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Cabo Cantina
Category: Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Sports Bars [Edit]
100 Main StNewport Beach, CA 92661
(949) 675-7760
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 12:30 am
Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 10 am - 2 am
Sun 10 am - 12:30 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
130 reviews for Cabo Cantina
Review Highlights
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"The happy hour of course is amazing as well." In 36 reviews -
"5 all you can eat tacos that are AMAZING." In 4 reviews -
"Awesome drink specials." In 10 reviews
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130 reviews in English
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Review from Jeff K.
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cabo Cantina is all the way by Balboa's coast so it's pretty much a "destination" as some may call it. Ruby's DIner is down the pier (as always) so you have a choice between overpriced tacos or overpriced burgers. If it weren't for happy hour at Cantina, the decision would have been difficult.
2 for 1 drinks is the deal, and since each will cost around $7-$10, you'll definitely want to make sure you drink you're money's worth. The downfall is that you will not want to get up afterwards. It's just the beach environment and the laziness drunk attitude that comes with it.
The food is OK - not great. I got the taquitos and the soup. The taquitos were good but the soup was bland and watery. Service was ok. For some reason, they had free chili in this black pot when I happened to be eating here. Lol. -
Review from Peilin N.
Lake Forest, CA
Updated - 3/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Came here the other night for some grub with about 6 other people. My friends ordered some mac-n-cheese, and freaking 30 minutes later, the waiter comes back out and tells us that they're out of mac-n-cheese. Oook whatever.
About a total of 45 minutes later, our food arrives. My nachos were HUGEMONGUS and they were pretty generous on the meat. However, I had to literally pick this pile apart to find any cheese. In my opinion, nachos should be SMOTHERED in cheese. You should have so much cheese that it's hard to find chips!
In their defense, this place was severely understaffed. There was only one person working on the floor. The poor guy was bussing tables, bartending, and waiting tables.
Probably won't be coming back. Poor management, disgusting bathrooms, and subpar food.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/1/2012
This place reeks of dirty old socks from the minute you walk in. Came here for lunch and was… Read more »
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Review from Sabrina C.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is alright. Don't love it, don't hate it.
The only reason I come here is Taco Tuesday. $5 all you can eat tacos. First round comes with a sife of rice and beans. Fortunately, these come in their own little side bowls so you can take them out of the tray when you get your next round of tacos. I like that because then your rice and beans don't disappear after the first round.
Try the Tres Amigos dip tray. You get chips, guacamole, queso dip, their black bean dip, and hot or mild salsa (so really, it should be the quatro amigos but I'm not going to complain).
Drinks are weak. If you're gonna get a drink, don't even bother with a mixed drink just go for the beer.
Parking is free after 6PM so make sure to wait til then to come! -
Review from Edwin T.
El Monte, CA
5/31/2012
It certainly has been a while since I've been to such a rowdy place! It was packed shoulder to shoulder on a saturday afternoon with so many Bro's that I thought I was in a frat house. The atmosphere was pretty awesome as it definitely had that beachy feeling and the 2for1 drink happy hour was certainly awesome. We ended up getting a magarita for $8 (didnt know the name as I just asked for a random one) and it ended up being pretty tasty. Unfortunately getting to the bar seemed daunting as a sea of drunken college students took up the whole area. Unfortunately I'm not as young as I used to be and I didnt want to worm my way through so we had to wait for a waitress to come by and take our orders. I must admit I have to give them much respect for handling all their orders with all the mayhem happening around them. Unfortunately I'm not one for the super rowdy bar scene anymore...but it would definitely be a place for those youngin's looking for a crazy night.
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Review from Danielle F.
Mission Viejo, CA
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
2 for 1 drinks starting at 4, surprisingly good Mexican food (go with anything carne asada), and an excellent blended strawberry margarita. It gets busy and hot in here though. Park your beach cruiser on the grass across the boardwalk and stop in for some daylife fun. It's like a mini Balboa Pier version of Mutt's which is popular down by the Newport Pier.
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Review from Pillin L.
2/27/2012
I've had my fair share of Sunday Fundays at Cabo Cantina. It's been a pit stop for buzzed biking many a times. But wow, night outs at Cabo Cantina was pretty darn fun!
