I've been coming to Karina's for a very long time, started with the one on broadway in Chula Vista, then that closed so I made the national city one my go to.....then that closed. So I don't go as often as I used to as the location on Birch is quite a drive. But Friday the 20th my wife and I decided to make the drive because we had a rare day off together and I was craving. We were seated quickly and the staff was friendly. GG was our server and I asked her about the shrimp burrito in ranchero sauce because I didn't see it on the menu to which I was given the very sad news that they no longer served it. I'm a creature of habit, and I've been coming to this chain since my early 20s and I always get that burrito with rice and beans. Was very disappointed to find it's no longer a menu item, it was literally what made me make the drive from lakeside. Once getting that news I had to actually look at the menu and find something else. I ordered tha carne asada plate and my wife had the Green enchiladas. I also ordered the ceviche tostada. I was a little worried the carne asada might be thin and dry but it was actually a nice thickness and super tender. I had a bite of the enchiladas too, also really good. Another new thing I noticed is that now chips and salsa are not complimentary, sad. But unfortunately not something new to the restaurant scene as of late. read more

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I was excited to try this place, but sadly they failed me. I literally almost met my death and I paid good money for it . There was an oyster shell about 1/2"x 3/4 " in my food that I almost swallowed. And I don't speak Spanish. I couldn't even explain to the waiter what I wanted to order when I was trying to order or that. My food has a shell in it. I tried to start over and eat my food but I just couldn't. No change of the bill , This place is beautiful to look at, but they don't seem to have much substance inside all that beauty read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Campechana - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Ambiance amazing, food I'll see I ordered Ceviche which ima pray over & pray it's okay! Service HORRIBLE!!!!! So I arrive a little before 10pm , go sit at bar. The waiters are staring the waitresses are staring, and then a waitress finally walks over and asked me what I like anything and provide me a menu. I told her what I wanted, which was a House margarita with Taheen. She got that for me and disappeared when she got my drink, I ordered ceviche after that is when it went downhill ceviche is already made. I'm sure or don't take long. It took like 20 minutes for that to come out and between that time, nobody asked me if I wanted another drink. If I wanted some water, they just kept looking at me and walking past me and serving everyone around me. Mind you I never saw my waitress again! This my second time coming here my first time the same thing happened, but I said to myself, maybe it was just an off night. Let me try it again. I go to Katrina's try again literally the same thing happened. I think they do not like my kind here. I explained that to the manager ALEX AS I walked out and paid my tab. I just pray the ceviche is OK cause I got it to go cause I didn't eat all day but horrible service every time I'm never going back horrible service and again I try not to play the race card, but they are totally racist up in this restaurant. I mean they literally looked AT me in my eye for a whole 30-40 minutes and no one asked me if I needed anything. I had to walk up to the front desk just to check out with my tab. That's how much they kept just staring at me and not helping me if you sit at the bar that means you want to drink!! no one asked me if I needed anything. They just kept looking at me. I don't know what's going on with this place but I'll never go back in there again and I'm a pray over this ceviche I bought it looks good but I'm gonna pray over it!! Horrible customer service!!! I'll never go back!!! total fail!!!!!! read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Sitting waiting after finishing my drink like 30 mins just sitting, at this point purposely to see how long - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Three star For food. Zero star for service Baaaaaaad baaaaaad i'm no more coming back read more

Service is horrible but the food is amazing. Tried to get seated for the World Cup, the hostess took one look at me and my sisters and said "No" she didn't let us sign up for a waitlist despite the game starting in 2 hours. We went around the back, plenty of open tables and bar seating. I had my boyfriend call and they told him that there wasn't a waitlist because there was plenty of seating available. Every time I come to the Otay location there is some sort of issue with the hostess, the waitress, and the service. If you can, go to the Gaslamp or Bonita Road locations. read more

