No idea we'd be finding this little gem on the day trip! Great time! Thanks from Phoenix!

On the lake , low key and funky interior with red vinyl seats , quint, but cosie

Still give this place 5 stars. Super nice bartender, kept my chips & salsa bowl full. I noticed how they make their famous Margarita fresh! However this place needs a refreshing, it screams ancient 1970's decor! Except for the widescreen TV's. I would definitely go there again.

Great dinning experience! Awesome authentic Mexican food and terrific service and ambience. Definitely one of San Diego's hidden treasures.

Fantastic real world Mexican food with homemade salsa and chips.

Hernandez hideaway is absolutely amazing! I have been going there for a decades. I had the lobster burrito and it was phenomenal! I have never had a burrito as good, no exaggeration. That atmosphere is wonderful, the staff is always friendly and you feel like you are walking into a nice living room. The tables are private and you can relax with friends and family while having incredible famous margaritas that are the same every single time! Super strong! This place is awesome, then you can go for a walk around lake Hodges afterwards to digest your delicious food. They also have seats outside so you can enjoy the wonderful Escondido weather. I love this place. Five stars plus exemplary mention.

Kelly is a great waiter. The food is simply delicious. We enjoyed ourselves very much.👏👍🌞 The prices are better than reasonable for almost any budget. The atmosphere was calming. We will be going back frequently. I had the strawberry margaritas and loved them. The guacamole tasted just like I make it at home.👌 I highly recommend HH.

Although the food is scrumptious, I definitely continue to return because of the unique/tucked away (hence..Hidden) location and personable service. If you enjoy being treated like family, you will love the bartenders and servers here. For those who prefer a more…professional..? interaction with their waiter, this place is probably not for you, and there is nothing wrong with that! I always have a blast joshing around with the team, and am grateful to have a filling meal after trekking around the lake. (PS, best chips and salsa around!!!)

Very nice Mexican Seafood, in a secluded lakeside location. Not a place you would notice unless you live in the area. But it's totally worth finding! The food is excellent, my favorite being the shrimp quesadilla. But everything is good, including the chips and salsa. The drinks are spot-on, and the atmosphere is warm, cozy and friendly. The staff is outstanding, for real. This place is fun, with very serious food and drink!

The food was absolutely fantastic, and the server was extremely nice and courteous. The enchiladas pie was delicious. Can't wait to come back and try their famous Margaritas soon. 😋

I had been mountain biking and I had had a fall. Not too bad, but I spilled my water. By the time I got to this restaurant, I was about ready to pass out. I hated going into this nice restaurant looking like heck, but the bartender was very nice and hurried to fill my bottle with water and ice. I then did order a coke, which tasted like heaven, for sure! I didn't order any food, but I liked the look of the place. They have a very long bar, and quite a few nice tables. They also have a patio out back, from which you can see the lake and enjoy the sunshine. Thanks to the nice bartender for saving my life! 😊

Server was wonderful and the taquitos were too! We sat outside on the patio, we had a fun lunch across from beautiful Lake Hodges!

+1

Great venue and staff. Food was served hot and delicious. Margaritas was perfectly chilled and flowing.

From being greeted at the door to amazing service. Everything was excellent. The Margaritas were great The Enchilada Pie was the special and it was amazingly good. Our Bartender/Server was attentive and helpful. One of the best times we have had in months.

Best Margaritas in San Diego! Everyone is great and the atmosphere is amazing! Love stopping for a quick drink or getting together with a large group for dinner! The Carnitas are very good and if you haven't had too many margaritas you'll remember them! Don't sweat the wait times on busy nights and order a Margarita while you wait. Lunch after a hike or MTB is perfect!

Great food. Friendly staff. Festive and unique atmosphere. Loved the circular fireplace and ambience. Highly recommend.

Excellent authentic Mexican fare tucked behind Del Dios Hwy near Lake Hodges. Teresa is part of amazing staff too.

