Miguel's Cocina

Chips, salsa and white sauce. End of the review 🤣 But seriously everything on the menu is fantastic. Over the years I've had pretty much every single item on the menu and haven't ever been disappointed. So here's what I suggest you do: eat as many chips and white sauce as you can, have a margarita or similar, order what you'll want to eat for your next meal, have a bit because it's sooooooooooooo good, then boom leftovers as a fantastic next meal. If you're at the Old Town location it's perfect to walk off the full belly. Margaritas are great. Service is phenomenal and the atmosphere is one of a kind. Oh and pro tip, the appetizers are enough to share.

I've been coming here for years and will keep coming back. I had the tres tacos this time, the wife had the grande tostada. When our server brought it out my wife exclaimed, oh my! Yes it was big. More importantly it was so good, all of it. I always get the lemon press. For dessert we topped it off wife the deep fried ice cream, the wife approved. I've been here all different times, midweek, weekends, day and night. Always good food. Thank you for making our anniversary a great time to remember. We'll be back again.

I've been going to Miguel's for the last 4-5 years and I've never had any issues with the food or service. Recently I went to have early dinner and ordered the chicken fajitas and the season or marinade was spicy for my liking. Our waiter Chris went above and beyond and offered to bring me a new plate with no spicy marinade. He ensured everything was okay and came by often to check how we were doing. Thank you Chris for taking care of us!!

Great happy hour specials. Drinks were so tasty and made with fresh ingredients. The steak fajitas were the best I've ever had. The steak and veggies were seasoned and grilled to perfection. Dip and guacamole was also delicious.

Moving from California to Tennessee I haven't had good Mexican food In a while. This place does boast that they've won " best Mexican food in San Diego " for over 20 years and best margaritas. Their Chile relleno and carne asada were legit.

We went to Miguel’s during Halloween, it’s was a busy night so the service was a bit slow but we expected that, what I really love is that regardless of the rush, the staff was friendly and the food was delicious and hot, they were able to do modifications and checked on us often, a lot of people was dressed in costumes and it was a nice spot to people watch in the heart of old town San Diego during the busiest days of the year 🎃

It is located in Old San Diego. The area was very touristy. We took a nice long walk around the are after eating. The staff were very nice and prompt. The food came out super fast. The chicken nachos were everything I expected. I ordered the swordfish tacos. I really liked the spices that were added.

Love the vibe of this place..ambience is really pretty..food is also very good in taste n portion size is quite big..evry thing is great

Food was gone-nothing left to take home, I had the Junior combo. My go to -a good green chili relleno, and the Moscow Mule, strong! So during happy hour- our party was 7 and one toddler for a birthday occasion. We were charged the 20% party service fee- I couldn't find that policy anywhere but consider they found us a table within 10 minutes-on Labor Day! Food was timely, came by a few times to check on us, refill chips and water I'd say it was all worth it!

Do not bother ordering the enchiladas. I ordered enchiladas suizas, the salsa verde sauce was not good and the chicken was dry and bland. The beans and rice were bland as well. The only thing they had going for them were the chips and salsa. Our server seemed indifferent to us. Boyfriend ordered a coke and the server brought out a Pepsi. He didn't let us know beforehand that they don't carry coke products. Not a big deal but it's common courtesy to disclose that. Boyfriend requested to sub the beef for chicken in his enchiladas and was brought out beef anyways. We ate 25% of our plates and left. If you enjoy enchiladas, this isn't your spot. Do not recommend.

10 of us came here at the suggestion of a friend, and he gets a congratulations. We were able to park in a lot behind the restaurant so that was the first "yes!" I got chicken fajitas and they were very good, and everyone enjoyed their meal. The server was very good and sitting outside we could see the neighborhood and people walking down the street in Oldtown, which we did after our meal. Would definitely recommend this restaurant next time you're in San Diego

Great experience for lunch at Miguel's today. First off, it's so nice to have parking. The restaurant is beautiful and we had great service with Karen. The food is delicious and sizes are generous to say the least. Real homemade flavors and great ingredients, we left very happy!

Came back with my mom for some lunch and we loved it here. The food was delicious. Soooo good. This burrito trio was so tasty and a great way to taste a little bit of everything. As pictured, the chips and dips were also a total hit

First time here and I ordered off The Happy Hour Menu. You can choose to sit outside or inside. The service was awesome from Chris & coworkers Tory & Anissa or Alicia or Alicyia. I'm mad I forgot her name. The food was so good I'm satisfied and happy. I will be back. The place looked clean and was well kept together.

