If you are looking for a wonderful place to eat, that is “Off the beaten path”, you should take a look at El Pretil. Any extraordinary place, at an unbeatable price!
When reviewing restaurants, I have always said that atmosphere was almost as important as the food quality and service. I still stand by this but, when it comes to restaurants in a different country, atmosphere often takes on a different meaning. El Pretil is a no nonsense restaurant that caters to locals, rather than tourists. This restaurant, you will find neat, orderly, and extremely clean and with a true, honest flavor of Mexico for Mexicans, by people of Mexico, rather than a created atmosphere for Gringos. Don’t get me wrong, this is more of a cafe, rather than a posh dinner facility, but it is the ‘real’ deal.
If you think the phrase “hole in the wall” is derogatory, you might change your mind after eating here. A hole in the wall is precisely how I would describe this restaurant, but in a very positive way. El Pretil is a small restaurant, only open for breakfast and lunch. If you are stuck on menus in English, or typical hamburgers with french fries, you might look elsewhere, but if you are interested in authentic Mexican food available only “Off the Beaten Path,” you are at the right place.
This restaurant is not a gringo place, so it clearly doesn’t cater to people outside of their neighborhood, but just as I like to go to those small, one up, non franchise “hole in the wall” type places back at home, this restaurant has my name on it. Just remember, there are only about 8 tables and a few counter seats which surround the small, openly visible kitchen, and sometimes, there is a line outside onto the sidewalk with hungry patrons to be. It is worth it.
El Pretil is owned and run by Sergio and Edith and I promise you, to watch her prepare the meals is guaranteed to amaze you. Kathy, my wife, is an excellent cook and can prepare meals in very short order. Even she stood in amazement, watching eggs get picked up by both hands, cracked into a pan and the shells discarded at the speed that would make a freight train stop and take notice. Edith, along with her helpers, runs the small short order kitchen, while Sergio takes the orders, keeps the tables clean, and delivers the food as ordered. This is a no-nonsense business, with plenty of take-out orders being processed as well.
If you think they are getting rich working their hands to the bone, you better look at their prices. Huevos Rancheros, one of my favorites, $2.40 US. Bistec O Pollo con Queso Fundido, which is beef or chicken sliced up with onions, tomatoes and melted cheese is a whopping 4 bucks (Kathy took half of it home, and I ate it for breakfast the next morning). Of course, tortillas are included and if you want more or more frijoles (that’s beans for all you gringos), just ask. A large serving tray with three different salsas, including some pretty hot stuff, is also put on the table. Then, I was a bit hesitant when the coffee they offered only had one option, with or without cream. Let me tell you, Sergio says that the coffee is brewed the same way it was hundreds of years ago and it IS good, I mean really good. It is even served in handmade clay cups, brought over from their home town of Guadalajara. There is a hint of sugar and cinnamon, making it uniquely delicious…and of course, seconds on the coffee are free. If you can believe it, the coffee is 80 cents.
You might think that because of the price differential between El Pretil and restaurants in the central Cabo area, the food quality would suffer, but that is clearly not the case. Remember, this restaurant is not geared for catering to tourists, but rather to local Mexicans. English is spoken by Sergio and his wife, because they spent some time in the States. El Pretil is clearly my favorite “Hole in the Wall” restaurant. A “Must Try” in my book! Getting there may be part of the adventure. If you ask a cab driver to take you there, he may not know where it is, and if he does, he may charge you extra. You need to tell him that it is less than 3 miles from the Cabo San Lucas Marina, downtown. Then you should get a price that makes it quite affordable for 4 people, and even for 2. Try it! Click here to see a map…
Los Cabos Manzana 22 Lote 14, 23473 Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico+52 624 123 0276 +52 624 143 0308
