From the outside, the ambience looks amazing, when you go inside, it is super cute and charming. Great bar, and lots of tequila and Mezcal to choose from. Love what they did with the interior. But food... oh well... we went for a date night, excited to try out this new restaurant. Overall, the food was average, it did not taste up to expectations, we even got fresh catch of the day, which was only OK, had no specific taste, or was it interesting to try. Overall nice ambience, great cocktails, but not a good place for dinner. read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

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We had a party of 8 and we let our server decide what to bring out. They brought out two waves. First wave being more beef focused. The second wave being more seafood focused. The first wave was DELICIOUS. Wasn't a single plate that missed. The second wave had a couple decent things but also had a few things that we weren't a fan of. The drinks were delicious. The service was excellent our server was on top of it and very friendly. Try out the new spot before it blows up! Cheers! read more

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Strongly recommend making a reservation. Architecture is unique and memorable. Service was fantastic. Server was friendly and professional. Malbec was delicious. Short rib quesadillas with mole were a super hit! Pulpo with salsa and papas was delicious. It was served with bread, which felt like store bought naan. The bread was the only disappointing piece. Fresh fish of the day in chipotle crema with a side of tortillas was messy and delicious! Elote old fashioned was alcohol forward, sharp on the front with a smooth finish. He'd order it again. read more

I had dinner here with my husband and son during the Soft opening. I'm not very familiar with the area, but we found them fast. Their place is not that big, but it's cute inside, it has a good vibe. We got seated right away by the window area, it felt nice due to the cold breeze. We didn't take long to decide what to get since the Menu has good options to choose from. We had: *TARTAR ATUN *SHORT RIB *PULPO ZARANDEADO *CARAJILLIO cocktail My order was the TARTAR de Atun, it's a sushi grade tuna with house chipotle jelly, capers, guacamole, and side of chips. This one is very flavorful, a great match for my drink. My CARAJILLO drink tasted like an Espresso martini with a very strong Alcohol, but it's still an okay drink. For my husband's PULPO SARANDEADO (grilled OCTOPUS) it's so tender, it was good and easy to eat, but portion wise, this plate feels too small. Their SHORT RIB was my Son's food. It was so tender and very tasty. I really like the sauce on it, really good one. We didn't order a dessert 'coz back then they only had 1 dessert on their menu, the Arros con leche. Our server Alexis A., was great, the place was nice and clean and had a good vibe, but parking was tough to find around. read more

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Cool space, that I wanted to love but was overshadowed by bad service. We had an early 6:00 p.m. reservation, and the restaurant was mostly empty. Despite plenty of open tables, we were seated at what felt like the worst table in the house. The lighting was so minimal I could barely read the menu, it was right by the main corridor so we heard every staff conversation, and it was next to a window that made the table uncomfortably cold on a rainy night. If that wasn't enough, three different parties were seated next to us and then requested to be moved, which meant our meal was constantly interrupted. At one point, I was literally trying to eat my tacos while a server's backside was inches from my face -- not exactly the dining experience you hope for. On top of that, no one checked in to see if we needed anything, not even water, throughout the meal. Overall, the service was very disappointing. While the food was good, the experience overshadowed it, and unfortunately, I won't be coming back. read more

Franco was our server & he was lovely. The food was AMAZING. The staff is great. a 10/10 experience.

what we ordered | short rib braseado en salsa de chiles secos | ceviche de salmon | croquetas de jalba y poblano | pulpo a la salsa macha | margarita taste | my favorite were the croquetas. the short rib, ceviche and pulpo were solid just wouldn't get it again. the short rib portion was definitely bigger than what we expected so it was more than enough to share all the dishes we ordered and the short rib. their margarita was strong since it has both tequila and mezcal but you can choose one of the two or get both. service | it was a tad hard to get our server's attention but they were super busy since we had a 7:30 PM resy, but as it got later in the night, our servers and other workers were following up with us a lot. parking | street notes | ambiance is gorgeous and definitely good to check out if youre feeling mexican contemporary food. read more

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First time at Origen and we loved our visit! The service was incredible and the dishes we tried were delicious! Will definitely be back!