Its been a while since I had dinner at Miguel's. I was prepared to revisit. Aesthetically, the place was wonderful, right in the heart of old town, during christmas season was very spectacular. Price point was good. My 1 complaint and maybe I should've gave instructions prior, I dont like cold food. I know it gets busy but figure it out. My sister had fajitas that weren't sizzling like the other we observed. Just a bit of a let down. Taste was good. Temp was not.

We usually eat at the Point Loma location but we came to see the play at the cygnet theatre in old Town so we had lunch here today. Service was excellent and so was the food. I docked it a star because the bathroom was out of toilet paper. My husband had the shrimp omelette smothered in white sauce and the potatoes cooked with loads of chorizo. A rich and filling meal that he took half home. Loads of shrimp and cooked Peppers. The carne asada taco was delicious and smothered in guacamole. I took the swordfish taco home for another meal. Love their refried beans!

I love the albondigas soup at Miguel's. For Happy Hour they offer a very large portion for a very reasonable price. Of course the margaritas are always good also. Although we were inside this time, this location has a beautiful outdoor patio. Sorry I didn't get a photo this time.

We could have chosen to go to so many other wonderful places in Old Town but wanted to have fish tacos that I've always liked at Miguel's along with their white chip sauce. Wish we would have gone somewhere else now . My husband and I were so disappointed. The salad I ordered was like two days old limp yuck! The fish tacos came and were almost warm. Sent them back and they brought two more ....same thing - cold. Because my husband was so hungry he ate them and immediately had a stomach ache!!! We will never go back there ever! The manager didn't even have the courtesy to come to oppology! Done/ out / good residence!!

Conveniently located tourist restaurant. The ambiance is great but if you're looking for authentic Mexican food this is not the place. Service was also practically non existent.

Good service. The raspberry mojito could have used a little more raspberry flavor though. I got the taco trio and subbed the chicken mole taco for the fish taco, it was a good but basic taco. The shrimp on the shrimp taco was amazing. Loved the flavor of the pork belly but the sauce was way too spicy. The queso was great.

Have been here a few times but most recently went here for a family dinner. We had a reservation since it was the weekend, but even though we arrived late, they were still quite accommodating and able to seat us. Upon arrival you are given complimentary chips with queso and salsa although they took a while to reach our table. Service was a bit slow throughout the night but that's to be expected with every table full. That said, our food did come out surprisingly fast. Most importantly they have great drinks and large portions, essentials for a relaxed dinner like this. For starters, our party ordered the strawberry margarita, a regular margarita with an addition of their featured tequila, and a virgin piña colada. Quick note: they serve their margaritas on the rocks and you need to request to have it blended. The piña colada is a generous size served with a big swirl of whipped cream and a cherry on top. Next for the food: - the ceviche - two carne asada plates - Barb's caesar salad The ceviche had a nice amount of seafood, but the citrus was overpowering. I would've liked more avocado throughout the dish instead of just one large piece on top to balance the flavor better. The carne asada plates came with your choice of tortilla (we went with flour) and choice of bean (ordered one with refried, one with black). Overall, it was tasty but the quality of the meat could have been better, it was a little tough and could've been marinated longer. Barb's caesar is huge and comes with a lot of protein. It could be shared by two or three people. The meat and shrimp were both well seasoned. Being seated on their deck let's you look out over old town. You get to see all the decorated tour buses pass by as well as hear different music playing. A super fun atmosphere that still let's you chat with your party. It can be a hassle to find parking though so be aware if you're coming on a weekend. The restaurant has a small parking lot but I've never seen it not full. Expect to have to find street parking or pay for a parking garage nearby.

Guy got little upset when I sent my Del Taco burrito style back. I asked for a real burrito. You see what I say in my picture. I asked for cheese. There was some inside but none on the top. There was not a lot of meat either. Asked for cherry juice for my Pepsi. He never brought there cherry juice. So, I went to the bar and got it myself. He never came to refill my Pepsi. I went to the bar to refill it. The place is busy. People seem to like their food. They have a good selection of beer and other alcohol. The outside is not very noise even with so many people talking Place is very nice. And they have good heaters out side. Nice and warm.

