Very nice environment and great outdoor patio seating to enjoy on a sunny day but food and service left little to desire. Staying at the Estancia and came in for lunch as a convenient option. Service was extremely slow and would not have been bearable if not for the couple rounds of drinks we had during the wait. Good variety of meal options but did not deliver as much in flavor. We tried the Baja style cod tacos, duck empanadas, mojo marinated chicken torta, and short rib tacos. All were just okay; they had pretty muted flavors and lacked any sort of punch or kick. Maybe next time just relax outside and enjoy some drinks and appetizers but find a more satisfying meal elsewhere. read more

Mustangs & Burros - Lounges Near Me - La Jolla, California

What a joke!!! Way overpriced food! This place hands down has the poorest customer service EVER!!! Our waiter kept forgetting to put in our order and we only ordered 3 items on the menu...I mean come on if your going to hire servers at least hire ones that can keep up with the Saturday night dinner rush! Oh and the selection of food was ridiculous...whomever is in charge of running this place really needs to get out to a real restaurant and see the type of food that is being served and popular!!! read more

Every time my partner and I are looking for a quiet place to connect, get a drink, and enjoy southern CA living we find ourselves at Mustangs and Burros. The ambiance and service is what brings us back time and time again. Any time of year you can sit outside and feel like you are in a New Mexico retreat destination away from it all, though it is in a hotel that is a mile from the freeway. The bartenders make a nice variety of drinks and concentrate more on quality than being hip. I find myself gravitating to the empanadas, but the soups, nachos, and wine selection should hit any palate. This is not a place to find children running around as it is clearly where adults chill. Occasionally, they host a live guitar in the corner playing soothing sounds like Argentinian music and the like. The chairs in front of the outdoor fireplace are a hot commodity, but if you don't get there in time, there is another fireplace inside. Parking at the hotel can be pricey, but if you go on a weekend, parking on the UC San Diego campus Pangea parking structure across the street is free. This is not the cheapest happy hour in the world, but you get what you pay for and here you are paying for a moment of peace. And peace is priceless. read more

We had our welcome drinks for our wedding guests there the day before our wedding during their happy hour, followed by a family dinner during dinner time. The venue is absolutely beautiful and food very tasty! read more

A romantic place for tacos. They have live music too and the property is just beautiful.

Great simple lunch. We had fish tacos and a primavera salad, which was part of a limited menu 2-4 PM. Delicious meal and lovely service.

While staying at La Estancia we found ourselves in need of a place to eat dinner and no desire to drive anywhere. This place seemed to fit our needs perfectly so we made a very unnecessary reservation (the inside was totally empty) and came expecting really nothing special. The outside area was full of people drinking and socializing but we sat inside and had our choice of seats. The little biscuit and butter they gave us were tasty and super fresh, and they kept refilling the basket without us having to ask. The food otherwise was a sort of upscale average, if you'll forgive me the slight oxymoron, so they had fresh/high quality ingredients but pretty normal flavor. Go for the biscuits, drinks, and relaxing atmosphere. read more

Okay, my newest favorite La Jolla gem for an outdoor cozy getaway! Perfect for a date or a large group! You feel like your tucked away in the hills of Tuscany! The ambiance is outstanding, and the food is Delish! read more

Mustangs & Burros - Lounges Near Me - La Jolla, California

Just the best feeling here. Love how quaint and not crazy busy it is here. The also have the best Cadillac margarita, or spicy marg, mixed cocktail I've had. Fireplace outside, comfy chairs and little couch like seating as well as long benches of cushions to snuggle up in. Friendly staff, someone always to drop food off or ask you if you need another. The ceviche for like $14 is a bit on the light side. Not sure what qualifies as ceviche, raw marinated fish only? If that's the case than it was, but some bay scallops and small shrimps marinated in some spice and lime, didn't impress me. A few (3) crisp small corn tortillas to scoop up the "ceviche" with and served with a few slices of avo. Not bad by any means, but nothing special. Thank God we were only snacky and not yet ready for dinner. I have had their fish tacos and they are fantastic! Just a killer place to come and enjoy the person you're with in a wonderful atmosphere. read more

Excellent food, well prepared and great presentation. The service was fabulous.Even on a chilly night we were able to comfortably enjoy our dinner outside. I don't have a bad thing to say about it. Perfect all around. read more

