Baja Beach Cafe

The location is why you come here. The food was alright. Nothing special about it, not gonna lie. Carne asada fries would be better over chips, so order nachos. Their fries aren’t crisp enough to have cheese poured on them. Fish tacos were alright. But the location is great. Patio was awesome to sit on. We enjoyed it overall.

This place is basically a nacho shrine disguised as a beach bar. The nachos? Absolutely the main character—cheesy, crunchy, loaded, and totally worth coming back for. Service is friendly and quick enough to keep your margarita flowing without breaking a sweat. Add in those unbeatable beachfront vibes and a location that practically demands you kick your shoes off, and you’ve got yourself a solid spot to chill. I’ll be back—for the nachos, obviously.

This is a great place to sit and people watch and admire the water of the Ocean. The service was a cut above good. It seems that all the attendants help each other. I went about 3 pm on a Tuesday and had a perfect table. The loaded queso was delicious. The drinks were generous. But what will bring me back is the service.

Breakfast post pre-breakfast donuts…looking for a place to meet up in the Pacific Beach/La Jolla area before the conference started and Duane found this gem of a place, right on the beach, maybe the best playlist I’ve heard in a restaurant, some of the best chilaquiles I’ve ever had (the server said it’s the salsa they make from scratch daily…great views, great food, great service, productive meeting! Highly recommend!

I wasn’t sure how the food would be here, but it ended up being really good! I wouldn’t say it’s the best quality, but it was very good still especially since the margaritas we had did the trick! It is a perfect place to go grab food if you want to be on the beach but aren’t willing to put on your bikini(that’s exactly how we were feeling). It was great though, good drinks, pretty strong, and we had plenty of food options to choose from. We also were fortunate to get one of the best tables over by the beach walk way.

Cool little bar on the front of the ocean. The lady told us She has to close our tab for a silly reason. She just wanted the tip for herself because her shift was about to finish. We left early because of that.

We were tourists walking around and saw this place was busy and figured give it a go. We ordered a Margherita each and the nachos. The Margherita was okay, and the nachos were okay as well, until we found a zip tie in our guacamole. We told the waitress and she didn't seem all that concerned, just asked if we wanted a new plate or to have it taken off the bill. No surprise or apology at all. Makes me wonder if this has happened before.. definitely a beach vibe though!

Lobster taquitos and Acapulco Margarita were both amazing! The hot salsa wasn't super hot but the flavor was out of this world. Our server Adonna was such a sweetheart and our service was impeccable.

Baja cafe looks a little run down, typical old beach front building. Excellent service, very friendly and honest menu recommendations. Everything was cooked perfectly, not greasy, very tasty, fantastic food for a small place.

I don't think I will ever be back at this place. The 2 times I have been here in a row have been horrible. My friends and I decided to eat there after walking down the beach in the morning. We were all in a great mood when we arrived, ready to start our day with some food and drinks, and right when we sat down, they told us they would not be serving us. Mind you, none of us had a drink yet, and the host told us that the bartender said we were "too intoxicated" and she would not serve us. The host was very polite, but the fact that the bartender even said that was unbelievable because my friends and I were all in shock. After all, we all just started our day. We were all just confused and left. I'm not sure if it's because we were laughing and smiling while walking in or something, but apparently, this place does not like it when people walk in smiling and laughing. They need to hire different bartenders I just remember it was an older lady. But, in the end, we were kinda glad she kicked us out cause we didn't waste our tip on her or this place. I really hope this place gets new ownership or does something different with its employees cause the location is great.

