I'm visiting from LA, and have been fortunate to have had some amazing meals in SD, but I think Baja Betty's is the best yet. The bartenders were absolutely adorable (and one had the most amazing mustache), I love that the restaurant is openly LGBTQ friendly, but above all else, the food was just damned good. I ordered way more than one person can possibly eat, since it was my last meal before returning to LA, and I left bursting at the seams and happy AF. The chips, like other reviews have said, were spectacular. The queso blanco was so good, the ceviche was amazing, and I think I've run out of synonyms for how good this place is. The portion sizes were incredibly generous, as are the wine pours. At the end, I ordered a milk punch, which turned out to be the best cocktail I've had in recent memory. It is dangerously good, as in you can hardly tell it was alcoholic, it was so damn smooth and delicious. I wish I could stay another few days so I could return and try more of the food. read more

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Love Betty's Been coming for decades Last night was just a little too loud for us to enjoy. The noise level has been creeping up over the years. Moved to the bar where, surprisingly, we could have a conversation. read more

First time here and I'm mad at myself for waiting this long. Patio was popping, drinks were flowing, and the service had attitude--in the correct way. Fast, funny, and on point. I ordered the coconut tequila cocktail (I swear it was called Coconut Chanel or something equally dramatic) and it was dangerously good. The chicken avocado tacos were gone in minutes. My friend got the mahi tacos and we swapped--because obviously--and that dill-cream situation on the mahi is unreal. Loud, fun, delicious. If you want a dead restaurant with whispering and sadness, go elsewhere. I'll be back. read more

Baja Betty's - Chicken avocado tacos - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great service, fun place to stop for a drinks and some apps if you're in the area. Queso was very good. read more

Baja Betty's - queso - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Good food great staff great atmosphere can never go wrong with carnitas plate and chips and salsa great even though it costs extra now.

Such a fun spot and great food! The staff was super friendly plus so many fun things on the walls. Food was soooooo good, food had great flavor and our waiter was so nice and very attentive read more

The food and drinks are ON! I had the blackened shrimp taco and Baja fish taco. The guacamole is fresh. Their queso dip is also good (get the white cheese--much better). The only thing I didn't like was walking over to the bar to order my food & drinks then walking back to my table. I know they get busy, but I'm not a fan of this process--almost like do-it-yourself service. Besides that--I liked it! read more

Baja Betty's - Me & my sis - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Portions: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 4/5 Price: $$ ADA access: yes Restrooms: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: great selection of food and drinks. Cons: gets busy but they manage it well (: read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

If you want delicious, strong drinks come here! The margaritas are delicious and the shots are delicious. The servers are super sweet!However the food is not great, the rice and beans had no flavor and the tacos made my stomach hurt really bad. The ambiance is upbeat, a great place to come if you want to catch up with friends. Parking was pretty tough to find. read more

Baja Betty's - mahi mahi tacos - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing short rib tacos. Very nice staff and decent drinks. The back room is so cute for private events, it's well decorated and has a nice vibe. read more

Papi Hour is potentially the best Happy Hour in this city! Every food item is $6.50, sometimes with a $3 upgrade for meat. And they don't skimp on portions, like so many places! Queso Dip: Had that nice nostalgic Cheez Whiz feel, but elevated. I think they might have mixed some salsa in here too, for extra flavor. Super addictive. Bonus, since you can eat the queso soaked bowl afterwards! Green Chile Queso Blanco Dip: Kinda like white American cheese mixed with green chiles. Though they might have used fancier cheeses than that. This too was delicious! I can't even begin to try to figure out which queso I liked more, since both were amazing. Mexican Pizza w/ Carne Asada: Way better than the Taco Bell version! Light crispy "pizza" base with so many great toppings like one of those 7-layer dips. Plus the nicely marinated and grilled carne asada was wonderful in the mix. Cheese Quesadilla w/ Chicken Adobado: Super cheesy. Stuffed with nicely spiced chicken chunks. Quite delicious and filling! read more

