This place was delicious! The staff was also very helpful and friendly and it had a great atmosphere. We will be back and will recommend others check it out. read more

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Went to Cocina de Barrio in Encinitas last night for a friend's birthday and it was amazing! Every drink we had was 10/10 and the food was great. Highly recommend the ceviche de robalo & xoconostle and guacamole oaxaqueno to share for the table. I ordered their barrio margarita and loved how you could choose the type of liquor and the flavor. Then to eat I had the birria tacos which was the perfect amount of food but you can order a side of rice & beans if you are looking for more. Overall, we had a great experience and a great addition to downtown Encinitas! read more

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Mexican style breakfast + a traditional breakfast for the win! Inside is flowy with large windows making everything breezy-- it feels like a beachside cantina. Feels tropical :) Huevos Rancheros and the Cheesecake Pancakes were the perfect opposites. My date got the Mexican style dish and the flavors made me envious! I got the Cheesecake Pancakes with the fruits + berry sauce, light and fluffy. Our server was forgetful, but sweet. We kept having to wait for silver ware, sauces, my drink etc. Still, it'll be a great brunch spot! read more

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Richard was very welcoming & friendly First time coming here and definitely will be coming back such great service read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - La paloma and the mechi - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came on a busy Friday night but scored spots at the bar. Bartenders were wonderful! They were great at checking in on us, keeping things fun, and of course, serving up fun drinks. I love the decor here. We enjoyed all our food. My favs were the birria tacos and the sea bass ceviche. Short rib mole was good, but the flavor profile was more complicated than I needed, but I enjoyed a couple bites. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Short rib mole, Birria tacos, pomegranate mezcal signature cocktail - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

I came here for my 21st birthday brunch and had an amazing experience. The food was awesome along with their unique drinks. Service was pretty on point, the weight staff was friendly. What brought me in here was the pictures of their restaurant. this place is truly beautiful and so well done. read more

I have walked by this place so many times and finally came in tonight and it's so cute and the food looks delicious! I had a glass of wine during happy hour and everyone is super friendly! It's casual and reasonably priced! I highly recommend stopping by and staying awhile!! read more

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

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SO good! Came here on Monday for dinner and my husband and I were so impressed! We started with the ceviche which blew my socks off. So incredibly fresh, full of flavor, with big chunks of sea bass and avocado, all in a delicious citrus blend and served with blue corn tortilla crisps. I ordered the Sopa Azteca and was worried I wouldn't be full but it's a good size especially if you're having an appetizer beforehand. It came out piping hot, full of flavor with just the right amount of kick for my tastebuds to enjoy but not be overwhelmed to the point of tears. Hubby got the birria tacos which came on blue corn tortillas and were so tender and flavorful. The ambiance is great, with modern Mexican vibes and an awesome bar area. Parking is real easy, and our waitress was very friendly. We definitely plan to come back to try other menu items and for happy hour on Monday-Friday 3-5 read more

I must say that I love this place. This was our second time here and definitely not the last. If you love Mexican culture this is the spot. From the music, the food, the artistry and the drinks, it's really a great ambiance. Oscar and Hilda treated us so well, like family! I'm definitely grateful for the experience because brunch became a highlight for our family trip. Thanks again guys! read more

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Everything was great except the food and the 100° bathroom. Portions were so small and very expensive, not worth it. Service was wonderful however. I would only come back here for drinks. read more

