...wanted this place to be good but sorry can't recommend. everything you see on this plate was dry af. food was lukewarm - someone forgot to run my plate out on time. lighting was poor and the tables are too close together. sit-down mexican restaurants up in north county inland are mostly shyt. stick to jalapeños, yesenia's, serrano's, or takeout joint. skip this one. read more

MexicanBar - Steak & Enchilada Combo - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Aidan our server was very friendly and helpful. It was our first time there. We shared a 3 item combo; chile relleno, carnitas taco, and carne asada taco. It came with beans and rice. The meal was $22. Chips and salsa were served and the chips were warm..bonus! The salsa was very mild, but tasty. It could've used a Serrano pepper. The beans were extremely good. The rice wasn't as fluffy as I like. As for the tacos, the carnitas taco was delish! It was juicy and flavorful and the corn tortillas tasted handmade. The carne asada taco was a little too smoky for our taste, but tender. My husband ate the chile relleno and he definitely gave it a thumbs up. I didn't take pictures, but there are already plenty in other reviews. It's been remodeled since it was Mexicocina and under new management. It's got a very nice, clean feel to it. Overall I'd definitely recommend you give it a try. read more

The two star rating is solely based on service. We came in for taco Tuesday just before 5 during happy hour and sat at a bar table inside. There were a handful of people there. There was one server/bartender when we arrived and he seemed slammed and visibly over it. The service was very slow and by the time he came to take our food order it was 5:33. He then told us we missed happy hour by 3 minutes. It wasn't worth it to us to make a fuss. He was clearly doing his best. By the time the second bartender showed up the place was filling up. The original server/bartender was working his tail off running from the back to behind the bar to the table while the other did very little besides chat it up with customers. The food was good. The service was terrible. This is coming from a former server/bartender, not said lightly, and is meant to help them improve. This is not my first negative experience at the bar. I'll be back but was disappointed with the lax attitude of the senior bartender for sure. read more

Good food and good service. We ordered Veggie Burrito- it looked so good and was big. The flour tortilla I was told was very fresh. Enchiladas no cheese chicken and carnitas. The corn tortillas were delicious and the beans were really good. Chips and salsa were also fresh. I would have given 5 stars but the water and the Iced tea tasted like faucet water so they were hard to drink. Will definitely go back. read more

MexicanBar - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Unlike what's shown in the photo, the Cali Poway burrito didn't come with any of the items advertised. When I asked the manager about it, he told me that rice and beans are only available for an extra charge. The whole experience felt misleading and disappointing. read more

MexicanBar - Cali-Poway - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

First visit to this restaurant and came for the Taco Tuesday special. This is a newer place and has only been open a few months. We arrived near closing time but was told the kitchen was still open. We were craving some Taco Tuesday specials. We got the Adobada, Shrimp and Chicken Tacos., cost was @ $20 for the three tacos. Tacos were all very dry. The chicken taco had some type of coating on it that you could not tell if it was chicken or pork or ?, just didn't taste good. The Adobada was so dry it was almost inedible . The tacos were street taco size so I understand they were small, they also didn't taste good. On the positive side, service was friendly. When you advertise Taco Tuesday Specials you almost expect it to be a lower price than the menu regular price. Overall, very disappointing . read more

Great food and atmosphere. It has a great vibe, is family friendlly and has indoor/outdoor seating. The food was fantastic.

We just recently discovered MexicanBar. I made a reservation since we had 5 people and we were seated right away. Our server, Josh, was very friendly and attentive. And everyone enjoyed their meals. I ordered a carne asada taco and mahi mahi taco and both were great. We will definitely visit again! read more

