San Diego Mexican Food Reviews

89 Bonita Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 934-4063 (map)
Official website

Bottomline - A Tijuana style Mexican seafood restaurant with a huge menu and dependable food.

Sometimes it seems like Chula Vista is the epicenter for Mexican style seafood places (mariscos) in America. Everything from street tacos out of a truck, to strip mall restaurants, to mainstream/fancy places like Los Arcos. Which style you prefer will be a matter of personal preference, and each has it's plus and minuses.

The draw here is the dressed up location, the top notch service, and the fancy presentation. If you are trying to impress your foodie friends, go to a taco truck. If you are trying to impress family from Maine, bring them to Los Arcos.

One of the things common to most mariscos is a huge menu, and that's true here as well. There are pictures, but that hardly touches the surface. Don't be shy about quizzing the wait staff. I also recommend trying an appetizer, unless you've come with a small appetite.

Of course this upscale sort of dining comes with higher prices than the more humble mariscos in the area, but I don't think they are out of line. The food and service are very good, and you'd pay more at a seafood place downtown.

People will debate endlessly about whether this is "authentic", or whether it's as good as the Los Arcos in Tijuana. I'll leave that debate to others. But the food I have had here was as authentic and delicious as I needed it to be. An argument could be made that a more "mom & pop" style mariscos will be more authentic, but I'm not sure I buy that. Yes, the food here might be a bit safe. But it's still really good.

I didn't find Los Arcos to be stunningly delicious. It was basic mariscos fare with quality preparation and very good service. So I'm not going to present it as the best Mexican seafood San Diego has to offer. Frankly I'm still looking for that. But it is quite good, and I'm very comfortable recommending it.