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

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HAPPY HOUR REVIEW - 3.5 STARS We made reservations for 3pm on Black Friday. Family is in town and we wanted to try something hot and new that still had positive reviews. I had been keeping my eye on Cocina de Barrio and the new Mas Fuego in Carlsbad. Mas Fuego turned out to be a dumpster fire, but Cocina seemed to be having a strong start. We got seated at a booth which was very comfortable. Note: as far as I could see, all of the indoor tables and booths had padded seating. This is a big deal to me and I always call it out if a place refuses to make their guest's comfort a priority. I did not check the patio seating but so far Cocina is five stars. We basically ordered most everything on the happy hour menu: * Tacos de Birria (lamb) * Tacos de Camaron (shrimp) * Tacos de Trompo (al pastor) * Tacos de Pescado (salmon) * Mango Habanero Aguachile * Ceviche * Guacamole * Oysters (12) * Margarita (2 Blancos, 1 Rosa, 1 Agua Santa, 1 Jalisco Express) THE GOOD The drinks were good. The best was the La Rosa by far. Imagine if a sangria and a margarita had a baby. The second best: Jalisco Express, which had a little kick to it but was delicious. The other drinks were either too sweet or had too much sour mix. Not great. The table-side guacamole was nice. We gobbled it up though they only give you a few "chips" (hard blue corn tortillas) with it, which was odd. The other plates we ordered came with chips as well so in all, we had plenty - but if you're just getting the guac you might want to ask for more. You also have the options of adding "chapulines". If you don't know what this is, look it up first :-) The tacos were good, though the tortillas were cold. The birria was not seasoned. I thought the shrimp tacos were the best. They put little dabs of sauce on the plate (some white, green or orange). You can add these to your taco if you choose, but the best topping might just be a little salt. Presentation is outstanding I must say. The oysters were good too, although quite small. Normally they come served on a bed of ice at most place. All twelve were placed on a small plate with salt and Tabasco and limes on the side. They looked really nice though the microgreens didn't add much flavor-wise. Service was good, though we did have trouble hailing our server to get more drinks. We always had someone pouring water, or taking dishes away. THE BAD The Aguachile is hands-down the worst version we have EVER tried. Wow. Do not get this. It was sickeningly sweet with zero heat. This is not authentic aguachile. I really should have returned this as it was inedible. The Ceviche was also just weird. This wasn't as bad as the aguachile but this was also the worst ceviche I've ever had. The green sauce made it hard to identify what was what. It was overly thick with a weird consistency. These two dishes pulled the entire experience down. I'm curious to see what others think but this was eye-openingly bad to us. My mom was with us and she had never tried aguachile before and for this to be her first time was a let down. The temperature of the plates needs to be improved also. Our plates and tortillas were cold which really detracts from the flavor even though the presentation was beautiful. They do not serve chips & salsa - which I think is a bummer. I think most people expect it. Plus, the salsa could add more heat to the other entrees as they come out. They do put a small dish of Chile de Arbol on the table, but it is not "salsa" in the traditional sense. Our total after tip was about $200 after tip, which was not bad considering the sheer amount of food we had. I still think their happy hour is a good deal overall. Just get the La Rosa, the Jalisco Express, the shrimp tacos and the guac and you'll be one happy camper. read more

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Brilliant gorgeous cuisine and staff and ambiance! 500,000 to the infinite power recommend.

We come here for brunch very frequently. The food is excellent every single time! Weve had a majority of the food on the menu and some of our favorites are Arroz con leche pancakes, pineapple upside down pancakes, chicken tinga quesadillas, all of the breakfast scrambles, birria tacos and their spicy salsa! Their cocktails are made with fresh ingredients and the service is always great! read more

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

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Wife and I decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary at someplace we have never been to. We had made a reservation and the Manager Daniel had made accommodations to seat us at a booth as requested. Food: Typically I'm very sceptic about Mexican food restaurants since they normally don't taste very authentic and are bland. After looking at many positive reviews and trying the food I realized that this place is an exception. My wife saw the Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup) and immediately ordered it. Came out quick and piping hot. Flavor was great even considering that I'm not a soup guy. Birria Tlayuda made my toes curl, Prickly Pear ceviche flavor was decent yet the portion was very generous for the price, Short Rib Mole was definitely the Star of the show. It was extremely soft and the black mole tasted authentic. Dessert: After hearing that it was our anniversary the Manager Daniel, lets us know that he can bring out a slice of their Tres Leche cake for us on the house. We also ordered a Jericoya. Dessert is definitely an area of opportunity. Tres Leches cake is supposed to be soaked which it was very dry and the Jericoya was more like a crème brûlée. Strawberry Margarita was balanced and tasty. Service: Our server Fatima was frequently checking in and also answered all of our questions. Although the server assistant (younger Caucasian) that was making the guacamole and salsa was just standing around twiddling his thumbs half the time lol. Our server and Manager really made the entire experience great though. Ambience: It's a modern classic vibe, and I love the fresh air that was coming in since the location is near the beach. Thank you Barrio Team for delivering an exceptional experience read more

