This place is great place to dine on the 101, the restaurant is beautiful, it has very cool art and tile work. I had the chilaquiles verdes and it was amazing, it was spicy, savory, and I recommend getting an egg on top because it was perfect. The service was also great my waiter was very nice. read more

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

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

My husband and I have now been here a handful of times, most recently for brunch. The food is consistently awesome! They make amazing cocktails! I love the decor inside. Service has always been great. We will keep coming back!! And the brunch menu looked like it had some awesome choices that my kids would enjoy so we plan to bring the fam too. read more

We were greeted promptly upon entering and seated within a few minutes. There are high top tables, low tables, booths, and an outside area. We opted for a booth inside. We started with guacamole, and it showed up in a mortar with a few pork rinds and a basket of chips. Next up was the habanero mango aguachile. The shrimp was "cooked" to the perfect texture, and the flavor was incredible. It has a mango puree, so if you're not really into sweet flavors in your aguachile, go with the verde! My other half ordered a fuego de Pasion, which was a mezcal drink with passion fruit. He was afraid it might be too sweet, but it has just the right amount of sweetness and smoky notes of flavor. I ordered the chilaquiles and my other half got the shrimp quesadilla. The food runner asked if we wanted their house made salsa, and of course we said, "yes!" There's nothing that I'd point out specifically that stood out, but overall, both dishes were presented well and the flavor was definitely a 10/10 for me. The house made salsa was a salsa matcha --best described as a Mexican chili oil, and I would absolutely order it time and time over. I finished off brunch with the RumChata drink, because I saw photos of a drink with a paleta on top right here on yelp! I showed the server, and when she told me it was a coconut paleta on top, I was sold! I don't typically drink alcohol, but I WILL say yes to ice cream. I ate the ice cream and slid my drink away to the other side of the table to enjoy. This is now on my list of great brunch spots that I'd love to revisit. read more

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Ambiance was nice. Nothing special but ok. Service was good. Food- mediocre at best. Go to City Tacos next door, WAY WAY better. Disappointed for sure. read more

First time at the restaurant and shared items from the regular and happy hr menus w my better half. Let's get to the main point: This is a VERY SERIOUS, AUTHENTIC AMERICAN MEXICAN RESTAURANT! In a town (SD) with 3 or 4 great Mexican restaurants, and another dozen excellent ones, Cocina de Barrio in Encinitas clearly is one of the best . . . maybe the best, As noted elsewhere, drinks are great (the cocktail and draft beer I had were special and delicious. Yes, the beer is unbranded from Baja, but I have never tasted anything like it, and it is terrific. negatives? just from my POV 1. moles are MANY and taste preferences for all these different flavors and ingredients vary dramatically - for my taste, the mole was a bit too bitter. needs salt and/or sugar. Others may LOVE it. 2. there isn't much to satisfy the typical patron of the usual Mexican restaurant: Enchiladas? Burritos? Chili Relleno? Fajitas? Tamales? Delicious though they are . . . Not really. What you do get is tremendously sophisticated Mexican cuisine and drink at a fair price. You might think you're at a great, modern, hip place in Mexico City or Guadalajara! read more

My family and I loved the decor here, everything is so tasteful and well done. We enjoyed the bright natural lighting, the plants, and the plentiful space between us and the other patrons. What really struck us about this restaurant is the authenticity of the food. We felt as though we were having authentic, not "Americanized" Mexican food. I appreciated the plant based section of the menu and tried masa cakes which were flavorful and satisfying. Overall, we would definitely come back here. 5 stars! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - The vegan masa cakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food choices were amazing! Lots of options and great drinks available. I enjoyed the chilaquiles, especially because the tortilla chips were so crispy! Creme brûlée French toast was very delicious. I appreciate that it is a dog friendly restaurant and the waiter even brought out a dog water bowl for my puppers :) Good amount of parking spaces available too. read more

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Cocina de Barrio was such a great experience! Our server, Yvonne, was amazing--super helpful in guiding us through the happy hour menu and made sure our waters stayed full without hovering. The ambiance was beautiful and the overall vibe was really welcoming and relaxed. I made a reservation just in case, but it definitely wasn't necessary--it wasn't too busy, which made the night even more enjoyable. The food? Bomb. Everything tasted authentic and delicious, and I left feeling full in the best way--not overly stuffed, just satisfied. I'll definitely be returning! read more

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

We decided to try this place instead of City Tacos accross the parking lot. The food was just ok. Expensive for what we got. It can get loud at night and we had to run through a gauntlet of dogs to get to our table. We'll stick with City Tacos next time. read more

Came in for brunch with my picky in laws, hoping I had found a spot to please everyone. Looks like I found the place! Our party ordered a Bloody Mary, popsicle marg, and Jamaica marg. All were delicious although we wished the popsicle marg came without ice so that it didn't overflow when placing the popsicle. As for food we got a mix of savory and sweet, breakfast and lunch. Everything was delicious. read more

We love this place- it's our second time and we have come in the mornings. Mornings are great as they offer both breakfast and lunch menu and you can bring your dog for patio. They even cooked up some chicken for a snack for them! Service is amazing and food is a delight. Don't sleep on the salsa and chips- yes you need to pay for it but it's huge and you can take the rest home. It's amazing' read more

