I've visited this restaurant twice, once for a friend's birthday and another time to for a day trip with my parents. First and foremost, the overall atmosphere of this restaurant is very festive. There's a full bar, plenty of seating, and there's always music playing in the background. In my most recent visit, we were initially directed to a table close to the bar. But one of the bussers kindly cleaned a larger table by the patio very quickly, then moved my parents and I. So we unexpectedly got a comfortable booth by natural light, how thoughtful! :') Food Highlights: - Grilled Octopus (5/5) - Char + flavor + texture made for a phenomenal appetizer to share - Señorial Non-Alcoholic Sangria (4/5) - this was terrific, but it's a bit pricy to order from here. You're better off buying this bev in bulk from Smart & Final - Chicharrón, Chips, and Guacamole (4.3/5) - Delicious! But I would have liked more chicarrón and guac, less chips. - Lenguado al Ajillo (4.7/5) - Crispy edges, but the flounder itself flakes beautifully. The garlic butter flavor isn't too overpowering and the corn cake that comes with this plate is on the sweeter side - overall, a fantastic dish! The staff is generally accommodating to reasonable requests. I actually asked for extra cilantro lemon rice and less beans. I didn't even mind the black beans lodged into the rice cause this still made for a well-balanced meal. If I'm in the greater San Diego area in the future, I'm determined to try one of their popsicle margaritas! read more

Cocina De Barrio - Lenguado al Ajillo + La Rosa Hibisco cocktail - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I was really disappointed with our brunch experience. Our waitress Jeanette was inattentive throughout the meal and rarely checked on our table. We had to wait around needing basic things like water refills and condiments while our food sat getting cold. When I asked for sauce, I was never informed there would be an extra charge, which should have been communicated upfront. To make matters worse, our receipt looked unprofessional it was a printed receipt with information crossed out and handwritten over in pen. We were also charged a service fee that honestly did not reflect the level of service we received. The atmosphere had potential, but the poor service took away from the experience. read more

I've come to Cocina de Barrio on many occassions now, and their service and food has always been consistently good, with staff going above and beyond! My favorite meal time at Cocina de Barrio is their brunch. Their dishes range from the classics with a "Mexican twist" (eggs, pancakes, French toast) to the more authentic antojitos. I've tried and really enjoyed their enmoladas made with Oaxacan mole. The cafe de olla is also not-to-be-missed. Everytime I come to Cocina de Barrio, the staff always goes above and beyond. The first time, our server (Alberto) saw me yawn and asked if I wanted to try the cafe de olla to "wake me up" (as a joke haha) and he brought it for free! They also sing and give out a generous slice of tres leches cake to the "cumpleañero" (birthday freebie). I look forward to coming back and trying more of their delicious "antojitos" (even though I'm faithful to these enmoladas). read more

Cocina De Barrio - California omelette - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Headed to Cocina de Barrio for Sunday brunch. Plentiful parking, wait for a table was quick, service prompt. Food was just okay, but would have been better if the dishes (Churros French toast, chilaquiles verde, chicken quesadilla plates) came out a bit warmer as they were all slightly just above room temp...probably cooled off significantly waiting on the wait staff to bring them out. The cafe de olla was just warm. Seems like an execution issue given the restaurant was slammed with the brunch crowd. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Churros French Toast - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This is my 2nd time at this restaurant. The first time it was a lot of us & service was good . Today the service was horrible by Jeanette. She never came to check on our table . We were missing basic things needed for our table. It wasn't that busy in the restaurant for us not to get good service . We asked to speak to the manager & we were sent a lead person for the bussers it was rude for her not to come over to speak to us & his explanation was she doesn't speak English & that doesn't matter how they know we don't have someone at our table that speaks Spanish . We did have someone that spoke Spanish at our table. The food was just ok . I probably won't be back . read more

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First of all our waiter Alberto was incredible. So friendly and pleasant and cool! We absolutely loved our dishes. We started with chips & salsa molcajete, I'm obsessed with good salsa. My wife had the Sopes Benedict with lamb birria and chipotle hollandaise, really delicious! And I loved the Huevos Oaxaqueños, always interested to see how nopales are used because I am learning to cook with them myself. Looking forward to coming back to try more things! read more

