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    Tamales El Mexico

    4.4 (54 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Tamales El Mexico Photos

    TAMALES EL MEXICO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Julie B.

    OM NOM NOM!! My new favorite place to get tamales!!! Or should i say cart! It's a cart in front of a liquor store. I came here and got 2 beef,2 chicken, 2 pork(green), 2 jalapeño & cheese! They were $2 each but some how my total ended up to be $18 hmmm did she pocket $2 extra from me? Well if she did, it's totally fine because her tamales were BOOOOOOMB diggitty bomb! The masa was even flavored which made the tamales taste so much better!

    a man selling food from a cart
    Matt R.

    Some places I yelp I've only been to a handful of times. I've eaten about a million tamales from this particular stand. Because location is everything. The fact of the matter is that her tamales are pretty good, but not outstanding. Heavy on the masa, light on the salsa. Now that a more convenient and arguably superior competitor has opened across the street, my loyalty has been severely challenged. But I still like coming here, and the main reason is because one of the saleswomen is *always* snoozing on her chair by the cart. I don't know if she's just tired from tamale-making all day. But I wake her up as gently as possible, and she sheepishly smiles and looks blankly at me before mumbling something incoherent, presumably in Spanish. Even when she's awake, she's a little bit asleep. I get my meat tamales (don't order the pineapple here, they are pretty weak) and she retreats to her chair. So help a poor, sleepy Mexican woman out, alright?

    Girthy. Is that even a word? =P
    Rianne D.

    El jefe was on the hunt for tamales that tastes like his mom's. Our adventure led us to Tamales El Mexico. $2 tamales? Sure! Why not? The tamales are cheap, fat and filling. I ordered the beef, pork and jalapeno and cheese. The beef and jalapeno cheese were good. The pork was alright, although plain. The masa was well flavored and moist. And, did I say that the tamales were fat? I typically can eat about 3-4 tamales, in one sitting. But, these tamales were fairly big and I was stuffed after eating two. The only downside to ordering here is that you can't tell which tamale is what, if you order a variety. The tamales aren't labelled. El jefe got 4, but one of them was a "candy" tamale that he didn't even order. So, there is some guessing going on, by both the cart lady and the customer. They weren't exactly my favorite Mexican grandma's tamales. But, if you want to eat cheap, under $5 and are craving decent tamales, this is it. Be sure to bring cash.

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    Photo of Marcie L.
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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Tamales were great. Not only was the protein inside the tamale good but the maza itself was delicious. Give it a try.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Fireee, best tamales I ever had. Banana leaf with the chicken, on pointttttttttttttttttt

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best tamales! Got them last minute for the holidays. Will get again next year. Got every kind they had

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    19 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Amazing tamales and so fresh! Been going exclusively here for over 20 years and will continue for another...

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Picked up a dozen on Thanksgiving, and they were great. Nice and moist. Good balance of masa and meat/condiments.

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    6 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Bomb!!!! If you've never tried the banana leaf ones please try them. They are so juicy best tamales so far

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

    This tamales are so good it has a good flavor and there are some pretty big tamales the workers are really nice too

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Tamales El Mexico

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    8am to 8pm

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    La Puerta - Half off all apps during happy hour 3-5 and late night happy hour 9-close

    La Puerta

    4.4(608 reviews)
    3.5 mi•Mission Hills
    •$$

    A few of my friends were visiting from NYC & we were looking for some late night eats/drinks and…read moredecided to come here. It was around 10:15pm on a Thursday night and the kitchen was about to close. We ordered a bunch of food and shared. Here's a run down of everything we had: STREET TACOS: we tried the following:: (they were out of the shrimp) El pastor tacos (5/5) Pollo asado tacos (4.5/5) Carne asada tacos (4/5) the steak was overcooked IMO It comes with rice and beans on the side and it was all delicious!! We also ordered fries which were delicious and the Al pastor quesadilla. I will definitely be coming back for these because they were fire!! The spicy margs are also delicious! The ambiance is 10/10, it's beautiful inside and our waiter was fast & efficient. I'll be back!