MexicanBar replaced Mexi Cocina which I loved for the past 20+ years but it tanked the last few years. Came to MexicanBar for lunch on a Tuesday. They offer a taco Tuesday deal of $2 off $13 two tacos or $3 off $21 trio taco plate. You can add rice ($2), beans ($2), salad ($3). I got two tacos of Baja fish taco and shrimp taco. Also flour chicken flautas. Flautas are my all time favorite. Rarely see it on the menu. I tend to associate an authentic Mexican restaurant to having flautas because most of the time places offer rolled tacos. I was excited but disappointed with the flautas. From the look of it, I could tell it was going to be hard not crispy. I took a bite and it wasn't airy fluffy crispy and tasted like rolled tacos. It was deep fried too long, the chicken was bland and dried out. It was topped with sour cream, cheese, creamy guacamole that doesn't seem house made and drizzled with not so fresh cilantro. I wish it had pico de gallo. The tacos had flavor in the sauce and pico de gallo but the beer battered fish taco was overly fried making the batter hard and crunchy. Had more batter than fish. Parking here can be tough on days with Orange Theory and the dance studio going on at the same time, along with Harney Sushi. For the most part, you'll find parking. It's modern and clean. Lots of seating in the dining area, the bar side and patio seating. I can see coming here for drinks to have a good time with the complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa could be a bit more spicy. The food needs more TLC and the service. 2.5 round to 3. My friend ordered a Baja fish taco and carnitas w added rice. They forgot her rice and gave her Baja shrimp taco instead of the fish. Not sure why they couldn't remove the charge for the rice, instead, gave her 20% off. read more

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This place is amazing. Went in for lunch and had a couple tacos. Carne asada and a fried fish taco. Then went to check out the bar side and had a shout and a margarita. Don't think there's a better margarita in poway by far. The bar also has a bunch of TVs and lively music. I'll definitely be coming back to see how the Sunday football looks like! read more

MexicanBar - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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Yelp kept recommending this place so I finally decided to give it a try. It's in the location that used to be MexiCocina, a Poway staple for decades. My wife and I each had two tacos. Prices seem high but they are big tacos, not street tacos. I had al pastor and carnitas. Al pastor was on point and had extra little bits of pineapple that added a flavor pop. Carnitas had good flavor but was more like pulled pork as it wasn't fried so it missed the mark from a texture perspective. My wife had a pollo and a birria taco. The chicken was super flavorful. The birria was just ok, I'm not an expert but have had better elsewhere. Tomatillo salsa was a good accompaniment for all of the tacos. Chips and red salsa were addictive and we had to hold back from a second basket. Service was great and all of the staff are super friendly. We will definitely come back and explore more of the menu. read more

Great atmosphere Met owners and they are very nice and welcoming Food was great , margarita was excellent. Many TVs and warm cozy patio for outdoor dining read more

MexicanBar - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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I love Mexicanbar This place rules The rice in particular is so fucking good. Great flavor read more

I've gone to this establishment several times with friends for happy hour. The service at the bar leaves a lot to be desired. I had to ask for a glass to go with my beer, I had to remind the waitress that I ordered a shot of chilled patron, and the margaritas were nothing special for the price. It's a nice concept, but they need more professional staff. What I did like was that it was close to home. read more

Ugh, the food was so bad!!! I can't remember the last time I bad Mexican food, even the guacamole was salty and didn't even look fresh. Everything was lackluster, including the cocktails, which barely had any alcohol. I'm giving them 3 stars because the server was nice but the food and drinks really need to be better for the price point. read more

Solid place for delicious and fresh texmex food in Poway! Came on a weekend afternoon and it wasn't busy at all. We ordered the 3 taco combo. It was delicious, fresh and filling. We also ordered the carnitas burrito which was just as tasty. For dessert, we ordered the fried tres leches bites with ice cream. It was decadent! We loved the tortilla chips and salsa was yummy! Service was good too! We would definitely return. read more

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My husband and I snuck out for a quick afternoon date. Bartender did not disappoint. I had a fish taco and a Mango margarita, both were excellent! We also asked the bartender for a shot that he hadn't made before and it's like it was his specialty! We 100% recommend this spot. read more

MexicanBar - Mango Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

This place is a neighborhood gem!!! Hostess was very nice, sat us right away. Our server, Aiden, was awesome! Such a great guy, very attentive, and made sure we were well taken care of! The food and drinks were delicious! We had the barria tacos, fried fish tacos, and the chicken fajitas. Aiden suggested those dishes and definitely they were a huge hit! We will absolutely be back and look forward to coming in again. read more

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Tried this place for the first time and love it! Sat in the bar area and our bartender Josh was awesome. Margaritas were on point and the home made salsa was really good. Carnitas tacos were also awesome. Great to see a good local Mexican restaurant. We will definitely be back to try some Happy Hour! read more

All went well. Good food, great service. Great ambiance and really good drinks. The server was very friendly.

