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Wed-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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Carnitas Uruapan is decorated with hundreds of little piggies, which is exactly what I feel like after I eat here. I mean that in the best possible way. I usually eat fairly healthy foods; but once every couple of months I indulge in some delicious, fattening, coma-inducing cuisine, and Carnitas Uruapan provides just that. I usually do not order carnitas, but I have tasted them here and they are yummy! My personal favorites are the enchiladas suizas and the enchiladas rojas, stuffed full of juicy white meat chicken. Delicious! The rice and beans are always fresh and provide a nice compliment to the main dish.
One thing that I don't like about Uruapan is their salsa. Unfortunately, they only have one choice and it is foamy and full of garlic - not what good salsa should taste like!
Service here is exceptional. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, especially Hector, who usually works at the register. I do wish they would spruce up the decor a bit though; at least paint over that excruciating hospital green color that covers the walls now. Nonetheless, I love Carnitas Uruapan, and I will continue to eat here every once in a while whenever I feel like "pigging out."
I make way better carnitas!
Meat and raw onions and 1 small tomato.....where is avocado, sauces, GOOD carnitas?
Beans did arrive ..... After we were done.
NOT impressed
Go to Por Favor in La Mesa for the BEST carnitas in the area
Love this place so much, it is in our regular rotation - you will find us here every Wednesday!
The carnitas platter is the way to go! Take your choice of corn or flour tortilla, coat with the BEST frijoles refritos this side of the border, add some delicious guacamole, top with chunks of succulent, toothsome, juicy carnitas, and DEVOUR AWAY ! Remember to come up for air like Michael Phelps every now and then...
AND...The owner Doña Maggie's son Hector makes fabulous jewelry that is on display next to the register. Dinner AND shopping ! Woo-hoo!!
The carnitas here are the best ! Unlike the ones in Mexico that include everything on the pig (… Read more »
Due to my cultural background, I grew up with Thai/Chinese and Mexican food. Even as a small kid, my mom told me that I ALWAYS leaned toward the Asian side of my palette. To this day, even when I am the one cooking, it's the same way. It's not that I don't like Mexican food, that's just my tendency.
Well, other than the obvious availability and greatness of San Diego's many taco shops for a quick bite, hands down, I will ALWAYS recommend Carnitas Uruapan for a family-styled, sit-down Mexican restaurant.
I have gone to this restaurant on various occasions over the past 10 years and have tried a number of different items. From items as small as their Beans, Rice and Hot Carrots; to mid-sized items like their Enchiladas and Chile Rellenos; up to the house specialty of Carnitas; there is no doubt, their food is both authentic and EXCELLENT. Their prices are nice and the portions will end up in take-out boxes.
While I will admit the interior is in need of a serious makeover, the food more than makes up for it. Imagine the restaurant for the opening and closing scenes in Pulp Fiction... that's kind of what it looks like... only Mexican. One cool feature about the decor actually displays how many people love this place. There is a glass case FULL of different types of pigs (glass, ceramic, plush, etc) that guests give to the owner... possibly as tokens of appreciation. I have actually asked about the case while paying for my meal and was told they get pigs ALL THE TIME.
Again, whenever I crave "real" Mexican food... you know... the type your Madre, Tia, or Abuela would make for you... it's time to visit Carnitas Uruapan.
Call me crazy for giving this joint 5 stars but I find the carnitas here moist yet crispy and succulent. The accompaniment are fresh and the food is served family style. Lots of bang for your buck too!
Good eats at this place.
I ate here today and ordered the Carnitas dinner for one.
They give you a platter of carnitas, another dish of beans, and another dish of one third of a tomato, maybe 5 raw onion rings and some fresh cilantro on the stalk.
For 6.75 this is a pretty good deal for the amount of food that you get.
The red table salsa was good but not overly hot.
Other yelpers have written and said that they like their carnitas crisp which is fine but to me carnitas have to be moist and flavorful.
If they are not really moist and have a ton of pork flavor then they usually are overcooked and dry and that is a NO NO to me.
This place was decent but still the carnitas were slightly dry which did take away some of the flavor.
