We were looking for a good Mexican spot while in El Cajon, and El Culichi looked…read moretempting--particularly as they have Sinaloan style chilorio on the menu. Chilorio is slow-simmered pork, shredded, fried in lard, and simmered in a sauce of chilis and spices. I've not found this dish anywhere north of the border and couldn't wait. I wasn't dissapointed. The chilorio was savory with deep flavors of chilis and spices. It's available as an omlette, but also as a side on its own, served in pan with a warm stack of very good corn or flour tortillas (or a mix of the two). In addition, we tried their birria de chivo (goat stew), also made in the Sinaloan tradition, with different chilis than the original Jalisco version and very cumin/cinnamon forward. Totally delicious. And totally affordable, at inexpensive-moderate menu pricing. The spot is charming, welcoming on the outside, tidy and clean on the inside, and run by a friendly family--who are happy to educate guests on their very special menu. I'd consider this a destination restaurant. Worth the trip from anywhere in San Diego County.

The food was amazing. The salsas were they were actually spicy and really good flavor…read more (Might want to give them a heads up or request not as spicy or no peppers on certain items). We had -Michelada -Menudo -Coctel de Camaron (had Serrano peppers) had a really good flavor, didn't taste like ketchup like other places. -Had a taco de lengua (no picture)

Restaurant decorations, Service & food were outstanding. Drinks were excellent . Good locationread more

A couple of friends lured us here. And thank goodness for it. I have driven by a dozen of times and…read moredidn't consider stopping in. Walking into Panchos, you are immediately greeted by a bright, colorful and welcoming scene. It gives you the feeling of walking into your tía's favorite old school restaurant. The tables and benches are dark wood. And there is papel picado hanging. It's charming. You get the feeling that Panchos has been around for decades. Apparently, the restaurant has been open here since 2004. And the real star? Our server, whose name I cannot recall. He was equal parts waiter and comedian, a very kind man who was highly attentive and extremely helpful. If you like spicy salsa, be sure to tell him to bring you the good stuff from the back (after he offers you bland Tapatio). The menu is absolutely massive. They have breakfast burritos, breakfast plates, chips and fries, shrimp plates, soups (check with the team about offerings, like caldo de res), tortas, quesadillas and a kid's menu and more. I highly recommend the cheese enchiladas and the chile relleno. The chile relleno is especially good. It isn't your soggy, cafeteria-style relleno drowned in red sauce and regret. It is the best comfort food, and Panchos does it well. There is a generous melt of Oaxacan cheese, the batter is very light without being greasy. And then there was the ranchero sauce! Tangy tomatoes, a hint of garlic, and a tiny bit of chili. So very good. Also popular on the menu is a pitcher of margaritas, which you should plan on sharing with three others. The mango margarita is also quite nice. And they also have a Baileys & Coffee. And you can easily get a delicious, filling meal for $20 or less. All around, a great place.

We can see why this was voted best brunch. Holy Moly!! It's a must try in El Cajon. Enchiladas,…read moremenudo, pozole, Carne Asada, tamales, ceviche, Huevos, papas, tocino, fajitas, ensalada, cafe, juego de naranga, frutas fresca, albondigas, Carne casada, pico fresca, frijoles, tortillas made by hand fresca, tres Leches and mi favorito churros. That is breakfast, lunch and dinner all at once. We were visiting from Houston and we'll be back

HOLY SMOKES!! We are so happy to have been brought here for lunch! What an amazing experience!!!…read more Hacienda Casa Blanca made us feel welcomed like we were family. We were a large group so there were a few people rotating in and out to make our lunch special. The restaurant itself is beautiful. There is outdoor dining as well. Everything is well decorated and maintained. I would say very festive! There's live music on Sundays and Wednesdays. I would love to come back on a Wednesday for the Latin Jazz. The food was amazing! We felt like it was authentic and reasonable price point. For the table, they brought out lots of chips and salsa. It was nice and crispy and flavorful. Not spicy, though. I had ordered the Hacienda Carne Asada. It was a flamed broil skirt steak with a cheese enchilada, rice, beans, and guacamole. The beans came inside a fried tortilla bowl. OH MY! It was so good. I am embarrassed to say, I kept on eating and talking even though I was full. Overall, we had a great time! The food was delicious. The service was amazing. Ample parking. The price point was reasonable in this economy. You get plenty of food. Clean bathrooms. Look at their website for live entertainment schedule! I cannot wait to come back soon!

