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    Elote

    4.3 (117 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Vegetarian
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order Elote Takeout or Delivery

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    ELOTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Recommended Reviews - Elote

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    Cat R.

    Had no idea this cute little urban market was here! Came by on a tour hosted by SoDiego and enjoyed the elote cup we got to try.

    Y L.

    I got a cup of elote while visiting Old Town SD, and this location is convenient! The corn elote seems to be grilled beforehand and kept hot throughout the day, but you still get that toasted flavor. Definitely try your corn and mix it before you squeeze your lime in, though. Mine was much, much tangier than expected. The elote is hot and ready to eat almost immediately, and the service is fast and polite. The area is also decorated beautifully from the architecture to the stones on the floor.

    Esquite with hot Cheeto crumbs
    Jessica V.

    This place is a MUST when coming to San Diego! They serve the best esquites! The corn is roasted which gives it a delicious taste and when you top it with hot Cheetos crumbs...BOMB! The serving size is enough to get you full as an afternoon snack! I've been here twice and will continue to come each time I'm in town! The gentleman who served us had great customer service and prepared our corn fast. There wasn't any line when we got there but I'm sure on busy days it's packed.

    Yeonji S.

    Went to this place around dinner. Such a cozy spot and a yummy place to eat esquites! Wish it had more mayo!!!!!

    Baked potato, very good but not hot enough!
    Tito R.

    Pretty good! Food came out fast. Spot is tucked away in a nice little corner in Old Town. It's great street food if you don't feel like a sit down place!

    Mini R.

    If you're in Old Town San Diego and craving something truly delicious, you have to try the elote! The corn is perfectly grilled, giving it that smoky, slightly charred bite that pairs so well with the creamy, tangy mix of mayo, cotija cheese, and chili powder. A squeeze of lime adds the perfect citrusy kick. It's messy, flavorful, and absolutely worth every bite. Plus, the atmosphere of Old Town makes the experience even better--enjoying authentic Mexican street food while surrounded by the lively energy of the historic district is unbeatable. Definitely a must-try if you're in the area! Located inside the old town, urban market, right next to Coffee Culture,Flor's Farm To Table, Sushi, And Barrio Donuts All inside of a food hall with lots of tables. And lots of lounging areas. Great place to just chill. Great service

    chicharrones
    Lisa G.

    I ordered the chicharrones and this is what I got. When I order chicharrones and pay a premium price, I expect real fried pork rinds, not this fake garbage. The elote cup was fine, but $9 is expensive for the cheapest food.

    Corn in a cup.
    Eloisa B.

    Visited on a Thursday afternoon. The lady behind the counter was friendly when she took my order -Corn in Cup, light on the cheese and other toppings. She prepared my order really quick and got me on my way. The corn was yummy and a hefty amount. I took the advice of the other reviewers about taking it easy on cheese because of how salty it was. The booth is located in a cozy food court out of the way of the busy central part of Old Town -closer to the Transit Station. There is parking across the street and on the street if you can find any. Hits the spot.

    Irene D.

    Came here for thinking I was getting fire roasted corn but unfortunately it was not fire roasted. It appeared boiled and then topped off with toppings. But regardless I still enjoyed it especially with the spicy touch of hot Cheetos crumbs! Service was good and the ambiance was everything! Come during October and the town is decorated to perfection!

    Nora V.

    I ordered corn in a cup, I believe it's called esquite. It has mayo, lemon, tajin and chile... yummm They also had corn on the cob, loaded baked potatoes, and a few other snacks. The lady who took my order was polite and since I was the only one in line it was a fast process. I would return to this cute small food court in old town San Diego.

    Stefani L.

    My 13 year old son was in HEAVEN. Delicious and nice size portions. Location was so nice.

    Tostielote
    Ginger P.

    The elote here is loaded up and delicious. What more can I say? The prices are expensive but honestly not even that much more than getting mediocre elote from a cart by the beach, and the quality here is much better. I've had the elote in a cup and also the tostielote. I'm actually not sure if the portion size of the tostielote is that much bigger than the regular elote in a cup, but I kind of preferred the tostielote despite it being like $4 extra.

    Rose L.

    Elote was on my list due to the raving reviews. I should have known better when I saw zero people on a Saturday but I went ahead and ordered something anyway while waiting for food from another restaurant in the food hall. The corn was overpriced (paid almost $11 including tip) and did not taste good. This makes me want to go to Ralph's to get some Parkay, corn, cheese, and lime and make it myself. I ended up tossing away the cup after a couple bites because it was not worth the calories. The gentleman who rang me up was friendly though.

    Tostitos. With corn

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    This place is so nice, the food is so bomb I could eat it forever. Young man is handsome... but has a girlfriend. Ambiance is nice.

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    3 years ago

    We got the corn In a cup, flavor was amazing! Fresh corn off the cob not from a can! Just ask with everything in it! You won't regret

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Love the elote here just moved to San Diego not to long ago such a nice spot to stop for something small if your in Old Town.

