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Fidel's
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
607 Valley Ave(between Genevieve St & Juanita St)
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(858) 755-5292
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
245 reviews for Fidel's
Review Highlights
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244 reviews in English
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Review from Beth N.
i have been going here since forever and the food has stayed exactly the same. its greasy, delicious and just perfect. the service is not always the best, and the interior is just ok, but every time i walk through the door it brings back a lot of memories and i always feel like i am at home.
this place gets super crowded and is usually filled with tourists and locals alike. tony's has better food probably, but still, i love fidels. -
Review from Mercy B.
So, I'm not the biggest Mexican food lover. But if it rocks, I def want to give it a go. Heard some good things from friends about Fidels and last night, my son, his g/f and I gave it a try. All 3 of us were not impressed at all.
Half hour wait, ok. To the bar, ordered cream cheese poppers, you're given a choice between that or cheddar cheese. They were ok...not that much better than Jack in the Crack though.
I ordered their Chicken Milanesa which is pounded chicken breast till it's thin, lightly breaded and fried in a pan. This is more of an Argentinean dish, and they do it really well at a chain up in LA called Gaucho Grill. Never dried out. They don't do it so well at Fidels. It was dry and bland. I squeezed a ton of lemons on it, salted it a bit, but it didn't help much.
My son ordered the carnitas plate, I LOVE carnitas. But this was dry and bland, we both thought. His g/f got a tostada, hoping to crunch on a big fried tortilla bowl, but it was served on top of tortilla chips or something like that? Weird.
I think because this place has been here so long and peeps have been coming here since they were kids, it has a nostalgic feel for them. Because most of us know, there is a LOT better Mexican food here....we're right near the border!. Hey, Los Angeles has much better food than this. I think it just survived this long because...well, I don't know!
We do know we won't be back. -
Review from Devon C.
Great Mexican food. Great selection. Great ambiance. Abundance of food. Great overall experience!!
The chicken, rice, cilantro, etc soup was soooo BOMB!! I'd definitely go back here just for that!! Everything else we ordered was tasty and their prices are very reasonable! -
Review from Kristen C.
San Diego, CA
I live in Normal Heights and drive all the way to Del Mar for Fidel's. It's a treat to go here. If you go here, you must get shredded chicken. It's all white meat...insane good. My bestie and I go here and get shredded chicken burrito. The guacamole is also good. When we splurge we get the queso fondido with chorizo as an appetizer. Prices are good. It does get busy on the weekends though. If u can go for lunch they have lunch specials
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Review from Shauna M.
Pretty average Mexican joint. I come here when I dont want to go to the below average take out place by my house.
Their stuff is a tad on the greasy side and I prefer my Mexican food to be a bit more fresh. I really like the beans and rice though.
All their margaritas use mix, which I think is lame. If you want fresh lime juice, you have to ask, and its gonna cost you extra.
Chips are really good, but the salsa has a tomato paste quality I am not sure I like. I still eat it, I just dont love it.
I have yet to find a better sit down Mexican place in the area (you would think it wouldnt be that hard) and until I do I guess this will have to suffice.
Oh, and this place gets pretty busy. I really dislike having to wait to eat, so I have gotten in the habit of eating dinner at 5pm to avoid getting hangry. It never fails that when we leave at around 6pm, there are never less than 10 people waiting for a table. -
Review from Carolyn M.
San Diego, CA
Ole! It's true that this place has been here since the time of Montezuma and has probably never been redecorated since. But it's dated tackiness is part of its charm. Just don't look too closely at the fine layer of ancient dust covering the decorations. Instead concentrate on your delicious margarita- try the "original" over ice. Enjoy the basket of chips but you may want to add some additional salt. Most of their specialties are indeed special and you can't go wrong creating your own combination plate. You will probably be too full to order dessert which is just as well because they are skip-able. If you have room just order another margarita-and a cab!
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Review from sara y.