Started out good - we got a table and delicious chips + salsa right away (the guy who delivered our chips was not our actual waiter). However, we had to wait forever for our waiter to come to our table and take our drinks order. It was around 20 minutes. Once our waiter came, they were kind and did apologize for the wait. It was just very frustrating because we shouldn't have to wait 20 minutes just to order water and other drinks (also our mouths were on fire because of the spicy salsa and obviously we didn't have water). Important to note, this was just OUR experience. The table next to us, their waiter, was very efficient and they got their drinks and food without any wait. Also, the food overall was fine and the restaurant decor was festive.

I came here last week with a couple of friends for some drinks and food while we caught up. My friend made a reservation, so it was very easy to get in on a busy Friday night. Definitely recommend making a reservation if you can. We receded right away, even though we were waiting for our last friend to arrive. One thing to note is that the parking is rather difficult on the weekends. Although Miguel's has a small parking lot in the back, it is extremely limited, so don't rely on it. Street parking is definitely possible, especially if you are willing to walk. I was able to parallel park, but my friend paid $6 for a parking structure nearby. I did enjoy the complementary chips, which came with queso and salsa. (Personally, I liked the queso more.) The service was good and attentive--our chips were restocked very quickly. The serving size of the dishes were generous, especially the plates that came with rice and beans. I also ordered the piña colada, which was sweet and just my type of drink! Overall, it's a solid place. Nothing really stood out to me, but it will definitely satisfy your craving for Mexican food. Then again, there are lots of places around Old Town!

Food was ok. Nothing special. The swordfish tacos didn't have flavor. The pork belly tacos were delicious though. Service was nothing special. Typical service, take order, drop off food, ask for check. Server never asked if we needed anything. It felt like upscale taco shop.

Straight GAS as the kids would say. This place always hits those Mexican sit down of yesteryear vibes. I ordered the paradilla with three meats: carne asada, shrimp and chorizo. The real star was the grilled veggies that accompanied the meal. They were fresh and very tasty. Can't fail to mention the free cheese sauce and great service. $28 meal was well worth it.

Food was amazing, service was fantastic. We had a lovely time with our family after a long day at the zoo. Great ambiance and all round experience. Highly recommend!

This is usually a great place to visit for Taco Tuesday! Tonight not so much. I arrived at 8:00pm and was surprised it wasn't busy at all. It's usually very busy in Old Town. I had the fajitas supremo, a pollo asada taco and a passion fruit margarita. The food was delicious, especially the fajitas. The chips, salsa & jalapeno white sauce always so good! The service wasn't good. Not sure if they were short staffed, it wasn't because they were busy. Had to get up and look for the waitress to get my check. I'd come back because the service is usually good. This is a great place to people watch. .

This is a colorful, busy, full of life restaurant. The menu has so many options and the happy hour has some fantastic deals! You get complimentary chips, salsa and queso! The salsa is chunky and full of flavor. I could drink the queso and the chips are light and fresh. I ordered the guacamole which was just made but I felt needed some more salt and lime. I then had the enchiladas suizas. They were tangy, a large portion and really good. I also had the house margarita and the rim was with Tajin. It was light and so quenching. This was a great experience and I will be back!

Situated in Old Town amongst many Mexican restaurants, Miguel's Cocina is a very good pick. We came on a Sunday night and were seated very quickly with the choice of indoor or outdoor seating. The restaurant is rather large and is a good place for big parties and I suspect they make fresh tortillas in one of the areas, which is always fun to see. Service was quick and efficient and our food came out within a few minutes. Tonight's selection of food included the chicken chimichanga and Los Tres Amigos consisting of chicken mole, shrimp and pork belly. I thoroughly enjoyed my taco selection, especially the pork belly and the portion was large. Overall a good experience and I would recommend Miguel's to visitors and locals alike.

So they told us we could take our doggy in the patio. We ordered drinks and it took FOREVER. Then when she finally showed up she said my doggy could not sit on my lap that he had to be on the ground. So my teeny tiny doggy wasn't having it so we left. Found another place to eat where my doggy could sit on my lap. Byeeee

Always a great experience! Food is always on point! Good service and overall good ambiance! I always looking forward to my visits!

Very busy place. The atmosphere is in the town so it's fun. The food is good, I would try a different item next time. We mad a reservation. You could sit inside or outdoors or a patio type arrangement which more to my liking. This notes from a previous time

I've have not been here for a while anyways the housevwine is trash but ok nothing to complain got the margarita well happy hour prices are very good and they give you enough to get full. Marg is all triple sec and nothing else had to go back to the WINE

Food was amazing and came out really quick. We got the carne asada burrito, fish tacos, and flautas to share. Food came out really quick and service was amazing. The restaurant was clean and not too crowded with both inside and outdoor seating!