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    2 years ago

    Amazing! So good. Please open one in phoenix! Loved the baked potato and the corn cup was everything. Thank you!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The food is amazing!! We got the tosti elote and the corn in a cup. The guy helping me out was awesome as well! I love the ambience!

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    4 years ago

    Very delicious elote! Great customer service as well. Definitely recommend trying this place out.Corn in a Cup

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    3 years ago

    Good portions and attentive- food was good and came out quick. Corn in a CupAgua FrescaCorn Specialities

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    3 years ago

    Best Elote in a cup I've ever had please stop by for a great snack. I would had added a picture but I had already dug in lol.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Expensive for what it is but otherwise good. I did enjoy the generous shot of tequila with my aguas fresco

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    4 years ago

    really nice store, the corn in the cup and agua fresca is delicious. everything is fresh, and staff is nice.

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    3 years ago

    The lady working there was very nice, but I was not impressed. I had the corn in the cup and was subpar.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    There elote is amazing!! Service was great!!! Don't have much to say about the ambience because it was about to close on a rainy day.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Best esquites in town! I love the the Tostielotes and the corn in a cup, it's great Mexican street food.

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    Page 3 of 3

    Elote Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Elote

    Can you tell me if you offer plain corn NO butter? Thank you

    Hi! Yes, we do (with or without butter)

    I was trying to find any ingredients but couldn't see details. Are there any gluten free options? What is in the toppings shown in the pictures? Would love to try if there are some gluten free finds here!

    corn, mayonnaise, butter, cheetos i think. it's customizable and you can hold any ingredients (or ask for extra)

    Do you guys cater parties?

    Hi! Yes we do cater 😊 Send us a private message here (or on Instagram @eloterestaurants) with more details and your information and we will get back to you promptly.

    Did the time change I have been here 2 times this week both in the evening once at 4:45 waited until 5:05 thinking someone would be back and then today at 6 and the lights are on but no one's there? 😩 8 1/2 months pregnant and my only craving lol

    Hi! So sorry we missed you! We indeed changed our hours for December / January but will be back to regular hours in February. We hope to see you soon!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    La Puerta

    La Puerta

    4.2
    (4.8k reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Five stars all the way!!! Amazing food, fresh chips and salsa oh and service that cares the taco…read moreplate was full of flavor and the portions were spot on! Everything tasted good

    I'm so mad about this place!! Hubby and I headed down to SD…read moreto get away from the heat in the OC. On the drive, I decided I wanted Mexican food. I picked a place off Google but when we landed there we were not comfortable stopping to park, so we looked again and decided to check out La Puerta not realizing it was in the Gaslight District. I am not a fan of the Gaslight District, which is why I am so mad!! I'm going to HAVE to go back to the Gaslight District!! The food was AMAZING!! I HIGHLY recommend the Potato Flautitas. It's the kind of dish I'm going to dream about, I'm salivating now just thinking about them. I also did the Pick 3 Street Tacos (and actually ordered a 4th). The Ranchero Shrimp and Grilled Veggie were top notch. The Conchinita was recommended by our waiter, and it was interesting, tasty but different. It could have used a little more pickled onion. The only one I would not recommend (shockingly, I thought it would be the easy pass) was the carne asada. It was too greasy. My husband ordered a carne asada quesadilla and said the same, it was too wet and soaked through the tortilla. But there were no many other delightful options, I would say just don't go traditional. But honestly my favorite thing on the plate was the side dish rajas con crema, seriously, that alone is going to drag me down to the Gaslight District. I'm even considering going to a Padres game just for the excuse. I'm salivating again! As for our waiter, Colin, he was fantastic. Very informative, made great suggestions and seemed genuinely pleased by our satisfaction. He was smiling the whole time, friendly and stayed very present. I highly recommend you get yourself through the door at La Puerta and sit down for a meal ASAP. (We ate the food so fast I forgot to take pictures.)

    Photos
    Restaurant
    Restaurant
    Chicken with fried cheese tacos
    Chicken with fried cheese tacos
    Harland Hazy IPA

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    Harland Hazy IPA
    Quixote

    Quixote

    4.0
    (700 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$$

    Quixote is connected to the side of the Lafayette hotel in a deconstructed church with stained…read moreglass, heaven and hell rooms. Super dark and I mean dark, it'll take a minute for your eyes to adjust. Tapas style menu, we were a party of 4 and ordered: Squash blossom Relleno - it's the flower part of a squash plant and stuffed with mushroom duxelles which resembles a meat mixture with squash succotash. Outside is a corn tempura with a tomato base sauce. Pulpo-grilled octopus, one of the best texture and perfectly grilled skin with a chewy yet soft interior. The sauce has a slight kick and crunch from the corn nuts. Crab corn doughnut- this is their specialty and we were about to skip out but glad we didn't. The brioche bun had a donut batter with lumps of crab salad and corn mixture on top. El Festin- perfect for our party of 4 because it was a platter full of 4 Cheese quesadilla, 4 shrimp, 4 chicken slices, 1 jalapeño bacon wrap, ribeye. Flan-we should have each ordered one ourselves! Great flavors and texture, the top had ancient chocolate soil and had crispy corn nuts. Different but yummy. Overall, delicious food that came out so quick, great ambiance, we celebrated our birthdays and were each gifted candles with our names on the label. Truly amazing from beginning to end. Street parking only. The spots on the same block are metered but if you drive down to the second street towards residential, it's free.

