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    El Viejon

    4.1 (210 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Order El Viejon Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    EL VIEJON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - El Viejon

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    Inside
    Vivian

    My friend and I came here for brunch and really wanted to love this place. We ended up leaving just liking it. That's honestly what made the experience frustrating because there were definitely things we enjoyed and I can see the potential here. To be fair, we visited during graduation season. There were already several larger parties dining when we arrived, so the restaurant was definitely busy. The space itself is beautiful. The disco balls, greenery, decor, and even the bathroom all contribute to a really fun atmosphere. It feels trendy without trying too hard. Unfortunately, things got off to a rough start. We stood at the host stand for about five minutes before anyone greeted us. Once we were seated, it became pretty obvious why. Throughout our entire visit, I only saw one server working the floor. There were multiple tables, larger parties, and only one person trying to manage everything. I honestly felt bad for her. The menu is huge. There are tons of brunch options, seafood dishes, coffee drinks, and matchas. I ordered the matcha with tiramisu cream top while my friend ordered a matcha with a banana cream top. About ten minutes later, we were told they were out of the banana cream top. Not the end of the world, but it felt like something that should probably be known before taking orders. The matcha itself was decent quality, but neither drink seemed fully mixed. There were clumps of matcha powder sitting at the bottom, which made the last few sips pretty unpleasant. My Tiramisu Matcha mostly tasted like regular matcha with cream and cocoa powder. I never really got that tiramisu flavor I was expecting. The Strawberry Matcha ended up being the better drink because the strawberry flavor actually came through. For food, I ordered the Pork Belly Taco and the Pulpo Macho. My friend ordered the Seafood Fajita. The Pulpo Macho completely stole the show. The octopus was tender and packed with flavor. The blue corn tostada underneath held everything together surprisingly well. There was freshness, acidity, seasoning, and a little bit of heat in every bite. The creamy sauce underneath balanced everything out perfectly. Easily my favorite thing we ordered and the reason I would come back. The Pork Belly Taco was unfortunately the biggest disappointment of the meal. The menu describes it with a sweet and spicy mango sauce, so I was expecting something packed with flavor. Instead, the taco felt dry. The pork belly seemed overcooked. The pickled onions didn't add much brightness. I kept looking for that mango sauce flavor and never really found it. I ended up reaching for the table salsas just to give the taco a little more life. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely didn't live up to the description on the menu. My friend's Seafood Fajita was probably the best value at the table. It arrived sizzling hot and loaded with shrimp, octopus, mussels, white fish, peppers, and onions. It also came with rice, beans, and tortillas on the side. The portion was huge and could easily feed two to three people. Even before it reached the table, you could smell it coming. The biggest issue throughout the meal was the service. Once our food arrived, we barely saw our server again. Getting checked on took forever. Getting the check took forever. At one point we were genuinely wondering if we needed to get up and find someone. The thing is, I don't even blame the server. She was clearly stretched thin and doing the best she could. This felt much more like a staffing issue than an employee issue. Unfortunately, the slow service, drink issues, and disappointing taco made it hard to overlook the negatives. I'd still give it another chance because there were definitely some bright spots.

    HH draft beer + guava margarita
    Jyothi C.

    Absolutely love this restaurant for their flavorful dishes (the quesitaco!) and incredible sauces - especially if you enjoy actually spicy food! They have a great happy hour and a fun brunch menu. The service has been great, with friendly staff who are always happy to share recommendations. Parking: usually easy in the adjacent lot.

    Jazzmine M.

    Hair of the dog and mariscos are truly the best cure for a hangover! Came here following a long weekend of college football game wins and celebratory bar visits. Got an ice cold mango michelada and their mixed seafood ceviche, along with a few appetizers, and it did just the trick to help me recover and get ready for the week ahead.

    Steak and Eggs Plate
    Firas S.

