C L

I kept going back again and again. The atmosphere is fun and unique, with so many random things to look at that it makes every visit interesting. The drinks are top-notch and the service is consistently better than most other places in the area. If you’re looking for a spot with great energy, strong drinks.

+1

Anny M.

Super friendly staff, complimentary water and nachos with two tasty dips — such a nice touch! The enchiladas were absolutely delicious. I’d happily come back next time I’m in the area!

Cami Ward

Delicious tacos, fun atmosphere, and in the heart of downtown San Diego, this place does not disappoint. Great selection of favorites, margaritas, tequilas, tacos and more all served in a quirky atmosphere. Staff was amazing and the food was off the charts yummy! Must get you tacos Kick Ass style.

Anamarie Thomas (Orange County Insider)

A Fun and Flavorful Fiesta El Chingon in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter is a total vibe! The staff was super friendly and made sure our drinks were always full and our table was clean. It's like they knew exactly when we needed a refill. They give you free chips with two kinds of salsa – a mild red one and a spicier green one. Perfect for munching while you decide what to order. The restaurant is decked out with cool art, and they play awesome Mexican music, which adds to the fun atmosphere. Plus, there's a ton of different food choices to try! Unfortunately, there's no special menu for kids, but don't worry! They have cartoons on the walls to keep them entertained while you relax and enjoy your meal (and maybe a fancy cocktail). It was pretty cool that the staff was wearing special Comic-Con shirts with Batman sugar skulls – definitely added to the unique experience.

+7

Robert “Send it” Burke

Really cool vibe, food is really good, tacos were so dang good, enchiladas were also fantastic, heck; the chips and salsa were even fresh. Salsa not that watery cheap stuff, oh no! Three different flavors were served with the chips. All three were tasty!! Now!! The Margaritas made by Joe were the best my wife and I have had, Classic Margarita on the Rocks... Heck yes, you'll love them... Full bar, so they'll have your favorites.. Service was top notch 👌 by everyone working on 9-24-22 Thanks, Robert and Cece Burke

+3

Yx Gx

I had been here 2 years ago. I’m so happy to see it’s still running during COVID. The food size was decent and tacos were amazing. I highly recommend the dish with shrimp, steak, and chicken. The waiter also gave us a fire show over the pan. You can choose indoor or outdoor. I have never been to the evening dinning session, but heard that pretty amazing with great DJ too. All in all, I highly recommend here for their amazing food and good service.

Kyle D

Great experience her - LOTS of seating! And outdoors too. They have trendy good vibe music and lunchtime is shaded seating outside which is nice. The tacos plate was good, they have like 13 variety of margaritas to choose from! And there is a local Mexican lager to try (in a can). Photos as of May 2021

+12

We went on a Monday night and although it was a quiet night, we still had an awesome time. Our server/bartender was extremely nice and put in extra effort to make us comfortable. The food was delicio…

We went on a Monday night and although it was a quiet night, we still had an awesome time. Our server/bartender was extremely nice and put in extra effort to make us comfortable. The food was delic…

We had such a delicious dinner at El Chingon tonight! The atmosphere was charming and the service was especially wonderful. Morgan went out of her way to make our dining experience delightful. We h…

Amazing cocktails and delicious Mexican food. I ordered nachos but tacos were also popular amongst our group… Yum yum yum

Chris, our waiter was the goat. We had the best time and enjoyed three rounds of tequila. We loved it. This bar is awesome

We stopped by El Chignon on the first night of our visit to San Diego. We were looking for a place that was dog friendly, reasonably priced with decent food and drinks. El Chignon hit the mark on …

We stopped by El Chignon on the first night of our visit to San Diego. We were looking for a place that was dog friendly, reasonably priced with decent food and drinks. El Chignon hit the mark on …

Just loved the menu and atmosphere, so much so I bought the a hoodie with their branding. The best margaritas ever!