Amazing spectacular place, you can hike to lake with your drink~•~

+4

Great hole in the wall Mexican place, love it. Stop by after a mountain bike ride or hike at Lake Hodges.

Great time! Delicious food. Really awesome margaritas

A favorite of my late father so we decided to dine our family from out of state here before they returned home. Our party of 9 loved it. The food, margaritas, service- all top notch. I’ll definitely be returning. Thank you guys and gals!

Hernandez Hideaway is truly a hidden gem! Tucked away in a charming and eclectic building, it offers a warm, welcoming vibe with a great mix of authenticity and character. The enchiladas are absolutely amazing—packed with flavor, tender, and perfectly sauced. The bar staff adds a special touch, with their old-school charm and expert knowledge; it really gives the place a nostalgic, homey feel. It’s also a fantastic spot for families, as the atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly. If you’re craving authentic Mexican food served with personality and a dash of nostalgia, Hernandez Hideaway is definitely worth a visit!

Had not been here for years, only because it's a little out of the way. But we've been looking for a good Mexican food place to go to and thought we'd try Hideaway again. Very glad we did. It's worth the few minutes extra drive. Really great food, Service was fine. Atmosphere is good-neither too loud nor too quiet and the decor is as you would expect it. We were looking for good food, so any other short comings were minor. Had margs and they were fine. We'll be coming here when we want Mexican food.

Our first visit was last week when we stopped in for a quick lunch after watching the Grebes on Lake Hodges. Wonderful authentic Mexican atmosphere, a bit of a throwback in time But nice, warm and rustic. Delicious chili Relleno with a delicious sauce. The chicken taco was good with lots of chicken, but the taco shell was kind of hard and chewy. We really enjoyed our lunch and will certainly return. Do stop inif you’re in that neighborhood.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and regulars, tasty food and margaritas.

We love the lobster tacos, margaritas are off the charts, relaxing vibe by the lake, great weekend spot, bartenders are great, you wont be disappointed

Hernandez hideaway is an icon of Escondido. Great place for margaritas (their house margaritas will get the job done quite quickly!) and family dinner. The service is awesome, the people are great! We love it there!

Loved Bobby and the new brunette bartender , forgot her name . Neat closing and they were polite and efficient with time and comfort of service being they were closing Food and service always has been exceptional.

I’ve been coming here for 41yrs. The reason, the staff is great, the atmosphere is wonderful, the food is fantastic, and don’t let me get started on the margaritas. Every time we have friends from out of town come in. This is where they want to go. Personal recommendations would be the carnitas, the sour cream chicken enchiladas, the 2 or 3 item plate, All fantastic.

Great margaritas! Amazing carnitas, chili Verde. Fun, friendly vibe, good service! Looking forward to returning.

Enjoy dinner and brunch here. Across the street from a daytime hiking trail. Wonderful service Popular evenings can get a little noisy though. If you dine earlier or during daytime not as noisy.

Eric Fleming

Stopped by for brunch on a Thursday. We were the first customers of the day, right at 11:30am. We were greeted by Bobby and he took great care of us. Excellent food and atmosphere as well. I remember going here in the early 70's just after they opened. Still a great place!

Kelly Email

A Festive Hidden Gem at Lake Hodges! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ​We stumbled upon Hernandez Hideaway after pulling the Rec Van off the freeway to check out Lake Hodges, and what a find! It’s December 26th and the place is absolutely buzzing—packed with a great atmosphere that proves why this place is a total classic. Our pleasant enthusiastic Server, Raya did a great job! My parents used to come here back in the 90s, and it’s clear why it’s stood the test of time. ​The Food & Drink: ​The Margarita: Absolute perfection. Crisp, refreshing, and the perfect start to the meal. ​The Salsa: Fresh and flavorful—we couldn't stop eating it! ​Shredded Beef Nachos: I had these with the guac and sour cream on the side. The beef was tender and seasoned perfectly. ​The Chimichanga: My friend ordered this "enchilada style" per a special request, and the kitchen nailed it. ​The service was excellent despite the holiday crowd. If you’re looking for authentic vibes and top-tier Mexican food, this is the spot. We’ll definitely be back next time we're cruising through!

