Finally, some real Mexican food in Encinitas! Such a good place for seafood and their mole was phenomenal! Service in incredible as well! read more

Puntamar - Hamachi tiradito - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Pretty good! Plenty of open spacious seating, friendly service. The least-wacky Michelada (and there are many) is the Clamachela, and it was tasty.. with a saucy sesame rim. I liked it! Solid at $9 The Beef and Cheese crust sonora taco street food plate was 4 tasty tacos, very reasonably priced for a sit-down place. If you're not too hungry, it's a full meal.. if you're big-hungry, you'll want more. Fresh, meaty -- loved it. But the salsa game, not so strong, not for San Diego. The servings were really tiny, fresh but unremarkable. Nothing on the table had any heat even on the weakest jalapeño scale. The bottled sauce was extremely salty. I did like the whole corn tortilla chips. I feel like I have to go back and try something seafood at some point, but it should be a day when micheladas will be the theme song. I'll smuggle in some hot salsa. read more

We most definitely will be back to this place. A taste of Mexico City, the food here has a lot of love and flavors. read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Shorted this message: Food was so fresh and amazing! The owner is so intentional from where they source ingredients, to the decor of the restaurant. Good quality food and presentation with a more relaxed ambiance. Corey was also great! My cousin and I yapped for so long we were the only people left in the restaurant and Corey made us feel welcomed and offered us churros! Churros were delicious, the chocolate dip was divine. read more

Puntamar - Churros and chocolate dip! - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Absolutely adore this gem, like being transported to Tulum. My sister and I sat at the bar and enjoyed a cocktail and snack. Will absolutely be back for both the margaritas and ambiance read more

Puntamar - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Just ok. The food was good, but not great. Service was ok. Could have been a bit more attentive, but still good. Loud in there, but cool decor. I don't think I need to go back, but a decent spot. read more

My husband and I went for lunch (a Friday) and were welcomed immediately when we walked in. The server was so enthusiastic and fun. We ordered drinks -a mojito and a Paloma- and shared three dishes: the tuna tacos, the ceviche verde, and the octopus. All. Were. DELICIOUS! The dishes were great portions- the ceviche had good sized pieces of fish and a it was definitely shareable. The tuna inside the crispy tacos was smoked, and had flavors that really made it unique and again, great sized dish. The octopus was the star of the meal; it was PERFECTLY cooked, charred nicely with sliced potatoes underneath. It was mouthwatering. SO GOOD. The owner came around to check in on us and we feel it really makes the experience at any restaurant when this happens. He is warm and really shows pride in dishes and the restaurant. This place is an absolute gem. Its vibe with musicá Latino is perfectly matched to the tropical atmosphere; you're transported to vacation, instantly. I can't wait to go back. It's vibrant and welcoming and overall such a great experience with incredible flavors. read more

Not your typical Mexican restaurant, which is a good thing. The owner, who was our waiter, and was very nice, said that the recipes come from Mexico City. The drink menu had some twists to the staples you'd expect and were all very good. We stuck to margaritas, but they're known for their Micheladas. The Machu Pichu ceviche was delicious, super fresh, topped with perfectly ripe avocados and served with tostadas chips. Tuna Melody Tlacovos was suggested by the owner and they were very very good. The Birria pizza is dynamite, almost like a large Birria quesadilla, the size of a pizza with the right amount of crispness and 2 fantastic sauces. One was called coffee sauce, which reminded me of a Chipotle style salsa and a really good consume, often served with Birria. I feel like they'd do well with a happy hour. The vibe is cool - will definitely be back. There's so much more I'd like to try. read more

We had a wonderful time at this restaurant! The moment we stepped inside their indoor outdoor space we felt like we had been transported to a little Mexico paradise! The servers were all so friendly and attentive too! We had seen previous review of service issues but we felt welcomed and accommodated! We ordered a round of drinks and of them all, the Michelada Kraken definitely was the stand out drink. As for the entrees, we got the quesabirria, the taco trio, and the Machu Picchu ceviche. The fish taco was light and tasty, and the ceviche had a generous serving of fish. For desert, we got churros, which came out with a sparkler and decorative plate! They were delicious. Overall we had a great time and would come back! read more

See all

My wife and I came here for dinner and it was INCREDIBLE!! The fish was so fresh, the drinks were super tasty, and the service was attentive. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

Puntamar was the best! The owner himself took care of us and gave us the best service and even on a rainy night the environment felt very cozy. Food was also tasty and authentic to Mexico City. Definitely coming back on a sunny day to try their Michelada. read more

Puntamar - Churros and Café de la Olla ! - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