Irvine, CA
Wow, I gotta say, thanks to a Yelper who recommended the Chicken and Rice soup! I went with their recommendation and it was fantastic! Perfect for a cold day to warm your spirits. My friend and I got a small bowl each and it was a great portion! It came with fresh pieces of white chicken, big chunks of avocado, diced onions, cilantro, rice, in a savory chicken broth. It came with your choice of freshly made corn or flour tortillas. I forgoed the tortillas to enjoy the soup. It was sooo delicious! My friend and I were both pleasantly surprised at how filling it was! We also shared the appetizer sampler which came with quesadillas, chimichangas, tacos, refried beans, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. It was a Huge portion for the two of us but it was very delicious!
I was hesitant to try their chips and salsa based on everyone's review of the salsa. But I actually liked it! It was simple with a bit of spice, not chunky at all but it was still great with the chips. The spiciness got stronger with each bite. It also was a great sauce to mix in the soup and the appetizers. Service was excellent. The decor was very homey and comforting. I love their courtyard seating with the beautiful fountain in the middle. I can't believe this restaurant has been here for so long! I will definitely return to try the other items on their menu. Come here for the friendly service, great portions of food, and an open mind! -
Review from Selma A.
San Diego, CA
Great food, table was not in the ideal location but maybe they were busy. The crab burrito is to die for!
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Review from Adrienne S.
Tuckahoe, NY
Took my first trip to Fidel's today. The warm chips and blended, smokey salsa were very hard to stop eating with an amazing Cadillac margie (my new favorite). The chicken and rice soup was perfection - cilantro, diced onion, big chunks of chicken, and avocado in a yummy broth. Though the small was a pretty serious bowl so I didn't get to my bean and rice burrito (rookie mistake). Helped my husband with his appetizer sampler, La Pachanga, which was fantastic.
Alex, our waiter, was excellent - helpful, nice, funny. I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Christine M.
San Diego, CA
Fidels serves delicious authentic mexican food in a cozy uniquely decorated estabilshment.
The appetizers we started with were the Guacamole Dip (DELICIOUS!!) and the Jalapeno Poppers (not that I tried it, but the husband claimed it was THE best he has had).
For my entree, I had the Carne Asada Burrito which was gimongous, they splurged on all of the ingredients and every bite was wonderful to the end. K ordered the Crab Enchilada and thought it was perfectly cook and well-put together.
For our dessert, we shared Flan and Deep Fried Ice Cream and it was the perfect combo to end a perfect dinner.
But then again, it's just my opinion.. -
Review from Sarah P.
San Diego, CA
The carne asada torta=amazing! very very good. Soft, fresh baked roll with flavorful sandwich components. Hearty portion as well!
I wish you could get substitutions though (clearly stated on the menu that you aren't allowed to substitute...even though i don't know why its so hard to get rice and beans instead of fries...) because the fries it came with on the side were horrible!
Everyone is right about the warm chips, though. Very good! The salsa tastes more like a marinara than a salsa though, not very much spice or heat.
It's all-in-all good Mexican food, but not earth-shattering fantastic. -
Review from Dave O.
Orange, CA
I usually am stuck in between numbers when it comes to ratings. This time, it was rock solid easy to throw in for a three.
Let me give you a quick summary of my experience.
First....it is not cheap mexican food....it just isn't. Anyone who thinks it is must regularly dine at high end steak houses. It is middle of the road priced. Not as pricey as high-end gourmand mex eateries, but a far cry more expensive than some of my personal favorites.
The house margarita - not so good. When I order the cheapest margarita on the menu, I expect the flat, generic, bland tequila that they are usually made with...what I didn't expect here was that same tequila was served in an over-sized shot glass. 3 sips through a mini straw and this baby was empty. Granted my reason for ordering a margarita in the first place was just to deliver my body some much needed alcohol, but a kid's sized portion just didn't cut it.
Service? They never once asked me if I wanted another margarita which robbed me of the opportunity to say No and give my opinion as to why. They were so slow to start but improved slightly throughout the meal. They did not automatically add an 18% gratuity even thought we were a party of 6. This is a good thing because I would have hated to have to ask for 3% to be deducted.