Shermona Powers

First time in years that we have gone. It was great to know things are still good. Having the house margarita? Have a DD. They are good and strong. It is worth the trip if you live outside the area.

Amber Berg

love the authentic vibe good food. love that there is a mild lake to hike with my dogs 🐕 around and have a drink or meal after. I had the lobster burrito it was huge and full of tasty lobster. Amazing 🤩 service can't wait to try a margarita next time. it's not cheap, I do wish they had a special or happy hour, however the portions were worth it because I can make a meal last with left overs, and the lobster was fresh. I think if it were priced a bit better for drinks/sides/kids meal it would be more busy but I will definitely try to make it in a couple times a month because my dogs love the lake as well.

Jonathan Bedolla

Great food, kind and great hospitality would come here again.

Mike Messer

This restaurant is a little hard to find, it's tucked away off the beaten path but worth the trip. The food and margaritas were amazing. The staff were super friendly and very willing to make sure you were happy with your food and drinks. We were not locals but went on the recommendation of our daughters friend. It seems like a place the locals come however even though this was our first visit, the staff made us feel very welcome. This restaurant is most definitely recommended!

Michael Torp

Richard is light in this world and the entire staff are so beautiful.there we’re so blessed to have Hernandez hideaway and Escondido truly hidden gem. Margaritas on point. Rolled tacos were amazing. Have a blessed and elegant day.

Stephen Ortega

Hernandez Hideaway is such a cozy spot! The food is authentic and flavorful, portions are generous, and the lakeside atmosphere makes it extra special. A true local gem worth visiting.

Vanessa Heins

This is an amazing spot and gem in Escondido. The service was awesome - she was really kind and upbeat. The food was amazing and served in a timely manner. This is a must if you ever visit my hometown ❤️. This place has been around since I was a babe:).

Alex

Great little hideaway for a good meal and great margaritas. Stop by and enjoy their delicious food and drinks.

Bruce Gangnath

Local hangout for those living in the Lake Hodges area. So close to those along the Del Dios Highway. Great Mexican food and Margaritas! Local atmosphere let's you relax and enjoy those you came with. During the Racing Season this is a great place to stop while heading east to the Escondido area or to I 15 going north or south. Check the history of the Margarita on their menu. Another trip to the Hideaway after the races at Del Mar. Five of us had great Mexican food and margaritas by the pitcher! Service was on top of their game with all of our needs met! If you have never been there you should check it out after the races or just to get excellent food! I suggest the shrimp quesadillas! Another night celebrating with the family at the Hide-A-Way! All of us had great time in a private room where we could talk and enjoy our family’s company. The food as always was superb! We had everything from chips and salsa, margaritas, enchiladas, burritos and tacos. The end of the night was a birthday dessert!

+3

Lili G

A random find as we were exploring lake Hodges. Great food, vibe and service. The seafood platter was delish - everything was fresh and tender (especially cod and scallops). Comes with 3 tortillas so plenty of food. They also recommend the Cadillac margarita, which my partner enjoyed but I thought was a bit strong. Quite reasonably priced. Interesting decor, adobe house vibes with retro art work. Interesting fact - the owner of the place nice yes the margarita back in the day!

+6

Minion Anuta

Great Mexican food, we had lobster burrito 🌯 and carnitas plate, it was very tasty, definitely recommend! House Margarita 🍹 😋 was VERY tasty, highly recommend! A bit loud place, this is not bad, just mentioning in case that's important to you 😉

+6

Out of the way destination. Located across from lake in a residential area. Rustic home converted to a lively eatery and bar. Specialty of house is Margaritas. Menu is limited, food is okay, but slow to come out. We were part of group of 30 plus folks. One waitress for drinks and dinner and she was fabulous. Don't know how she did it. Will be back. Drive from North County Inland San Diego is great.