We came into Karina's on a Saturday evening expecting a nice dinner, but unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing. Based on the service alone, I would rate it a 0. From the moment we sat down, everyone constantly looked confused and disorganized. We repeatedly had to flag someone down just to place our order, ask for chips and salsa, and request every refill. I had to ask three separate times just to get water for the table. To make matters worse, our mains were brought out immediately after the appetizers. When we pointed out that we had just received the apps, the manager had the plates taken back. There was no apology or acknowledgment of the mistake. The food was brought back out about 15-20 minutes later dry and overcooked, likely from sitting under a heater. The ceviche was easily the best thing we had. Even the tableside guacamole lacked seasoning. The fajita entrée only came with two flour tortillas and no toppings, which felt pretty underwhelming. Overall, a very disappointing experience. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Like Hooters, this place is the OG Ojos Locos in Chula Vista. Hmm, well, I lie. Technically, that was La Quinta Mexican Grill before that whole discrimination lawsuit cause they only hired pretty girls. Confused how they get away with that here though. Maybe they put them in the back? Anyway, food is ok, drinks are better. Sometime they have a group playing live spanish music. Sometimes they have a DJ, who also plays spanish music, sadly not live but from his laptop. It's expensive for what you get, and the food is inconsistent in quality, but it's in Eastlake so still a good place to come and hang out for some light food and drinks. read more

As usual, food is very good. Also want to give a shoutout to Vanessa for her good customer service and sweet disposition.

We had a poor experience at Karina's on Father's Day. After being seated, we waited more than 10 minutes with no server greeting, no water, and no acknowledgment. Meanwhile, two other families who arrived after us were promptly served water and tableside guacamole. As a non-Mexican family, we couldn't help but feel we were receiving inferior treatment. This was particularly disappointing on a family celebration. I hope management addresses these service inconsistencies. read more

I just went for my friend's birthday and everything was great. Our server was super nice and very attentive. Food was totally delicious. We had a variety of appetizers and all of them were soooo good. Loved the spicy shrimps and the ceviche. Guac was also on point . The moktails were yummy too. I also asked for a tour since I was looking for a place to host a party and they were great giving me all of the info needed. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Let's get right into it. The atmosphere here is lively with music playing and high energy. On a Friday evening the place was packed. Very decorated venue. There's a lot of things going on. Our server was awesome. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. She took care of our rather large group with a smile and prompt service. My kids really enjoyed the table side guacamole service. And they are generous with the portions. Everything we ordered seemed to be cooked perfectly with a fancy plating flair. My bacon wrapped shrimp tacos were delicious. A smoky flavor with tender shrimp. They were a 10 of 10! Paired with the guacamole and chips.... Overall, a great experience and dinner. We had a good time, and like I said earlier the service was excellent. My only gripe was the price. A little expensive but I get it. read more

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Honestly I'm very upset with this restaurant. The service for ordering a michelada during lunch time and not packed, took them 20 minutes to bring it. Not only that, I ordered a Karina's ceviche tostada that is priced at $10.00 and I had to keep getting up to check on my order because the server wouldn't come to give me an ETA. It took them another 20 minutes for a tostada to be ready and to top it off, it was the smallest portion of ceviche they have ever given me. They are shady with their portion. This is why I don't come to Karina's anymore. I'm not going to lie, the taste is good but everything is overpriced and services are not great. So, 2 out of stars from me. Very disappointing. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Michelada - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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We were shocked when the entrees were brought to our table one minute after the appetizers. We asked that the entrees be returned back to the kitchen since we had just started with the appetizers. The entrees were brought back later with the meat half burned on one side since it was obviously left in the oven for around 15 minutes. Another shock was when reviewing the ticket back at home, it was noticed that they had charged $4.00 for the additonal chips & salsa which was requested as there were 6 people on the table. read more

Love Dj nights on Friday - good vibes and can't go wrong with Karina's ceviche it's a staple. Pretty and updated restaurant . The service it's a hit or miss though. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Tamarindo martini is good - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Asked to sit at the bar but they were charging $10 a person because of some fight on TV so opted for a table. Was seated and waited fifteen minutes but server never came so we left. read more

