2489 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 297-4330 (map)
Official website

Bottonline - A San Diego tradition. Food doesn't stand up to the hype. Touristy.

While OTMC isn't one of my favorite places to get Mexican food, you will find many recommending it and lots of locals eat here. And of course it's mentioned in every San Diego guide out there, so I guess I owe it a review.

The good - Old Town Mexican Cafe is a fun experience for guests. With a festive atmosphere, colorful decor, and ladies making fresh tortillas by hand out front, there is plenty to make this a fun stop for San Diego tourists. The food is good enough that anyone not snobbish about Mexican food will enjoy it. Some of the dishes, such as the posole are pretty good.

The bad - San Diego has tons of great Mexican food. This isn't it. While the food is good, and might be great in a town with few Mexican food options, it doesn't measure up so well in a place like San Diego. Add to that the looooooooong lines that usually fill the sidewalk. In my humble opinion, the food isn't worth the wait.

So what should you eat in Old Town if you are a tourist trying to find lunch or dinner after going through the cute shops? To tell you the truth, I'm not sure it matters. During the tourist season most places will have lines that are just too long. And the food doesn't vary that much form place to place. I actually enjoy Plaza Del Pasado, mostly for the over-the-top atmosphere.

So.......... While it's not bad, you *are* in San Diego. Try the really good stuff.

2015 Garnet Ave #102
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 581-1408 (map)
Official website

Bottomline - The best Mexican food in PB. The real deal. Yum.

I was all ready to not like Margo's. So many things about it screamed gringo Mexican. The PB location made me think it was another surfer taco place, and the happy hour cocktail specials seemed to support that. The weird font on their sign seemed more German than Mexican. And in a region where Mexican places typically have names like Casa El Robertos, "Margo's" just seems out of place.

I was wrong. This is the good stuff.

My first visit I literally stopped in my tracks as I walked in the door. Not one, but two trompos behind the counter suggested a rarity for a shop where most of the customers order in English - Real al pastor tacos. The menu also made me toss my assumptions out the door - Huarache, sopes, nopales, chilaquiles.

Okay...... resetting expectations. How is the food? It's really good, and done right. The meat is spot on, whether it's the al pastor style pork or the carnitas. The sauces are delicious (get the squeeze bottles that you have to ask for). The toppings are fresh and simple. I do think they put too much guac on the tacos, but everyone seems to do that, so I assume it's me.

The second trompo has a unique surprise - Pollo adobado. I haven't seen this before, and it's delicious.

Over all I would say this is a basic Mexican restaurant of well above average quality. They aren't doing anything wondrous here, just offering the basics better than anyone else in the area. And with that "area" basically being Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Mission Beach and Clairemont....... Well, I'm making a pretty bold claim.

Parking can be a problem, as they're located in a tiny strip mall. Prices are very reasonable. It's a little confusing whether you should order from the counter or at the table, but either works. I suggest grabbing a menu and sitting to order.

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.

1177 Broadway, Suite 14
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 585-0773 (map)
Official website

Bottomline - A very solid sit-down option for authentic Mexican style seafood.

This restaurant has three locations, but the only one I've been to is the one on Broadway. A few people have suggested the one in Eastlake is better, so I'll need to get out there some time. At any rate, the menu and recipes are basically the same for all of them.

The first thing to contend with here is the intimidating menu. It's huge. Well over 100 items, all of which look and sound delicious. I strongly suggest getting a cocktail if you're going to try and ponder over entree choices for long. Or spend some time quizzing the wait staff.

It's all here. Fish in sauces, grilled fish, fried fish, mixed fish, stuffed fish, tacos, enchiladas, etc. Though the menu has pictures for many items, asking the server is a good idea.

Some translations for those (like me) weak on Spanish -

Molcajete - This is a stone bowl typically used as a mortar and pestle. If you see something like shrimp molcajete on the menu it just means the dish will be served in a stone bowl, not that it's cooked in the bowl or anything.

Machaca - In this context you can assume this means the meat will be shredded or finely chopped.

Campechana - Your basic Mexican style seafood cocktail typically with a mix of fish. Not as thick and tangy as an American style shrimp cocktail. More sweet and brothy.