The food was really good, I'm not going to lie--very good, in fact! But it's really expensive. I knew I was in trouble when my son and I parked our bikes and noticed the expensive cars and mountain bikes. I said, "oh, this is going to hurt..." But were were hungry so we sucked it up and stayed. Again, really good food though and very friendly staff.

Margaritas were great, but pay attention to your bill.

Food is decent, atmosphere is good. Margaritas by the pitcher are the best! Strong and flavorfully. The chicken sour cream enchidilas are definitely worth a try.

The absolute best Margarita in North County. I really like this unpretentious, off the beaten path, Hideaway on the Lake. Richard, the Barkeep, and Heather will take great care of you. The food is very good as well, in this relaxed atmosphere. Try it, you’ll love the change of pace.

This is a cool place because of the location you really feel like you're getting out of town when you go to Hernandez Hideaway. Is 2/2 was somewhat friendly and the service was good and their beans and rice are very good. The prices are more that I would rather pay for a meal of Mexican food but the beans and rice alone were reasonably priced. The salsa was authentic tasting and I did not like it very much. It was a little too hot for me. But I would go back there in a heartbeat for their beans.

I switched from my usual carnitas platter to the shrimp Veracruz. I was not disappointed. The sauce was quite good-almost a comfort food. Served with rice and beans along with flour or corn tortillas, it paired well with my Margarita on the rocks.

Love the margaritas and cold beer after a ride around the lake. Shrimp Quesada is very good! :p Never disappointed. Like the fact they are patriots and love our country! God bless America!!

Our favorite bartender, Richard, is still there after 23 years... We were regulars there for years and met Richard on his first day at Hernandez Hideaway. He still makes a great Cadillac Margarita!

Pleasant spot with great service. The food is a complete throwback to the '70's (or earlier) American thinking of what Mexican food is: ground beef and cheddar cheese. If that is what you are looking for, here it is. I try to rate places on what they are trying to be and maybe they should have gotten 5 stars because they are not trying to be authentic Mexican, but even nostalgia couldn't make the food great. Still, I would go back if I am in the area.

An incredible authentic Mexican restaurant well off the beaten path. Some of the best Mexican food I've had North of the Border! Plenty of room for lots of friends the drinks are great and the service is outstanding. Highly recommended from anywhere. Bring a friend. ~V.

Great service on such a busy day is almost unheard of. The waitress noticed we all ordered the same drink so she suggested a pitcher which was less expensive. I like saving money. The food came in no time and the presentation of it on the plate was clean and pretty. I had such a beautiful mother's day thanks to the crew at Hernandez Hideaway.

They have good Mexican food. The service is very good. They have some interesting murals in the dining room. It's a good place to meet or bring the kids. They are proud of their margaritas, and there can be a crowd at the bar. If we bring the dogs, we sit in the patio, where you can order food to go from the bartender, because they don't service those tables. But there is a better view of the hills around Lake Hodges out there, and it is much quieter.

This was the first time back at this restaurant since Covid started. I had the lobster tacos with rice and beans. You get three tacos and generous portion of beans and rice. The lobster itself was very good. My only issue is that the plate was covered in grease so the tortillas fell apart from being too wet with grease. I ate the contents out of the tacos but didn't eat the tortillas. The salsa was very good. Not too spicy buy very flavorful. Hubby got a two item plate and he said it was very good. The restaurant was VERY busy and pretty loud but we got our drinks and food in a timely manner. We'll be coming back again If you have a larger party of six or more I recommend making reservations.

Good ol rustic dive bar/restaurant. Every wall in the place tells a story. Our waitress/bartender was awesome! Food is standard mexican. Good but standard. I would definitely go back. Cool/scenic ride out there. Overall, cool experience.

I have to put N/A for service, we sat outside and had dogs with us on a scorching day. We helped ourselves at the bar and delivered our own food. Just happy we sat with the dogs on the patio. The people and staff inside were nice, just do not think they were ready for someone as crazy as myself to sit outside. The food was good, typical Mexican fare and enjoyable.