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Amazing vegan options! Danny is the man! Everything tastes fresh the guacamole is the best in town and the booths are sexy

Tried for first time tonight since Nieces husband in town from Portland. Also older son joining. Guacamole was made at table and really good. Surprised had to pay for salsa. But good. Ate lamb shank sautéed in mole sauce, masa type barrira tacos, and grouper dinner. All tasty and fresh. Margaritas good also. Recommend for high end Mexican. read more

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Nice spot to go for happy hour margaritas, nice fusion of 3 different types. Well light area, nice seating and good bar food if you want a snack read more

Forgot to add the fact that the memilitas are really good. Lamb on a corn pancake thing. Really yummy read more

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I've come here a few times, and have enjoyed the experience each and every time. I have tried several dishes, including their ceviche and fish tacos. Their fish tacos platter comes with three tacos and is accompanied with a side of rice and beans. The fish is perfectly crispy and light, topped with a slaw of cabbage and onions and drizzled with a creamy spicy aioli. I will definitely be returning as the food is always flavorful and the service is top-notch. There is also plentiful seating. read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Fish tacos with rice and beans - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food like always delicious and nice presented. The service was good but we missed the manager he is always courteous and nice.

Vibes were amazing! Service: was pretty slow, we had to flag down the server or manager to order - but they were so nice and really busy so we understood. Apps: Guac and salsa is a must have! The guac is a whole experience where they make it in front of you and it is literally so fresh! We had enough to take home for the next day and it saved really well too! Entree: The quesadilla was really really small but good and the tortilla soup was good except the chicken was really dry and inedible. Reso or walk in? : I would recommend making a reso if you want to sit inside bc it goes really fast - otherwise walk ins will have to sit outside or at the bar. read more

The most delicious brunch I've had in Encinitas in a long time (maybe even ever)! The unique flavors and dishes offered here are delicious and authentic. The mole was out of this world and the mango habanero ceviche was fresh, bright, and perfectly done. They have an extensive brunch menu with a ton of options from breakfast fare like pancakes and French toast to Oaxacan inspired and traditional dishes like chilaquiles and mole. The restaurant is gorgeous inside with rich colors and tiles and the bar is itself is breathtaking. The service was excellent with knowledgeable staff. I'm so happy to have a place like this in Encinitas and I can't wait to try the dinner menu. read more

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Absolutely Amazing!!!!! Service was very attentive and sweet, and the guacamole was great!

Staff is wonderful, ambiance is great. Food is underwhelming. I felt it lacked flavor. read more

The waiters here were super attentive and kept checking in on us, which we really appreciated! The restaurant was beautifully decorated as well. I got the chilaquiles verdes, and they were absolutely worth it. We literally drove 15 minutes past this place, turned around, and came back because of all the rave reviews about the chilaquiles verdes. They definitely did not disappoint. Trust the reviews and go for it. Highly recommend! read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Ham & ham omelette and fries on the side. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

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What a perfect day for an incredible brunch. I ate everything which was way too much but I couldn't stop. This was absolutely delicious and our service was excellent. I should have shared and or stoped halfway through as these were generous portions but I just kept going and tight pants and a round belly were a happy price to pay. I tried my first cafe de olla thanks to my friend which was so perfect (think coffee with brown sugar hints and a rich smoothness) plus the nopales and the portions were killer. I will need to go back for dinner, happy hour, brunch round two and probably three (their mimosa special looked gooood). Beautiful spot close to the ocean along Encinitas' PCH and such great food. It felt chill and relaxed but also a place I could happily get a little fancy for. Def a new favorite! read more

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Ambiance..cute place with plenty of parking Service..amazing Food..love the live guac station with crickets..my drink was strong and good.. I also loved my quesadilla de portobello. The hot salsa was hot and the flan and dolce de Leche was amazing. So fresh flavors and plenty of food. read more

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I've been to all CdB locations, and I have to say that this is definitely one of my favorites. Only topped by the Point Loma location, but they're all great! Now that I live in North County, this will be my default location to visit. This review is for brunch. I had the cafe de olla and chilaquiles verdes, SO delicious and a hefty portion! We also had the churros and pancakes, delicious! The staff is what elevates all the CdB locations I've been too. And they put so much thought into their locations and space, that I will never miss an opportunity to come back. It is ESPECIALLY great for large groups! Parking at the Encinitas location is also surprisingly easy (when you get here early - we got here right after it opened, around 10:30 AM). read more

Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas - Chilaquiles Verdes con un Huevo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

You really can't beat a five dollar marg in San Diego. The place is super cute inside and it was easy to get a reservation. The margs were made to order and weren't from a batch! read more

Loved the mango shrimp ceviche- so refreshing and a delight to eat. The interior design of this restaurant is beautiful. The food is yummy. Will be back read more

