Rodney Regala

Almost like a spot across the border without going into Mexico. Freshly made tortillas made and you can watch them make. Margaritas were kinda too good so beware! Food is always great and staff were nice. Great spot to take visitors!

+5

Veronica Roque

OMG!! Where do I start! First we arrived here because a friend recommended it and we were not dissapointed. The atmosphere was relaxed and not crowded (we had dinner here on a Sunday evening). The FOOD WAS OUTSTANDING! We had the mini molcajete which there are many pics to see and also 2 tacos (Adobada and Carnitas-Rice and Beans) OH MY! SO YUM. THE TORTILLAS was super delicious and service was quick and kind. Please visit this place, it is soooo good. Located at Old Town San Diego and after this grab some ice cream and walk the Small Cementary (Campo Santo), try this at night - super awesome.

+2

William “Popz” Roque

Came here on a recommendation and they didn't disappoint. the molecahete was delicious , the flavor of the sauce and meat was the best I've ever had. My wife had the carnitas tacos, very moist and flavorful. Will be coming back, and I highly recommend this place.

Soonheng Tan

Totally swept away with the ambience, good food and great service. With a selection of craft beers to go with authentic mexican food. Went back for few days in a row. Affordable pricing with huge servings. Best part is free nachos with an order of beer.

Shining Sun

Old Town Mexican Café not only serves delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine, but the service is outstanding. The staff is attentive, friendly, and always ready to make your experience enjoyable. From the moment you sit down, you feel welcomed and well taken care of. Combined with the vibrant atmosphere and flavorful dishes, the excellent service makes this café a must-visit in San Diego!

Alexsandra Conde

This place!! So good that we came back twice before going back to LA If you come for breakfast or lunch/dinner you won’t be disappointed! They have so many staff on the floor so you’re always able to chat with someone. Also as soon as you walk in you see in front hand made tortillas and let me tell you i usually do not like tortillas, I’m the person who destroys a burrito or taco because it’s too much tortilla. This tortillas if it was breakfast or dinner I INHALED with no shame too. If you’re visiting please treat yourself!!!

Shanna Pimentel

We went on a Sunday morning.There was no wait. We were fortunate to get parking, sometimes it's pretty crowded. We had excellent service.The food was delicious, the homemade tortillas are soo good and to top it off, we were celebrating a birthday and the mariachi's came and sang at our table. It was beautiful.. this is definitely one of our favorite spots. We never miss going here whenever we head to San Diego.

Michael Preiss

Authentic Mexican Experience – A Must-Visit! If you’re looking for truly authentic Mexican food, this place is a hidden gem! The atmosphere feels like you’ve stepped straight into Mexico – even most of the staff speak only Spanish, which adds to the charm and authenticity. The menu is huge, with an incredible variety of dishes to choose from. Everything is made fresh to order, and you can absolutely taste the difference. The tortillas are handmade right on-site, and they’re some of the best I’ve ever had – soft, warm, and full of flavor. It does get very crowded, especially in the evenings and on weekends, so I definitely recommend making a reservation if you want to avoid a long wait. That said, the food is more than worth it. Highly recommended – this spot is a must for anyone who loves real Mexican cuisine!

+15

Great place and definitely worth visiting for the drinks. The handmade margaritas were the highlight. The food was great and we were happy to see some good vegetarian options as well. Everything tasted fresh. The Old Town vibe added a lot to the experience. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, which made it a really nice spot to spend a Friday evening enjoying good food, drinks, and the energy of the area.

