This is a hidden Gem in Old Town . This has the best Mexican food around ! I have been there multiple times and have tried multiple dishes . All Amazing . Home made chips & various salsas are excellent and like no other . The outdoor seating in the patio has a great vibe . The service was great and very attentive to our party's needs . Highly recommend you try this restaurant for excellent food & drinks . read more

We had an amazing time grabbing some drinks and an appetizer. Roberto was so nice and gave us excellent service. We had the empanadas, bad bunny drink, and the desperado shot. Highly recommend this place and Roberto! read more

El Sueño - Desperado shot - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

A beautiful place with good vibes. Maria went about and beyond for us. She was super friendly and kind. The food was also delicious. I recommend. read more

Hand made tortillas and hand made green house sauce, absolutely amazing. I wanted to drink it. Had the pato tacos and cleaned house, the owner Gustavo is very personable and he even helped us set up an anniversary surprise for my cousin. The food is quality, the vibe is immaculate and the staff are super caring. read more

Stumbled upon this restaurant late at night after walking around Old Town San Diego. Super glad that they were still open. The place was chill with a bit of a romantic ambience. We got Rolled Tacos, and - I forget the official name of this - but it's like a crunch wrap. Both were delicious. I liked that my Taquitos were crunchy and did not get too soggy with all the toppings on them. The Crunch Wrap was hot, cheesy and meaty. I asked if they offered complementary chips and salsa. Our server said yes, but only the first round. I felt that was kind of a weird thing to say. But one round was more than plenty for us. Loved the 2 salsa's - especially the red spicy one. Overall, a cool place to chill and munch on some Mexican food. It's also close to the trolley station, which is helpful. read more

See all

Visited this cute, charming, vibey restaurant located in Old Town. Wasn't sure what to expect based on the mix reviews..The ambiance and music was gr For food we ordered the tableside tortillas with sweet chili butter, surf and turf fajitas, wagyu chorizo burger, and the California burrito. They were all fairly good. The negatives were that I had asked my steak temperature to be cooked medium well and it came well done instead (no pink at all). Our server was friendly but unfortunately not attentive. Had to look for him to bring plates for our appetizers, refill our water, etc. read more

See all

Had some time to kill before our train in Old Town so we decided to grab dinner at El Sueño. It's one of the easiest restaurants to walk to from there, and we're so glad we went! Francisco was such an attentive server, he always made sure we were well taken care of. Loved the birria burrito and taco plate, always appreciate when the tortillas are made in house. One of our top spots in the Old town area, and we'll definitely be back! read more

See all

I was skeptical at first with this spot being in Old Town, but this place was truly amazing. Authenticity? I'll leave that to the experts. I just know this place had me eating till I was stuffed, STILL wanting more. - Chips were amazing, super crispy - Elote was extremely juicy, perfectly sauced - Cali burrito had a delicious tortilla and everything inside was yummy as well read more

See all

I came across El Sueno from Tiktok, and it looked cute and aesthetic, so I was excited to try it. We got the free chips with both a red sauce and green sauce. They were pretty good, although the chips were unevenly salted, as some chips were plain and others were too salty. For my entree, I got the carne asada street tacos. I loved that they came with guacamole, as I'm a huge guac fan, and that's normally extra! I also loved the taste of the asada. It was marinated well. My only complaint was it got a little greasy. read more

El Sueño - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I feel this place is all show no go. Come for aesthetics, not for the food. And with that being said, you're paying for the aesthetics, not for the food. Decorated nice, fancy branded napkins, pretty drinks, fun menu. Everything that looks nice in photos. But the food was average, over priced, and didn't give me the "I need to come back" feels Pros: chips on chips on chips, they just kept coming! Love that. Two different salsas served with the chips-- verde and rojo (this was spicy). Homemade hand pressed tortillas. Guac was chunky (personal preference) Cons: expensive. $15 for tacos, $40 for fajitas. And nothing special about them. Drinks were inconsistent--first margarita was great but then after that they all tasted different. The ratios were off and I think they switched tequilas. The limes were so dry. Like we couldn't squeeze any juice out of the limes. The tequila tasting menu was hard to understand. And you can only tasted the * tequilas and basically all the normal tequilas you would have at home have the * read more

See all

I came to El Sueño for taco Tuesday and had an amazing time! I love the atmosphere and they had a live dj on the patio! Maria is so awesome and she gave us excellent service too! The avocado taco was so good and the margarita flight was delicious! I will absolutely be coming back here again read more

Super slow service. From the time we ordered until we got our dinner was over an hour. You eat enough chips and you're full before dinner arrives. Food was okay for the price but worse based on service and time. read more

Okay El Sueño... you absolutely ate. We sat at the bar for happy hour and had the best experience thanks to Adam. He recommended the mango margarita and it was absolute fire Pookie. I also got the house margarita and both were so good. We ordered the flautas, some kind of Mexican style beignets, and churros with white chocolate, caramel, and chocolate dipping sauces. Everything was unreal, but the dessert was out of this world. Amazing drinks, great food, and even better service. We'll definitely be back. read more

El Sueño - HH marg!!! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Sat there for 15 min and didn't even get water. They were not busy with only 3 other tables. Sounded good though.

