Had lunch there today with a visiting friend on the patio. We were stationed at Camp Pendleton over 40 years ago. We hadn't been in that Oceanside harbor since 1983! lol. We had an Excellent waiter. He did everything he could to upsell us but unfortunately, he got stuck with two old Marines who quit drinking 5 years ago! Tacos and salsas were outstanding! I'm going to bring my wife there in a couple weeks. Highest recommendation. Grazi to the whole staff there. Semper Fi. read more

1 Star -- Save Your Money! I honestly wish I had read the reviews before coming here. The food was extremely bland and completely lacking in flavor. We waited nearly 45 minutes for our food after ordering, which is unacceptable. To make matters worse, our waitress barely checked on us. After our food finally arrived, I asked for sour cream and waited another five minutes. I eventually had to get up, find our waitress, and ask her again. The entire experience was frustrating from beginning to end. Poor service, long wait, and disappointing food. Please save yourself the time and money. There are far better places to spend your money. I definitely will not be coming back. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Surf and Turf Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Rockin Baja Oceanside has been a family tradition for over 29 years. I'm from the east coast and whenever I visit (usually 1-2x year, sometimes more except during COVID), we make one meal at Rockin Baja. It started because my cousin works in the harbor and wanted me to see her work. But this will be the last visit and a new tradition will need to start. Our server Camelia S gets a high marks. She took good care of us and I tipped appropriately for the excellent care she took. The food gets just ok marks. It's always been from fair to good. And that's what we found again. Some was fair and some good. The prices have continued to climb and the salsa bar (one of our favorite parts) has disappeared. As an example, sodas are now $5.25 each (plus the surcharge - see rest of review). Food prices are high as well. They brought salsa and chips but two of the three salsas in the trio were very watery. But the reason we will not be back is this new CA "5% surcharge" that sneaks onto the bill. Apparently it was on the menu, but I didn't see it. We've run into this 2x during our last 10 days here and when asked, the waiter said "would you like it removed. I would if I was you". But not here. The waitress can't remove it. And the manager can't unless he wants it to come out of his paycheck. This doesn't go to the waitstaff. It goes to corporate profit. If you want to charge more have your menu prices reflect it. This is a way of grabbing 5% more without adjusting the menu prices - and these are new menus so none of that well they didn't want to update their menus. There are so many better places to go in Oside and in SD area. So bye bye Rockin Baja. Last $ you see from me. read more

Overpriced and just ok IMO. Backdrop of the marina is nice. Had a fish tacos but lacking flavor. Ate on the patio and got chewed up by biting flies. Parking is hard to find for an early dinner. Can find a better experience elsewhere for lower prices. Service was fine. read more

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Celebrated my bday with my son. Our Baja bucket was awesome. Service and ambiance were fantastic. Food was super fresh and seasoned on point. Thank you. read more

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Whenever I am in town I have to make a stop here. They have the best corn skewers, tacos and margaritas. Happy hour is the time to come. I have been here at least once every year but I forgot to give my review. 2023, 2024, 2025. I will be home in Nov and will stop by again. Service was okay, but they get 5 stars for the prices and the food. It is a fun place to be. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Service was good. Don't do the boil/bag. Not worth it. Too much fried food in the menu. Order a meal. Value wise, worth it. read more

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They've done away with the salsa bar, but they still bring a trio of salsa to your table. We went for the lobster and crab bucket. Good deal to share for three people, and we even took some food home. read more

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Perfect weather and yummy seafood! The only downside was it took several minutes for someone to take our drink order but after that all went well. Ordered a Bloody Mary, it was pretty good, just the right amount of spice. Chips and 3 different salsas were brought to the table. For food we ordered the original bucket for two for $89. It came with 4 lobster tails, 12 shrimp, steak, chicken, 2 full sized corn-on-the-cob, tortillas, unlimited beans and rice, and 2 different butters, side salad or soup. The lobster corn chowder had a nice depth of flavor. The Cesar salad was average/good. What really stood out was the flavor of all the food. Even the tortilla chips were seasoned! Everything tasted great and I think this will be our go-to order from now on! Oh! The meal also includes a fried ice cream dessert-this was also yummy! read more

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The best part was the free tortilla chips and the salsa bar. The fried ice cream that came with the Baja bucket was great too. The Baja bucket was ok. I'm more a Cajun seafood boil type person, so didn't feel worth it to me. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

I wish I took the time to read the reviews before eating here. We got seated pretty quickly but took forever for our waiter to take our orders. Also we ordered a "bucket" meal ($90!) and everything was super smal, tasteless and fried in what tasted like old oil. They even managed to overcook all 4 small lobster tails. Ridiculously overpriced and not worth it at all. And the extra 5% up charge and for what? At least make it a good dining experience if you're gonna be asking for an up charge. Definitely won't be coming back read more