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My friends and I stopped by here a few weeks ago. They have a large variety of options to choose from, and the service was excellent. Our waiter was friendly and gave us plenty of helpful recommendations. I ordered the mango margarita and the chilaquiles rojos, and we also ordered guacamole as an appetizer. The guacamole and my drink were really good, but I didn't care for the chilaquiles rojos. My dish just seemed to lack flavor. Everyone else enjoyed their food, though. Overall, it was a nice spot with great service. read more

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First the presentation is beautiful on every dish. Everything was beautifully plated and the rice was shaped into little pyramids. The memelitas were excellent and every dish was pretty good. Would love to come back for cocktails and brunch sometime. read more

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We came here and had an amazing brunch The waiter was super amazing and kept the coffee coming. This is quickly becoming my favorite brunch spot! I'll be back for sure because every single time I come here the food exceeds my expectations! So do yourself a favor and sit down and try something you've never had before! The mole here is amazing. The waiter was super kind in letting us try a variety of sauces before we made any final decisions on our meal. Everything came out perfect and hot and the portion sizes were very generous. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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Cocina del Barrio is definitely an eye-grabber from the outside in. The space beautifully embraces Spanish-style design without overdoing it. Warm, inviting, and thoughtfully done. There were three of us, and of course we wanted to try everything. We went for lunch and were pleasantly surprised that there was no wait. We were seated promptly and given menus right away. The menu has tons of options, and being the curious Yelper I am, I checked out what others had posted beforehand. I was really tempted by the ceviche, but once I saw it only comes with about 6-8 shrimp, I couldn't justify the $23 price for the portion size. A little disappointing, but it didn't stop us from ordering plenty. What we ordered: *Red chilaquiles - Not my favorite. They were a bit too dry for my taste; I personally like chilaquiles with more sauce. *Huevos con chorizo - Really good. The white rice was a little different, red rice would of been better, but still enjoyable. *Costillas de res con salsa verde - Absolutely perfect. Fall-off-the-bone tender, and the sauce was saucing. Truly delicious. *Margaritas - Very good, and let me tell you... we were vibing While everything was solid, the rice seem like it was missing something. I can't describe it. I do not want to discourage anyone, it could jut be a day off m. Food still very delicious. Highlights: *Great drinks *Plenty of parking *Excellent spot for group gatherings *Bring the kids, plenary of space to move around. Cocina del Barrio is a fun place with great ambiance, standout costillas, and strong cocktails. Worth checking out, especially with friends. read more

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It just opened and rice and beans served cold. Kind of disappointed I expected warm food especially if the average per plate is 18-21 dollars. Did not like the cafe de la olla its chapas style but staff was nice would i go back with cold food no read more

My husband and I ate here Christmas Eve morning. Our waiters were very friendly, made food and drink suggestions and checked on us frequently. The chilaquiles were fresh and crunchy with just enough spice. I had a traditional American breakfast of pancakes which were fluffy and large in portion. Great location with easy parking. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Pancakes and chilaquiles verde. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We figured we gotta try at least 3 Mexi joint while in San Diego, so this was our third. This was a very sleek, modern Mexican set-up with seemingly a modern twist on many of their items...as you'll see from the pictures. For drinks, my husband got beer (Lager maybe?) and I got their Mezcal-infused cocktail, but forgot the name. I noticed that their drinks are beautifully presented. What's more, they even have these Popsicle cocktails! Maybe next time on that? We started with this uber-fancy appetizer, Infladita de Barbacoa. WOW to the presentation...and another WOW for the taste! This was a tremendous appetizer dish....really, enough to be a meal. We both LOVED this!! For our mains, my husband chose the Pollo En Mole Coloradito, and I got this Short Rib En Mole Negro...and both came with these tortilla wraps on the side. More WOWs for these dishes. For desserts, we tried their Creme Brulee...and expected, it was delish as well, and surprisingly an authentic French version. My husband and I agreed that Mexican foods are at another level here in San Diego. I mean we just scratched the surface of their Mexican foods (probably haven't even tried THE best in the city??), yet all 3 that we tried were quite impressive! Frankly, I'm not even a big fan of Mexican foods...but of San Diego's Mexican, I'm a HUGE fan. Anyway, we both thought their foods (and drinks!) deserved 5 stars! read more