This has the atmosphere of fun rebellion with staff t-shirts saying "Make Mexican Great Again". We sat at the bar and I threw the bartender for a loop asking for a glass of cabernet rather than be…

Loved everything we had here! I had a margarita flight and each one was great. Had the best queso fundido and tortillas. I had several tacos ala cart. Loved sitting outside to people watch while en…

Loved everything we had here! I had a margarita flight and each one was great. Had the best queso fundido and tortillas. I had several tacos ala cart. Loved sitting outside to people watch while en…

Loved everything we had here! I had a margarita flight and each one was great. Had the best queso fundido and tortillas. I had several tacos ala cart. Loved sitting outside to people watch while en…

Delicious parrilladas, good flour tortillas and best drinks in Gaslamp district downtown San Diego … good music too

Daniella Holland

We were downtown for a conference & stopped in for a quick bite to eat between sessions. The food was great. Loved the beef rolled tacos & fish tacos. We also had the chili relleno & shrimp taco. The green salad was flavorful & just hot enough. The atmosphere was lively & the music was great! Highly recommend if you're in the Gaslamp quarter.

Omar

Checked out El Chingon while in San Diego — place was solid. The food had good flavor, and the drinks were on point, especially the margaritas. It’s got a cool vibe, kind of loud and packed, but fun if you’re in the mood for it. Only reason it’s not a full 5 stars is the wait — took a little long to get our food. But overall, it was a good time. I’d definitely slide through again next time I’m in town.

+1

Rachelle Felix

Food was amazing and delicious. Customer service was not good. Our waiter served us our food and then never came to check on us to see if we needed anything. Ricardo needs to up his game on customer service cuz he wasn't chingon. Maybe we'll be back for the food.

Amber Flores

We stopped by this place for lunch and really enjoyed the food. It definitely has a bar/club vibe with a very large bar. It filled up quickly, so I definitely recommend getting there early or making a reservation. The potato tacos was definitely the highlight -- a must!

+3

Gaslamp is a nice area to go to. This place caught our eyes, so we decided to check it out in the a.m. the food was pretty cool and the ambiance.

Gaslamp is a nice area to go to. This place caught our eyes, so we decided to check it out in the a.m. the food was pretty cool and the ambiance.

Gaslamp is a nice area to go to. This place caught our eyes, so we decided to check it out in the a.m. the food was pretty cool and the ambiance.

This place gets two stars because the service is actually pretty good.\n\nThe drinks are overpriced ($14 margarita served in a shot glass.)\n\nThe food is just terrible. I ordered a burrito and i…

This place gets two stars because the service is actually pretty good.\n\nThe drinks are overpriced ($14 margarita served in a shot glass.)\n\nThe food is just terrible. I ordered a burrito and it …

This place gets two stars because the service is actually pretty good.\n\nThe drinks are overpriced ($14 margarita served in a shot glass.)\n\nThe food is just terrible. I ordered a burrito and i…

This place gets two stars because the service is actually pretty good.\n\nThe drinks are overpriced ($14 margarita served in a shot glass.)\n\nThe food is just terrible. I ordered a burrito and it …

We made it just in time for happy hour on Wednesday! I feel like this place would be super cool on the weekends, but a little more odd at around 5pm in the middle of the week. \n\nDon't let that de…

Proper el pastor (con piña!), great HH prices, quality desserts and friendly service make this a worthy Gaslamp go to. \n\nFrom the start, Sergio raised the bar on great service with his kind demea…

Proper el pastor (con piña!), great HH prices, quality desserts and friendly service make this a worthy Gaslamp go to. \n\nFrom the start, Sergio raised the bar on great service with his kind demea…

Caught this place when it was slow on a sunday afternoon which was great!\n\nhad a 3 taco plate and choose 3 different types with fish, carnitas, and birria meat along with beans and rice.\n\nthe t…

Totally special margaritas I tried the watermelon margarita and the Elote corn rolled in hot Cheetos and the chicken rolled tacos at happy hour. It is going well with the service and flavors.

Food quality was above average and the prices were really good. Only down side was that they were completely tapped on Corona and Modelo on a normal week night. Kind of surprising considering it's …

I love El Chingon! We last visited in 2022, and had a wonderful experience with food and drinks sitting outside with Hannah. We returned in 2024 and I was happy to see Hannah was still there! Fo…

I love El Chingon! We last visited in 2022, and had a wonderful experience with food and drinks sitting outside with Hannah. We returned in 2024 and I was happy to see Hannah was still there! Fo…

I love El Chingon! We last visited in 2022, and had a wonderful experience with food and drinks sitting outside with Hannah. We returned in 2024 and I was happy to see Hannah was still there! Fo…