    Such a great spot for Sunday funday!! They have happy hour specials every day from 3-5pm and you…read moreget 1/2 off all drinks and appetizers. It's such a great deal and the food and drinks are actually good so it's definitely worth it. Our server was also super sweet and cool, she gave us lots of suggestions and was joking with us and just a good vibe. The restaurant and bar area were all super full but it never felt overly crowded and we only had to wait 5 minutes to get seated. This is such a great happy hour spot. We tried the flautas, queso fondido with chorizo, and the civiche. We loved it all!! We also tried the frozen margaritas which were the perfect consistency. Not too icy, not to sweet, and it this head wave it was so refreshing.

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    La Puerta
    La Puerta - Weeknd HH drinks (half off)

    Weeknd HH drinks (half off)

    La Puerta - Taquitos

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    Taquitos

    Cocina de Barrio

    Cocina de Barrio

    4.5(1.2k reviews)
    2.9 mi•Hillcrest
    •$$
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    My sister recommend this location when a friend of mine and I were looking for a place to have…read morebrunch on a Saturday and I am so happy she did! We got there early and got a good spot in the Patio. The service was amazing Jose and Karen provided what felt like white glove service in a fun atmosphere. I saw Jose take a glass of Milk with a Paleta Payaso to a kid as a surprise and the look on the child's face was worth his efforts! Bottomless mimosas were good! We had the Mango Habanero Aguachiles and the Breakfast Tlayuda as well and both were superb. For me the Aguachiles needed a bit more spice so Karen recommended their matcha salsa and that went well with everything! Will definitely be coming back! Thank you all for a great experience!

    I have not been here in a while. Lo siento! I have missed it so much! Ordered the house…read moremargarita to start off the evening!They have changed the menu a little, but they still have my favorites. The big tortilla with beans and chorizo...sooooo good! I can never pronounce the name of it...LOL! But I also ordered the taquitos, another delicious starter! I then had the green mole with ground pistachios over chicken...oh sooooo good!!!!! I love coming here! The staff is always friendly! The server said it had been a while. The outside patio is always welcoming!!! They are also dog friendly! Cako Approves!

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    Cocina de Barrio
    Cocina de Barrio
    Cocina de Barrio - Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita

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    Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita

    Coasterra - main entrance

    Coasterra

    4.0(4.1k reviews)
    4.8 mi
    •$$$

    We had such a wonderful experience at Coasterra! From the moment we arrived, everything was…read morefantastic. Our server, Case, was absolutely amazing. He was friendly, attentive, conscientious, and timely throughout our entire meal. He made sure we had everything we needed without ever being overbearing. My mother even said she would eat at Coasterra every day if Case were her server, that's how impressed she was with his service! He truly went above and beyond and made our dining experience extra special. And the food was AMAZING! Everything we ordered was delicious, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. You can definitely tell there is care put into the food. The meals are a little on the pricey side, but considering the beautiful setting, quality of the food, and exceptional service, we felt it was worth it for a special occasion. We will definitely be back, and hopefully we'll get Case as our server again! He is a true asset to Coasterra.

    I don't normally write Yelp reviews but I was truly blown away by the service I received at…read moreCoasterra this past weekend! Our server Ari (Ariana?) was so welcoming and kind to my husband and I. She recommended we order the Ahi tuna tostada and it did not disappoint!! The calamari was incredible as well- so delicious!! She was truly one of of the best servers I've ever encountered- gave us the full run down and recommendations based off the vibe we wanted for the night :)

    Photos
    Coasterra - Located on Harbor Island, Coasterra offers stunning views of the San Diego Bay, downtown skyline and Coronado Bridge.

    Located on Harbor Island, Coasterra offers stunning views of the San Diego Bay, downtown skyline and Coronado Bridge.

    Coasterra - View from patio

    View from patio

    Coasterra - Main dining room

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    Main dining room

    Oscars Mexican Seafood

    Oscars Mexican Seafood

    4.2(2.2k reviews)
    2.8 mi•Hillcrest
    •$$

    Hands-down the best seafood and fish taco place in San Diego! A must order is the Taco Especial…read morewith smoked fish, shrimp, scallops, tomato, cilantro, onion, melted cheese and avocado. I highly recommend pairing this with the chipotle sauce, which is offered along with all of the other sauces. The Battered Fish Taco and Tuna Ceviche Tostada is also a must. Every time I have visitors to San Diego and they want authentic Mexican Food I take them to Oscar's. I won't eat my fish tacos anywhere else! This place is definitely a local establishment. Note that parking is tight in the parking lot, but you can also park on the street around the corner. The food is worth the search for a spot if the lot is full. This eatery is legit!