Pros: - good food, great quality - Mario (bus boy) was more of a waiter than our own. He did everything for us. Cons: - had to ask hostess to send server after being seated for 15 mins - had to ask other waitresses to get our drink orders - food came for everyone except 1 person and that person was waiting for another 10 mins for the plate to come out - music was insanely loud read more

My first time visiting Karina's and I was so happy with everything!! It is a bit on the pricier side but everything was worth it because of the quality and proportions! When I arrived we were sat down right away. Our server Gladys was quick to give us our menus and check up on us. For appetizers, there was chips and salsa given complimentary. For our food we ordered: Surf and Turf Quesadilla, Aguachile de Camaron Verde, Carne Asada plate and horchata. Alll the items were delicious. My favorite was the Carne Asada plate because they give you so much meat! I was so full, I could not finish all the items I got. I will definitely be coming back to try other food items. read more

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Had an amazing experience dining here. The restaurant is beautiful and very aesthetically pleasing. We sat inside but it was quite warm and the AC was not on so they were okay that we moved out to the patio instead. They were very accommodating and staff is all very friendly. It doesn't matter where you sit in that restaurant every area is stunning. We sat in the patio under a big beautiful tree and enjoyed our delicious dinner. There was music playing and a nice breeze. The food was so good! Everything we ordered was perfect. Can't wait to be back read more

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Our server Yasmin A. Was a good waitress and was really attentive to us, she is super sweet and pretty. I loved her attitude and she recommended good items, I would come here again. read more

Great service, esthetically a great looking restaurant food was just okay. Nice guacamole service. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Filete en Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

While visiting home from Los Angeles for Thanksgiving, I stopped in for lunch with my parents. We ordered the guacamole, fish ceviche, chicken fajitas, chicken enchiladas,and the spicy water margaritas. Everything was delicious (guacamole and enchiladas were amazing), the service was excellent, and the décor was already full of Christmas spirit. I'll definitely be back! read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I ordered Aguacates Rellenos (Stufled Avocados) this was amazing! Service was amazing as well, everyone was very friendly. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Aguacates Rellenos (Stufled Avocados) - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

the inside looks nice but unfortunately the drinks are poorly made & the ambiance is not very appealing either. I'm very surprised the drinks were made half poured! There was only one other table so the place wasn't busy at all, no excuses. just poor service and drinks. we left after the first drink. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - half poured drinks. poorly made. - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I would NOT recommend this place. The service was extremely disappointing. Our server was passive, rude, and inattentive throughout the meal. Appetizers arrived halfway through my main course, which made the timing feel careless and poorly managed. We also waited over 30 minutes for extra tortillas and tostadas, with no acknowledgment or follow-up. I ultimately had to leave my seat just to get anyone's attention. The overall lack of attentiveness, organization and basic customer care made this a very frustrating dining experience. I ordered the carne asada plate, and the portion was noticeably disproportionate, with only a very small piece of meat. You're better off preparing a plate at home. On the bright side, the Christmas bows they have up are cute decorations. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Christmas bow - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Against my better judgement aka past experiences I came to give this place another chance- all it did was remind me why I keep my money and time away from this place. Food was ok - my margarita was a joke and basically just soda water- the service was horrendous- stay away and drive to the west side of Chula Vista for mariscos or go to east county - just stay away from here read more

My review is for the service. I went here because a friend told me the food is good. Well, I'm writing this as I'm still waiting on my food. I ordered rib eye tacos and have been waiting almost an hour. I finally went to the front and asked they went to check and brought the wrong order. It's not even busy. I finally got my food and will say the tacos are good. The rice is cold and beans are okay. I know I should've left. The music is good. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Obsessed!!!! Absolutely love this restaurant. Not only do they have an extensive & delicious Mexican seafood menu but this restaurant is so incredibly stunning. I have personally hosted a bridal shower, baby shower and birthday party at this location. Everybody loved the service they received and was extremely happy I had chosen this location to celebrate our special occasions. Always recommend the ceviche Karina's. read more

