Cocina De Barrio

Just landed in San Diego and stopped at Cocina De Barrio for lunch. Really good authentic Mexican joint with a relaxed outdoor seating area. We had chips, salsa, guacamole, and their house-made salsa macha, which was excellent. I tried a couple of Mezcals and ordered the plant-based mushroom tacos - easily some of the best I’ve had, full of flavor and very satisfying. Great place to unwind after a flight.

Nice Mexican restaurant- the chilaquiles were perfectly crisp. Fish tacos also delicious. Fair prices

Cocina De Barrio is in San Diego and was absolutely fantastic. I have never had a spin on Mexican inspired breakfast the way CDB does it. It is difficult to put it in words. I had a poached egg breakfast and have not had a better breakfast with a poached egg than CDB. The service was great and the portion size was more than enough. There is inside and outside seating as well as seating at the bar (full bar). We had Sopas Benny, Cafe de olla coffee, pollo en mole negro, chorizo hash, ginger sangria white wine. We didn't have a wait when we arrived (1045am) but when we left there was. The next time I'm in the San Diego area we will visit CDB for sure. I took a pic of the menu, take a look at the pancake and waffle breakfast creations, amazing. Can't wait to return.

My mom and I were looking for brunch in the downtown San Diego area, and this spot caught my eye. Cocina de Barrio is a cute spot serving hearty food, delicious and aesthetic cocktails, and good vibes all around! They don’t take reservations for brunch, for those trying to reserve beforehand. It’s a huge seating area though, both indoors and outdoors, so you and your group should be ser! My mom and I walked in and got seated immediately. Our servers were super nice, and had a good sense of humor. We ordered the enmoladas (which my mom enjoyed), and I devoured the sopes benny. Both dishes were delicious!! I also got the Tia Chata cocktail, which was a cute cocktail that came with its own popsicle! I could see the girlies having a cute brunch here, especially with their mimosa deal. Definitely come by and check this place out! Drinker or not, this restaurant is a must try!

Great vibes all around. Went on a Sunday with no reservations and only waited about 15mins for a table. I didn’t like that you couldn’t order drinks at the bar and wait for a table. If you went to the bar you had to stay there to eat and you would not be added to the waitlist. The food was good. The drinks were better! The service from DAVID WAS THE BEST! Have great recommendations, was quick with bottomless mimosa refills, and extremely attentive. Will be back.

Wasn't sure what to expect when dining here, but overall it was a rather nice experience. Our server was rather attentive and our food came out pretty quickly. I ordered the chilaquiles verde and everything about it was delicious. The portion I thought was pretty generous and it also included a good amount of birria. I'd gladly come back here to order the same or try something new

Delicious food with beautiful presentation! The chilaquiles were flavorful, fresh, and loaded with toppings—definitely a must-try. The Stuffed French Toast is amazing as well.

Enjoyed visiting this place for brunch with family from out of town. Dog friendly patio. Food presentation is lovely, unfortunately I found a hair in my dish. Everyone else in our party seemed pleased with their choices. Seems that with a little more love and attention to service and other details, this place could deliver higher. Still a good option and would not discourage anyone from visiting.

Service was amazing! Came in on a Sunday later in the day and was seated right away. Our waiter Richie was very helpful choosing what items to pick due to the fact I am pregnant. Very knowledgeable about how the food is prepared. Definitely recommend this place for a nice brunch

I stopped by Cocina de Barrio for Saturday brunch, and needless to say, there was a line before they even opened at 10am! Our party of four was one of the first to be seated, and we had the option of sitting inside or outside. We chose to dine in, and we were seated close by the bar. Decor was well done, and inside feels very lively and vibrant. Service was excellent, and we didn't feel rushed at all. I ordered a Jamaica mimosa to start and the Chilaquiles Verde with a side of avocado and Arroz con Leche pancakes for the table. The mimosa was strong, and the bubbles definitely got me buzzed. The chilaquiles may be the best I've ever had, and the birria was so tender and flavorful. The Arroz con Leche pancakes were good, but maybe not something I'd order again. If you're in or nearby Hillcrest, this spot is a must for your favorite Mexican dishes!

Food: delicious, would come again Service: no complaints Ambiance: casual, chill vibe Would recommend this place!

