Had a 5/5 experience celebrating a birthday brunch here! The food is phenomenal- the sopes benny had the most tender lamb birria and the churro & french toast was heavenly! Not pictured but also delicious were the popsicle margaritas. The mango popsicle was perfect for the hot day. A special shoutout to Theresa for her cheerful and uplifting service. All the staff we encountered were lovely but she went out of her way to make sure we were well taken care of and felt special celebrating. I've visited both Cocina de Barrio locations and loved my experiences at each. Will definitely be back and highly recommend you try them to dive into delicious Mexican dishes with great service! read more

See all

Came to Cocina de Barrio with several friends and overall, we thought it was okay. Some dishes were ranked highly whereas most were middle of the pack. I ordered the mahi mahi fish tacos and a house coffee. The coffee was actually pretty good! Cream and sugar were delivered separately to finish with your preference. As for the tacos, it was okay. The fish was a bit dry for my liking, cabbage could have been chopped with more finesse, and I wished they QC'd their limes a bit before putting them on the plate. Both were bone dry and I had to ask for more. Moreover, the cilantro lime rice was also a bit bland. It needed salt to lift the flavors in my opinion. There weren't even flecks of green if it was supposed to be cilantro? I tried boyfriend's veggie hash but was disappointed to find that it was almost all potatoes. Having said that, it was an extremely generous portion so he was filled up. While I didn't try it, our friend that had the chorizo hash also said it was okay so I'm guessing the ratio wasn't quite right. Anyways, ask for their chili sauce on the side, that's actually quite surprising. It had really good heat and was more like a chili crisp than a vinegary hot sauce. The plates that did score favorably at the table were the carne chilaquiles and the divorced eggs. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Mahi mahi tacos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Fantastic experience. The recipes are elevated and fun, fresh, and delicious. We had the cucumber jalepeno margarita, the Paloma, the shrimp tacos, fish tacos, ceviche, guacamole and chips, and churros. Everything was incredible, the standout being the mezcal raisin sauce on the shrimp tacos- trust me when I say you'll be thinking about it. Definitely enjoy their happy hour and unique take on traditional recipes. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

My friend recommended me this restaurant to watch some World Cup games and we got prime seating and excellent food! We loved our tacos, guacamole fresh and excellent and the mezcalitas super delicious. This restaurant is so beautiful and pretty spacious. I like the tiles, the colors, the various seating and even the bathroom wallpaper is so pretty. Solid fresh food and great ambiance. read more

See all

The wife and I stopped here for lunch yesterday and the food, service and restaurant were excellent read more

See all

We were taking a 5 mile Encinitas Loop walk when we came across this gem. First went to the Biergarden and sat for 20 minutes and the bartender still did not even look at us or serve us. Decided just to grab some cocktails here and ended up ordering a super delicious corn salsa, which was unbelievable. It had shrimp on it, mayo, lime that was mixed with a key. The server was amazing, explaining the dish and even though we weren't planning on eating anything, we ordered food. A wonderful experience. Sat on the patio with my two amazing dogs who loved it all. What a great place, can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Lunch menu has greatly expanded and the food is better than ever. Amazing fish tacos, burritos and much more. Overall a standout among Encinitas restaurants. I've read more

I love Cocina de Barrio. I normally go to the North Park location which is my favorite but I was meeting people and chose this location due to convenience. Great parking situation and the staff were very friendly. I had my birthday dinner here and they were quite attentive and gave me tres leches cake for the celebration. read more

The service was great! We were a big walk in and they could seat us no problem! The quality of the food was fantastic and it came out swiftly. The drinks are tasty! Popsicle Margarita is def a go to. I got the mango popsicle but made the marg spicy!! You can get any marg base with whatever flavor popsicle. someone in my group got a strawberry marg & pomegranate popsicle. The decor is so beautiful & such a vibe. Came here for a birthday & they made it memorable. read more

