Casa De Pico

Beautiful day on the patio for lunch. Service was the best we've ever had at a Mexican restaurant with Tania as our server and Danny as the busser. Huge and delicious margaritas! Carnitas plate and the fajitas were the favorites. Guacamole dip starter and queso fundito with chorizo was also a hit! Great experience

The food was amazing which included fresh handmade tortillas as well as drinks and atmosphere complete with mariachi band to serenade us before our big wedding day! We loved it!!

Love this place! Never been disappointed, everything has such good flavor and typically food comes out very fast. The only hiccup I have ran into sometimes is it takes a little longer than you want to get a drink or refill.

This place has such a beautiful, authentic atmosphere. The food is delicious and always fresh. They have handmade tortillas and their salsas are very flavorful. The waiters and staff are friendly and make the experience that much more enjoyable. The restaurant itself has such a beautiful design and decor inside and out. Highly recommend dining here.

Dined Saturday evening 9/27. Enjoyable family atmosphere. Mariachi band provided lively, enjoyable music. Wait staff member Jorge provided excellent service. Thank you Jorge. I ordered the Chicken Enchiladas Suizas. Delish! This dish is definitely a must try. My beverage selection wasn't as good. It was a complete non-event. The beverage requested was a Patron top shelf margarita. What was served was an absolute non-event experience. I recommend you keep your money and take a pass on this beverage. However, if sugary margarita mix over ice is your thing then enjoy.

Super great food, fast and friendly service. I loved the chiles rellenos. Chips and salsa is delicious!

Great atmosphere, great food, plenty of options. Prepping for dia de Los Muertos. I had 2 crisp chicken tacos 🌮 with black beans on the side. My favorite! Just perfect with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese! Added Pico de Gallo salsa.

Casa De Pico is one of our favorite go-to spots for Mexican food! The vibrant atmosphere, flavorful food, and friendly service keep us coming back. Every visit feels like a mini celebration—always fresh, always fun. A true local gem!

I've been here a few times and it was always a good experience. There's plenty of parking in the lot and there can be a short wait on busy days. On this visit we ordered the fiesta sampler to share with a party of 5. It was good but ended up being a lot more food than we needed, on top of our entrees. I got a mango margarita, which was good. I forget the flavored margaritas are slushies though, so I'll prob stick to the original margarita next time. For my entree I shared the shrimp Caesar salad and carnitas plate. The salad was fresh and shrimp cooked well. The additional quesadillas made it a lot of food! The carnitas plate was very good. You assemble your own tacos or burrito with fresh, warm tortillas. Overall both entrees were more than enough food. The chips and salsa are one of my favorite things here. The salsa is so addicting the tortilla chips are made super fresh. Service is good and quick. There is also a live band that plays music around the restaurant. You can request songs from them as well, which is fun. Overall always a great time here with good food and a fun atmosphere.

Everyone lived their food. My only thing was I ordered the chicken tortilla soup as my main (just was not that hungry). They brought it with the other appetizers. That left me with nothing to eat when everyone else's dinners arrived. Just a bit odd. And.... It has way too many tortillas in the soup. It was like eating a soggy taco chip. Other Than that, all good.

I always partake in SDRW and I wanted a budget friendly place to take the fam. I've been going here for so long, ever since they were in Old Town! I'm surprised that I never dropped a review of this place. This used to be the IT place for Mexican food but with so many restaurants, it's stiff competition. Before, seating was an issue for a big party, but that wasn't the case when I arrived with 6 ppl on a Monday night and only a 10 min wait. This year's SDRW menu was three course for $35! Pretty good deal. From host to servers, the service was on point. However, they did ask for our dessert choice while we still eating our appetizers. I would have preferred they ask either in the beginning or wait until we are at least eating our entree. I liked that they each gave us our own salsa when the free chips came out. Portion sizes are huge! The salad I chose was so big, which was larger than the usual side salad serving that I was anticipating. I liked the tequila lime shrimp which had plenty of shrimp, rice and beans. Of course, the homemade tortillas are always delicious! The flan was smooth and not overly sweet. I did get the medium Mango Margarita which was larger than I anticipated. I couldn't finish! It was pretty good though. Loved the cozy atmosphere and I saw lots of families celebrating birthdays. Nice to see that many locals still love this SD staple after so many years. Definitely will return again!