first time ordering here (always looking to try breakfast burritos from different places) and…read moreWOW!!!! i ordered a steak and bacon breakfast burrito and it was 10/10, it was so delicious and it had hashbrowns which added good texture! my partner got another hashbrown and we requested dairy free and they did it perfectly :) i also always care about the salsas and their red and green salsas were GOOD! everything was so good and the service was great and friendly, will definitely be ordering here again!!

This small business is in the middle of a strip mall next to a Little Cesar's and some other shop…read more No tables inside just tall barstools along two walls. They definitely get a lot of to go and order ahead business as a lot of people came in after us and the phone Rand constantly while we were waiting for our order. Once we tried our food I can see why it was so busy. I had the tequila lime shrimp burrito and subbed Serrano pepper for a bell pepper. It also came with grilled onions, delicious rice and other items. It didn't have salsa and didn't need it. The peppers were spicy and added a nice heat. So good. Family had pollo asado tacos with guacamole that could've used a little more placer, but the chicken was flavorful. Hubby tried shredded beef rolled tacos packed with meat and covered in cheese, sauce and guacamole. Hubby also had a surf and turf quesetaco with carne asada and shrimo. All of the food was delicious, made to order and piping hot. Kind of a whole in the wall and a hidden gem. Thanks for the heads up Yelpers.

Captain's Log -- Stardate 21,610…read more Twenty-one thousand, six hundred and ten rotations around this magnificent sun have I endured -- each one sharpening my palate, steeling my resolve, deepening my reverence for the extraordinary. On this day, the winds of destiny carried my queen and me eastward through the storied corridors of El Cajon Blvd, drawn by the ancient and irresistible promise of the perfect burrito, toward a hallowed establishment whispered about among the most discerning explorers of San Diego's vast culinary frontier -- known simply as Hacienda's Mexican Food. The perfect burrito. The very quest conjured visions of a culinary holy grail -- elusive, legendary, and worth every light year of the journey to find. If you are on the hunt for that perfect burrito, know this with Vulcan certainty: the hunt ends here. Make it so. We materialized at this unassuming outpost tucked along El Cajon Blvd -- modest in appearance, mighty in reputation -- arriving in that sacred window between the lunch and dinner hours when the quadrant falls quiet and the universe itself seems to hold its breath. The space was entirely ours. And in that still and sacred atmosphere, something felt deeply ceremonial -- as though the cosmos had cleared the bridge for what was about to unfold. The owner Llana greeted us -- a soul of remarkable warmth and genuine sweetness, the kind of presence that makes a stranger feel instantly like returning crew. In her presence, one does not feel like a customer. One feels like family. I canna' change the laws of physics -- but I am certain this woman bends them daily with nothing more than grace and a welcoming smile that signals to every visitor: you are home now. I, your Captain, fixed my coordinates on the California Burrito. My queen -- ever the diplomat of the table, ever the most discerning navigator in any quadrant -- set her course for the Tostada. We settled in. We waited. And then the plates arrived. My queen's Tostada materialized before us like a transmission from another civilization entirely -- a structure of such breathtaking architectural precision that I whispered to myself: look, but do not touch. The presentation was nothing short of magnificent. A masterwork of color, composition, and intention that stopped all conversation cold and demanded to be witnessed before it was consumed. Chicken. Rice. Guacamole. Mexican salsa. Sour cream. Refried beans. Cheese. Lettuce. Corn. Every element in its rightful place, every flavor in perfect formation, every bite a revelation. This was not a dish. This was a declaration. A communication delivered not in words but in the ancient and universal language of extraordinary food. "Infinite diversity in infinite combinations" -- the Vulcan masters understood this truth millennia ago. Hacienda's lives it on every single plate. And then -- the California Burrito. My mission. My mandate. Guacamole. Crisp golden fries tucked within like classified cargo. Pico de gallo singing with freshness and fire. Each component bound together in that warm tortilla like a crew that has trained for years -- each knowing its role, each elevating the others beyond what any could achieve alone. Mind-bending. Dimensional. The kind of burrito that makes a seasoned traveler set down his fork, close his eyes, and simply breathe. It does not simply fill your stomach -- it reprograms your memory and rewrites the coordinates of what a California Burrito can be. This is what the pursuit of the perfect burrito leads to. This is the destination. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" -- and the needs of every soul in San Diego seeking authentic, extraordinary Mexican food are met here abundantly and without reservation. No one who walks through those doors should leave without ordering. No one who orders should leave without already planning their return. Hacienda's is not merely a restaurant. It is a landmark. A standard. It now holds a permanent and honored position in my top three locations in all of El Cajon -- a distinction earned not through spectacle, but through the undeniable, irreducible power of truth on a plate. To my savvy consumers -- the discerning explorers of San Diego's most unique and desirable Mexican food -- I issue my final command: Set your course for El Cajon Blvd. Find Hacienda's. Walk through those doors and tell them Captain 619 sent you. Resistance to this burrito is futile. And you will not want to resist. There are not five lights. There are not four. There is only one truth in that kitchen -- and it is wrapped in a tortilla. My queen and I depart richer than any treasure map could promise. Live long and prosper. End log -- Captain 619 Voyager. Taster of Worlds. Forever loyal to the flavors that refuse to be forgotten.