See all

Came in for dinner with a large party during a golf trip. Loved the tequila selection here. Loved the chips and salsa here. Oddly enough, I loved the meal I had. It was a green mole chicken dish. I usually prefer a chicken burrito but to my surprise this place does not serve one. So I had to get something so why not something different from what I would do. I did and I loved it. They handled a party of 16 so easily. They had a giant communal table in the center where we all sat. I can tell this will be a regular stop when we are down south on a trip. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Spicy margarita - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Grabbed drinks and some light food last night with friends. Right off the bat, I noticed this place has a variety of Mezcal drinks and plant based food options which is awesome. My friends and I all love Mezcal one of us is vegan so we were excited about this restaurant. For drinks I got the La Glotona. It was not too sweet and the Mezcal shined. The balance in the cocktail was perfect. I could drink a hundred of these!!! For food, we shared the guac and they come and make it by the table with a mortar and pestle. They make it custom to how you'd like it to taste! We did ask for them to make it spicy though and it wasn't at all but other than that it was really good and the portion was large. We also got the Quesadillas de Huitlacoche. It was yummy but nothing spectacular. It does leave me intrigued enough to try other things on the menu. Overall great drinks and solid food here. Perfect choice for a Mezcal lover and good for plant based food options as well! I would like to come again to try other things. read more

See all

Hands down one of our favorite spots in the area! Cocina de Barrio never disappoints....from the best happy hour around to their incredible margaritas, everything here hits the mark. The brunch is next level. So many creative dishes, fresh ingredients, and plenty of great vegan options, which is such a bonus. You can tell a lot of thought goes into their menu and presentation. The vibe is always fun and energetic without being too loud, and the decor is colorful, modern, and full of personality. It's the kind of place that feels like a mini getaway every time you go. Huge plus: they have a dog-friendly patio that is perfect for enjoying sunshine, good food, and even better company. Whether it's happy hour, brunch, dinner or just catching up with friends over margaritas, Cocina de Barrio in Encinitas has become an absolute favorite. Highly recommend! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

This location was my favorite place for breakfast before 2020. Then sadly it closed because of the pandemic. I was completely heartbroken. When this restaurant, COCINA DE BARRIO opened, I had to try it. Over time we've eaten Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at this restaurant. Every single time, all the staff were welcoming, attentive, professional and very friendly. On our most recent visit, we decided to check out the happy hour menu. We ordered... Tacos de Pescado (3 fish tacos) Tacos de Camaron (3 fish tacos) Guacamole & Chips 2 Jalisco Express cocktails The food was Delicious and Freshly prepared. The drinks were great! As I'm not a big drinker, my husband drank the rest of my drink because it's delicious. The Guacamole was delicious and it's plated like a work of art with eatable flowers and micro cilantro over it. We tend to sit outside as we have our dog with us. The back corner table is where we typically request to sit. Our dog gets very anxious when people constantly walk by and this location is perfect for us. Our server, Yvonne Hurtado is wonderful! We've had her for the last 4 meals at this table and had the best service! She always makes us feel welcomed, checks in with us during our meal and is a very warm hearted beautiful young lady. There is a nice bar and many different types of tables inside and many tables in the porch (where we sit). The restrooms are always clean and well stocked. I'm sure most locals, like ourselves are familiar with this fantastic restaurant. But if you're new or visiting this beautiful beach community, you should try this restaurant. You won't regret it. read more

See all

Awesome little Mexican joint located right in the heart of downtown Encinitas. This place has an excellent tequila and mezcal menu along with some pretty delicious traditional Mexican food. Service is solid and a nice outdoor eating area which is pet friendly. read more

See all

Stopped in for happy hour that starts at 3pm great deals on a variety of different beverages the margaritas were yummy I tried the agua santa and it was sweet with pineapple I loved it also tried the la Rosa and it was strong and also delicious! I had the memelitas plate and my friend tried the quesadillas with mole from the regular menu both were very flavorful and the presentation of the plates were fantastic! This is a very cute restaurant with plenty of seating and bar seating overall it was a nice afternoon spent with good eats! read more

