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    Alejandra's Mexican Cantina

    3.8 (234 reviews)
    PriceyMexican

    Alejandra's Mexican Cantina Photos

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    ALEJANDRA'S MEXICAN CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Yum Dulce de leche cheesecake
    Liz M.

    Came here for family happy hour (husband, 7 yr old and me ) for the first time and had a great experience. Portion sizes were very generous - we had the Surf and turf tacos, Fish tacos, Bacon-wrapped shrimp (daughter's fav), Elote and Birria flatbread (super tender meat with pickled onions). We finished with the Dulce de leche cheesecake. Everything was very delicious and we are looking forward to coming back to try their entrees. Ambiance was beautiful- hadn't been since it was Ignite - they've remodeled and the bar area is especially well done with the glowing stone counters and open airy design. Can't wait for warmer weather to leverage the lovely patio area too (although I saw they have large fire pit which could work in our so cal winter). Perfect place to meet up with friends or a date night (or a family hh night). Service was warm and friendly- shoutout to Diego our server for taking great care of us!

    Fast service, kind staff. Food was great!
    Kay B.

    Will definitely be returning. Drinks and music were great. Food came fast and was the perfect amount. Staff were all super friendly.

    Kristen W.

    I always drive by and have wanted to try but the reviews weren't great. Glad I stopped in because apparently being under new ownership and an updated menu was the trick! I always judge how good a place will be by their chips and salsa. These were fantastic! The beans and sauce had tons of flavor! They were not bland at all and I had enough leftover for lunch the following day. The k since was nice and the large windows had really pretty views of La Costa. My server was friendly and quick. Can't wait to come back with my family.

    Great margarita
    Gayle F.

    It's BACK and it's GREAT. NEW MENU, NEW MANAGER at the bar, Bennett was so excellent Our meal was very fresh. Had the Tacos and enchiladas were yummy The decor is very modern Mexican. Five Stars

    Skinny margarita
    Christine S.

    This is the third iteration of a Mexican theme restaurant at the corner of Alga and El Camino Real, after The Crazy Burro and Ignite bistro. Alejandra's is by far, the most elegant and creative establishment of them all and certainly elevates Mexican cuisine to a new level for Carlsbad. We went to check it out during happy hour which is offered every day. Sat at the bar and chatted with our bartender Juan who is very knowledgeable about food and beverage and had great recommendations. We ordered the oysters ( from Baja,) ceviche and tacos with different versions of margaritas and each dish did not disappoint. The bartender mentioned they are starting up a brunch on the weekends so we hope to check it out.

    Stopped in for margarita & an appetizer. Food was outstanding & the Margi(s) were wonderful. Our server was Awesome - Thanks Reuben!!!
    Jimmy S.

    Stopped in for a Margi(s) and an appetizer. Reuben our server was beyond fun & informative. Food was OUTSTANDING! Reuben was a blast! Can't wait for our next visit.

    Fireplace
    Laura K.

    Beautiful property. We sat at the outdoor bar. There were fire pits and several TV's to watch sports on. Nice views and lovely foliage. Happy hour was great. Good food and drinks. You gotta check this place out.

    Carne asada plate and a mezcal
    Dorotea A.

    The place is beautiful the food is amazing love the flavors very relaxing I enjoyed my dinner and the music everyone was excellent love the service

    Chicken enchiladas
    Mike E.

    My wife and I went on a Saturday early evening for dinner. The atmosphere is nice with some nice high views of La Costa. The salsa probably was one of my favorites of the meal. The service was just ok. My wife ordered a Coors Light and the waitress brought out a Miller light. No big deal. I told the waitress that I would just drink the Miller light but I already ordered myself a margarita she said that's fine but it's four dollars and just set it down walked away. Again not a big deal but she acted like I was looking for a deal or something. Overall pleasant experience the food was decent but there's better Mexican food in Carlsbad/Encinitas.

    Amazing environment!!
    Fabio A.

    Incredible band that really lifts the spirit, and the drinks are absolutely delightful! It's such a wonderful atmosphere all around. Ruben is an amazing Bartender, good stuff drinks!

    Entrance.  Outdoor patio with two fireplaces.
    Sarah S.

    Soooo yummy! Hatch chile burrito is to die for. Service friendly and nice. Great setting too. We had the house margarita and a ranch water. Also good. Highly recommend.

    Al Pastor Tomahawk Pork Chop (with tortillas)
    Mateo V.