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Welcome to Baja Betty's at Hillcrest. If you're coming here for the food, you might not be too impressed. If you're coming here for the drinks... hope you like 'em strong! The margaritas were mostly tequila with maybe a splash of lime juice and sweet & sour. Seriously, if I knew they were that strong, I would have shared my drink! They serve complimentary chips and salsa here which was really just okay. The chips were thin and the salsa wasn't anything better than average. I got the Mahi Mahi bowl without cheese or sour cream and thankfully they followed my directions. The bowl was absolutely massive - I couldn't finish it all. I only got like halfway done when everyone else was finished! The fish was soft/moist and the rice and beans were plentiful. I did not get guacamole in my bowl but thankfully my server solved this issue right away once I mentioned it. The guacamole was also just okay. The ambiance inside is pretty rowdy and party-based. A table beside us on a Friday night were celebrating a birthday and taking shots. The servers all wear booty shorts. There was no wait when we walked in at 8PM on a Saturday and the food came out pretty quickly. read more

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This is one of my favorite places in Hillcrest. They have giant margs with little ducks which are so cute and delicious! The vibes are always top tier, if you are more on the party side go inside by the bar, if you are more on the chill side grab some outside seating! They play great music and the staff are always upbeat and a great time. The food is always good, if you get the Nachos be ready to share with at least 2 or 3 other people because they are HUGE (no complaints here) read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Great service! Their house-made salsa is terrific. Portions are generous- the burrito and quesadilla were huge. Birria and al pastor tacos were solid. Churro sundae was yummy! Fun atmosphere overall. One thing to note- I went here based on the yelp recommendation that it was good for kids. I don't think it's that good for kids. There's no kids menu, and it's basically a bar, except for the outside seating. Not a criticism. Not all restaurants and great for kids. Just wanted to put that out there for other yelpers. read more

We were a group of four and were seated immediately. Our server was great. Fantastic actually. The food was... okay. Nothing memorable. One of our party did love the Mexican pizza. Another thought the potato taco tasted like plastic. My fish taco was good. Overall a nice experience because of the server. It might be us, but the foood quality seems to have gone down. read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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this place is the my ultimate comfort zone. I absolutely love the waiters and staff here they always make me feel like home and this is a great spot just to catchup and get lots of margs with your friends. The portions are also huge here which is great so you're really getting a bang for your buck. I love just coming here and getting Margs, chips, salsa, guac, and then Blanco queso.! read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Today's experience was a let down. We have dined here many times and always enjoyed the food and service. The out going staff add so much to the experience. Today the service was ehh! The hostess was wonderful. Cheerful and engaging. The server not much personality. Never even brought our chips. Food was still delicious. Large portions which means I always have lunch for the next day. read more

Baja Betty's - Carne Asada Burrito. (Regular Size) - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I recommend this place. Anytime of the day. Taco Tuesday starting at 5 PM with shot specials and taco specials. Our server when I went yesterday with my friend was so amazing. I would just go back for him. And it felt very welcoming in there. And I love that that I felt like I was welcome and I was welcome back. Me and my friend even discussed going for brunch on Sunday. So if you're looking for a good Mexican food place in Hillcrest come here to Baja Betty's. You will not regret it. Yes they do also have happy hour. 3 to 6. But because of the ambience in the restaurant come any day any hour. You won't regret it. read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopped by for a drink and some appetizers. We sat outside at their patio, which is dog-friendly. The service was great, as were our beverages and food. I enjoyed my Moscow Mule. Our group shared an order of curly fries, guac and chips, and cucumber and jicama with Tajín. Everything was pretty delicious. I'll definitely be stopping by again next time I'm in Hillcrest and craving a great Moscow Mule, tasty appetizers, and a good atmosphere to hang out with friends. read more

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This was an okay place to stop for a happy hour drink or two. Friendly local crowd. Friendly servers. Food is okay, the usual Mexican fair. My friend and I were walking by and stopped here. Not a destination restaurant but seemed like a local institution to visit at least once. read more