See all

We went to the Encinitas Cocina de Barrio on this So Cal visit because we were craving GOOD Mexican food (so hard to find in Massachusetts where we live). We were looking for something upscale / date night worthy, BUT we were also looking for something midafternoon. We'd missed lunch due to a cycling adventure and could not wait until 5:00 when most nice places would open for dinner service. Yelp to the rescue! "Best Mexican near us sorted by rating + $$$ or $$$$ & full bar" (we've learned the last two filters typically yield a better date night result). Jackpot! Turns out Cocina de Barrio is a small, three-restaurant chain in the southern So Cal. The Encinitas location was closest to where we were that afternoon. We loved it! First, the service was excellent (except for the bar being understaffed on this busy holiday afternoon--our drinks, ordered soon after we were seated--didn't arrive until our entrees were served. But that's a management issue. Everyone there was clearly working their butts off and super friendly. We started with the quac and chips for an appetizer. One of the best guacs we've ever had. I had Polo Mole and my partner had the Shrimp Tacos. She loved hers and I loved mine. Now that we know there's another Cocina de Barrio in Point Loma, not far from where we will be staying for the second part of our trip, we'll get to enjoy good, upscale, Mexican food one more time before we head home. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Casual and cozy place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Went there to watch Mexico in the World Cup! Great experience as the televisions were solid. The food is by far the best and most eclectic!! Everything we had was super inspired and good!! Karelly was our server and she left nothing to be desired. She took great care of our large party!! Will come again this week and the games and great food await! Plus some fantastic mezcal drinks in a wonderful setting!! read more

10/10 best margaritas in town. The balance was just perfect: not too sweet, not too tart, exactly the kind of drink that makes you slow down and savor it. I will definitely be back!! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Margaritas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

I really liked this spot!!! I'm surprised it wasn't super crowded when I went on a Saturday. There was indoor and outdoor seating available when I arrived. There was plenty of parking in this area in the parking lot or even street parking if you're walking the neighborhood. The inside was so cute I loved the decor and atmosphere of the restaurant. They played good music and it wasn't too loud so you can still enjoy conversations with your group. The white sangria was really good it wasn't too sweet and it had a kick! My friend got the bottomless mimosas and was able to try all of the flavors available which I thought was different than most places but I liked that option! Then I shared the churro french toast that had fresh berries on it and we also split the tlayuda which is def a sharable size!! The flavoring on it was really good we got it with chorizo but you could also get birria. I would love to visit this spot again to try more stuff on the menu. read more

See all

Mexican vegan dish, delicious and just the right amount of spicy. Service was great! Place was beautiful and it's the only location they make the fresh guacamole in-front of us. It's was my favorite guacamole by far! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Tacos de portobello - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Nice pleasant service. Tacos were great and the table side guacamole was great made to order. A added bonus the tortillas for my tacos were made to order. Never been here but I will be back. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Table side Guacamole - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Met up with some friends for brunch around 11am today. First thing I noticed was tons of parking, which I seriously appreciate. No stress about finding a spot! We walked in and were greeted right away. The host was super sweet and offered us a booth even though our friends were still parking. The bussers came by quickly with waters, utensils, and menus, which was wonderful. Our server introduced herself shortly after and took our drink orders. You really can't go wrong with café de olla, so good every time. I ordered the chicken tinga quesadillas, which came with refried beans, queso fresco, and potatoes, and omg they were soooo good. The quesadillas were sitting under a perfectly fried egg, everything was just cooked perfectly, and the flavors were on point. My husband got the chilaquiles and our friends got the enmoladas & another plate of chilaquiles both were also bomb. Honestly, I've never had anything bad on the menu. To end it all, we ordered the churro French toast to share, and it was the perfect sweet ending to the meal, absolutely delicious. Our server was super nice and attentive the whole time. We sat inside of the restaurant in a nice booth which was a pretty dim setting but still comfortable. I really love this restaurant, and so far this is the second location I've been to. Keep doing what you're doing! read more