Mike Sperando

I visited Old Town Mexican Café based on numerous positive recommendations and was not disappointed. I walked in without a reservation, and despite the café being quite busy, I was able to get seated after a reasonable wait. I ordered the mini carne asada tacos and the red pozole with corn tortillas. The food was very good, and the flavors felt authentic and satisfying. Although the service was a bit on the slower side, it wasn’t a major issue for me, as it gave me time to enjoy the atmosphere and relax. The restaurant had a lively, bustling vibe throughout my visit, which added to the experience. Overall, I’d recommend Old Town Mexican Café to anyone looking for a good Mexican meal in the area. It’s a solid choice if you’re in Old Town San Diego.

drawonnoodles

The crispy carnitas was the best dish here. It was very cripsy and meaty, not overly salty. The tortillas are also very soft and delicious. For the price, I think the portion was decent considering the other restaurants in the area charging extortionary prices. It's a pretty solid Mexican spot but it wasn't mind blowing. The service was also spotty.

C Neon

This is an authentic Mexican restaurant at the mouth of Old Town San Diego. The decorations and vibes are very Mexican. They even had a mariachi band. The food is very tasty and authentic. Even the chips and dips are fresh and had a bit of spicy goodness. Overall, we have been coming here for decades and it remains true to its roots. Good experience.

+3

M Abalos

It's been several decades that I have been coming to this restaurant. It's large (both patio and indoor area ) and it has a variety of tables and chairs to choose from. Mexican decor is timeless at this place. Our server was welcoming and attentive. Didn't have to ask for water refill. The food is definitely authentic, but its portioning compared to other similar places in the neighborhood, is on the skimpy side. I did not feel I got my monies worth with my machaca dish. The albondigas soup could have used a little kicker. It was missing something. Nonetheless, both dishes were good to go. Fresh corn tortillas freshly made. They were good!

Glenn Gatineau

Tasty tacos with flavor! 🌮🔥 Free chips & salsa 🫔💥, and the highlight—watching fresh tortillas made right in front of you 👩‍🍳✨. A fun, authentic Old Town vibe 🎶🍹🌞.

Jeff Meinardus

This is one of many restaurant choices in Old Town San Diego. We arrived at 6pm on a Sat evening. Parking was tight. The food was delicious, the server was efficient, and we waited 15 min to be seated. The tortillas are made fresh daily on premises, and you can watch the process. Definitely a great bite out.

Went here for a late lunch and everything about it was fine. Nothing outstanding but also not bad. They give you free chips and salsa. The chips are good and so is the salsa although the salsa is a bit spicy. We also ordered guacamole which was good but could have used more acid and there were some larger chunks of avocado in it. For lunch we ordered a California burrito, a pollo asado burrito, and our friend for the carne asada plate. The burritos are big and overall were fine. We liked the tortillas and the amount of filling in the burrito, but none of the flavors particularly stood out to us. The vibe is like an old time cafe/cantina. The service was fine. It is a fine place to go for lunch or dinner but don't think you will be blown away by the food or anything.

Christine R

We ordered 2 burritos and the food was decent, but based on the reviews I had higher expectations. The burritos had more potatoes than meat which always feels like a filler to me. I will say the margarita was good and the servers were great! Service overall was slow but it’s a busy place so that’s not surprising.

Kirk Spencer

The salsa was ok. The chips were pretty good, but I don't think they were salted so if you like some salt on your chips you might need to salt them. The guacamole was not that good at all. It was basically smashed up avocado with a couple of diced tomatoes. Don't get me wrong, I love both of those, but I've definitely had way better guacamole. The "house special" was super dry. My wife got an enchilada that looked ok. I do not recommend the house special. I was expecting it to be one of their best dishes, but it was so dry with nothing to balance it out other than the guacamole we purchased as an appetizer. I wouldn't say this place is horrible. I'm sure they have other dishes that are better than what I had. I wasn't impressed with the salsa, the guacamole, and especially not the house special.

Food was not great. Does not deserve the rating it has. Never have I ever had such a bland guacamole. The waiter was always in a hurry to take the order and of course the veggie burrito I had was full of sour cream that took away the taste of anything else. Had requested to add add grilled veggies, no rice. It was 85% beans, 10% sour cream and 5% rest. Will not recommend this. I would recommend any other in the area (esp Cafe Guadalajara) than this.