One of my favorite things during s recent wine & food festival was tying the ceviche from Puntamar. That was a couple weeks ago at Liberty Station. Yesterday I had the opportunity to try the restaurant in Encinitas and got the same fantastic impression that at that booth in the fair. The service was super friendly and fast, loved chatting with our server. The day was gorgeous and my boyfriend and I felt like we were in Baja...well actually I like Encinitas more:). The restaurant is so cute, very north county coastal vibe. Super clean, so pristine and love the different scenes. We sat at the patio because I wanted some sun rays caressing me, but the bar area and the middle bigger zone are so gorgeous. We got a dozen of super fresh oysters, what a treat to start Thanksgiving week San Diego style and we also shared an also very fresh ceviche. I would like to try many more dishes in the near future! Thanks for the nice welcoming. read more

See all

The best Mexican food! It feels just like Mexico City!! The food, the service, drinks and cool vibe makes us coming back for more! The owner, Alexandro will make sure that you're always taken good care of while you're in his warm and inviting restaurant! Thank you to all the staff who always make us feel welcome!! read more

Incredible fresh and tasty seafood! Highlights for us were oysters, fish ceviche, and the al pastor fish tacos. It does seem like every dish you order will be amazing! We had Eric as our server and he had amazing recommendations for us. Will visit again! read more

Puntamar - Al pastor fish tacos - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Saw this spot on TikTok. The vibe & food seemed elite so thought we'd give it a try... I would rather grapple a gator and pay $100 than eat another meal there. All the food seemed to lack flavor. I did give a 2nd star only because the steak taco was pretty solid. read more

Decided to come here for late lunch/early dinner around 4pm. Pretty empty, service speed was fine. Seating is outside, very cute space but a little chilly. The food was okay, not bad but I was not particularly in love with any of the dishes. We tried the aguachile, mole enchilada and the giant shrimp skillet. The aguachile was good, a little slimey for my liking, even though I love raw shrimp sushi and I've had aguachile elsewhere... the shrimp is whole and it's just hard to eat with the slimey texture. I managed to eat 1 serving, my husband liked it enough but suggested for it to be cut into smaller pieces. Mole enchilada is up to par, my favorite out of what we ordered. The giant shrimp skillet is just several bigger shrimps chargrilled. Nothing else came with that dish and it was $27. We thought skillet would mean it comes on a skillet and/or includes something else to make it an entree, but it does not. It's not quite as good as food I've had in Mexico or LA. Their mango michelada was delicious though and would really be the only reason i would come back. Overall, prices are high, food is ok, parking lot is convenient but small. I am not very likely to come back but it might be a fun place for drinks and some bites for a small group in Encinitas. read more

See all

First time at puntamar after seeing it multiple times!! Insanely fire and a huge amount of fish with the civeche! Corey was the man and the food a service was incredible!! Definitely coming back with friends and family. read more

Puntamar - Pizza birria - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here for date night on a Saturday night and had a great time! Our server Augustine was extremely helpful and attentive. We ordered off all his recommendations and loved everything. The food as incredible! We had a few appetizers and shared some main dishes and were so so full. We ended with churros which were a fun surprise and treat! The food and atmosphere definitely reminded us of Mexico City and I'm glad we found it. We hope to be back soon! read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

The drinks were good but seemed small. Service was really slow, maybe cause we went at a weird time and we were out of view. Still, the restaurant was nearly empty and we had to flag down our waiter twice. Queso was yummy! read more

Great food, fantastic atmosphere, we will be back soon! We tried three home made salsas with fresh tortilla chips, great fresh ceviche and quesabirra. Everything was so good, can't wait to try more items from menu! read more

See all

Arrived at around 4:45/5pm and was seated quickly. Granted, we were the first ones there on a Wednesday!My friends and I were looking for a new spot & I found this one on instagram! I ordered the fish tacos & two margaritas ($5 happy hour? Yes please!). Our waiter was attentive & we all shared several laughs! My friends & I were impressed with the aesthetic and appreciated the playlist! A great place to visit during the week after a long day or for a fun lunch/dinner with friends! Only recommendation I have is better signage for bar vs restaurant. read more

See all

The food and drinks here are seriously so good! The menu is creative with tons of options, and everything tastes fresh. You can tell they use really good ingredients. The hamachi is especially delicious and always super fresh. The staff is friendly and checks in to ensure everything is of your liking. I've been here a handful of times and I have never had bad service. read more

Alex the owner was kind enough to invite me back to apologize in person and show me the new updates they made to the menu. The food was great and the service was wonderful. :) read more

See all

Really cute place with delicious food. The enchilada mole chicken was the best! Salsa dancing on weeknights.

