El Cuervo
Mexican · San Diego
About El Cuervo
In the heart of San Diego's vibrant neighborhood, we're El Cuervo, a gathering place for those seeking authentic Mexican flavors and warm hospitality. We offer standards, expertly crafted with fresh ingredients, alongside refreshing aguas frescas and chilled bottled beers in our cozy digs. At our sa...
In the heart of San Diego's vibrant neighborhood, we're El Cuervo, a gathering place for those seeking authentic Mexican flavors and warm hospitality. We offer standards, expertly crafted with fresh ingredients, alongside refreshing aguas frescas and chilled bottled beers in our cozy digs. At our salsa bar, you'll discover an array of bold flavors to complement your meal. Our customers rave about the exceptional food quality, lively atmosphere, and attentive service that makes every visit a delight. From our bustling salsa bar to our intimate gatherings, we're dedicated to serving up unforgettable Mexican cuisine with a side of San Diego charm.
What Customers Say About El Cuervo
El Cuervo, now Palominos, is a family-owned Mexican restaurant with a long history. Customers rave about the carne asada, menudo, and fish tacos. Some report inconsistent orders and a decline in quality after the name change, but many still love it.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: The carne asada is a must-try, and the salsa bar is good. Be aware that some customers have experienced inconsistent order accuracy.
Features
What to see nearby
Data from Wikidata
Explore the area around El Cuervo
El Cuervo is located in San Diego, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Religious Buildings
- First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego (A 547m) — church in CA , US
- All Saints Episcopal Church (A 726m)
Other Points of Interest
- UC San Diego Medical Center, Hillcrest (A 511m) — hospital in California, United States
Data from Wikidata
Frequently asked questions about El Cuervo
El Cuervo San Diego Reviews
El Cuervo is one of my favorite family owned Mexican mom and pops. Their carne asada is marinated well with what I believe are hot carrots and pico. The Carne Asada Chimichanga is huge and tastes amazingly juicy, cheesy and delicious. I’ve also had their carne asada sans tortilla so it’s an option if you don’t want the carbs. Also just had the plain carne asada burrito in the past and it’s tasty. El Cuervo is also my workplace’s favorite place for breakfast burritos. We order the Chorizo, Carne Asada, Bacon and Machaca burritos and they cut them in half or thirds if we ask them to. Also love their salsa bar - pico and the red sauce are my faves. This is a typical counter service restaurant and the service is friendly and typically prompt. There is plenty of seating snd, except occasionally at the lunch hour, I’ve rarely had trouble finding a table here. While this place isn’t as popular as some of the more trendy and Mexican places around San Diego it’s absolutely one of my favorite go-to’s. Parking can be a bit of a challenge at times now that they no longer have the lot immediately adjacent to the restaurant anymore but it’s worth it.
I was at a lost for words, the food here was truly amazing. We will be coming back here, because it was soooooo good and portions are very nice, you will definitely be full.
Family has been coming here since the 1980's- and the food taste the same!!! Best carne asada in town, same can be said about the red hot sauce. Live in Dallas now, but a must stop by when im in town!!!
This place is family owned. Our generation of family have been going here over a decade. From Menudo on Sundays to burritos through out the week. The cooks and workers are so genuine. You walk and order food with confidence! The price is right for location and how much you get. The Pico here is golden. Very few authentic Mexican food include carrots. Thank you El Cuervo Family for always taking care of my family food needs :) support these local special food spots of San Diego! If your not happy with something. They will fix it!
I used to frequent this place 30 years ago when I worked at UCSD. I was in the area and purchased the Cheese enchiladas. The food quality has stayed consistent through the years! BRAVO...sorry I couldnt wait to taste it!! Lol
El Cuervo is one of my favorite family owned Mexican mom and pops. Their carne asada is marinated well with what I believe are hot carrots and pico. The Carne Asada Chimichanga is huge and tastes amazingly juicy, cheesy and delicious. I’ve also had their carne asada sans tortilla so it’s an option if you don’t want the carbs. Also just had the plain carne asada burrito in the past and it’s tasty. El Cuervo is also my workplace’s favorite place for breakfast burritos. We order the Chorizo, Carne Asada, Bacon and Machaca burritos and they cut them in half or thirds if we ask them to. Also love their salsa bar - pico and the red sauce are my faves. This is a typical counter service restaurant and the service is friendly and typically prompt. There is plenty of seating snd, except occasionally at the lunch hour, I’ve rarely had trouble finding a table here. While this place isn’t as popular as some of the more trendy and Mexican places around San Diego it’s absolutely one of my favorite go-to’s. Parking can be a bit of a challenge at times now that they no longer have the lot immediately adjacent to the restaurant anymore but it’s worth it.
