The attention is 100% great and the vibe is great . They make you feel home and I'll recomend the pozole blanco is very good! The white pozole bit the red pozole here. read more

We're from North County, but was in San Diego for a day adventure. Old Town is a touristy spot, but I say to the locals, don't forget about this gem. There's a lot of places to choose to eat, and OTMC is one of the OG's. This morning, the service was a little bit slower, but it was a holiday weekend on top of World Cup watching. Our breakfast here was fabulous. For one thing, nopales. For vegetarians and for those who just love eating a cactus, choose Desayuno Azteca. It comes with chilaquiles rojo and very yummy beans. Plus, the freshly made corn or flour tortillas, you choose. My partner enjoyed his Minero Omelete which has machaca. I enjoyed their chips and salsa this morning too. Our waiter even offered a second round, which we accepted. Adding the salsa to my huevos was perfect. read more

Food is delish We had the sampler and menudo. So good. We sit at the bar, where it's fun. Meet new people. And the staff is happy and friendly Shout out to Eliseo! Best bartender ever read more

I've been coming here for years, the carnitas keeps me coming back. I always manage to find seats at the bar, and the place is always clean with nice service. Until yesterday... Father's Day lunch. I brought my husband here for lunch, and we sat at the bar as we always do. I've never had our bartender before so I'm not sure how long he's been working there, and I get that everyone has bad days so I usually never bother mentioning it at all. However, our bartender was a younger guy, tall, tattoos, wearing a hat (didn't get his name) - and he genuinely was one of the rudest most unhappy bartenders I've ever seen. Any time a waiter, waitress or busser would come get something or drop something off and then leave, he'd say OUT LOUD "fkn idiot" or "dumb bitch" or any other insult you can think of. At one point I asked what they did that was so wrong (someone left after grabbing their patrons margarita from the bar), and he goes "you just have to talk to them like that sometimes, you know? Keep them in their place." Dude. Okay have your bad day, hate your perfectly nice and respectful coworkers all you want, but don't say disparaging comments in front of customers like that. I've worked in the service industry and I have NEVER spoken to coworkers like that, let alone shit talked them out loud in front of customers. Whatever that dudes issue was, someone needs to humble him, quickly. Because if he's working the bar the next time I go there, I'll say something and I'll be the one who's loud about it. Literally disgraceful and so disrespectful, I'm amazed he's employed here at all. Note to management: write him up or fire him. He mentioned having another job and living in La Mesa. Tall, skinny, tattooed, maybe mid- to late-twenties. read more

I love this place! The food is awesome authentic and amazing! The servers are friendly nice and helpful! Very big resturant with tables and booths and bar seating! Bench's to wait outside! It is located in San Diego state park! I love the shops And the walking and the beautiful church nearby ! The street venders are fun too read more

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The food here is always good. The service is great. Dandre is our server. He makes great Mexican coffees. We are here at 8 AM so it's pretty quiet in here but getting louder by the minute and that's normal for here. read more

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One of the many great options of traditional Mexican food in old town! Handmade tortillas, the vibes, and great atmosphere! I always love taking my out of town guests. Service is amazing and there's lots of seats. My recommendations: House specialties read more

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I saw some abuelitas making tortillas in the window, and I had to stop in and see if I could cop. I wasn't sure if it would happen, but the nice person at the hostess desk took my two dollars in exchange for a couple of hot, freshly made flour tortillas. Nice! They were everything I had hoped they would be: warm, chewy, floury and delicious. So, I guess the moral of this review is: If you want to buy individual tortillas here, you can. Mostly, though, Old Town Mexican Cafe looks like it's a Mexican restaurant. I didn't visit the restaurant, just bought a couple of tortillas. You can watch the tortillas being made from the window, and then pop in and buy a tortilla to taste, like I did. I visited Old Town San Diego with my children, who can be very picky eaters, but after they both saw the women making the tortillas and putting them on the grill, they both wanted to taste them. Kids are easily influenced. read more