Baja Betty's - Original Classic - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Great vibes, good drinks, ok mexican food. I'd been wanting to try Baja Betty's for a while after seeing reviews and hearing about their bottomless brunch. Finally went for dinner, and was a bit disappointed with the food. The carne asada taco was pretty dry/chewy. The rest of the food was decent but nothing special. The TJ caesar salad was just a regular caesar salad with some tortilla strips. On the bright side, the margaritas were great and service was very good. I do understand why this place has such a strong cult following - the vibes are great, service is good, and they have a huge drink menu. The bottomless prices are super tempting, I'll probably be back for a weekend brunch someday! read more

Baja Betty's - Fish taco and enchilada combo plate - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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An amazing Mexican cuisine eatery! Our party's dishes: Carne Asada Plate, Enchilada Plate, and (vegetarian) Avocado tacos. All dishes were so very filling and very delicious! We truly felt like we got more than our money's worth. Secondary notable takeaways: locally made salsa (great!); beware of their hot-hot version, so very good (but with a bit of "dangerous heat", ha-ha), the Caesar salad (especially the dressing) - wow!, and the tableside guacamole is an absolute MUST try! The very notable takeaway - his (server) name is Saul - he made this standard lunch more than just, "standard." His excellence customer service, friendly and easy-to-talk-to demeanor, and his focus on us (the customer) was nothing short of amazing - job well done! We will definitely make a return visit, but would do so, simply due to Saul's excellent service level! read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Going to Pride in San Diego doesn't count unless you stop into Baja Betty's for at least one drink or a shot. Seriously, it's written in the rulebook. Don't trust me? Alright then, take your chances. Seriously though, BB has been a fond part of my life for over a decade. First when going to Pride and then as a bar I'd frequent with some friends for happy hour when I moved to the neighborhood. It's lighthearted, heavy-handed, and always a good time. It's not only about the drinks though. In fact it was once the food that brought me in, specifically for their brunch, but the brunch buffet has not returned after Covid. No worries, their happy hour specials are still a stellar deal and those tasty bites go perfectly with one of those oversized margaritas that are big enough for a rubber ducky to call home. Be prepared to get some sass from the bartenders but also don't take it seriously. It's part of the Baja Betty's experience, one that should be enjoyed by all walks of life. read more

This just became my go-to drinks spot in Hillcrest. The ambiance is lively and fun, gets maybe a bit loud inside, but I sat on the patio and it was perfect. I had a Smokey Orange drink which I enjoyed, and they're not kidding about the smoke flavor. The classic margarita was my favorite, no sweet and sour mix, and plenty strong. My friend had the Mexican mai tai which she liked as well, though it was a bit sweet for me. The highlight though - Dash might just be the best server I've ever had! He is friendly, energetic, available without being annoying, and gave great recommendations. He is also absolutely hilarious! Do yourself a favor and ask for him when you go. read more

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I've been a patron of Baja Betty's since I moved to San Diego. The drinks are strong, the food is good. They have great lunch deals every day! It's not traditional Mexican by any means, but still is fun and fabulous. I LOVE their Caesar Salad and their Carnitas. David the daytime bartender is the absolute best, and if there's no room at the bar, Marc is my favorite server to request! But everyone is always lovely and fast and provides excellent customer service, creating a fun and welcoming vibe. read more

Returned to Baja Betty's for Papi Hour and had an amazing time. Happy Hour menu options are comparable to Taco Tuesdays, but there are a few differences between the two menus. Papi Hour is on weekdays from 2-6 and most of the menu items are $6.50 with a slight upcharge for certain options like adding flavors to your marg or getting it frozen. We got chips & guac ($6.50), Carnitas street tacos and chicken adobada street tacos (2 per order), and four margaritas total, and we were both full and it didn't hurt the wallet too too bad. Of all the tacos I've had here so far, the carnitas I think were my favorite. We've dined indoors this night, and it was a very different vibe from sitting out on the patio. The atmosphere is fun and lively. The servers are also always super friendly here! I love this place and will be back again. read more

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Food was great. Prices are reasonable. Lively environment. The service was excellent and fast.