The main attraction for me was to taste the birria and grilled octopus taco. I was very disappointed. The birria tasted ok, but the octopus was not grilled. It was a little chewy and lacked any flavor. The chowder did not looked appetizing at all. The ahi tuna mini tacos also lacked flavor. Costumer service was "ok" but the food was lacking. I've been there before and recall the food being very tasty. Not this time. It was more like a quick attempt to serve "something". read more

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Love coming to Rocking'Baja Lobster for their lobster lol My husband and I always share their Baja Buckets. They also make delicious alcohol drinks. You can eat by the patio or by the Oceanside Harbor. Their food is delicious!!! The Fried Ice cream was very good, nice way to end the meal. Service was friendly and fast. The best part is after all that food you can take a walk by the beach. Love this place read more

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Two stars. You walk in expecting coastal indulgence, salt air, cracked shells, butter dripping like a bad decision you'll gladly make twice. Instead, you get seafood that feels like it already lived a full life, earlier in the day. The lobster and crab? Tired. Like they'd been reheated out of obligation, not love. Chips showed up stale, like they'd been sitting around waiting for someone to care. No one did. Drinks? Had to request a refill of water and soda. Steak and chicken came out just as lifeless, dry, overcooked, the culinary equivalent of shrugging shoulders. Credit where it's due, the tortillas were warm, the butter did its job. But butter can only carry so much of the conversation before you realize you're dining with ghosts of what this meal could've been. No changing table in the men's bathroom. Again, us millennial fathers are ready to change a diaper, as I was leaving a new day with a stroller asked as I was leaving the bathroom with baby in hand..."changing table".... I just shook my head no, gave him the nod and went on my way. read more

Absolutely terrible experience! There was our waitresses fake Nail in our food! The food was mediocre and our waitress only came to get our order. Someone else gave us our check. This is absolutely disgusting. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Are waitresses fake Nail on the floor after it came out of our food - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Just had our last meal here. Got seated where setting sun was directly in my eyes entire meal. No simple blinds to let down. Got $140 seafood meal for 2. There was enough food to feed 6. You can see how they scam you out of 2 of these to feed 4 but they'd feed 8 easily. Two large lobsters tails but they screwed them up dumping salt on them. I mean VERY salty. So disappointing. The snow crab was from a starving colony of crabs. The leg meat was smaller than pencil and disintegrated when you opened the shell. Find another seafood restaurant. read more

Rockin Baja Lobster is a great spot to take a date or group of friends at the Oceanside Harbor for a good time. Big salsa bar with some spicy options. In the summer there can be a wait but it's worth it. I love the seafood enchiladas on flour tortillas so much. Creamy goodness. I love the bird watching here. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Great for big groups but also couples. Yummy! read more

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Still my favorite place to eat! With a coastal south of the border vibe, and flash fried seafood buckets, there's no other place like it. Salsa bar is help yourself and as much as you like- with red, green, mango, jalapeños & grilled onions. Service is excellent and friendly but prepare to take some time to find parking if you're visiting in a weekend because the lot is packed. read more

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Adriana was awesome and very helpful in what to do around here. We are from Colorado and going to do the whale tours now! read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Went here with a large party to spend the night at the Oceanside Harbor. The waitress was very attentive to our table, and extremely friendly. I ordered the Cali Surf & Turf burrito which was massive and a great value for the price! Very yummy, nothing too special to set it apart from other great San Diego burritos, but hard to beat the Oceanside Harbor atmosphere. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Cali Surf & Turf Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Ate here for the first time today after someone recommended it to us for the seafood. We came in without much information other than hearing the seafood was good. Right from the start, we had kids with us, but the hosts never mentioned or provided a kids menu. Later, the server gave us one only after we asked if they even had a kids menu. Honestly, it felt like we probably would not have seen it at all if we hadn't asked. The food itself was okay other then meats being really dried and corn half done in water, the soup was good but the service hurt the overall experience. After we got our food, we needed a few things throughout the meal, but our server was almost nowhere to be found. We asked another server for help, and he mentioned she was doing side work/closing duties. We were there around 8-9 PM, so that part is understandable, but someone should have communicated that another server would be helping our table. That felt like a pretty basic service mistake. We also ordered a Baja Bucket, but later noticed there was a holiday bucket for about $10 more that included more seafood and seemed like a much better deal. The server should have mentioned that option or at least tried to upsell it so we could make a better choice. Another issue was the salad/sauce bar. Nobody mentioned it to us at all. We asked for salsa, and the server simply brought some out instead of mentioning there was a salsa bar available. Small details like this really affect the dining experience, and I think we would have enjoyed our meal more if things had been explained properly. Lastly, the restaurant adds a 5% surcharge supposedly to pay employees better. But if customers are paying extra fees and menu prices are already going up, the service should reflect that. Comparing the menus from 2025 to 2026, the bucket prices already increased by around $10. At that point, it would make more sense to simply raise menu prices and let customers decide if the food and service are worth it instead of adding extra surcharges. Overall, the seafood okay, but the lack of communication and service definitely left a disappointing first impression read more