    Great ambience, excellent service, and amazing ceviche. Came here on a Saturday morning and were able to be seated rather quickly. The restaurant was almost full but the service was fast. Ordered the Steak and Eggs and Ceviche de Cameron. Will pass on the steak next time as it wasn't their specialty, but the star of the show was definitely the Ceviche. Definitely recommend.

    Ray L.

    Craved some Mexican food after a long hike and it hit the spot. All the food was so flavorful. I got shrimp tacos. The tortillas were homemade as well as the salsa and chips and loaded with good stuff. The rice was interesting as it wasn't Spanish rice but still really good. The beans definitely seemed like there was a lot of lard in them so I wasn't a fan of that. But they had nice booths inside and the decor was really cute. Glad I finally found some good Mexican food in town. Shrimp were so juicy and flavorful!

    El viejon
    Mitzy M.

    This was our second time going to el viejon and it didn't disappoint. We ordered a full order of aguachile, the tuna tartar, Ensenada fish taco, and the smoked tuna taco. Everything was delicious, the portions were huge. Overall, the vibe is chill and clean. The only small thing is that it would've been helpful to know we had ordered enough food, just as a friendly heads up.

    Dos Birria Tacos
    Joey E.

    Finally was able to check this place out after a debate over where we should have dinner, and I gotta admit that I was surprised. The food was delicious(Check out their nachos!) and will for sure be back to try out the other items on their menu. Very friendly staff and the environment was a vibe.

    Seafood nachos. Noted as chef's favorite on menu.
    Belle N.

    I've been to El Viegon in Scripps Ranch a couple of times now, and it's definitely a spot I'd come back to. The location is super convenient right off the 15 freeway, which makes it an easy stop. This time we ordered the seafood nachos, and they were really good. They come loaded with shrimp, fish, and octopus, and everything tasted fresh--not fishy at all, just clean and flavorful. You can tell they use quality seafood. Service has been on point both times I've been here--friendly, attentive, and quick without feeling rushed. On a previous visit, I tried their ceviche and it was just as impressive--very fresh and full of flavor. I also like that they're starting to do Friday nights with 80's music and a live DJ, which adds a fun vibe if you're looking for something a little more lively. Overall, solid food, great service, and a good atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

    Cafe de De la Olla Latte
    Liz M.

    #elviejónseafoodandbrunch was a nice surprise. The food is very flavorful. A bit on the pricey side the birria taco with octopus was around $16. And the pancakes that came with fruit were served plain because they were out of bananas. I think they could of said something.... I actually had to ask. The best was the cafedeollalatte and the drinks looked delicious.

    Mei T.

    My friends and I came here a few Fridays ago, expecting to partake in their happy hour, only to find out it was limited to Monday thru Thursday. We were slightly disappointed, but we got over it. Chips and salsa were not complimentary. You have to pay for it, and it was bad! The chips were stale and the salsa tasted like it came out of the El Pato tomato sauce tin can that was used to hold utensils. It was only $5 but it was a waste of money. The "chunky" salsa was runny and flavorless. I ordered 2 tostadas, the La Coqueta ($10) and the Camaron Cocido ($9). They were good, but there was nothing particularly special about them. Service was very slow. This is one of those restaurants I would try once and cross off my list. It's not bad, but it's also good enough for a repeat visit.

    Quesa-Birria Taco with broth
    Myphuong L.