The chips? Meh - they are not good by any mexican restaurant standards. In fact, they are the only chips that I ever had to add salt to and I never add salt to anything but these were not good.
The salsa was warm but not flavorful. The color was a deep intense red like New Mexico red sauce, but again, the flavor was lacking.
I ordered the chicken burrito and tamale combo. The chicken burrito was good but it was unusual to dig into one only to find one big chunk o'chicken. The tamale was not good It was the worst thing I had that night.
As I write this, I guess I'm not so sold on my 3 star rating. In fact, I would downgrade it to 2.5 if Yelp would let me....drat you Yelp. However, I stick with 3 because the ambiance was nice, the portions were large and the food was generic but decent. Some people would call it white man's mexican food which is why it probably appeals to the local masses, but for someone like me who loves mexican food, Fidel's comes up short. -
Review from Danny B.
Brea, CA
I wasn't at all impressed with this place. If you're actually from the San Diego area, you know that there are very very good Mexican restaurants around that are cheaper and tastier. Any of the hole in the wall places that serve California burritos are the best of the bunch in my opinion.
I'm not big on paying extra money for sit down Mexican food. All I really need is a huge burrito for 4 bucks that satisfies me for hours. The plates here weren't anything special and the ketchup they called salsa? That is definitely not the way you want to start the meal and starts you off not feeling too confident about the meal to come.
Find me at my cheap taco shop and not here. -
Review from Pj B.
WOW, i can not believe this place got some of the outstanding rating it has!
I know i have it made being from San Diego then when it comes to bomb Mexican food.
Fidel's came up short in two main categories.
#1. Chips & Salsa. The ships were like store bought out of the bag, the salsa, just a touch of spice added to ketchup! GROSS!
#2. Quality food. Really Fidel's? You're going to offer up a chicken enchilada or a chicken chimichanga with a whole slab of chicken and not even shredded? and.. AND to top that off the flavor of the chicken was bland! It's almost like they just boiled up a hunk of chicken and wrapped it in a tortilla.
Oh yeah i forgot the drinks. another fail! this place just does not live up to the reviews as far as food goes. -
Review from Raynard F.
San Diego, CA
When walking into Fidel's, you feel like you're entering into another world. The restaurant itself is huge and has authentic decor. You can choose to sit either inside or outside in a covered and heated area.
The portions at Fidel's are pretty large. I can usually manage to eat everything but it can be a challenge sometimes. The cheapest entrees on the menu are around $10 and go up to about $20.
If you're on a date, be sure to get the Mariachi band to play for your table! -
Review from Jon R.
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Best restaurants are a subjective thing. But Fidels is the best Mexican food on Earth. People who disagree are just plain wrong.
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Review from Jamie M.
Ventura, CA
This business has been around for quite some time... and I'm sad to say its no where near what it used to be...
The food is mediocre at best and to be honest completely lacking in quality and taste. Beans are a filler that they enjoy making sure you got huge heaps of on your appetizers, I call the beans the anchors, because everything is literally anchored down into a pile of beans.
I was disappointed I remembered my parents frequenting this place quite a bit when I was younger. Sadly I think I will seek other and not try to reminisce what isn't there anymore. -
Review from Cindy W.
I'm a little surprized that this place gets so many high reviews. I have been here multiple times and its pretty average.
Chips and salsa: the chips are good but the salsa isn't good at all. It taste like spicy ketchup with mexican seasoning. No joke! just look at the pics of the salsa. Normally the complimentary salsa at other places is great and actually has chunks of tomato and cilantro you can see.
Food: I usually get the enchilada or the fish taco a la carte and I will share a side order of rice and beans with the boyfriend.
Enchilada: I do have to admit they put a good amount of beef or chicken and the red sauce is pretty good. It almost taste like a mole sauce.