There are very few places that serve them up perfectly.
I barbecue pulled pork and make tacos out of them and they are super juicy and a lot more flavor than just about every restaurant I have ever eaten at.
The problem is that they can take anywhere from 10-18 hours to slow cook in the smoker!
I am still looking for the perfect carnitas place.
This isn't it.
How is it that I had never written about my old time fave, CU?
I have been coming here for years. It is quite true that their servings are plentiful...and the carnitas are definitely tasty.
I happen to like my Carnitas crispy. Yes...I'm a carnitas snob, but they will make 1/2 crispy, 1/2 soft if you ask them.
I tried their enchiladas one time and decided to just stick with the carnitas. They are delicious.
Their prices are beyond reasonable...
A big disappointment. This place is no where near the quality of the Carnitas Uruapan in Tijuana near the Caliente race track. The only similarity is in the name of the restaurant. Don't let the name fool you. This place does not prepare their carnitas the same as the unrelated Tijuana location.
A long time family favorite! A great place for family style Mexican food. We order their Carnitas by the pound and are never disappointed.
Et tu, chowhound?
I'm used to yelp giving me hip, but sometimes completely "off", reviews... but why, chowhound? You had been my most reliable friend and now I just don't know what to do with you.
I ordered carnitas, sopas, and a side of guacamole. Guac was flavorless. The sopas were ok.... But I came for the pork and the pork was just plain disappointing. Dry all over - like they fed me leftovers reheated from the night before. I can find better at a local carniceria, where I can choose my own pieces.
Bad chowhound!
Jessi and I heard about this place on AJ's playhouse...we listen on our way to work. It made the top of the Carnitas list and so we drove down to Lemon Grove to check it out. the Carnitas for one was enough for the both of us but Jessi ordered the Carnitas burritos which was good as we had enough to make a Carnita-breakfast burrito the next morning. Excellent food, fantastic prices (three of us ate and drank for $30) I would definitely make the trip if I am ever having a "pork craving"
Without a doubt the best carnitas in SD. the portions are huge! Carnitas for 1, will feed 2. Carnitas for 2 will feed 4. Carnitas for 3 will......you get the point(I hope). The meat is delish. If you're like me, then you like your carnitas really crispy and are ridonkoulosly good lookin'. The beans are fantastic. Cooked in lard like mom used to make. In Spanish they are called "frijoles puercos" which is a fitting name. Do yourself the favor of ordering up some margaritas. They are made with wine instead of tequila and it makes for a unique taste. Although they serve other items, I would stick to what their known for.
I love this place!!! Whenever I get the chance to go, I goo! I don't eat the carnitas but I can tell u that it is pretty goood!! I order the carne asada and let me tell you it is SUPER GOOD! It comes with rice & beans and of course tortillas!!! I always steal the guacomole and onions from my mom, grandma, and pretty much who ever is next to me and add it to my tortilla and it is good! I love this place and the service is perfect and it feels comfortable to eat at! I think you guys will all like it!!!
My work always orders take out from here. Good prices, great food. All the meats they cook here are great. They are known for their authentic Carnitas (best in San Diego). I love is their Barbacoa, add some lime, grab a fresh tortilla, add some beans and rice, Awesome! Great local family owned business. Its like your grandma is in the back making dinner
Oh, Carnitas Uruapan, how I crave thee. Seriously - when I want carnitas, I must go here and nowhere else.
First, the place is covered in pigs. Stuffed pigs, porcelain pigs, pigs of all shapes and sizes. If you've seen Mail Order Bride, times her obsession by 1,000 and you'll reach the collection here. Then, there's the sweet, charming Hector who stands his post daily and welcomes you to his family's establishment. Hector also makes artisan jewelry and sells his pieces there should you see something you simply cannot live without.