My brother-in-law and sister in law were visiting us in San Diego from Portland and we to Baja Betty's and had some good food. Great service and had some good beer with our meal as well. A great San Diego place for a meal. Nice location near a bunch of stuff, check it out! read more

Baja Betty's - Inside - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great atmosphere, friendly staff. The craziest nachos I've ever seen. Huge portions. My boyfriend and I couldn't finish the small one, we had to take it home. Our server, Heather, was fantastic and offered to give us extra chips to take home with the rest of our nachos. We'll be back! read more

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Good margaritas in Hillcrest! Sat at the bar one weekend with no wait but pretty lively. Service was friendly from each staff member. Impressed with their list of mezcal cocktails read more

Baja Betty's - Margarita and mezcal - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Baja Betty's is a fun restaurant bar in the heart of Hillcrest! I went here a long time ago to celebrate a friend's birthday. Last weekend I came by after being in the area and it was a solid option for some good drinks. I ordered a mezcal cocktail and it was neat to see the wide array of mezcal margaritas that they offer. My "Flor de Pina" was enjoyable on my afternoon day out. A bonus is the fabulous service offered from the whole staff here. Every bartender was friendly and helpful which definitely stood out with their good energy. 5 stars! read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I have eaten and had drinks and several Mexican restaurants throughout California. This is the best one hands down in the state!! The Perfect Cadillac was made outstanding and very delicious out of this world amazing. The chips and Salsa on point our server brought out 3 different kinds mild to hot on point again not your typical sub standard. The service here is great all the staff is very friendly and quick and efficient. I got the mahi fish tacos fresh very good flavor and perfectly made like I said best I've ever tried and had in the state of California. The restaurant ambience is very nice and well decorated and very chill and relaxing you can either sit inside or outside I prefer eating inside if you get a chance go and check this restaurant out you will not be disappointed and you will definitely go back. I highly recommend it BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA!!! read more

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We were in San Diego for the weekend and started craving some good Mexican food. So glad we ended up at Baja Betty's! I got the build your own burrito and it was huuuuge. No joke, even the table next to us was shocked I managed to finish it. It was packed with flavor and really hit the spot. My mom and uncle ordered the fajitas and those were great too. Everything came out hot, fresh, and super tasty. The service was also awesome. Our server was really friendly and made sure we had everything we needed the whole time. If we're ever in San Diego again, we're definitely coming back. Great food, fun vibe, and just an overall solid experience. read more

Baja Betty's - Burrito and fajita - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

My first time at Baja Betty's with my girlfriends. We're from LA and we met a third friend in SD Thanksgiving Saturday. We went for brunch and immediately walking into the space, we were greeted and taken to a table. The place was pretty empty at around 11:00 am. My SD friend recommended the bottomless Mimosas and so we ordered. I prefer not to drink OJ so I asked about options and decided on grapefruit juice instead. My only complaint on that is the waiter did not mention it would be $5 extra charge. The mimosas were huge and our server kept topping them off. We definitely were feeling it when we left. I ordered the Sunrise Street Tacos w/ eggs and chorizo. They were delicious. My LA gf ordered shrimp tacos and she requested no dairy. They were very accommodating to her dietary needs. She enjoyed them very much. My SD gf ordered French Toast OG. She mentioned they seemed a little undercook but she enjoyed them. Unfortunately about 30 minutes after she ate them she became very ill with vomiting. It is hard to prove the toast brought it on but she hadn't eaten anything else that morning. She was sick the rest of the day. It's one of her favorite places in SD but seems this time it wasn't. Overall the service and food were very good. By the time we left it the place was full and a very happy scene. It was unfortunate that the french toast seemed to cause our friend to get very sick. Keep that batter very cold! read more

Baja Betty's a huge disappointment not only food wise but service as well. Food was bland no flavor takes forever to come out and even burnt. Service was the worst I've experienced in Hillcrest yet! Waiter wasn't attentive and super rude! As group of 6 half our meals arrived 30 mins after other members recieved their plate, this is no exaggeration. Didn't check in on us for refills and we had to remind our waiter to bring us condiments multiple times. We waited so long it discouraged us to continue to order drinks on our brunch. Bc we were a group of 6 our waiter got a an automatic tip of 20%. We expressed our displeasure with the service and were treated with zero respect service walked away from me in the middle of a conversation.. not to our surprise we a were still paid the tip but WONT BE RETURNING. read more

