Amazing tacos! I always come here when I'm in the area. The ceviche and tacos are outstanding…read more Despite the line, the order came out fast. The seafood is fresh and i really enjoyed the battered fish taco. Seating is very limited.

Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Busy place but it's thankfully quick! Also had to wait in line but not for too long. The guac is so fresh and delish - just need an extra squeeze of lemon. Sauces and condiments are up for grabs and a lot of it is self-service so it can feel more chaotic. The fish tacos, shrimp tacos, octopus tacos, and ceviche were all good! Not a 5, but a solid 4.5 :)

An elegant space with high ceilings and interesting murals…read more The chicken enchiladas suizas, guacamole, and street corn were excellent. Service was friendly and attentive. A great choice for Mexican food near UTC!

Stopped for a drink and a snack. Not many people here on the day went visited…read more Sat at the bar because the patio was too warm. Was told by the waiter that they no longer offer free chips & salsa. But that there was a small charge. We agreed on the chips & salsa because it's usually really good there. Had a spicy jalapenos Mule. Which was really good.

Do yourself a favor and come when Nick B is working, he's the best bar tender!!!!!!!!read more

Was staying in the area while visiting San Diego and kept passing by this spot. It looked inviting…read moreand a nice scenery for the neighborhood. Did some quick research and found they have a great happy hour so of course I had to go check it out. Did a walk in around 4pm on a Monday and it was pretty busy! The space is airy and lively. Loved the openness, plants, and friendly service. Happy Hour bites were excellent and were 50% off. Ceviche was fresh, flautas were crispy and the queso was piping hot. Washed it all down with a couple of frozen margs and it made for a great time while visiting. Highly recommend and I look forward to returning when I'm back in San Diego.

We're from Anaheim, CA, and drove three hours to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Since we got…read moremarried at Mission Dolores in San Francisco, we visited Mission San Juan Capistrano earlier in the day and kept our "mission/church" theme going by booking Quiote for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to find it inside the Lafayette Hotel, absolutely gorgeous, and on the 4th of July the pool was packed and full of energy. The hotel has so many beautiful bars that we could've stayed there all day. Our 6:30p reservation was during a busy stretch, but the vibe was great. I love love love the interior design, cocktails, food, and especially that they allow dogs. Everyone was so sweet to her. Food came out fast, too. We ordered four small plates as recommended, but three would've been perfect for two people so it makes more room for dessert. They surprised us with a complimentary dessert and a personalized candle, which made the night feel extra special. I wish we could've seen the plating better because every dish came on a unique, beautiful plate. Staff was friendly and attentive throughout. Highly recommend

Very trendy, friendly, evocative dining experience! It's located inside the Lafayette Hotel, but…read morethere's also an outside entrance to the restaurant. Beware there's only street parking, no valet service (unless you're a hotel guest), so that can present a challenge. Reservations a MUST on weekends, especially with a group. Now for the food reviews. Everything we ordered was delicious from the squash blossom and smashed tuna tartare appetizers to the El Festin platter (made for groups) . Since the main dining area is kept dark for the dramatic gothic effect, it's tricky to rely on your sense of sight for the presentation of each of the dish. The highlight for me was the chili garlic shrimp tacos. So full of flavor! The only drawback is that many of their dishes are made with nuts. So if you have a nut allergy, which one of us in our group did, the menu was limiting. Overall, it's an incredible place for first timers and out-of- towners. I might return for a special celebration, but not repeatedly. Once is good enough experience, especially with so many other special dining options in our fine city.

Delicious and Good Service they friendly comfort and good food for a family and friendsread more

The food was really great and I loved the attentive service!…read more I recently attended a small birthday celebration at Cocina de Barro and was delighted with the quality and flavor of the food. Parking in the area was rough, but at least there is a nearby parking garage with good prices ($5). We ordered a bunch of items off the menu, and everything was perfect. At less than $50/head for a huge and wonderful meal with drinks, this was a bargain in my book. Five stars for all elements of the experience!

An Unforgettable Birthday Celebration!…read more I took my husband here for his birthday this past Monday, and the entire experience was absolutely incredible from start to finish. First, the location and the views are simply stunning. It set the perfect backdrop for a celebratory evening. But what really elevated the vibe was the music! The playlist was so on point that I literally found myself dancing in my seat to every single song. It created such a fun, lively energy. I also have to give a massive shoutout to our waiter, who was incredibly attentive, warm, and anticipated our every need. The entire staff went above and beyond to make my husband feel so wonderfully celebrated. From a sweet little "Happy Birthday" sign to a surprise dessert at the end of the meal, every detail was thoughtful and perfectly executed. This place is truly incredible. We will absolutely be back!