See all

Visited on the 4th of July and was pleasantly surprised -- no wait at all, we were seated within minutes of walking in. The service was fast, friendly, and super attentive throughout our entire meal. The ambience was amazing--intimate yet vibrant, making it a perfect spot for a casual date or relaxing lunch. We sat on the patio, which had great natural light and a cozy vibe. Food: * Chips & Guac: Fresh, crisp chips and flavorful guacamole served in a traditional molcajete--simple but delicious. * Tacos: We ordered the fish tacos, which were perfectly crisp and topped with fresh slaw and spicy crema. The side of black beans and rice was tasty and well-seasoned. * Drinks: The highlight--cocktails served with popsicles and garnished with edible flowers and dried lime. Super refreshing and fun twist that felt festive and summery. read more

See all

Great place for Mexican food in Encinitas. Service of the place is great! This is a large restaurant with bright lights and booths. They serve a lot of spicy foods, so if you can't handle the spice, make sure to let the waitress or waiter know! read more

Had an amazing brunch here- our server Christian made the experience memorable with his knowledge and passion for the food and regions of Mexico. We had the sopes beni with birria- amazing! The two other dishes we got- Enmolada and Tlayuda were also very good. Got the Tlayuda with birria- their birria is the bomb! The Enmolada has their fantastic mole sauce which needed a dash of salt but otherwise fantastic! The potatoes they serve are delicious! Loved the cafe de olla- cute little mugs with cinnamon infused coffee- soo good! The outdoor seating is really nice- got a spot in the sun with the cool ocean breeze- perfect! Indoor is cute too. Music is not overpowering so it was easy to have conversations and enjoy a leisurely Sunday brunch! read more

See all

I have been to this restaurant a few times and it does not disappoint. The open room seating gives it a lovely atmosphere especially when the weather is warm. The service is great, especially if you order guacamole, it's made on the spot in front of your table. The cocktails are great and they have killer Margaritas. I ordered the carne asada plate and it was delicious. The meat portion was generous and it comes with chimichurri and spicy sauces on the side. Highly recommend! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Carne asada plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is a place I've been meaning to check out fior a long while.. it did not disappoint!! Beautiful interior, reminds me of places in Baja.. Food was amazing, I had the tacos birria tender beef beautifully seasoned melt in your mouth good we all enjoyed our food!! Excellent attentive service I will be back!!! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Tacos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

A nice little restaurant, but nothing that made us feel like we "have to" go back or tell our friends about. The guacamole is made table side and they adjust to your liking. It was good, solid 4 stars. The flavors sounded elevated on the menu, but when it came to execution felt like they didn't go together well or just miss the mark. Overall, for us, felt like they needed more seasoning and a bit more spice/kick to be a contention for a 4 star from us. With so many places to eat around town these days, I don't think we'll be back. But maybe you'll have better luck? read more

Had a fabulous time enjoying friends and celebrating my birthday at Cocina de Barrio. The Margaritas, guacamole and tacos were fantastic. Our server Danny was the best. He was very attentive and had a great personality. He was truly awesome!!!! read more

I had lunch with my friends here last Sunday and really enjoyed the food. I ordered fish tacos and found them to be incredibly delicious. The fish had a crispy batter so there was crunch in every bite. I normally prefer salsa on the side, but these were perfectly seasoned. I had one of my friend's birria taco and she had one of my fish tacos. We both agreed the birria taco was a bit on the dry side, especially since it did not come with the consome for dipping. It also tasted rather bland. We had the chips and salsa to share, note this was not free. We were charged $8.95 for a bowl of salsa and a small serving of chips. The chips were refilled for free upon asking. One of my other friends ordered the crème brûlée French toast, and absolutely loved it! I did not try any, but it sure looked good! Overall, we had a very pleasant meal and enjoyed the friendly service. The restaurant does not take reservations, but it was rather roomy so we did not have to wait too long for our table. read more

See all

I made a special trip to this location specifically to purchase a gift certificate since their website indicates they are available. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so once I arrived, which was quite frustrating after driving all the way there. It would be very helpful if the business could clarify their in-person gift card policy or update their information to avoid wasting customers' time. So I learned the hard way THEY DO NOT SELL GIFT CERTIFICATES Hope i can save someone else the time and travel and inform them They do not sell gift ceritificates , even if they say they do, they dont, do not travel all the way there to be told that , or to be told the machine is broken. hope this is helpful to someone read more

