I've been coming to lunch here for a few years now. I get a craving for their poblano soup, and I have to, have to, have to order it. Usually a cup, sometimes a bowl. I honestly haven't tried too much on their menu because I can't finish their generously portioned entrees after a cup of the poblano. I usually go for one of their salads, the Asian chicken or the spinach salad. Or I'll get a la carte street tacos, the chicken or pork. I like the salsas that come with their complimentary chips. To this day I can't decide between them. The salsa verde has more of a kick but not too much heat. The salsa rojo is milder and thicker with nice flavor. Lots of retirees in the area coming to dine. It can get busy, especially Thursday and Friday lunchtime, and then you have to be patient for your food. Lisa in the front always has a sparkle and a kind word, and Guillermo remembers my drink order. read more

Cenote Grill is a casual Mexican grill decorated with stack-stone pillars and lighted topiary. It has a busy take-out counter, regular table service and ample complimentary parking. The menu was varied and the food was really good. The Thai chicken burrito was large and very tasty. My husband had a combination plate and said it was the best enchilada he's ever had! Complimentary chips-n-salsa was provided with not one, but two different salsas! The service was slightly slow, but friendly. The menus were a little sticky and there was food splashed on the wall at the table and a used napkin under one table. They seem to have a loyal local following of regulars, particularly an older crowd. We drove 15 miles to exclusively visit this restaurant as it had been on our list for a while. We would return if we were in the area. If their service was a little quicker and the cleaning was a little more sparkling, they'd get the extra star. (April 2026). Helpful? read more

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The Best!!!!!!!!!!alway good The BEST!!!!!!!!! Been going there for years and years. my Chile Riano's have always been the very best anywhere ever ever. read more

Some of the best food you can find in the area. Has that small, family owned, local business vibe. I recommend the Cenote burrito. I got it my first time and I've been getting the same thing every time since. Their salsa is also really awesome. Great food, reasonable prices, never lets us down! Do watch out for their hours though because they close for a break mid-day and some days they're just closed period. read more

Excellent Mexican food!! The best in Escondido, hands down! Even their wine margaritas are great! And their flan is to die for...seriously! Don't miss out!! The service is great & the ambiance is lovely, very cozy & casual. We love it!! read more

This restaurant is an hour away from my home, and I drive here for the chile rellenos. Anything on the menu is gonna be good, you won't regret it. Located in a small strip mall area, there's plenty of parking in the off hours but around meal time? Just make sure you get there a little early in order to find a spot among all the other stores and this restaurant. read more

First time to Cenote -- we really enjoyed our meal and will definitely be back! Service was awesome. Got the enchilada bowl, which was delish! Wasn't sure if I wanted green or red sauce, so I got half and half. Liked both, but prefer red. My husband was deciding between a bean & cheese burrito and enchiladas, so the staff recommended he get the burrito "wet" (enchilada sauce on top). It was really good -- and bigger than you would expect a bean & cheese burrito to be (also had rice in it). Should have taken a photo of it. We heard it gets busy at dinner time, so went at 4:30 on a Saturday. There was plenty of seating for our party of six. By the time we left, the place was full. read more

Cenote Grill - Enchilada bowl at Cenote Grill with chicken, Spanish rice and black beans. Half red sauce & half green. - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Our first time at Cenote Grill was a good one overall. No qualms about the food; everything tasted fresh and flavorful. We sat out front on the patio with our pup, and we were forgotten about after margaritas were delivered, but at least we had drinks to keep us company! Eventually decided to go inside to order. From the fleeting views I got of the interior, I'd say it's a typical Mexican American joint. I will note that 5pm on a Friday had MANY in attendance, as Cenote is directly across the street from a LARGE seniors-only mobile home park. We would go back, but perhaps on a different day of the week and time of day. read more

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For sure another staple in North county. Offering a different take on hispanic food, its a delight other than the same ol'. Service is on point old school ordering counter but always welcomed with a smile. Sweet little dinning room and gives you the feel your in someone's house verses a large chain restaurant. read more

Picked up food ...we were having lunch with a friend for her birthday....they have a nice menu...server was nice....however..when we got to our friend's house...one of the meals was missing....had to back to the restaurant....she didn't realize that she forgottoorderwhat she wanted...the restaurant itself is nice and clean. My food was ok. read more

Really good food, friendly team. Off the beaten path, but worth it. We've tried a variety of dishes and loved them all.

Okay so at first I felt like this place was warm and welcoming. Food was okay one big suggestion is do not advertise these as pupusas Pupusas are not deep fried or use any of these toppings or sides Maybe promote it more like a fried quesadilla Anyways when we paid waiter came back and she said it didn't work it's probably fraud My husband confused pulled out another card and paid But that was so rude!! read more

Cenote Grill - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

North county Escondido Mexican food Fish tacos (swai) Complimentary chips n salsa Amex accepted Restrooms inside Outdoor and indoor seating Vegan and vegetarian options Check in at the counter before seating Long wait during rush hour for food and seating Everyone friendly Small dinning area so it gets loud Sells beer Various menu options Parking available To go available read more

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This place is soo good !! I decided to take a gamble and try a New Mexican spot in North County and this place did not disappoint. The food was top notch ! I had the chilie relleno and veggie enchilada combo. One of the best I've ever had. I will definitely be coming back. The service was awesome as well. Gabe and Shane took great care of us. Thank you !! You have a new customer. read more

Such a great little grill. We just moved into the area and have already been there twice. Service was great and they make a good Sangria!

