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    Mama G's Special Sauce

    4.7 (36 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 5:30 pm

    Mama G's Special Sauce Photos

    MAMA G'S SPECIAL SAUCE ATMOSPHERE

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    Chicha Morada and Dragon Fruit Margarita
    Omelina G.

    Mama G's: Where Flavor Runs in the Family (and so does the Business) 4/25/2025 - If you've ever wondered what love tastes like in Peruvian form, wonder no more--Mama G's has the answer, and it's smothered in creamy green sauce and served with a side of family charm. This little gem is family-owned and operated, which means your meal comes with a side of abuelita-level care and possibly a secret recipe passed down from someone who could definitely beat you in a chili pepper eating contest. First off, let's talk drinks. The Chicha morada--a purple corn punch that sounds like a Harry Potter potion but tastes like the nectar of Incan gods--is a must. I was feeling a bit more adventurous so I opted for the dragon fruit margarita. Warning: it is dangerously smooth. It goes down easy, so maybe don't go down two in a row... unless you've got an Uber on speed dial. Now, the food. The Causa with chicken is like a potato cake's glamorous Peruvian cousin--it's cool, creamy, zesty, and hits harder than your uncle's karaoke at a family BBQ. The Tallerines Verdes with flat steak? Fire. Literal fire. Pesto's sultry Latin lover. The steak's seared just right, and the sauce is so good you'll want to lick the plate (and then pretend you didn't, but you did). Sure, the decor is simple, but who needs flashy lights when the food is flexing this hard? At Mama G's, the walls don't need to talk--the dishes do all the shouting. Come for the Chicha, stay for the steak, and leave with a heart (and belly) full of Peruvian joy.

    Happy hour dish - potato with ceviche
    Nohemy C.

    I was staying at The Hilton Mission Valley Inn and my friend brought me here for dinner. They have happy hour from 4-6 with several items and flights. I was surprised at the menu- they had a lot of options and everything looked spectacular. Our server was a dream! There were 6 of us and she checked on us often and the owner even came out to introduce herself. We sat on the patio and once it got chilly, our server turned on the outdoor heater. The music was good vibes but not too loud. I had the ceviche and tried all their sauces, and the fish was fresh. I loved the spicy special reaper one. Everyone really enjoyed their dishes.

    Ceviche

    Mama G's was our favorite restaurant that we had the pleasure of eating at while visiting San Diego! The customer service is outstanding and very personable. None of the menu items are listed as gluten free, however they did a great job with catering to our gluten free needs and had plenty of dishes to offer that were naturally gluten free! The sauces are phenomenal, I could literally eat it with a spoon... but I won't! ;) We were staying at a hotel down the street and every time we walked by Mama G's, there was a line to get in which is a great sign. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food or service. The yuca fries, sauce, meat, and ice cream were some of the best we've had! My husband raved about the chocolate cake and another person in our group loved the mimosa flight! We are already looking forward to eating here the next time we are in San Diego!

    Ají de Gallina

    This place was amazing! The environment is so nice. The food was so so good, we ordered Ají de Gallina, the Peruvian Sampler and Lomo Saltado, and we will be back to try so many other things from the menu. Service is super friendly and attentive. We will be back for sure! Totally recommend

    Patio
    Mariah M.

    I forgot to take pictures of my food but it was glorious. I had the saltado sandwich with chicken, a glass of Maracuyá, and a side of fried yuca. My friend also got a glass of chicha, which I got to try and it was amazing (sweet, spiced and lemony). I got to meet Mama G and the cook who were both very kind and friendly, giving me and my friend samples of the drinks since we hadn't ever had chicha before. The restaurant itself was very nice and cozy. I loved the cute chalk art on the patio. 10/10 will be coming back. There's a lot on the menu still to try!

    Tallarin Saltado

    Ordered takeout 30 mins before closing, and they were very kind! Lots of parking available, and had a nice outdoor seating area. Their Tallarin Saltado was great! I poured their aji sauce overhead and they were kind enough to give me a less-spicy version.

    Lomo Saltado

    We have been there twice since they opened a couple of weeks ago because the food is so good and it is literally 5 min away from my home! My husband LOVES the loaded yuca with chicken, so he ordered the same thing the two times we had been there. I ordered the lomito saltado the first time, and it was so good, especially with their Peruanita mayo. Today, I ordered the pan con chicharron, and the serving is so big I couldn't finish it, but it was also good. As a fellow Peruvian, I really love having a Peruvian restaurant so close to me and really doing good because I always see many customers! We took our dog today, too, and they welcomed her in their patio, which was a plus for us, too. The chocolate cake they have is the best, too. Just like I used to eat it when I was in Peru.

    Peruvian Sampler - Causa de pollo, ceviche, yuca Frita  & papa a la huancaina

    Growing up on Peruvian food, my expectations were low going into my first time here and I will say it's immediately the best authentic Peruvian restaurant in San Diego, in my opinion. On top of that, cute location and super awesome kind and friendly owner. Will 100% be back

    Contact Info
    Oren P.