I wanted to share my recent experience at Baja Beach Cafe, which left me very disappointed. We decided to dine at your restaurant on a beautiful day at the beach, eager to try it out after hearing good things. Unfortunately, the service did not meet expectations, and the overall experience was frustrating. We sat down at 3:00 PM, and shortly after, we noticed a table near the walkway with a better view of the beach. Our waitress, Chelsey, was slow to take our order, and we had to flag her down to let her know we were ready to order at 3:18 PM. We spent over $100 on food for two people, but the experience didn't reflect the quality we were expecting. They even added a chair to our table just to hold the food. We needed a larger table to accommodate all our food, but when we requested one, we were told a table for four could only be used for at least four people. The GM, Justin, had split the table we wanted to sit at, but the waitress never informed us that this was an option. When we asked another server if we could move, we were told there was a policy against switching tables, which we had never been told about. There was also a sign we never saw. The food delivery was disorganized. Half of our order arrived first, and some items, like nachos, took an unnecessarily long time to come out. People who had been seated 25 minutes after us received their orders before we did. When we inquired about the delay, we were given excuses, and the nachos were redone multiple times. This lack of coordination only added to our frustration. We then asked to speak with the manager, and Justin, the GM, came over. Unfortunately, he was not helpful and did not provide the level of customer service I would expect from a restaurant manager. At 3:57 PM, our waitress, Chelsey, asked if we wanted to move tables, but by that time, I thought the policy was no table switching. This conflicting information was confusing and left us feeling uncertain. To say the least, I was disappointed with the service, the cold food, and the way we were treated. It felt as though we were discriminated against, and I honestly wish I could get my money back for the poor experience. I also noticed a camera above our table and hope you can review the footage to see how we were treated during our visit. However, the camera appeared dusty and dirty, so I'm unsure if it was even functioning properly. Given everything, I would appreciate a refund for our experience.

Love love this place. Our server Kiersten was AMAZING!!! She gave us great recommendations. 36oz margs were the way to go. So many different flavors to choose from. They also have To Go Drinks. The food was yummy. We had lobster taquitos, grilled steak blt salad, and the triple dipper. Their guacamole is chunky and flavorful. The lobster taquitos were pretty good. Not a whole lot of lobster flavor. The queso was alright. We really liked the salsa. Chips were hearty. All the other staff was super nice. Great experience. Shout out to Ally too. She let me chill inside at her table. I had gotten overheated outside.

Food is not great and drinks do not have prices listed as they charge on their own. You only go for the oceanside views

The location of Baja Beach Cafe is incredible. You can people watch all the people on the boardwalk but also get a great view of the beach and ocean. Coming from snowy, 20 degree New York weather, I was living for the sun here. Our waitress was attentive and kind. We both got their coconut margarita and it was so good and strong! I had the fish tacos and they were just okay. My friend had the vegetarian tacos and she also felt they were just okay. I'd definitely come back for drinks and the view!

This is a cute spot right on the beach. The service is great and the food is ok. Great spot if you want to sit and people watch with reasonable food prices.

I would say that for this being a nice spot right by the beach, I wasn't all that impressed. The food tasted very basic. The service was good. The staff was extremely polite and attentive. Definitely a lot of seating available . Price wise very fair not over priced. Good location though, an easy walk right on the boarder. Does get busy fast. Good spot for a Sunday type day.

Do yourself a favor and come try Baja Beach Cafe if you're in the mood for excellent customer service, delicious food and amazing drinks! Every. Single.Staff. member was OUTSTANDING! Our experience began by walking up to the host booth waiting to be seated. It wasn't packed at the time 6pm ish. The security noticed us standing talking to some people leaving the restaurant and asked if we had been helped, we requested a specific table and he wiped it down for us and seated us. Both our servers (Alison one of them) were super sweet and the food was hands down the best. As someone who grew up eating carne asada fries on a weekly basis I can say theirs are some of the best I've ever had! The rolls were sooooo good too! I want to give a shout out to the older man Victor who brought out our food- he was so kind and humble and looked very happy working. He was so nice to talk to. Overall you can tell this place is very family friendly - some little ones at the table next to us. The staff is what impressed me the most, it's hard to find a friendly and kind staff as this place. Come by you won't be disappointed.

I don't really expect a lot from this place lol but I went a few weeks ago and the service was so bad. I sat for about 10-15 minutes with multiple servers/workers passing by. It was a weekday afternoon and not busy. I had to wave someone down to put in my drink order after one of the servers greeted a table that came in after me. Mediocre food but has a view of the beach.