I was at a lost for words, the food here was truly amazing. We will be coming back here, because it was soooooo good and portions are very nice, you will definitely be full.
Family has been coming here since the 1980's- and the food taste the same!!! Best carne asada in town, same can be said about the red hot sauce. Live in Dallas now, but a must stop by when im in town!!!
This place is family owned. Our generation of family have been going here over a decade. From Menudo on Sundays to burritos through out the week. The cooks and workers are so genuine. You walk and order food with confidence! The price is right for location and how much you get. The Pico here is golden. Very few authentic Mexican food include carrots. Thank you El Cuervo Family for always taking care of my family food needs :) support these local special food spots of San Diego! If your not happy with something. They will fix it!
I used to frequent this place 30 years ago when I worked at UCSD. I was in the area and purchased the Cheese enchiladas. The food quality has stayed consistent through the years! BRAVO...sorry I couldnt wait to taste it!! Lol
Food was delicious, great portions! Staff was super friendly, Authentic guacamole not the fake one other taco shops use. Definitely recommend
I have never been to USA but , let me guess , i think your seafood will be tasty so 5 stars. ( my english isnt good )
We came in because my son was in the hospital at UCSD. The food was so good we made two trips here and hung out. I had the pastor plate and it was so much food!! Delicious and they didn't mind leaving dairy off of my beans. If we're ever in San Diego again we'll definitely stop in! And if you're at UCSD for anything, make the walk down and have great tacos!
Absolutely the best carne asada ever. My wife and I used to live in the apartments at the other side of the parking lot when we first got married…back when it was called El Cuervo. It is the Mexican food all other Mexican restaurants aspire to. Whenever we are back in town, we have to go there.
I live in Colorado, we have decent Mexican food but California especially southern cal blows us out of a he water. I love going to any random place like this that has the stand up ordering with a big menu and decent prices I just love it. And it may be because it’s been a few months but the cali burrito I got was top tier, like top 5 of my life and I’ve had lots. I got a bean and cheese to take home but I’m stuffed so I hope I get to it tonight. Great friendly and quick service
Great food and friendly service. Fish tacos are always a good choice and their salsa bar is so good. They have some spots to park behind/next to restaurant in parking lot.
I have never been to USA but , let me guess , i think your seafood will be tasty so 5 stars. ( my english isnt good )
Great food and friendly service. Fish tacos are always a good choice and their salsa bar is so good. They have some spots to park behind/next to restaurant in parking lot.
The food is delicious, I love a good menudo and they nailed it. Delicious beef tacos and chicken tostadas too. Welcome Palomino’s!!
Absolutely the best carne asada ever. My wife and I used to live in the apartments at the other side of the parking lot when we first got married…back when it was called El Cuervo. It is the Mexican food all other Mexican restaurants aspire to. Whenever we are back in town, we have to go there.
We came in because my son was in the hospital at UCSD. The food was so good we made two trips here and hung out. I had the pastor plate and it was so much food!! Delicious and they didn't mind leaving dairy off of my beans. If we're ever in San Diego again we'll definitely stop in! And if you're at UCSD for anything, make the walk down and have great tacos!
New owners took over recently and have really turned this place around. The portions are huge and the ingredients are fresh. This is my new go-to spot for mexican food.
I live in Colorado, we have decent Mexican food but California especially southern cal blows us out of a he water. I love going to any random place like this that has the stand up ordering with a big menu and decent prices I just love it. And it may be because it’s been a few months but the cali burrito I got was top tier, like top 5 of my life and I’ve had lots. I got a bean and cheese to take home but I’m stuffed so I hope I get to it tonight. Great friendly and quick service
This place holds a special place in my heart it was after all the place where I experienced some great meals with family and friends and my ex-wife. .Everyday after Sunday Church, we would come here and I would l order the machaca plate and it was amazing. What you see in the pictures here is that same machaca plate many years later and it's still great! Original owner still works most everyday, he was there today I got this plate in the pictures. Do yourself a favor,if you want great Mexican food check this place out.
Tried this spot for the first time. Staff was polite, and food was tasty. Definitely will be back
This place holds a special place in my heart it was after all the place where I experienced some great meals with family and friends and my ex-wife. .Everyday after Sunday Church, we would come here and I would l order the machaca plate and it was amazing. What you see in the pictures here is that same machaca plate many years later and it's still great! Original owner still works most everyday, he was there today I got this plate in the pictures. Do yourself a favor,if you want great Mexican food check this place out.
