On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian
947 E St"Thanks to our illustrious community manager Danny, I was introduced to this rad new place in the Gaslamp....and, frankly, I can't wait to go…" read more »
Loading...
If any of the following are major issues for you, DO NOT go to Pokez.
- Restaurant staff having tattoos.
- Restaurant staff appears to have escaped from rehab.
- Restaurant interior being dark and dingy.
If you're cool with the above, give it a shot! The food is very good and cheap!
People thought this was:
I know a lot of people gripe over the service. I usually don't care that much about service except when forking out large amounts of dough for food, but this place gave birth to one of my favorite akward waiter/diner experiences.
Me and the lady came here for dinner. We were sat, and our waiter approached us. And.............he didn't say a word.
He just stood there. In front of our table. For like, a good amount of time. I just stared at him, until, fearing i may never actually get to eat FOOD that evening, i finally broke the ice.
What the hell? What do you have to do to get a job as a waiter here? And i don't mean to be funny asking that question. This place makes me wonder:
IS service dead?
People thought this was:
I was looking forward to my first visit to Pokez. Was I going to become another victim of "bad service" the way others on Yelp have claimed? Well, I see that in order to work at Pokez you need to have a minimum of at least 3 tats. A guy brought some salsa to my table which I politely explained that I wasn't going to touch so he should just use it for another table. He looked at me like I was sitting there with my genitals hanging out of my pants and took it away without saying anything. Just a nod of the head. I ordered my burrito while playing on the jukebox was Metallica's "Harvester of Sorrow." Hell to the muthaf*ckin' yeah.
While it took nearly 15 minutes for me to get my burrito (which I'm cool with as long as you cook it), I took a gander at their jukebox. It was probably the best one I've ever come across: (old) Metallica, Dr. Dre, P.J. Harvey, Nick Cave, A Tribe Called Quest, The Smiths - just awesome. 1 buck will get you three songs and I selected P.J. Harvey, Nick Cave and The Smiths though "How Soon Is Now" never played.
Carne asada burrito (with beans and cheese only) # 51 - http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Great burrito - none of its contents disappointed me. Next time, I gotta remember to tell them not to include the little side salad thing as I'm not going to eat it. The less waste the better is what I always say. The only exception is when I see my Grandmother smoking her bong. Then I usually say that I'm not going to pack it again in addition to retrieving another 40 for her from the refrigerator. But that's the only exception!
The guy at the register told me the cost and mentioned that the credit card slip does not have a space on it for the tip. He asked if I'd like to include one and I said sure, which he thanked me for. He asked how my food was and I told him that even though this place is known for its vegetarian food, their carne asada is damn good. I asked about their chicken and he said it was grilled breast meat which I was glad to hear.
I look forward to returning to try their breakfast and chicken burritos. Not to mention, listening to some good tunes in the process.
*Update Nov 1, 2009: Breakfast burrito # 74 - http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Delicious bacon, egg, cheese and potato burrito. I was pleasantly surprised as the potatoes were slightly mushy but seasoned with some seasoning that should used during any season.*
People thought this was:
Pokez was recommended to me by a friend of a friend and I took my wife and 5-year old son there without reading yelp or doing any prior research. Not knowing what to expect, I was a little worried when I noticed the tattoo shop next store and a wait staff that was heavily inked.
There was a sign that said to wait to be seated (on the sign was a picture of a guillotine and a severed head in a basket, indicating what happens to folks that seat themselves). My wife was not a fan of the sign or the rough-looking restaurant, wait staff, and patrons but we persevered and we were rewarded!
We waited about 5 minutes without anybody greeting us and finally someone sat us at one of the 10 empty tables in the place. Once seated, a waiter immediately brought out chips and salsa (BTW very very delicious, chips had the appearance of being made in-house and the salsa was very flavorful although a little spicy for my wife). After that, a couple guys came by and got our drink and food orders. Aside from the initial wait, the service was actually pretty good.
I asked for a recommendation and ended up ordering accordingly, and much to my surprise what came out was incredibly tasty and inexpensive fare. I had the Mexican Steak, which is a heap of steak cooked with chorizo with rice, beans, tortillas. The chorizo was just right and really brought out the flavor of the steak. Very delicious, so much so that I cleaned my plate.