Great time at Cocina Hillcrest. I've been to CdB Encinitas several times and once to Pt Loma but it was my first time here. Adriana was a great server. There was a huge wedding party but we still felt cared for and got our drinks and food. I got three things I've gotten before that I like: the quesadilla with huitlacoche (the mole was great but the quesadilla maybe had less huitlacoche than in Encnitas), the memelitas veganas, and the tostidas de tinga. I love this business and I'll go again - but there were two things that would normally keep me from doing 5 stars tonight. One my La Tia Chita (my fave cocktail here) was yummy - but weaker than usual. No buzz after one drink! Still tasty and love the coconut paleta. Also, we reserved "outside" - but it's really a semi-indoor patio. I only eat outdoors since COVID and it was very crowded on the patio so I'd normally really want to be "outside" with air in all directions. They do have a little patio that's a real patio and if we come to this location again I'd reserve there. Still, I'm giving 5 stars in solidarity after the North Park location was vandalized three weeks ago - and because we still had a great time tonight. Thanks, Adriana and the team! Encinitas is probably still my fave CdB location (great patio) but it's fun and tasty here too.

Amazing cocktails and equally tasty food. We got a few popsicle margaritas and a La Tia Chata (has rumchata, horchata, vodka) that comes with a coconut popsicle - the latter was our favorite of the lot. The Churros french toast is not to be missed. It sounds like it would be too sweet but it is honestly perfect! The dulce de leche ice cream that comes with it is delightful. For my mains, I got the Vegan coconut aguachile. The ingredient list fascinated me - young coconut meat, avocado, red onion, cucumber, radishes, cilantro, and spicy lime sauce. Everything was super fresh, well presented and delicious. The portion sizes are huge!! Would definitely come back for more!

This is the only place in San Diego that I trust to make chilaquiles to perfection. They're so perfectly crispy and filled with such good flavor. Get this if you haven't already! I recommend this place to everyone! The staff is all really young, fun, and friendly. Great location!

We had an awesome experience here! It's a really fun place and has positive vibes. Our server was really friendly and attentive. The margaritas were awesome - get the spicy! We had the fish ceviche, which was super flavorful and a really generous amount of fish. The fish was clearly very fresh. We also had the memelitas, which were awesome and different. Then, the seafood soup was a real star - they pour the broth on table side with hot river rocks to steam everything up. And the taste did not disappoint! Would definitely recommend and go back.

This was the perfect place to take out of town elders who wanted to try Mexican food, plus relive some of the Yelp Cosmic Rodeo fun by supporting this contributing restaurant. The paleta margaritas were gorgeously decorated with marigolds and mint, and the fact that you can choose between 5 different paleta flavors to dip is outstanding. I enjoyed the lamb sopes most, while my beef enmoladas were lacking a bit of flavor as were the potatoes that accompanied all the brunch dishes. My future MIL raved about the fish tacos and got several refills on the café de olla. Future FIL seemed to enjoy his lamb birria huevos rancheros and kept commenting on how special the whole meal was for him. Service was fast and attentive, there was no wait to be seated at 12 on a Sunday and it was a delight to sit on the open air patio and enjoy the perfect December weather. Thank you, Cocina de Barrio, for serving delicious food that pleased the visiting elders and set us all up for a truly magical SD day.

I came here a year ago for their popular popsicle cocktails and wasn't very impressed but didn't try any food. Today I gave it another chance and went for lunch. Parking wasn't awful in the area at 12:30pm when I went, servers were friendly, plenty of seating both indoor and outdoor on the patio. We were seated right away. The restaurant has cute decor and fun vibe. Plenty of cocktail options available and they also have a mocktail popsicle drink available. You don't get complimentary chips and salsa, which we were bummed about. The food was just OK in my opinion. I probably won't be back here again. Food review: * The presentation for all the food and drinks is fantastic. I think looks better than it tastes. * Chips and guac: (3/5) The chips were good texture and seasoned well. The guac was tiny to split as an appetizer and tasted OK. We also got salsa, that you have to purchase. Chicken tinga quesadillas: (4/5) These were pretty good and I did enjoy the fried egg on top Chicken dish: I didn't taste this one, but my friend said it was delicious and she finished the entire plate.

