($$$) During the day, Bandido's takes advantage of its location directly across from the Artisan's Market to offer a sampling of traditional Mexican food and refreshing beers and cocktails to passersby. At night, they ramp it up with live music by some of the best local and imported bands featuring popular Mexican music, standard Cuban salsa favorites, and the occasional jazz tune. The waiters can double as dance partners and, many nights, you'll find locals celebrating special occasions here and welcoming you to join la fiesta.

don't miss: the bartenders make a brisk mojito, a mean margarita, and can serve up just about any cocktail you order with their broad bar selection.

just the facts, ma'am: open from 11am - 2am, 7 days a week during high season (closed on Sundays during green season). With close proximity to where most cruise ship passengers disembark, there can be quite a lunch time crowd on cruise ship days. Live music often doesn't start until 11:30 so plan to meet up for cocktails somewhere else if you don't want to pay "live music" prices beforehand. Credit cards are accepted with a 400 peso minimum.

meet me @: Bandido's is easy to find at the edge of Zihua Centro on Cinco de Mayo, next to the Catholic Church and across from the Artisan Market (not to be confused with the central Mercado).

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($$) If you hear "the song of the mermaids" you must be up really late! El Canto de la Sirena is Zihua's live music after hours club where the action often doesn't start until most other clubs have closed. Owner Jose Luis Cobo starts his set of storytelling songs around 10 pm and other musicians wander in on their nights of or after their other gigs have ended. El Canto is one of those places who's nightly ambience depends greatly on both the patrons and the musical acts that happen to stop by. Some nights the hours slowly drift by but when the right mix of people show up, there is a powerful mix of dancing, singing, and drinking until dawn. Half the fun of going to El Canto de la Sirena is not knowing who will be there, what will happen, or if the sun will be up before you head home the next morning.

don't miss: the spontaneity of El Canto de la Sirena. The club may be the closest thing Zihua has to an "underground music club" - except that it is on the second floor!

meet me @: El Canto de la Sirena is on Heroico Colegio Militar in Colonia Industrial, next to the main bus station. Look for the magazine stand on the corner and it is across the street on the second floor.

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Pass through the non-descript archway on Avenue Morelos in Zihuatanejo, and you enter a spacious, courtyard setting that is Restaurant El Pueblito. The garden and the sunbathing iguanas add to the tranquil experience. The menu includes a variety of chicken, beef and seafood dishes, all in the style of Guerrero-state cuisine. Pozole, the Guerrero soup made with hominy and either pork or chicken, is available on Thursdays.

don't miss: The shrimp cocktail has a picante kick to it, and goes down real well with a cold beer. The coppola filet is a fish fillet with a unique peanut-y sauce that is delicious.

just the facts, ma'am: El Pueblito is open daily for lunch and dinner, from 12pm to 10pm. Live music every night. Thursday is Pozole day, and the volume of the music is pumped up quite a bit with really large speakers.

meet me @: El Pueblito is on Avenue Morelos, #249, Colonia Centro

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($$) Conveniently located in Zihuatanejo Centro, Paccolo's Restaurant provides a full menu of Italian-influenced food. A variety of different salads, pasta dishes and pizzas are available, as well as grilled steaks, chicken and ribs. There is live music every night during high season and on Saturdays and Sundays during green season.

don't miss: the shrimp-stuffed avocado is a delicious starter and the pepper steak is always tender and melts in the mouth. Save room so you can finish off the meal with a flambé dessert.

just the facts, ma'am: open daily for lunch and dinner. Live music can make conversations difficult at times so plan accordingly.

meet me @: Paccolo’s is located on Nicolas Bravo #22 in the Centro district of Zihuatanejo.

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($$$) A fairly recent addition to nightlife in Zihuatanejo, Sacbé is a modern Mexican disco located in the middle of downtown. With three (air conditioned) levels, there is plenty of room for lounging, dancing with friends, and mixing with both locals and tourists. The club is popular with young adults and occasionally hosts special nights for students at the local technical college. The music ranges from 70s disco to current US and Mexican pop and salsa hits - if it's got a driving beat, they're going to play it!

don't miss: for the truly adventurous, show off your best dancing moves in the dancing "cage" hovering above the 3rd floor dance floor.

just the facts, ma'am: the cover charge ranges from free to 50 pesos, depending on the season and night of the week.

meet me @: Sacbé is hard to miss on Calle Ejido near the corner of Vicente Guerrero.

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($) Tradition rules on Thursdays at Santa Prisca with verde (green) and blanco (white) pozole, chicken or pork, served at this hole in the wall basement restaurant. All orders of the Guerrerro-born soup come with a plate of appetizers including miniature chile relleños (made from picante jalapeños!), taquitos, chicharrones (pork rinds), avocado, and tortilla chips with bean sauce. Don't come if you're in a hurry or want a quiet afternoon because lingering and loud music is part of the Thursday ritual.

don't miss: live music from popular local musicians, a shot of their own mezcal especially brought in from Taxco, or a large refreshing pitcher of freshly made limonada.

just the facts, ma'am: opens on Thursdays at 2 until the pozole runs out. There's an unpredicatable ambiance here which is half the fun of going regularly: sometimes it's a rockin' fiesta til after midnight, sometimes a slow, sweaty afternoon of leisure (and soup!).

meet me @: Santa Prisca is located in Colonia el Limon on the inbound lateral of 200, Avenida Victor Hugo. Most cab drivers know how to get there and will likely drop you in front of a hardware store. Go next door and follow the music down the stairs.

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