This place used to have good food. I really wish we didn't eat here tonight. Flautas tasted staled and the $22 mole plate was below average. Service was great but we're never going back to this place. read more

Food was really good and the service from the bus person Linda very good. I highly recommend the tortilla soup. The only but I have, is the waiting time for the food. At the end, it was well worthy. Luis Arturo was very efficient and courteous. The last part, pastel tres leches was the best piece of cake I ever had! read more

Best breakfast brunch lunch dinner spot in south San Diego. Literally everything on the menu is authentic and delicious. The service is always on point even when they're busy. Servers are very attentive and make sure coffee drink etc is filled. Highly recommend this place, heck you may even catch me here eating. read more

This place has the best cafe de olla and menudo. The wait time was worth it. They also have the best chilaquiles. Although they are busy the service was excellent read more

Good food good service. Authentic Mexican food, coffee is the best. On weekends you will need to have time, as it's busy. read more

Very disappointed. Ordered pancakes with strawberries and nuts with side of bacon Pancakes were cold and strawberries were frozen. Bacon was also cold read more

This place is horrible . Food was cold and over priced . They charged a gratuity over a party of 6 I completely understand that but maybe the waiter/waitress should of been more attentive . Beans were cold , pancakes were stiff and cold . Just overall disappointing. read more

Cafe de olla, very sweet, tasty, Perfect The cheese and Chorizo appetizer was the right size for 2 people to share, it all was just perfect, good service. let's all go and help this local business stay afloat! read more

Last week I was able to visit and enjoy the food here for the first time. The wait was rather lengthy as it was a Saturday morning. Service was a little slow at times and food was good. Our server was actually really helpful and able to provide many recommendations. Overall, a good place to eat if you're in the area and want some Mexican. read more

During a weekend shopping trip to the Los Americas Outlets, my boyfriend and I decided to grab some lunch in the area. Neither of us are very familiar with San Ysidro so we chose Achiote simply due to its proximity to the mall. While I did think my meal was good, I was greatly disappointed with the chips and salsa. We were seated right away in a large, comfortable booth and our waiter was very attentive. My iced tea was cold and fresh, while my boyfriend's soda cup was always full. The chips were just fine, but the only salsa offered was green salsa that was very tangy. We really didn't like it at all, so we ended up ordering a small guacamole in order to enjoy the traditional before lunch chips. I absolutely love good chips and salsa, so my initial impression was not great. For dinner I decided on the two chicken enchilada plate with verde sauce, which included a side of rice and beans, both I liked a lot. The rice isn't the traditional Spanish orange rice, but a cream-colored rice with a few veggies mixed in and it was bursting with flavor. The beans were typical refried beans and the enchiladas were stuffed with chicken and huge. My leftovers warmed up well in the oven the following day as well. Our bill was about $40 including tip, which is a little pricey for a casual mid-day lunch. It's tough for me to give a higher rating without good salsa, but if you are prepared for this, then I would recommend Achiote for their food otherwise. read more

walking up it definitely looks like an old outback, when you walk in it feels a bit odd. I went to the bathroom first, it smelt like sewage! Bad! I gagged and almost puked. I rushed and ran out. Despite this I gave it a try. I'm not sure how many servers they had but it was dead and it took a while for a server to come over, she wasn't particularly rude or anything but not very hospitalable. She never asked if we needed refills, food was ok... I got nachos and it seemed like they were trying hard to be fancy... it was 2 rows of 4 chips each like individual little nachos. Not bad just unnecessary I think. Took a while to get our bill and a while to get checked out. It was all just an odd experience, it just felt wierd idk how else to describe it. read more

Good customer service but food is awful. Not authentic, very greasy, and salty too! I asked for frijoles de la olla and they tasted like beans from a can, extremely salty. I also asked for eggs over medium and they came sunny side up with yolk fully cooked over two greasy bathed but not well cooked corn tortillas. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, not the place to be at. This gave me tex mex ubhealthy "mex" food vibes. read more

This place is delicious. Chilaquiles and arrachera are phenomenal. It's sad to see so many complain. Just sit down shut up and support small businesses. Also, the majority of people who leave bad reviews have a history of doing so, they just want to nit-pick. If you are afraid of the potential of places not socially distancing, stay home!! Back to what matters, food and staff are always so very helpful and kind. I love this place! read more

Authentic Mexican flavors: tasty chips, flavorful salsa, mouthwatering tortas, refreshing drinks. Must-visit spot!