This place is so relaxing. So wonderful. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights when there is live music. Friday has Flamenco Guitar and Saturday is a bit more James Taylor. There is an awesome outdoor area (with heaters). The fireplace is a prime location. So are the booths along the walls. Lotsa padding and pillows. If you wanna get away but can't leave San Diego ... go here and just pretend. It'll transport you to another place ... really! There is a full bar, great wine list and fabulous food. If you'd rather sit inside, there's a tele, fireplace and more seating. Save a seat for me ... wouldya? read more

Estancia, you broke my heart! I happened upon the Mustangs and Burros restaurant at the Estancia hotel when I first moved to San Diego from SF a year and a half ago and I fell in love. The patio has a cool Spanish style atmosphere with low lighting, plenty of heaters, and casual seating (couches and small tables). Perfect for a romantic date or happy hour. Then, I had the jalapeno mac 'n cheese. Amazing!!! It comes as a side to the most fabulous skirt steak I have ever had. Ever since my first visit I have been bringing friends and co-workers to try it and everyone agrees its one of the best dishes in SD. Now for the one star... I've been talking this place up to the bf forever and finally get him to go. What's this? The menu has changed. No more mac. Different skirt steak (mediocre). Some lame fingerling potatoes. No bueno. Atmosphere is still nice but without the skirt steak and mac, not worth the price or the out-of-the-way location. Bring back the mac! read more

I really wanted to like M&B. The decor, ambiance, crazy Spanish Musac, waitstaff, all tops. But..... The ice tea isn't fresh. It's that brisk crap out of the soda fountain. Really, 4-star resort?? The Cesar salad was ZOMG fishy. I couldn't stomach more than a few bites. Thankfully, the server took it off our check. My companion and I both had the skirt steak, but hers and mine looked completely different. She had a yummy balsamic glaze and grilled mushrooms with brocollini. I got no sauce, pick de gallo, and a grilled half tomato and grilled jalapeño (both were cold by the time I got my plate. Who in their right mind eats a cold, roasted jalapeño? The skirt steak was marinated nicely, and the jalapeño Mac and cheese was rich and had just a hint of heat. Dessert was just so so. My Meyer lemon cheesecake had a skin on the top, and her lava cake was missing a lot of lava. The coffee was just so-so. I wouldn't come back, and don't recommend that anyone visit this place. It was packed with ppl getting their drink on. Maybe thT's what I was missing to make this meal great. Drunkenness. read more

Sigh, I have mixed feelings about this place. My boyfriend brought me here on a surprise Valentine's Day escape and had dinner reservations at 8pm. He said he specified that we would be bringing our pup with us (can't leave her in the hotel room by herself) and they said that it would be fine. Once we showed up to the place, the hostess said she was unaware that we would be bringing our dog and we had to sit in the back patio because other people are afraid of dogs because they might have rabies or something. I understand that people don't want dogs around their food but the fact that it wasn't remembered as a part of his reservation is what bothered me the most. She gave us free chips and salsa for dealing with the situation so that was a plus. Once we sat down, we waited for 20 minutes until my boyfriend went in and got the attention of a waiter. Turns out there was some miscommunication between the staff and they forgot about us. Great. The waiter was very apologetic and gave us our drinks on the house which, again, was a plus. I got a house margarita and my boyfriend got a beer. Both were delicious. Finally the food. I ordered the Turkey Burger and my boyfriend got the Filet Mignon. My turkey burger was very well cooked and was quite juicy. The flavors really worked together. My boyfriend thorough enjoyed his Filet Mignon. He said if he could have had another one, without spending any $$, he probably would have had 3 more. Guess that guy really liked it :) Since I didn't go inside, I'm not really sure what the decor was like. It looked nice from the outside. Needless to say, for the price and the amount of miscommunication that happened, I won't be back. Their saving grace was that the food was actually pretty good. read more