So it's further down the peninsula than you like. And it's not in walking distances to any other bars, but Cabo was so fun that it didn't matter if we went anywhere else.
I can't be sure what their specials are, but the Saturday night that I was there, they were doing 2 for 1 drinks. 2 for 1!! Wow, what a steal! I got 2 jack and diets for about $6! I mean, you can't beat that. Really, you can't. They had a DJ spinning some top 40s and danceable music so me and my buddies were getting our boogey on. Sure there's no established dance floor but the crowd just kind of made behind the bar the dance floor and it worked out just fine. The bartenders were fast and drinks were always spot on. Cabo Cantina just made it into a Newps hot spot for me!
I liked how they had a ton of TVs lining all their walls. Definitely looks like a fun place to catch a game. And being steps away from the sand isn't so bad either.Listed in: Newps
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Review from Ikescent I.
Newport Beach, CA
5/8/2012
Nothing special but worth the experience that pool table is were to hang loose
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Review from KJ S.
Aliso Viejo, CA
2/6/2012
I only give it four stars because food wasn't on happy hour and I HATE paying to park. The service was outstanding, even when I ordered a water to pace myself. Regardless, hit the place for Superbowl Sunday and had a blast. The music was playing at a perfect level, drinks were flowing, staff was super friendly. I didn't regret wasting $6 to the crappy city of NPB for parking because this restaurant was worth it. It's right off the boardwalk so you totally have the beach feel and seeing the sun set was worth the metered parking. My buddy ordered the nachos, and it's arguably the best I've ever had.
I think go there with no expectations besides to get your drink on and have a good time and you'll find it worth while. The place totally reminds me of San Diego and those feelings, so that's a total plus.
Will I be back, in a heartbeat! -
Review from Robert G.
Costa Mesa, CA
We visit Cabo Cantina a few times a year, so we thought of them when we were planning out Super Bowl event. We thought we would have a tough time no matter where we went because its such a bid day for bars, and because we needed room for 40 people.
Lenny the manager was more than willing to accommodate us because we have been going there on a regular basis. He reserved the entire back room for us, and even set-up our own salsa bar.
THE BEST PART OF THE DAY WAS MEGAN!!! We always go out with a group, about 30-50 people. Some restaurants struggle with doing multiple tabs. Megan handled our whole section by herself! This pushed them over a 4 star, to 5 star!!! -
Review from Jaimie W.
Costa Mesa, CA
2/27/2012
Went to the place for the first time on a saturday night. The crowd was poppin, music was playin and the bar area was busy. I highly recommend bring your friends here. Especially if your with a group because they have nice long bar tables ao all your friends can grab a seat. As far as drink prices go, they are the best in newport!! 2 for 1!! thats unheard of! and they serve there drinks in large cups. Its a steal if i do say so myself. The location is about 4 miles down the peninsula from where most of the bars are which kinda sucks but a cab back up is like 5 bucks so its not anything to complain too much about. I was sort of sad that they dont have a dance floor but theres space to make your own dance floor and thats exactly what my friends and i did. Pretty much everyone around us joined in the dance party and the bar didnt care which was very cool of them. I will be returning!
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Review from Denise B.
Small bar overlooking the water. Nice tables and the view is great.
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Review from Jonny A.
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
We paid God knows how much for pitcher-sized margaritas -- why don't you take a guess at how drunk I got on a scale of maybe-I'm-imagining-it to knocked-out. Yeah, it was a giant Icee -- hooray, my belly is filled with anything but alcohol. The place was packed with sweaty bodies -- stinky bros and hoes -- shirt optional -- no, I don't remember actually. TVs showing the latest Trey Songz music video or NBA game -- in a tiki-themed bar -- kinda weird to mix that with sports on TV, no? Well, I guess they cater to the college crowds since that's all that was there. Too bad, I mean, the place does look alright in terms of theme and it's right there on the beach -- I think the combo of the crowd, but even moreso the lack of alcohol in my drink makes me want to say never again. Well, maybe for the food -- assuming it's good.
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Review from Sara O.