We came here a few months ago and had to leave. My baby was ready for a nap. We had their café de olla and liked it a lot. The staff was understanding and we canceled our food without even being charged for the coffee. Today we stopped by and really enjoyed our food. I had the mole chilaquiles with beans, potatoes and added eggs. My husband had the sopes and really liked them too. Our now 2 year old had eggs, potatoes and changed his beans for fruit. The staff was nice, polite and kept checking on us. We asked for a sliced of guava cheesecake and it came with ice cream. Everything was perfect and I'm glad we came back:) read more

Excellent service and food. My in-laws can be very picky when it comes to Mexican food as they are all from Aguas Calientes and Baja California. We went here for lunch after shopping at the mall and my wife's family were all quite impressed by the quality and authenticity of the food. They were even more happy with the service. Our waiter was very attentive and kept checking on us. They also gave us free extra drinks to go when we left. We had chile rellenos, flautas, café de olla and chicken fajitas. Everything was good. The big thing that my wife was impressed with was the salsa. We will definitely be going back. My wife wants to try their soups and tres leches now. read more

Heard great things from this restaurant but was a huge disappointment the food tasted so bland and tasted thrown together. Very nice staff but I won't ever come back here. read more

I would not recommend this restaurant for a person with a gluten allergy. The staff is not aware of gluten and cross-contamination is a problem. They have a big menu for people who do not have dietary restrictions but is not safe for someone with a gluten allergy... read more

Wow that's how I have to start this review, this is probably one of the first times where to food tasted just like in pictured, the service was excellent and well you already saw what I had to say about food I will be back when in the area again. read more

This restaurant has been like a second family for my family and I for many years.It has great food and very nice and respectful employees.Couldn't say anything better about this restaurant.Would definitely recommend! read more

I walked in by chance and the food here is def a banger. I've tried the huevos rancheros, the ranchero steak and lastly we decided to try the molcajete and it is SO GOOD. If you are weary when it comes to spice it's not the dish for you. Each is served with fresh rice and refried beans and cheese. The service is super welcoming and homey. My one criticism is that the horchata has like a milky lechera type feel where I prefer the type with simply rice and cinnamon. But the other agua fresca I had- the tamarindo more than made up for it. Would definitely come back read more

Achiote - Molcajete is a must try especially for big groups - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

I decided to give this Place another chance cause I like there coffee of the pot . When we got there to reserve our spot in line it "SMELLS LIKE THROW UP". so I ordered some pozole and they brought me lettuce instead of cabbage. So we drank coffee that come in little coffee cups which they never came around to fill it up again till we ordered the bill . IM NEVER GOING BACK TO THIS PLACE. Decidí darle otra oportunidad a este lugar porque me gusta el café de la olla. Cuando llegamos allí para reservar nuestro lugar en la línea, "huele a gas". Así que pedí un pozole y me trajeron lechuga en lugar de repollo. Así que bebimos café que viene en pequeñas tazas de café que nunca vinieron a llenar hasta que pedimos la cuenta. IM NUNCA VOLVER A ESTE LUGAR. read more

Bad service and worst tostada I have ever had. The meat was cold and when I complained to the guy waiter he was indifferent and couldn't care less......this waiter should find Amoy profession!!!! read more

The Good: Great Mariachi on Sunday. Really enjoyed it, as did my out-of-town guests. In fact, that was the main reason we went to Achiote. The food was mediocre. The only item that was pretty good was the small serving of fresh beans (de la olla). The Bad: We called in advance to ask if they could accommodate vegetarians and they said it wasn't a problem; they could make food swaps very easily. Once we got there it turns out the refried beans and the rice weren't vegetarian. They were willing to give us fresh beans (de la olla) but in order to replace the rice with veggies they charged us for each swap per plate, something they neglected to mention over the phone. The food was not remarkable by any means and the servings were small and sparse. The Ugly: We ordered "aguas frescas" and they were absolutely awful; obviously made from that terrible powder stuff. Tamarind, Horchata, and Jamaica water were the worst. Also, I was very disappointed in the fact that even though we had several plates that one would normally eat with tortillas, none were offered. It's a Mexican food place, in my opinion, tortillas are a requirement. Overall, Blah food, dirty restrooms, and expensive food. I am not planning to return. read more