I came here for the first time with my mom and we had lunch before my tattoo appointment. The reason I wanted to try this place is because I tried their yummy margarita popsicle drink at the Yelp Halloween event and fell in love lol. Tried it for lunch and it wasn't the same. Good but not the same. My mom and I both ordered the veggie scramble I think it was called. Very good! I would come back and try some other food items. The place was kind of small but cute and our server was nice and attentive.

Came for lunch and ate outside with my pup! The birria tacos were flavorful and juicy, tortillas fresh and tasty! Highlight of the dish for me was surprisingly the rice and beans, delicious! I also love all of their mimosa options, my favorites are the Jamaica and tamarindo! I was taken care of efficiently and carefully by the bar tender, Leo. I enjoyed watching him hand craft beverages for the restaurant from my front row seat at the bar. Definitely recommend if you're looking for fresh, yummy food!

San Diego's gem was found at Cantina! Looking for a delicious brunch vibe yet relaxed atmosphere? We stumbled Cantina de Barrio by chance and any I'm so glad we did. We started with a few gorgeous refreshing drinks, ordered the chilaquiles, burrito and tacos. Not only was the service quick, efficient and nice, but the flavor creations were simply exploding with flavors. The arroz con leche pancakes were the winner for taste, texture and creativity. R

Came here with a large group and were accommodated very well. I ordered the Chorizo Omelette with bottomless mimosas and not only did the food look amazing, it tasted just as good. The little flowers in our mimosas were the perfect touch. Really cool place!

Was down in San Diego and looking for a brunch spot before heading to an early afternoon Padres game. Found Cocina de Barrio, and saw that they had some bottomless mimosas and the food looked good. That was spot on! The mimosas were excellent, and made with some syrup and champagne. Definitely good strength and service was great. The food was also very tasty and it was a great meal. Will def return if in the area and looking for a bottomless brunch. After so much food and drinks, I felt like I was about to explode, but that was mostly my fault for overindulging (as expected). We had a nice seat in an area that was mostly inside, but had an outside feel. Delicious!

Oh my god!!! This was my first time here and I have to say, it did not disappoint!!! The food was absolutely delicious and the mimosas were really good! The place has an overall aesthetic feel so it's perfect for an Instagram story the mimosa flavors were great too! My favorite was the butterfly one! Our server was Jose and he was absolutely amazing! He was so attentive even though it was so busy! I will definitely be bringing more friends here! My only gripe is that it gets REALLLLLLY hot in here. They don't have any fans circulating the air so in the back it was way too hot. But I didn't think it deserves to take a star off for it. There's a heat wave in SD and that's not their fault. But if it's a hot day, maybe bring a handheld fan!

Delicious breakfast! Service us always kind and they give good recommendations on what to try out if unsure of what to order... my favorite are the pancakes :) and the birria plate ... delicious! My sister really enjoyed the spiked caffe de olla :) - thank you !

One of the best Happy Hour deals in SD! Food: - Margarita - 10/10, we got the Happy Hour marg and was able to create a custom Mango Jalapeño flavor with a Tajin rim. All for $5!! There was a substantial amount of alcohol too! - Fish tacos - 10/10, I got two large battered fish tacos from the HH menu and they were yummy! The fish was freshly fried so it was extra crispy. It same with a yummy aioli sauce and wasn't dry at all. - Guacamole - 9/10, a massive portion that came in a stone bowl. We shared it with 6 people and it was enough for everyone to snack. The guac was not spicy at all but that's on us for not requesting more spice. It was also a chunky guacamole which I like but others might not! Just a heads up! Service - 5/5, our server was attentive and answered all our questions about the menu. She didn't try to push us to get any more food or drinks than what we ordered and was prompt with putting food and drinks in. Everything came out so quickly too! Our host also allowed us to walk around the restaurant and choose the best seat, which we did outdoors. They had powerful heat lamps that kept us warm on a rainy day. TLDR: the HH menu is a steal and the food and drinks were delicious! The service was wonderful as well. Would 100% come back! Thanks again!

AMAZING experience at cocina de barrio this evening! i was able to book a reservation right away via opentable, and got seated as soon as we arrived! the staff was so patient and kind. i loved the open space and the vibrant design of the space. the food came out exactly as ordered and was delicious! i'm so grateful they have a good variety of vegan dishes and highly recommend the vegan albondigas :-) would come back again AND again!