I can only attest for the carnitas, as they are THE only thing I have ever eaten at this restaurant. I can't venture any further down the menu when the savory, succulent carnitas call my name like a siren. When they're delivered to your table, you're presented with a full array of bits and nibs to pile on, starting with the plate of beans which you KNOW are made with lard but taste better than any other legume you've ever consumed in your entire life. Then you've got abundant portions of white onion, fresh cilantro, a few slices of tomato and some cut limes for the squeezin'. And then there, in the middle of it all, is the glorious mound of deep-fried-in-its-own-fat meat which is tasty enough to eat completely by itself but renders even better stuffed in a hot corn tortilla with whatever else you want to shove in there. We always order an extra side of the pickled jalepenos [so good], and a cut avocado. The salsa is kickin' without burning off your tastebuds, and they've mastered the art of Coca-cola calibration to pump out the best sody-pop in town.
The servers are friendly and fast and I've never had to ask for a refill. Honestly, though, the service could be more abrasive than a cheese grater and I'd probably go back. The carnitas are just THAT good.
Undiscovered ground zero for authentic carnitas in San Diego. Hector is your friendly, congenial host at this no-frills eatery, and he aims to please. Other reviews go into the juicy details, so I'll spare myself the impulse to go there now by describing the carnivorous delights that await you. Avoid only if you're having cholesterol issues or have your WASP head up your health-conscious ass. Super fresh tortillas are made on the premises of course. CU helps us understand the eternal affinity we humans have for crispy, succulent pork, and they do it far better than any place else in San Diego.
If you love carnitas and haven't been here....GO NOW! It's the only place this side of the border to get authentic carnitas the way they are supposed to be done. The menu says, "delicious deep fried pork" and that's exactly what it is!
It's a little out of the way but so so so worth it. Hector runs the place with his mother and you can almost always find him sitting at the cash register to greet you, just like his father did for years before he passed away. It's friendly and inviting, no frills, just good food.
Seriously, go check it out. You won't be disappointed. You can't find carnitas like this anywhere else in San Diego.
**edited to add**
If you like chicharrones....as in the REAL DEAL, not some weird pork rind, order them here. They are not on the menu and sometimes they run out by the evening, but they are DELICIOUS! Squeeze some lime on them and CHOMP!
Wow! Be forewarned, when you order a carnitas for two (you order per person) it's more like an order for four normal human beings. The carnitas come in huge chunks that I found to be pretty dry. Chewy, like jerky. But the condiments that come with it and the choice inner parts of the carnitas are excellent! A lot of smoky, meaty goodness all up in your face. Also, the shrimp cocktail we ordered must have had 30 shrimp in it served with a bowl of saltines and vinegar-y salsa picante which is the only kind to be used with seafood. The guacamole was good if not very exciting. Really, the flavors were pretty bland but the portions were enormous.
Note: I took home some of the more inedible portions of the meat and put them in the steamer the next day and they were much better. I know this review may not make you want to jump up and get some 'nitas but if you have a LARGE group of LARGE people and not a lot of $$, this is a fantastic place to go.
Fried pork. There's nothing like good fried pork. I don't mean little cubes of dried tough generic white meat, but large chucks of fall-apart tender, cripsy-on-the-outside moist-on-the-inside pork greatness.
While we prefer the atmosphere and prices of the restaurant in Tijuana, this one is fine when the cravings hit. Everybody is super friendly, the place is clean, and for under $14 bucks, you get enough for two. In fact, we take a second order of corn tortillas home to finish off the leftovers.
We have been trying to get to the this for a few months and so glad we finally did. Food was amazing, service was outstanding. We got our orders to go, but next time we will dine in.
I went here with family after my grandma read a review on it. To be honest, I'd always wanted to try to restaurant with the piggy on the sign, but never gotten around to it.
The atmosphere is kitchy, cool, and the restaurant is FULL of piggies. It's great. It's run by a mother and son, and when we went, the son was running register, and when asked, "Mama's at the casino!" Good for Mama! I tend to make an initial judgement on ethnic restaurants by the customers. Had the place been packed with white people, I would have worried, but 9 out of 10 tables were Mexican, and two of the parties were multi-generational families that, from the way they interacted with the staff, were regulars.
A basket of tortilla chips and a good, though hot, salsa is issued to every table. Extra baskets are $0.50 each, but they serve you so much food, don't opt for the extra chips!