This restaurant the food it self is not bad . The service was good . The bad part was there was NO SOCIAL DISTANCING. We were there already and planned to eat there since were not from the area . It was scary to eat there being that the pandemic is still going on and people are so close to each other . We even felt sick after just thinking of the risk that it was . 2 stars because the food was ok but the environment and safety was not properly practiced . Even the restrooms were dirty and missing seat covers. We were pretty disappointed. And not to mention the price of the food is ridiculous. read more

My second time coming here and I ordered the chilaquiles with the Mole poblano with shredded chicken and it was delicious.. you have to lick your fingers.. yummy read more

Achiote - Café de la olla was to die for.. I strongly recommend everyone to at least try it. Very delicious - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

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I used to love this place, the service used to be outstanding as well as the food... Today, the service was horrible...from bringing out the wrong drink, I was looking forward to a warm tortilla soup...only to return it as it was cold... needless to say I was just very disappointed as this used to be one of my favorite spots... read more

This place was definitely not a good mexican place to eat at. The enchiladas were horrible if you like the taste of chile powder than order the enchiladas. We were hoping since this restaurant was so close to the border the food would be somewhat authentic NOPE! My husband ordered a small nacho and it was like literally 10 chips. I do not recommend this place. read more

Buen servicio,el área limpia, el baño limpio, precios razonables y el staff muy atentos, servicio rápido y comida caliente y música de Juan Gabriel de fondo hace que te olvides de tus problemas y desayunes a gusto y relajado read more

Our group of four stopped by here for Sunday dinner after shopping briefly at the Las Americas outlets. The San Diego resident insisted on bringing us here for authentic Mexican food since it's right near the border. We were seated quickly and the host as well as our server were very friendly. I got the quesadilla with a side of rice instead of the beans. The quesadilla was a bit dry and the rice wasn't anything special. The plate also looked kind of empty as either the portions were small or the plate was too big. It looked a little sad. Maybe it's because I was raised in Texas so I am a huge fan of Tex-Mex but this wasn't my type of meal. It was a nice experience/interesting to be able to see Mexico and I'm glad the service was great but the less than mediocre food would probably keep me from returning here. read more

Achiote - quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

We asked for a menu item with a picture and we get another item, when we ask the server she gets combative instead of making it right. Very Simple make it right bring us what we wanted. Menu pictures does not match what's served. Misleading. Good luck getting good breakfast. I've been a chef for 15 years, take it from a experience professional. Not recommended for the price and service. read more

Achiote - Wrong order! - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

Amazing service very nice employees and amazing food the chips and guacamole are perfect and there are many choices on the menu I highly recommend Achiote read more

I love going to the Las Americas outlets: I love how every other car in the lot has Baja plates, the cashiers speak in spanish before offering english (if you are anything but white), and you can peer over that ugly wooden fence to look at TJ in all it's glory! So, it makes sense to get some good mexican food while your here right? However, I gotta say, I'd rather do Old Town any day. Maybe it's the Korean in me, but I don't want my rice dry and green? The beans were more of a paste like you'd find at Del Taco and my burritos (chile, eggs, chipotle sauce) were definitely fast food quality. My ice tea tasted like eggs. What? How does that even happen? Next time, I'll save my hunger pains until I get back to SD or at least Chula Vista. Sorry San Ysidro. read more

Achiote - Green rice, mushy beans, baby burritos. - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

Overpriced especially for the lack of service and poor quality of food. I've been a few times and each time I ask myself why I am there. This past visit the hostess was going around clearing dishes (not sure why) and she looked like someone had eaten the last piece of cake. My food came out cold and my bfs did not look appetizing at all! Come on Achiote, if you're charging that much at least make it pretty lol read more