Food is amazing. The nachos are to die for. They are huge. Don't try to finish them by yourself. Get the chicken or steak nachos. The shrimp are so so. Happy hour special every day. Check the website for details. What I really like about this place is you feel like your at a tropical resort. It's nice to escape one's daily routine and enjoy great food in a fantastic atmosphere. The outdoor seating is very classy/romantic. At night they light the fireplace and small lights hang from the patio. The candles on the tables are also a nice touch. You get quite a mix of people at Estancia. There are a lot of conferences there, so you get a lot of businessmen and women. You also have a lot of couples on vacation. And then you get some locals (like me) who just like to go and enjoy great food and service. It does get a bit busy, but that's never an issue. The service is top class. My favorite bar tender is Jose. A older man who loves to chat. I try to go during slow times to chat with him. The burgers are fantastic. Some of the best quality meat I've had. The buns are so fresh and the fries are amazing. They also make a killer breakfast. The chilaquiles are very good, the omelets are amazing, the french toast is magical and the hot chocolate is freakin out of this world. Of course get whipped cream on the hot chocolate, and ask for sprinkles. Monday is my favorite happy hour. One can get a taco plate for 8 bucks and mexican beers are $3. Saturday is also great because they have 1/2 price margaritas. Average to above average margaritas, but they are strong, so for sure worth it =) All in all, one of my favorite spots in San Diego. Note: Parking at the hotel is only valet. If you tell them you're only going for dinner, they may not charge you. A great option is parking on the UCSD campus in the parking garage across the street, on the corner of N. Torrey Pines Rd. and Pangea Dr. ($8 all day or you can pay hourly). read more

This was a disappointment from the start. We had no idea that the restaurant was located inside of a hotel/resort. Parking was very unclear and until we stumbled across the valet we weren't sure if we were in the right place. The place is very attractive but the service and food was mediocre to say the least especially since the cost was $$$, not $$ like listed. Portions were small, cocktail list smaller... definitely will not make the trek over to La Jolla for this one again. read more

Excellent crispy salmon. Wife loved her burger. Relaxing Hacienda style. Elegant courtyard with fireplaces indoor and out. Staff was friendly and took good care of us. read more

So this was maybe my first Yelp miss informed... This is basically a over rate lounge sorta... Ok so we made reservations thinking it would be a great find. I was excited based on the reviews ... Well I have mix reviews ... Here it goes ... The table and chairs on the patio are ridiculous if ordering food! Chairs are not comfortable and the table is low. Basically it is a garden table And chairs type of thing. So by the time I had a water tea and wine no further room in my table... Anyways so yelp has talked up the chicken nachos , we ordered them to try .. Yea they are huge , yes the flavor is very good , however they where not hot nor was it fancy and worth the price ... We did get a bottle of wine Moscato plus points for having my favorite wine ... I had the burger and my husband has the fish tacos ... The burger was very good and he loves the tacos. I think you are paying for the ambiance and not really the food .. The food to me was a little upgrade from room service type of food. The decorations and the man playing the guitar where both amazing ... I doubt we will go back since we spent 150 bucks on nachos , burger and tacos , oh and wine ... Anyways cute resort that it is located at ... read more

Mustangs & Burros - Lounges Near Me - La Jolla, California

My favorite after work happy hour. There again tonight for the 500th time in 2 years. :) the staff has always been great and super helpful. Their drink selection is great and definitely get their nachos. Not my go-to for normal happy hour fare, but their nachos are strangely amazing. They have Buffalo Trace whiskey, which makes me super happy. :) read more

Sorry Burros but this place does not live up to the rest of the resort. Stylistically a nice place but in need of a menu overhaul or at least the recipes being used to make the food. I know that seems harsh but it shouldn't be difficult to make nachos especially if you're charging $20.Like someone in a previous review we were served expired beer (Guinness) by the can. The potato skins appetizer was another half hearted wasted effort. Again this sounds bad but when you throw slightly below average service in when the place is not busy it doesn't help. When I go on vacation I hate to make the wrong choice but we did that once with M&B and then the next morning with breakfast at the Adobe. This is something of an attempt at upscale Mexican food and they should just go back to something more traditional and basic with a few American food offerings. Thought it would be nice to just hang at the resort and enjoy the surroundings (which are very nice and well kept). Sadly you need to get off the resort to get some good food. Many options out there just get out of the $28 a day parking lot and venture out. read more

Great local happy hour hangout. We sat on the beautiful patio, sipped margaritas and ate chicken nachos and chocolate pudding cake (or something like that... just trust me, it was delish). I was with a group of friends from 2 local universities, and we couldn't ask for better service. Brian even brought us blankets when we got chilly. I love this place! They have happy hour specials each night. See you there. Cheers! read more

We did a tequila tasting - there were about 6-8 of us - and we decided to stay for dinner. I would say the food was 3-stars and the service was 4-stars. The staff was very friendly and attentive - only once they kind of dropped the ball on getting someone another beer. I know that's a small thing but there was hardly anyone there so...make it happen. The hotel and bar grounds and buildings - really an oasis - we loved the visit and may return for drinks sometime. It's beautiful and so peaceful - the outdoor fireplace is gorgeous, lots of outdoor heat lamps, and everything - nice, calm Mexican adobe feel to it. We ordered things like turkey burgers, haddock, a few burgers. The prices would have been reasonable if the food was just a tad better. The chef messed up my friend's burger twice: which is a bummer due to the wait. I understand medium-rare is tricky, seriously...but get it done. I'm a terrible cook but I can do it. A solid 3-stars and I will likely return for the drinks and atmosphere but probably not the food. read more