Went to this place for dinner after visiting fiesta de Reyes in old town. I have tried this restaurant in past at other location but somehow I was disappointed this time with food quality. I ordered cheese quesadillas for my kid which she enjoyed and portebella mushroom fajitas, I was expected to be sizzler style and hot but it was not like that and I tried flatbread which was ok too. We also have to ask for spoons multiple times so we could start our meal. May be will try again in future.

We celebrated our anniversary here, and it was absolutely wonderful! The food is authentic Mexican cuisine--flavorful, fresh, and delicious. Ian was our server, and he went above and beyond to make our experience special. We truly felt taken care of. This place is a gem, and we'll definitely be coming back!

This is about the happy hour. The priced are great, and I had a delicious albondigas soup. You can enjoy it anywhere in the restaurant, and they have a dedicated parking lot, which is a great feature in congested Old Town.

Located in Old Town, parking can be a pain. There is street parking and paid parking. Service is friendly. Staff is nice. Ambiance in and outside the restaurant was lively. It was a Saturday night. Food is basic. Huge portions, though. Prices are a bit on the high side.

Popped in here for a margarita and dessert for the kiddos. Cool vibe and the kids absolutely destroyed the lava cake. I appreciated the kind service despite only having some small bites.

Absolutely incredible food, fresh hot tortillas chips and salsa (on the house!), and a lady making home made tortillas in the middle of the restaurant. The music and ambiance really ties it all together. Special shoutout to our incredible server, Stephanie: wonderful suggestions, very attentive, super friendly, and all around just an amazing person who made our first time visit all the more special! We are local to San Diego, we will definitely be back!

In my trip to San Diego, one of my vendors took us out to this place. It's located in old town of San Diego. The place was busy. Since we were in a very large group, the back was reserved for us. I ordered my usual old fashioned which was a plus on my book. For appetizers, I had the queso fondido. It had shrimp and chorizo, let me tell you, it was soooo good. Later I had the enchiladas. They were good, but I love it when the beans and rice is seasoned well. The server was good, he checked up on us frequently and got everything we needed Overall: this is another good place that I would go again when I'm old town. I would also get the queso fondido

Great food and great service with complimentary salsa and queso! The passionfruit marg was yummy!

Labor Day weekend. We walked into Miguel's for drinks and a light dinner. The waiter was 45min but there was immediate seating at the bar with full service. Our waiter was busy-understandable given the weekend. However, we had to wait until he even acknowledged us. He brought chips and the drinks we ordered. He didn't come back. Then when he couldn't find who ordered 2 meals that came out he as much as accused us of ordering them. He never asked us if we wanted to order food or another drink. Our service was so bad. I don't think I will set foot in a Miguel's again! Management needs to approach this issue.

My husband and I are oescavegan. Our waiter bent over backwards to accommodate us. We had an ahi tuna taco, two salmon tacos, black beans and a side of guacamole. Everything was seasoned and cooked perfectly. A treasure in Old Town!

After a nice walking tour of Old Town, we had a nice wind down at happy hour here. Recommend a few things from the happy hour specials. The kids LOVED this meal. We ordered starters from the happy hour menu and were so full we didn't end up ordering no more. All happy hour items are $7. Best listed first: - Happy hour sopes - shredded beef: small but packed with flavor - happy hour nachos - shredded beef: big serving - happy hour margaritas - I ordered mine half salt and half tajin on the rocks. They can do blended if you want. Did not enjoy: - calamari - these were strips that had neither flavor or delicate texture. We didn't end up really eating this... Free chips, salsa and cheese dip. Kids had a ball with these. -- Came back 2 days later to order again: - 3 shredded beef sopes - shredded beef nachos So good! And to try 2 Moscow mules - like the tajin margaritas better!

Another great experience at Miguel's. My family and I had lunch on Christmas Eve. Service was amazing! The food is always fabulous. My son loved the surf and turf burrito. It was huge! My 21 year old couldn't finish it. The octopus tacos were so good! I love the unique dishes Miguel's offers. My grandson loves the kids bean and cheese burrito. I'll keep coming back as often as possible. Miguel's is great!