I met several family members here to reconnect as we live out of state. I had been here once before…read morewith my sister and her husband. The food and service is top notch. Better than 5 stars. You didn't have to ask for anything. They were on top of it. Chips, salsa and drinks at the ready. Some of my family like to eat at Por Favor's in El Cajon which is good. But they all said this place was better. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I and my brother-in-law had the crispy fish tacos with rice and beans. Excellent. My wife had the shredded beef flautas with rice and beans. Best she ever had. It definitely had a Mexican restaurant vibe. It has a bar with TVs for sports and on Thursday, live music in the evening. You won't be disappointed.

Someone bought me a Cali burrito and I had to know where it came from. I got the name and address…read moreand went the next day. The salsa was insane-red salsa was perfection. Can't wait to walk the menu!

Never coming back here again…read more Look at the fries to meat ratio on my Cali Burrito. Bro, that's like 50% fries, 10% meat, and 40% beans. It's not worth $15 for this junk. The only reason this store didn't get a 1/5 was because they offered free sauces and carrots, you fill them up as much as you wanted. "How was the service?" Not good because when people came in and ordered after me, they got their foods before i even got mine!! It was me and my friend, we waited ~20 minutes just for a cali burrito and 3 fish tacos. It's even crazier that my friend had put a nice tip in the tip jar after we paid like dang that's CRAZY. I told him he should've dug his hands in there to take his money back from the tip jar because of that trash service LOL.

End of Feb 2026 update:…read more The drinks here are made with love and taste exquisite! Each barista I've experienced has been nice as well. The coconut cloud matcha is delicious! Can't get enough of those double chocolate muffins, so if they are all gone just know I ate them all

Made another quick little stop at this cute spot. Every time I go I'm blown away by how much…read morecozier this cute little spot gets! Trying out the mocha raspberry or raspberry mocha latte. They have a $4 special for a medium size after 3pm on Saturday (and during the week). Check out the picture - it's s as pretty drink! There's always some form of TLC put into anything you get here! Thanks for bringing a quick smile to my face on an otherwise chaotic Saturday! Ps they also have a punch card to add up to a free drink!