This is my third time coming here. I came once for brunch and it was incredible! The food and drinks are so good. For dinner this place is a must! I love all the plants and paintings. It makes you feel like you are in Oaxaca. The food also makes you feel like you have been transported to Oaxaca. The short-rib is the best dish on the menu. The drinks are really good and strong too!

We were welcomed in with a smile, staff was all super nice and made good suggestions for drinks and food. The drinks were amazing, I will say the popsicle ones are strong (hence the popsicle on top) but so good! And the food was amazing, held a lot of flavor and presented nicely. The ambiance gives, home cooks meet lively city which blends perfectly with Hillcrest.

Not good. If you want the real deal, simply cross the street to Huapango Authentic Mexican restaurant. Cociona has changed ownership and cuisine many times.

Came in here on a busy Saturday morning. Wait time wasn't too bad, about 30min. The food was okay. My son got the chorizo yesterday papa plate and didn't like it much. The mazapán pancakes were good and so were the buttermilk ones but just a little too big, I didn't even get to finish half of mine. So for the people that love quantity, the plates are big here. My boyfriend got a Bloody Mary and didn't like it bc the consistency was too thick. He sent it back and got a michelada which was so much better. I got an orange juice which was okay, but wish I would have given their cocktails a try. Also, the place is big and restrooms are super small. Went in there and door was closed but it was packed in there with girls in their late teens just taking mirror pics. Were very rowdy and annoying about "being in line for the restroom" Childish. Either way I dislike establishments that are big but only have a restroom stall or two. By the time I walked out of the restroom there was a big line. Hoping to try their chilaquiles and cocktails next time!

I wish I can put no stars! Jose T decided to tip himself when the service was mid. Mind you I come from service, I been in the the food industry for 4years. A tip is earned not obligated. If you decide to eat here, be prepared to know you will be tipping for terrible service.

Bottomless mimosas for $22 is quite the star of the show here during brunch. Our server was really nice and on top of the drink refills she didn't even sweat it that we had a minor spill incident and refilled it so quick. My group went with a couple of savory dishes and one sweet. My favorite dish was the birria sopes because it was flavorful, the textures were great and the portion was plenty.

Excellent food & drinks ( la Rosales hibiscus is sweet, margaritas are flavored) Nice atmosphere & service Just minimal parking

Came here for dinner about a month ago the food was good and flavorful. However I thought it was a bit too "gourmet" for me and it was on the pricy side. I honestly would pick a quick taco shop over gourmet but it's good to try new things. We got the birria tacos, pulpo, and memelitas. All the food was good and had fancy presentation. I also got the jalapeno infused mezcal which was pretty lol.

Everything on the menu is delicious. GET THE BEANS! Cute space. They ask if you want another mimosa before you need to ask when you participate in the bottomless mimosas. Jalapeño margarita and Lamb Birria tacos are where it's at. 10/10

I just had one of the most delicious ribeyes I have ever had !!! Sorry I forgot the pic before hehe I was hungry but 100/10

Had brunch with family, great place to take your family and pupper. I ordered myself a pork rib dish that is delicious, the pork fell off the bone nicely. The flavor is there and love the good balance of acidity and porky flavors. Our server was friendly and helped my parents order some dishes with their suggestions of liking.

Food and drinks super delicious. Richies service was the best and super good guy, always checking up on us! Love the vibe here! Would come again!

I am leaving this Review for the NEW North Park location...WOW!!! Excellent OAX menu served beautifully and the remodel of this space felt like CDMX--great service from Saul and Alex--excellent presentation. We'll be back!

Visited on a Friday afternoon, the place was not busy at all. I think most people were seated outdoors. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. Our server immediately came over to greet us. The staff is fast and friendly. The food: Started with the ceviche- it was good but the cucumber to fish ratio was not good. I would skip it. Short rib mole was good. Considering I've never had mole with anything other than chicken, the short rib was really nice. Costillas en salsa verde- the ribs had a lot of meat, definitely meat forward and perfect if you have an appetite. The sauce was really good, and well balanced with the meat. Solid spot for some mole and costillas en salsa verde.