Edgar was AMAZING! He was very knowledgeable about every item on the menu! He made sure we were always happy. I recommend starting with their tequila flauta starter! The perfect amuse bouche to start the meal and get you into the vibe of the restaurant. I can't stop thinking about the pulpo a la salsa macha!! Octopus was my favorite dish of the night! Restaurant is really loud, be prepared to talk loud! The only flaw is we didn't know where to check in. I was standing near the door a little clueless. read more

Origen - Pulpo - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came to eat here for my birthday and was impressed. The food was delicious. I had the quesadillas with beef and got the guacamole as an appetizer. Everything was pretty good. I would come back for the food. The drinks were average. I got a tequila margarita. Place was fun for birthdays as they sing for you. read more

Origen - Quesadillas with mole - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was really good. Definitely family style type of place to try different things. We had the ceviche, pulpo. Drinks were nice and tasty. Service is on point always aware of your water and if anything else is needed. We had a great time read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food- food was quite tasty, small portion and it is a bit on the pricy side, but so is everything else when you go out to eat. Drinks- drinks are phenomenal. I ordered the mezcalita and the elite old fashioned which were both delicious, considering I'm not a huge mezcal drinker. Service- service was amazing. Everyone was very informative on the menu and very welcoming. Ambiance- ambiance is great, a beautiful place to hang out with a partner or just hit the bar on your own. read more

Every time a friend comes into town, we bring them here. The food and service are always amazing. Our server Tanis usually just orders for us, and every dish ends up being perfect. We always leave stuffed and very satisfied. The vibe inside makes for such a great evening too. 10/10 love this spot. read more

I watched them remodel this space and it's way nicer in here than the two previous spots. The place was exactly as expected. Portions on the smaller side and prices on the higher side. The food is worth it though. I finally came to check it out at the end of June and was pleasantly surprised to see they print new menus for every weekend. Menu changes based off of fresh ingredients is magical in my opinion. As most of the other reviews mentioned, it is loud in there. The beauty of the minimalist concrete does take away sound control. It didn't bother me but I don't think I would want to be there with more than a group of three. Tanis read more

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I love this addition to NP. The quality of food was terrific, the service was excellent and the ambiance is very creative. If they can find a way to course the meal, it would be a little more comfortable as we ran out of table space and set items on the table next to us. read more

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It's been open for less than 30 days and it was busy and full on a Sunday evening. I had the tartar atun, crab croquettes, and platanos flameado. The tuna was fresh and I enjoyed the guacamole and yogurt that it was served with. However, the tuna was over marinated with chipotle jelly and was sweeter than I preferred. The croquettes were creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. I liked these better than the tuna. The plantanos were excellent and were flambéed bananas. For drinks, I had the mezcalina and carajillo. The mezcalina was smooth, easy to drink and well balanced. The carajillo is an after dinner drink and could have been sweeter. I appreciated service from Matthew who was friendly and checked in periodically. Food arrived quickly and was beautifully plated. The ambiance is modern and bright. I would return to try more of their menu. read more

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Amazing food. Great ambiance. Cesar, our server, was extremely attentive and personable. Oh and he's great at singing happy birthday. Gets the people going. read more

Wowwww I love this place so much. Came here for my birthday and it was an amazing experience. Incredible service, food, ambiance, everything. I got the soup which had such a comforting flavor. I think the soup and vegetarian ceviche were my favorite. It had a coconut taste and was so refreshing. The cake at the end was also so yummy. I'll definitely be back to try other things. read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Origen had real authentic Mexican ambience in terms of both food and decorations. The food was flavorful in traditional Mexican spices and citrus. The decor was very missionary style with cool lighting and pottery. The server was very friendly and knowledgeable about Mezcal. Highly recommend this place! read more

Origen - Dining area - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

The restaurant ambiance and the staff were great but the prices are outrageous. $20 for a quesadilla? I would understand if it was packed with flavor but the beef was BLAND. The mole overpowered everything. Basically eating styrofoam with mole. The salad had zero flavor - at least give it some zest. The lack of seasoning and flavor was not up to par for these Beverly Hills prices. It's not Beverly Hills, it's Hillcrest. read more

