Anita's Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

Oceanside pacific coast highway, late afternoon sun, Spanish style Adobe frontage, and lots of people in restaurant..how can you not try it. We have driven by 100 times. Now, full disclosure, I am not a fan of Mexican restaurants. They always seem to so full of the Mexican culture, they have their hostesses in authentic dresses, your server Ingnacio has a mustache, there is pottery everywhere, a water fountain, etc..etc..etc..just like the High End ones in Mexico.. Not this one! Very Authenic California Mexican. The hostess wore regular clothing, the servers in Black, they weren't as old as the Ignacio in the prior paragraph. They were friendly, efficient, on point, all working, and this without ever seeing a manager. The order was taken quickly, the food came out quickly. The food was pretty authentic. The prices were much cheaper than I expected, and the quantity was larger than I expected. I will be back!

Came in celebrating a birthday and I ordered a torta. It did not disappoint. Wish to come back to try more of the menu as they have many different options.

4 stars for atmosphere only because it's loud for me. I now sit in the patio and it is good. I have had the shrimp fajitas and the shrimp cocktail and large portions and delicious! I have had the lobster twice in less than a week - and plan on going again for Valentine's Day. Absolutely scrumptous and meat in legs and awesome portion in the body and tail. Outstanding taste and texture - and worth every cent. My treat because I deserve good food in a nice place with attentive staff. So glad my friends told me about Anita's in Oceanside. Magnifico!

We can here for dinner while visiting from out of town. My wife and I really wanted Mexican food and we were glad our kids could get cheeseburgers. We figured that being so close to the border it’d be really good. It was just ok. The chips tasted store bought. The salsa was good with a nice kick. My wife got the chicken flautas and was really disappointed. She asked if they had cheese inside, was told yes, but turns out there wasn’t. She said they were dry and bland. We tried the fish tacos and the fish tasted like old oil and the sauce just tasted like plain mayo. I had the chicken mole. The sauce was good but the chicken was very dry and really needed the sauce to choke it down. The service was only ok. She never filled our drinks. I think they were understaffed. It also took a long time to get our check. Atmosphere was great. We sat outside and really enjoyed it. Needless to say I won’t be coming back.

We received great service from a friendly staff. However the food fell between uninspired and inedible. The chile relleno was room temperature and soggy with oil, not crisp at all and we didn't eat it. The shell on the guacamole taco was poorly cooked and very, very hard and thick. The cheese enchilada was congealed. The taco salad was quite nice. It would be a good value IF the food was good. The place was clean and nice, but I probably would not eat here again with so many other options.

We had such a wonderful experience at Anita’s Mexican Cantina! Jayden, at the front, helped get our surprise party of ten in very quickly, making it easy to all be ready for the surprise. Our waiter was incredible. The food was phenomenal. The restaurant was a traditional Mexican style restaurant and the drinks were delicious. Thank you Anita’s! We will be back.

Went here a few weeks ago with some friends. That was my 1st time at this location. The chips and salsa was so good, we really enjoyed it. I got shrimp fajitas and they were so hot and fresh, they were amazing and very flavorful! Also, the margarita house drinks were tasty and they were not skimpy on the alcohol. The service was great, we were checked in on multiple times by the waiter and well attended to. However, It was a bit in the loud side indoors. I recommend sitting outside for a quieter experience. To be fair, we went on a Friday night, which you would expect to be louder. I would definitely go back here for more shrimp fajitas! Thank you Anita’s!

Awesome food and really cool atmosphere!

The last place in north county that is consistent in food quality and reasonably priced. Margs are always on point. Happy hour street tacos are worth showing up for

Nice ambiance and decent food. First time experience and it went pretty well. Hosts were very friendly and sat us outside. Chips and salsa were dropped off promptly. Ordered the Esquites as an app and the large Cadillac Marg. The corn had a nice fire roasted taste to it but I would have loved more mayo in it. Margs were good and fairly strong. Shared the chicken flautas and steak and chicken fajitas, the flautas were good with a decent amount of guac on top, the fajitas were made with tomato so they had the tomato taste throughout the whole platter. I personally like my fajitas more savory and the tomatoes gave it a bit a sweetness that just wasn't for me but they weren't terrible. Service was good, no complaints. Definitely not a bad experience and would love to go back to try other options on the menu.