Visited for Drinks top of the day and was welcomed to a very beautiful Ambiance. I was early to the establishment yet great service was still delivered. My order being Espresso Martini & was suggested a Mexican Candy! Maile the Bartender/Server made every drink to Perfection! Would try food another time as my time was short. Evenings & Nights can get busy, perfect for a Day or Evening Out! read more

See all

I'm back again to try some different dishes, one year later! In continuation of my birthday celebrations, I opted to come here with a small group of friends. Chicle was sweet and also alcohol forward. It was in a big glass & I was unable to finish! The chips and salsas are always a hit, my fave being the red spicy salsa. I actually put this in my tacos :) The soft shell crab tacos was something that I never tried before and I actually enjoyed it! We finished off with Churros and ice cream, topped with a sparkler for my bday! Staff were so sweet and accommodating! Totally enjoyed my experience here. read more

See all

It was very awkward walking up. The hostess just kind of looked at us. We let her know we had a reservation, and she told us it would be a bit and to wait to the side. It was only like 5:15 and not busy yet, so that was strange. Once we were sat, it took our server a long time to come over. I felt very bad for him because he had too many tables and was doing his best. We ended up ordering food and drinks altogether because we were worried it would be awhile before we saw him again. After about 15 minutes, our food ended up coming out before our 2 margaritas and 2 beers. The food wait wasn't bad, but the cocktails took like 20 minutes. I would hate to see what the drink wait is when it's actually busy. Our server was very apologetic, but obviously frustrated. I got the pato tacos, and the other 3 of us got different dishes. While none of us thought the food was bad, no one was overly impressed. We never got checked on once everything we ordered was out. We had to flag down the server for our check, as we had a show to get to. We had been excited to try this place, as some food is Old Town is a little lackluster. Overall though, it falls into the category of tourist food at tourist prices. Unfortunately we would not plan to go again. read more

El Sueño - Carnitas tacos with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We stumbled upon El Sueno for lunch while enjoying our day in Old Town. We found it through InKind and saw that the reviews and food looked so good. Upon arrival we were offered chips and salsa which were so good! Everything made in house. Our waitress saw how much we were enjoying the salsa that she brought us their "creamy" jalapeño salsa which is dairy/avocado free so left us pondering what could make it so creamy. Then the food came out and we literally wiped out everything. Food was so flavorful we added this restaurant to our list to return to when we are back. Great food and service! read more

See all

I love mezcal, as you know, and the Bad Bunny didn't disappoint. Spicy, Smokey, and subtly sweet. The Cadillac margarita was very fresh. The drinks did take forever to come out tho. The rolled tacos were pretty great. Rolled tacos are a dime a dozen, and it takes a lot to stand out. These did, balancing crunch, tender chicken, and spice. Guac was rich in cilantro and onion, which I'm into. The enchiladas suizas were tender, flavorful, and vibrant w a tangy tomatillo kick. The husband, of his surf and turf fajitas, said he was v pleased. Thick cuts of steak and fat grilled shrimp served w the standard fajita accoutrements. The space is cute, I'd only eaten in their kitschy indoor dining area previously, but the patio is nicely lit. The service is slow and feels incoherent and flustered. read more

See all

Cute atmosphere and amazing drinks!!! Roberto the bartender was the best! He gave us great recommendations. I got the bad bunny and the cocktail of the month desperado shot. Delish! read more

El Sueño - Desperado shot - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Miley our bartender was incredible... she recommended her favorite reposado to my other half and I and it was the perfect nightcap to our night. And if you want to indulge, order the fried ice cream..! read more

We came here on a Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday, and they really did a great job setting everything up for us. They had the upstairs area decorated so cute, and there were Patrón bottles filled with margaritas waiting for our group, which was such a fun touch. I can't really speak on the full food menu since I had eaten beforehand, but I did snack on the chips, salsa, and guacamole, which were all really good. The space itself is super cute with a fun vibe, and our server was phenomenal. She was attentive, friendly, and helped make the celebration run smoothly. My only small wish is that they offered more à la carte items. I would have loved to grab a small bite, but most of the options seemed like full meals. Overall, it's definitely a fun spot to host a party or birthday celebration. Great atmosphere and great service! read more