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Service was friendly and timely. The 4 of us sat inside a horseshoe booth. Very comfortable. Food was flavorful and portions generous. I would have given 5 stars had they offered chips n salsa on the menu and pricing I thought was too high. 3-4 stars for Guacamole with a few black tortilla chips. I would order this with caution. It's a little on the skimpy side and just didn't do it for me I might be too primitive to enjoy it Use to chunky guacamole with traditional corn tortilla chips. Mexican coffee was served fresh in a beautiful mug. Overall would highly recommend. read more

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Fun spot, great location and great food. Prices are eh, nothing crazy but not cheap. Service was good and people are amiable enough. Plus is they don't linger or come around too often, but keep close if you need something. They also have a homemade guac that they make in front of you, which is super fun. I def recommend. read more

My family and I had an amazing night at this beautiful restaurant in Encinitas The food was very good Specially the salmon The chicken mole was ok The tacos with different type of meet was very good The dessert was average The drinks according to my party ( I don't drink ) was super good and guacamole was delicious I like the atmosphere and the location Service was also very nice The manager Daniel was friendly and attentive Great night read more

My friends and I met up here a week ago as we saw they had quite a few vegan options (one of us eats mostly plant-based meals). When we first arrived, the restaurant was pretty empty and we were told they only had immediate outside seating or we could wait for a table inside. I was a little puzzled by this as the restaurant wasn't full but hey maybe it was already full with reservations. We opted for sitting outside. Out waitress was friendly and immediately came out to take our drink order. I ordered a Jarritos which I thought would go well with my my ceviche robalo y xoconostle. This dish was delicious. It was prickly pear and lime cured striped seabass with red onion, cucumber, avocado, chiles and cilantro. It was accompanied with blue corn tostadas. My friend and I also shared the quesadilla de huitlacoche which I would definitely recommend trying. Just don't look up what huitlachoche is beforehand :) Overall, good food. read more

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The place was busy but my friend and I had a reservation, so we were seated quickly. There is lots of seating inside and out on the patio, which offers two very different vibes. Indoors you'll find dark ceilings with vibrant murals around the windows and doors. Outdoors is more typical patio seating with less personality. Table-side guacamole is prepared to order and the portion was quite ample. I had the short rib mole negro which as off the charts delicate and delicious. If you like a little spice, request the mole coloradito. Very tasty. Cocina has delicious drinks that can be made with tequila or vodka. The crème brûlée was magnificent with fresh berries. read more

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The food here is fantastic! Everything we ordered was excellent. They are currently understaffed so things take a little time, I'm sure they'll get that corrected but the staff they do have are wonderful. I customized my order and it was executed perfectly. This will be a new go to spot. read more

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We tried this new place for brunch and we loved it. Their patio is dog-friendly. The service is great with the manager(s?) checking on us twice. Not a long wait for a table. They have an extensive cocktail menu and the 4 we tried were fantastic! Café del Pueblo, La Tia Chata, Soleado Picante & the daily special "Rompé" are all insanely tasty. The La Tia Chata came with a coconut popsicle that you could eat or let melt into the cocktail. We split a savory and sweet dish, the Enmoladas and the Masapan Pancakes. Both dishes were flavorful and paired perfectly together. I won't go on and on and on about the flavors and ingredients. You get enough of that on Yelp. I posted the menus for ya. Figure it out. ;) I can't wait to go back and try more cocktails and dishes! read more