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Service was horrible. I wanted to try their appetizers and dishes. Sat at the bar. The place was a quarter full. Bartenders kept walking by until I had to wave a menu around. The bartender got me a drink. Didn't ask me if I wanted food. Wanted to use WiFi . Too difficult to get their attention. Too busy chatting with friends. Left no tip read more

Initially we were trying to get into the Yard House but they had a 2 hour wait. We called Karina's and they said they could sit us immediately, that should have been my first red flag on a Friday night. The food was good but as others said, the service was very poor. After 10 minutes of sitting with zero response from the staff I had to get up and ask the hostess to send over our server. This is a take out restaurant for sure. There was 7 of us so our "server" knew she was getting an 18% tip regardless of how bad she was. The music, way too loud. Surprised they are still open. read more

Only for the young or young at heart! We went for dinner and what started out as a quiet, serene ambiance turned into an extreme atmosphere filled with loud music and people yelling just to hear each other. In fact it was so noisy we ended up leaving our table inside and moving to one outside in hopes of communicating a little easier. Besides that the service was very slow. It took forever just to get our initial order of drinks and chips and salsa. We ordered fajitas and ceviche. There was no sizzle to the fajitas when it was brought out to us... so it must have just been sitting there for a while. I don't think I'll be coming back. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I have never written a Yelp review before, but my experience at Karina's Mexican Seafood was so shocking that I feel like I have to. During my meal, I actually found a metal screw inside my taco -- yes, a literal screw. I have a picture to prove it. When I showed the manager, he came over, looked at it, and the only thing he did was offer to comp the tacos. That's it. No real apology, no concern about how something like this could have happened, and no effort to make it right beyond taking those tacos off the bill. Finding something like that in your food is beyond unacceptable, and the lack of care from management made it even worse. I went in expecting good food and left completely disgusted and disappointed. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone after what happened. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - Tacos Governador Taco (2) - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Ambiance: 10/10 Service: 5/10 Food: 6/10 There's nothing special about this restaurant besides the look. It's beautiful! But that's as far as it goes. It was my first time here, and I probably won't be back. Our waitress didn't seem like she loved her job at all. Maybe the girl was having a bad day/shift. The food was expensive and not the best. Lacked flavor and authenticity. read more

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Horrible Service at the Otay Location I'm extremely disappointed with the service we received at the Otay location. My daughter ordered ceviche, and from the beginning our waitress, Judith (an older woman), had a very bad attitude. We politely asked for salted crackers, and she immediately said they don't come with the order. I explained that I come here once a week and that my daughter prefers crackers instead of tostadas. She then brought what appeared to be expired crackers. I asked if we could have the blue packet crackers instead, and she said they no longer carry them. What made it worse is that the table next to us ordered ceviche and received those exact blue packet crackers. When I pointed that out, she went into the kitchen and came back with a plate stacked with over 10 packets of crackers and slammed the plate down on our table. It was incredibly rude and disrespectful. The worst part was when I spoke to the manager, Ismael. I explained the situation calmly, but he was dismissive and unhelpful. Instead of addressing the issue professionally, his attitude made the situation even worse. I come here regularly, but after this experience with the older lady Judith and the manager Ismael,I am seriously reconsidering returning. Customer service matters, and this was Rude, unethical and unacceptable read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood in Otay Ranch Town Center, is a restaurant serving seafood specialties, steaks, tacos, ceviches and more along with handcrafted cocktails, margaritas and beers with a 3-6pm happy hour everyday at the bar. AMBIANCE 5/5 Contemporary and spacious indoor and outdoor dining, private event spaces, full bar and cocktail lounge, and lively music. SERVICE 4/5 A bit slow at first for staff to come to attention as I sat at the bar. Service really picked up once staff took my order and I appreciated their recommendations. DRINK 5/5 Tamarind Martini: a sweet and tangy twist on the classic martini, with a tamarind candy paste rim FOOD 5/5 Ribeye Steak Taquitos: I thought these would be deep-fried rolled tacos. These were smaller-size, soft flour tacos with tender, sliced ribeye steak, guacamole, onion, and cilantro. 3/5 Seared Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna: The chili soy sauce was very enjoyable however the sesame crusted Ahi Tuna was not seared, and the spinach bed partially slimed. P.S. I'd try the grilled prawns here/at their other locations next time if I'm not in a rush. read more