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We have been to the other location at Hillcrest and we like it, so we decided to try out this location when we were in town. We ordered their signature popsicle tequila drinks along with chip and salsa. The drinks are good as usual. However, the service at this location is quite slow and inattentive. No one came by to offer water or take order 15 mins after we sat down. The first basket of the chip was all broken in little pieces. No plate was given, and the server didn't offer the refill on the water and chip when it's empty, we had to raise our hands and ask for it. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Came on a Sunday for brunch. The flavor was present in all dishes. They also have house made hot sauce that was a hit at the table. Service was good and the restaurant was decorated very well. read more

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This Mexican restaurant is a hidden gem that I am so glad to have found! First off, I love when I don't have to search endlessly for parking. This is in a shopping center, so easy peasy, George and Weezie! The aesthetics are super cute, the restaurant was clean, and the music not so loud that we could converse without raising our voices. Our waiter, Christian, was lovely, attentive, and patient when we couldn't decide what we wanted. I had a mango paleta margarita and OMG, it was so tasty and refreshing that I ended up having 3!! My friends had the tamarindo paleta margarita and they loved their drink just as much. I wholeheartedly recommend! We shared, family style, and ordered chips with salsa and guacamole. The salsa was fresh, so yummy, and the portion is huge! For dinner we decided on a delicious salad, steak, and the mango shrimp ceviche. It was more than enough for us 3. We had a wonderful time at Cocina de Barrio, highly recommend to everyone, and will definitely be back! read more

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Cocina De Barrio is an amazing spot to go to if you're looking for a delicious Mexican Brunch! With a very hip and cultural ambiance, Cocina De Barrio provides excellent food and service. We had bottomless mimosas for $22 and I felt like the quality and selection of drinks justifies the price. They have a wide array of flavors, my top three being Watermelon, Tamarindo, and Mango with a Tajin rim. There is a 90 minute timer for this deal, and they are very punctual when it comes to timing. Even when we were all done eating, we were informed that our 90 minutes were up and we had to vacate the table. I had the Sopes Benny and I thought it was a perfect combination of a traditional Benedict and birria. The potatoes had a perfect balance of softness and crunch and the birria was very flavorful. The "English muffin" was made out of masa and provide an interesting twist to a classic dish. The eggs were also perfectly poached. I had also tried the Crème Brûlée French Toast, and simply put, I would go here again just for this. The flavor of the crème was not too sweet and paired well with the fresh berries. Overall, Cocina De Barrio is a great spot to head to if you're looking for a spot to have brunch with friends! read more

Cocina De Barrio - Sopes Benny - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

My girlfriend and I had a great experience with Alberto serving us. He not only gave us great recommendations but he also described in detail what he was recommending which is always super helpful. So glad we had Alberto serving us!! Food was phenomenal as well. Great work to the chefs as well!! read more

Cocina De Barrio - Mazapan pancakes and Enmoladas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

My family and I were looking forward to trying this restaurant since we love Mexican food, the place looked upscale, and reviews seemed great. Unfortunately, my experience didn't match the hype. The food itself was good, but the service left a lot to be desired. We sat for about an hour and only received the initial round of drinks when we first arrived--no refills, no check-ins. My water glass was empty most of the meal, and even after making eye contact with a server who looked right at it, nothing was done. I ended up drinking out of my daughter's orange juice because there was simply no one around to ask. On top of that, the tortillas were cold by the time I ate them. Sitting outside in the chilly weather, it would have made a big difference if they were kept covered. The only time the server came back was when my husband asked for the check. For the price and atmosphere, I expected much better service. With so many amazing Mexican restaurants in the area, I'll likely choose somewhere else next time. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Costillas con Salsa verde - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great place, especially for Brunch. There's lots of parking and the wait wasn't too long as long as your whole party is present. We had a party of 6 and the staff was very pleasant and attentive. The food choices were excellent with Breakfast and Lunch selection as well as signature drinks. I do wish they had more "mocktails" available. The restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing with a few places to take pictures - outdoor patio seating is great but it was a bit chilly when we had arrived so we opted to stay indoors. We had a variety of plates and large serving sizes. Would definitely return and would like to try their Lunch/Dinner. read more

