watch live sporting events. The bar draws big crowds for hockey, football, basketball, and soccer matches from around the world. The outdoor section features umbrella-shaded tables, and offers prime people watching along Marina Boulevard. Pub-style food is available from the onsite kitchen, and the nearby deli Tio Guido's will happily deliver to your barstool.

Beloved by locals and tourists alike for its laid-back beachfront atmosphere, Zipper's offers excellent comfort food and easy access to some of the area's best surf breaks. Set on Costa Azul Beach - site of the annual WSL sanctioned Los Cabos Open of Surf - this is the kind of place where you can enjoy a delicious Angus beef cheeseburger while watching the waves, and wave riders, roll in. Hamburgers are a big draw here, but Zipper's does deli sandwiches and Mexican fare as well. The BBQ ribs are also top notch. Lunch is the best time to catch the beach scene, but combo dinners at sunset while kicking back with beers isn't too bad either. Satellite televisions show all the big games.

Yes, the spirit of Boston is alive and well in the heart of Cabo San Lucas. The recently opened Fenway Bar - it premiered in March 2016 - was the inspiration of long-time Red Sox fan and former Baja María proprietor Ignacio "Nacho" Padilla. Although born in Mexico City, Padilla is an avid fan of the team, and has made several pilgrimages to Fenway Park. The bar is a virtual shrine to Red Sox history: it's painted Fenway green, decorated with photos of everyone from Pedro and Manny to Ted Williams and Dom Dimaggio, and features a large-scale replica of the "Green Monster" scoreboard. Fenway draws an eclectic group of local regulars and curious visitors. Dominos games pull in locals on Wednesdays, while televised sports and the occasional live musical performance are the other signature attractions. Red Sox games are of course a staple during the baseball season, but Padilla will cater to the taste of his customers, both in terms of television channels and food. An accomplished chef as well as a bartender, he often offers daily specials from the grill.

Cabo Wabo has seen a lot of growth in the last twenty years, in its surroundings and in its business, which has now spun off a tequila brand and several U.S. locations. The bar was started by former Van Halen and Montrose frontman Sammy Hagar, and has become a mandatory stop for just about everyone who comes to town. This is a local landmark and has been for over twenty years, with great live music, a pumping sound system, and good food and drinks. The cantina offers a lot of shrimps and ceviches, with the patio grill menu leaning towards burgers, wings and chicken fingers. Signature cocktails include the Waborita, a house twist on the traditional margarita. The best time to visit, although tickets are hard to come by, is during October, when Hagar hosts his annual birthday bashes with plenty of big-name guests.

Baja California Sur's first brewery has three locations - the original in San José del Cabo, a rooftop spot on the ninth floor of Cabo Villas on Médano Beach, and on the Cabo San Lucas Marina at Puerto Paraíso - all of which have proved exceedingly popular with tourists and locals alike. Fine food is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with menu options ranging from hamburgers and gourmet pizzas to filet mignon and other high-end entrées. The beers are excellent, either in a bottle or on tap, and you can order flights of the draft beer to get a sense of their offerings. If you can only visit one of their locations, check out the rooftop location at Cabo Villas, which offers excellent views of Médano Beach and Land's End.

The walls of Latitude 22+ are a Los Cabos history lesson, filled with old photos of enormous catches and fishing contests, prominent local personages, and even life preservers from notable area vessels. The place comes by its nautical aspect honestly - owner Mike Grzanich first came to Cabo San Lucas on a tuna boat in 1959 - but also serves as a treasure trove for license plates and other souvenirs left by visitors over the years. The bar is one-of-a-kind, with gorgeous Land's End views available from your barstool, and old-fashioned booths in the back offer privacy for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rib-sticking pleasures range from white sausage gravy slathered Croatian Eggs Benedick to chicken fried steak, rib-eye steak and pot roast. Piano player Peter Bacon is a big draw during the high season.