Everything I've tried has been great. Quality fish, solid preparation, generous portions. Prices are quite good when you compare them to what you'd pay for the same thing at an American style seafood place.

A mariscos is a good alternative to the typical tacos, moles, or carnitas you might be used to. And Pescados y Mariscos Hector's is a very dependable mariscos option.

3946 Illinois St
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 294-8292(map)
Official website

Bottomline - Authentic style, diverse menu, great bar, wonderful food.

One of the wonderful things about El Comal is the menu. There is a fantastic variety here with so many traditional items that you'll need to go back several times to get a handle on the place. From basic street tacos to Cochinita Pibil. From shrimp to goat. It's not a huge scattershot menu, but it touches on many different things.

To me the food here is delicious and comforting with a great depth of flavor. Both the Cochinita Pibil and the green mole are the best I've ever had. I think this can be attributed to the authentic dishes that are taken to a higher level than most Mexican restaurants. And example - The chicken enchiladas have chicken so succulent and flavorful that it's almost a shame to put more sauce on it. But then you add the green mole and the dish truly shines. Still simple - chicken, tortilla, sauce - but with wonderful flavor.

But more than just a great Mexican place, ElComal also mixes in live entertainment (sometimes) and a real bar. So if you want a quality mojito or margarita with your meal, they have that.

I would advise quizzing the server if you aren't sure. The menu here certainly has something for everyone, but you need to sift through lots of options. Spicy to bland. Simple to complex. If you want to play it safe, get the Cochinita Pibil tacos which are like the taco of my dreams.

I have read that the food service can suffer when the place is packed at night, but I've always gone for lunch, which was fine. Parking on the street isn't a problem, at least during the day.

I'm not a fan of goat. But I tried the goat tacos here. They didn't convert me. So if you don't like gamey, fatty meat, you might want to steer clear. I know that's all me, but so few restaurants serve goat that I'd just like to make sure you know what you're getting.

There are actually two locations, the other being in Chula Vista, but I've only been to the North Park restaurant. Both are suppose to be good.

But over all I really like El Comal. It's a very comfortable sitdown restaurant serving traditional Mexican dishes done very well. The variety of the menu choices really makes me want to go back and try everything.

3627 University Ave (map)
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 584-6244

This may be the best authentic home-style Mexican food in San Diego. If it isn't, it's certainly near the top of the list.

Where to even start.......

First of all, don't worry that you may wildly out of place if you are, like me, a gringo who doesn't know what anything is. They'll be happy to not only give you samples of things, but also to suggest things you'll like (and steer you away from things you may not like). My first time there I didn't even have a chance to order before they'd offered me five samples, all of which were delicious. Not just good, delicious.

Secondly, this is a buffet type place and many entries will change every day. So while I thought the mustard chicken was one of the most original dishes I've had in my life, you'll probably never get to try it. This is a good thing, because you don't want to get bored with this place. It's a restaurant you want to come back to and try new creations. Supposedly there are over 100 recipes in regular rotation here, with about 20 available each day.

Bottomline - If there is Mexican soul food, this is it. Eating here makes me happy. And you'll get food here you aren't likely to find anywhere else. It's honest Mexican. Honest food of the people.

Also, this is home style. That means you'll be eating meat off the bone with just about everything, and there will be plenty of cartilage involved. So don't get flustered when you bite into something hard, because it's suppose to be there. The technique is to suck the meat off the bones rather than just start chewing. Bones = flavor, and you can taste the difference. in fine dining place this would be unacceptable, but here it's part of the attraction. But don't be fooled - Spend a bit of time having the owner talk to you and you'll quickly realize this is a restaurant that cares about food as much as any.

Don't look for tacos and burritos here. It's not that kind of place. What you want here is meat stewed in flavor. Also don't look for the salsa bar, because the food already tastes the way it's suppose to.

I have heard, but can not confirm, that the standard process for this place is to hire Mexican home cooks and then have them cook what they're best at. Thus, you get real Mexican food that changes all the time. Damn fine idea.

Tourist advice - If I was a tourist I would not feel comfortable going to a strange city in a rental car with a map I printed off the Internet and then driving around this area of San Diego. It's not what I would call a "bad neighborhood", but it's certainly not touristy. Having said that, I have *always* felt welcome here and gotten great service.