    We popped in for a drink and the place was jammin. It's decor is quite nice and the atmos was…read moreenergetic. We we're not greeted at the dire so we wandered over to the bar and luckily found two seats. This is not your ordinary bar. We both wanted a gin and tonic and they have five gins.... None of which I have heard of which is amazing. I tried the prickly pear gin and wowee... superb. A little sweeter than normal but a delight. The bartender was nice and the drinks enjoyable.

    Photos
    Dramatic dining space!
    Dramatic dining space!
    Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!
    Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!
    Sangre Santa. Taste like a sangria. It was delicious.

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    Sangre Santa. Taste like a sangria. It was delicious.
    Cocina de Barrio

    Cocina de Barrio

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    It's very rare that I find an upscale Mexican restaurant that I absolutely LOVE... but Cocina de…read moreBarrio completely won me over. I was in town looking for a good brunch spot and came across Cocina de Barrio on Yelp. The food looked delicious, but let me tell you... it tasted like home. You know that scene in Ratatouille when the food critic takes that first bite and is instantly transported back to his childhood? That was me. The sauces, the flavors, the textures... everything was absolutely magnificent. It was honestly so hard to choose what I wanted. I would happily pay extra for a buffet here! Hint, hint! I ordered the Oaxaqueño Breakfast, with nopales (cactus) cooked into the eggs with salsa, paired with refried beans and potatoes. Can we just take a moment to give some serious compliments to the chef?! Every bite was packed with flavor. I also paired my breakfast with a Café de Olla, and I loved that it wasn't overly sweet. I enjoy my cafecito, and this one was just right. The ambience is colorful, vibrant, and beautifully filled with greenery, which made the whole experience even better. everyone was very welcoming and friendly Overall, Cocina de Barrio was such a wonderful find. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying more dishes the next time I'm in town. 10/10 -- my taste buds definitely felt at home.

    Wow! What a great spot. The happy hour is seriously one of the best around, with awesome drink…read morespecials and delicious tacos that are hard to beat! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and the prices made it even better! The service was fantastic and the whole place had such a fun, lively vibe. A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO THEO, who greeted everyone with a huge smile and made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in. He was an awesome bartender-friendly, energetic, and made the experience even more enjoyable. If you're looking for great tacos, tasty drinks, amazing happy hour deals, and a fun atmosphere, this place is definitely worth checking out. Can't wait to come back!

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    Cocina de Barrio
    Cocina de Barrio
    Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita

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    Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita
    Coasterra

    Coasterra

    4.0
    (4.1k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    My new favorite spot in San Diego!…read more I had no idea Reuben E. Lee was gone and this beautiful venue replaced it! I am so glad! This visit we stuck to the Happy Hour menu for food, but the main menu looked so tasty! The margarita very strong and had too much ice, but the wine was tasty! The chips, salsa and guacamole were wonderful and the guacamole was a hearty portion - well worth the cost. The ceviche was just okay, it was packed with what should have been delicious ingredients and in the end it was pretty tasteless. The service was A+ and the view, well there are no words.

    This location is definitely an upscale Mexican vibe, and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here…read more For apps, we shared the calamari and Tempura Jalapeno-Cilantro cauliflower. I loved the cauliflower app. It was well seasoned, and had a good crunch to it. Calamari was good as well. But I highly recommend cauliflower app over calamari. For main course, I got the tempura Mahi Tacos. They were very filling and had a very subtle spicy kick in the tacos. Overall, the food was good for upscale Mexican-esque food. Service was excellent as well. Our waters never ran empty and after apps, they gave us new napkins to set our forks and knives down while they took our small plates away. They even offered to give us a new set of forks and knives. I think it is small details like this that make a difference. The most prominent detail I really liked about this location was the ocean view. We made a reservation for outdoor seating, and had an amazing view of the ocean and sunset. Parking was a little difficult. There's only one row for free self parking, but it is very limited. They offer $10 valet which I had to do because I could not find any parking. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. Because this restaurant is a more high-end / upscale restaurant, I would recommend this location more for a special occasion or date night rather than a casual place to eat.

    Photos
    Located on Harbor Island, Coasterra offers stunning views of the San Diego Bay, downtown skyline and Coronado Bridge.
    Located on Harbor Island, Coasterra offers stunning views of the San Diego Bay, downtown skyline and Coronado Bridge.
    View from patio
    View from patio
    Main dining room

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    Main dining room

    Elote - mexican - Updated August 2026

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