My wife had a combo with a chicken and beef taco and cheese enchilada. Tacos were OK, but the enchilada was delicious. Lots of tasty cheese and a mellow enchilada sauce really hit the spot and were complimented well by the corn tortillas, which while not homemade were still very good. My son had the biggest quesadilla I've ever seen, loaded with cheese and nice and crispy in all the right places.
Final thoughts, service is fine if you're low maintenance and probably improves the more you look like one of the waiters. Food is very well done, portions are huge, prices are small.
Other: Waiter doesn't bring check, just go up to the register to pay when you're done. Although you may not feel comfortable busting out the plastic, they take credit cards too.
People thought this was:
Pokez has super awesome food that is pretty cheap and huge so you will definitely not be eating for the rest of the day. I do not suggest going here if you don't like bad service tho, the waiters just stand there and usually don't speak to you, there are no thank you's and come agains, its more you go there for great food and get out, but trust me its worth it!
What is the deal with this place? Why do people rave about it so much? The one time I finally got around to eating here, the service was rude and extremely slow (even though there was hardly anyone there) and the food was flavorless.
What is it that makes people think this is good?
Is there some kind of chemical or hormone they're pumping in the air that makes you all think this, and I am immune?
Is it the hipster factor? Because I can go anywhere in this town and find some hipsters. I really don't want to eat crappy food in order to do so.
I really, really don't get it. I'm not going to try to.
People thought this was:
After hearing everyone rant and rave about this place for the last, what, 10 years or so? I figured it was worth trying when I had some free time in San Diego. Searched for parking for maybe 20-30 minutes until finally pulling into a distant pay lot. Trekked on over to Pokez and was met with shitty service. I tried to reassure myself, "When you have food as great as this is going to be, I guess the service can afford to be this awful" right? Isn't that the way it usually is?
Ordered the vegan chorizo burrito wet. Received my burrito and it sucked. Bland as hell and extremely overpriced. Pretty much just stuffed 1/2 pound of the world's shittiest soyrizo in between a crappy tortilla, charged me $9 or whatever and called it a day. Eat a dick Pokez. Just because I'm vegetarian doesn't mean I should be forced to eat shitty overpriced Mexican food while in San Diego. I'll be hitting up the taquerias far far away from the Gaslamp district from now on.
People thought this was:
My boyfriend and I have been here twice. The first time because one of his friends recommended the vegan dishes at this place, and the second time because we were looking for cheap, tasty food. The coolest thing about this place are the decorations. They are pretty unconventional (sculpture of some guy in women's underwear??) and remind me of walking into some restaurant in Berkeley, CA. I've heard that the service here is terrible, but our waiter was alright both times. The first time, I remember the service was pretty slow (but then again it was dinner and there were more people.) But the second time, the guy was really nice- filled our water a million times and gave us more chips and salsa.
The food is alright. I'm not sure why I liked it so much the first time (guess I was really hungry.) I had some sort of fajita dish and the chile relleno. I'm not really qualified to comment on authenticity, but I thought it tasted pretty good. The second time, I had something like a tofu and egg scramble which was kind of whatever. Not too much flavor. I would give the food 3 stars, the 4th star is for the price and ambiance. If I could, I would give Pokez a 3.5. I think they only have street parking but we had no problems finding parking either time.
Great food and cheap price. Lots of love in the food and taste great. One of San Diego's best kept secrets!
I would give this place NOTHING if I could. The food is good, but not great enough to be treated like shit every time you go in there. I don't know why everyone acts like such assholes. Every time I go in there, a customer ends up walking out in disgust over piss-poor service. Why does the owner let this happen? He or she must not care and the lack of leadership shows.
Bottom line: If you don't mind bad service (and I mean really bad service), the food is good. Otherwise, don't bother.
People thought this was:
OK here is the deal with Pokez
The service is AWFUL. Its very scene, and the waiters and staff or more concerned with playing it cool then getting your food. It took my boyfriend til the end of the meal to get a freaking water when he asked at least 12 times. The wait was long for NO REASON. There were plenty of tables open... its a small place, and we just waited at the door forever. And the food took the LONGEST TIME. Shouldnt be that hard for some enchiladas and nachos. This should not take 2 hours!!!