Excellent meal and service, outstanding food and very polite servers! An fantastic experience

Good mexican food, good service, pretty speedy to get seated (even without a reservation) and food came out quickly. I really liked the steak fajitas, there were 4 tortillas and enough meat and grilled onions and peppers for leftovers the next day. My parents enjoyed the ceviche, taco plates, while my child swears by the fried ice cream (which is shareable but she almost managed to take down the entire thing by herself). Best Mexican in Old Town, but maybe that's because people keep dragging me to other sub-par nearby locations. When the bar is set low, that's Miguel's moment to shine!

If you want oily tacos that are literally DRIPPING in oil come here. Even my daughter's quesadilla was oily. I couldnt even eat my food from how oily my tacos were I had to ask for an extra plate just so my tacos wouldn't be drenched in oil from everything dripping. I used to love this place but it's off my list from now on

Migiels Cocina is located in the Historic Old Town San Diego. Been here once before after visiting relatives in the area. The atmosphere is nice with Spanish music playing, the waitresses are attentive. We started with the Shrimp and scallops Ceviche and some house Guacamole which I might add was very good. My main course was Beef Enchiladas Rancheras with Rice and Beans, delicious. My family enjoyed their meal as well.

When you share a border with Mexico... You better bring your A game in the Kitchen. Well Miguel... Your Cocina (kitchen in español) definitely brought their A GAME! ------------------------ The first week of April 2024, my wife & I went down to San Diego with our 3 kids to enjoy their Spring Break from school. Our plan for the trip was all about going to SeaWorld, hitting the pool and of course..... FOOOOOD!!!! And when in San Diego, you know we are gonna get our Mexican On! We took a short drive from our hotel and decided to see what Old Town S.D. had to offer. After perusing Yelp, Miguel's Cocina looked promising and so off we went! And if you have read ANY of my other reviews on ANY Mexican restaurant I've been to... YOU KNOW damn well... I AM ALL ABOUT THE CHIPS AND SALSA!!!!!! You mess that part up, it's game over! Well, 2 minutes after being seated.... All my dreams came true!! (Plus a bonus) The bonus you ask: A side of Queso!!! Ummmmm....game changer?? !!!HELL YESSS!!! New Rule: Queso is a musto from now on-o. (Spanglish) lol From there... 2 margaritas for my wife, 1 Mexican beer with a lime for me and we were living our best life! And it only got better from there. We didn't plan this but.... Not on was it April 2nd (a Tuesday) but it was now Officially a TACO TUESDAY!!! And what's better than a Taco Tuesday you ask??? A Taco Tuesday during Happy Hour!!!!!!! See! I told you it only got better from there. Needless to say, we didn't hold back! Fresh Guac! Taquitos! Carne Asada! Carne Adobada! A huge bowl Albondigas Soup! And chicken strips with beans & rice for the kids! True story: Halfway through the meal, I looked at my wife, she looked at me and I said, "I'm stuffed!!" Lol. I guess my EYES, were bigger than my stomach. Check my pics below, & you can see our mini feast. Our server was very sweet, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed (sorry I didn't catch her name). But kudos to her and the cooks in Cocina! So.... Next time you are in San Diego, it's a Tuesday, and it's happy hour.... Promise me that you are coming to Miguel's Cocina in Old Town!!

Good spot overall but please, whatever you do, do not order the house margarita that's $10.00. It's a borderline abomination that Miguel's Cocina serves margarita mix margs that are bright green and gross...

Ish... with so many choices in Old Town this would not be first on our list. Service was good enough. Empanadas were freezer to fryer.

Brother and Sister brought my family here as they were hyping it up. Came here after a lousy day at SeaWorld and just grubbed on the chips and salsa, happy hour tacos, and had a bite of my sisters Ahi Tuna tacos that were incredible. Great spot!

My fiancee and I were exploring Old Town and came by for some lunch. The waitress was really friendly and checked in on us throughout the meal. We got the black bean & corn enchiladas, the shrimp quesadilla, and some drinks. Our food was out quick, the portions were generous, and everything was delicious. Great spot for flavorful food, a killer blackberry mojito, and awesome service!

I had never been inside Old Town. My husband and I were spending a weekend in San Diego. We decided this restaurant as our place to have dinner for the night. I ordered a spicy watermelon margarita. It was good but didn't taste like watermelon much. I did not like the chips at all. Which was disappointing because everything else was so good! The queso fundido was soo good! One of the best I have ever tried. And my husband and I shared Fajitas. We got steak,pork and mushrooms. It was so yummy!