Great little hole in the wall, locals hangout with a bar and restaurant. Food was decent, margaritas were very good but our waitress was wonderful. The bartender greeted us when we walked in and we were seated quickly.

The food was good! But the staff was excellent! My sister's baby absolutely adored our waitress....and the waitress was sooo nice! She took him around the restaurant and even brought him a little ice cream. Also... lake Hodges is beautiful and this place is tucked in such a cool spot! Highly recommend!

More like a southwestern mex than what you think of as San Diego Mexican. The atmosphere is fun, they claim to have kind of invented the Margarita but they were ok. It's kind of odd they have a bunch of patriotic and freedom items displayed in a Mexican restaurant. I got the chimichanga and the wife the shrimp tostada.

Chill place to hang out during a late afternoon bikeride. Apptetizers. Nachos, quesadilla and guac and chips and salsa were good. Those margaritas were Hella GOOD! Made it a little harder to pedal back but over all this place had good service. the Taquitos are awesome and the beef quesadilla was great. Enjoy Thank you!

+4

It is a hideaway. Very good authentic Mexican food. Had a margarita kind of skimpy, but tasty. It feels like you're out of the city.

DW G

It's all about the hang. This place claims to have invented the margarita, and my wife says it's good. They had just one mezcal on the bar when we were there, but it was a good one: Union.

catherine datte

Had the pleasure of visiting on 10/4/25 with a party of 8. Staff were quick to find us a table and make us feel welcome. Everyone clean their plates and left with full bellies. :)

Andrea Briggs

Food: The guacamole was so delicious, and the salsa was quite tasty as well. My partner and I split the carnitas plate. The carnitas was pretty dry and did not have too much of a wow factor for the $24. Perhaps it wasn’t in its freshest state. Seems as if it might have sat under a heat lamp too long. However, again, the plate did come with a decent portion and the delicious guacamole. We did have to ask for the olives the menu stated the plate came with, as it did not come with the olives. Service: I would suggest that prices for sides be stated on the menu, because we were quite surprised by the price of the side of guacamole ($6.50) and side of sour cream ($5.50) by the time the bill came. Atmosphere: Clean, calm atmosphere with good music playing (visiting during lunch on a Wednesday)

+1

Kim Bieder

Mexican spot by the lake. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Trails all around to work up an appetite or if thirsty get a margarita. The fajitas were good, not your typical sizzling plate fajita but still good. Chicken was tender and flavorful!

Brett Piskulick

Very cool location right by lake Hodges! You can take a little hike or bike the trails and stop by for a beer or margarita after. Food was ok nothing great but not bad either. I see reviews saying the food is not authentic.... ummm I have lived in SD my whole life and the food here is just lime most sit down mecican good spots.... I got the beef taco and chicken enchilada. Both items tasted good! The margarita tasted great after the bike ride and was refreshing. The place was so busy it made service slow and hard to get seated.. not the employees fault though. I enjoyed the lunch!

The place was nice. It really did a good job capturing the essence of Mexico. I believe it use to be a European styled restaurant way back then by someone who told me. The virgin Margarita's are very tart.

The food was good, and they have good margaritas. The atmosphere is old-fashioned, and I'm hearing stories about them being rude to people wearing masks during the peak of the pandemic (they were actually closed down for flaunting the rules at some point). They also have no vegan or vegetarian options.

I currently live very close to this place, I haven't been here in 35 years. I decided to drop in, I ordered the carnitas plate with flour Tortillas. Carnitas was juicy and flavorful, the Tortillas were way over cooked. I don't like flour Tortillas that crack when you fold them. The place is way over priced, carnitas plate for $24.00 is absurd! Will not be back.

The margaritas were watery, the enchiladas cold. The server was nice but not in any big hurry to serve us. That was surprising because the place was mostly empty when we were there for lunch. I think they probably just survive on regulars. The salsa was good, but everything else was average, so next time we’ll skip it and go to Encinitas or Escondido, where there’s great Mexican food.