Nom nom nom!!! One…read moreof the first things I do when trying a new Mexican restaurant is to try the rice and beans. If they're good, the rest of the menu seems to be too. Well, Yesenia's has magical beans and rice! And guess what? Everything else is delicious too! I especially like that their refried beans have some whole beans left in. The rice is moist and flavorful. I would be a happy camper if all I had for dinner was the rice and beans but... My hubby and I are slowly going through their menu! So far, it's all fantastic! The food is very fresh, portions generous, and just tastes soooooo good! I can't wait to try the pozole next. A lady near our table had an enormous bowl of it the last time we were there and it looked delicious One of everything please! They also have a salsa bar with about 5 choices along with hot carrots/peppers, pickled onions, and limes. They have many tables and ample parking (strip mall). Everything has been clean and has a nice mix of dine-in and takeout orders. They do a great job - thank you! V & K

We really enjoyed our food here! I got the California burrito and it was HUGE! Definitely a good…read moreportion and it was really good. My boyfriend got the surf and turf burrito and he really enjoyed his food too. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful, and we both left full and satisfied. The service was good as well. The restaurant had a nice, casual atmosphere and everything looked clean and welcoming. It was a comfortable spot to sit down and enjoy our food. We'll definitely be coming back to try more things on the menu!

The food is always great, and I come here about twice a week. I always order the same thing, and…read moreit's consistently good. Today I called ahead because I was extremely hungry and was about 5-10 minutes away, hoping my order would be ready when I got off the exit. The person who answered the phone told me I had to pay over the phone before they could place the order. I completely understand why they have that policy since some people place phone orders and never show up. I wouldn't have minded paying over the phone, but I was driving and didn't feel comfortable giving my card information while on the road. When I explained that I'm a regular customer, they were very understanding and even gave me a discount when I came in. I really appreciated that gesture and the way they took care of a regular customer. Great food and great customer service -- I'll definitely be back!

It's been a while since I've been here. Me and my buddy came here and wanted to try a lot of food…read more We started off surf n turf burrito which was spectacular. They ask you if you want Mexican guac ( pure avocado ) or American guac ( avocado & sour cream mixed ). The shrimp is marinated and the asada is fresh and tasty ! Then we shared the hot Cheeto carne asada fries. After that we each shared a half of carne asada torta ! Very delicious. Last item was a carne asada quesadilla supreme which was loaded ! We sat outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Our cashier was helpful in telling us what to order. Definitely coming back here

Went golfing at Carlton Oaks and found this place nearby. Lots of people ordering food inside and…read moreat the drive-thru. Mexican restaurant run by non-Mexicans with tasty and generous amounts of Mexican food. We shared the nachos carne asada with half no cheese because of my dairy free son. Lotso food and tasty meat. Chips stayed crunchy all the way to the bottom. Also had the machaca burrito and taquitos. Yummy. Great service. Friendly and very accommodating! Plenty of inside table seating. Glad they have a self-serve soda fountain. Next time we're in Santee, we'll be back.

Went to buy some tortilla chips and decided to use the drive thru. The lady took my order and I…read moredrove straight to the window because there wasn't any line. I pulled down my window and waited a couple of minutes. I could see 4-5 workers just standing and talking. After waiting and getting no greeting, I decided to close my window. Again, seeing them walking around talking and not helping, got me frustrated but I wondered if they were making it fresh. So I was like okay, no problem. After about 10 minutes the lady finally opened the window and said she was working in another section. BS. She was just talking with the others behind the counter. She then grabbed a bag of tortilla chips that were next to the window and handed them to me. It was nice to waste some gas. It's only $6/gallon!!!! Bad hombres= bad customer service. If you're the business owner you might want to retrain your staff. This happened on 9/26 approx 400pm.