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    El Culichi

    4.7 (86 reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 8:00 pm

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    Audrey L.

    I had dinner with my family and my great-grandpa, and of course he wanted to go back to El Culichi. I had no complaints because any excuse to have delicious sopes, I'm in! There have so many other things on their menu that I want to try, but I'm a creature of habit and I love the sopes too much to try something else. I ordered two chicken and one beef sope. The portion and price point are great! While we were eating chips and salsa, the owner and her dad stopped by our table to check how everything was going. We shared about my grandpa being from Mexico and close to the state of Sinaloa. They shared that the photo on the wall is their family. They were so sweet sharing about their family and culture with my grandpa. The staff is also the nicest, especially with a 95 year old who can be a little less than patient. El Culichi is probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in San Diego!

    Sopes, layered up high. Delicious.
    Mike Z.

    We were a large group of ten people after playing a long round of golf and thanks to Yelp, this place popped up for authentic Mexican food. We could not have picked a better place to eat. As soon as we walked in, we were immediately greeted with a friendly smile and we found two tables for dinner. We feasted on a variety of items off the menu and enjoyed every bite. We also got some cookies to go that hit the spot. A true gem in a busy city with parking.

    Erika C.

    First observation, the restaurant is spotless!! We ordered the birriaquiles (red sauce), they were excellent, flavorful, the sauce was exactly how I like it a mix of red chiles and not only tomatoes. I asked for a side of eggs with machaca, their machaca is authentic not just shredded beef. It's quiet difficult to find a spot that makes good goat birria, well this place delivered!!! Just the right amount of spices, and not greasy at all. Definitely coming back to try the pozole and menudo! Wish I would've taken a picture of our food. Oh and lastly we also had the cafe de olla, pretty tasty as well. If youre looking for good authentic Mexican food and amazing friendly service give them a tey. These are the restaurants that deserve us to support them to stay in business.

    Birriaquiles
    Berlin K.

    I am glad we found this hidden gem in El Cajon. It has an authentic, welcoming vibe and it feels like you're eating at someone's home. The food tasted like a true home cooked meal. I had the birriaquiles and my wife ordered the chile relleno plate, and both were full of flavor. It tastes like everything was made with care. It was so good that I came back a second time and brought the whole family during the second trip. This is going to be one of our go-to spots anytime we're craving authentic Mexican food. The service was great and it felt like we were family.

    Cafe de olla, chicharrones, and beef sopes
    Amanda B.

    Love this restaurant! Tucked in a random area, the restaurant looked so cute so we were intrigued and wanted to stop by. As much as I didn't want to review because I didn't want this place to get so popular, this restaurant deserves all the praise. The staff is so friendly and the food is amazing! I haven't gotten anything I didn't like however my go to is the cafe de olla and the chicharrones. my husband loves their sopes as well. We ask for the beans on the side (of the sopes) so that we can eat the beans by itself because they're that tasty. The arroz con leche is also so refreshing and delicious. Parking isn't the greatest, but definitely try this place out!

    Cafe de olla
    Betty A.

    The food was delicious! I would definitely recommend coming here. The service was excellent, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I had a great experience and will definitely be back!

    Yummy
    Ashley S.

    Came across this hidden gem . Service was friendly and fast we arrived at 10 am ordered chilequillas and some tacos . The green chiliquillas were spicy but good the coffee was amazing and the tacos were good just wish they had more meat for 6.50 each . All salsa were fresh and mild to super spicy . Would definitely recommend this place . Don't let location steer you away

    Arroz con leche
    Tammy R.

    I was really blown away by this place, it's across the street from a school and tucked within a business area, they do have parking but seems like it can be limited during the day. Our server was polite and helpful at assisting with recommendations and telling us about their dishes. It's not a very big space so I would say if you have a really big party you may want to contact them in advance, they can probably host a table for 6. The decor is clean and fresh with a pop of color, and the lighting was sufficient and the air flow was good. The food was absolutely amazing and fresh and cooked beyond my expectations. I felt like I was eating at my Tia's house and enjoying a hearty meal that would beg me to take a nap right after. This is a great place and I wish them all the best. Their good was absolutely on point!

    Quesabesa with Flour Tortilla
    Shaun M.

    Amazing! Really cool little spot you can sit down or take it to go. We had tacos dorados and Quesabesa! We also had the shrimp cocktail, we will 100% be back. The staff there is also great, very friendly and gave us some great recommendations!