Returned 9/24/20 for dinner since being here in June just before they were shutdown for health violations. Sort of our second chance for the restaurant. It was just after six and the place was packed with cars. Good sign. The noise volume was at a level that would indicate many of the patrons had been at the congregated bar area for a good while. The staff seems all new since March or April. Not too experienced in my opinion. Server came tableside twice with mask down so we asked him to cover. Food ok. Just not the same goodness as the last many years we've eaten here. Disappointed in this restaurant now and won't return.

This is a very cool spot great location. I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while now so I guess I had a high expectations. Bartender was very friendly. My server was not so friendly she made me feel like she was rushing me during my order it wasn't even busy and she never came back to check on us to see how food was etc. Food was overly priced for the portion you are given it's kind of bland not much flavor. Ordered a chimichanga and it was the size of a frozen burrito no veggies just meat.

Just too darn expensive. Basically, double the price at half the size. Food was OK. Service was fine. Atmosphere is cool. But a $20 dollar small burrito? Sorry, I can't afford this place.

The food is weird but edible if you are very hungry. It's kinda like 70's cafeteria Mexican food, but not... The meat in the quesadilla was mashed to pulp, gray guacamole, dry lettuce, and thick sauce that tasted old. The refried beans were okay. I was served a watery, flat coke with a cherry stem in it, and the bartender tried to pass it off as something I ordered... gross!!

I love this corner of the lake and have been wanting to try this restaurant forever.. brought friends from out of town and, well, they preferred the little hole in the wall Mexican place that we went to the day before (sorry). The enchilada was just smothered in sour cream... like, an uncomfortable amount. The chicken in our food tasted day-old. She liked the beans and quesadilla but didnt touch the rice after the first bite. My tostada was mostly lettuce but hey I like lettuce? The chips that they serve a generous amount of are really good actually and the salsa was mostly tomato but decent. It is a very cute place, just our first try was unfortunately very "meh". They have a parking lot, and the bathrooms were clean. So kudos for that.

Food looked unappetizing and not very tastful. The lobster burrito was drowned in sauce so very soggy. And there was alot more rice and sauce than lobster in the $28 lobster burrito. Very disappointing. Then the chile verde with pork bits that the waitress recommended for me to order. Well the pork had no ddelicious sauce; it was drippings from the pork bits that was served with chopped cooked green peppers along with rice and beans. The rice was good but had the taste and look of Uncle Bens microwaveble rice. The rice and corn tortillas were Not freshly made in restaurant. The shreded beef taco tasted good but greasy. The chicken enchilada was the best menu item out of all the food my family and I tried. The Spicy Sour Cream Enchilada on the menu is NOT Authentic. The carne asada topped with ground beef on this menu also NOT Authentic. The guacomole enchilada at Hernandez Hideway also NOT Authentic. The bunuelo tasted like it was fried in old oli at Hernandez Hideaway restaurant. The service was mediocre. Very expensive for meals and restaurant service that were both disapointing.

Dave Reed

Absolutely absurd prices for the kinda divey grease bombs they serve, wouldn't recommend unless you're stuck there and desperate. Even the water tasted off and funky.

Jeff Miller

It has been at least 15 years since we have dined at Hernandez Hideaway. What was once a favorite of ours has taken a turn for the worse. We entered last night and approached a vacant reception desk. No host, waiting patiently for at least 10 minutes a waiter approached us and showed us to a table for four. Menus are brought and waiter ask about drinks. We have to inquire if they have a drink menu and he brings a stained and dirty card with a list of their drinks without prices. Chips and salsa to the table and another 10 minutes pass until food order is taken. I opted for carnitas and my wife the chili verde. Our friends order carnitas and one has a green salad as well. Salad arrives with meals and waiter accidentally spills chili verde on the table. We are in need of another drink and a round is ordered. Absolutely nothing special about the food. Carnitas are now $23 and based on quality and portion are overpriced. My wife opted for her chili verde to be served without rice and beans which they did but came at full price. Hell, the dinner salad was nearly $13. Pretty much every item was overpriced. Service was poor at best and that was mostly because they were grossly understaffed. Our companions were freaked out because our waiters manbunn seemed to be loose and ready to drop hair on their food. Hernandez Hideaway used to be a special place for our family where we would get together and enjoy a nice meal. Our impression based on last night is that nobody cares anymore. Perhaps they are struggling or perhaps they need to make serious changes in the area of personnel. Don't know but the outcome from this visit changed my view of this once outstanding restaurant.

