Mexican cuisine has had a significant impact on San Diego’s gastronomic culture. It is worth noting, however, that California was still a part of Mexico less than two centuries ago.
Are you planning a relaxing trip in San Diego? If you’re in the mood for Mexican cuisine, you’re in for a treat. Mexican restaurants in San Diego provide some of the best dishes in keeping with the rich culinary legacy of this nation.
But, when it comes to gastronomic attractions, Mexican cuisine is San Diego’s main lure. When it comes to classic Mexican food, San Diego has much more to offer than cheap fish tacos and frankfurter burritos, and in this post, we will dig into the greatest Mexican restaurants in San Diego to illustrate that fact.
Consider tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more, accompanied with a refreshing Corona beer or margarita. It might be tough to determine where to eat while visiting here, but thankfully, this article provides some recommendations.
Whether you go up to a food truck or dig into a big dish, you can count on a genuine meal. I spent a lot of time investigating the best 10 Mexican restaurants in San Diego to offer you this list. I hope you like it!
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Contents
- 1 San Diego’s Top 10 Mexican Restaurants
- 1.1 Restaurant Lolitas
- 1.2 Mexican Restaurant Ponces
- 1.3 Tacos Lucha Libre
- 1.4 The entrance
- 1.5 The Four Milpas
- 1.6 Restaurant Birrieria Ed Fernandez
- 1.7 Tacos & Drinks at Lola 55
- 1.8 The Tahona Bar
- 1.9 Taqueria Tuetano
- 1.10 Oyster Bar TJ
- 1.11 Which of the greatest Mexican restaurants in San Diego will you try first now that we’ve showed you our recommendations? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below!
San Diego’s Top 10 Mexican Restaurants
Restaurant Lolitas
San Diego, Park Blvd. +526241416394202 Park Blvd.
Lilitas original Chula Vista facility debuted about 20 years ago. Since then, the firm has grown to five sites, including this one in the East Village near PETCO Park and the Convention Center.
Several of their menu items are favorites of mine, including carne asada fries, the carne asada burrito, the tsunami burrito (shrimp and carne asada combo), and tacos.
Their spicy sauces are tasty and fierce. Portions are generous, so plan to leave full or share. It’s informal and fast, so either order to go or sit down to dine at the restaurant. I guarantee you’ll like it any way!
Mexican Restaurant Ponces
San Diego, CA +161928244134050 Adams Ave.
Ponces Mexican Restaurant in Kensington has been owned and managed by the Meza family for over 40 years.
The restaurant is well-known for its entire community atmosphere, in addition to its great Mexican cuisine. They give back to the community and take pleasure in treating their staff properly.
I can’t recommend just a few dishes since everything on the menu is delicious, but try the chicken enchiladas, carnitas, green salsa, and flan. The rice and beans dish is also a good option. I’m certain you’ll like it as much as I did.
The restaurant may become fairly crowded due to its popularity, however they do take reservations for groups of six or more. Ponces also offers children’s meals, and Ponces can even cater your next event.
Tacos Lucha Libre
San Diego, CA +161929682261810 W. Washington St.
Lucha Libre Taco Shop serves real Mexican cuisine such as tacos and burritos in a vibrant environment depicting traditional Mexican wrestling.
If you’ve ever wanted a nice Tijuana dog, here is the place to go (or TJ dog). It consists of a bacon-wrapped beef hot dog topped with sauces and fajita-style veggies.
Breakfast tacos, a Huevos Rancheros burrito, and other options are available as your first meal of the day.
The prices are deemed affordable for the quantity of food you get, and if you wear a Lucha mask, you will earn a discount!
The entrance
San Diego, Fourth Avenue, +16196963466560
La Puerta brings a much-needed flavor of Baja California to the Gaslamp neighborhood. Chef Tono Garcia was raised in Baja California, attended culinary school in Mexico City, and has now introduced his pure organic regional Mexican food to San Diego.
It is popular among both residents and visitors for tequila, with over a hundred 100% blue agave tequilas available, replete with tasting notes. The carne asada quesadillas and the cochinita pork taco are two of my favorite menu items.
Half-priced beers and snacks, such as carne asada fries, are normally available everyday from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm and again from 10:00 pm to closing.