    Chips and well seasoned salsa
    Maria l.

    I stopped by on a rainy day, craving a good menudo. I started with a delicious café de olla, and for appetizers we ordered a birria de res taco and a birria de chivo taco--the chivo was especially flavorful. I went with the pozole, which came out hot, well-seasoned, with perfectly cooked hominy and tender meat. All the classic fixings were provided. We also tried the sopes de birria, which were bien reportados--IYKYK! The waitstaff was incredibly friendly and attentive. The moment I walked into the small restaurant, a wave of nostalgia hit me--I felt like I'd stepped into a fonda in Mexico. They offer indoor and outdoor seating, though the parking is limited. If it's your first time, keep an eye out or you might drive right past it. I would absolutely recommend El Culichi

    My boyfriend surprised me with this "hole in the wall" recommendation from Reddit. I didn't know what we were having until we arrived, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The restaurant wasn't busy at all on a Saturday at 530pm and we were immediately warmly welcomed and seated. The food came out fast and was so delicious! The tostadas brought me back to my childhood and I squealed in my seat as I ate my dinner. My boyfriend ordered the beef birria and taco and said it was delicious as well. Already planning to come back so we can try more things on the menu.

    Enchiladas
    Jack M.

    This is a great family owned small business that finds its roots in Sinaloa, Mexico. The eatery is a cozy spot with traditional Mexican eats and some not so well known regional items as well. I went with the chicken enchiladas with re-fried beans with pork and a wedge of queso fresco. The enchiladas came topped with a variety of tasty ingredients, including shredded lettuce and carrots, cucumbers, radishes, avocado, cotija cheese, and onions. They did forget to place the avocado on the meal however. The enchiladas were very good. They came with a good amount of tender chicken inside. A little more would of been good. The enchilada sauce was very tasty. All the ingredients on top were very fresh and flavorful. The side of beans were great. They call them frijoles puercos or pork beans. They were creamy with tender pieces of pinto beans, and most of all, very tasty. These would be great in a burrito. I was a huge fan of the wedge of queso fresco. It was of very good quality. The service was very friendly. It's a sit down eatery so they offer table service. You can also order at the counter to go. There's small parking lot adjacent to the building.

    The michiladas were the best

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    10 months ago

    Everything I've had from this place has been great! Amazing authentic flavor! You can't go wrong.

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    6 months ago

    Excellent customer service!!! The waitress was so helpful and patient!! The food was very good!! This was needed in El Cajon!!

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    6 months ago

    La comida deja muy mal a la real comida sinaloense solo fui una vez nada de ganas de regresar nada que ver con nuestra comida Sinaloense

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    1 year ago

    Food and service are amazing! I'm definitely going back! The shrimp tacos and chilaquiles were delicious!

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    Amazing food and service! We were handed extra tortillas with the full order, and the birria and consome were rich in flavor!

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    1 year ago

    Fabulous food and friendly service, with a welcoming environment. We'll definitely be back!

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    Hacienda Casa Blanca - fresh Aguas Frescas

    Hacienda Casa Blanca

    3.9(949 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Established in 2007

    We can see why this was voted best brunch. Holy Moly!! It's a must try in El Cajon. Enchiladas,…read moremenudo, pozole, Carne Asada, tamales, ceviche, Huevos, papas, tocino, fajitas, ensalada, cafe, juego de naranga, frutas fresca, albondigas, Carne casada, pico fresca, frijoles, tortillas made by hand fresca, tres Leches and mi favorito churros. That is breakfast, lunch and dinner all at once. We were visiting from Houston and we'll be back

    HOLY SMOKES!! We are so happy to have been brought here for lunch! What an amazing experience!!!…read more Hacienda Casa Blanca made us feel welcomed like we were family. We were a large group so there were a few people rotating in and out to make our lunch special. The restaurant itself is beautiful. There is outdoor dining as well. Everything is well decorated and maintained. I would say very festive! There's live music on Sundays and Wednesdays. I would love to come back on a Wednesday for the Latin Jazz. The food was amazing! We felt like it was authentic and reasonable price point. For the table, they brought out lots of chips and salsa. It was nice and crispy and flavorful. Not spicy, though. I had ordered the Hacienda Carne Asada. It was a flamed broil skirt steak with a cheese enchilada, rice, beans, and guacamole. The beans came inside a fried tortilla bowl. OH MY! It was so good. I am embarrassed to say, I kept on eating and talking even though I was full. Overall, we had a great time! The food was delicious. The service was amazing. Ample parking. The price point was reasonable in this economy. You get plenty of food. Clean bathrooms. Look at their website for live entertainment schedule! I cannot wait to come back soon!