The food was just ok...the comment "this is the whitest Mexican food ever" was heard a couple times, just to give you an idea of authenticity. The margaritas were awful, they use cheap ingredients and its very apparent when you taste it. It was hard to drink, I did not order a second. The only thing giving this place 1 star, besides there being no 0 star option, was the waitress- she was nice. I won't be going back just for her though. What a waste of a gorgeous location!

Waitress Karen just chased us away because I asked about our table preferences. Only two people total working an entire dining room no bussing no hostess horrible customer service. Listen Karen. I can easily go somewhere else like you suggested. Been going here for 35 years and I’m friends with the owner. Sorry never going back. Food not great anyway.

Looked like a good restaurant from the outside, but service was terrible as well as the food. Would not recommend this place to anyone.

The Mexican food was very dry and tasteless and very expensive. The kid’s meals were a lot better in taste. I wouldn’t waste my money.

What a disappointment. Nice place, clean, good location with bad service and even worse food. The menu is limited and geared towards the non-adventurous palate. The flautas were listed as being made with flour tortillas. But it's more like Pillsbury pastry dough. The chicken had a strange taste and aftertaste, almost chemical. Our server was uninterested and bothered when we told her about the dish. No I'm sorry, do you want something else, nothing. And they are not cheap either. I don't mind paying more if the food is good, but it isn't. They couldn't even make a skinny margarita for my wife. They use a mix, which they were out of rather than make it from scratch. The search for a good North County Mexican restaurant goes on.

I Regret to Provide feedback from such a horrible experience. It's like vomiting twice. I do not recommend Hernandez Hideaway Restaurant To anyone. While I was "trying" to force a taco salad, A woman dressed in plain clothes (Whom I now know as, "THE OWNER)," Came to my table (very intentional, rude, disrespectfully, and without acknowledging That I was even there, Removed some condiments From my table to place at a table across from me without introducing herself, Or asking my permission. The experience was so Uncomfortable, When my waitress returned, I asked who this woman was, And she says, "the owner." I'm like WHAAAT?? I'm still in disbelief. The salsa is not tasty, It is made from canned tomatoes, Which the wait Staff acknowledged, after I asked. The taco salad Was very poorly presented and the taste matched. Seems nothing's fresh here, And way overpriced. I Refused The taco salad after a few bites and asked for my check. When the check came, I asked them to remove the taco salad from my check. The owner returned to my table to tell me (In the same manner in which she removed the condiments), she's covering my check and I'm free to leave now. She then left the table just abruptly as she came. I regret this entire experience so terribly! The wait staff was nice however, this owners conduct was highly dishonorable, and beyond distasteful!! My intuition tells me, she treats her workers the same. The food is far from tasty. If I may, it is the type of food you could appreciate when you are drunk from consumption of the margaritas here But I didn't Enjoy anything after 2 margaritas. As for the margaritas, they truly do not lack "alcohol" however, could use some balancing out of the ingredients. Overall, I do not recommend Hernandez Hideaway. How dare this owner. San Diego is a Paradise!! Filled with happy, kind, and life loving people (I could go on). And on a gorgeous Saturday evening, one of these happy, kind, and life loving people chose to Dine with you, And in response you treat Them this way? No thank you! NEVER AGAIN!

Easily some of the blandest Mexican-style food I’ve had. The Qanon and evangelist-right posters on the wall coupled with the unnerving bartender really made this a poor experience.

+1

If your not a regular forget it .. you will be last on their list to serve. Food was mid nothing special.