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First visit, very good experience. Mainly due to food service reasonable prices and authentic style food. Stopped in for early brunch and was pleasantly surprised seemed to be an authentic place quite modern nice interior lots of tequila options behind the bar. Was perhaps 1/3 full when arrived which wasn't a concern as early and good atmosphere and seemed other tables were happy and had come here intentionally although there were also a good selection of eggs and omelettes too. Had the chilaquiles with birra beef and W had Huevos, kids had kid stuff. Also ordered the guac which was unexpectedly really great in stone bowl and tasted super light and fluffy. Coffee hot and good. I enjoyed mine and huge portion that I decided to not even try to finish, even for a big bloke, although was very good. W also got a huge portion. Service was very friendly. Would like to return for happy hour or dinner and perhaps sample some of the drinks. read more

I absolutely recommend! Before I realized this restaurant is a regional chain, with 4 locations, I just saw the reviews on Yelp when looking for lunch in Encinitas. This location did not disappoint. The manager came over, in between visits from our server to make sure all was, which it was (this is a lost art but separates the good from the great in my opinion). The chicken pipian and puffed birria appetizer were both fantastic (birria app definitely big enough as a meal for one). The salsa was on point and came in a large metate. Good all around. I'll be back. read more

Not bad, not great. They charge $10 for chips and salsa which was disappointing. We ordered the mango habanero aguachile and it was a generous portion, but tasted like mango puree poured over shrimp, onion, cucumber, and cilantro. No spice and very little lime or salt. Large tequila selection, but wouldn't go out of my way to dine/drink here. read more

Food is excellent Service was immaculate Ambiance was so aesthetically pleasing. I loooove this place!! read more

We love coming here. We've had everything from the aguachiles to birria to salads and mole. The people are amazing, the service is excellent, and the vibes are on point. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back! read more

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

Casual environment with a classy feel to it. Perfect for indoor or outdoor eating experience. Staff us friendly and courteous!! Music is playing in background while you drink and dine. Food is exploding with flavor!! Made fresh and literally will have your taste buds dancing and having a party of their own !! read more

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Service was great and the food was delicious. My group all got drinks and food at brunch. Didn't have to wait to be seated, even for a group of 6 people. I also had my dog with me, dog friendly patio. Definitely recommend checking out if you enjoy brunch or Mexican food. read more

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

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Very cute place. Also very empty place. Met a friend and had some Mezcal cocktails which were delicious. Very pretty and very tasty. ($15) The food was dismal. As others mentioned, no chips and salsa which is weird and also would have been nice with our drinks. My friend had the chicken mole, which she loved. I had a bite and thought it was just ok but to be fair I'm not a huge mole person. Really rich and lacking in flavor. ($28) I had the birria tacos and a side of beans. While the presentation was pretty, they were three of the teeniest tacos I'd ever seen. Think Jack In The Box mini taco size! All three wouldn't have amounted to one normal sized street taco. They were good but the portion was beyond lacking - maybe a teaspoon of meat in each (I'm being generous) & no consommé ($14 for tacos and an extra $3 for beans). The beans were served on a separate plate and were a large portion but they were essentially black bean paste. Completely flavorless. I wish the server had said they were refried because I would have just skipped them. The service was attentive and friendly but the prices were laughable for what you get. Especially in an area with so much exceptional Mexican food, this was a huge miss for me. I'd likely go back to just have cocktails before eating somewhere else. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Soleado Picante was yummy. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great place! Authentic Mexican cuisine. More of a bar setting/feeling than a restaurant. We went for happy hour (3:00-5:00) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The very spicy shrimp appetizer along with the portabella mushroom tacos were delicious. The coconut ceviche type appetizer was pretty bland in my opinion and sadly, I wasn't a fan of their guacamole and I love guacamole. It was very lime juice heavy. The jalapeño margarita was quite delicious! Dishes took awhile to arrive, but they are a new establishment, so I think there's just some kinks to work out. Great price points on the happy hour appetizers and margaritas, both $10-$13 range. It gets pretty busy, so be warned. Try it, you'll like it! read more