See all

El Sueño should be called La Pesadilla. My friend and I were excited about trying this chic Mexican restaurant in Old Town. On paper all amazing, beautiful decor, great patio, modern and cozy. However, the entrance is managed by teenagers chatting with each others and ignoring the guests. No smiles, no good night, totally ignoring us. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived and we went to the bar but soon I told my friend that would be better to get a table. I went several times to the girls who kept chatting and told me they will go check with us at the bar. No one came, we waited cocktail in hand for at least 45 minutes and we left to eat cheaper and better treated ar Mike Red tacos. When we left, no goodbyes, no sorry, nothing. Please hire professional hosts, this was unbelievable. Other than that, pretty place. read more

See all

This place is amazing. It's not traditional Mexican food in my opinion. It's more of a modern interpretation. I got the Duck Tacos (which had a mole sauce over it), and it was one of the most delicious things I've eaten in a long time. My wife had the birria tacos, which was also very good. Service is friendly, no complaints. Ambiance is more modern, and you're in Old Town of course. Highly recommend. read more

El Sueño - Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a reservation and were promptly seated out of the side patio. With lots of overhead greenery and the walls equally covered in greenery, the theme is sort of jungle à la alfresco. Our server was nice, but wasn't seen much in between plates, and it wasn't that busy. Food was pretty good. My husband thought his burrito was a little dry, but our fajitas were pretty tasty (my daughter and I shared). We ordered the guac, it was good, but pretty small. Drinks were nice, Hubs had a michilada and I had a paloma. read more

Mailie was amazing!!! Thanks so much for everything Food was great too. Drinks were amazing. Absolutely no complaints! read more

Came here for a birthday dinner with a group of 9 and had made a reservation in advance so the restaurant knew we were celebrating a special occasion. The food was good, but the service was disappointing and completely overshadowed the meal. Our server was friendly but she rarely checked on our table. We sat with empty drinks for about 10 minutes before I finally had to ask the host for help, and our food took an exceptionally long time to come out. It honestly felt like our table had been forgotten. They only comped 40% of a kids' quesadilla after we complained, no manager ever came by to check in, and the birthday dessert was never brought out. If you're just stopping by for a meal, you may have a decent experience but I wouldn't recommend El Sueño for a birthday or any celebration where reliable service matters. read more

Decided to check this place out for my bday. Talk about a hidden gem! You really can never go wrong with any choice in Old Town. But, I digress. Today the spotlight is on El Sueño! And what a dream it was! We made reservations for 4, however it wasn't too full on a random Monday evening. We arrived a little early & were seated promptly. Our server was on point, from the dish recommendations to checking if we had enough napkins! They're on point here! And if weather permits, sit outside to snap a shot for the Gram! The food! My goodness, lest we forget the chilaquiles from heaven! Drowning in salsa verde! The Carajillo to wash down my dish was a pairing perfection! My sister had the California burrito. Kids had the tacos de asada & chicken rolled tacos. And for dessert, churros!! TL:DR Great food, great service, great time! read more

See all

This place is okay I won't say I would come back the plate was presentable. Food was ok just didn't have much on the menu to chose from read more

El Sueño - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We came in on a Saturday night, wasn't packed as I thought it would be. We were sat outside, it was chilly and our waitress never even offered to turn on the heater. We could have asked, I forgot bc I was wearing a jacket but still, common courtesy. I ordered a non-alcoholic drink, strawberry margarita and it was too sour, too much lemon. I had to wait for the ice to melt for it to dilute to taste a little better. Drinks came in right away. The food took a good 30-45min to arrive!!! Our waitress did come over to apologize saying the kitchen was backed up but the restaurant wasn't even that packed. The steak was actually a 10/10!!! It was juicy, perfectly cooked, and great flavor. Will be back for the steak fajitas for sure. The corn was okay, needed more flavor. I got quesadillas with bell peppers and it was way tooooo much cheese!! They had great taste but it was cheese overload. Overall; I'll most likely be back to try other items in their menu but will be the last time if they take forever again with the food!!! read more

Still a great patio - and much more comfortable in June than in January (when the heater was not quite enough to feel cozy). The service at the beginning was pretty annoying - no one would make eye contact with us or bring us water for a good 15-20 mins until we finally got our great server Mason (who also helped us last time). He's fabulous and kept checking on us after for the rest of the night. It was also disappointing that the two things I came for: pan de elote and huarache - they were both out of! We got the elote, which was good but not as good as the corn bread. I did get the fish tacos which I really enjoyed. I got the Oh. Behave cocktail which is a hard horchata and which I'd wanted to try last time but they were out of. It was tasty but the menu didn't mention it was a frozen slushy cocktail, which is not really my thing; I thought it would just be Horchata + Coconut + Dark Rum up in a martini glass. I would try a different cocktail next time. Anyway, Mason is the best. The patio was not full of tourists but lots of young Mexican Americans out for a fun night. I like it here but wish they didn't run out of so much stuff and that you might get greeted by someone when you sit down. But we'll ask for Mason again next time and hope to have the other dishes again! read more