Some of the best chilaquiles ever!!!! Great recommendations from the server and the patio was cute. Definitely coming back

The food was ok! I ordered a mango HABANERO agua chile and it was not spicy whatsoever. I asked the server and he mentioned it had habanero but it still wasn't spicy. I wish he could've offered me a house sauce of any type. The food was ok. I been to their other location and it was good. The service was ok, not so bad. Restaurant overall was clean and a lot seating. Outdoor seating as well. read more

Love this restaurant! Came for weekday brunch with a friend. The salmon hash is DELICIOUS and huge. My friend got black beans with her dish and turned them over to me and they were scrumptious. The coffee wasn't as good as I had at CdB Point Loma/Midway. But everything else was delicious and copious. Jackie was a great server, and we enjoyed the patio (they even had a shade to pull down because the midday sun was strong). Love this place, whether for vegan Oaxacan dinner or for more typical brunchie things with Mexican flair! read more

Sat outside, they do have heaters which is nice. Pretty expensive menu but they do have a happy hour for discount barria tacos and drinks. Happy hour is weekdays 3-5 pm. I had a jalapeño mocktail which was the best part of my experience. The table side guac was not made table side. Enough guac for 3/4 people to enjoy. I also ordered the soupa azteca, not much substance outside of the tortilla chips, wish I ordered something else. This is a great spot to possibly start your night with some drinks as their drink menu is extensive, although they are pricy - $15/per drink. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Soupa Azteca - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Cocina de Barrio's elevated presentation of drinks and food items is what brought me in. The visually stunning cocktails go beyond the normal garnish with fresh flowers, herbs, fancy salts and dried fruit. These beautiful cocktails are beautiful albeit weak on the kick. Upon entering the neighborhood kitchen the first thing I noticed was the huge bar area. The dining area with an open dining concept works well for large groups, especially the long community tables. Many years ago I worked at a restaurant in this building when it was a great Italian restaurant. After that a succession of restaurants have missed the mark and gone out of business. I think that Cocina de Barrio will have great success in this location as long as they do not price the locals out. The happy hour taco plate that I ordered looked beautiful and tasted pretty good too. I would recommend stopping by for happy hour for a refreshing treat. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

A nice find in Encinitas. I was not expecting to be taken away by their birria chilaquiles. I usually don't order meat with my chilaquiles so I ordered the birria on the side (it was not a stingy portion). I took a bite of the chilaquiles and a bite of the birria and man, oh man. Delicious combination. My boyfriend ordered the birria huevos rancheros and he could not stop raving about it.Again, very generous portions of birria. And if you're in the mood, their caffe the olla is quite good. Our server was very kind and attentive and they accommodated our dog which is always nice. The place is nice an open with some outdoor seating. I would give it a try if you're in the area. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Birria Huevos Rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Amazing! Great food as always and vibe! We ordered guac and they rolled over a card and made it fresh in front of us! read more

See all

Yum! As a carnivore, I love this spot!! However, not many options for pescatarian on the dinner menu, beware! I've been here quite a few times for lunch/brunch and dinner. The French toast and pancakes are SO delicious, decadent and could easily be a dessert! Perfect to share The steak tampiquena (lunch menu only) is my absolute favorite! Close 2nd would be the Ribeye (dinner menu) Bummed that the dinner menu doesn't have any pescatarian options for tacos! I hope they will add fish or shrimp tacos to the dinner menu. The only pescatarian dinner entree options are the flounder filet or the salmon Caesar salad. Will be back! Please add fish or shrimp taco entrees to the dinner menu! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - $10 Happy Hour Chips & Salsa! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

We were at the Encinitas street fair and dropped in to order chips and guac to go. The guac was delicious!!!! Salsa had a good flavor, the chips were just average they need more salt. I would go back for the salsa and guac. read more