Restaurants in La Ventana and El Sargento

The restaurants in La Ventana and El Sargento are spread along the bay rather than gathered on one street: beach palapas and kite-beach bars on the water, mariscos and taco spots along the main road, and a few contemporary kitchens in between. Here are the places in our town guide, by town, with what each one is known for.

Hours change with the season, so check before you drive across the bay for dinner.

Restaurants in La Ventana

• Palapas Ventana — a long-running palapa on the beach, with a restaurant and a bar. A local institution.
• Baja Joe’s — the resort at the central La Ventana launch, with a bar and restaurant and, in season, regular live music.
• The Ceviche Bar at Playa Central — ceviche, fish tacos and drinks at the kite beach, with live music and DJs in season.
• Baja Bites — fish, shrimp and smoked-marlin tacos, grilled and light, in the Diamante plaza.
• La Picazon — shrimp, fish, clams, chicken and burgers, with vegetarian options. Family-friendly.
• Marzalao — a bar-restaurant tucked into the heart of La Ventana, with live music nights.
• La Moringa — inside Casa Tara, an Asian-inspired, organic menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with oceanfront seating.
• Baja Grill at South Beach — pork shanks, ceviche and margaritas, with the cardón forest behind you.
• Booster House — smoothies, juices and healthy plates for breakfast and lunch.
• Tony’s Pizza at Club Cerralvo, up the hill in central La Ventana.

Restaurants in El Sargento

• Nomada — contemporary food in El Sargento.
• Mariscos El Cone — classic Mexican seafood, local catch, casual.
• Las Palmas — at the entrance to El Sargento, by the kite launch of the same name.
• La Tuna Drinks & Food — a beach club at La Tuna, the northernmost launch: cocktails, craft beer, sashimi, tacos, poke and ceviche.

Tacos, tortillas and the market

Some of the best eating here doesn’t have a menu. Taco stands and street food line the main road. The tortillería makes corn tortillas on the comal while you wait — buy a kilo. And the farmers market on Thursday mornings is where the honey, eggs, baked goods and sourdough are.

For the full list, including the cafés and every taquería, The Ventana View keeps a restaurant directory.

Eating without a car

Because the places are spread along several kilometres of shoreline, where you stay decides where you eat on an ordinary night. From Club Cerralvo you can walk to the restaurants around the main beach; from Casa Arrullo you can walk to the cafés in El Sargento. Anywhere else, a scooter makes the whole bay a short ride — rides in La Ventana has them, delivered — and the car note covers the rest.

The bottom line

Eat on the beach at sunset, eat tacos on the main road after dark, and leave one night for the drive across the bay to somewhere you can’t walk to. If a place on this list has closed or a new one deserves to be on it, tell us — the guide is only as good as what people send us.