Fish taco: last time I was here there was barely and fish in my taco. I have had it before and normally it's a good sized grilled mahi mahi. Yesterday I had 2 small pieces of fish. It was literally the size of 2 of my index fingers!! When I asked the waitress she said that was the normal portion.....I was able to switch to another meal thou.
Service: It's a hit or miss. Our waitress wasn't attentive and it wasn't even busy at lunch time. She even gave me the wrong amount of change and didn't even apologize when I pointed it out to her.
Come back again? Probably in a couple of months since the waitress seemed upset at me and I don't want my food to get spit in. -
Review from Rick W.
Oceanside, CA
Started with an awesome Hornitos margarita on the rocks served by a friendly waitress who was easy on the eyes. Got my drink quickly and only waited ten minutes to be seated. Chips and salsa were good, chips crunchy and salsa was spicy and fresh. They were quick with refilling chips too. I ordered a shrimp taco and carne asada taco with rice and beans. Food came quickly and on a hot plate. Beans and rice were authentic like my Tia makes. Soft corn tortillas weren't home made but fresh and soft. Carne asada was tender and flavorful with good guacamole and fresh onion and cilantro. The shrimp taco was amazing grilled to perfection with onions and peppers. The salsa fresca that came with the meal was excellent as well. I forgot how good this place was, top of my list of Mexican Resturant's in North County.
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Review from Melissa C.
San Diego, CA
My husband and I come here time and time again. Not only is it a favorite because we have been going here since we were little, but Fidel's has the best Mexican food we've ever had. It's a great place to frequent with friends and family. If you're coming on a Saturday, be prepared to wait an hour or so...
We always laugh because Fidel's is always inconsistent in the unimportant things (like presentation and portion sizes) but they are consistent on quality and taste.
Our only qualm about Fidel's would be the Mariachi band...I know some people like it but it makes date nights and talking with friends nearly impossible. My dad joked one time by telling the band he'd pay them to STOP playing (but that's because they were playing right next to us for a whole hour!)
Our favorites:
1. chicken and rice soup without onions with flour tortillas
2. Bean, cheese, and rice burrito with enchilada sauce
3. Best margaritas in town! -
Review from Dan W.
Escondido, CA
Shredded beef burrito is the only way go to. Co-worker recommended the carnitas so tonight's the night. Review to follow...
(2 weeks later, finally writing the review)Ok, now that I tried the carnitas it is safe to say the shredded beef burrito is unbeatable. The carnitas presenation was right on but the meat extremely dry.
Our server did a great job which is not always the case. I think some of the employees get as lost as first time visitors trying to navigate through the many rooms downstairs.
People who have had bad experiences with the food go back one more time and order the shredded beef burrito (one person) and the guacomole dip. (can be shared 2-3 ways-Plate of chips with melted cheese and scoops of fresh guac) Order these 2 items and you will become a fan. -
Review from Charlton C.
San Diego, CA
* Reliable traditional Mexican food *
I've been going to Fidel's for a while for usually birthdays and other similar gatherings and I've never been really disappointed. Likewise, I've never been really impressed either.
The carnitas is pretty good as is most of their burritos. The chips and salsa are ok. The salsa is more on the roasted side versus a fresca.
Overall though, it's the typical choose a main, and get your rice and beans. Not much else to say about it.
I'm sure I'll be back for a birthday sometime soon... -
Review from Ky L.
Daly City, CA
This is my favorite restaurant EVER. I've been going here with my family since I was little. Every birthday dinner is celebrated here! I came to Fidels basically every other day for lunch after high school and, now that I'm up in Northern California for college, I can only come when I'm visiting home.... But I make sure to eat at Fidels at least a couple of times while I'm visiting! The food is TO DIE FOR, the service is .. meh... but the fooooooooooood. And the salsa/chips!!! Sooo good. I really like the festive atmosphere too.. however they could definitely replace their glasses... they're pretty dinged up and the rims look pretty funky. But whatever because its FIDELSSSSS.
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Review from Jordan C.
Lakeside, CA
It's expensive, but the portions are huge. I tried the chili relleno, and it was great, but I don't think it was better than any I've had at a (less expensive) authentic Mexican restaurant. I'd go here if you have money to burn.