There was no wait for a party of five on a weekday. There was also plenty of parking in the back. I came here because I saw molcajete on their menu. We shared four dishes, which was a good amount for the five of us! We had just a few pieces of the chile Colorado left. We cleared everything else, including two baskets of the complimentary corn tortilla chips. Molcajete $40.95 - menu says it's shared for two. It is a good amount, and all five of us were able to try a bit of everything inside. We enjoyed the half avocado. Mariscada $28.95 - this dish stood out because it was cold and sweet. Everything else we got was hot. The shrimp was fresh. I liked the tomatoes. Chile Colorado $19.95 - this one was the least favorite of the group. We didn't finish it. Carne asada $24.95 - this was the favorite of the group. The plate came with beans, rice, and some salad with guacamole. We wish there was more meat. The dishes came out at once, and we somehow fit them all on our table. Our server was helpful, but it was funny that he didn't roll his r's. Credit card accepted. Lots of seating inside read more

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Chile Colorado Chicken steak fajitas 6/2026 it comes with rice and beans on a side of guacamole. It's definitely a must try. If you are in San Diego. Come check it out. You will not be disappointed. read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Chile Colorado & chicken/steak fajitas comes with rice/ beans. Old Town Mexican Cafe it's always a must if you are in San Diego - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is an iconic Mexican restaurant in old town San Diego. We love their breakfast and lunch. The red pozole soup was fantastic and had lots of flavor. Service was good and efficient. The carnitas plate with crunchy chunky pieces is delicious with lots of rendered fat so it's like big pieces of bacon. The tortillas here are outstanding and home made to order. I recommend a mix of both types. Red Chili Colorado was tasty and full of authentic spice flavor. It's even better second day. The restaurant was festive and fun atmosphere. We love this iconic restaurant. read more

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Delicious street tacos. Great service! Casual atmosphere. Great restaurant! Always one of our go to places for great Mexican food. read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Menu - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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The chile verde burrito pork is delicious! It was enough for us to split. It's superb hot, juicy & is served wet w/red or green sauce. We were there for breakfast at 8am, so we had the chilaquiles w/green sauce as well. It was great, too! Chips & salsa come immediately & the salsa is scrumptious. The atmosphere is fun & authentic & always busy. Love the bar, too. read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Chilaquiles - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best authentic Mexican food in the area. Many other touristy restaurants on the same street but this is our favorite. Been there for almost 50 years. Friendly, helpful staff and rustic decor. They have fresh made corn and flour tortillas that are still steaming when they arrive on the table. Delicious! We're all love the carnitas plate and the strawberry horchata. Give it a try. read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Carnitas plate with fresh corn tortillas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food. The special carnitas was terrific with beans and their home made tortillas and fresh cilantro, tomato, onion and lime. And avocado. Good service. My friends loved their crispy taco and enchilada and tostada. Very tasty salsa. Nice ambience right in the middle of Old Town. read more

Parking can be rough but it's a solid restaurant. Can be pricy but the portions are large. A good amount of tequilas, margaritas, beers and related drinks. Great views from the top of the hill staff is friendly and the ambiance is worth the visit. read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Cool people - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Quick service, good food, a little outdated, busy environment. Drinks were ok, carnitas platter for two was my favorite even though the meat was overcooked a bit. read more

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This was a solid place for a touristy area. Honestly, in general, old town San Diego is a lot of fun. It balances touristy stuff with authenticity in a rare way that makes it worth the visit. This restaurant is big, was crowded, but we got seats easy. Service was fast and friendly. Food was good sit down California style Mexican. Their handmade flour tortillas are definitely a highlight. They claim they are the best. Not sure about that, seems to be plenty of stiff competition in the area. I had their signature carnitas, crisped up. It was pretty basic but with hot sauce, cilantro, etc tasted really good. Price ended up being about 25 bucks a head with my family getting alcoholic drinks, so not too bad. I'd hit this place up if you're hungry and walking the area! read more

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In town in business and craving authentic Mexican food. Asked my local relatives for recommendations and Old Town Mexican Cafe was top of the list. Bianca was the lovely young lady who served me and helped me with my dinner decision. The chips and salsa were fresh and delicious (order extra salsa...you're welcome!). Kicked off dinner with a strawberry blended margarita and a mini asada and adobada tacos with beans. The beans were amazing; slow cooked, creamy and seasoned to perfect. The tacos were tender and filled with flavorful meat. The house made tortillas? Home-run! Can't wait to go back again. Thanks for your kindness, Bianca! read more