This location we visited was in the Hillcrest area. 1. Paid street parking only 2. Indoor and outdoor area. It was cold but our group of 7 braved the outside and they kept it warm that it was not an issue and besides the outdoor area is so light and airy 3. Food - adequate portions and beautiful presentations Worth a visit!

Updated review: 6/2/2024 Just got back from Cocina De Barrio after having ordered the Mole Negro con Pollo and it was delicious and perfectly cooked. It came with a side of rice with a really small amount of beans mixed in and it was delicious. There were also nicely cut potatoes which perfectly complemented the chicken w mole. This plate comes with fresh tortillas with an oja Santa and they are delicious. Can't wait to come back! 5 stars yet again for the food, service and ambiance! 1/24/2020 Cocina de Barrio is excellent and the food transports you to Oaxaca with its authentic regional flavors. There are plenty of mole dishes as one would expect since mole comes from Oaxaca and here they are perfectly made and tasty. My wife and I came for lunch and ordered the Huitlacoche quesadillas as an appetizers and I order the chilaquiles rojos while my wife ordered chicken with red mole. We were both floored by the artistic presentation of the food as well as the excellent flavors. We were instantly transported to the amazing family vacation we had a few years ago in Oaxaca as we ate our way through Oaxaca's best restaurants. The food here is that good.

Nice ambiance in Hillcrest. They have an indoor and enclosed patio. Service was good. We enjoyed the chicken tortilla soup and the fish.

I went to the Point Loma location with some girlfriends for Brunch/lunch. The menu had an amazing variety of unusual items, and the bar menu of cocktails was vast and exotic. I had the Birria tacos which were juicy, flavorful and scrumptious. I also had a white sangria, which was refreshing and delicious. My friends had Mexican egg dishes that they enjoyed and the bottomless Mimosa flight. They loved the variety of mimosa flavors. The best part of the visit was the fantastic service we got from our server, Alberto. He was friendly, polite, knowledgeable and helpful in every way. He took great care of us and he is worth asking for! He is special! Can't wait to revisit the restaurant again and try something new!

Wow! I am so impressed with Cocina de Barrio. You walk in and decor inside is immediately striking. The service was quick, attentive, friendly, and helpful-- what more could you ask for? The food though. Now that's where it's at. We ordered the Robalo al Ajillo (sea bass) and the Sopes Benny (lamb birria benedict on top of sopes) and both were distinctly delicious. They were really robust in flavor, not too greasy (which can happen with birria), and generous portions (especially the sea bass). My husband and I both LOVED it!

Amazing!! Cocina de bario is one of my favorite brunch places in SD. I've only been twice, but both times my entire party was satisfied with the food and service. The Mexican food is done right here! I love getting their chilaquiles rojos and the bottomless mimosas They have about 6 different flavors you can rotate through. Mango and Jamaica are my go to's but you can't go wrong with any of them - especially when they come out with that little flower . The restaurant itself is also very pretty and makes me want to dress up but you can def come comfy.

Cocina de Barrio was not what we had expected upon walking in to check in for our reservations. The inside seemed quite casual but the outside dining was more of a vibe with the dimmer lighting, bar, and music. There were long rectangular heat lamps on top of each table which kept the temperature very comfortable on a cold evening. Ceviche Robalo & Xoconostle ($17): Prickly pear and lime seabass with sliced cucumber, red onion, chiles, avocado, and cilantro served with blue corn tostada on the side. The flavor fell flat here as we needed to add a bit more lime juice and salt to adjust. Esquites Con Camaron ($18): MUST ORDER! Corn with mayo, lime juice, Chile, and queso fresco topped with shrimp. Wow, this was absolutely delicious and definitely the best item we ordered. Spicy, creamy, sweet - all within one dish that tastes great alone or with the blue corn tostada we got from the ceviche! Tacos De Birria ($14): 3 tacos with blue corn tortilla, shredded beef birria, pickled onions, beets, and queso fresco. I was thinking the tacos would come with a side of consume for the barrio but it didn't - overall the tacos itself were decent but I think the beef lacked a bit of salt. Quesadillas de Huitlacoche ($18): Initially we were going to order 5x the amount since w had a party of 9 but our server suggested 3 first for a total of 6 mini quesadilla's. Unfortunately, no one in our party was a fan of the quesadilla, particularly as it got very soggy by the mole sauce. Seems like it would defeat the presentation but I'd ask for the mole on the side. Restaurant seems like it could be a poppin' spot at night with the outdoor ambiance but it closes at 9:30pm which we were quite surprised. Though it was closing as we were finishing up, we never felt rushed - service was great and accommodating for our larger party.