Tried this spot for the first time. Staff was polite, and food was tasty. Definitely will be back
I had a pretty good breakfast burrito from Palominos. I had the ham, egg, cheese, and potato breakfast burrito for $10 and some change. The burrito was of a good medium size. The eggs came lightly seasoned and the ham chopped into strips. The potatoes should have been chopped into smaller pieces. The burrito did feel a little heavy on the potatoes. The burrito came on a good quality flour tortilla. I tried a couple of red hot sauces from the salsa bar. The mild one had good flavor and a subtle heat, and the deep red one's flavor was one dimensional and very hot. The service at the counter was good. The gentlemen participated in friendly small talk. The place looks average inside. It definitely needs a face lift, but it works.
I had a pretty good breakfast burrito from Palominos. I had the ham, egg, cheese, and potato breakfast burrito for $10 and some change. The burrito was of a good medium size. The eggs came lightly seasoned and the ham chopped into strips. The potatoes should have been chopped into smaller pieces. The burrito did feel a little heavy on the potatoes. The burrito came on a good quality flour tortilla. I tried a couple of red hot sauces from the salsa bar. The mild one had good flavor and a subtle heat, and the deep red one's flavor was one dimensional and very hot. The service at the counter was good. The gentlemen participated in friendly small talk. The place looks average inside. It definitely needs a face lift, but it works.
OPEN FOR DINNING INN VERY GOOD SERVICE FOOD NOT SO MUCH 🤔TACO GOOD😊 ENCHILADA HAD JUST RICE IN IT WITH A LITTLE CHEESE¿ TOSTADA BEANS ONLY. IT CAME WITH RICE AND BEANS BUT THERE WAS NO BEANS ON THE PLATE. YOU DECIDE!!! I MAY HAVE ORDERED THE WRONG DISH
OPEN FOR DINNING INN VERY GOOD SERVICE FOOD NOT SO MUCH 🤔TACO GOOD😊 ENCHILADA HAD JUST RICE IN IT WITH A LITTLE CHEESE¿ TOSTADA BEANS ONLY. IT CAME WITH RICE AND BEANS BUT THERE WAS NO BEANS ON THE PLATE. YOU DECIDE!!! I MAY HAVE ORDERED THE WRONG DISH
I didn't like being served over cooked and old meatballs in my abondiga soup. What a waste of money. The meatballs were weeks old, the carrots were large and uncooked. Nasty food made me sick! Literally made me sick. 🤮🤢
I didn't like being served over cooked and old meatballs in my abondiga soup. What a waste of money. The meatballs were weeks old, the carrots were large and uncooked. Nasty food made me sick! Literally made me sick. 🤮🤢
Chile Rellano had hard and tough edges and the cheese enchilada had cold/unmelted cheese inside. Looks good, but made poorly…..went way down hill with the name change!!!! Will not be back.
Rolled tacos are practically empty... really skinny and NO filling from 2 inches at both ends... I want my money back. Edit* also not the meat I ordered
Chile Rellano had hard and tough edges and the cheese enchilada had cold/unmelted cheese inside. Looks good, but made poorly…..went way down hill with the name change!!!! Will not be back.
Just can't get my order right whether ordering in person, by phone or online. Can't even do a simple beans, rice & guacamole burrito. Not coming back.
WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! Price disparity, dismal food quality and missing ingredients! I had completely tasteless rolled tacos which I mostly threw away and my companion’s burrito was incomplete, missing key ingredients, guacamole, cheese and pico de gallo. I asked for a printed receipt and found that prices of ordered items on the receipt were each about $.50 higher than on the posted menu. I pointed that out and was told, after the problem was investigated, that surprisingly the prices being charged on the computer register didn’t match the menu prices. No explanation why. The cashier gave me a dollar bill back but that does not excuse the dishonesty of the pricing. GET A PRINTED RECEIPT IF YOU GO there so you can check for yourself!! I will not return to this business and don’t understand why it still has any customers.
Just can't get my order right whether ordering in person, by phone or online. Can't even do a simple beans, rice & guacamole burrito. Not coming back.
WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! Price disparity, dismal food quality and missing ingredients! I had completely tasteless rolled tacos which I mostly threw away and my companion’s burrito was incomplete, missing key ingredients, guacamole, cheese and pico de gallo. I asked for a printed receipt and found that prices of ordered items on the receipt were each about $.50 higher than on the posted menu. I pointed that out and was told, after the problem was investigated, that surprisingly the prices being charged on the computer register didn’t match the menu prices. No explanation why. The cashier gave me a dollar bill back but that does not excuse the dishonesty of the pricing. GET A PRINTED RECEIPT IF YOU GO there so you can check for yourself!! I will not return to this business and don’t understand why it still has any customers.
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About El Cuervo
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110 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103
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110 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103
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