TL;DR Food and service are low quality. I had the carne asada nachos, which were not very good. The nachos overall were decent in terms of presentation and quantity, but the quality of the beef was pretty bad. No flavor and very dry texture. They weren't stingy with it, but then again if something isn't great I don't really care if they're generous. I would prefer a smaller, tastier amount. Service wasn't great either. Had to continuously ask for things. For example, they never brought us refills, a bunch of us had leftover food and they didn't offer us any containers, we also had to ask for extra salsa since they didn't bring enough chips and salsa for our table. The worst part was we were celebrating a birthday and we had informed the staff so they would sing, but they forgot! We had to remind them, and they somehow misunderstood and instead of singing they just awkwardly brought a dessert to go. We said we didn't order that and one of us left to clear the confusion with the staff. They finally came out and sang shortly afterward. I won't come back. Nobody enjoyed the food. Anyone can make a mistake but no one at the table enjoyed their meal. That's not a mistake. That's just kind of where the quality standard for this restaurant lives and it's a low bar here.

I had my birthday dinner here and everything was so good! Me and my friend got the strawberry margaritas, chilaquiles and carnitas tacos. 5/5 for Cleanliness Taste of food/drinks Customer service

Popped in quickly for a drink when I had time to waste. About a 5 min walk to the water. Hope and Blake at t the bar were awesome. Got a great cocktail and a happy hour ceviche tostado. ($5.75). Was here at 5p on a Thursday. Still pretty chill in here. Bar was pretty full. There's a small shared lot and street parking The ceviche was very fresh. My drink was interesting. I'm not a huge coconut fan. The flavor was not overpowering, and it was very light and fresh. I had Hope surprise me with a drink and it did not disappoint.

I've grown up eating at Anita's and after all these years it's still one of my favorite Mexican restaurants! I really prefer the location on Coast Highway ( moved a few years ago from its original spot) After the move and Covid they now open at 4:00pm. Bummer you can't catch lunch there, but that's ok, dinner is always amazing! My go to is always the cheese enchiladas with red sauce, rice, beans and sour cream! I absolutely love their salsa! The restaurant is always busy but you can grab a drink at the bar while you wait! It's very lively and a fun place to eat!

This restaurant was recommended to me and it didn't disappoint. Was quickly greeted and seated. I ordered the asada plate and my sister got asada fries. I really enjoyed my food 8.5/10 and she rated her food 7/10. I do wish my margarita tasted more like mango. It was cutely decorated. Would go here again.

The margarita at Anita's is potentially the best in North County. Absolutely delicious. Their happy hour is pretty decent. We ordered drinks while we were waiting for our table. We sat down to dinner and while the restaurant was very busy, the staff kept up. The vibe is casual. The food was decent. Typical California Mexican fare. I had the fish tacos and the other person at my table had the wet burrito (I think). A great place to grab drinks with friends or dinner with family.

This is so odd: I have been to the Anitas on El Camino Real and was truly not a fan. The food was mediocre, environment was blah, drinks were watery. But this last week I went to the Anita's on Coast Highway and this Elite Squad Member gives it a high 5! Let's talk service: from the front door, to the bar to the table, nothing but cheerful and friendly service. Smiles for miles. The food? Excellent. I had shrimp tacos and they accidentally gave me chicken but I was not offended at all. They were delicious. My friend had a blended margarita and said it was amazing. Then the bill comes and it is so freaking reasonable I can see why there is a line at the door. Expect a bit of noise: it's friendly and fun. The outdoor seating area is lovely as it is set back from the highway with really nice lighting. So don't hesitate - they have a great happy hour to boot!

Great fajitas plate. The service was good too and nice location. Not much parking area but can park on local streets.

We love going to Anita's when we're in Oceanside! Delicious food and great cocktails!