    Photos
    Hacienda Casa Blanca - Join us for Sunday Brunch

    Join us for Sunday Brunch

    Hacienda Casa Blanca - Fresh made tortillas

    Fresh made tortillas

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    Chuy's Taqueria y Burritos - Campechana Fríes

    Chuy's Taqueria y Burritos

    4.4(344 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $
    Vegetarian friendly
    Grab-and-go

    I'm rating them five stars for their pollo asado tacos, which are really good. At first glance an…read moreorder of two looks like it might not be enough, until you pick one up. The tortilla can't hold the generous helping of chicken, which has a great flavor. By the time I finished the second one, and all of the chicken, onion and cilantro that spilled from the tacos, I was full. (I'm a senior citizen and I eat less now than I used to, so YMMV). I like their chicken tacos a lot better than Sombrero's chicken taco a la plancha, which has been my go to for lunch for years. That said, my wife prefers the California burrito at Sombrero, since the one from Chuy's had more fries than meat. The pollo asado quesadilla was very filling and very tasty (plenty of meat). Chuy's is right next door to Funky Burgers, and given the fresh food aspect of Chuy's offerings, I'd say Chuy's is probably better for you.

    This small business is in the middle of a strip mall next to a Little Cesar's and some other shop…read more No tables inside just tall barstools along two walls. They definitely get a lot of to go and order ahead business as a lot of people came in after us and the phone Rand constantly while we were waiting for our order. Once we tried our food I can see why it was so busy. I had the tequila lime shrimp burrito and subbed Serrano pepper for a bell pepper. It also came with grilled onions, delicious rice and other items. It didn't have salsa and didn't need it. The peppers were spicy and added a nice heat. So good. Family had pollo asado tacos with guacamole that could've used a little more placer, but the chicken was flavorful. Hubby tried shredded beef rolled tacos packed with meat and covered in cheese, sauce and guacamole. Hubby also had a surf and turf quesetaco with carne asada and shrimo. All of the food was delicious, made to order and piping hot. Kind of a whole in the wall and a hidden gem. Thanks for the heads up Yelpers.