I am a huge fan of all of the Cohn restaurants. Coasterra is one of the only ones in San Diego that…read moreI had never experienced until now. So I was very excited to see what this place had to offer. Celebrated my daughter's 19th birthday here this week, and to be honest, I was not impressed. The location and views from this place are unmatched. Tons of covered patio seating with a breathtaking view of the downtown skyline. As for the food, it was just ok. It was mostly mexican seafood, but there was a good mix of other items like steak and a wagu burger. Everything was served hot and fresh, but in my honest opinion, everything just lacked flavor. Everything I tasted was just bland, and I tasted a little bit of all of my family's meals. But everyone agreed. Maybe we are just spoiled with San Diego Mexican food. My biggest complaint of the night was the service. Our waiter started off well. He took our drink orders and when he returned, asked if we wanted to get appetizers started, which we did. Our appetizers came out and were finished and we still had not seen our server to order our main dinner. This continued to be the issue all night, we were constantly looking and waiting for our server. There were other servers that came around and filled our drinks and took our plates, and they were great! But we really didn't see our main server most of the night. And one of the times that we did walk by, my daughter asked for a new glass of water because she had dropped food into the glass. He took the glass and never came back. I ended up giving my daughter my water. I did notice that the servers at the other tables were awesome. They were attentive, and we constantly saw them checking on their guest. And like I said, we are fans of all of the Cohn restaurants we have dined at before, so the level of service we received is not typical. Maybe our server was new??? I will say, this is not a cheap place to eat. My family of 5 spent almost $240 and that was with no alcohol or desserts. So you would expect to receive a high level of service. Other than the ambience, our experience was just ok. I would highly recommend the restaurants next door, which are owned by the same owner, and have never disappointed us in quality and/or service (Island Prime or C-Level).

I can't wait to go again!! Oscar's was amazing, best seafood tacos I've tried…read more The restaurant is a bit small and had limited seating, so we ended up eating outside, but it was a beautiful day. I tried the tacos especial (fish, shrimp, scallops) and grilled octopus and they were both amazing! I would get 2 tacos or 3 if you're really hungry.

Fish tacos are a San Diego staple, and Oscars is said to be the best restaurant for them…read more Grilled Fish Taco: Best of the meal. The fish was grilled to tender, paired with smooth avocado puree and fresh salsa--a rich and satisfying bite. But! The biggest surprise is the tortilla--it was on the softer side, yet surprisingly chewy. Smoked Fish Taco: A classic and San Diego signature dish. The fish was shredded into small pieces, giving it a smoky flavor and a slightly dry texture. The taste was nice, but you don't really feel the meat in bites, so it was slightly less impressive. Fish Ceviche: Marinated in lemon juice, the proteins denatured, making the fish appear white and fully cooked, but it still had a firm, raw texture. Completely different from other raw fish ceviche I've had. But! Incredibly tangy!!! The first bite was so tangy it was almost painful; it was only after being served as tapas with tostadas that I gradually got used to it. Lemon juice, tomato, and onion--it was easy to imagine the refreshing taste, while the rich aroma of avocado nicely balanced the harshness. Shrimp Ceviche: The shrimp appeared to be cooked; they weren't large but were quite fresh, with firm and tender meat. See above for other details. The restaurant is located in a small food court, with very limited parking and seating. It may be inconvenient for groups of four or more to dine in.

Overview: very quick and friendly service, yummy California Burrito according to my bf…read more ---- We placed an order through the phone for a California Burrito ($13.90) and a Fish Taco ($5.50) and they said it would be ready in 5 minutes! We left right away to pick up the food and sure enough it was ready waiting for our arrival. One quick drive back home to dig in and the aroma was so enticing. California Burritos is very apt for their name, my bf rates it a 10/10. As a California Burrito connoisseur, he liked the addition of sour cream in it and said the flavors were delicious. He topped it with their green salsa for a little bit of a freshness to cut through the richness and fattiness of the meat and fries in the burrito. He didn't care for the fish taco that much and rated it a 4/10 but said the restaurant overall was a 10/10, as he thought there was too much lettuce and tomato throwing off the ratio of the taco. I, on the other hand, am a huge fan of veggies and liked the ample amount they provided. ---- There's a couple benches outside in front of the shop and seating at booth tables inside as well. It's a bit smaller to sit inside, I recommend sitting outside to enjoy the fresh air and the sunset is beautiful. ---- Overall: if you're in the mood for California Burritos come to the place rightly named California Burritos!

They do things a little different at this place. The California had guacamole and sour cream. Makes…read moreit more like a carne asada burrito adding fries. That said, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this burrito. It's large, filling, but their sauce had an almost artificial red color to it. Despite the weird look of the sauce, it had decent spice, wasn't overwhelming but wasn't weak either. Parking is very difficult here, and seating is limited. It's a small tack shop style place, made more for to-go orders. Service was fast and friendly. Their horchata is where they really lose a star, it's from a fountain and tastes like it, watered down artificial flavor. However you don't come here for the drinks, you come here for the large tasty California Burritos, hence the name. They've definitely won me over and I'll be back when in the area. That's this critic's review, until next time, I'll be eating.