We had a wonderful experience here. We came early, at 5 pm, on a Friday and needed to put our name on a waitlist! They had estimated 25 min wait but it actually only took 10 min. I'd recommend making a reservation if possible. Chips and salsa were very good (I always judge a Mexican restaurant on this), and the food we got was very tasty! The only complaint was the restaurant was soo noisy but that's because of the layout of the place. Would definitely come back!!

Service was five stars! Aaron was amazing... Friendly, polite, checked in with us frequently with updates on our drinks and food, and accommodated us every time with a smile. The food, however, for me was disappointing. I ordered the carnitas plate, and I was shocked that the big chunks of pork were so so dry. I think had they been more moist, honestly a little more oily, they would've been okay because the seasoning was good. I ordered a Cadillac margarita and I didn't taste any Grand Marnier. It just seemed like they doubled up on the tequila and it wasn't tasty at all. Sorry but it was disappointing.

We've been going to Anita's for years. We've followed them from place to place, during the good times they've had and the bad. On our latest visit, a Friday night, it was quite busy. Had a 30 minute wait, which we spent at the standing room only bar. We chose to sit outside on the patio, it was quite chilly, but the heaters kept us plenty toasty. The menu is the traditional Mexican fare and I had the Enchalada plate which was delicious. Hubby had the Tacos... He said they were also delicious. Service was great as was the price. Over the years, Anita's has had their ups and downs, they have definitely got it together now. The place had a great vibe and is Doggo friendly on the patio. Can't wait to go back....

The service and food were both great! Chips were fresh, guacamole was very good and the fajitas and albondigas soup were all delicious! Nice that they have a side patio where you can sit outside. The only negative was the rude attitude by the hostess otherwise it would have been 5 star.

ANITA's MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA is part of an Oceanside legacy that's been around for half a century. this one's on El Camino Real just off the 78 in the old Love's BBQ location. if their food arouses warm memories of dishes from your abuela's kitchen, I have some sad news for you: yours might be the only (or at least one of the very few) lady in the Mexican community who wasn't a very good cook. Anita's is the Denny's of Mexican food. extensive menu. all the usual suspects. nothing special. I was dragged there against my will and better judgement. it was a group thing, and I didn't get a vote. I hate it when I walk out of a restaurant pleasantly stuffed and stroll to my car wondering what I have to eat now to get that taste out of my mouth ...

Service was great even though the restaurant was quite busy. We had to wait about 10 minutes for an inside table and it was totally worth the wait. The vibe was traditional Mexican and the restaurant had been open since 1972. We had one small issue with the food and that was with the chili rellenos. They tasted like fish which meant the fryer needed to be cleaned. Both my boyfriend's dish as well as mine tasted like fish. Given that Chili Rellenos are such a large part of the menu I alerted the waitress so she could tell the kitchen. She apologized and it was no big deal, but the rellenos were completely inedible. The rest of our dishes were absolutely delicious! I got a number 2 which had the beef enchilada and the beef taco and they were great!

This was my first time at this restaurant. It's always packed when I drive past it. So we decided to try it out. Unfortunately it was not to our liking. I ordered the steak fajitas. I knew right when the waitress put them on the table they weren't going to be good. I absolutely hate when meat looks grayish color. Or when the meat looks boiled then a quick fry after. The steak was bland and had a lot of fat in it. I kept trying to give it a shot. But I just couldn't stomach it. The steak was not good. My son got the carne asada quesadilla. His meat had more flavor than my steak. His only complaint was the corn tortilla looked like it wasn't even cooked. It still looked like it came straight out of the bag. My husband got the Carne Tampiquena. Carne Asada steak with sliced sautéed peppers and onions, served with one chicken Enchilada His steak was gray too. His chicken enchilada was ok. My daughters carne asada tacos, they were good. Overall, I don't think we will be back to this restaurant. We spent over $80.00 and we weren't a fan of the food. But I have to say our waitress was super nice and attentive. The restaurant is nice and open. With nice decorations. It unfortunately just wasn't for us.

Great local establishment Patient with children and overall customer service. Margaritas worth every sip. Huge quesadillas. I had Carnitas. Crispy and juicy at the same time.