You may pop by the kitchen until 1:00 a.m. for late-night goodies. You can also come here for breakfast and get $3 mimosas!
The Four Milpas
1857 Logan Ave., San Diego, CA +16192344460
Las Cuatro Milpas has served the neighborhood as a true institution since 1933. With a basic yet fulfilling menu, it serves the greatest Mexican cuisine in San Diego.
On Saturday, you may have conventional or rolled chicken or pork tacos, tamales, burritos, and chorizo con huevos.
My personal favorite is the wrapped taco with carne asada meat. There is also a drive-through option for those who are on their way someplace else.
The queue might grow lengthy during peak hours, so get there early.
Restaurant Birrieria Ed Fernandez
San Diego, Flower Ave. # D, +161962882352265 Flower Ave.
If you want the greatest birria this side of the border, go to Nestor and have Migues Angel and Jorge Fernandez serve you a bowl.
Slow-cooked overnight, the beef, chiles, and spices combine to make a wonderful stew that’s ready to stuff into warm corn tortillas and top with fresh radishes, cilantro, and onions.
Grab the tacos ready to construct yourself or have them made for you, cooked in birria oil, and ready to be dipped into the amazing consomme they provide.
It’s a terrific shop with outstanding customer service, so feel free to ask questions if you’re unsure about anything. They are quite helpful!
Tacos & Drinks at Lola 55
San Diego, CA +161954291551290 F St.
Lola 55 is one of the top Mexican restaurants in San Diego, serving delectable beef and seafood dishes.
Taco combinations are many, including baby carrot adobada and squash blossom relleno.
Some of their standout dishes include achiote-rubbed pork belly with grilled pineapple and ribeye carne asada prepared to order on the mesquite wood-burning barbecue.
A bowl of posole verde is filling, and fried masa disks are just scrumptious. Make space for the Mexican mole-chocolate ice cream and the addictively crispy churros.
Lola 55 also caters to vegetarians and vegans, with meat substitutes available in addition to the cheese-sprayed veggies seen on most menus.
Takeout salads aren’t usually the most inventive, but the Lola Caesar is one exception. It is rich of taste and made in the classic method with entire, crisp romaine leaves mixed in anchovy dressing with Parmesan, pepper, and toasted bread. Amazing!
The Tahona Bar
+161925520902414 San Diego Avenue in San Diego
Tahona, San Diego’s premier mezcaleria, is a short distance from El Campo Santo cemetery. The menu is brief and sweet, with three taco options: chicken tinga, beef barbacoa, and mushroom.
Although the tacos are delicious, the fantastic assortment of tequila and mezcal drink choices and sampling is what you really need to see.
There are a half-dozen cocktail variations, ranging from twisted Palomas to luscious watermelon Whaley House punches.
There are live Spanish guitar concerts every Sunday, as well as thirty artisanal and ancestral bottles of mezcal representing a dozen or so distinct agave varietals. It’s a very great and active pub, and I definitely encourage you go!
Taqueria Tuetano
W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro, CA +16198567013143
Priscilla Curiel received a lot of attention as soon as she launched her taqueria on San Ysidro’s main promenade in late 2018.
If you go, try their adobada al carbon, a salute to Tijuana’s taqueros, and their grilled marinated pork: juicy bits you pick up with your hands and enjoy with salsa in hand.
You should also have the tuetano, a large piece of cow shank bone that has been cooked until tender, then dipped in birria stock and grilled. Put it on top of the birria or spoon it onto a heated tortilla with salsa macha.
Cochinita pibil filthy style, roasted pork shoulder marinated in lemon juice and achiote, pulled and heaped into a tortilla with pickled onion and cilantro, is another Yucatan delicacy.
Oyster Bar TJ
+161943447804410 Bonita Rd, Bonita Springs
Everyone in San Diego knows that there is no better spot to get the greatest Mexican cuisine in San Diego than TJ Oyster Bar.
The house speciality is raw and marinated in citrus juice seafood, such as ceviches and aguachiles, heaped upon tostadas or served cocktail-style.
Fried fish, smoked tuna, garlic shrimp, octopus, and stingray are among the options, as are bigger dinners such as whole fish wallpaper (steamed in parchment paper) and burritos.
You may wash it all down with a margarita, mojito, or michelada from the menu, or even a cool beer.