Don't come here unless you're trying to wait at almost an hour for your meal. We came to restraunt, got seated right away, and placed our order. It took about 20 mins to receive our soup and after 45 mins of waiting we still haven't received any of our meals. We explained to our waiter that we have to leave and asked if our meal could be packaged togo. There was no apology for the long wait or explaination. Food took about 50 mins from when we place our order and we didn't get to enjoy it at the restaurant. read more

We've lived nearby for 20+ years and just recently found this hidden gem! It is now a weekly staple. Excellent food and amazing friendly staff, especially Hector. Affordable prices and over all great vibes and comfortable atmosphere. If you're within the San Marcos West Escondido area, this should be must on your list. read more

This little mom-and-pop shop on El Norte Parkway is a local treasure. We always order takeout, and the food arrives fresh, flavorful, and perfectly packaged every single time. But it is so wonderful to see their dining room staying busy- they truly deserve the success. The food is always worth the money and time. If you go, do not miss the poblano soup or the cilantro lime chicken salad. And I give a huge thumbs up to the Old Bay on their grilled fish tacos! read more

I love this place it's like our local little restaurant, they're not always opened in the air conditioning is not always all that cold but it's a cute little spot and the food is really good. If you're looking for a small little local restaurant I think this is a pretty good place to go, everything's good. read more

Our favorite Mexican food restaurant. Good authentic food at reasonable price We come here every time we are in the area read more

The food and service never disappoint. They are always busy, which is a great indicator of the quality of the food and service.

Every meal I've had at Cenote has been delicious. That said, the fish tacos are exceptional. Try this place out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Pro Review: I recently just stopped by Cenote of the Grill. I've heard some good things about this place and knew that it was my time to stop by. As a current pro yelp reviewer I was indifferent about this spot. The prices were pretty expensive and the portion sizes weren't the best either. The food was decent not bad nor great. It's a cool little spot with some good service. I definitely would come back if I was in the area. Tommy J out! read more

I'm not trying to make a point here, and I'm definitely not trying to attract more customers. They are quite busy, but this is the only Mexican food place in North County, where I grew up, that I will eat at. I've been eating there for years, and I have not tried every dish on the menu. There are some things that just don't attract my menu attention. But I will say that some of their taco plates are very well done, the fish tacos are fabulous. I get the fried version, you can get them with just the fish cooked and no batter and no deep frying. They're enchiladas are good, their burritos are good, and I really hate to say this, but this guy's mole is insane. Unless you've been to Oaxaca and then it's like every abuela's recipe, killer. Do not expect refried beans here, they do pinto beans or black beans, white rice, or Spanish rice, and they have some pretty cool and creative things on the menu that I'm too much of a stick in the mud to try. It's not the place to go if you want your dinner in seven minutes, it takes a while there. And that's because they cook everything to order, it's busy and they do it right. As I read this, I'm still thinking about not posting it. But like I said, if you get there at noon for lunch, you're gonna wait, if you get there at 5:30 for dinner you're gonna wait and there's always a wait. Every once in a while, I'll go there on and off night and I can get a table. They're closed on Sunday and Monday, which bums me out because sometimes I really wanna go over there on a Sunday night and have dinner. The service is smooth and efficient, and the kitchen runs like a well oiled machine. It's not a fancy place, lots of thongs and T-shirts in there, but the food is well above average. Most people these days when they post a review and they rave about someplace it's because you get a giant serving, I'm not interested in quantity. I want high-quality, I want a place that does not affect my stomach, . Cenote does it all for me and trust me, I cook, I have a palate. I grew up eating in Mexico and the North Coast, think Fidel's and Tony' Jacal in Solana Beach. So when I say it's great, you can believe it. read more

I give the food 3 stars and 5 stars for the service. The food was bland we like spicy lots of flavor - if you do not like spicy food this is your place. read more

One of my favorite lunch spots. Family owned. Great southwest mexican options for a ladies lunch. They have a burrito and or tacos with carne asada and bacon which was delicious. But my all time favorite is the cilantro lime chicken salad. read more

We are a long time favorite of this spot. The food is fresh, the portions are good size and they have sangria, which is a nice change to beer and regular wine. My husband loves the burritos especially the chili verde, while I love the chili rellano(which you can have chicken stuffed and your choice of green, red, or home made mole sauce) You place your order at the front then seat yourself. Complimentary chips and salsa are included. This is our go to Mexican restaurant!! read more

A fantastic spot Worth visiting. From the moment we sat down the service was quick and friendly. The food was flavorful and obviously made with care. What also impressed me was the value. I didn't give it 5 stars because there is always a little more room for growth, but honestly for the quality and taste of the food, this restaurant is pretty close to perfect. read more