Such a fun place to grab drinks after a day at the beach! There was a bit of a wait when we went but it the got us seated very quickly. We got chips and 3 dips and nachos--the nachos were way too spicy for me with the jalepenos so I suggest getting those on the side if you are afraid of spice like me. Other than that it was pretty much what you would expect of nachos. The margs are pretty sweet but good. The only bummer is that the regular marg in an 8oz cup is $17 dollars so you are easily convinced to upgrade to the 36oz for $2 more. Seems like a great deal but in reality the small one is just way overpriced. Overall the real reason you come to this place is to hang by the beach and for that it is perfect!!!

Ordered the shrimp. Not the best I've had but I love the ambiance and location of the restaurant. Right by the beach. I liked that we didn't wait on our table for too long, we had a great waitress... very helpful, and personable! I'll definitely come back.

The food here is delicious! I had the Carne Asada Fries which were enough to share. You will have to order from the bar if you decide to eat at the high tops. They also have a wonderful view of the beach. You can sit inside or outside and still enjoy the fresh air. The service was great also.

Good for what it is, an easy chill spot right on the beach! Food was very mediocre, not bad at all but not the best ever either. Drinks were as good as they could be, we just had well gin and tonics, hard to mess up. Service was good, our waitress was so sweet and attentive. My burger was missing cheese and she was on it with making sure it was fixed. Great views at sunset!

My girlfriend and I went here last Tuesday for dinner. We were just looking for casual mexican food. We decided to sit inside, although they have cute beachfront view patio with heaters. Our waiter convinces us to order some margaritas that we thought were part of their special , turns out the two for one, means you have to buy two of the exact* same margarita, so just make it out of that! We also ordered some nachos to start. I guess the waiter didn't think we are here for dinner, the menu was still my hand and he pulled it out of my hand saying he's just going to leave one menu... It was awkward, and I just naturally laughed, but it was a pretty rude interaction... I still had one of the menu in my hand looking at it as the waiter took it out. I tried to not let that take my overall experience. My friend ordered a veggie burrito, and I ordered their Socal chicken salad, which ended up being really good. The waiter suggested I substitute the Dijon dressing for a raspberry vinaigrette, and it tasted amazing. Their food is decently cheap given the quantity size! I was happily surprised by the quality of their food and low prices.

Came here after spending time at the beach. This place is near Crystal Pier. We came on a Monday around 2:45pm. It wasn't busy so we were seated right away. I got the Baja margarita and it was really good and not too sweet. My friend got the chicken sandwich and she said it was good. I got the nachos with steak and it wasn't that great. It tasted pretty dry. They gave more nachos than they did toppings. I would come back again for a drink and probably try another item on the menu.

Stopped in for breakfast one morning and had a not so great experience. We had a friendly waitress, but it took so long to get our waters and soda that our food was out only a minute behind them. The scrambled eggs tasted like fish, the bacon was soggy and half raw, the hashbrowns tasted like crappy oil, and I couldn't even cut the pancake with a fork. I was highly disappointed. Maybe it was just an off day for them. The place wasn't busy at all.

Best steak fajitas! Didn't care for the rice and beans but the fajitas were some of the best I've ever had! Hot salsa had a nice kick and great flavor. They serve 32oz draft beers too! The view was almost as good as the fajitas! Friendly service too

Quite literally my FAVORITE place in San Diego. I moved out of town (+2 hours out) and would make the trip to come here and will soon be out of state and I will STILL visit. The best margaritas I've ever had and nothing beats the view, oh yeah the food is good too!! We had the sweetest server today and I just love this place so much!! The 32oz margs aren't a bad thing either . Please come here, it's an SD landmark!

We were walking the beach & decided to stop by for a margarita. The outdoor patio was nice to sit at and people watch/enjoy the weather. We didn't eat, just drank. We ordered the large sized iced margaritas (which you can take to go too). They were delicious!!! Our daughter got a virgin margarita too & loved it! Our server was so friendly! It was a great stop.