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Dropped by on my last day in San Diego before I went to the airport to get a quick bite to eat and to pick up some fresh handmade tortillas. I was able to walk in and get a seat relatively quickly for a late lunch on Friday and put in my order for a small bowl of menudo as well as a California burrito and a pack of fresh tortillas to go. The menudo came out piping hot with all the toppings on the side. While I liked it, I wish the broth was a smidge richer. The tortillas were fantastic though. They were hot and had a good amount of lard(?) in it. I brought the burrito back to the bay area with me and enjoyed it the next day and it was still really good! Overall, I would definitely come back again and try out their other dishes. The food came out really quick and the staff are super helpful. The interior decorations are super cute too! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Chips & salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Seriously the best Mexican food and it is authentic. Loved that they are making their own tortillas that have a wonderful taste to them. I was able to try the pico pico margarita (really good) and the homemade tortilla chips and salsa. The salsa was extremely good and was made with fresh items. The carnitas platter is a must. If you love carnitas, just go right here buddy. The beans were super flavorful and the fried carnitas with the homemade tortillas, left me not wanting anything more. I really loved this place. Tom was the waiter at the bar and he made sure that you felt welcome and made great suggestions. LOVED LOVED LOVED this place. read more

This review is long overdue and well-deserved! Their red menudo is simply the best--rich, comforting, and perfectly seasoned. Be sure to order a side of beans and their fresh flour tortillas. The tortillas are soft, warm, and sometimes even served fresh while you wait--a thoughtful and delicious touch. Side note, the pancakes are amazing here. The service is usually quick and excellent, and the atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and full of classic Old Town charm. Old Town Mexican Café is truly a timeless favorite. Highly recommended! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Pancake (order before 11 am) - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

If you're in San Diego visiting or a native, you know about OTMC. Always a hit. Today I had the red pozole and the queso Birria taco. Both were delicious. Lots of yummy chips & salsa. Always a hit. Came on a Saturday afternoon and believe it or not No waiting for a table. Great place to gather with friends for a bite to eat & a margarita read more

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Terrible service. I walked in and waited over 10 minutes just to be acknowledged or given a menu, but no one ever came. The place wasn't even busy, which made it more frustrating. The servers were standing around chatting and laughing instead of attending to customers. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're expecting decent service. The 3.5 rating makes sense, I should have trusted it. read more

Handmade tortillas - enough said. Kidding. This place was pretty good. The wait is extremely long for a table though So don't come hungry. If you're lucky grab a seat at the bar which is first come first serve. The restaurant is a good size but was packed so I couldn't see all the way in. It has a an old timey Mexican vibe which is perfectly suited to the location. I came with a few friends and we were lucky to find 4 seats at the bar. The bartender was very cool and helpful. He took our drink and food orders and always checked in with us even though the place was packed. All of our dishes were tasty. I loved the pozole with handmade tortillas and the carnitas chunks. I also liked their beans which I don't normally care for. Friends had the chilaquiles with chicken which she liked. You can order red or green sauce and add meat of choice. Next time I'd like to try the white pozole. read more

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Old Town Mexican Café never disappoints! I went last night on a super busy Saturday night but surprisingly had no trouble getting seated. The place was full of energy, fun, vibrant, and beautifully decorated with colorful Mexican and Día de los Muertos decorations that really set the festive mood. The atmosphere was lively and upbeat, perfect for a fun night out. We ordered the Molcajete, which came loaded with shrimp, chicken, beef, cheese, avocado, and the most amazing, flavorful sauce. Every bite was absolutely delicious, it's easily one of my favorite dishes on the menu. We also enjoyed plenty of drinks that evening, and Duncan, our bartender, was incredible. He was super accommodating, kind, and made excellent drinks all night long. We lost track of time and were there for last call but Duncan never made us feel rushed which I appreciate. I've been coming to Old Town Mexican Café for many years, and it continues to be one of my favorite spots in San Diego. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you haven't tried it yet. This time of year, Old Town itself is extra special, full of Día de los Muertos decorations and festive activities that make the whole area even more fun to visit. If you're looking for great food, strong drinks, and a truly authentic Old Town experience, this is the place to go! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Molcajete came with rice, beans and tortillas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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This a must for any meal when we are in town! Service is always good, and nothing feels more nostalgic than the ambiance as if you've walked in to your family's house. Ahhhhhh... This past trip we came for lunch and then for breakfast the next day. Both times hit as expected! I had the street tacos with carnitas the first time and then had them again when I came back for breakfast. They are THAT good! My husband had the white pozole and then the chili verde enchiladas. He said both were very good. The chili verde tasted homemade like his uncle used to make when he was younger. That says a lot because of his Mexican heritage. My kids are plain, but picky! They eat the heck out of OTMC though. Beans, rice and carne asada tacos that no one else can replicate! That's what they say at least : ) Don't forget their tortillas! Oh the smell when you walk in... Corn and flour are both good, but my heart always goes with flour. Served with butter if you want to roll one up for a quick bite before your meal comes. You can even get them cold to take home, which we did! Along with a carnitas taco plate, rice and beans. All the way back to Texas! See you sooner than later hopefully, Old Town Mexican Cafe! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Front of menu - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We love this cafe hand made corn or flour tortillas Are so good you'll want more here Margaritas are excellent here, Cadillac are too We tried it all and still come back for more Service is still great every time we have delicious food here. read more