No idea how the reviews are below 4 stars. There are so many places in coastal north county with Mexican food not nearly as good as this. Chips and salsa are great quality. Combinations plates all have great taste. Locals only though works for me

Food just was not good. And service- well we never saw our waiter. Had to ask everyone else working for things. And it wasn't busy at all. Was sad that we didn't like it because we had heard good things. Maybe it was an off night. But we won't be back most likely to find out.

Amazing. I can't believe I lived here this long without coming here. Perfect home town Mexican restaurant. Just what I wanted. Food was delicious.

Always has a wait but so worth it. We were quoted 40 minutes on a Thursday night, so we got cocktails at the bar. Was not fond of how we had to line up if we aren't sitting at the bar to get drinks when there were 3 bartenders on. They do have a wide range of good tequilas and their margaritas are generous, we got the skinny spicy pineapple and the regular spicy. Both we delicious. For food, we ordered Ceviche, Sourdough Cream Enchilas, a chile rellano ala carte, and a crab taco ala acarte. Service was good and food was quite tasty. Loved that you could order anything ala carte if u don't want the rice and beans.

So idiotic to pick and choose what day they can do takeout food. Really? A Tuesday is too much to do takeout?

Just left from there because the food was so tasteless and disgusting, we got two margaritas and they were watered down. I'm an Oceanside native so I've had plenty of taco shops that taste better and for half the price. We paid $90 for two drinks two plates and chips and dip. Queso dip was runny like water and everything just yuck. But I did take some Good pictures because the food looks good just DOESNT TASTE GOOD

Excellent food and server BUT...their hours stink! I don't know how they can sustain with such limited hours (4p-9p) and closed on Mondays. They're missing the breakfast and lunch crowds. The hostesses were less than friendly as well. Not welcoming at all!

Got food poisining this past Saturday night. My husband and I spent the entire night into the morning throwing up. Have not been able to eat normally yet. Needless to say, will NOT be eating here again.

Such a fun and delicious Mexican restaurant. Their staff is friendly and well-trained. I highly recommend Anita's.

Born and raised in Carlsbad, Anita's is one the best Mexican food spots in San Diego. We always get asked about authentic Mexican food because being so close to Mexico. It's hard to find a good one. Anita's does it so well !!

It's been since 2015 that I have written my last review, and it's time to give a quick review at the current time. Service: prompt and attentive throughout my family and my dinner Food: Meh, it's OK, not the best, and I question what has happened as far as quality goes. The big complaint for all our plates is how dry our rice and beans were. It's like eating something made the day prior or it sitting out, thus drying out. My daughter's over tamale dinner was dry and in need of flavor. My Carne in chile Colorado was tender, but, again, the rice and beans on the side taste stale, old, and no care given. I really hope Anita's gets back to what they used to be because there are a lot of whole in the wall mexican eateries nearby serving more fresh meals.

Service was good! Loved the ceviche, mezcal marg was delicious and perfectly stong. Would recommend!

Our favorite restaurant! We're here once a week, sometimes twice. Margaritas are the best in town, the staff is always friendly and the food is amazing. Haven't gotten anything we didn't like. Super fun atmosphere and vibe.

We tried This restaurant for the first time, and tried the Cadillac Margarita which was out of this world. It's was strong and delicious. Their food was good too, great service. We look forward to going back. Yummy

Not all Mexican Restaurants are created equal. We have traveled throughout all of Mexico and to be honest Anita's Mexican Restaurant tastes like eating a hot plate of authentic Mexican food from Mexico City. The service is friendly and pleasant not to mention the heat lamps and fire effect. Highly recommend.

Left SeaWorld and wanted to try something Mexican. The food taste horrible! The taste is horrible. Nothing we tried had flavor. The beans were bland, the mole even with salt couldn't be fixed. Water was good... to not only say negative things. Even my kids complain

Food is really good, as well as the ambiance. Staff is friendly and the margaritas are served up right

The food is fresh and very tasty, I had the number 13 which consists of a Chile Rellano, bean tostada, cheese enchilada with rice and beans. Service was superb and very friendly. The ambience is great and decorated modern. Will definitely be back for a margarita and delicious meal.