Costa Mesa, CA
3/18/2012
Best happy hour! 2 for 1! and they do a late night happy hour! Perfect place to start your night. ..I don't drink mixed drinks, I like my alcohol straight so this is a good deal considering my drink of choice is never on happy hour at any bar so it's nice to come down to cabo and have a cheap bill for once. The bathroom is tiny (only 2 stalls). The servers have always been nice and the food is bar food... I don't come for the food I come for the drinks! So there you go! If you want to drink then come to their late night happy hour and then head over to the other bars :)
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Review from Jennifer L.
CORONA DL MAR, CA
10/31/2011
Good location right near the Balboa pier. Service is OK, food is your typical Mexican food high calorie, greasy, and cheesy.. If I am really craving authentic, bomb, Mexican food, I will go elsewhere. For me, this is more of a place to come out and drink and people watch.
I really like their 2 for 1 drink specials during happy hour....Let's just say my friends and I have taken advantage of the drink specials here more than once....be careful after leaving here after a few drinks during HH, NBPD everywhere on the peninsula! -
Review from Jeanette H.
South Gate, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Been to the one in Santa Monica and the one in Newport Beach now.It's a convenient spot, in the middle of everything, by the beach, but the food was mediocre and service was very slow. We stopped here after whale watching and had the unlimited bloody mary's. Service needs to be faster to keep up with the "unlimited" part LOL.
I did like the mix of the background music! Lots of Sinatra (and like) :) My friend also pointed out how the restrooms were really tiny and theyr really left the door open to air it out. I really don't like having an audience when I go to the restroom lol Sorry! -
Review from Christi Lynn C.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really Dirty! Bad Drinks! Bad Service! Nasty food!
On the bright side ummmm Location :) -
Review from Kt M.
Huntington Beach, CA
Updated - 8/31/2011
After writing my review on 5/31, I get a message from a guy named Corey, insulting my appearance for no reason and he doesn't even have a profile picture of solely himself.. lame, right? Love it when people insult your appearance when they clearly aren't comfortable with theirs! Anyways, his profile had a 5 star review of Cabo for their "elite" bouncers, proof that he was probably one of the bouncers and got all butt-hurt when he read my review.
Well, apparently he must have been fired, because he deleted his 5 star review praising the bouncers, and replaced it with a 1 star review, trashing the manager. LMAO! What a nut job!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/31/2011
I hardly frequent this place, since I normally go out in the Sharkee/Cassidy's/Rudy's area of the… Read more »
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Review from Paul A.
La Habra, CA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's on the beach- it's really the only endearing quality it has- the fact that there are at least two bouncers for a place the size of my moms living room is cause for alarm...
Listed in: Best Happy Hour/ Drink spots
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Review from Chery S.
Santa Clara, CA
9/14/2011
Had a great time at their Happy Hour yesterday. All you can eat tacos all day on Tuesdays for only $5, plus it's Happy Hour from 4-8 and all drinks are 2 for 1 prices. Sweet deal, yo.
Only complaint is service was a little slow. Other than that, the tacos were great, opt for steak over chicken in my opinion. Tacos come with rice and beans, the rice is yuuummy. Drinks good. Chill atmosphere, great location. Will come back soon! -
Review from Andrea A.
Newport Beach, CA
DRINKS ARE 2-4-1 DURING HAPY HOUR 4-8 AND 10.30 TO 12.30 7 DAYS A WEEK! AND ALL YOU CAN EAT TUESDAY TACOS FOR $5!!!
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Review from Josie L.
1/19/2012
This is just one of those places that you go to just for their happy hour: Everyday from 4-8 & 10:30-12:30am you can get 2 for 1 drinks. So if you're looking to get your pregame/buzz on this is the place! But be careful because those 2 for 1's can sneak up on you reallll quick. This place is also a fun place to just catch the games (a lot of USC alumni/ fans come here for the SC games). The food is mediocre and the service isn't that great, but it's not terrible. It's one of those places to just kick back and relax and just go with the flow.
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Review from Cat H.
Updated - 8/11/2011
Popped in today after whale watching for some drinks and a bite to eat.
Restrooms were diiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrttttttttyyyyyyyyyy! I know I told the owner he should buy some bleach here. Can they use it?
Tables were only semi- clean too, the floor was sticky, no one was wiping down services or cleaning tables after patrons left. Poor waitress was alone handling all the tables but couldn't they hire someone to clean the tables for her?
There were large groups of tourists with their babies and small children in the bar. Really? Ew. Surrounded by screaming children. Who brings their baby into a bar?