Went for happy hour for $6 margs and half off tacos on Tuesdays. It was a true 3 stars because everything was very middle of the road. They didn't inform us about their happy hour or deals, we had to ask which was surprising. I got the birria tacos, and I was honestly impressed that they were as bland as they were. Shrimp tacos were better, but still nothing groundbreaking. The margs were what you could expect from happy hour, very sweet mix and not particularly strong. Service was very average. They checked on us when needed but weren't particularly attentive or chatty, which some might prefer. We found out that El Chingon is a night club as well, and figured that the servers mostly make their money as club staff and are making some extra money during mealtimes. I think the venue is probably better as a bar than a restaurant. Nothing was wrong really, but I'm definitely more likely to come back for a night out than dinner.

Dante Sprott

Walking down the street, this place definitely stands out—it grabs your attention right away. Once seated, though, it felt like the vibe was geared more toward a younger crowd (and I'm not even that old!). The atmosphere had a club-like feel, and the service reflected that—decent, but a bit more casual and laid-back. Now, let’s talk food. I only had the empanadas, but they were amazing. Perfectly crisp, flavorful, and well worth the visit just for those alone. My coworker enjoyed her meal too, and the portion size was huge. The real highlight? The drinks. Big shout out to the bartender for mixing a proper drink—no watered-down bull here. All in all, it's not a bad spot to hang out. If you’re looking for good food, a lively atmosphere, and a solid drink, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try.

this place had good fish tacos and ambience. typical pricing for the neighborhood and overall friendly service

this place had good fish tacos and ambience. typical pricing for the neighborhood and overall friendly service

this place had good fish tacos and ambience. typical pricing for the neighborhood and overall friendly service

Serious Snacks for a weekday happy hour. \n\nHappy Hour early in the week was very quiet with less than 6 at the bar and only a two top out front. Oh it will get crazy. \nService was swift and mult…

I came here for a drink. It was so incredibly loud that it was unpleasant...yes, i realize i'm getting old. The staff was friendly and the place looked cool.

I came here for a drink. It was so incredibly loud that it was unpleasant...yes, i realize i'm getting old. The staff was friendly and the place looked cool.

Ate dinner here January 2023. The service was lackluster. Not outright bad, but not good, either. The food was only okay, as well. I had tacos and my daughter had a quesadilla. It was loud and we…

Ate dinner here January 2023. The service was lackluster. Not outright bad, but not good, either. The food was only okay, as well. I had tacos and my daughter had a quesadilla. It was loud and we w…

I went to yesterday's event and safety of the place seemed very good to me, I had a terrible experience with one of the bartenders. I was waiting more than an hour in line to order a drink. Even other people behind me said the same thing. The most frustrating thing was to see how he attended to men who arrived later while ignoring several women we were already expecting. I don't know if it was disorganisation or something else, but the perception was very uncomfortable. Finally I had to go to the other bar where Emily (the bartender who was near the DJ) attended me immediately and with a very good attitude. The difference in treatment was abysmal. It's a shame that in such a good event the bar experience ruins the morning event. I hope they check the attention of their staff, because no one should feel ignored or discriminated against while paying for a service.

the angry short man that calls himself the night manager came to our table to "chat" with us. aka he went on a sassy little tangent and was completely unprofessional telling me and my friend that we …

Me and my friend got there early we got a table only for security to move us. Everyone else was still sitting down. I wouldn't return to this spot. drinks are expendive and water down. Super tigh…

My friend and I both closed our cards after we purchased our drinks and we both have two different charges. I saw another review where a guest experienced the same thing. I hope the owners pay clos…

**Absolutely Horrible Customer Service—Avoid This Place!** My experience at this establishment was beyond unacceptable. The manager, who seemed to think he owned the place, showed no respect whatsoe…

**Absolutely Horrible Customer service—Avoid This Place!** My experience at this establishment was beyond unacceptable. The manager, who seemed to think he owned the place, showed no respect whats…

Richard Phillips

My partner and I ate here Friday 14th November. We have been so sick since. We got E. coli poisoning. Never ever ever eat at the restaurant . What we have had to endure is not ok. Reporting this place to the health advisor. We had tacos and a steak and prawn burrito. You have really affected our trip. Disgusting hole of a restaurant. Should be closed