This is my second time here and both times Nikki has been my server! She is an absolute doll!!! The food is incredible, drinks absolutely delicious! It's a must stop when I'm in town. Highly recommend checking them out, happy hour is also a great time to try a few different cocktails. Thank you Nikki for being such a great server, so friendly!! read more

Wow, this was AMAZING. My friend and I went to celebrate her birthday during happy hour, we started off with the ceviche, it was sooo good it had a great mix of flavors and textures that really made this dish good. Next we shared the salmon, I thought the ceviche was the best thing but then I tried this, it is just as good the pickled strawberries and red onion add a unique twist but blend perfectly with the salmon. You can never go wrong with fish tacos, and the ones we had here were actually divine-crispy on the outside and beautiful presentation. Finally, the staff heard it was her birthday and brought her a super tasty slice of cake. Not only did they go above and beyond to make her feel special the cake was also 10/10. The ambience of this location is super pleasant, it was right by the beach and the inside was definitely photo worthy. If I could give more than 5 stars I definitely would. read more

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As perfect experience as you could hope for. The restaurant was beautiful on the inside, but we opted to sit outside to enjoy the sunshine. Service was attentive and friendly. Chips salsa and guacamole were delicious. Enjoyed the chicharones that came with the guacamole. Each plate of food featured a huge portion, plated beautifully. Three out off four of us were very pleased. One picky friend said her dish wasn't seasoned well, but she picked off toppings and there was salt and pepper on the table. So. (Any C&C fans out there.. lol). This restaurant is going into my regular rotation. Can't wait to go back on a day when I can enjoy what I am sure will be fabulous cocktails and try one of the many other appealing dishes. read more

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

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Authentic Oaxacan mexican food at its best! Wow! We went for brunch and tried the Chilaquiles Rojos with beef birria, Chilaquiles Verde, and the Enmoladas! Everything was amazing! We ordered a side of the house made mole and it was insane!!! Everything is made from scratch even the popsicle that goes with the margaritas! The hot sauce is very spicy just the way I like it. Yes!!!! Service was was awesome and our Server Wendy was very friendly and knowledgeable about the different dishes! Can't wait to try the happy hour and dinner menu! read more

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I been to their downtown San Diego location a year ago I believe so amazing this one was small but really spacious. I wanted to try their caldo de piedra but we got there early. Amazing customer service. Our server was really talkative and nice to our table she even brought out a tree leche cake for me because I was bummed out I got there early so thank you for that! The price point I believe it's worth it for the quality of the food but many don't have the same taste. The food amazing too it was my first time having mole de pipan I absolutely loved it you could taste and smell the faint smell and taste of the hoja santa. I believe this is real authentic Oaxacan food coming from someone who is part Oaxacan. I really love your food and hopefully god bless you and your business more to the point you expand to LA. read more

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Food was amazing! Especially the chilaquiles verdes and matcha sauce. Service is always on point when ever you need coffee or any drinks! This place is just relaxing when it comes to having conversation with family and friends! read more

Went on Saturday evening for dinner with hubby. There is limit of one hour parking but we were able to see our car from our table and it was okay. We started with the white fish ceviche. It was so fresh and delicious and had a kick to it. We split the chicken mole. Also had a kick but we like spice. The fresh corn tortilla that came with the dish was so good and so were the sautéed cactus. They have a good list of tequila and cocktails which go perfect with their meals. The restaurant had a casual ambiance and you could definitely take your kids. Would go back to try otheir items read more

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

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Love the tableside guacamole experience! The food is extremely flavorful and I would recommend sharing some of the dishes so you have more to try! read more

Nikki was a wonderful waitress. Really friendly, efficient and made sure we were happy. Food was good too

They charge for salsa!! I've never EVER been charged for salsa at a Mexican restaurant! We ordered the chips and guacamole appetizer (which was really good) and just wanted a little salsa to put on our tacos. They charged us for it! Then the server tried to justify why they are the only Mexican restaurant that charges for salsa by saying the tomatoes cost money and the labor it takes to make it. Absolutely ridiculous. Will not be back. No wonder the place was empty... read more