Hi, We visited Rockin Baja Lobster tonight (Friday), and unfortunately our experience was very disappointing. We had to wait over 30 minutes to be seated, which wasn't a major issue since the restaurant was busy. However, once we were seated, we waited quite a while before anyone acknowledged us. When we were finally helped, the service felt rushed and came across as unfriendly, which made us feel unwelcome. We also had to wait a long time for our food, and when it arrived, it was cold. The biggest disappointment was the crab--it had almost no meat inside, and several pieces were essentially empty when I cracked them open. I like to give the benefit of the doubt because I've always enjoyed my previous experiences at Rockin Baja Lobster. That's why this visit was so surprising. It was disappointing enough that we even questioned whether we'd return. Our table of five spent over $350, and we still left a generous tip because we truly appreciate how hard restaurant staff work. I understand that everyone can have an off day, and I'm not looking to get anyone in trouble. I simply wanted to share honest feedback because I believe there's room for improvement in the service, food quality, and overall attention to guests. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. I hope this feedback helps improve future guests' experiences. One additional concern that stood out to us was seeing rats run toward and into the restaurant. It may have been an isolated incident, but with the doors being left open throughout the day, it made us wonder whether this is something that happens more often. While I understand that unexpected situations can occur, it was definitely concerning and added to our overall disappointing experience. read more

Use to love this place but the service and menu changes take it WAY down on my list. I a LONG TIME customer of nearly 30 years and the past SEVERAL visits our experience and services has gone way down hill. We ALWAYS get the Baja bucket for 2 and I often visit by myself and get the Baja buckets for 1. Apparently they do.t have it for one but have A "taste of baja" with only 1 slipper tail. When I asked for a manager he said no we never had that and I said well , i've gotten it numerous times and I even got shorted a lobster tail once and I called and asked , is it supposed to come with two and they said yes.. Upon my next visit , hey gave me an extra lobster tail. The one server is always lacking in the last time.I came with a party of 10 and our bill was over four hundred dollars , he ran a card , and it was unable to obtain my points.. Sadly , it's one of my favorite places that I always stop at and I probably won't come back as often ESPECIALLY by myself if I'm going to get shorter a lobster tail. The lobster tails are the main reason to come. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - SERVICE FEE is RIDICULOUS!! Especially when a manager tells you they never had a baja bucket for 1 when you've gotten it numerous times - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Puerto Nuevo Lobster in Oceanside - Yum!! Located rt on the ocean , parking can be scarce & tricky on a busy time of day Quickly was seated at our table and was served some great tasting corn chips They had a self serve salsa bar that had many different varieties of salsa. My favorite was the mango salsa & they all smelled delicious! We ordered margaritas. Mine was a tasty lime & Jalapeño topped with tajin on the rim. The waiter was very helpful and had many recommendations. We ended up ordering the Puerto Vallarta lobster dinner along with a few appetizers. Lobster tacos were a very tasty treat. Kitchen staff seemed very cleanly, using gloves and protective gear. We were brought extra napkins & a plate to share They served fresh flour tortillas with a whipped butter cinnamon honey chili. They serve a variety of Draft beers, Appetizer menu $5-7 from 3-6pm. We spent about 1.5 hours for dinner & ordered the dessert sampler & they let us get more churros in place of the lava cake ( very accommodating). I would highly recommend trying this restaurant and would definitely come back for more seafood. The Harbor area had many boats to look at although it was raining so we went straight back to our vehicle. Thank you for the wonderful service! read more

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We stopped here for lunch on a Wednesday and it was busier than we would have anticipated it being. It didnt matter. Kelsey greeted us immediately and was so personable and amazing. Drinks were fast and on point; food was the same. Wish she was here all the time! read more

Came here for my birthday and we got great harbor side seating. The Plato el Gordo was enormous!! Enough for the 3 of us to share with leftovers. The food, ambiance and service was amazing read more