Brunch at this adorable local spot! Great service and fresh food served with warm chips and salsa. Definitely recommend checking them out on the weekend for brunch! read more

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A new, hidden gem in Poway! I recently dined at Mexican Bar in Poway and had an absolutely delightful experience. The food was delicious, fresh and great flavors. The service was excellent; the staff were attentive, friendly, and made us feel right at home. The ambiance of the restaurant is warm and inviting, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. It's a perfect spot for a casual meal or a date night out. The decor adds to the overall charm, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a meal. The Mexican music in the background was perfect--not too loud nor too quiet--and added to the charm. For the area, this place is a fantastic find. The prices are very reasonable, especially considering the quality of the food and service. We had a carne asada burrito that wasn't huge but just right, and I subbed carnitas in the chicken bowl, which came in a fried flour tostada bowl and was fantastic! Reasonably priced at $14, the dishes featured fresh ingredients. The warm, crisp chips with mild red salsa were a nice touch, though I would prefer a thicker salsa. The green salsa with the burrito was citrusy and yummy. We also shared a large Spicy Pineapple Margarita, which was good with lots of Tajín on the rim. I also appreciate that the entrees are reasonably priced a la carte, with only a small charge to add rice or beans. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be returning soon! read more

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First time here. Really nice place. Great food. Plenty of TVs for sports. The bartender, Hunter was first class. Definitely good service , this is definitely my place to comeback . read more

MexicanBar - Delicious skinny margarita - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

First time trying this place out tonight. My bf and I both give it 5 stars. Food was delish. Service and atmosphere was great. Our waiter Aidan was awesome. Friendly, personable, and timely. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Two stars because the food was good and the ambiance was fine. But I don't believe restaurants like this should be rewarded with your business. I took my family here last night and they had the World Series playing on every tv in the bar and restaurant (great!). On every table in the restaurant, there were table signs clearly saying "$6 pints during baseball games!" with a picture of an Alesmith beer. I asked the waiter if the promotion only applied to that specific beer and he said yes, so I ordered it. Fast-forward to the end, we got the check and I was charged full price for the beer. After asking the waiter to update the bill, he checked with the manager and returned to say the promotion was only during Padres games & only in the bar area (despite neither of those restrictions being printed on the sign) and apologized as it was his first day. I didn't make a big deal of it, we paid and left. It's inconceivable that a manager would A) not acknowledge their mistake, B) would make his new waiter deal with an issue created by poor advertisements, and C) think an extra $2+ (on a $70+ check) is worth losing a customers support. I will certainly think twice before returning and wouldn't recommend this place to any of my friends or family. Wild. read more

In visiting from the East Coast and stopped in after reading the reviews from YELP. All I can say is wow. The food was fresh and delicious, one of the best Mexican meals we ever had. Ambiance was nice and relaxed, and the service was very good. The guac was fresh and we ordered a variety of dishes and they all were fantastic. Highly recommend this place and the prices were very reasonable too. read more

MexicanBar - Steak and Shrimp Fajita - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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We visited this restaurant for the first time last night after hearing one of the bartenders of another restaurant talking about it. The food was amazing and the salsas were the best we ever had. I had a chile rellano that was nice and crispy and a chicken enchilada that was moist and flavorful. All I can say is the food was a flavor bomb Shout out to Amy, our server, she made great recommendations on the food and was very attentive read more

I came to Mexican bar in part because I thought the name was so daft. I expected a place called Mexican bar in a predominantly white upper middle class neighborhood to be well plated and untraditional. I wasn't too far off. The restaurant and patio were nice. The staff were friendly and attentive. I got the veggie burrito which was good but the addition of beans would have improved it. I assume they don't put beans in it because the beans aren't vegetarian. I do appreciate the vegetarian option. Overall it was a fine experience though it felt maybe a little less authentic than some places. read more