The carnitas were amazing! Served up in a heaping portion, with fresh sliced onions, a pile of fresh cilantro, and fresh, hot tortillas, the pork was tender and flavorful. However, it was a bit dry for my tastes, as well as for the rest of my dining party. We wound up having to order a rather high priced ($3.95) side of guacamole for the carnitas, it was so dry. The carnitas plate is also served with a side of flavorful, smoky tasting refried beans.
My Mom got the Chile Verde, which I think I'll be trying next time. Very tender pork, doused in an incredible green salsa! Eliminated the dry issue!
My Grandma is a big fan of good corn tortillas, and was so impressed with these, she wants to come back expressly to try the enchiladas with the amazing tortillas!
All in all, great food, good prices, I'll be back!
This place is good and cheap!!! Authentic mex food. Waitresses may neglect you a bit but the food is still good. :)~
Before 9/11, the border traffic, and the killings, Carnitas Uruapan in Tijuana was the place for great carnitas and beans. When I heard they were opening one in Lemon Grove a mile from my house I was thrilled and couldnt wait to try it. We were coming from my 12 year old daughters soccer game and she told us she wanted Jack in the Box instead of carnitas. We bought her a hamburger and fries and went over to Carnitas Uruapan in Lemon Grove. When we entered the guy at the counter said my daughter was not allowed to bring in her hamburger. I thought the guy was kidding. We left and I have not gone back.
The carnitas are what to order here, cannot vouch for anything else on the menu. Tortilla distribution is a little sparse so you will have to work with your server. Suggest to ask for extra tortillas right from the start as if it gets busy you may not see your server after your food arrives. Hole in the wall decor a little dusty and dingy but if you can get past that then pull up a seat. Great parking, free and plenty of it.
Also great fish and chips place next door.
Hmmm. Best carnitas in San Diego, they say? Well, they be rightI We started going to this spot many years ago when it was a "hole in the wall" in Spring Valley. We followed it to the current larger-than-hole-in-the wall location in Lemon Grove where the food and value have remained outstanding. The perfectly seasoned carnitas are crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. They are served with beans, warm tortillas, a delicious green salsa, and a big bunch of fresh cilantro. !Que se disfrute!
Well worth the drive out to Lemon Grove east of San Diego. Not fancy, just the best homemade-style carnitas you'll find at any restaurant anywhere. The other Mexican food items on the menu are authentic, too, such as fresh tortilla chips and salsa, real refried beans, although it is the carnitas I always order. Portions are generous. I don't return to San Diego without reserving time for Carnitas Urapan.
Good Carnitas and a cool family style environment to enjoy them in. One of my favorite things here is their Salsa Fresca, MMmm!! I like to order mine with Avocado and Jalapeno inside. Shit, so good! If I had a car, I know I would drive out here on an AT LEAST semi-regular basis to get an order of Chips and Salsa. Really really tasty and the perfect thing to bring to a potluck or BBQ this summer. Great dinners, great snacks, GREAT RESTAURANT!
Best carnitas this side of the border!! The food is absolutely delicious, all of the items on the menu are delicious, but of course they are famous for their one and only carnitas. I'm getting hungry just writing about them. This place is so comfy cozy, the people are great! Hector is a great host, he always greets you with a smile and sees you off with a smile, his parents did a great job! I love restaurants that have awesome people working there, I come back again and again....because really, who wants to not be treated right? not me. Anyways, all you people if you haven't been, you need to, you will not regret because once you try their carnitas........you do go back........again and again for more. Love the place, the food, and the people. It's a definite must try!!
Very friendly, fast service. Food is authentic. Feels like I am back in Mexico with my grandparents. Oh for the love of pork fat. Start with Chicarrones, lots of salsa and lime, helps the digestion.
Great place for carnitas! Atmosphere isn't as touristy as Old Town and food is much better.
La Mesa, CA
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: National City
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Lemon Grove
Category: Fast Food
Neighborhood: Grant Hill
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Barrio Logan
Category: Mexican
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