My friends brought me here for an early dinner. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and we chose to sit outside with a great view of the Oceanside Harbor. Service was good. We shared the Ceviche Stack as an appetizer--it was fresh, delicious, and a generous portion. I ordered the Baja Supreme Bowl with Rib Eye Stack for my main dish and really enjoyed it. The fried ice cream was the perfect sweet ending! read more

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I've been coming here pretty much my whole life and it's always been pretty consistent! The bucket deals are amazing and if I was rating on those alone it would be 5 stars! I've tried other menu items and a few I liked but a few were mediocre. This visit the carne asada and lobster in the tacos were over cooked and the shrimp undercooked. The shrimp in the tacos is the small frozen shrimp and it would be better if they used the same shrimp of better quality they use in the buckets. The beans and rice were delicious and the drink refreshing! The service is usually pretty good! This visit the service was excellent! We sat at the bar and the server was super talkative and friendly. She was also super attentive making sure we had refills! They remodeled about a year ago and the bar area is much nicer! I will always come to Rockin Baja Lobster because all and all they have great deals and a good vibe! When you are down at the harbor they are a must visit! read more

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The food was good and we enjoyed our meal, but the service was the best part. Our server Joslyn was very friendly, attentive, and went above and beyond to make sure everything was great. She made us feel welcome and a good laugh and really added to the experience.Good food and excellent service. We will definitely be back! read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Rockin Baja Lobster is seriously one of Oceanside's finest! Where else can you get a feast like this--4 lobster tails, 2 pieces of asada, corn on the cob, about a dozen buttery shrimp, 2 chicken breasts, and all the rice and beans you can handle?! Everything was seasoned perfectly, and those sautéed green onions with a hint of lime took it to another level. This place is a whole experience--come hungry! With about 89.00 feeds five! read more

On 08/03/2026!we ate at Rockin Baja Lobster in Oceanside Ca. The quality and quantity of the food was beyond the pail! The service was excellent and Antonina could not have done a better job. Honestly we felt like we were in Cabo. Will return regularly we will!!! We can't say enough great things about about the food, service and ambiance!! read more

Terrible. Started raining and water came in from a leak and landed on our food. Had to be re seated in a different part of the restaurant. Terrible and inconvenient. Manager on duty could have made things better but I felt it was more like a negotiation than compensation for for us having to pick up our food and move to a place that was dry to eat our food.. I felt uncomfortable during the entire process. Unbelievable to say the least. When I come to a restaurant, that is rated as a great place, and is moderately expensive, I expect a better experience than the presentation tonight. Manager should have been aware of the situation and offered a better solution to our situation. On top of that, the table next to ours left after receiving cold food. Worst experience ever. Will not be coming back to this hole. read more

We came here on a whim! Walking the marina and got hungry! We most definitely will be back! The lobster tails were so juicy!! Our waiter was constantly making sure we had everything we needed. Access to this place was so easy! And right on the water - we will be back for more seafood:D read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - 2 people platter - Baja Surf and Turf Bucket Street Corn - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

Horrible Service! We sat down to eat at 7:40 - multiple servers would walk right by us as we sat with no drinks, appetizers, or food for 30 minutes. They were clearing tables directly next to us while completely ignoring us and refusing service, as me and my family sat next to others while not being served. Ignorant staff and horrific service. 0/5 stars is not available so I had to chose 1/5 - but I would chose 0/5 if it was an option. I would not recommend this restaurant to anybody. Worst service experience ever, as the servers would look at us and ignore the fact that nobody had come to serve us. Horrible restaurant. Food was way overpriced as well. read more

We always enjoy the delicious lobster bucket, and the beautiful harbor view however I was inspired by our welcoming server, Alan, to write a review. Alan was the hilight, he impressed both of us, so attentive, very personable, engaging and anticipating your needs and always with a warm smile. He is special, you are fortunate to have him representing your restaurant. read more

Walked in a week ago, for a snack and something cold to drink. Walked away with a really nice experience. We were on a foot cruise from the resort across the parking lot and decided to stop in for something to drink and a snack. We ordered a couple of beers and two Margaritas accompanied by a Gnarly Nacho Platter with carne asada and it was perfect. Plenty for 4 of us and quite tasty. Prices are very good considering you are "On the Water" and the service was great. I recommend this restaurant for good value and great food and service. read more