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Food was tasty, but service was slow the first visit. Been disappointed 3 times. Visit 1: I asked the waitress to the ingredients in the burrito and she gave me only 4 ingredients and left out that there was sauce and cheese which is what I didn't want so I had to eat off my husbands plate. Visit 2: to go, I asked for Shrimp and Chicken fajita and they said I had to pay for shrimp, chicken, and steak. And when I received the order it only had shrimp and steak. They offered refund after I called but it was 3 days after and only $4 of a refund so pointless. Visit 3: to go, maybe more of our fault since we just said "surf n turf" but there was no clarification seeing as though they have many items surf n turf on their menu. Just didn't get what we intended but again, probably partially our fault. Good food, just not "picky eater" friendly lol read more

The Ceviche Karina's is chef's kiss, probably my favorite thing on the menu. Aguachile is fire and their michelucas....uffff. Last time I was there I literally wanted to order one of everything. Came here for the fight and it was a vibe. They play great music and you don't have to go to the club to have a good time. read more

family lunch for 8 , one day before Easter. I revisited this place after 5 years, thinking it would be great for my out of town family lunch, but I was disappointed and so was everyone else in our party. The atmosphere felt more like a brothel than a restaurant at 3PM. My favorite dish, the octopus appetizer, was too salty, and the portions were large enough to share. The rest of the family's meals, including ceviche, marlin tacos, and stuffed fish, were just okay. The green ceviche was the only one that was liked by most - tacos tortilla was stale. Our server's behavior was strange and off-putting, and overall, the experience didn't warrant a second visit. read more

Came in at noon, sat down at the bar to get lunch. A couple of people at the bar but the place was empty. Bartender gave us menus and walked away and was shooting the shit with the two guys at the bar. Don't ask us if we wanted drinks. Waited. Waited. Waited. We left. Went to another Karina's off Bonita Road and probably got served faster with the drive etc than we would have at otay mall. Guys...the food is okay / daughter had a craving for ceviche but if the service is this bad all the time, I have no idea how this location can continue to stay in business. This is the second time I've left and went somewhere else bc we were ignored (and I tip big time). I worked in food service forever - menus go down and you ask if they want a drink...not just walk away and go screw around doing nothing. And I WANT to like this place bc it's close but no more trying it. read more

This place is super gorgeous! Their court yard is the perfect area to have lunch. The food was super good. I highly recommend the lonja de pargo. read more

I used to love Karina's. I have eaten at their restaurant in Bonita hundreds of times. I am sorry to say today was my final visit. First the carne asada in my burrito was over-seasoned and over-cooked. Second they brought the wrong order to my fiancé and she ended up waiting about 20 minutes extra for her food. It was only down hill from there. It used to be when you sat down at your table they would set down a plate of chips and salsa, now there's a $4 charge for chips, no big deal. If you like salsa with your Mexican food, that'll be $5! for a small bowl of salsa. I've never once been charged for salsa anywhere, who eats a burrito without salsa? $5? Get real. BY FAR the most egregious of all, I made the mistake of ordering a small guacamole with my chips, $14! $14 for a small bowl of mediocre guacamole. $14! 80 bucks is too much to pay for some second rate food for two people, goodbye for ever Karina's. read more

Karina's Mexican Seafood - $5 for a side of salsa and $14 for mediocre guacamole! - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California