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Review from Da L.
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Never liked it - and i have had a hard time verbalizing it - until I saw the sign on the North entrance:
"We reserve the right to serve refuse to anyone."
Now I understand. -
Review from Walter M.
Let's get a few things straight right off the bat. This place is not your typical Mexican food restaurants. It's a Mexican Restaurant. It's nice enough to have large groups, but cheap enough to not break the bank. A large selection of dishes ranging from flautas, to chimichanga's to plates. Don't even think of ordering a California Burrito, this is no erto's, no taco shop. Like it's Norte counterpart they have a lively full bar with great chicken and rice soup and ample outdoor seating. The carne asada plates are tender, flavorful and in no way greasy from lard and the rice is always fluffy. I usually come here to meet people not willing to come to my preferred Carlsbad Norte location, so when I go there I go there more for drinks only. Here I always get dinner because drinking on an empty stomach is not very smart and I'm always drinking when I'm here. Apparently my friends like their Margerita's, but I can't tell the different between a Cadillac made with patron versus a regular made with José. The drink itself is gross, but the quality is commendable here.
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Review from Matt J.
Del Mar, CA
The food is pretty good, but the salsa...come on. Its worst than Pace. Get some better salsa then I'll rethink the review
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Review from Takman M.
San Diego, CA
Nice atmosphere, very good service. Food came out pretty quick and was hot.
I got a carne asada burrito and my friend had pollo asada plate w/beans and rice. Overall, the food tasted good, but not amazing. The meat was tender, but just a bit bland. The prices were reasonable. The salsa was more like hot sauce, but it went well with the chips - which were above average.
I guess I'm a little bit of a carne asada snob since I've eaten so much of it, but if you are just looking for burritos and tacos but don't need to sit down nicely, I think there's at least 4 or 5 better places here in San Diego. -
Review from Bruce M.
Solana Beach, CA
There are two of these style restuarants right next door to one another: Fidel's and Tony's Jacal - Not exactly sure why. In my opinion, they are clones of each other, though the atmosphere at Fidel's is a little more like walking into Mexico with average food, and Tony's seems like the food is just a bit more high end and while authentic, just a little less...
Other than that, both are pretty darn good. -
Review from April J.
Been here many times. A good date spot, a good family spot, a good happy hour spot, and actually an excellent wedding reception location.
When I come here, I'm always suprised on how much seating space they have. It feels like its three levels with back rooms, back patios of mexican awesomeness everywhere.
My food choice here? The chicken tortilla soup. The fresh cilantro, the freshly cut avocado and the broth. Yummy.
There's usually a mariachi walking around if u want some personal serenading.Listed in: its raining and its cold. . .…
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Review from Brian K.
Summer Sunday.
Four friends; one show to catch; four bellies to fill (no pun intended).
Fidel's was busier than a Malibu rhinoplasty clinic.
Slow service.
Tasty grilled shrimp burrito but drowned in white sauce.
Decent but over-priced margaritas.
Had a great time with friends.
Fidel's...it gets the [Americanized Mexican cuisine craving] job done.
Incomplete like this review but willing to come back to complete the job. -
Review from Emily N.
Roseville, CA
A group of us decided at 7pm on a Saturday night during the rare REALLY warm weekend in February that we wanted to go to dinner here before a show. Upon arrival we realized that was a major mistake. The wait was 45 minutes. So we walked to the bar area, found a table and were welcome to sit down!
The food was good, the atmosphere is great for groups and lively. The margaritas are good (nothing to write home about) and the beer is cold. Cant ask for much more.
I got the chicken tostada. The waiter suggested ordering the half and THANK GOD! I think the whole would have fed the entire restaurant. Very good, would definitely return. -
Review from Jason M.
San Diego, CA
Best Mexican food I've ever had. The service is always great and the people are very friendly. Get a margarita or two and the carne street tacos and you're in heaven :)
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Review from Jim L.