Always excellent! We love the tequila lime shrimp. Excellent flavor, perfectly cooked shrimp. Flavorful rice and savory black beans. Love the margarita menu! Our favorite is the Sauza Cadillac! The warm fresh chips and salsa are excellent! Love the colorful decor and Mexican embellishments! The mariachi band makes for the perfect ambiance. Service is terrific!

Very cute atmosphere in here. The waitress was very friendly and the gentleman sang to our table very nicely. The food was okay. I think it is pretty overpriced, but the experience was nice.

My family has been going to Casa De Pico since the days of it being in Bazar Del Mundo. I adored it then and it is still very good! I like their margaritas. They have so many flavors! The atmosphere is pretty neat. It feels like walking into a Mexican Hacienda and is always welcoming. The staff are great. The tortillas are my favorite. I swear they should do a meal of just tortillas with toppings. I would be really good with that. However, the food is also good. It's nostalgic for me. As a San Diegan, it is the Mexican food I grew up eating when we weren't going to taco shops. It is still very good and I would absolutely return! :)

First off the food is good , prices are normal compared to other restaurants. We sat outdoors which was clean and many umbrellas for shade. Indoors is also nice with a lady making homemade tortillas. Parking can be hectic at times because it is in a shopping mall. One thing was the service was a little lacking. The place was not busy and no one bothered to come by and ask for a refill or anything. Sat there for a while and was wondering was anyone going to come by with the check. Other than that we have been coming here for years even when they were located in Old Town. Hopefully service will be better next time.

Excellent service. Had the tequila lime shrimp and the flavors were amazing. Excellent Cadillac margarita. Loved the house made chips and salsa!

Wonderful SD Restaurant Week Menu!! I love to take pics of my dining experience, but I was either really excited or really hungry or both! I ate before I realized I forgot to take pics!! Order the 3 course meal! My advice- Course 1-Apps-Skip the quesadilla and get the shrimp ceviche. Huge!! Course 2-Main-If you love shrimp like I do, you won't regret the garlicky shrimp with bursts of flavor! 12 huge shrimp!! The garlic sauce seeps into the Mexican rice-so delish! Course 3-Dessert-you can't go wrong with either the fried ice cream or the homemade hot churros!! And treat yourself and get the margarita! My dining partner and I had 3 between us! We loved the live Mariachi band!

My friend and I have been dining here monthly for lunch, for many years... and there is a reason for this - it is consistently very good. The waitstaff is always friendly and take good care of their customers. The ambiance is traditional Mexican decor with all the vibrant colors of the Mexican culture. They have both wonderful outside patio seating under colorful umbrellas, as well as a warm and inviting inside dining with booths and tables. Once seated you will be immediately served a fresh basket of tortilla chips and salasa - this is at no charge to the customer. They have been serving free chips and salasa to all their customers since they were located at Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town many, many years ago. Today, I ordered the Chopped Mexican salad with chicken. It is a generous sized salad made with fresh vegetables, black beans, corn, grilled chicken, fresh avocado, served with a wonderful side of Cilantro dressing. This yummy salad is presented in an edible crisp flour tortilla shell, see photo below. My friend ordered the Chicken Flautas with flour tortillas this generous plate is served with beans and rice. Both of our meals were delicious and we order them often. One of my other favorite menu items is the Shrimp and Avocado Cheese Crisp... so so delicious! Portions are always generously sized. Try Casa de Pico you won't be disappointed.

Husband's favorite place since he was young is a must visit when we come to San Diego. Really felt my age when we showed up for an early dinner and got an early bird menu. Menu is large, chips and salsa are delish, and drinks are as big as your head. Our waitress was super kind and food came out quickly once we ordered. Interior is fun, very colorful but they also have a great outdoor patio.

We came in for a quick lunch. We were in the mood for fajitas. We ordered steak & chicken and the guacamole. The food was good. Service was okay. I liked it better when they were located in Old Town. The vibe in Old Town made you feel special and more of a vacation feel ambiance. In location in La Mesa just doesn't have the same feel. Yes! I'd come back because they're a San Diego staple. I love all the colorful decorations and the patio is pet friendly. Usually there's a mariachi band playing but they left as we were coming in for lunch, or maybe they were playing inside the restaurant. ‍.