First time here. Place is excellent. I sat at the bar and got great service and great drinks. I didn't try the HH but they have HH deals. Def coming back for sure

This is a new review to follow up my review from a few days ago. So my husband and I in our 60s -well established -Board of Director member at the Armed Services YMCA at Camp Pendleton and many other community involvement -with, active grown children, grandkids known in the community decided to go back to Anita's tonight and sit at the other end of the bar where Blanca and Travis ate/ who we love and just not engaged with the owner at the other end. As we're sitting there and have dinner, I see them looking at us, and obviously looking at their phones and looking at there phone and then us -then and other people are coming out and looking at it and then Blanca comes up and asks us to verify our names. Strange but I knew they figured out that it was me that left the review. The honest review. Long story short we have a wonderful dinner drinks leave, and as we are walking out the door, the angry owner follows us out and confront us angrily alone in the stairs of the restaurant-again unbelievably unprofessional behavior. Not an apology or sorry., was there a misunderstanding? He blatantly twists what he read and angrily confronts us saying that his brother read it and told him to come talk to us -he has a angry, nonsense version of what he seems to think happened and instead of apologizing or saying, there's a misunderstanding tells us unless we take the review down. We are not welcome there anymore. Disturbingly disgusting confrontation twice in a row now from an out of control owner-do what you want. But there's no way in the world we would ever go back there what a shame.! that family needs to get a grip on that young individual full of himself young man. Truly a shame.

IN YEARS PAST, Oceanside was considered a sleepy little "rest stop" for tourists traveling between LA and San Diego. Recently, the city has been earning its own reputation as a leading vacation destination and foodie paradise. The Hyatt Mission Pacific Hotel on North Myers St. and The Seabird Resort across the street opened this summer. These resorts comprise the largest beachfront development on the San Diego coastline in more than 50 years. But settling for hotel restaurant food is like choosing "vanilla" out of 31 flavors. A short stroll south, on the 1700 block of South Coast Highway, you will find a building that was once Gibson's Market in the 60s. The following decade, it became the home of a local television station, producing riveting cable TV hits like "Watching Paint Dry", "The Chronicles of Basket Weaving", and "DIY: How To Make Mud". The hits continue, as the historic building is the new home of Anita's Mexican Cantina and Restaurant. Anita's was founded by Francisco Alvarez in 1973 and is now operated by his son, Frank. In an effort to expand, the business recently moved to this location, from four blocks north. The food is authentic, hand made, Mexican cuisine. We go for the basics... chips and salsa, tacos, or an enchilada accompanied by a refreshing Margarita. Most of the plates are served with rice and beans... but [unsolicited foodie tip:] order the burrito A La Carte... because WHY would you want to add all of the things that are INSIDE your burrito as a side dish !?! Ask any local and they'll tell you that no other family-owned restaurant has been around for as long as Anita's. Junior Seau was once a regular. City Council and County Supervisors have held court here. And it's still our favorite spot for Taco Tuesday, Thirsty Thursdays, and Fajita Fridays. Pro Tip: ignore any dorks at the bar who drink too much tequila and start saying how everything is "mexillent"? #LatinxOwnedOnYelp #LatinxHeritageMonth #StriveForMexillence

What an awesome Mexican restaurant! I wish there was a restaurant like this in the Bay Area. Family owned and managed. The son was working the bar on a busy Saturday night. Great selection of Margaritas that come in two sizes. The Cadillac is their signature and can be made skinny and they have an awesome spicy Margarita. Great chips that weren't greasy and served with delicious salsa. The menu is huge with something for everyone. I had the chicken mole and will go back and get the fajitas. Indoor and outdoor seating and a huge bar area provide lots of seating options. One of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to. Highly recommend!