If you're ever in North Park, do yourself a favor and make your way to Cocina de Barrio. The food is incredible, but what really takes the experience to the next level is Richie as a servier Richie is an absolute rockstar! From the moment we sat down, he greeted us with a smile and a list of drink suggestions that sounded too good to pass up. I started with the "Shake your Pom Pom," and wow!!!

The food was so good. The guacamole was so delicious. Fresh made tortillas made it all even better. No complaints here. I had an agua santa cocktail sooo delicious. Definitely will be going back.

For an upscale brunch experience in the heart of Hillcrest, check out Cocina de Barrio. Excellent service, cocktails, and food. Be sure to enjoy one of their Mexican craft beers with some mazapán pancakes!

Great food and cocktails. The service was quick and it was easy to get a reservation. I've been for brunch and dinner and both meals were great! Highly recommend!

service was good and fast. food was delicious and had a beautiful presentation. first time in and first place we visited from getting off our flight. we are from out of town and have bookmarked this place to come again! stay chido! :)

This place does not give the taco stand vibe, it is a full service Oaxacan Mexican restaurant. There is a full bar. Me and two others were seated and agreed to share everything. First came our cocktails - Jalisco express, Agra Santa, and a Jalapeño margarita. All were beautiful and a tad light on the liquor, but boy did it deliver in balanced flavor! As someone who is used to strong drinks, this was a refreshing change where flavor came before booze content. Our first course were the taquitos and esquites (street corn off the cob) with shrimp. The taquitos were nothing special and the tortilla wrapping was far too thick for my taste. This however, was more than made up for by the street corn with shrimp. I love a good street corn, and when I ordered I felt the shrimp was an unnecessary fancification of a classic, but I was flat out wrong. The already delicious street corn was seriously elevated by the addition of that perfectly seasoned and cooked shrimp. The mains that we ordered were all good to amazing. The pork ribs in salsa verde was good, but nothing special. The short ribs in black mole was excellent - shreddable but not dry rib meat covered in a delicious mole that was slightly sweet, tangy and had charcoal notes (in a good way). The best dish of the night however, was the lamb shank. It was cooked perfectly and covered in a chilieajo sauce (chiles and garlic) that was mind blowing. I will be returning, it is a tad on the expensive side, and there are meh items, but I think if you know what to order and are prepared for the sticker, you're going to have a fantastic meal.

I came here 2x in a span of a 2 weeks and both experiences were good. I got the chilaquiles verdes the first time, then the ceviche robalo and tampiquena the second visit. All 3 were delicious, I recommend getting any one of them. The tampiquena had tender steak and the cilantro lime rice was also savory. The sauce they used was light and refreshing, so it didn't feel very heavy even with the amount of steak it had. I got the cafe de olla drink and I just did not like it. The alcohol was overpowering and the drink was bland. I was a little nervous to send it back, but our server was really nice and got me a regular mexican coffee instead. The outside patio was nice and very open, so it was a good temperature.

The service was top tier. Always checking on our coffees, seeing if we needed anything and making sure everything came out well. Very nice and clean restaurant. Great place for brunch. Highly recommend. The arroz con leche were perfect, not too sweet, sweet enough. The mole was a great mix of spice and sweet.

Bottomless mimosas are amazing. They allow you to choose between different juices. The food is out of this world. Came for my birthday and received a birthday cake, not sure what the favor was but it was the best cake I've never had at a restaurant. The brunch options are many and amazing!

This place was pretty fantastic. We were set up at the little private dining room, in the back... our waiters were attentive, friendly, and handsome. The menu was delicious, everything we got (we tried each others' things) was awesome. The aguachile with a mango flair was one of the best things I've had. Cocktails were excellent. Honestly, just A+ all around. I'm craving their tlayuda right now, as I'm typing this. Quite worth checking out!