One Hour Wait... and Then a Rude Response Yesterday my sister, my husband, and I stopped by Cenote Grill after a long day hoping to enjoy a good meal. The restaurant only had about 4-6 tables occupied. We were seated and our order was taken. After that, we watched several people arrive after us, get their food, eat, and leave while we were still waiting. After an entire hour, I went inside to ask about our order. Only then did they go check, and it became clear our order had simply been forgotten. We decided to leave. My husband went to pay for the drinks we had ordered, and instead of apologizing, the owner told him: "If you're not going to wait for your food, it's your loss. I know what I'm going to have for dinner." Mistakes happen, but rude and dismissive customer service is unacceptable. Unfortunately, we never even got to try the food because the experience was already ruined. read more

I used to love Cenote as our go to authentic Mexican cuisine. Last night was disappointing food wise. This out of the way restaurant needs to go back to its old ingredients and service. It is really disappointing to have to go order your food at the counter at a nice place like this. The food was beautiful coming out plated but out of the 8 of us who were eating together, one thought their meal was good. Such a shame. I lovedddd their chile rellano before and now it was filled with weird cheese that wasnt melted and i miss the hominy that used to be a surprise inside. Sorry Cenote. Please use better quality ingredients, get a real liquor license to serve real non wine based margaritas and have servers take the customers orders at the table. read more

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I found this place on Yelp while visiting Escondido. It had great reviews and now I understand why. First off, the service was impeccable. We were greeted at the door and seated right away. The server was very accommodating and sweet. Our order arrived sooner than expected without any errors. I highly recommend the Baja fish tacos, Delicious! I will definitely be back. read more

We tried this place for the first time in years. It's getting good reviews, so we decided to give it another try hoping to add it to our neighborhood rotation. It seems that the place could use a bit of facelift in interior decoration, but the place has a cozy atmosphere. Ordering is at the cashier. They will bring food to the table when it's ready. The food was fresh tasting and satisfying. I had a shrimp burrito, which was a pretty good size and had hand-battered shrimp with thin batter, healthier, NOT frozen battered shrimp that I expected. My hubby also had shrimp burrito but asked for "wet burrito" in spicy sauce, which came out super too spicy... Cenote Grill is a nice casual neighborhood cafe-like option between fast food and sit down restaurants. We will be back. read more

Cenote Grill - Shrimp Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Great food, good service. New hours is better. During the Saturday rush, they should have more than one person serving the entire place. The atmosphere is relaxed and at busy times it can get noisy. I do recommend this place to everyone. read more

The food here has always been great in my experience. Try the Chicken Mole or the Chili Relleno burrito, both are excellent.

This place is like Cheers - everyone knows your name. Just an incredible experience coming and eating here. It also has the Cheers-style ambiance, just no counter. The first time we got here we were told there was a 45-minute wait, but other than other places, waiting meant "sit down, let us bring you some chips and salsa, would you like a drink? Appetizers? " The 45 minutes passed by in a jiffy. The coup of soup as an appetizer came out immediately, so did our draught beers. Brendon came by, introduced himself, and made sure everything was cool. When we got our dinners, the food was exceptional. And the portions were so big that we got a full second meal out of it. There is some authentic Mexican food on the menu, but a lot is fusion cuisine. I absolutely loved the Thai chicken burrito from my first visit, but the Sonora Style Enchilada I had during my second visit was just as good. Back to Cheers - a week later, during our second visit, Brendon did address us by name. Talk about personal service! read more

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What a pleasant surprise! My husband and I wanted to try somewhere new and chose this restaurant to eat dinner. The food was fabulous and the staff is very friendly. We will definitely be back! read more

I placed an order for pick up over the phone and right off the bat, the customer service over the phone was great. Usually folks skip the pleasantries over the phone but whomever the man on the phone was, he was very patient and kind when taking my order. This was my first time eating Cenote grill after years of hearing that they have the best Mexican food. When I came in to pick my order up, it was very busy and the entire restaurant was bustling. On a Wednesday night at that! The decor is very mom and pop and it feels like a cozy restaurant. I sat down and waited for my food and it wasn't long before the worker came up to me to give me my food. I probably waited less than 10 minutes. I wish I'd taken pictures but I ordered the fried fish burrito and a side of chips and salsa. The burrito was fresh and delicious! And huge. The only thing I would say is that while the salsa was delicious, it was not spicy. I was hoping for some kick to it, but neither the red or the green was spicy. All in all, I'm going to come back and eat at the restaurant next time! One of the best Mexican food places in Escondido for sure. read more

Best Mexican food around and if you do not want Mexican try the Chicken Lettuce wraps with two Thai sauces. Pork Carnitas are hubby's favorite. read more

Cenote Grill - Lettuce wraps - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

The staff were really friendly, but I was so disappointed in the food. It's giving "white people taco night" but again I should've known when I saw the buffalo chicken burrito. I had really high hopes because we waited 40 minutes for food (no hate cause they did inform us). read more

I've been here several times to eat and the food is decent. I will say, that I am disappointed to find out that the prices have recently increased, but the menu still reflects the old prices. If you can't update the menu correctly, then you should give your customers a verbal heads up that their favorite plate now costs $3 more. It's annoying and misleading. Please update your menu prices! read more