Staying at Estancia resort, we decided to dine in instead of hitting the town. The restaurant itself is a very nicely designed and cozy place. We chose to sit outside and enjoy the late August evening weather. Drinks arrived promptly and our waitress took order of two slightly different burgers (arguably the simplest item of the menu) and took off. We didn't see her again for a good 35 minutes. Apparently the kitchen is located far from the dinning area. When finally the food came, she offered an apology only after I jokingly asked about a strike in the kitchen. Now the most important part: When you pay 16$ for a cheeseburger with a side of French fries, is it too much to expect a better than fast food chain dry patty? I had my share of bad burgers throughout my life but this was at least 12 bucks more expensive than the second worst. Under seasoned dry meat (supposed to be medium) with too much salt on the fries. Not edible. I ate half of it because I was really hungry (usually that's when everything tastes good) and couldn't wait another half an hour for something else. The waitress never cared to ask if we were happy with our meal and just took our half eaten plates out of the way. For some reason she offered a free desert at the end to make our experience less miserable but we didn't take the chance. read more

Stayed at the resort and came here on our 2nd night for dinner Got the ceviche with shrimp & scallops. It was delicious and super fresh. Very enjoyable and I feel I know my ceviches pretty well. If anything I could of used more heat (spicy) to it. But no complaints at all! My partner got the whole wheat penne pasta plate. It came with all kinds of veggies and whole cherry tomatoes. Very good as well & a huge portion. I ate the rest of it at my room later. Good selection of beer there. Top thing thou at this place is dessert. We only got the Guava Creme Brûlée but it was off the fuckin hook. Wow. Wow. Wow. I wish we got one of everything off the dessert menu. This place was great. Thanks for an Awesome dinner. Great service too. Great atmosphere. Only reinforced our high opinion of the resort. :) read more

We had a fantastic dinner here for the last night of our babymoon! We were staying at the Estancia Resort, which is where the restaurant is located, but had originally planned on avoiding eating here due to the unfavorable reviews. However, after a long day at the zoo, walking to dinner seemed like a great option. I am so glad we changed our plans! Everything was delicious, fresh, and beautifully plated. The service and ambience outside on the patio were wonderful. We had the brussels sprouts and carrot butternut squash soup to start, then I had the filet mignon, and my husband had the halibut. Finally, for dessert we had the creme brûlée tart. Everything was so good. This place should definitely have better reviews based on our experience! read more

Had an evening of sharing food and laughs. Each dish was pretty and tasty. Sitting outside with a slight summer breeze was a nice way to enjoy friendship. Octopus was tender and sweet. The tomahawk cooked rare as we requested and tonight's salmon special wonderfully prepared. From valet to server, each person was attentive and friendly. read more

See all

First time I have been here and I had the best experience. From the ambiance to the top shelf service from Richie who was insanely knowledgable on both food and wine. Every selection we made was crazy delicious and with such an awesome selection on their menu it's tough to pick just one thing. We had the squash blossoms and tostada to start followed by crab/shrimp stuffed chile relleno and prawns/scallops. This is my new favorite place you have to give it a shot! read more

Mustangs & Burros - Lounges Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

Love this place!!!! I went there the night before my wedding and everyone was so sweet.

Definitely choose outside seating, our group of four enjoyed being sat next to the fireplace, had a high chair available for the baby in our group. Order taken quickly, really liked the overall aesthetic. There was a large business gathering of men sat along the tables behind us and they were pretty loud so I can see how some people wouldn't like it because at times I couldn't hear my own group talking. That isn't the fault of mustangs so I'm not taking away from their rating for that. Although we loved the chips, salsa, muffins, and vegan relleno, the guacamole had a large chunk of unripe avocado making most of it inedible and the rice was not very good. The wait staff had great service and immediately worked to correct any food orders or food that wasn't liked so it was really appreciated. If you speak up, they were very helpful. Really enjoyed ourselves, thank you read more