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Sunday chilaquiles craving had us torn between Cocina 35 and Cocina de Barrio. We called both--Cocina 35 hit us with a two-hour wait (seriously?!), while Cocina de Barrio said, "Minimal wait." Easy choice! We walked in and got seated instantly. Our server, an older gentleman, was awesome--great recommendations and top-notch service. The chilaquiles verdes with birria? Insanely good. Tender, flavorful, perfect. The red ones? Meh--not spicy at all, but still tasty if you like it mild. And the pineapple upside-down pancake? No pic because we inhaled it. SO. GOOD. Sat outside with a nice breeze and good vibes. Cocina de Barrio nailed it--definitely coming back! read more

Cocina De Barrio - Chilaquiles Rojos - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Mi DESAYUNOS!!!! For Point Loma this is probably hands down the best Mexican upscale breakfast spot you will eat at. This place is like if Hash house a Go Go had a baby with Karina's seafood. Any way try it for your self and don't forget to ask for a popsicle in your cocktail. read more

Cocina De Barrio - We back - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a birthday dinner here and they did a great job serving the large group which I know can be a challenge We shared several apps including ceviche, guacamole, and salmon. All the apps were fantastic I had the short ribs mole and the short ribs were very tender and the sauce was delicious. There is plenty of parking at this location read more

Cocina De Barrio - Short ribs mole - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here when they opened, and the restaurant filled up pretty quickly. I usually get a savory and a sweet dish at brunch. For sweet we got the churro French toast: the scoop of ice cream on top complements the other flavors well, the churros have a nice and gooey center, and the fruits are fresh and cut through the cinnamon/creaminess of the rest of it. For savory, we got the tlayuda with beef birria: the tortilla was nice and crispy and acts as a good base to carry all the your flavors. Can't say that I've had tlayuda before, but it was very delicious! I also got the house coffee, which was pretty average coffee. Service wise, even though we were tucked into the corner the waiter would check in very regularly. The inside has simple decoration with emphasis on wooden decor. read more

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The best brunch spot in SD! I've taken friends and family here several times and haven't had anyone complain about how delicious the food is here. They have a wide variety of traditional Mexican brunch foods and Mexican food with a twist! The service here is quick & they're very friendly. The chilaquiles verdes is a MUST and the perfect savory dish if you want a somewhat untraditional take on chilaquiles (it lacks eggs, but does not lack flavor), churro French toast which is so yummy, and the best mango habanero aguachile which is also a must. The restaurant is huge and has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Is good for large groups. But I do recommend making reservations if you plan on coming on because it gets PACKED, but note that brunch is first come first serve. They just opened a new location in north park and I'm excited to try it and hope it's just as amazing as this one. read more

Cocina De Barrio Point Loma (they have locations in Encinitas and Hillcrest too). This Mexican restaurant is known for their trendy brunch offering Mexican breakfast classics, with options featuring their popular beef birria, all you can drink Mimosas ($22) and creative cocktails that take you right to Mexico. *They get super busy so I recommend getting there right when they open since they don't take reservations during their weekend brunch. On Sundays, Brunch is served all day long. PARENTS: They didn't have a kids menu so we just ordered a side of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit - not so kid friendly in that aspect. We ordered: Fuego de Passion - Mezcal with Aperol, fresh watermelon juice, passion fruit, lime, agave ‍House margarita Buttermilk pancakes Tlayuda with beef birria (must try!) Enmoladas (braised short ribs) Huevos Rancheros read more

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It feels like any restaurant that moves into this spot is doomed, but they've done an "okay" job of keeping it afloat. I miss when Swamis was here! While the atmosphere is nice, their food left something to be desired. Their mole sauce is brimming with MSG. We had asked if they used it, and we were told no, but immediately after leaving, she had a severe allergic reaction and her face swelled up from the ceviche. I also got quite itchy from the mole sauce on my enchiladas. So if you're allergic to MSG or just prefer an authentic mole sauce, venture elsewhere. read more