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We had an amazing dinner! Juan Paolo gave great recommendations, the drinks were fantastic, and the food felt so purposeful and detail-oriented! The quesadillas with mole were great and we loved the camarones. I should've take a picture of everything, but we ate too fast. Highly recommend! read more

My sister and I had an excellent experience at Origen! The food, drinks, atmosphere, and service are excellent! Our server, Franco, made some great suggestions for us to share - we had the tuna flauitas and salmon ceviche to start, and the beef tiradito and sopa as our mains. All of the dishes were delicious, but the salmon ceviche and tiradito were exceptional and very memorable! The hibiscus and raspberry tiger's milk on the ceviche was delicious. Not only was it very tasty, it really elevated the dish and made it super unique / unlike the usual ceviches you see on most menus. We loved getting introduced to beef tiradito as neither of us had ever experienced this dish! It was truly delicious - the "jus" was zippy and refreshing! Thank you Origen for such a memorable experience! read more

I ordered the quesadillas con mole and they were so delicious!! Ambiance is amazing, the drinks were unique and the aesthetic of the restaurant is definitely pic worthy. Manuel was excellent. read more

Ambiance: simple and elegant. Service: attentive and friendly Food: an exquisite flavor bomb of just melt in your mouth deliciousness!!! read more

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Great new upscale Mexican cuisine! The decor is modern southwestern style, looks amazing! The service is excellent, they not only give great recommendations, they are checking on you all the time. Now to the real star.... The FOOD!!! We shared all the plates, from empanadas to ceviche, Fideo con shrimp.... Soooooo good! I would love to go back and try more!! Which we will be back for sure! read more

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Service and ambiance are amazing!! The decor is beautiful although the chairs are a bit uncomfortable to sit on them for a long time! It would help to have a small cushion haha! The service is outstanding, one of the best I have experienced lately in SD, plus everyone is extremely nice. We ordered many things from the menu. I think my favorite was the croquetas. The catch of the day was very fresh and also good. The menu is somehow small but has enough options. I think it is thought to please anyone that goes to eat there. I will definitely come back and taste what I didn't have a chance to try the first time! read more

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Food was pretty good overall, but the service was honestly strange and disappointing. Our server seemed to think he was funny...at first it was amusing, but it quickly became too much and didn't translate into actually providing good service or creating any kind of dining experience. There was no guidance on the menu, no drink or food suggestions, and no explanation that most of the dishes are shareable tapas-style. When I asked about the flautas, he said he didn't know how to explain them but that they were "really good"... which wasn't very helpful. We ended up having to look at Yelp photos just to understand what we were ordering because he basically just took our order and left. There were also no water refills or check-ins, which made the experience feel inattentive. The food itself came out on time and was good overall, but my friends did not enjoy the salmon ceviche at all, and it seemed like it had been sitting out longer than it should have, another thing that wasn't caught or addressed. For the price point, especially with items like a $17 shrimp taco, we were hoping for more guidance and a more attentive, engaging experience. The food had potential, but the service really missed the mark. read more

Drink: Margarita, Mezcalina Food: Tuna tartar, wild shrimp camarones al ajillo Dessert: Fresas con Crema (strawberries and cream) read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

I went for a restaurant with and the service was amazing, but the food was a major miss. The empanadas had no flavor. The crabcake had a ton of mayonnaise. And the beef was slices of beef floating in broth. See what they were trying to do, but the flavors were missing. read more

Truly a fantastic spot. Great food and great vibe. Went for a Saturday night dinner. The moment we arrived, we were surprised by how friendly the staff were. Everyone greeted us the moment we walked in. It felt like a tight, community-run spot from the start. Our server was excellent, explaining that his family ran the whole operation and that they'd only been open for about 7 months. We decided to try things across the menu, including: - Tartar de atún - Ceviche de salmón con leche de tigre de Jamaica - Pesca del día con mejillones y crema de chipotle - Tiradito de res - Taquitos Each dish was amazing and unique, but when we go back, the taquitos, tuna tartar, and tiradito are ordered again! Drinks were also fantastic. Their house marg includes a great tequila mezcal blend, plus they have a high-quality, additive-free tequila list of Don Fulano, Código, and Fortaleza. Lastly, just a fantastic atmosphere. Not too small where it feels crowded, not too big where it feels overbuilt. They've created a great vibe, and we can't wait to go back. Congratulations to the family on close to a year! read more