HOWEVER the food is THE BOMB! Its really really great authentic flavorful awesome mexican food. And it is SUPER cheap! Great food for very very very little money!
They do carry out. So I would just call ahead and pick up the food from there. The food is totally worth it, but I would never waste my time actually going back to sit down in this place again
mmmm, I love me some Mexican food, good thing I live in San Diego. One of my most favorite discoveries since moving here is mahi mahi fish tacos. I could be a fish taco expert almost. This place has one of the best fish tacos I've tried in town.
The vibe here is rad. Sweet paintings adorn the wall, tattooed covered employees and customers donate to the laid back southern cali san diego vibe going on here.
Don't expect to be treated with fake smiles and a pleasurable demeanor by the employees. If they're having a good day, they're cool, if not, deal with it if you want some bomb food.
One of the best parts of this place, besides the artistic environment, is the vegan friendly menu. A huge part of san diego is this idea of healthy greean living. There is a pretty large grouping of vegan/vegetarians in San Diego, and this place caters to them. This place has a tofu burrito that are so pleasing to the palate that even the most meat loving of people clean their plate and be satisfied.
It's pretty cheap too, last time I went we got a mahi taco, steak burrito, a tofu burrito, and a soda for 16$. Heads up, you might find yourself just sitting waiting for your bill, you must pay at the register. They take cards, but won't split your bill.
If you find yourself looking for bomb mexican food and a good vibe downtown, check out Pokez, I'm pretty sure you won't hate your food :)
People thought this was:
Although the service isn't always the best, the food is. I've never been disappointed with my order! And the prices are GREAT.
This place used to be SO GREAT! Now it's just another sit-down taqueria with like, the most enormous plates EVER. Yeah, I guess that's pretty cool. And obviously all the vegetarian options are awesome. But the kitchen is really slow and service is hit-or-miss. Speaking of miss, what the heck happened to your alcohol permit? Sad story.
People thought this was:
As much as I love the idea of having my chips and salsa thrown at me like I kicked the waiter's puppy, having my menu handed to my like it was my pink slip, and having my food brought out with such warm sentiments as "here.", The rudeness wears thin after a while, and there's no reason to frequent a place like this. If I could give a place 0 stars, I would be tempted. The food is great, and this is where I went on my first date with the girl I'm going to marry, but COME ON. There is no way that the three dudes with glam hair and neck tattoos think they're that cool that they need to be complete and total assholes to everyone that walks in the door.
Whether the sign says "please wait to be seated" or not, you may as well seat yourself, because the waiters sure as hell don't care if you stand there. The ONLY redeeming factor for this place is the expansive vegetarian menu, but the thing is, this isn't Ohio, there's 30 vegetarian restaurants in the city. It's time to wake up and stop being hipster jackasses and just serve the food that (rightfully) made this place famous, without the attitude that (amazingly) hasn't killed it for everyone.
People thought this was:
Pokez will get you laid. The food is unbelievably good. And they have something on the menu for anyone.
Guaranteed your date will find something she likes and think you took her someplace cool. Pair that up with 10 bucks a meal.
Service is the worst in San Diego. Order extra stuff whenever they come by and expect them to not care about anything.
People thought this was:
Ahhh Pokez. I love the food! and it's really reasonable. That's what always remains constant about my love for Pokez. I haven't been there for a while. (I have to limit my visit because I think I consume 5 weeks worth of calories and fat in a single serving- can't pass up vegan flatuas topped with guacamole!) Staff has changed and dare I say, for the better. Everyone was nice and friendly and talkative. We didn't get shit about splitting out bill on different credit cards or asking for a refill.
Ehhh! but fix the bathroom. Toilet not working and I felt like I needed a shower after leaving.. So I go there for the food and now for the service but not for the outhouse..
People thought this was:
Vegan chorizo burrito = affordable bliss for mungy tummies. Don't look up when you're eating, and don't expect super fast service but the food is soooo consistently yum and extremely cheap. Nom nom nom...
The first time I went to Pokez, I thought we were headed to Porky's in TJ. When we started heading north on the 5 I knew I had been duped. Then I was informed it was a hip vegetarian mexican food joint.
"Vegetarian mexican food is an oxymoron, its like chinese food without rice," I may have said.