San Diego, CA
Fidel's is always a good place to go if looking for Mexican food but I suggest you get there early, especially if you're with a group. The place is always busy.
Fidel's offers two levels, outdoor dining and well as a full service bar.
The food here is top notch. I typically go with the carnitas but have found pretty much everything on the menu to my liking, including the margaritas.
There is a Carlsbad location as well nut I prefer the Solana Beach location because of the atmosphere.
I have been going here for years and will continue to do so for years to come. -
Review from Sonia S.
San Marcos, CA
Fidel's is delicious! Its a hard choice whether to go to this one, or it's next door (Tony's Jacal) because they are both great. However when I went to Fidel's, we got a few pitchers of margaritas, which were really good!
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Review from B C.
Solana Beach, CA
I love this place. The food is really good. Not the best Mexican in San Diego, but really tasty. The BEST thing about Fidel's though is the ambiance. I love being here. It's such a cool building with such a cool atmosphere. It is the quintessential Mexican restaurant with a great North County vibe.
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Review from Raina L.
San Diego, CA
I've been meaning to try this place since a bunch of locals have been raving about it! I finally went with my boyfriend and just loved it! It's a huge restaurant, which is super busy on the weekends!
We came on a Friday, it was busy but we were seated right away. I love atmosphere of the restaurant, it truly feels like an authentic restaurant in Mexico. Right as we sat, we had chips and salsa to munch on as we looked over the menu. I already knew I had to try their famous chicken & rice soup! Then I also got the cheese enchilada, my boyfriend tried the guacamole tacos.
I literally inhaled the chips and salsa, it was so good (not to mention, I was starving), and they were really on point about refilling the chips and salsa without us even having to ask.
The soup was like heaven in a bowl! It was packed with flavor! It was definitely on the healthier side too, which is a plus. You can't go to this restaurant without ordering a bowl! My cheese enchiladas were delicious too! And my boyfriend loved his guacamole tacos! I can't wait to go back and try something new, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.
Fidel's has a great atmosphere and delicious, authentic Mexican food all for reasonable prices! -
Review from David H.
San Diego, CA
OK, this place is legendary, but I think it's a bit over rated. It is a solid 3, but I won't go out of my way (read - sit or stand through the long wait) for pretty average food.
They use a lot of grease here and the sauces are just OK. Best thing on the menu are the soups and the 'perfect' margaritas! -
Review from Katherine O.
San Diego, CA
Went here last night for my boyfriend's birthday with a party of 12. Would love to say the food was great but unfortunately none of us ever got to taste it. After sitting there for over an hour and having our waiter only come by twice, we decided we'd be better off ordering pizza and just going home.
We were only served two rounds of drinks; the first we waited over a half hour for (with no updates or apologies from our waiter - we were blatantly ignored this entire time), and after promptly ordering the next round, we waited another 20 minutes for our skinny margaritas. One person in our party had to go track our waiter down to see what the problem was. She was told the bartender was very backed up - understandable, but why isn't our waiter communicating this to the table instead of ignoring us in the hopes we won't notice?
I've been told Fidel's supposedly makes delicious skinny margaritas, though this is far from what I experienced. They honestly tasted like there was a rotten lime in the mix. Everyone took one sip and promptly pushed their drink away. Our waiter never came over to check up on us, take additional drink orders, or even bother to ask if we wanted food at all (believe me, we did). After an hour of this, someone had to once again track down our waiter to ask for the bill. A manager came by to ask why our party wanted to leave and when I listed the above reasons, he simply gave us the bill and said "Sorry about that, please come back folks". RIGHT. Never going back there again. -
Review from Peter A.
San Diego, CA
This might have been the worst Mexican food experience I have had in a long time. The waiter got *everything* wrong; the food was so greasy (in a bad way). There was a long hair in my fajitas. $8.50 for a watered-down margarita. The fishiest fish taco in San Diego. Honestly, compared to the place right next door (Tony's Jacal), there is no comparison. I will never step foot in this place again.