Becky had a craving for a margarita so we went to Casa De Pico for a drink and some chips and salsa. We sat at the bar and were helped pretty quickly. A marg a beer and chips and salsa and we decided to order the Queso Fundido appetizer (Melted Oaxacan cheese with chorizo and green chiles. Served with handmade tortillas). Holy shit! The absolute worst Queso Fundido ever! The "melted" cheese had the consistency of bread dough. Seriously, you could've put it in the oven and baked a loaf of bread. There was no way the chorizo could mix in. It was impossible to dip a tortilla chip. It was like trying to dip a chip in taffy. $17.25 for this ridiculous excuse of an appetizer. Took the "fun" out of fundido. In hindsight I should've broken my rule about not sending food back. This definitely needed to be replaced. Instead, I took it home and tried to fix it. I put it into a mini crockpot with a splash of beer. It heated through and became more like a dip, but still had an odd lumpy consistency. We tossed it. An extra star. Becky enjoyed her margarita and my beer was nice and cold. Service at the bar was pretty good. Certainly not worth the $47.74 we paid though.

Came here to celebrate a birthday. Started with chips, salsa, and guacamole. The guacamole wasn't anything too memorable and the salsa tasted watery. For the entrees, we ordered Tequila Lime Shrimp and the #2 Combo (taco, tamale, and enchilada), chilaquiles, and enchiladas. Pretty standard "chain restaurant" type of Mexican food, but the Tequila Lime Shrimp was good. Service was attentive and no problems parking, with the restaurant being on the outskirts of the shopping mall.

On the recommendation of my father in law my wife & I treated our youngest son & my in laws to some quality Mexican cuisine. I myself am Mexican & have eaten Mexican food all my life across 5 different states. I can honestly say Casa de Pico is the best Mexican restaurant I have ever had to pleasure to dine at! My wife & I sharer the surf n turf fajitas plate which was delicious. We ordered both corn & flour tortillas which were all hand made & delicious! Finished it off with dessert via some deep fried ice cream which was delicious as well! I can't recommend Casa de Pico enough! Delicioso!

We've been diners at Casa de Pico since the days when they were located in Old Town. They were recently voted the Best Mexican Cuisine, the Best Margarita, and the Best Outdoor Dining in the Best of Readers Poll from the Mission Times Courier. We agree with the poll results. We come for lunch at least 2-3 times a week. We have several favorite menu items, but the menu is extensive and everything is flavorful. The servers are all so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Don't forget to try their desserts. Fried ice cream, chocolate lava cake, and flan are just a few fabulous offerings. We love Casa de Pico!

The staff is friendly and the food is good. I am gluten free. Their menu is clearly marked and the staff well informed.

Always such a great experience here. The staff is very efficient, attentive, and they know everything about the menu. We came on Halloween Night to welcome a family member who is visiting. They had the nicest Día De Los Muertos display and tribute setup. The whole atmosphere was very celebratory. The hostesses at the front had on their costumes and they were super professional. We were seated immediately, with chips and salsa for the table. We also noticed that in the dining room there was a live mariachi trio making rounds to tables to sing beautiful Mexican folk songs. Our server was Manuel. HE WAS AWESOME. He checked in with us often and he was veery patient and helpful with us while ordering. Our dinners ordered: 1 guacamole bowl & chips appetizer, 2 of the super combination fajitas with steak, chicken, and shrimp and Pico's Chimichanga (wet with enchilada sauce). The food was amazing, as usual. They have a specialty Margaritas menu and it is delicious. I had the melon (honey dew melon) margarita, it was blended, which is not what I wanted, but it was good. They also have non-alcoholic blended slush drinks. The Mango Tango is delicious. Our dinner experience was awesome! Her you will find Delicious, Authentic, Traditional, and perfect Mexican food! You will have a wonderful dining experience. There is also an outside patio with umbrella seating and beautiful decor.

Good neighborhood Mexican spot if you want to sit down, relax, and have a good time. The mariachi bands make it even more fun -- great atmosphere and good food!

Great food great and fast service with tasty food and nice friendly staff! Prices about right for today's restaurants!!