Sangria- two thumbs up.
Surf and turf tacos- meh. Needs less tomatoes, more cheese, less oil.
Overall determination: I'll stick to drinking here on random weekend visits when there's no screaming children, only loud drunken adults. And for Gods sake, please clean those restrooms.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/22/2011
On a Saturday when the weather was gorgeous, my friend and I had a craving for Mexi food. Well, we… Read more »
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Review from Nikki G.
El Monte, CA
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
We decided to stop by after Whale watching...BIG MISTAKE!
Service, drinks and food were just OK. The bathroom was so TINY it was ridiculous! They kept the door open for air....that's a big No No! -
Review from Ayesha A.
4/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Orange County gone wild?
-2 for 1 drink specials.
-Drunk woman vomiting into trash can.
-Really good music
-Panties hanging from the ceiling fans.
-Men in their 30's acting like frat boys
-Cool vibe
-Cheap alcohol hits hard
-Right on the beach
Oh, and I would avoid the bathrooms if I were you.Listed in: 21
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Review from Joyce L.
Walnut, CA
12/28/2011
Slowest service ever...waited 45 min. for food. Margaritas was too tart....will never come here
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Review from Kylie P.
San Clemente, CA
7/27/2011
Great Happy Hour, Awful Service.
I've been here a few times and EVERY TIME service is awful. Do they take extra long to run the clock on HH? Who knows. Last night was by far the best service I have had and that's not really saying much. We stopped in for Taco Tuesday to visit with some friends that are visiting. You really can't beat the 2-4-1 Drinks and $5 AYCE tacos they have going.
People watching is entertaining. The conversations you hear in the bathrooms are priceless. Where do these people come from? -
Review from Drew M.
Updated - 4/1/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Don't come here for: The crowd (and if you like the crowd, then you are the crowd).
Come here for: 2 for one drinks. 5 dollar AYCE taco's on Tuesday (kind of slow service but not that bad actually). Solid deal for the price.Listed in: Walkin' on Sunshine... Then…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/23/2011
Came here to watch NCAA but happened to come on a UFC fight night.
Conversation Excerpt:
Dude 1:… Read more »
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Review from Kimmy W.
Lake Forest, CA
7/25/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I dont know why this place has such low ratings!
I was a little scared to go because of the 2.5 star rating but my friend and I were starving and the happy hour sounded appealing so we went.
Needless to say~ it was really cheap and really very fun!
Its your typical beach bar, which I love and was perfect for us one Sunday afternoon in July. We ordered traditional margaritas, chips & salsa and some flauta-type rolls (which were DELISH!). Service wasn't amazing and I had to find our server a few times if we wanted more drinks but 3 hours later our tab was only $35 so how can I really complain?!
The crowd was a good mix of beachy guys and girls and everyone was just there to enjoy the music, food/drink and friends with no drama.
It was the perfect way to end Sunday afternoon at the beach~
will definitely go again! -
Review from Tammy G.
Huntington Beach, CA
8/25/2011
I enjoy mexican food maybe better than anything. But the only thing I like here is the location. Which is perfect.
The staff was very rude, and the service was extremely slow. After 2 different servers ignored us for 20 minutes, we flagged one down. I complained to the manager about the host outside making fun of people as they walk by, as well as making fun of patrons. This would have kept me from entering, had I spent any time outside before the dining experience. While waiting to be picked up after dinner, I sat on the bench right out front and witnessed this constant poor behavior. My conversation with the manager ended with nothing accomplished.
The happy hour prices are good, but the atmosphere was just too unpleasant for us to ever want to return here. I would never recommend this place for families - certainly there are better options for children.
I do think a very young crowd mostly interested in a happy hour experience would thrive here. -
Review from Amanda A.
Newport Beach, CA
12/9/2011
Bottomless mimosas on the weekends.
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Review from Alyse S.
Seal Beach, CA
10/18/2011
Overpriced food and terrible service served up on a prime beachfront platter!