Regardless we got there and the people that worked there sort of look like maybe they'd been fooled this place was Porky's too. And they seemed very unhappy with it as their Corvette Diner-esque service showed. The food was ok, portions were grand, but it was not authentic and not better than any of the 9,000 and counting other mexican places in our sun drenched county. It's a good place to go if you have a vegetarian friend come from out of town, lure them in with the words "tofu burrito".
It's not even open late or 24 hours like a good Mexican place should be. Verdict: these guys don't like to work very hard, they might not even be Mexican, and they're catering to a very niche market... fixed gear only drive thru window coming soon.
People thought this was:
We hit up Pokez before a weeknight Pads game. It worked well with people arriving at different times because the place has a real open/laid back atmosphere. The chips and salsa were great too.
They take credit cards and it's mad cheap. We think that's due to them not serving alcohol...
Weird tidbit- I asked what was in their regular chicken/beef burritos and the waiter said just chicken and beef. I asked specifically about rice, beans, cheese? He said no that's what the combo burritos are for which my friends and I thought was super weird.
Sticking to tradition... since Pokez serves their sodas in a can they automatically lose one star.
They serve breakfast all day so major plus. I got a b-fast burrito and it was huge and bomb. They pack that sucka. On their burritos they put ranchero sauce and cheese for no extra charge. I recommend it. It isn't too saucy and doesn't drench the tortilla.
My friends loved their mahi mahi taco, potato taco and veggie burrito. It left us stuffed so we weren't even tempted to gorge on the Petco train of no no foods.
Since every review mentions the servers in one way or another... I thought I should touch on it. They weren't rude at all and perfectly pleasant. They kept the water containers filled and refilled our chip basket without prompting. We didn't know that you had to go up to the counter to pay so we were wondering what was taking forever. So like another reviewer said, they don't rush you out of there at all. Again, hella chill vibe.
People thought this was:
It's a taco-shop but you get served. The service sucks, the food is great. I would actually say that it's better than the taco-shops...the Joeys Special is my favorite. They have the best chips and salsa in San Diego.
If you're a hipster, you'll love this place.
oh yeah, their jukebox is fucking great.
Went here for the 1st time with my girlfriend and her old high school BFF. It was mostly for nostalgia reasons as they frequented the place in high school.
The food, large portions and tasted pretty good, I had the Jony's Breakfast Burrito for dinner (bkfast served all day here) But when I got home my stomach hurt.
The ambiance is non-existant, its not that clean - semi-run-down, and hot (they have no a/c).
The service doesn't exist, a bunch of tattooed too-cool-for-school kinda guys work there. One guy even had boots with spurs...as a server, thats just weird.
I don't think I'd go back, mostly because I got sick after eating here - which is too bad because the flavor was the only thing that it has going for it.
People thought this was:
this place has been open for about 14 years.
it was started by a father and son.
the food is excellent.
the service is slow.
your food is made to order.
the kitchen is small.
please don't everyone complain about how long it takes to get your food.
the servers worn't take any attitude you give them, so a lot of these bad reviews are most likely from people who got told off for seating themselves or for being annoying. this place is about the food and the environment.
to conclude:
eat at pokez.
Chicken ranchero is da bomb! Seriously my mouth waters just thinking about it. I dont even look at the menu any more when I go there. My brother swears by the potato flauta, but I'm happy with the chix ranchero, no need to experiment!
OK, sometimes the staff *is* cranky. It's true. Really just depends on the day and their mood.
People thought this was:
FINALLY something new to talk about aside from the common talk of rude waiters and gross utensils.
So recently there has been talk about Pokez closing down so I went today and everything seemed pretty normal. . .only better!
To begin with, as opposed to the normal 20 minute wait in front of the door in order to be acknowledged to be seated rather than screamed at for sitting in one of the many empty booths, the guy came up to us and with a smile told us if we wanted a booth or table.
Another nice point was that our server was SOOOOOO NICEEE! I know what you are thinking, "a nice and sane person at Pokez?" Well yes, those people do exist.
So overall, I think amidst rumors of Pokez closing down, the workers have undergone some type of intervention, not the kind most of them need, but one to improve their customer service :) YAY!