    Unlike the Convoy location, this location has plenty of parking and indoor seating. Your order is taken after you are seated not at the counter. Same club music. Large tv's for sports and a nice bar. They're just missing a dance floor to go along with the music! Came on a Tuesday and there weren't any Tuesday taco deals. Just happy hour Monday - Thursday 3-5pm. We ordered: Octopus taco - amazing. The crispy onions gave it an added crunch and generous on the octopus. Choice of spicy salsa macha or pesto. We got salsa macha, it's like chili oil. Queso Birria taco w consome - I like the birria taco here over Mike's Red Taco! It's fully loaded and flavorful! Ceviche de cameron - shrimp, red onions, cilantro, tomato. This one is traditional and basic out of all with refreshing herb flavors. I prefer this ceviche over the other one. La coqueta - cooked shrimp, octopus, red onions, cucumber, roasted pepper, cilantro. This one had all the nice assortment but it was too wet. The tostado got soggy. It also had cream cheese base that I didn't like. Garlic shrimp plate - came with salad, rice and beans. We substituted the beans for more salad. The salad had a hint of jalapeño dressing that gave it a kick of spicy peppers. 10 shrimps! The rice was too wet for me, I prefer dryer. It also came with a side of tortillas. We each got the guava margarita. The guava purée tasted like the guava juice from Costco! Regardless, it was delicious. Originally, I wanted the tamarindo margarita but they sold out.

    Nancy T.

    We frequent the convoy location and have always wanted to try this brunch/dinner location. The restaurant is so nicely decorated and the dining space is much bigger and cozy. The menu offerings were vast and reasonably priced. Our server was nice and I loved to see everyone working together to help each other's guests. The mimosa flight was delicious. The food per usual never disappoints.

    Ana A.

    Advertised that they are showing the USA game today, 6/19/20206. I stopped by at 12:47pm only to be told they're closed. Though their doors were open. No explanation as to why- yelp advertised them as open at noon on Fridays. Head over to Tulum, they're showing the game and much better service!

    Chilangas -$20

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    2 months ago

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    El Viejon Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Viejon

    Went on 8/4/26 and it was closed with a sign on the door saying closed for remodeling. They make no mention on their website or anywhere else. When will it reopen?

    Yes we are open once again.

    Is there Sunday Brunch?

    Yes there is brunch Saturday and Sunday join us for amazing food and ambiance

    Is there an outside, pet-friendly patio?

    Hi..no unfortunately there's not an outside patio available for dining with your pet.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Tavern+Bowl East Village

    Tavern+Bowl East Village

    3.6
    (955 reviews)
    14.3 mi
    $$

    Was down in San Diego for the weekend, but it ended up being too chilly for a pool day, so we came…read morehere instead. Totally loved it. Staff was very nice. Only 6 lanes, so it's nice and cozy, doesn't get too loud. The strawberries and cream cocktail is a MUST try, so good. But honestly the star of the night was the $5 pound of fries. Oh my god, best fries I have ever had. It's been days and I'm still thinking about them. I would be willing to take the train down 2 hours from Orange County just to eat these fries. Please get them. Will be back!

    For my husband's birthday he wanted to go bowling with our friends, I had no clue where to look, I…read moregoogle searched bowling alleys and came across Tavern + Bowl in East Village. You have to be within 7 days of your requested reservation date so as soon as I was closer I set up a reservation through Open Table. They do require a deposit which was fine because it made sure that we had the lanes needed for our party. I actually ended up calling the Tavern and Bowl to see if they had any earlier reservations and they told me if the person who requested an earlier time didn't pay the deposit I'd get the time slot. I am so lucky because these people didn't pay their deposit and we got the time and the lane. Cute thing, you can actually have kids come too, my niece who is 5 got to come along and they had a little device for her so she can push the ball, she ended up beating me. Everyone was so kind and service was so smooth and efficient, we got to bring donuts for our party and my husband and I ordered the carnitas nachos, they were delicious. Seriously such a great time, obviously this is before the Padres season so we lucked out on parking but this is a great place to host birthday parties. Thank you again for letting us have such a great time!