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soo yummy!! first stop during our san diego trip :3 we arrived around 9:30am on a weekday. lots of parking in the outdoor lot located right beside the restaurant. old town was still super quiet and peaceful along the streets, so it was a surprise to see a good amount of people already inside! not TOO crowded though--we were seated within 5 minutes. the quesabirria taco was DELICIOUS and juicy. 10/10 for me. our server was also super sweet and attentive! read more

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Had a great visit to Old Town Mexican cafe. We were a large party and were seated immediately around 4pm on a Friday. They have a large selection of food and the portion sizes are generous. The service was pretty good, but the server stopped checking in on us near the end of our meal. The burritos were huge, the refried beans were really good. I loved everything I tried. I'll be back in the future. read more

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We came into town and the first thing we did was go to Old town Mexican café. We've been there before and consistently. It's the best Mexican restaurant. I ordered a healthier choice which is available before noon, cooked without lard, a potato and chorizo, soy based taco. It was so delicious. The tortilla made in house and it did not disappoint. I talked my husband into getting churros and they blew me away, so delicious. The dolce de Leche in the middle, oh my God. The best Churros I've ever had. I wish we had time to go back again, but it was a very short trip. There's parking on the side of the building that extends, which got quite full because it was noon time. There were some birds that came in and were eating off the floor. They seem very used to people and I loved that! If you get a chance, definitely go to Old town Mexican Café! read more

Food is the best Mexican food . Service at the bar by D was amazing.ambience is Mex music and old town decor. Great for eating breakfast or brunch. They op At 8:00 in the morning. read more

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I've had better . The margarita wasn't very tasty . Pretty strong too and lacked flavor . The chips were boring imo. Salsa was too spicy for my Food was ok but wont be going back Not the worst place but not my favorite read more

We always have to come here for dinner when we are in old town San Diego We got seated pretty quickly Our waiter was great very attentive Placed our drink and food orders got everything pretty quickly Per usual everything was delicious no complaints read more

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My wife and I eat here all the time we are in Old Town SD. Charming, traditional, old school Mexican food. We've always had good service and we especially love coming in the morning shortly after they open. It's a beautiful situation--IYKYK! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Chile Verde Burrito with rice and beans. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came here around lunchtime on a Thursday and there was little to no wait. We were seated promptly and our waitress was attentive and provided great service. I ordered the Combination Fajita plate with Shrimp and Steak and it was delicious! The flavors were great, guacamole and tortillas were warm and fresh. There was also a surprising amount of shrimp, usually restaurants tend to skimp on shrimp but this one had a good amount. I would come back here for food again! read more

Old Town Mexican Cafe - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend and I stopped in here for lunch earlier this week and really enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food. Christian our server , was attentive and friendly and professional. I had the four rolled tacos. In my friend had the crispy quesadilla she really liked it very much and I enjoyed the rolled tacos. I would definitely stop here again when old town San Diego very much enjoyed it. read more

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This spot is a classic. The housemade, fresh tortillas are always great. Although it was lunch time, I ordered the dinner entree Camarones à la Diabla which had a side salad, rice and beans, and so much shrimp! The shrimp had a pretty good kick to it so be prepared for that. I didn't love the Pico Pico Margarita, it was a bit more bland than a normal spicy margarita. This is a conveniently located spot to grab food after walking around Old Town. read more

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First time back after about 10 years. Quality has gone downhill; I had 2 mini dry,flavorless carne asada tacos for $14. Sad, used to be great. read more

Busy tourist spot. Weathered interior. Carefree diners. Thank goodness we had time, for very slow was the service. As for our lunch, okay was the Pozole; edible was their overcooked shrimps with bland sauce; take a bow to their freshly handmade tortillas! Cheers! read more

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