People thought this was:
I ate here three times during a recent trip to San Diego. I really liked the food, and it's REALLY cheap...which is a plus if you're on vacation here...because San Diego is EXpensive.
If it were a bar...you'd call it a dive. It's not the cleanest place...they don't have the friendliest service...but you keep coming back.
If you read the other reviews...you'll see what I mean about the service. They aren't quick, they aren't motivated and they can appear to be a bit...surly. Being an adult...I didn't need my hand held and I wasn't looking to make a new friend during lunch...so I didn't really care. As long as they brought me what I ordered...I was happy.
They have the best vegan chorizo I've had anywhere.
The surrounding neighborhood is a little sketchy...but not the worst I've been to.
***Helpful hint*** When you're done eating...go up to the register because they don't bring your check to you.
People thought this was:
Definitely not the worst Mexican food I ate but not the best, I am likely to go here again just because of the chill environment. Oh and not expensive at all.
I love this place. Super cheap. I don't order anything vegetarian though. I love the mexican steak. AWESOME!!!
I am new to the San Diego Area and I just found Pokez!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! It's an alternative crazy place w/ tatted up servers and loud music.
If that's not your "scene," it may not be the best place for you but you can always just get the food to go. It's really good food, the portions are huge for the relatively low prices. I love it.
The tofu and mushroom enchiladas are awesome. I even enjoy the cabbage salad that accompanies the enchiladas, and I'm not a big cabbage person. The Sangria is lovely. The staff has always been super-pleasant to me and my dinner companions, every time I have been there. Sure, the bathroom could use some work, but that can be an issue in numerous places. I just wish they delivered. Like to me, right now. Sigh.
People thought this was:
Pokez! I feel bad for this place because it has such a bad rap.
I really like this eatery. I love going to restaurants without having to worry about animal juices in my food. The vibe and decor of this joint are eclectic, funky, interesting, and visually stimulating. Those adjectives are also apropos when describing the staff.
The people who work at Pokez are lovable punks. They're kinda fresh, but it's endearing because it's just an act. I know it's an act because I once ate there with my man and our waiter was slightly less than friendly to us throughout the meal - but he was attentive, and as we were paying he gave us a warm, huge grin.
My boyfriend and I actually went to Pokez during the course of our first date. They let us sit there for three hours, even though it only took us about forty-five minutes to eat our meals. Not many restaurants would let their patrons do that, so this place gets a gold star from me.
Is the waitstaff a bunch of jerks? No. Is the food delicious? Yes. Are Pokez detractors overreacting? Yes.
People thought this was:
My friends want me to give it 7 for the FINE ass servers whom i believe are in a gang (don't cut me pokez), but my heterosexual instinct won't let me be so biased.
But anyway, i got Joe/Joey's special and it was dankalicious. The lady doesn't like it and since it's a bit out of the way for us we just won't go back unless someone else is driving. The moral of the story being, if we won't drive 15 minutes to get to you, you're not getting 5 stars.
Apparently I don't believe in constructive criticism.
People thought this was:
This place is nothing special, and definitely not authentic mexican food. Seems like its one of those places that is popular probably because they cater to the vegan/vegetarian craze. Consequently it is like, the greatest because they are new age or something.
I agree with many of the other yelpers about the service, in fact they hardly make eye contact, and make you feel like you offended them. They don't really check on you or anything, so I wasn't really sure if I was suppose to pick up my food when it was ready or what. Furthermore, at the end when as I was calculating the tip at the counter I casually mentioned that I wasn't sure if they normally got tipped because it wasn't really a sit-down restaurant.. do you tip an In 'n' Out employee just for bringing a tray of food to your table? I don't think so, especially if they have a negative attitude. Anyways after I mentioned that, they proceeded to question if I tip at other places, and then she rolled her eyes shouted to the other employees "this person asked if he should tip us". I had actually already written in the tip on the receipt, but I wish I could have taken it back, thats how you treat your customers? Never returning.
People thought this was:
Only got one star because yelp won't let you give no stars.
What a bunch of pretentious losers! If you can't summon even the basic human decencies towards your fellow man or woman then maybe you should stay home and make your living sending out mass emails for viagara rather than ruining what otherwise could be a cool place to go for decent veggie mexi food.
Seriously get the sticks out of your asses and get over yourselves.