    First off, this is a nicely decorated restaurant with good music playing. The staff was friendly and welcoming and the manager (I think she was the manager at least) was awesome and came by and checked with how everything was going. Now, let's talk about the food. The queso fundido was fantastic and the tortilla chips here are one of the standouts; thick, crunchy, salty, and seasoned with a bit of lime. Very nice. We also had the carne asada tartare. It lacked a bit of seasoning and the chips they serve with it felt a little too thin to standup up to the thicker cut tartare. It was better when you are it with the tortilla chips. It also needed an egg or something else to give it a bit more texture (in my opinion). The mains we had were the Chicken Enchiladas and the Al Pastor. The chicken enchiladas were good, but nothing spectacular. The red sauce was full of flavor but quickly thickened up and there wasn't enough to cover all the enchilada so some of them were dry. The rice and beans though, were really good! The beans were slightly creaming and had nice seasoning and flavoring. The Al Pastor is actually a tomahawk pork chop. It was good, but a little dry. However, with some of the adobe sauce, salsa, etc. in a tortilla it was good. Overall, the food was pretty, but for the price (about $250 for 4 of us -- three cocktails included) I don't think it stands up to the price. I don't think we'll go back for the mains, but would be a great place for happy hour again with the chips, guacamole, and other appetizers.

    Their waiting area

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    Great food and ambiance, had the margaritas, ceviche, fish tacos, all fantastic. Ruben was our server and is awesome!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Alejandra's Mexican Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Alejandra's Mexican Cantina

    What time is Happy Hour?

    Before 5:30 pm

    Are there gluten friendly options? The reviews sound delicious and I would love to join in the fun. Thank you!

    I don't know However Meat and vegetables are gluten free and they have many dishes that can be… Read more

    Does it serve vegan meals?

    Yes, they have jackfruit rolled tacos and and jackfruit enchiladas

    Do they have a weekend brunch special?

    Yes! They just launched their new weekend brunch from 10am to 2pm.

    View All 6 Questions

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    3.9
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    went to watch the opening of the World Cup Australia and U.S. my bartender Marcos and the manager…read moreCesar were outstanding!

    Wow, surprised the rating is currently 4 stars only! We made reservations a week or so in advance…read morefor a Sunday night around 730, and it did not seem very busy. Restaurant is very close to the 5 freeway as well as the Carlsbad Flower Fields and Legoland. I enjoyed the food and fancy-casual ambience. Seems like a fairly large stand-alone restaurant with it's own parking lot. Service was attentive and friendly. We came at the recommendation of a local and loved it! We chose this spot also for the queso that comes with the complimentary chips and salsa. So tasty and not too spicy--like a fresher/?healthier/whiter version of nacho cheese. Mango margarita 4.5/5 (with tajin rim) was enjoyable. Strawberry margarita (blended, virgin) 3/5 was good, but reminded me of candy, so probably just not for me. Trio burrito was outstanding. Loved the sourness of the green salsa over the carnitas, the carne asada with red salsa, and even the shrimp burrito (I don't usually love shrimp!). It tasted lighter than typical Mexican food. Portion was impressive, and it came with a side plate of rice and beans. Chile relleno was 3+/5 imo but my fiance enjoyed it as one of the better ones he has had. To me, it just paled in comparison to the burritos :)). Overall high quality, nice-ish (not too fancy) dinner spot for groups and more! Would recommend to others to add to their Carlsbad/SD area trip.

    Photos
    The bar
    The bar
    Sangria, Strawberry margarita, chips, queso and salsa
    Sangria, Strawberry margarita, chips, queso and salsa
    Happy hour all night!!!!

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    Happy hour all night!!!!
    Tortilla Mia

    Tortilla Mia

    4.0
    (349 reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$

    Walked right in on a sunny afternoon and got a table with friends right away. The servers were…read morereally polite the whole meal. I like the indoor/outdoor vibe the restaurant has. It was definitely good chill place to grab some food. I got a carajillo to start and a carnitas burrito. The carajillo was just ok. It honestly did not taste like a carajillo and it tasted like an espresso martini because I didn't taste any licor 43. I think they just mixed up my drink but it was ok. The carnitas burrito was delicious and was the perfect portion size for me to be able to finish but also large enough for me to feel very full and satisfied. I do wish they gave more pico and maybe some salsa with it. Overall a nice meal in the village.