Have not been here in 10 yrs. Life just got busy. Located in Grossmont ctr mall. Lots of parking. Wheelchair friendly. My friend and I went back for a bd dinner. This place is so much fun! Wonderful authentic mexican food, colorful atmosphere, mariachis playing music. It's like Disneyland. Edwin was our server and he did a great job. He even brought complimentary birthday ice cream and churros for my girlfriend. All of the service was excellent. We had a great time and stuffed ourselves w enchilada suizas and veggie avocado tacos. Dinner and 2 margaritas with tip was about $70. I would definitely go back. We're so happy this place is thriving.

Great tasting Mexican food with homemade flour tortillas. The chips and salsa are a dead giveaway indicators of a solid Mexican food restaurant. This is a huge restaurant, with friendly and fast service, indoor and outdoor seating, gigantic margaritas and live roving musicians to boot. We ordered the carne asada fajitas and a crunchy taco/cheese enchilada combo. Easy access, close to a freeway and my daughter's house. 4 star win, highly recommend.

Big drinks, big dishes, big environment, Casa De Pico is a party inside and out. To celebrate a long weekend I decided to go have a margarita and a nice meal. The Patron Margarita was pretty good sized for it being their "small" and it was delicious. The seafood chimichanga was big and had plenty of shrimp and fish inside. Our waiter was super nice and very attentive. He made sure our special request was taken care of and gave us a heartfelt story about his family too, great guy. If you haven't been here before, they have a live mariachi troop that walks around playing music throughout so it is a bit loud but that's what you come for. In the end a great dinner.

Boss wanted to eat here for her birthday! No reservations were made because we went a little after opening and they were not busy at all. Casa De Pico is located in a mall and next to another restaurant. Parking on this day wasn't bad but it can get difficult around dinner. The 5 of us were sat right away and on patio. It was a nice sunny day. Lizzete was out waitress. She was great and attentive. The food came out quickly and smelling delicious. I enjoyed my beef enchiladas and rice. I wasn't too impressed with the beans.

Our family was celebrating our father's birthday and our mothers Mother's Day. We were set pretty quickly. Service was good food on the other hand was just OK. My wife ordered the Carne Asada with the tequila lime shrimp. Carne Asada came out lukewarm had no flavoring and the tequila shrimp had no flavor whatsoever just tasted like regular shrimp. I ordered the Ropa Vieja. there were more vegetables than shredded meat. my mother ordered the street tacos and yet again no flavoring. We'll not go there again. Lino, the restaurant manager got a hold of me, apologizing about the quality of their food and comped one dish I mean, I describe two other dishes that were horrible. This was unsatisfactory. I'm not gonna go back there and waste time and money just for a free dish for me my wife and my mom.

I've been coming to Casa De Pico for many years even before they moved to this location and I have to say the service continues to be excellent and the food is delicious. Francisco the bartender/server was so attentive, hospitable and kind; including the staff who brought our plates and cleared our table. They never skipped a beat! Francisco made my Pina Colada and he told me they use authentic/fresh ingredients that's why it tastes so good! He made sure we had our fresh basket of chips and salsa flowing and that our food was made just right. Ambiance was decorated nicely for Día De Los Muertos and employees were dressed for the occasion. I highly recommend this place!

We met here to celebrate my cousins birthday. It's a nice size restaurant with a ton of personality. Each order was huge, everyone took something home! Considering the prices it makes it worth it. I split the mole with mom (spicy) and nachos (grilled chicken) either dad. Both were really yummy and despite 3 of splitting the dishes it's amazing we had to go bags! My cousins also enjoyed their dishes. Mom liked the presentation of the good. Only thing a little off was the guacamole which was chunky but not all that flavorful. In all we had a good time and overall the food was good! Even dad was happy!