Excellent Mexico City inspired food. Chicken mole enchiladas & tuna tostados are worthy of going back for again & again. Great service & hospitality too. read more

Puntamar - Chicken mole enchiladas - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

WOW! a must when you're in encinitas. authentic mexican seafood with the best hospitality. the owner himself greeted us and gave recommendations. read more

Just really weird environment and the food is trying to be different but missing the mark

This spot is amazing! The beef birria, the aguachile, the ceviche, and the octopus were all SO good and so fresh. Everything tasted so authentic and homemade/fresh. I loved ceviche and this was truly some of the best ceviche I've ever had, definitely the best I've had in California. The guacamole was also delicious and fresh (everything was). They have a great drink selection too, and we got the churros and wow, I don't usually care for them, but these were SO good and again, so fresh! We are already talking about going back and brining our family when they come to visit from out of town. The service was also great and very accommodating (we had our 18 month old with us). read more

This was an accidental find while we were in San Diego but what a find ! The food was delicious and brings flavors from Mexico City all the way up to Encinitas. We had their fish ceviche which was amazing, so full of flavor, not overly tart/sour with lime but just right. Then we also ordered the molcajete norteño ( feeds 2 ), this was the main course. Many other people stopped by when they walked by to see what we had ordered, visually the dish draws in attention but the flavors are also perfect. It comes with chicken, angus certified steak, cheese, chicharrón, nopales, green onions, and chorizo. The service was amazing despite their only being on chef on staff feeding the whole restaurant, big shout out to him. Plus everyone in the kitchen is from Mexico City bringing the authentic flavors out. The ambiance is a coastal beach theme, laid back and very beautiful and inviting. Highly recommend, and cannot wait to see the new dishes to come from Alejandro the owner! read more

We knew we wanted to get married at Moonlight Beach Overlook in Encinitas and were seeking a fun and memorable reception venue with tasty food within walking distance to our ceremony. When we discovered Puntamar, we knew we found our spot! They pride themselves in serving authentic, high-quality Mexican food which proved to be a major hit for both our local and out-of-town guests. Think delicious margaritas, ceviche, tacos, enchiladas and more in a laid-back, tastefully-designed, beachy ambiance. It was the chill SoCal wedding reception of our dreams! Alex, Eric, and the entire Puntamar team were incredibly accommodating, professional, communicative and a breeze to work with. On top of serving an amazing wedding meal, Puntamar brought in fresh coconuts for our guests, decorated/equipped the restaurant to be wedding-ready, served churros in wooden boats with sparklers, and created a dance floor where we partied into the night with our saxophonist DJ. 100% recommend for any wedding or special event! read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food was great! A little pricey but worth it. Seating was indoor/outdoor with heaters set up as needed. Very comfortable and staff was welcoming. read more

I guess everyone that wishes to dine anywhere near the Pacific Ocean needs to pay ridiculous prices for mediocre food. This place may pass for good Tex-Mex dining but this is So. Cal., much better food elsewhere. Queso Fundido?? Ha, ha.... read more

This place is fantastic. I thought I arrived at a restaurant in Acapulco. What a great vibe. The service was top-notch. I loved the homemade picante sauce, and the waitress brought us a to-go tub. But I must come back again. Finally, the food was out of this world. read more

Puntamar - Churros. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here with a group of friends and we all LOVED it! The owner took care of us. He gave us recommendations and told us about their ingredient sourcing. 10/10 recommend coming here! read more

This place is a 10/10! Excellent food, service and ambiance. Mahi ceviche, birria pizza, queso, grilled octopus, tacos, and drinks were all incredible. We were a family of 5 and our 3 boys ages 11 and 16 loved it! Get the churros for dessert for something sweet and a fun surprise. read more

See all

Creative menu, wide range of choices, attentive service. It's a funky open venue and the staff is great moving space heaters around. It's great for families and groups. read more

10/10. If you like good seafood and drinks, this is the spot. I was blown away. Every single thing was good, the octopus, the grilled shrimp, tuna tostadas and hamachi. Absolutely amazing food. Cute, casual atmosphere. read more

As a private Chef this is the place to go for the amazing flavors of Baja! 10 / 10 for the ambience, food and staff! Beware you are gonna get hooked eating at this eatery read more

We loved the Octopus and Birra Pizza . We enjoyed our drinks too! This is a very unique restaurant! read more

Puntamar - Yummy Octopus - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

We were here with a toddler. The service was a bit chaotic (they mistakenly delivered the wrong order to our table twice). Overall the food was okay but the octopus didn't taste fresh....and most importantly the music was way too loud (overstimulated my kid and I can't hear a thing my husband was saying...). Not recommended for family with young kid. read more