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Arrived about 1230pm to meet up for a small reunion with friends. Because of the beautiful weather I requested outside seating. At some point the sun was beating down that we requested for the shades to be drawn down. It was perfect. Food and service were excellent. They do have a sign that advises max sitting time is 90 minutes. Some the parking spots in this location says 60 min parking. Although we probably only stayed about 80 minutes, I don't think we would have been asked to leave after 90 as it wasn't jam packed, which was nice to not feel rushed. My friend footed the bill but for 4 meals, 3 cocktails came out to about $150 with tip. I love that they have brunch and lunch. Given that I'm visiting, I couldn't leave without a Mexican dish. My chilaquiles was perfect and the shake you pom pom cocktail was a perfect compliment to my meal. This place was selected based on the Yelp ratings and the location we needed nearby our starting point. A great find for a place I hope to visit again. read more

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A huge shoutout to our server, Daniel G. -- he was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed the entire time. My boyfriend had the bottomless mimosas, and Daniel kept his glass full without us ever having to ask. That kind of attention really made the experience feel special. Also, the atmosphere was vibrant & the food was fresh and flavorful. We'll definitely be coming back, and we'll be asking for Daniel next time! read more

Beautiful restaurant. Excellent food. amazing service. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Stumbled upon this place by accident. And it worked out well - we had one of our best vacay meals here. The fish tacos were excellent and the kidlet gobbled up his fries and chicken tenders. The best and biggest surprise? The ginormous mortar the delicious salsa was delivered in when the chips came to the table. Now THAT'S a bowl of salsa. Our server was great - attentive but not hovering. And the outdoor seating was relaxing even though it was next to the parking lot. Oh, well. Nothing's perfect. We'd definitely return. read more

What a wonderful place! The flavors mesh to create an explosion of deliciousness in your mouth. All the dishes and drinks we tried were extremely good. They blend different things to create extraordinary dishes and the presentations are great too. The server went over and beyond to make our meal good and food and drinks were delivered in a very timely manner. read more

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This is my honest opinion after going to tons and tons of Mexican restaurants. They're Chilaquiles are really good crunchy. They don't get soggy really fast. Their French toast was amazingly good. The only thing I complain about was their service. We waited and waited two people checked up on us and said if our orders had been taken, we said no they went to go grab someone. It took us close to 20 minutes for them to take our order. Now I was excited to try the place since my wife went to the one in Hillcrest and told me some amazing comments on it. The second thing is we were four and two of our plates were cold. I'm not the typical person to return a plate so I just ate it like that. The ambience of the place was good a little loud and not with music just the way it's laid out. You can kind of hear everyone talking not a big deal. I think it's a great place. If their service was good and their food didn't come out cold. I'm not sure if I would return to this specific location due to the issues I already had. read more

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Love this place for brunch! They have amazing chilaquiles and bottomless mimosas! The service is great, and it's super cute inside. Also nice to sit outside! read more

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

My wife and I spent a week in Oaxaca and love the cuisine there so we were keen to try the food at Cocina de Barrio, which has dishes from Oaxaca. I ordered the Pollo en Pipian, which was chicken breast, mole verde pipina, peanuts, sesame, pumpkin seeds, cilantro-lemon rice, beans, queso fresco. The dish was a generous portion and beautifully plated. I thought the mole verde pipina sauce was delcious but there wasn't much of it, which was a disappointment. And the chicken breast was on the dry side. My wife ordered the tacos de birria with 10 hours braised lamb, pickled onions, cilantro, queso fresco served with cilantro-lemon rice and beans. Like my dish, it was beautifully plated. But unfortunately her 10 hours braised lamb in the tacos was on the dry side too --- which 10 hours braised lamb shouldn't be. The service was okay. Our waitress was friendly in an efficient way. When it came to getting the bill, she placed it on the far corner of the table so I really had to get up and reach over to get it. The restaurant has beautiful decor and a nice ambiance. Also, if you're a fan of chips and salsa, which I am, it will cost you here. $10 for an order of chips and salsa. read more

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Oh my gosh. This food was so authentic, fresh, and absolutely delicious!! It was a rainy day and the ambiance of the restaurant was so fitting. The interior was super cute and the service was very good. I ordered: 1. Mango Habanero Aquachile (5/5) It was super fresh and all the flavors mixed together well. It came with a side of blue corn tortillas which i broke in quarters to eat. The small salsa they give you on the side gives a nice kick to the dish, as long as you don't use too much because it can really heat up! 2. Chilaquilas Verdes (5/5) The tortilla chips were still crispy, which I love. Initially it looked dry and I was about to ask for more sauce, but noticed that there was more at the bottom and realized it was the perfect amount. 3. La Paloma (4/5) Really nicely made. Good taste. But it was $15, which is a bit pricy. Overall, my bill was about $56 dollars. I would definitely try to hit up their happy hour to taste more of the their menu. read more

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Took some coworkers out to brunch here. Had such a great time for dinner a few months ago I assume the brunch wouldn't disappoint... it didn't. :) The crème brûlée French toast was great to share and the enmoladas was 10/10 incredible. I would come back just for that. read more

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

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Came back a week later for the same plate! Order the verde mole pollo. So delicious. Authentic oaxacan flavors!! Our hostess was so sweet and helpful too! read more

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Great food and service! 23 lived the mix drinks with popsicles and tacos. Vegan food was excellent too!!!