My family and I have been coming here since they were located in Old Town. I also frequent their two other locations, one still in Old Town, the other in Encinitas. Unfortunately, my family (and everyone I would bring here) will most likely never be back again to any of their restaurants after the latest experience, which sadly was the culmination of several mediocre to poor outings there. I ordered take out today and was told it would be ready in 15 minutes. I arrived a few minutes beforehand to make sure I got the dinner as fresh as possible. I was told they were just waiting on one out of the two items I ordered. Ok, cool, sounds great. After 20 minutes of waiting, after a few unsolicited updates about a busy kitchen, and continuing to "wait on one dish," I asked for the manager who said they would check on my order. I was told they were going to remake everything and it would take 2 minutes. They forgot about it, essentially. After 5 or so more minutes of waiting, I asked for a refund as I didn't want to wait any longer and was already well behind schedule. The supervisor, Jacqueline, took about 5 minutes to refund my order, despite me saying I wanted to leave, seemingly just spitefully taking as much time as possible to delay even getting me my money back. At no point did she offer anything, or even apologize, and when I asked why that was the case given the level of service, she just gave me a blank stare and said she was going to offer something, but I asked for a refund and now I'm out of luck. She basically let me know that she could have done something (despite at no point offering), but is choosing not to despite wasting an hour of my time with waiting and 30 minutes of driving. I doubt I'll soon forget the glazed over, almost dead inside (you know that empty stare) look of contempt. It was as if there wasn't a single strand of care about the situation in the slightest, with that type of response and behavior apparently normalized. It's a rare thing to see that sort of detachment from any level of normal service industry empathy. Mistakes happen, but utter disregard for an hour of a customer's time is a clear sign that my 35+ year long relationship with this restaurant ownership group is over. There's no reason overpriced Mexican food is worth the bad attitude, terrible customer service, and cold entrees. I'm tired of defending this place, the nostalgia from what it used to be is too worn out. It's just not worth the nonsense to pay almost $50 for two undersized items sitting under a heat lamp for 20 minutes while they figure out what they're doing for the better part of an hour. All in all, one of the worst take out experiences imaginable. To leave without the food and without even an apology? It's a joke. I wouldn't risk it if I were you, try something more authentic, or of better value, or really any place that values your service beyond giving you blank stares while metaphorically shrugging their shoulders at ruining your night, as if that's just how things operate around there. Receipt is attached to verify. The $5 tip on two items maybe wasn't enough and offended their sensibilities with take-out tipping, who knows? Goodbye Casa De Pico, you were sliding by on being mediocre, but mediocre with attitude and inconsiderate behavior just doesn't cut it anymore!

I've been coming here for decades, even before when it was in old town! I love this place, the atmosphere, the service, the drinks, the food and everything else in between! The food is quality and delicious!

The service is amazing . My carnitas tacos were delicious with the salsa. But the flan was old and cold . The staff works very hard at thus place, kudos!!!

I have enjoyed eating here in the past. Took my daughter here who was visiting San Diego and ordered chicken tacos. The meat was dried out and had no seasoning to it. My daughter who ordered the same, said it tasted like they had used pre cooked chicken strips. I will not return.

Service was horrible 15 minutes for a drink Waiter corrected me five times Asked if my tortilla could be more cooked was told no A second waiter mocked me from afar My stomach was sick A dissatisfied customer will tell between 9-15 people about their experience. Around 13% of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people. - White House Office of Consumer Affairs.]

One of the best dining experiences I've had in a while! I ordered - Shrimp & fish taco: Super fresh & delicious! The portion size was huge & it also came with Mexican rice & black beans. They also sing to you for your birthday so that was a nice touch but overall I loved the vibe and all the culture this place brings to the area.

We come here every year on our anniversary to sit on the patio where we met 27 years ago when it was Carlos Murphy's. We were disappointed this year as they told us the patio was closed and wouldn't serve us out there ( it wasn't closed they just wouldn't send a server out). We sat inside the bar area instead and has some drinks and an appetizer. Both our servers were extremely nice and came to check on us often. The tostada we had was definitely not what I expected. It basically looked like the toppings you receive on top of rolled tacos , placed on top of a small tortilla you couldn't see for $8. We definitely won't order that item again.

Chicken tortilla soup//The broth was excellent full stop // the chicken was not shedded only big clumps - the amount of green peppers Barely sliced huge pieces I hate green peppers I would have that the carrots were many and huge pieces!! Who are u serving?? Epic fail!! Take time to prepare the veggies properly or hire a new prep chef !! KA What a dissapointentv

Server was amiable. Pretty loud ~ we were there about 12:30pm and quite alot of folks there. Food was much tastier than the last time we were there, but it was not piping hot, which was a disappointment. If the rating was on the food only, 3. Ladies room was very smelly. So on that it would be 2, if that.

