We're staying at the Hacienda Del Mar resort in Cabo San Lucas, and one of the main restaurants (out of three) available for dinner is De Cortez. We had a wonderful experience there. We enjoyed the atmosphere at the bar before dinner, the bartender was very good, the Mezcalitas were on top. We are beginning to explore the world of mezcal, and these cocktails were a nice experience on that journey.
We did have the crazy experience of watching the frenzy of the restaurant service staff vacate the row of tables next to the sea wall; it was the night of the full moon, and a monster wave came crashing over the seawall... after the soaked scramble, the vibe returned ... De Cortez really presents a very nice atmosphere, very comfortable, nice fire pit, live music in the bar area that can be heard throughout the restaurant.
Our first course was the grilled romaine salad and the endive and blue cheese salad. Both were excellent, very fresh, well-balanced ingredients. The second course entrees included the NY steak, presented at the perfect temperature, and the fresh catch of the day (seabass), also prepared very well. The sides of mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus were delightful!
We finished up with a couple of glasses of wine and the caramel tartlet. The wines were perfect (although a bit pricey), and the dessert was sublime, with just the right amount of sweetness.
An excellent dining experience ... we plan to do it again!
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Update Oct 2023
We dined a De Cortez during our first weekend at Hacienda Del Mar... what a disappointment ... The service was poor, the food average at best, and the overall experience was only 2 stars, if that...
The one positive was the Somm, Christopher, great job helping us select a Mexican Aglianico wine, well cellared, temperature perfect, decanted at the table, delicious!
Our food courses started with salads, the Romaine salad with cheese and the Endive and Blue cheese salad. While at first visually pleasing, upon getting into the dishes the lettuces were old, grey and wilted, and the endive just plain rotten in the cores of the leaves. Much of the romaine lettuce was also old and brown.
In addition, one really bizarre issue with the endive and blue cheese salad was that it was served on a plate of rocks... maybe that's "creativity" but you cannot cut the salad on rocks, so we assumed it was intended to be finger-food, really unappealing for a salad...
After finishing what we could salvage of the salads, the dirty dishes sat on the table for 30 minutes, not that there weren't waiters/servers around, they just didn't bus the tables and clear the dishes timely.
The biggest ticket item of our meal was the 36 oz Tomahawk chop, which was also underwhelming. Good size indeed, but the piece of meat was at least 25% total fat, inedible... so, after the fat the bone were removed, we had perhaps 16 oz of edible meat. Sub-par in any restaurant in the world!
One final comment about De Cortez ... they allow a stooge of an artist to stalk diners while they eat, drawing up grotesque caricatures of diners, then presenting the drawings and expecting payment for the "art." Most diners we talked to bristled at the mention of the muse who wandered around the restaurant... he's a real downer for diners!
De Cortez is not a place we can recommend anymore. Take your business "off campus," there are plenty of great restaurants in Cabo, don't waste your time here.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100–200
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 2
My wife and I had a wonderful meal at De Cortez, overlooking the ocean. Our server, Dennis, was very attentive and he recommended an excellent Cabernet-Merlot blend. Picture of the charcuterie board for two.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$1,000+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Three Course
We love eating here for breakfast and dinner. The staff are very accommodating. We have a small dog so they always find us a good seat outside. They serve our dog with water right away.
We go here for breakfast during our stay at the resort because we don’t like buffets. It is more quiet here and the music is light. Their Eggs Benedict selection is a good start for your day.
Our favorite is having dinner here. The beautiful sunset clouds in Cabo is so beautiful. Dine here before sunset and you will be mesmerized by the beautiful sky. The food selection is not that bad either. Be prepared to spend a minimum of $50 USD for breakfast and $150 for dinner. Please don’t forget to tip the waiters. We’ve been to so many restaurants around the world and Mexicans and Filipinos are the most hard working and friendliest people out there. Please, appreciate them.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$100–200
We stayed at the Hacienda Del Mar for several days. Ate at de Cortez for the last night. One of us had ordered the burger. Since 2 am she has been throwing up and experiencing stomach issues. When calling reception we were given very little help or consideration. We were told it was due to outside food yet we had not eaten outside the restaurant for two days. The sickness came at an unfortunate time as we had a flight the next morning. An unfortunate response to only offer partial compensation of the bill. Would hope other guests receive better treatment in this regard.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 4
Ordered the mixed grill for 6 people, steak and seafood. But it had only 4 scallops and 5 shrimp...not exactly easy to divide between 6 of us. Beautiful setting, but much too expensive for the quality and quantity of food provided.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100–200
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5
Wow! Highly recommend De Cortez for a lovely sunset dinner. This experience has been absolutely stunning with delicious food, ambiance, wonderful service, and cocktails are great too!
The first thing I have to say is that De Cortez is very pricey. I think you mostly pay for the view, which is amazing, right on the beach! The food tasted great. They had a good selection of wine. The restaurant itself is very upscale, yet casual. I probably would not dine at De Cortez again unless someone else is paying for my meal.
Eating on the beachfront at de Cortez is a tough location to beat. It was quiet and tranquil even as other guests filled the restaurant. Be sure to make a reservation and to order the organico salad, scallops, and seabass. We were less thrilled about the peach dessert and the mushroom risotto. I would also like to complement the green accent color throughout the decor, it worked well.
Right on the beach... atmosphere was lovely! But no ac. Servers were a delight! Had a delicious pineapple margarita! Burger was perfect and well seasoned!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100–200
I made reservations several weeks in advanced for our friends Anniversary celebration. While food was very good and service was wonderful I was disappointed they did not make an effort for our friends 30th wedding anniversary. It was not a cheap meal then add in the 3 bottles of wine. Beautiful restaurant and attentive staff.