    You can find Gloria (Mama G) and her special sauce Saturday mornings at the Civita Park Farmers Market - offering fresh Peruvian food as well as bottles of her special sauce. I didn't try nor take a photo of the Peruvian pastries, but was told they are as good (without sauce) as are the sandwiches, bowls, and fries with it. I enjoyed a sirloin steak saltada sandwich and so would be open to trying her other options.

    Peruvian Sampler- Tuna mini casitas, yuca fries, papa a la huancaina, & ceviche

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    Gloria T.

    not worth to answer.

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    1 year ago

    Love the food and service! I will definitely recommend and be back soon. Enjoyed the tallarines verdes, ceviche and causa.

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    3 years ago

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    Gloria T.

    Thank you so much! We love to hear from our customers <3

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Gloria T.

    Thank you so much :) we appreciate your comment !!

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    3 years ago

    We go through a bottle of the hot sauce every month. Seriously delicious and worth every penny

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    Gloria T.

    Thank you so much, we love to hear from our customers !!

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    2 years ago

    Love this place and it's people and the food just overall awesome stuff with a cute environment

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    2 years ago

    Nice hole in the wall; food was very delicious and the service was great!!! The staff is very friendly and will be coming back again!!

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    2 years ago

    Food was very good and the service was very good as well. We will be coming back. Thank you

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    2 years ago

    Best noodles I've ever had. Truly unique flavor that I've never experienced before. I had to come back to get a second bowl to go.

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    Gloria T.

    Thank you so much ! We appreciate your comments. <3

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    Thank you so much ! We appreciate our customers <3

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    Barleymash

    Barleymash

    4.1
    (3.5k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    Went during comicon ! Fast service even with the influx of Heroes ! We sat at the bar for instant…read moreservice ! The proportions are monolithic so make sure to be hungry. We split an order of wings and one burger. That was enough for both of us ! FIH STAH '

    The FOOD 5/5 stars. MAC N CHEESE, pretzel, buffalo cauliflower, chicken tenders, fries. Not a BAD…read moreitem on their menu. The portions INSANE, so it's better if you share! The SERVICE 4/5 stars. Our server was truly amazing. She deserved the 5/5. Great recommendations, super genuine and fun, had the best energy and was CONSTANTLY checking in on us; however, a couple of the other workers could have been a little bit more open with communication. We were sitting against the window at the high top wraparound bar tables (feels like an extension of the bar), so the bar is easy to order from and was our go to as soon as we arrived. The bartender took our order, but was standoffish as if we were doing something foreign or a big "no no". Finally the server in charge of our area told us that the bartenders are in charge of the bar and there are other servers for all the other tables/zones. If we were told that from the beginning, we would have made sure to follow the order of the place and order from the correct server. A few of us truly felt bad, but now we know when we go in next time what to expect. Barleymash is always a great time, so we always want to make sure we are doing it right! I truly recommend sitting anywhere else but that window/wall on a packed night, but sometimes you have to deal with what you are lucky enough to get!

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    Inside
    Inside
    Barleymash
    Wall of Bourbon

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    Wall of Bourbon
    The Smoking Gun

    The Smoking Gun

    4.0
    (676 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    We stopped in for a quick bite between events and this was an easy in and out for us, even though…read morethey were a bit busy. There is plenty of space, and a fairly open air location, so we didn't over heat, and had plenty of shade. Our server was super kind and gave us all the best recommendations! They even showed us where the SDCC menu corresponded to the normal menu. We ended up splitting the Big Boss burger, French fries, Mac and cheese, tots, Caesar salad, ribs with sauce on the side. It was recommended to mix the ribs with the Mac and cheese, and I have never been happier with a recommendation in my life. This is precisely why I like to ask for the servers favorites!

    What a great find in downtown San Diego! We were right down the street and noticed this place had…read moresome good reviews and decided to give it a try. We're so glad we did! We only had to wait about 10 minutes to get seated. There's a huge bar area where people can just walk in an order drinks but they also had some seated area for people dining in. There's also outdoor seating which was great for people watching. Prices were super reasonable here compared to a lot of restaurants in the area. You can get an award winning burger for less than $10 and add two sides for an additional $12. We shared a bunch of foods between 3: Burger with Mac and Cheese and Fries, Ribs with Tater Tots and a Caesar salad, and garlic buns. The food was super super satisfying and plenty of food for all of us! I especially enjoyed the Mac and Cheese. This is another spot that's going on the list of places to eat at when in San Diego. Service: Our waiter was super busy but did a really job balancing everyone. Drinks: Full bar in the middle Happy Hour: Yes Outdoor Seating: There's a cute little outdoor area Parking: Paid Street Parking

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    Bar
    Bar
    Frito pie
    Frito pie
    Mai Thai. Sweet and strong

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    Mai Thai. Sweet and strong
    Tavern+Bowl East Village

    Tavern+Bowl East Village

    3.6
    (955 reviews)
    3.4 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!