When I come back home this is a family favorite place to come too never disappointed when we come and one of my parents, favorite places to come to being it's not too far from them all the foods good their margarita drinks are good and my mom and boyfriend's favorite is the hummingbird drink

The food was sooo good (and somehow my favorite part was still the salsa )!! And they have these drinks that are super refreshing. The waitress and hostess were so very nice and helpful with what to choose from the menu. And it's a great place for photo ops because the place is beautiful!

I love their Tostada Del Mundo. We order it with shredded beef. The ambience is amazing! Honestly I have not eaten anything else besides that but they are always packed and parking is difficult but we always order to go.

Primeramente la comida estuvo deliciosa y nuestra mesera Lissette fue súper linda con carisma y amigable. Definitivamente regresamos. Food was so delicious and our server Lissette was amazing. Love how friendly she was. Definitely coming back.

My favorite Mexican restaurant, food is amazing, the mole is delicious, and impeccable service from Luz Elena.

In general, the food here is great. If you have a chance to catch the right time when they have the mariachis here, then request a song and enjoy! Food here is always great as well. Gotta take in consideration, most Mexican places can only deliver on one. Good food or good margarita. This place hits both on good. For my personal taste, go with the Cadillac margarita. Much better than the Patron.

This place is great on a Saturday night! It looked busy but we were sat quick. The food was delicious, I got a chimichanga with sour cream and guacamole for $21 but it was a large portion for sure. The mariachi band is also so talented it's such a fun vibe!

Casa de pico Mexican restaurant it's an excellent magnificent place to eat and have a great time!!! Great food and excellent margaritas of all flavors!! I drink the watermelon and tamarind margaritas, they are great and very refreshing!!! Music it's great !! Service waiter Jackie it's excellent service and very attentive. And manager Lino it's great seeing that everything it's going well, he personally came to our table to ask if everything was going well? Highly recommended this Mexican restaurant!!! Mario

On Sunday 19, 2025 my AAA retired coworkers group had a bday lunch for our friend Rosie. It was amazing!!! Manager Juan and our waiter CJ were very helpful. Food and service were great!!! Manger Hilda is very professional and quite nice!!! Great Staff!!!

I celebrated my birthday here 5/25/25 @ 6 pm with 21 guests and was extremely disappointed. Hot plates were handled unsafely -- one came dangerously close to burning me and my friends, son. My best friend literally had to block it with her purse to prevent injury. The service was chaotic, food was cold, and the staff lacked professionalism, especially for a large group reservation. What was meant to be a joyful celebration turned into a stressful, unsafe experience. I filed a formal complaint directly to Casa De Pico following my report to Department of County of Of San Diego. Environmental health The service I received on my birthday was Unacceptable.

I'm very disappointed in the treatment my family and I received at Casa de Pico. We called ahead for a party of 25 and were told there would be an hour wait. When we arrived, we saw plenty of open tables inside, outside, and in the bar. We explained we just wanted to eat anywhere available, but were still told to wait an hour. The bartender confirmed the bar was open seating, so we sat down. But when the waitress came, she refused to give us separate checks--even though we were clearly sitting at separate tables. At that point, being a group of Black customers, we could not help but feel that the refusal to accommodate us was rooted in racial discrimination. My family left and took our business elsewhere. I stayed behind to speak with management, but only got two supervisors. One apologized, but by then the damage had been done. This was especially heartbreaking because I had previously enjoyed excellent food and service here with a smaller group, and I've recommended this place to many friends and family. To be treated this way with a large group--especially in a way that felt discriminatory--was deeply upsetting. We will not be returning.

My sister and I have met for lunch here over the pass couple year and the service has always been quick and efficient! We were seated promptly, provided with chips and salsa and placed our drink order. Our waitress was friendly, and checked on us often during our meal. I ordered the street tacos: two chicken, two carnitas with beans. They were delicious. This restaurant has great atmosphere and festive decorations. 2024(4)

My enchiladas were excellent! I enjoyed the chips and salsa as well. My server was nice and very personable. The restaurant was clean which was very nice as well. The music was a little too loud, but that's just a personal preference!