El Sueño - Oh. Behave. Tasty but slushy, which I was not expecting. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Way over priced! I'm ok with paying $$ for great food, but this was not it. It's crazy to pay $40 for some fajitas. I suppose the rent must be high at this location. Service was slow. I had to ask for couple plates a few times. My server also doubled as the bartender. read more

Me and a friend went on a Friday night around 4:30 pm. There was no wait at that hour and if you get there before their valet service starts at 5 pm, the parking is complimentary. Our server, Lindsay, was so amazing and made sure we were taken care of. I got the skirt steak fajitas and they were the BEST! The steak was tender, cooked to perfection and so flavorful. My friend got the carne asada tacos, which have handmade tortillas that have oaxaca cheese friend on it. She said they were the best tacos she had ever had. The chips were just thick enough, warm and salted to perfection. The chile de arbol salsa was our favorite, just enough spice and phenomenal flavor. 10/10 recommend and will absolutely be back here! read more

El Sueño - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Nice restaurant in Old Town. Loved the decor and atmosphere. The drinks were great my favorite drink was the Mexican Candy. The food was ok not a lot of the traditional Mexican food. The service staff was attentive and friendly. read more

See all

Honestly- cute restaurant. Not sure if understaff but there was only 2 staff when we got there at 1pm. No one greeted us. Walked to the bar for someone to notice us & just told us to sit anywhere. Food is average 5-6/10 but service was a plus 8/10. I would go back to give it a 2nd chance because of the service. read more

El Sueño - Too much sour cream? - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Looking to try something different this year then our normal "go-to" in old town, give this place a shot!! We came here on Halloween day; they have happy hour and amazing hand-made tortilla tacos! What could be better? There was also a Tequila event in their parking lot for an added fee (21+ though) I saw this place while looking for street parking and thought we would give them a try, good reviews on yelp and kid friendly. We were seated immediately and asked to be seated in their patio, it was nice and shaded but still got to enjoy the beautiful day! Our waiter was attentive and went above an beyond looking for a liquor menu of the types that they carry (no on the regular menu or happy hour menu), he came back with this very real leather menu. How cool!! Lots of tequilas! We place our order expecting 1-2 tacos at most. All fish tacos come with 2 and the meat tacos are 3. Perfect, we planned on sharing and ordered Fish & Shrimp tacos. Our son ordered carnitas (everything on the side). The fish tacos were amazing! The sauce and texture, everything was delicious down to the hand-made tortillas. Our son did not care too much for the carnitas (they were a bit dry without anything on them) and did not care too much for the freshly made tortillas but still ate 2 out of 3 tacos. My drink was delicious, and my husband's shot was well prepared. They did start getting busier as we were finishing our food. The atmosphere was great, good food and attentive wait staff. Would definitely come back. read more

See all

Five stars because our waitress Maria was a total vibe!!! She was attentive and sweet whenever she approached us and made sure we were taken care of. The woman deserves a raise!!!! read more

Disorganized . Reservations at 11:30 am place is not packed no one was at the reception. Finally got checked in . Got seated order for and drinks drinks came almost 45 minutes lates waiting for out food read more

El Sueño - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Maria's service was absolutely amazing! Will absolutely come back to dine again for taco Tuesday and the Dj!

Third visit to El Sueño... and officially the last. At this point, the only thing consistent about this place is how consistently disappointing it is. Let's talk about the host stand, because wow. Every single visit, we've been met with the same energy: blank stares, zero personality, and the distinct feeling that we're inconveniencing them by simply existing. No greeting, no effort -- just an awkward, silent vibe that makes you wonder if you accidentally walked into a staff meeting instead of a restaurant. If you know what a "Gen Z stare" is, you'll understand exactly what I mean. We showed up around 9:15 pm as a party of six. The place was basically empty, yet somehow we were told to wait 10 minutes to be seated. For what, I'm still not sure. Our server was polite, but the service overall was slow and careless. We ordered two beers and asked for glasses... which never arrived. And the beers themselves? Barely cold. Honestly closer to room temperature than anything remotely refreshing. Warm Negra Modelo is a hard no! The chips and salsa were fine -- probably the most reliable thing on the table. Everything else? Overpriced and forgettable. The kind of food that looks like it should be good, costs like it should be good, and then just... isn't. At this point, it feels like this place survives purely on location and aesthetics, because it's definitely not the service or the food bringing people back. Three visits was more than generous. Lesson learned. read more