    Photos
    Cheers!
    Cheers!
    Tavern Wings Roasted Garlic Hummus (V) onion rings
    Tavern Wings Roasted Garlic Hummus (V) onion rings
    Tavern+Bowl East Village

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    Bub's at the Ballpark

    Bub's at the Ballpark

    3.8
    (1.5k reviews)
    14.5 mi
    $$

    Stopped in for a quick bite and a beverage before a Padres game, and this place definitely has the…read moregame-day vibe! It's a great open-air setup with both indoor and outdoor seating, a relaxed sports-bar atmosphere, and TVs everywhere playing just about every game you could ask for. There are plenty of finger foods to choose from, and the prices are very reasonable, especially considering how close you are to the ballpark. The chicken wings are MASSIVE--juicy, packed with flavor, and definitely worth ordering. The tots were light and crispy and cooked perfectly. What really impressed me was the service. The place was busy, but the staff was still surprisingly attentive and made sure we were taken care of. Best part? You're literally steps from the ballpark. It's a perfect spot to grab some food and drinks while waiting for the gates to open. Great atmosphere, good food, solid prices, and an ideal location for Padres game day. Definitely adding this one to the pregame rotation! Go Padres!

    Above Average Sports Bar…read more Went here before and after a Padres game and before was 1000x more electric and fun atmosphere than after. Drinks were nothing special and the food was above average bar food. We had wings and a pretzel. The pretzel was soft and had the best mustard dipping sauce I have ever had. The wings were large and had a substantial amount of meat. Service was solid for how busy they were

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    5 Bub's Grilled Chicken Wings (~$10): Carolina Gold
    5 Bub's Grilled Chicken Wings (~$10): Carolina Gold
    Bar

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    Bar
    Nicky Rottens

    Nicky Rottens

    3.4
    (907 reviews)
    15.4 mi
    $$

    Captain's Log, Stardate 21483…read more This past Sunday, I charted a course to Nicky Rottens in Coronado, a delightful establishment located at the end of Orange Avenue. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted by an uplifting open-air environment, truly a breath of fresh air that felt like stepping onto the observation deck of the USS Enterprise. The amazing views of the bay were nothing short of spectacular, bringing a serene beauty that rivals the finest star systems. Over the years, my wife, her girlfriend, and I have become frequent travelers to this culinary haven, beaming back for nearly 15 years--a testament to its enduring allure. The selection of IPAs and mixed drinks is impressive, catering to even the most discerning palates in the galaxy. The choices are vast enough to satisfy anyone embarking on this flavor exploration, whether you prefer a refreshing drink to toast a successful mission or something bolder, like a phaser on stun! The menu features a delightful array of options, including fresh salads, tantalizing finger foods, and, of course, their famed burgers. My wife's enthusiasm for the offerings has always been infectious, and during this visit, she and her girlfriend were on a culinary adventure of their own, indulging in the flavors that have made Nicky Rottens a local favorite. The burgers are truly out of this world--juicy, flavorful, and expertly crafted to ensure a warp-speed experience with every bite. You'll find that each dish is prepared with precision, as if overseen by a skilled chef with the abilities of a Vulcan and the passion of a true culinary Starfleet officer. In conclusion, Nicky Rottens is a prime destination for anyone seeking a vibrant atmosphere, stunning views, and a solid meal. I can confidently say that if you ever find yourself in Coronado, this establishment is a must-visit. After all, it's just one small step for man, and one giant leap into deliciousness! Live long and prosper. End log. Captain 619

    Got a paloma and the flavor was more intense than I expected, but it was pretty good…read more Tater tots are nice and crispy, great texture. Aside from that, they're generic normal tasting tater tots. For the burger, I liked the bun and other ingredients, but thought the savoriness of the meat was just okay. Also, can't say I'm a huge fan of the tiny lettuce whenever I see it. Overall, this joint is not bad, but I can think of very little about it that stands out. I don't feel that it fully leans into being a sports bar or dive bar or even as a burger joint. It's just.....a bar. Apparently, it prides itself as being an original coronado spot, but I didn't get that kinda vibe here. I don't know.

    Photos
    Nicky Rottens
    Check out that big screen!! Awesome!
    Check out that big screen!! Awesome!
    View of the building signage from 1st Street

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    View of the building signage from 1st Street

    El Viejon - seafood - Updated August 2026

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