    Photos
    Chuy's Taqueria y Burritos - Pork belly tacos

    Pork belly tacos

    Chuy's Taqueria y Burritos - California Burrito

    California Burrito

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    QuesaBirria Taco

    Haciendas Mexican Food

    Haciendas Mexican Food

    4.1(184 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $

    Captain's Log -- Stardate 21,610…read more Twenty-one thousand, six hundred and ten rotations around this magnificent sun have I endured -- each one sharpening my palate, steeling my resolve, deepening my reverence for the extraordinary. On this day, the winds of destiny carried my queen and me eastward through the storied corridors of El Cajon Blvd, drawn by the ancient and irresistible promise of the perfect burrito, toward a hallowed establishment whispered about among the most discerning explorers of San Diego's vast culinary frontier -- known simply as Hacienda's Mexican Food. The perfect burrito. The very quest conjured visions of a culinary holy grail -- elusive, legendary, and worth every light year of the journey to find. If you are on the hunt for that perfect burrito, know this with Vulcan certainty: the hunt ends here. Make it so. We materialized at this unassuming outpost tucked along El Cajon Blvd -- modest in appearance, mighty in reputation -- arriving in that sacred window between the lunch and dinner hours when the quadrant falls quiet and the universe itself seems to hold its breath. The space was entirely ours. And in that still and sacred atmosphere, something felt deeply ceremonial -- as though the cosmos had cleared the bridge for what was about to unfold. The owner Llana greeted us -- a soul of remarkable warmth and genuine sweetness, the kind of presence that makes a stranger feel instantly like returning crew. In her presence, one does not feel like a customer. One feels like family. I canna' change the laws of physics -- but I am certain this woman bends them daily with nothing more than grace and a welcoming smile that signals to every visitor: you are home now. I, your Captain, fixed my coordinates on the California Burrito. My queen -- ever the diplomat of the table, ever the most discerning navigator in any quadrant -- set her course for the Tostada. We settled in. We waited. And then the plates arrived. My queen's Tostada materialized before us like a transmission from another civilization entirely -- a structure of such breathtaking architectural precision that I whispered to myself: look, but do not touch. The presentation was nothing short of magnificent. A masterwork of color, composition, and intention that stopped all conversation cold and demanded to be witnessed before it was consumed. Chicken. Rice. Guacamole. Mexican salsa. Sour cream. Refried beans. Cheese. Lettuce. Corn. Every element in its rightful place, every flavor in perfect formation, every bite a revelation. This was not a dish. This was a declaration. A communication delivered not in words but in the ancient and universal language of extraordinary food. "Infinite diversity in infinite combinations" -- the Vulcan masters understood this truth millennia ago. Hacienda's lives it on every single plate. And then -- the California Burrito. My mission. My mandate. Guacamole. Crisp golden fries tucked within like classified cargo. Pico de gallo singing with freshness and fire. Each component bound together in that warm tortilla like a crew that has trained for years -- each knowing its role, each elevating the others beyond what any could achieve alone. Mind-bending. Dimensional. The kind of burrito that makes a seasoned traveler set down his fork, close his eyes, and simply breathe. It does not simply fill your stomach -- it reprograms your memory and rewrites the coordinates of what a California Burrito can be. This is what the pursuit of the perfect burrito leads to. This is the destination. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" -- and the needs of every soul in San Diego seeking authentic, extraordinary Mexican food are met here abundantly and without reservation. No one who walks through those doors should leave without ordering. No one who orders should leave without already planning their return. Hacienda's is not merely a restaurant. It is a landmark. A standard. It now holds a permanent and honored position in my top three locations in all of El Cajon -- a distinction earned not through spectacle, but through the undeniable, irreducible power of truth on a plate. To my savvy consumers -- the discerning explorers of San Diego's most unique and desirable Mexican food -- I issue my final command: Set your course for El Cajon Blvd. Find Hacienda's. Walk through those doors and tell them Captain 619 sent you. Resistance to this burrito is futile. And you will not want to resist. There are not five lights. There are not four. There is only one truth in that kitchen -- and it is wrapped in a tortilla. My queen and I depart richer than any treasure map could promise. Live long and prosper. End log -- Captain 619 Voyager. Taster of Worlds. Forever loyal to the flavors that refuse to be forgotten.

    I met several family members here to reconnect as we live out of state. I had been here once before…read morewith my sister and her husband. The food and service is top notch. Better than 5 stars. You didn't have to ask for anything. They were on top of it. Chips, salsa and drinks at the ready. Some of my family like to eat at Por Favor's in El Cajon which is good. But they all said this place was better. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I and my brother-in-law had the crispy fish tacos with rice and beans. Excellent. My wife had the shredded beef flautas with rice and beans. Best she ever had. It definitely had a Mexican restaurant vibe. It has a bar with TVs for sports and on Thursday, live music in the evening. You won't be disappointed.

    Photos
    Haciendas Mexican Food - Upstairs dining room at The Hacienda

    Upstairs dining room at The Hacienda

    Haciendas Mexican Food
    Haciendas Mexican Food

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    Silva's Taco Shop - Super Supreme Quesadilla Carne Asada

    Silva's Taco Shop

    4.0(279 reviews)
    0.4 miBostonia
    $

    It's been a while since I've been here. Me and my buddy came here and wanted to try a lot of food…read more We started off surf n turf burrito which was spectacular. They ask you if you want Mexican guac ( pure avocado ) or American guac ( avocado & sour cream mixed ). The shrimp is marinated and the asada is fresh and tasty ! Then we shared the hot Cheeto carne asada fries. After that we each shared a half of carne asada torta ! Very delicious. Last item was a carne asada quesadilla supreme which was loaded ! We sat outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Our cashier was helpful in telling us what to order. Definitely coming back here

    The food is always great, and I come here about twice a week. I always order the same thing, and…read moreit's consistently good. Today I called ahead because I was extremely hungry and was about 5-10 minutes away, hoping my order would be ready when I got off the exit. The person who answered the phone told me I had to pay over the phone before they could place the order. I completely understand why they have that policy since some people place phone orders and never show up. I wouldn't have minded paying over the phone, but I was driving and didn't feel comfortable giving my card information while on the road. When I explained that I'm a regular customer, they were very understanding and even gave me a discount when I came in. I really appreciated that gesture and the way they took care of a regular customer. Great food and great customer service -- I'll definitely be back!

    Photos
    Silva's Taco Shop
    Silva's Taco Shop
    Silva's Taco Shop - Silva's taco shop sign

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    Silva's taco shop sign

    El Culichi - mexican - Updated September 2026

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