I went here with a girlfriend and had very high expectations. Unfortunately I found the food to be lacking in the bold flavors you would expect with Mexican cuisine. The overall ambiance is nice especially for happy hour or drinks at the bar. Service was prompt and courteous, but for the price of dinner I will not be back. read more

Juan Pablo made our night unforgettable. He guided us through the menu with so much care and enthusiasm, and every recommendation was spot-on. We had the steak tartare quesadillas, octopus, the Pickle Michelada Agua Santa, and the Mescalero -- each one incredible and perfectly balanced. His service felt warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the food and drinks. You can tell he takes pride in what he does. Truly one of the best dining experiences we've had in San Diego read more

Opening night did not disappoint. Friendly staff greeted us and squeezed my husband and I in as a walk-in. We were walked through the menu and got several recommendations based in our preferences. Some of the best ceviche tuna tartar ive ever had! With large portions in these two "starter" dishes- although everything on their menu is recommended to be shared. The flavor was incredibly memorable. read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great experience! The food is amazing, super fresh ingredients, explosive flavors! The Tartar de Atun is a must try! The place is beautifully decorated, with a laid back but chic atmosphere, perfect for a night out with friends. Thank you Franco and Alexis for a wonderful and memorable experience, I'll definitely be back! read more

My husband has been wanting to try this place and we were able to make reservations for last Thursday. The service was super nice. The layout is as beautiful as you see on Instagram but a lot smaller in real life. I would say the worst part about my experience was the noise, it is insanely loud in here. They have not mastered their Acoustics to ensure Nueces and bounce off the walls, I cannot even hear my husband across from me or what the server is sharing with us. The advertised as Mexican style restaurant although I feel like there's some Thai Asian fusion mixed in, I wasn't expecting that but the flavor palette definitely reflected some type of fusion and not complaining! I loved all of our dishes we tried! Definitely different than your typical and traditional Mexican style flavors. We ordered a variety of appetizers to including the short rib which was amazing! And I ordered the octopus as my main dish and loved it! Overall the food is definitely worth coming back, I just hope they can figure out something with the noise, it feels like you're in a club with how loud it is which is not ideal for an intimate dinner of any size. read more

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What a refreshing addition to this part of town! I love so much about this restaurant and have only one complaint. But that complaint doesn't warrant the removal of a star. Just hoping management takes the feedback and perhaps makes a change. The food is amazing--so fresh, delicious and beautiful. The ambiance is is equally as beautiful and chic. And the service is warm and knowledgeable. My only complaint is that I don't drink alcohol and asked for a mocktail (the margarita without the liquor) and I was charged full price--$16. It even listed "mocktail" on the receipt, so it wasn't an error. Feels like the removal of the most expensive ingredient warrants at least 1/3 less in cost. Just a suggestion! But overall, a lovely experience! read more

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Amazing food, amazing service. Beautiful ambience. I'm in love with the flavors. Can't wait to come back read more

Origen - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - San Diego, California

Had a great experience overall. Bartender and server were really nice (bartender had a great sense of humor and had us laughing pretty hard a couple times). Service at the table was a little slow at times but we weren't in a hurry so it didn't phase us too much. Food was really good. There were 7 of us and we ordered a bunch of things to share and everything was great. Personally loved the aguachile and Cesar salad. Some dishes felt a little pricey for what we got on the plate but quality was high so we didn't feel jipped. We sat in the big cave booth which was comfortable but a bit loud at times since we're a loud group the sound really bounces around in there. It was pretty quiet when we arrived at 6:30 but by 7:30 the place was full and had a vibrant atmosphere. I look forward to going back. read more

Had an excellent meal at Origen tonight. The sun daisy margarita and short rib quesadilla were both outstanding, and the service was impeccable. read more

First visit based on my daughter's recommendation and it was fantastic. The service was excellent and every dish had original, memorable flavors that made the meal special. read more