Yeah... so don't switch tables at this place!!! You'll get poor service if you do and extremely dirty looks. We were told by a host we could switch.. but oops guess it's a no go in this establishment!!! I would recommend just going somewhere else in PB where the servers are nicer lol. Lots of places around!

I enjoyed a nice beachy dinner here. The waitress was so friendly. The food was good quality and portions were good too. The patio is steps from the beach which made for a nice view with dinner.

The Drinks are great especially the Diablo - food not so good .. service was also great . Location is great I feel like the owner should work on having more authentic Mexican food maybe changing up the menu getting a real chef and than this place would be packed and making money cause the food ain't it . Very from a can or frozen taste

Baja beach cafe has become a spot I frequent while in PB and want a good strong drink for a reasonable price. Mega margaritas are $22 and totally worth it! Their drinks are very sweet, but they have lots of flavor options so there is something for everyone. I have had food from here a few times, it's okay but not great. The 4/5 stars is because if it's really busy it takes a while for food and the quality seems to go down, but on slower days the food tends to be better. Understandable, and I continue to go back for drinks. My favorite is the mango margarita. This bar is right on the boardwalk/across from the beach with awesome views. There is outdoor patio seating and indoor seating. Very fun to people watch and enjoy the summer sun while sitting outside. This place is very casual. I highly recommend if you are looking for a low key spot with great views and strong drinks to go here.

food was great, and the atmosphere was great. But our server GIRL (she pink hoodie w/ dark contour) was so incredibly rude. It was shocking how she just threw the card at my significant other while having an attitude the entire time. and he still tipped her 25%. (the first time we came we had a really nice blond girl and came back in hopes to get her wishing baddie the best)

This is a must stop place for a margarita. It was sooooo delicious! I'm glad the waitress talked me into a mega margarita. It is in a great location right by the beach, so it was nice to hang out and listen to the waves.

Food C Ambiance A Service B Value C I went there with my daughter for breakfast. It's in a wonderful spot, right on the beach, with surfers walking by and the sound of ocean waves, etc. You really get the Pacific Beach experience here. However, the food was just passable and not particularly well-priced. That said, it's probably a good place to go for drinks in the evening. You can't beat that location and I could imagine it would be a nice place to sit and chat with friends.

Great place to eat right on the boardwalk! Food is great! Their queso is one of the best! A lot of choices of margaritas!!

This was the second stop on last month's extended, long birthday weekend PB pub crawl with my wife. Found two seats at the bar (it was packed outside!) and the super friendly bartender brought us a couple glasses of water right away. We placed our orders: Two giant margaritas and chips, salsa, and guacamole. The food and drinks were good, not great, but definitely did the trick -- there was an ample amount of tequila in the margaritas. Kinda baby bearish: not too little, not too much -- just right. Enjoyed our stop at Baja Beach Cafe, but we had one more stop to make before we finished off our pub crawl so we were one and done.

Huge portions, great taste and prices makes this Mission Beach boardwalk cafe a bargain. Service and attentive staff make this a perfect place to enjoy the cool, San Diego beach breeze. Look at my monster Diablo Omelette!

Nice view. Laid back vibe. Overpriced mediocre drink and disappointing nachos where half the cheese wasn't melted. One bonus was they let you take your unfinished margaritas to go. I thought that was illegal outside Mississippi but whatever.

Casual bike ride along the boardwalk this afternoon - decided to give Baja Beach Cafe a try. I have heard they have amazing margaritas as well as food (street tacos, guacamole and fresh salsa). Absolutely loved this place! Everyone from the hostess to the wait staff went above and beyond to check in and make recommendations on dishes. Their homemade salsa is absolutely devine, esp when paired with the guacamole. Highly recommend a visit next time you are in the area and want to cool down along the boardwalk watching the waves come in...

This place is super cool right on the beach but the food was sub-par and some weird manager gave all of us a creepy vibe. He acted like he was a wanna be cop at a restaurant and we just came for drinks and food. We loved this area and will definitely come back, just not for the food here...my kids loved the quesadilla and carne asada fries.