Are the nachos with shredded chicken & slices of jalapeños the best I've tasted, or was I just starving after being stuck in the car for am eternity on the road down from Los Angeles in Memorial Day weekend traffic? Further scientific testing will tell, but I can tell you that sipping on a blueberry bramble next to the cozy outdoor fireplace is my idea of a relaxing time. The fish tacos were not nearly as good, but the service was friendly and efficient. read more

I've come for late night drinks and dinner now and I've really enjoyed it. You can get the cowboy cool ambiance here without driving all the way to Rancho (or Dallas, Tx). There's a really beautiful outdoor area and fireplace which I think I could lounge in all evening and night, especially if I could roast some marshmallows in that fireplace. The drink menu is solid, as is the food. I've had their pappardelle which hit the spot, and the filet mignon. Go with the filet - it's in my opinion the perfect meal. I've also had the pineapple upside-down cake - great choice, and really flavorful. I can definitely see this as a regular spot in my future... read more

Eat here. Great service, great food. Jose at the bar provides great service. Vanessa is a great server. Eat here.

I am sure this is a great place 9 out of 10 days; however we were staying at the hotel on the coldest day of the year. So it was just okay. Even the small indoor part they have was very cold because they had the doors open to the patio. Having to be so bundled up took away from my experience and that's the only reason I rated it 4 stars. We were the only diners b/c of the cold weather. Too bad they didn't think to close the doors and turn on the heat. read more

The chicken nachos are out favorite dish. The burger & fish tacos are great quality. All if the desserts we tried are also delicious! Sangria is a great addition to dinner. The service is always great! read more

Mustangs & Burros - bread pudding, mango creme brûlée & chocolate pudding cake - Lounges Near Me - La Jolla, California

That moment when you order a drink at 10:05 PM....and you talk to the manager to help you at 10:35 to help you....and then it's 10:42 and you still don't have a drink and no ones taken your order...unreal. Estancia, I love you but get it together. read more

Mustang and Burros is a quaint bar/grill at the Estancia Hotel. They have a patio with fire pit for eating outside, and also indoor seating. The menu is diverse and exceptional. It was difficult to determine what was entree sized versus appetizer sized. The waitress was very helpful, but even at that, the flat bread was too big for two people, and the enchilada (their most popular dish) was large but incredible. So here is the beef: PROS: quaint atmosphere, exceptional food, excellent service. CONS: A bit difficult to find. You need to know it is at the Estancia Hotel. The portions are a bit unpredictable. Some entrees are small, others are large. The tables on the patio for the most part are small, short drink type tables that have very little room for food and a bit awkward to eat dinner at. read more

On the night that we arrived for our stay at the Estancia we got a quick bite to eat from Mustangs. I had the fish tacos and they were really delicious. The next night we actually went to the restaurant. The service was really good and the food was passable. We had the penne -- a bit bland, and a delicious salad, which they split for us. Very nice! If we had not been so tired, we probably would have gone somewhere else, particularly on the second night. But the convenience factor won out on this one. The setting is lovely and cosy, and eating steps from your room allows you to have that second glass of wine! read more

The food is to die for! The blue corn muffins came first; the only "meh" thing we tasted... pretty dry, bland and sweet but then had a few share plates of scallops, octopus, & shrimp ceviche... all amazing & flavorful....wow! Then we had the achiote tacos that needed a little more achiote flavor and the skirt steak, which was the best thing we've eaten in a long time. The service started out very attentive then not so much as service got busier. We had to wait a very, very long time for our check but we observed that our server was very overwhelmed. The ambiance was so relaxing & most of the food exceptional so we'll be back. read more

Beautiful atmosphere the food was good we had an appetizer that was really good but kind of on the pricey side for the amount of food you got. I still recommend. read more

Last night we dined for our 33rd wedding anniversary! Arash was our waiter! He was wonderful, as was our dinner! I had only been for lunch where we had been seated on the patio which was wonderful during the daytime. The inside seating was nice, very informal, but we were able to sit next to the fireplace which was very warm & inviting. I had the Salmon entree and my husband had the Scallops! Arash brought us a trio of ice cream for our anniversary dessert, oh my goodness was it amazing! If I was to post about anything that could be improved it would be the lighting. There are many floodlight style lights anchored above the seating areas which are LED~ bright and quite blinding when faced directly towards them. I think the ambiance could definitely be improved with some warm lighting such as wall scones or additional chandeliers which were perfect for the decor. I really like the adobe style architecture of the resort and restaurant! We really did have an enjoyable time! Thank you again Arash for helping us to enjoy a wonderful anniversary celebration. read more