Whew, this place is great for a quick snack after dragging yourself around the massive nearby discount mall. Our group of four saw the Negro Modelo On Draft neon sign, and couldn't resist. Negro Modelo on tap is a rare treat. We were greeted and seated promptly and ordered the beer. Well, they actually don't have any Negro Modelo, they just have the sign. What? We regrouped and ordered Modelo Especiale in bottles. Our order was the interestingly named Nachones. It was a large platter of individually prepared tortilla chips, each laden with meat, cheese and sour cream. A large mound of excellent guacamole filled the center of the platter. Three of us dined on the nachones, and the fourth person ordered ala carte. Service was good, the nachones were good, but one star goes away for advertising a product you don't have. Just pull the plug on the sign, amigos, it's not that complicated. read more

How long did you walk around before you found the entrance? First off they have all these doors that don't lead IN! If you plan on going here you have to walk away from the parking lot to the busy street side. Apparently that is the only door that leads in. I was totally hoping for some kick ass chilaquiles, but all I got was disappointment. We were told that this place was awesome for them, but maybe I tried the wrong one. I usually go with traditional, but my mom decided to get 'experiemental' and went with the creamy cilantro one. Bad choice. The fried tortillas mixed with the thick cream sauce felt like a recipe for a guaranteed heart attack. It was so intense that after a few bites you pretty much had enough. After passing over the chilaquiles I awaited my scrambled eggs. You can't mess up on that right? Yep. It was just weird, non fluffy over scambled egg stuff. I pushed that aside too. The last saving grace was the tortilla soup, which was decent. The pieces of avocado and extra crispy tortilla strips saved my meal a bit. Although, even at that, the soup was pretty darn salty. I'm going to try this place one more time. And read over you five star people's suggestions. I was really looking forward to a good, more traditional Mexican meal, but I was disappointed. Maybe it was hyped up too much. Here's hoping for next time.. read more

OK, so you know how some restaurants are hyped for having a "water view" or something breathtaking and scenic? Well, this place has what I like to call "a border view." OK, OK, so technically there's no windows facing the fence itself, but the parking lot for this Mexican joint backs up to the Mexico-U.S. border. The closest you can get to Mexican food but still feel OK about drinking the water. We were in San Diego for a long weekend and our friend's brother who lives in SD said some Mexican friends of his took him here once. We pull up and it's basically like a Coco's or something as far as looks inside and outside go, kinda funny. It's a Saturday night and honest pretty empty ... a few other tables ... but then again, it's not really in a "hot spot" like the Gaslamp District or something, heh heh. The menu was pretty big. We all split a pitcher of beer (Tecate, I'm thinkin'). The chips and salsa were pretty tasty, and we definitely refilled them at least once. There wasn't much in way of seafood, so I opted for the cheese enchiladas plate. Just as I was ready to dig into the beans, my fiance (who just tasted them) warned me they had chorizo in them! Damn! (I don't eat that). So I had to forgo the beans, but there was plenty of enchilada and rice, that's for dang sure. HUGE plates o' food. My food was ... decent. I honestly can't say if this is *hella* authentico Mexican or not ... I've only spent one day in Ensenada (thanks, Carnival Cruise Line!), where I had some killer fish tacos, thank you very much. Anyway, this place is total three stars for me, but my "border view" bumps it up to four! I was so excited to see it -- I took pictures. Yes, I am a loser, I know. But it's important to find joy in the small stuff, heh heh! read more

Achiote - Cheese enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - San Ysidro, California

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I went here with my family, including my son, who was in a wheelchair in his last days before cancer, took his life. We wanted to enjoy a meal with his wife and two young daughters. I was shocked at how rude and insensitive the host was. We literally ended up going somewhere else. read more

Love coming here for their chilaquiles and carne asada torta. Tres leches cake and their horchata beverage are a must have as well. Every now and then the food comes out not as warm as you'd like but overall a great place. read more

3rd time here with my wife. Good place on weekday mornings. Coffee is really good too. Clean place and friendly staff. Again really GOOD coffee. read more