Went here for the last time Sunday night. Checked the hours and they closed at 9:30 so we arrived around 8. We didn't have to wait to be seated. They had several IPA's on tap, 16oz or 25oz options I think. The large mugs were frosty which I love. My oldest had a virgin Mai tai and my youngest a Shirley Temple. They liked their drinks. The 4 of us shared the Golden Sombrero Feast. They give you chips and you help yourself to their salsa bar. The Ranchero (?) salsa was good. The 2 Caesar salads to start were yummy. The food came out pretty quickly. The Atlantic lobsters tasted good but were a bit of work for a little meat. Wish this bucket came with local West Coast lobster. The bucket came with 3 King Crab legs. The meat was good but the shell was soft and the metal crab cracker things were useless. Not sure what the soft shells indicated about the freshness of the crab. We all liked the shrimp. The rice and beans with cotija cheese was good (2 bowls came with the bucket). The chicken and carne asada were seasoned the same and overall were not good. 2 ears of Mexican corn came with the bucket and those were bomb. The fried ice cream dessert was small but delicious. We were finishing up our beers and were one of the last tables in the joint. They were stacking the chairs on the tables and one employee dropped a chair on the back of my chair. We felt rushed and it wasn't yet 9:30pm. If I was a tourist and came here during the day, sat outside enjoying the view and cold beer I'd come back; however, for the $250 we spent and for the quality of food/service we had, this was our last hurrah at Rockin Baja. read more

Rockin' Baja Lobster - The Golden Sombrero Feast - Mexican Near Me - Oceanside, California

I wavered between 3 and 4 stars and decided to be generous with 4. Good food, nice marina view, live music, an adequate experience overall. My husband and I were here on a Friday evening and decided on the Baja Bucket. Four 4oz tails, a dozen shrimp, carne and pollo with a tortillas- included a Caesar salad and fried ice cream for dessert for $89. Our main dish came up prior to the salads... they were an "oops, we forgot". Then the tortillas came another late moment. No big deal since we avoid carbs but had a bite... warm and yummy with spiced honey butter. Waited awhile for our plates to be cleared. My wine glass empty- no offer for a second. Too late now. Dessert is fried ice cream. I'll state again that we avoid carbs and sugar but I couldn't give a fair review without a bite, right? lol. Yummy! read more

It is with deep dismay and serious concern that we write to detail an utterly unacceptable and profoundly disturbing experience at your establishment. Our recent visit was marred from the outset by an immediate sense of unease, compounded by a significant delay before any staff member acknowledged our presence. Upon Santana's eventual approach as our server, his demeanor was overtly rude and dismissive, setting an unwelcome precedent for the remainder of our interaction. When we politely requested additional baskets of chips, a common and innocent enjoyment, Santana responded with an incredibly unprofessional and sarcastic remark, suggesting we were "only there to eat the chips." He then audaciously added, "when I came back over here you guys better have eaten all the chips." This was not perceived as humorous but as an intentional slight, creating an immediate atmosphere of discomfort and disrespect. The situation further deteriorated when my simple drink order, a piña colada, was served conspicuously missing its customary whipped cream and cherry garnishes. When I politely inquired about their absence, Santana flippantly declared he had deliberately omitted them because the drink was "not cold." This arbitrary and unsolicited decision, made without any consultation, was profoundly unprofessional. He then grudgingly presented the garnishes in a separate bowl, forcing me to awkwardly assemble my own drink, which inevitably led to a messy and unappealing outcome. My subsequent suggestion for the drink to be remade or presented correctly was met with immediate and profound disrespect. Santana repeatedly and condescendingly asserted, "all you care about is presentation," completely trivializing my valid concern for a properly served beverage. The escalating hostility from Santana prompted my husband to calmly intervene, seeking to understand the inexplicable difficulty in receiving a correctly prepared and presented drink. To our absolute horror and disbelief, Santana's response to this composed inquiry was not merely disrespectful, but an egregious act of aggression: he hurled racial slurs directly at my husband. This reprehensible and vile outburst instantly transformed a negative dining experience into an intolerable and deeply traumatizing ordeal, demonstrating a complete abandonment of professional conduct and basic human decency. Overwhelmed by shock and disgust at Santana's abhorrent behavior, we found ourselves compelled to immediately vacate your premises, abandoning any thought of ordering food. This profoundly disturbing encounter stands in stark contrast to the exemplary service and welcoming ambiance we have consistently enjoyed at your Old Town establishment, highlighting a stark discrepancy in the quality of experience. Such reprehensible conduct by a service professional is not only inexcusable but severely damages the reputation and integrity of your brand. We trust you will treat this incident with the utmost seriousness it deserves. read more

Doesn't look pretty but the calamari and fried lobster tacos was delicious. Not sure what they add to the light breading but it's addictive. Just stopped for margaritas and a little bite. Free chips and a help yourself salsa bar in the back. Attentive and friendly staff. Only complaint is I hate the chairs read more

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