Overall the food is good but I feel like it's just missing something. The service was good and I really liked the atmosphere. I would come back to try other items on the menu. In that case I'll publish an update if it was just a one time thing. read more

I didn't know there was a Cocina De Barrio location in Point Loma, so my friends and I decided to give it a try! There's plenty of parking - that alone will bring me back to this location. Haha The restaurant shares a lot with other stores, so parking was plentiful. The staff was super friendly and very attentive. I love fun drinks and they had a bunch to pick from. My eyes are first, so I had to grab a popsicle margarita. Pretty and delicious. I tried the Lamb Memelitas - so good. The meat was tender and saucy. I don't see lamb on menus often, so this was a must try for me. You can't go wrong with churros and ice cream, so it was the perfect ending to a great meal. read more

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This was one of the many places that kept coming up when researching good food in SD. Came on Friday right at 3pm which was the start of happy hour! They had $5 margaritas! The vibes are beautiful, earthy, with Mexican art all around. We tried to gauc, birria tacos, and churros. Everything was top notch including the service ! read more

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The food was authentically delicious. The service was welcoming and warm. The ambiance was cheery and colorful. If you like flavorful and spicy salsa, just ask for it! read more

Cocina De Barrio - Poached eggs sopes and potatoes. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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There was hair in our food. The server wasn't attentive never asked us if our food was good. We had to waive done a serve in order for them to come to us. We waited over an hour for our food to get us and they also forgot to put one of the dishes from our party so we had wait to eat. read more

With a limited time to spare and a long drive for my daughter to Valley Center, we tried Cocina De Barrio after my grandson's baseball game. Although the restaurant was busy we received our food in a timely manner and enjoyed our food. Excellent choice of salsas offered. read more

What a great find! The four of us and my mom went to brunch and it was delicious. The service was great and it's a cute restaurant. Drinks: the tequila mula was great. Not too sweet. The tamarindo margarita was sweet but delicious. The michelada was a neat presentation. The food was amazing. The churros were filled with cheesecake. The tinga chicken was yummy. But the shrimp was so good. Spicy and flavorful. The rice has black beans in it. So good. We will definitely be back! read more

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Birria beef tacos were so good! Guac and dessert were yummy too. Loved the ambience of the restaurant. Staff were helpful always making sure our water glasses were filled! read more

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Great service by Chuy. Food was great. Stopped in and it was happy hour. You have to love a HH. We had the mango habanero ceviche, guac, salsa, chips, Birria taco's, shrimp taco's. My favorite had to be the ceviche. Thank you for the hospitality. Look forward to stopping by on my next trip out to SD. read more

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Love coming here for happy hour. Can't beat $5 margaritas. Been here a bunch of times and will be back again. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Cocina de Barrio is such a vibe! The atmosphere is lively, the food is delicious, and the drinks are next-level creative. I ordered a margarita and was surprised (in the best way) when it came with a popsicle in it--so fun and refreshing! It's the kind of detail that makes the whole experience feel extra special. The tacos were packed with flavor, and the guac was super fresh. Great spot for a fun night out with friends or even a casual date. Highly recommend if you're looking for bold flavors, great energy, and a margarita you'll be talking about long after the last sip. read more

Cocina De Barrio - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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In response to your response to my review, that is simply not true. We walked in and they seated us on the patio, where no one else was seated at the time. No information was relayed to us that you are describing. If we had known the service was going to be delayed, we would not have stayed. We just came from Sea World and we're all very hungry and, as I mentioned, we had to drive back to Los Angeles. We would not have wanted anything to delay that any further. Also, the child's meal was removed from the bill for the bad service, not because something was wrong with it. So, the service was bad, I suspect a racial bias (interesting you seem to know who we are from my review. Also, the issue of being short staffed didn't seem to impact the other tables around us), and the owner is relaying a false narrative. Not the kind of business I want to support. read more

Pretty much everything I ate there was very good. Atmosphere was inviting and staff very attentive. Prices are right. I'd go back again.