We found Encuentro Cafe as we were walking around Old Town San Diego. Service was amazing, very…read morefriendly, and they checked on us to make sure everything was good as we waited for our meal. The meals were very tasty and portions were just right. I can only speak about my dish as I didn't have a taste of the other meal. I had the El Vainero (sweet corn pancake with Mano cheese, shredded beef, black beans and plantains). The flavors were so amazing together. You will just have to try it. I also ordered yuca fries. The three types of "sauces" were mild, medium, and hot. All three were tasty in their own way and I enjoyed all of them with the yuca fries and towards the end of my meal, it added a little kick to my dish. As for beverages, we had water and I ordered the hot chocolate. I know, hot chocolate, but it was so good. I love an authentic cup of hot chocolate with a bit of real whip cream and some cinnamon. In all, our experience at Encuentro Cafe was great from the service to the food. It is very intimate and we ate in the covered patio. It was as it would be eating outside with tropical decor. Not crowded and noise level as it would be eating in an enclosed patio, not too noisy with the sounds of Old Town patrons walking/driving down the street. I will definitely look forward to visiting this restaurant again when I visit San Diego.

The food and atmosphere were amazing!! Unfortunately, the service left a lot to be desired…read more I normally pride myself on leaving a generous tip, but the service was extremely lacking. Our server took our drink and food order, and everything seemed great up until that point. Then we realized she had forgotten to put in our drink order. When she finally brought my drink, it was the wrong one. When our food arrived, my order was incomplete my extra bacon was missing. So I ended up watching my wife eat her meal while I waited. My food finally came out right before she finished eating. After we finished, our server eventually made her way back to the table. I asked about the military discount, and she nodded and said they offered one. When she brought the check, the discount hadn't been applied, so I had to ask again. Between the mistakes with our order and what I could see and hear happening at some of her other tables, I'm guessing she was either brand new or just having an extremely rough day. We've all been there, so I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. That said, we're definitely excited to come back and give this place another try because it has so much to offer! Hopefully, we catch our server on a better day next time. If the service had matched the food and atmosphere, this would have been a 5 review all day long!!

I'm obsessed with Venezuelan food and so glad this place exists! They have a really wide range of…read moreoptions. Definitely check it out!

The most kind and amazing people you will ever meet. Super hardworking and so welcoming. Not only…read moreare the amazing people but their food is AMAZING!! There is so much flavor and it's absolutely delicious. I love their cilantro sauce with either their chicken avocado arepa or carne mechada. Best mechada I've ever had! Their food is super clean and their drinks are delicious! I love their passion fruit juice. When I want something desert like I get their horchata like drink (I'm forgetting the name of it for some reason I'm so sorry ) Super good though and I love them and their food so much!

Tuve el placer de llegar a Los Chamos Venezuelan Food y, ¡qué experiencia tan increíble! El…read moreservicio fue fantástico desde el momento en que llegué. El personal es súper amable, atento y realmente hace que te sientas como en casa. Y la comida... ¡esquisita! Probé el pabellón y definitivamente lo recomiendo. El sabor es auténtico y perfectamente equilibrado. Sin duda, es un lugar al que volveré una y otra vez. ¡Altamente recomendado para todos los amantes de la comida venezolana!

Had the works with pork at Oceanside Farmer's Market today. Extremely delicious! Still thinking…read moreabout it! Eat one, you will NOT regret it. Also, super friendly staff. Thank you!

I LOVED it! My first arepa and hopefully not my last. I discovered him with my boyfriend, who's…read moretried them before, at the Mira Mesa High School farmers' market. We tried the pork and the chicken arepas. He packed it with so much tender meat and sauce and the bread was so soft. A lot of flavor and served piping hot. It is a little messy to eat, but no biggie. I loved the plantain inside. Alan's customer service was so friendly and it was a pleasure talking to him.

Havana Kitchen is a great find for breakfast or even a coffee date. As soon as we walk in we're…read moregreeted with a smile! The service is great and the team is attentive. They have Cuban food options that are delicious. I've tried their empanadas and they're so good! The crispy outer shell matches perfectly to the piping hot filling and the side of mojo sauce pairs well! Make sure to ask for their spicy mojo sauce along with the regular mojo sauce. They're both delicious. If you're looking for a taste of Cuba, stop by Havana Kitchen in Old Town Temecula!

It was our first time at this restaurant. Good overall menu and the folks that greeted us were…read moregreat. We were quoted a 30 minute wait time for food, but the food came out a lot sooner than that. The food was delicious. I ordered the empanada plate and my husband ordered the traditional Cubano. The empanadas were delicious and I wanted to keep eating, but I was stuffed. My husband said that the Cubano was a 10 out of 10. For a place I've never tried before this. restaurant hit it on all levels. The food was great. The service was great. The ambience was fantastic. We will definitely be back.,

