Monte Cardón

Monte Cardón is a contemporary Mexican restaurant on a private hilltop estate in the East Cape of Los Cabos, off the road toward Cabo del Este and about 25 minutes from downtown San José del Cabo. Dinner is a set menu of six courses cooked over wood, served to twelve guests a night from Thursday to Sunday at a single seating timed for golden hour. Each party has its own table, with the Sierra de la Laguna to the west and the Sea of Cortés to the south. The dinner costs 149 US dollars plus tax per guest and includes a welcome aperitivo; an optional pairing of five Mexican wines adds 69 dollars plus tax. Bookings are made on OpenTable with payment in advance, and the evening runs about three hours.

The estate belongs to chef J. Ubaldo Martínez Silva and Ourem Urdapilleta Martínez, who broke ground in 2022 and opened in 2024 on twenty-six acres of desert. It was built with granite from the hillside and terracotta fired from its own red soil, and it runs off-grid on solar power. The kitchen describes its cooking as contemporary Mexican with a Baja-Mediterranean soul, rooted in slow food. Principal produce travels no more than thirty miles, with goat cheese from Rancho Santa Rosa in the Sierra de Santiago and fish from the fishermen's cooperative at La Playita. The menu changes almost daily, so the dishes below were named at past dinners, not a fixed list. El Tiempo, Rolling Stone en Español and Matador Network have written about the estate.

Why Monte Cardón Stands Out

Twelve seats a night — a single seating, with a private table for each party of two to twelve.

Chef Ubaldo Martínez — the founder and executive chef, from a family of ranchers, plans the menu around what growers and fishermen bring that morning.

Cooked over wood — the courses come from an open kitchen steps from the tables, with a terracotta oven fired with mauto, the local mesquite.

From sunset to stars — the aperitivo is served as the sun drops behind the Sierra de la Laguna; by dessert the estate dims its own lights for the night sky.

Must-Try Dishes

Cardón Spritz — the aperitivo poured on the terrace at sunset before dinner, made with damiana, basil, citrus and prosecco.

Parrotfish Ceviche — a ceviche of parrotfish from the morning's catch, a course reported at the dinner in 2025; the menu changes almost daily.

Yellowtail in Green Mole — jurel, the local yellowtail, in a green mole, a course two 2025 reviews describe. Ask what the kitchen is cooking that night.

Shellfish in Damiana Butter — chocolate clams or baby scallops, depending on the catch, in butter flavored with damiana, a wild Baja herb.

Hours & Reservations

Hours: Thursday to Sunday, one seating a night. Arrival is at 5:00 PM from October to March and at 6:00 PM from April to September. Closed Monday to Wednesday.

Reservations: Required, on OpenTable with payment in advance. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund. Mention allergies when you book.

Dress code: None. Dinner is outdoors; wear comfortable shoes for the terracotta floors and bring a sweater in winter.

Getting there: Use Google Maps only. A paved road leads to the gate, then 1.5 miles of sand road that any car can drive. The estate can arrange a private round trip for about 2,000 pesos.

Reviewed by What's In Cabo Editorial Team, 2026-09-28. Sources: montecardon.com (concept, founders, chef, sourcing, dinner format, prices, schedule, booking and cancellation terms, dress, directions, map location, photos, logo), Visit Los Cabos (listing, address, photos), El Tiempo (3 July 2025: dishes, opening date), Matador Network (19 June 2025: dishes), Rolling Stone en Español (24 January 2025: chef).