I spent half my life working for tips in every imaginable type of restaurant from a biker road house diner to five star glitz and glamor and have never seen such childish self importance in any server with whom I have ever worked. Sort of a combination wanna be cool by being crass attitude mixed with a complete lack of understanding on how to pull it off.
What kind of parents raise kids that grow up to be like this?
I was walking by Pokez the other day and one of the staff glowered at me through the window as if daring me to come in and be harassed. Do you think they new I was the one that wrote this review.
People thought this was:
This is a pretty cool place to eat. You walk in and the vibe you get from just being inside is just extraordinar. The colors and art on the walls are amazing. The foods great and they even have a vegan menu. The people that work their are pretty cool too.
Great music, great art, great vibe and great food. Can't go wrong with that.
This place is awesome! Some of my friends aren't really big fans of it because they love the nitty-gritty, greasy, cooked with lard Mexican food (which isn't exactly a bad thing), but I love Pokez! Of course I am also a fan of Mom & Pop taco shops, but Pokez food tastes so fresh and is, I would like to think, healthier.
Of course, I am particularly partial to the potato rolled tacos, which I think most people, even meat-eaters, would enjoy. I have yet to try the other choices, but I heard wonders about the potato and tofu, potato, & mushroom burritos. My boyfriend had the carne asada burrito, which he also enjoyed. The staff are a bunch of really cool guys who can be a bit intimidating, but they are really nice and super chill.
I was a Ranchos girl myself, but Pokez is definitely up there. Overall, I would give them 4 stars, maybe I will come back and change it to a 5 when I try more things!
I like pokeez.. I don't know if I would come here in response to a craving for authentic mexican food, but I really like the food here. It tastes healthier, yet very very flavorful and it's vegetarian/vegan friendly as well. Their burritos are well priced and filling (one lasted me 2 meals). I tried a few other dishes and they were all good. It is refreshing to eat food like this that relies on spices for flavoring rather than oil and butter. I have to say though, the service is a little bit slow but I'd definitely come back.
People thought this was:
I am going to quote a previous post from d.a.k. and distort it.
"If you want to go to a vegetarian friendly Mexican restaurant, but don't want to be treated like shit and want to hold tight to your self-esteem, don't go to this dirty restaurant with mean people and mediocre food."
People thought this was:
There are tons of Mexican restaurants in SD and this is certainly not the best one that I have been to, but I think it is worth a try. Some people had raved to me about this place and clearly some yelpers had issue with the service.
We didn't have any problems with the service. Quite the opposite actually. Our waiter was nice, friendly and attentive. He came by a few times to check on us and refill our drinks.
As for the food, the portions are ridiculously big, especially given that everything on the menu is under $10. I had a pollo asado burrito that was not bad, although some of the chicken seemed a bit fatty. The mahi mahi enchiladas were pretty good although I thought the fish was way too salty.
FYI, they don't have a liquor license anymore so you are free to bring your own.
People thought this was:
This place is super chill, the staff is veryyy friendly and the food is amazing! I don't know, anyone that got bad service probably deserved it. I've been here many times and the waiters are very patient, nice and have a sense of humor. They let us stay at our table for like, two hours after we were done with our meal, since we were waiting on our ride.
The most recent story I can attach to this place is that a) they set up some tables just for our party of ten when the bigger table was occupied, instead of making us wait for it. b) after we were done with our meal, my friend forgot a birthday present in there and she didn't even realize it. We crossed the street and then we see our waiter running to us with it in his hand. I have to say this moment just melted my heart. haha. now tell me if you've seen your waiter do that for you somewhere else?
Anyway, I usually get a carne asada burrito when i'm here, because every time i happen to be there, a carne asada burrito is long over due! so good, the carne asada is so crisp and delicious. and the mini salad on the side is always fresh and tasty.
Neighborhood: Gaslamp
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Pacific Beach
Category: Vegan
Neighborhood: University Heights
Category: Specialty Food
Neighborhood: Banker's Hill
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: North Park
Category: Vegetarian
Sometimes I get a lil wistful about my old So Cal…
...which of course in German means a whale's…
These are some places that I have found to be…
In my quest to try as many new restaurants as…
I don't live there anymore (thank god for that!)…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
A former Californian hunts burritos in the Twin…