This will be my last review of the year as it's over in a few days.. LOL Anyway, I have walked by this very popular Restaurant/ bar for almost 18 years. I know, I never went in as it was always so loud and crowded. I decided I would go for an early lunch which was a really good idea as I was really ready to eat some so-called Mexican food. Funny, living in Southern California and having traveled into the interior Mexico twice and living in Guadalajara. I'll have to say, I must be very spoiled as I haven't found any Mexican food here my whole life that I really liked. Back to my experience here today with a very nice bartender/server who I will give 4*named Josh. I let him know that I was going to tip him for his assistance. I suppose you're wondering why I would say that Or maybe not? Since it was very dark in there I asked him to help me with an order to go. I did reiterate twice that I did not want onions/ bell peppers/ jalapenos and no dressing. Apparently the cook did not get the message or possibly it's all mixed together IDK. Here is a photo of the bean rice, onion burrito which was $12.50. It did have onions in it and BTW it did taste good just too bad it had the onions. Ended up tossing it out. Honestly, I think at the 'other' place in town that gives you more and you can dictate at the display exactly what you want put in it for an extra dollar or two. I'll be going back there. Here is a photo of all of the red peppers and jalapenos that I picked out of the very large vegetarian? salad that was $9.99 was the Special. I did enjoy the salad for what it was it had a little bit of jicama in it, no sliced mushrooms as mentioned, a few tiny sliced pieces of olives, a small piece of tomato and lots of lettuce. Personally I wouldn't call this a Vegetarian salad instead I will call it a bowl of lettuce. So disappointed in all of this food. When I returned home the bag was very secure in the zipped up food bag. I always use it when bringing hot/ cold food home. I opened up the bag it was wet as the cap must have come off of the dressing??( No dressing!)container before it was bagged. I had to put it in my sink to wipe off the food box and tin foil from the burrito. Then, clean out my bag. Finally! I got to eat. I'm giving them 2*. Glad I tried it out and that's that. Have no idea what's going on with restaurants here in San Diego but, they just aren't as good as they used to be. More money down the drain. read more

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I love , love loooove this place , I live in north county and was out here visiting from the service to the atmosphere, it's a cool vibe . No negative Nancy's or Karen's here. It's worth the money and a trip .. read more

The vibe. The service. The environment. What's not to like? You either love the place or hate it. Honestly, no in between here! The combination plate consists of rice, black or refried beans and spicy mango slaw. The spicy mango slaw was questionable at first but it is..hands down, amazing! If I could, I would've asked for more! The fish tacos, the flavors were ALL there! The most delicious fish tacos I've had in SOOO long. Hubs had the fajita quesadilla and he literally couldn't stop eating. Again, flavors were all there, the quesadilla looked like it was going to fall apart but it managed to stay together. Pay a visit. You def won't regret it. Menu has a lot to offer. There's something for everyone. read more

Baja Betty's - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I had lunch there today. They have a $9.99 lunch specials on the menu. One item is a vegatarian taco with impossible faux meat hamburger. Over on the side it's says $3 extra for the faux beef even though it's listed in the ingredients. Why not just list it at $12.99. So if u skip the meat, it's lettuce and taco shell. GET REI try to patronize the restaurants since it's slow but won't go back! Complained to the server and he talked to mgr to no avail. The mgr never came to the table to explain, lousy customer service and lose a recurring customer over maybe $1 their cost for the meat. read more

Great neighborhood spot with a great brunch menu. The service is always great. The staff is always smiling and welcoming. There is a lot of seating with a huge bar. Music usually is a mix of songs from the 80s through 2000s which warms my millennial heart. Definitely a comfortable for a decent size group to hang, eat, and drink together. read more

Baja Betty's - Moscow Mule - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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