Being from Vegas, we are used to a ton of restaurants with A+ recipes and service. We come to Oceanside all the time and can't believe we haven't been here before. Absolutely on the list next time we come. This place is amazing! The atmosphere is really chill, the food is great and the service is okay. My favorite part is the salsa!! I have loved salsa since I was a kid and this is by far in my top 5 salsas. Carne asada tacos were my favorite as well. Can't go wrong if you come here. Owners if you are reading, please send me your salsa recipe to make at home.

Highly recommend if you like Mexican Food... Love the atmosphere and the service is great. Indoor or outdoor dining is available

The food is as tasteless as the Anita's on Oceanside Blvd. The chicken tasted and had the consistency of "canned chicken!" Muchy and no flavor. The red chili was canned "sauce!" Our server apologized and added a 15% discount. The service was good, the venue is "mid", and the food not recommended! It is also pretty pricey

If I could give them a negative a review I would. The food was cold and horrible. The bartender: when we asked him for a drink he told us to go ask that bartender. What the Hell! This place is expensive, rude and bad food, NO THANK YOU

I have been a patron and fan of Anita's Mexican Restaurant (400 S. Hill St) since the late 1980's. When I was a new Police Officer in Oceanside, My Training Officer eat there every other day, which meant I did as well. I got hooked on the three-item combo with a Beef Burrito, Cheese Enchilada, and a taco with rice and beans. Throughout the years, I have enjoyed the Carne Asada Chimichanga, The Arroz con pollo, and the Poncho Suprise. I have also enjoyed watching the Alvarez children work in their family business, grow and then run the restaurant at its current location on S. Coast Highway. Not to be confused with the Anita's Mexican Restaurant on El Camino Real. (No longer owned by the Alvarez family). I happened to be passing through Oceanside and decided to stop by for a late lunch. The new digs were amazing with indoor and outdoor seating. Classic Mexican Cantina ambiance with their happy hours starting at 4 pm (Just when I arrived). I said hello to some old acquaintances (The Alvarez kids) now grown and each an integral part of the daily operation of what is in my humble opinion the finest Mexican Restaurant in all of North County San Diego. I ordered a House Margarita and an appetizer and perused a menu I hadn't seen in years. and found an old friend. I ordered the three-item combo with a Beef Burrito, Cheese Enchilada, and a Chili Relleno. The Marganita's are cold, salty, and refreshing, and the app (A Crispy quesadilla) was very good. The combo was fantastic and as good as I remembered it being. A savory treat with their shredded beef burrito, and cheese enchilada covered in the Chef's handmade enchilada sauce, and a house made chili relleno. The food and service were excellent, and my waitress was even in training. Great Job Anita's Here's 5 big ones for ya!

My boyfriend knows the way to my heart...& that's by taking me to Anita's every week hahaha! Out of the million of times we have been there, I have never once had a bad experience or been disappointed. I love the quality of food, customer service, and all around atmosphere. If I am still hungry after stuffing my face with baskets of chips and salsa, I order the number 3. It is 2 chicken enchiladas and chicken taco with rice and beans, & it is my absolute favorite. Very rarely have I switched it up. Just love how it is consistently great. My boyfriend is a huge advocate for the chimichanga. But tonight he switched it up to Pancho's special burrito. Very well might be his new go to! Drinks are equally as amazing. I highly recommend a blended mango margarita with tajin rim. Make sure to go big and order the fishbowl size too. If you're not feeling that, then try the South O. Light and super refreshing. It's hard to recognize specific staff members because I feel like they are all incredible. They are highly attentive, and have such positive/ hard working attitudes. Also, feel like each one has a great and humorous personality. So thank you to all of Anita's staff! Your work and hospitality is appreciated and highly noted from many! Can't wait to come back next week!

This family establishment is one of the best restaurants in Oceanside. The food is absolutely amazing, the staff is detail oriented and super friendly (ask for a Cadillac margarita made by Blanca or a daiquiri made by Sean--you won't be disappointed). Mateo is an incredible manager and truly cares about the family restaurant and his customers.

Absolutely, the worst Mexican food in N. San Diego County. We've been served Encinitas half-cooked, stale Tortillas and warm beer. Great ambiance, but a waste of money. Mexican food is not brain-surgery , yet Anit'a's fails terribly. Thumbs down!