As a Colombian who has been craving authentic Colombian cuisine since my last visit to New York in…read moreDecember, I can confidently say this restaurant truly satisfied those cravings. Being nearly eight months pregnant, my expectations were especially high, and it is rare to find a place that meets them so well. From the seasoning of the food to the warm and attentive service, everything about this restaurant stands out. Although I don't recall my server's name, he was incredibly kind and provided excellent service throughout. The ambiance is also worth noting--the space is large, offers plenty of seating options, and even features a large TV, making it a great spot to relax or watch sports. To start, I ordered a watered mango juice along with a beef empanada. The empanada exceeded my expectations--despite being on the smaller side, it was packed with flavor. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered five more to go, which speaks for itself. They were served with fresh ají, a traditional sauce that complemented them perfectly. For my main course, I had the carne asada plate, which included steak, rice, beans, sweet plantains, avocado, tomato slices, and a small arepa. Every component of the dish was well-executed--the beans were flavorful, the meat was well-seasoned, and the overall plate felt authentic. It is often difficult to find truly authentic Colombian food, especially in San Diego, where options are limited or not genuinely Colombian. This restaurant, however, delivers on authenticity and flavor. The portion size was generous, and I ended up taking leftovers home to enjoy later. In addition to the empanadas (two chicken and three beef), I also ordered a buñuelo and a cheese arepa to go. Unfortunately, these items did not meet the same standard. The arepa lacked flavor and was overly greasy, and the buñuelo was dry and similarly oily, even after absorbing excess grease from the bag. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for Colombian food, especially given how rare it is to find quality options in this area. Friends of mine visited recently as well and thoroughly enjoyed their bandeja paisa, further confirming the consistency of the food. I will definitely be returning--especially for those empanadas. Como colombiana que ha estado antojándose de comida colombiana auténtica desde mi último viaje a Nueva York en diciembre, puedo decir con confianza que este restaurante realmente cumplió con mis expectativas. Además, estando casi de ocho meses de embarazo, mis expectativas eran aún más altas, y no es fácil encontrar un lugar que las cumpla tan bien. Desde el sazón de la comida hasta el servicio cálido y atento, todo en este restaurante destaca. Aunque no recuerdo el nombre del mesero, fue sumamente amable y atento. un servicio excelente en todo momento. El ambiente también merece mención: el lugar es amplio, y limpio. cuenta con muchas opciones de asientos y tiene una pantalla grande, lo que lo hace ideal para relajarse o ver deportes. Para empezar, pedí un jugo de mango (rebajado con agua) junto con una empanada de carne. La empanada superó mis expectativas; aunque es un poco pequeña, tiene muchísimo sabor. Me gustó tanto que pedí cinco más para llevar, lo cual habla por sí solo. Venían acompañadas de ají fresco, que las complementa perfectamente. Como plato fuerte, pedí la carne asada, que incluía arroz, frijoles, plátano maduro, aguacate, rodajas de tomate y una arepita. Cada componente del plato estaba muy bien logrado: los frijoles tenían un excelente sabor, la carne estaba bien sazonada y jugosa y, en general, el plato se sentía auténtico. Hoy en día es difícil encontrar comida colombiana verdaderamente auténtica, especialmente en San Diego, donde las opciones son limitadas o no lo son del todo. Sin embargo, este restaurante sí cumple con ese nivel de autenticidad y sabor. La porción fue bastante generosa, por lo que terminé llevándome lo que no pude terminar para comer más tarde. Además de las empanadas (dos de pollo y tres de carne), también pedí un buñuelo y una arepa de queso para llevar. Lamentablemente, estos no estuvieron al mismo nivel. La arepa carecía de sabor y estaba grasosa, y el buñuelo estaba seco y también muy aceitoso, incluso después de que la bolsa absorbiera parte de la grasa. En general, recomiendo este restaurante sin duda a cualquiera que esté buscando comida colombiana, especialmente considerando lo difícil que es encontrar buenas opciones en esta área. Unos amigos míos también vinieron recientemente y les encantó su bandeja paisa, lo que confirma la calidad constante del lugar. Definitivamente volveré, especialmente por esas empanadas.

BEST EMPANADAS IN ALL OF SAN DIEGO. I spent my whole day trying to find good empanadas here in san…read morediego that would remind me of new york and this was the only location that didn't disappoint. $1.99 per empanada, they are super filling and can tell are made with love. Service was amazing and quick and the atmosphere is very welcoming i love this place. LAS MEJORES EMPANADAS DE TODO SAN DIEGO. Pasé todo el día buscando buenas empanadas aquí en San Diego que me recordaran a Nueva York, y este fue el único lugar que no decepcionó. $1.99 por empanada, son muy llenadoras y se nota que están hechas con amor. El servicio fue increíble y rápido, y el ambiente es muy acogedor. Me encanta este lugar.

We had the avocado toast, which was phenomenal! The cold brew was also excellent, and you can't…read morebeat the view!

freshly made and very delicious. 2 kids size açaí bowls and 2 vegetarian arepas came to $54…read more nice to have this cafe on the beach. approximately 54 steps (i'm a counter). no pics because i was getting food for my friend and i while she was having an endoscopy and everything timed perfectly. the staff is so very friendly and cheerful! definitely have a meal here when you're in SC at T street!

The food and service were amazing! Matt helped us and couldn't have been more kind and positive…read more we had the tacos and all were 5/5!!

Matt was and awesome server that's a local resident. He was the best server at any restaurant we…read morewent to in Carlsbad over our vacation.