MexicanBar - My wife's chile relleno and cheese enchilada plate. - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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The service for our party of 8 (+ a pup) was amazing. We were sitted at the patio with heaters. Or server was friendly and accommodating to everyone's questions. My pineapple spicy margarita was delicioso! It made Jason Derulo (& Michael Buble) song came to live. My friends' classic margarita was great as well. Food was all good. My favorite was the birria with its yummy consome. Save space for the horchata bites! read more

This place has the best cocktails in Poway. The atmosphere is modern, and the staff is friendly and provides excellent service. "The Caddie Margarita was so good! Highly recommended! Can't wait to come back!" read more

MexicanBar - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Heard about Mexican bar so my friend and I were curious to try it out because we seem to be lacking in good Mexican food. Customer service is great but the food was disappointing. The chips tasted like store bought and our chili rellono was cold and not good. Margaritas were good. read more

Fresh and light tortilla chips. Fresh, balanced salsa. Sweet, caring and friendly staff. The food was delicious where you could taste that they char the chilis for the dishes and salsa. That caramelization makes all the difference in the sauces and dishes. Just a delightful dining experience! read more

MexicanBar - Birria Taco and cheese enchilada (closest) plus trio enchilada combo. - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Our food and service was excellent!! Great music & very nice people working here!! The carnitas tacos are delicious!!! My cheese enchilada was HUGE! read more

Came here for the first time today for Lunch. The restaurant is bright, clean and has TVs around to watch your favorite sports team. Our server Josh was friendly and knowledgeable. The food was extremely flavorful and tasty, I highly recommend. I will definitely be back. read more

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Tried this place for the first time and was pleased. The salsa reminded me of my beloved and sorely-missed Chevy's salsa so I was immediately a fan. The chips were warm and everything on my plate was delicious and fresh-tasting. I built my own 2-taco plate since came asada wasn't included but the price ended up the same anyway. I'll definitely be back! read more

MexicanBar - Southwest bowl, carne asado taco on flour tortilla, and baja fish taco on corn tortilla - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

My friend suggested this newly opened restaurant, and I was surprised to find it full on a weekday night - certainly a good sign. I loved the ambiance and relaxed atmosphere. The owner was very friendly, coming to our table a few times to check in with us, which made us feel very welcome. I ordered my usual fish taco, and the portion was large. I appreciated the texture and freshness of the fish. Living in San Diego and being a foodie simultaneously can make one a taco snob, but I have to admit, this taco passed the test! My friend, who is a Poway local, also really enjoyed the restaurant. She believes Poway deserves a few good, authentic Mexican restaurants. We'll definitely be coming back here. read more

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My new fav Mexi restaurant! We were frequent visitors of the old establishment, but the new owners have brought a fresh new vision. The decor is welcoming and upscale, the bar (featuring the friendly and expert bartender Amy!) had plenty of comfie seating and flat-screens. The Sangria and traditional Marg were refreshing and the beer selection vast! Oh yeah - the food? In a word, excellente! We had the flautas which were fantastic and tacos w/ their home-made corn tortillas - über fresh! In sum, give this new place a try and it won't disappoint - it's all dialed in for success and your enjoyment. read more

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Amazing tasting tacos with rice and beans that have good seasoning to them. High-quality ingredients and you can tell tortillas are hand made. Really delicious with delicious cocktails too! read more

MexicanBar - Tri Taco Combo (With Beer Battered Shrimp, Chicken, & Carne Asada) - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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We shared ceviche and a burrito - both were excellent. We also liked their salsa and both margs we tried (regular and spicy) - delicious. It was cinco de mayo so it was super busy but the server was still friendly and doing the best he could. We will be back ! read more

MexicanBar - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Our server was very nice and accommodating! The food was also very tasty! Whatever seasoning they use on their carne asada is delicious, and the meat used for the carne asada is almost like chunks of steak which I enjoyed. Nice location with lots of parking as well! read more

MexicanBar - Taco Trio, Birria Taco, Carne Asada Taco, Grilled Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California