    Food was mediocre chicken mole enchiladas came cold with rice and beans hardly any mole on…read morethem.Taco Bell tacos are way better than these tacos. Service was HORRIBLE!!! Not by our waiter but by the super long waited over an hour for our meal. Oh don't bother ordering the Queso Blanco it was DISCUSTING!! it was runey, nothing like what it should have been. Who serves runey queso?? it was gross. Everyone was complaining about the wait on thier meals to arrive. No fault to our waiter but OMG over an hour wait just for our meal was unacceptable. Ambiance is very festive colorful and loud, very loud. Our waiter Zeferino G. was nice very attentive no fault to him on the wait. He did comp a nice discount and apologized for our wait. All in all don't plan on ever going back. UPDATE: To Ernie F. Ownerwith all due respect NEVER were we ever nformed or told upfront that you were at a full capacity! How dare you put that statement out there when that never happened. 2nd as we arrived we were seated right away at a window area in the front. Our waiter Zeferino G. who was very sweet and kind took our order right away along with our drink order all at the same time. To be clear it wasn't until way after an hour of waiting for our dinner did a gentlemen who was about to give us a childs plate in err did apologize to us for the long wait telling us it was due to a big party in your indoor patio area. we noticed that same man made it a point to go around to all the other tables in our area apologizing for the long wait. 3rd prior to the gentleman coming back to our table to apologize for the super long wait, I did flag down our waiter asking status of our order, he apologized and said our order was almost ready, in which it was not. Mind you we were over hearing the other tables around us complining on the wait of their meals. Everyone around us was complaining about the wait. So please don't lie on this public platform that we were informed of what you stated in your comments, THAT NEVER HAPPENED!! Now that you lied I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THIS DISGUSTING RESTURANT! NOR WILL WE EVER GO BACK!!!

    Photos
    Tortilla Mia
    32 oz To Go Margaritas!
    32 oz To Go Margaritas!
    Churros made from scratch in house daily!

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    Churros made from scratch in house daily!
    Cancun Mexican & Seafood

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    4.3
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    You can tell the owner really cares about this place! Every dish is made with love. We always get…read morethe #17 fried shrimp and a crispy beef taco.

    Talk about a HIDDEN JEM. Right next to a gas station isn't usually someplace you find AWESOME food…read morebut this is one of those exceptions. Having set my Apple Maps before reading the description of the restaurant, my wife and I set our course on the way back from the San Diego Zoo. I didn't want to get home too late and the parking situation for the better restaurants near the zoo didn't look promising so we decided to go further away from San Diego to find a place on the way home near the 5 freeway. Cancun may not look like much but the food is pretty freaking amazing. My surf and turf burrito filled with generous amounts of shrimp and carne asada was incredible. Adding sour cream and guacamole just put it on another level. No burritos like this near my home. My wife's shrimp plate was also a winner. Lots of shrimp. My wife's only gripe was not enough rice and beans. Even the side of corn tortillas was moist and tasty. I'm not sure if they make their own tortillas but it seemed like it. Even the french fries are incredible. Nice and crispy but not dry. I thought I'd still be hungry after just the burrito but I had no idea what a monster it is. Even after eating 3/4 of it, the remainder was still heavy. The older lady working the register is so sweet. A little hard to understand since she has a thick accent but very nice and helpful. The cook was cool too. Very happy when I stopped before leaving to tell them the food was "delicioso". Don't let the gas station scare you away. The food is jammin'! I plan on stopping by again when I attend Comic-con next year.

    Photos
    Awesome food quality service
    Awesome food quality service
    Crispy chicken tacos. Great price!
    Crispy chicken tacos. Great price!
    Carna asada burrito. Soooo goooood

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    Carna asada burrito. Soooo goooood
    Los Tacos

    Los Tacos

    4.5
    (483 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    If you haven't tried the spicy surf and turf burrito here, you're missing out. It's the perfect…read morebalance of heat and flavor. Since the location is in a small plaza, parking is definitely a challenge when it's busy. I highly recommend placing a mobile/phone order ahead of time so you can just grab and go. Highly recommend!

    I decided to stop by Los Tacos in Encinitas after reading all the great reviews about this specific…read morelocation! The parking lot has plentiful parking but was completely full as I was leaving around 12pm. There were tons of order pick-up spots and 20-minute max parking spots that help with the flow. The restaurant was impeccably clean with a growing line of lunch-goers. The workers were very efficient and the line moved quickly. I also noticed the apparent owner/manager talking to regulars and greeting customers as they walked in, which I really liked to see! I was served my order to-go in less than 10 minutes and ended up unexpectedly using the other 10 minutes after taking my first bite--after that it was hard to stop. The burrito was the perfect size (not too large and not too small). My original breakfast burrito was wrapped in a fresh hand-made tortilla filled with fluffy eggs, the perfect amount of bacon, cheese, soft fresh potatoes, topped with the avocado salsa verde which went perfectly with everything. I even ended up sipping the salsa (it was that good) between bites of the burrito. I was also blown away by the clean and fully stocked salsa bar. So many options (including non-spicy ones for those with gastric limitations too!) and they even offered radishes, carrots, and pickled onions individually wrapped with care. Everything tasted fresh and home-made. After 7 years being away from San Diego, Los Tacos delivered exactly what I had been missing. This location really blew me away and I will definitely be back to see what else it has to offer.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Original Breakfast Burrito with Avocado Salsa
    Original Breakfast Burrito with Avocado Salsa
    3 taco combo (mixed between garlic shrimp, baja style fish and carne asada)

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    3 taco combo (mixed between garlic shrimp, baja style fish and carne asada)

    Alejandra's Mexican Cantina - mexican - Updated July 2026

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