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    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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    Gaslamp BBQ

    Gaslamp BBQ

    3.8
    (658 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Loved the food here & the people who run it…read more The baby back ribs with fries came out hot, well-seasoned, and delicious, no complaints at all. I heard two kids and a mom order like two plain burgers and I felt so sorry for them lol. Staff were exceptionally nice. They gave me 15% off and even free cornbread simply bc my order came out a few minutes late and I was getting hangry from walking around the zoo all day with no food. I realized I lost my phone in my uber and the sweet waitress allowed me to run to my hotel to get my wallet. They even offered to call my phone for me. Their hospitality was incredible :)

    My son and his friends wanted Bbq and Gaslamp Bbq closes late, so thats where I decided to Treat…read more them. They have a few outdoor seating and plenty of tables on their indoor seats. The Bbq was easy and quick to order and I ordered: *2 Sets of FULL RIBS with a side of beans. *BRISKET PLATTER with a side of Fries. *CHICKEN PLATTER with a side of Potato Salad. *PULLED PORK PLATTER with a side of Garlic bread. *LEMON DROP cocktail. My Son had the FULL RIBS, and my husband and I also had another set of FULL RIBS that we shared. They were tender and delicious, lots of Bbq Sauce on it. Our side was Baked beans, I like baked beans cooked with Bbq sauce, here the bake beans are lightly seasoned but still good. My son's friends had the BRISKET PLATTER, CHICKEN PLATTER, and the PULLED PORK PLATTER. They said that they were good and tender. It's good bbq here, but I had much better ones at other bbq restaurants, and with more of a really strong smokey smell and taste on their Bbqs. Here all of the Bbq sauce did not have that bbq smoked smell and taste, but as I said they are still good. Customer service here is Fun and very friendly. We had 2 cool servers Marfy & Jason who were always very attentive on anything we might need. Parking as alway is a pain here, it's Gaslamp so it's very busy downtown 'coz it's close to the Convention center and the Stadium and there's lots of restaurants around here. Mostly dinner time is always busy here in Gaslamp especially on the weekends. It's less busy if there's no Baseball Games or Comic-con, so plan ahead when visiting the Gaslamp.

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    Gaslamp BBQ
    Chicken Platter
    Chicken Platter
    Chicken Platter

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    Chicken Platter
    Bub's at the Ballpark

    Bub's at the Ballpark

    3.8
    (1.5k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    Garbage Wings at Bub's at the Ballpark are the best wings in San Diego. Maybe the best on the…read moreplanet. Lindsay at Bub's at the Ballpark is the best (and most beautiful) server in San Diego. Maybe the best on the planet. [Mic drop]

    Disturbing lack of ADA and psychiatric service animal awareness. I had an upsetting and humiliating…read moreexperience here involving my psychiatric service animal. When I entered the restaurant around 7:00 PM, I was stopped and questioned extensively by security regarding my service animal. Rather than being asked the limited ADA-compliant questions permitted by law, the interaction became prolonged and uncomfortable while staff repeatedly attempted to determine whether my dog was a "real" service animal or simply an emotional support animal. I remained waiting at the entrance while this was repeatedly discussed back and forth. What made the situation especially humiliating was that another patron openly laughed at me during the interaction while walking outside for a cigarette. I later realized this same patron had her own dog inside the establishment in a stroller the entire time. Staff members appeared very familiar and comfortable with her, and multiple employees, including my waitress- referred to her as a "regular." Although her dog was eventually moved to the patio area, the contrast in how the situations were handled made me feel singled out, embarrassed, and unfairly scrutinized. I later spoke with management in hopes of resolving the matter respectfully. During that conversation, I was surprised and concerned to hear that neither management nor staff were familiar with psychiatric service animals or their protections under the ADA. Psychiatric service animals are legally recognized service animals when trained to perform disability-related tasks, and this lack of awareness was deeply concerning, especially in a city like San Diego with a large disabled and veteran community. I fully understand that businesses are allowed to ask limited ADA-compliant questions regarding service animals, and I also understand that many establishments have dealt with individuals falsely claiming pets as service animals. However, there is a significant difference between appropriately verifying a service animal and making a disabled customer feel publicly interrogated and humiliated. The overall handling of this interaction lacked professionalism, sensitivity, and basic understanding of ADA service animal protections. No customer should feel mocked, scrutinized, or publicly embarrassed simply for entering a restaurant with a legitimate service animal. I sincerely hope this situation can serve as an opportunity for additional ADA education and proper service animal training for staff moving forward so that other disabled guests do not experience similar treatment. I would appreciate being informed of any steps the restaurant intends to take regarding ADA compliance and staff training before I determine how I would like to proceed further. Thank you for your time and attention.

    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)
    4.4 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

    Mama G's Special Sauce - peruvian - Updated August 2026

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