Top 5 Nightlife
Near Sayulita
Margaritas, mezcal and live music, picked by our team
Our top five Sayulita nightlife picks are Luna's for 2-for-1 margaritas from 4 PM, Escondido Bar for craft cocktails, Bar Sanctum for wine and live jazz, Sayulita Public House for pub food and sports, and Don Pato's for live music and dancing. All sit in town, a short walk or about a 5 minute Uber from our condos.
Sayulita nights run from sunset margaritas to late sets by the plaza. We ordered this list from easiest start to loudest finish, so you can begin at Luna's, keep the evening as quiet or as lively as you like, and get home when you choose.
Last verified
Luna's
A relaxed, affordable Mexican restaurant that locals use as an easy first stop for margaritas. Handcrafted margaritas are 2-for-1 from 4 PM, and the fish tacos and shrimp quesadillas come with a choice of six house salsas. The mood is easygoing with background music, nothing like the louder plaza bars. It works for sunset drinks and a sit-down dinner, and the kitchen stays open late enough for a second round.
Get there right at 4 PM when the 2-for-1 starts, and order a pair of different flavors to compare. Luna's is closed Thursdays, so plan around that.
Escondido Bar
Open since 2012 and now on Avenida Revolución, Escondido serves craft cocktails with locally sourced ingredients and a good wine list. The flavored margaritas (passion fruit, piña, watermelon) and the mezcal pours are the draw. A street-facing patio, board games and low-volume music make it one of the calmer bars in town. It opens at 9 AM for coffee, so it covers a slow morning as well as an evening drink. Staff will steer you toward mezcals if you describe what you usually drink.
Come around late afternoon for a table on the patio, then walk the few steps to the plaza to watch the evening start.
Bar Sanctum
A wine, cocktail and tapas bar with the longest wine list in Sayulita and small plates from Chef Juan Corpus that mix Spanish, Japanese and Mexican influences. Live jazz, Moroccan and blues sets play several nights a week at conversation volume. Through a glass wall sits a Cuban cigar lounge with rums and cigar tastings. Wine nights with live music run Wednesday and Saturday from 5 to 9 PM, which fits an early evening.
Go for the Wednesday or Saturday wine night: the music is on by 5 PM, so you are home well before the building's quiet hours.
Sayulita Public House
A multi-floor pub just off the plaza, known for duck fat fries, burgers and a tequila list billed as the largest in town. Its margarita won a local contest in 2019. Upper floors have TVs and views, so it fills for NFL, soccer and UFC. Taco Tuesday is the weekly special. It is a casual place to eat and drink without a dance floor or DJ, and the third floor is quieter than the street level.
Head up to the top floor for views over the plaza and a calmer table than the ground-level bar.
Don Pato's
A two-level open-deck bar by the plaza where live music or DJs play four nights a week, the closest thing to a classic Sayulita night out on this list. The full bar pours top-shelf liquor, cocktails, beer and wine, and the scene picks up around 10 PM. Locals say Thursday has the most local crowd and Saturday is the biggest night. Ducks live on the property, which gives the bar its name.
Order a drink before 9 PM for a seat on the upper deck, then decide whether to stay for the late band; guests heading home by 10 PM beat the loudest hours.
Questions about nightlife near Sayulita
Where can I get 2-for-1 margaritas in Sayulita?
Luna's runs a 2-for-1 handcrafted margarita special from 4 PM. It is an affordable Mexican restaurant with fish tacos and shrimp quesadillas, open late, but closed on Thursdays, so confirm hours before you go.
Which Sayulita bar is best for live music?
Don Pato's, a two-level open-deck bar by the plaza, has live music or DJs four nights a week, and the scene picks up around 10 PM. Bar Sanctum offers quieter jazz and blues sets at conversation volume.
Which Sayulita bars are calm enough for a quiet drink?
Escondido Bar has a street-facing patio, board games and low-volume music, and is open daily from 9 AM to 1 AM. Luna's and the top floor of Sayulita Public House are also relaxed.
How do we get home from Sayulita's bars?
Most spots are a 10 to 15 minute walk from our condos, and an Uber home takes about 5 minutes. Our building is a quiet residential community, so keep noise low when you return late.