My boyfriend and I went into the Cabo Cantina while on a beach cruise in Newport Beach. We were excited to grab a few beers and a bite to eat in such a fun-looking beachfront bar. The place was moderately busy, but we were able to find a comfy high-top booth and peruse the menu. We were disappointed to see that the prices on the menu indicated that we would be sharing a meal if we wanted to also get a beer, as we did not want to spend more than $30-$40 for lunch... However after being noticed by two separate servers in the section, we continued to be ignored for over 10 minutes, even receiving an annoyed "hold on please" index finger from a passing server we tried flagging down after watching her converse for 5 minutes with what we could only assume was a table full of her friends a few feet away from us. After 15 minutes of being ignored, we left, deciding to take our business to the nearby take-out mexican food restaurant, where it was much better appreciated. -
Review from Kay W.
Duarte, CA
9/10/2011
I was here for the 1st time just the other day.
Pro: Location, open windows, varied menu and location.
Cons: The horrendously filthy bathroom. Many bugs, possibly large termites.... how clean could the kitchen be? Only 1 overworked. waitress.
Beer in bottles only, no tap. -
Review from mimi p.
Best time to come here is HH.. which is every day from 4-8 or 1030-12..2for1 drinks, which can get pretty dangerous. The food is okay, nothing to rave about..nachos are good to share..very big portions and goes well with margaritas.. burritos and tacos were okay..fajitas are a good choice to share..
the only downside is that this place gets pretty crowded and its hard to find open tables..But once you find one, you'll prob be there for a couple hours enjoying the drink specials.. Even though it was pretty crowded, our service was actually really good.. She was on top of everything and was very attentive.
This is a great spot to watch the game too, we caught the NBA finals here and there are tv's everywhere, on top of that, they play the commentary too so you can listen to the game and enjoy it with a good crowd. -
Review from Dinnah D.
Garden Grove, CA
1/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Ok so I'm here again and I am having Great service from Laura! Laura is awesome! I'm very happy especially due to my last visit :/... so I give you 5 stars yay!
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Review from Sonny S.
Arlington, TX
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service was very slow. My burger was freezer burned when it was cooked. Tasted horrible
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Review from Rui N.
Irvine, CA
1/15/2011
BF and I came here during the day at 11am before we went whale watching at Davey's Locker across the street.
We wanted to get a little buzzed before getting on the boat so we got the 36oz Patron Margarita. The margarita is really good and refreshing in the 80 degree weather that we were having in January. Our server was very friendly, and she brought out our order super fast. The best thing about this cantina has to be the view though. The windows are really large and you can just sit right by the window and people watch while you drink.
Overall, it was a great day drinking experience. There wasn't many people in the cantina, the drink was strong, and our service was great. I would definitely come back here for day drinking. -
Review from Celia C.
5/16/2011
I came here yesterday wanting a margarita to kill some time before taking a whale watching trip. Our server upsold us on the Patron 36oz margarita for $18 and it was a bit of a disappointment. The margarita tasted weak and watered down. I knew there was a catch for ordering a 36 oz with Patron. They couldn't possibly afford to put in enough tequila to make it taste 1/2 decent. I don't even remember tasting any triple sec or OJ in my drink. Oh well. Lesson learned.
The atmosphere was what you'd expect out of a chain. Top 40s music and loud OC crowd; nothing too obnoxious this time around. -
Review from Eric G.
Newport Beach, CA
I have been coming here for years and let's face it the only reason to come to this place is for the 2 for 1 drink special. It is everyday from 4-8pm. The food is lousy and the service is okay. If by chance you have to use the bathroom it is like Tijuana in the middle of newport...a complete dump. But what can I say I am a sucker for 2 for 1's and will return the next chance I get.
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Review from Ashley S.
Yorba Linda, CA
6/2/2011
Maybe because I'm usually quite drunk by the time I get here, I'm giving it a 4 star. Drinks are cheap, music is good. The crowd is a little weird, but mostly fun. Dancing, cheap drinks, what more can you ask for?
I come here mostly because my house is off one of the streets pretty close to here.
Again, maybe its because i'm drunk by the time i get here, but i always have a good time. :) -
Review from BJ L.
4/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're not careful when ordering food here, this place will nickle and dime you to death on chips and salsa charges.
Fortunately, you can drink this place out of business if you're in before 3pm Fri-Sun to take advantage of the all-you-can-drink bloody mary and mimosa deal (for like 12 bucks?).
Protip: Don't forget to tip at least an extra dollar each time you get a refill, or you'll probably only get one refill.