    I don't get it…read more Saturday 10:45am. Party of 8. They have some outdoor seating but was able to get a spot inside to fit us all. Very small location! We sat under the TV and it was so loud that we couldn't hear each other talking even while right next to each other. We asked them to turn down the volume which wasn't an issue. Food was okay. As a seafood restaurant, I was expecting the seafood to be great. I enjoyed the turf in my taco more than the surf! The tacos I had were good and seems to be their main focus on perfecting because everything else was below mediocre. I usually prefer a lot of lime in my ceviche but this was waaayyy too lime-y. And I have never seen elotes sitting in a soup! Plus, the rice and beans were bland! Their sauces are very good though!

    Photos
    Oscars Mexican Seafood - Inside | IG:@socalsnomnoms

    Inside | IG:@socalsnomnoms

    Oscars Mexican Seafood - Battered Fish Taco

    Battered Fish Taco

    Oscars Mexican Seafood - Fish Ceviche

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    Fish Ceviche

    California Burritos

    California Burritos

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    4.0 mi
    •$$

    This is my first time dining inside this California Burrito Restaurant…read more I was driving around in this area and I saw this California Burrito Restaurant and I wanted to give this place a try. I enjoy eating authentic Mexican cuisine. I parked my car in their parking lot then I walked inside their front door. I talked to the owner Caesar and asked him How long has he been in business at this Starling Drive location in San Diego, CA? Caesar said he's been operating his California Burrito Restaurant business for 20 years now. Caesar also said to me that he works with his wife and grown children at his Mexican restaurant every day. My order was placed by Caesar today for my lunch time meal at 12:30 PM. I ordered one Beans and Cheese Burrito. The price is $7.50. Then I had to pay a tip of 20 percent that came up to $1.25. The tax was $1.50. My total purchase today was $9.25. I had to wait at least 30 minutes later until my order number 109 was called to the front counter today. There was non stop walk in customers coming into this California Burrito Restaurant at the lunch hour between 12:30 AM to 2:30 PM today. Their majority of their customers were of Mexican descent and I saw only 3 Black People placing their orders with Caesar today. I was the only Asian person ordering from this California Burrito Restaurant this afternoon. I also noticed 2 Nurses picking up their orders today who work for Sharp Memorial Hospital today. This man and woman nurse were of Caucasian descent. It's interesting for me to get to know the population of people who are living nearby this Starling Drive location. Caesar called my order number 109 today. Then I was served a really HUGE Beans and Cheese Burrito. I also drank cold ice water today. It was a beautiful day today because the weather conditions were very cool and cloudy. I sat down at this window seat so I could see the outside. The Beans and Cheese Burrito was very tasty the beans were refried and thete was a very generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese. The Tortilla was heated up and slightly toasted. This Beans and Cheese Burrito was a HUGE Size. I wasn't sure that I had an appetite to finish eating this Beans and Cheese Burrito but the flavor was amazing! I kept taking small bites on this Beans and Cheese Burrito for my lunch time meal this afternoon. I also received excellent customer service from Caesar and the rest of his family I saw was working very hard in the back kitchen area preparing and making their very popular Carne Asada Burritos. I also saw Caesar and an older lady sweeping up the floor and also mopping up the floor inside their front entrance to their California Burrito Restaurant Caesar told me to come in again soon to try their Steak Carne Asada Burrito. This item is the most popular food in their California Burrito Menu. I told Cesar the owner 3 I will dine inside his restaurant again soon. I love Carne Asada Burritos.

    When i saw that there was an actually spot called California Burrito, you bet that I had to try a…read moreCalifornia burrito at California burrito lol Got the California burrito, carne asada taco, chicken taco and menudo. Portions were massive but unfortunately there was not much flavor, and im not too keen on hot salsa since i cannot handle spicy. It was ok but unsure if this would be a go to spot. The staff here are friendly and at the time i came, a Wednesday night around 5pm, there was a steady stream of people ordering to go and also eating there The place itself isnt that big. Theres counter space with about 5 stools inside and 4 tables outside. This is more of a take out spot. Parking may be limited depending on the time of day/night you go.

    Photos
    California Burritos
    California Burritos - Sausage, Eggs, Cheese, and Potatoes Burrito

    Sausage, Eggs, Cheese, and Potatoes Burrito

    California Burritos

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    Tamales El Mexico - mexican - Updated September 2026

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