The service was quick and good was good. The restaurant is loud and crowded, but has a fun beach vibe.

fun to pregame at or get food before the bars. 2 for 1 drink deals and they pour heavy. Bachelorette/Bachelor viewing parties here on Mondays when the show is on!

The atmosphere was fun and located right on the beach! Both the food and service were excellent!

Food is normal nothing fancy American food served on paper plates and plastic silver wear and utensils Beach view Drink very strong compliment to the Bartender Our server Keartine is very sweet and funny I love her vibes

Great dining spot by the pacific beach to enjoy the sunset. I chose the salad with the grilled fish (looked and tasted like cod, maybe?), which was fresh, but not sure if the very mustardy dressing goes with the salad. I ended up using the salsa verde that came with the surf and turf burrito.

Such a great spot to enjoy when visiting Pacific/Mission Beach. Great location right off the walk/bike path. Relaxing view of the ocean waves from the patio. Enjoyed dinner and breakfast here...both yummy eats! Friendly service brings you back again. A definite add to your restaurant list in San Diego.

Holy cow. Delicious food and amazing service. The drinks are a bit overpriced but you absolutely can't beat the view...aka it's worth it! Highly recommend the nachos but ensure you plan to share with a friend!

Very bad service, bad food, and its a turn and burn restaurant. They surcharge checks by 3.9 percent. The food was atrocious and served cold. Our server gave us bad looks. Do not come here.

Just so-so. From a mediocre greeting to slug paced service, it was all just ok. Lots of variety for margaritas but they go light on the alcohol. Many of the servers appear to be unhappy working there. The food was filled with WAY too many onions. But for a place on the beach, we felt like it was an ok stop.

Food was ehh, I had the chicken burger and it was just alright. Not complaining about it, just kinda average. Drinks were great (recommend the Diablo margarita) and service was alright as well. If you like the beach and deep house then this will be a good spot for you! Ambience = beach grunge Pro tip : men's bathroom line is shorter

Waited 20min to get approached by a server. Never happened. Eventually a staff member that was cleaning up told me that there's no server. So I left.

Food was good but our server Brooke was terrible. when we first sat down we got drinks from a totally different server after 5/10 minutes after she realize Brooke never greeted us or ask if we'd like any beverages to start, then it took another 10 minutes for Brooke to come take our order, and when we got our food from the food runner, she never came to check on our table, we had to track her down for some limes, and we noticed she would go to every other table around us checking on them, it was very unwelcoming for our first time, it got to the point where after the 3rd time of her doing this we just wanted to leave, terrible customer service. The food runner had better service than her, and was very nice.

Again another 5 star review. Our waitress was amazing to say the least. She is a top notch professional and recommended many good entries. The food was better than incredible. We had several dishes and was very happy with all of them. Highly recommend and a must stop here at pacific beach

Rugged beach bar located on the ocean. You'll have your choice of sitting outside on the deck overlooking the waves of Pacific Beach. Or chilling out in the bar sipping a delicious summer Margarita.

Perfect spot on a sunny day. We didn't have to wait long. The service was friendly and prompt, yet we were not rushed. The coconut margarita was the best ever. My daughter loved her steak fajitas and I had the socal salad. It was ok but I would not to the honey Dijon dressing next time. This will be our new favorite spot though because the menu variety was so big. Also, looks like a fun place to hang out after dinner. Highly recommend. Prices are reasonable too.

Service was good. They let you seat yourself and are pretty attentive to finding you if you just arrived. Food was great, at least what we ordered. I got the calamari salad. The calamari steaks were excellent. The salad part was fine, just enough dressing, but way too many red onions, none of which I ate. My Mexican boyfriend got the surf and turf burrito and loved it and the salsa it came with and ordered more salsa to finish up his chips with. We got the coco-loco Margarita which was probably the most disappointing thing. It was big and pretty strong but we hoped it had more coconut flavor. Anyway, overall, we give 4 stars for our experience.