Old Town Mexican Cafe

Authentic Mexican Experience – A Must-Visit! If you’re looking for truly authentic Mexican food, this place is a hidden gem! The atmosphere feels like you’ve stepped straight into Mexico – even most of the staff speak only Spanish, which adds to the charm and authenticity. The menu is huge, with an incredible variety of dishes to choose from. Everything is made fresh to order, and you can absolutely taste the difference. The tortillas are handmade right on-site, and they’re some of the best I’ve ever had – soft, warm, and full of flavor. It does get very crowded, especially in the evenings and on weekends, so I definitely recommend making a reservation if you want to avoid a long wait. That said, the food is more than worth it. Highly recommended – this spot is a must for anyone who loves real Mexican cuisine!

This is one of many restaurant choices in Old Town San Diego. We arrived at 6pm on a Sat evening. Parking was tight. The food was delicious, the server was efficient, and we waited 15 min to be seated. The tortillas are made fresh daily on premises, and you can watch the process. Definitely a great bite out.

The flour tortillas were the reason we ate here, they did not disappoint. The tortillas are being freshly handmade. There is a long wait time for a table and food. The service was great. The atmosphere was quite noisy and I could not hear my party. The carnitas were okay.

This place was recommended by a buddy and man was he right. I knew we were in for a treat when we saw the ladies making fresh tortillas in the window. This place is an all-time classic in Old Town. It is legitimate Mexican food just inside the border of the US. The Carnitas were the best that I have ever had anywhere. The service was super attentive with reasonable prices. Very friendly staff and large capacity for any party. We enjoyed little mans first birthday.

I love the old school look and feel of the restaurant and is it ever a machine - you will be shoved in and out and through as quickly as possible. Service is just OK, they are clearly only held accountable to turning tables. Food is average and clearly flavored for tourists. I have to imagine there are much better options for Mexican in San Diego.

Amazing place and has lots of great memories for me with family and friends since I've been going there since the late 70's. I spent the afternoon wandering around Old Town working up an appetite. Since traveling over 6k miles to enjoy great mexican food and drinks, I chose to go to OTMC. As i arrived at my destination, I knew I was home seeing the fresh tortillas being made in the front widow kitchen. It puts a big smile on my face, seeing nothing has changed over the years. The food, service, and atmosphere are spot on every time I've been there. A real authentic Mexico flavor without crossing the border. Usually packed during weekends & dinner, so make reservations in advance. I typically like the patio, but this last visit, I decided to sit at the bar, which i thoroughly enjoyed chatting up the bar tender and people watching. I sat down at the bar with no wait since it was a little after the lunch crowd period. I started with an ice cold great mexican beer, modelo especial. Then, I decided to order more food than several people could eat, just to scratch that craving I've had for great mexican food. No Texmex here, baby. The experience was exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you, OTMC owners and staff, for not bending to the times, where most establishments are cutting quantity and quality and losing their way. Thank you for delivering exactly what I remembered, a great family-friendly environment ,service, and quality authentic mexican food. A great business model that works and sustains the test of time.

Been coming to Old Town Mexican Cafe for decades. However, since I moved to Kentucky, I think I've been once in the last 15 years until tonight. Not much has changed. It's still very, very busy. Still noisy. But come on, those homemade tortillas? Hot, fresh and amazing. Chips and salsa also great. I got the Chile Verde Plate. The pork was so tender and sauce was so good without being too spicy. My brother had the Chili Colorado Plate--equally as good. Our server did a great job. Wish they had a place like this in KY. Worth the wait!!!

Absolutely LOVE this place!!! Been coming here for decades. Always the best authentic Mexican food. The carnitas, chile rellenos & enchiladas are family favorites and the homemade flour & corn tortillas are just like my abuelita made back in the day...SOOO DELICIOUS!!! 😋 Mas mejor!!! 🌯🌮🍹🍻

My sister and grandchildren were visiting from Chicago and we decided to go to the beach. I live in Palm Springs. My sister, the kids , my son and myself were very pleased with everything. The food, service and vibe was excellent. The homemade flour tortillas was the best!

The servers were wonderful, making sure the chips and drinks were filled while waiting for your food. The food took about 45-50m so be prepared to wait. The indoor patio was well heated but a bit warm the closer you are to the heaters. There is a bar inside and on the patio. Had the street tacos with all the meat options. The only recommendation I would have would be to ask for the onions on the side. It was not evenly distributed and one was covered in onions. Overall the food was good, recommend stopping by. They have parking that fills up.

If the wait at Cafe Coyote is way too long, this spot is a great go-to! Had a fun brunch with my girls here and enjoyed some tacos and margaritas on a bright Sunday morning. Parking is a little difficult considering it is Old Town and everything is close together, but I didn't have as much trouble finding a spot on the hill next to Heritage Park. Otherwise, there wasn't a wait time for the three of us and we enjoyed some fish, carnitas, and chicken tacos and I was craving so badly, so I also got the albondigas soup that comes with their homemade tortillas. Everything hit the spot and actually hit it too good that I felt stuffed by the time we finished up brunch. I had a horchata margarita concoction that I guess isn't actually available to order anymore but the waiter was nice enough to get me something made that was close to it and I loved it! It was exactly what I wanted which was a boozy horchata with a cinnamon sugar rim. Overall, I enjoyed my time here. The vibes were vibing, and the food and drinks were delicious! I'll definitely be back.

probably the best chicken taco i have ever had. really loved how fresh the corn and flour tortillas were and the verde salsa was very good as well. i found that the guacamole was a bit under salted/spiced and was a bit disappointed by that the restaurant is very large so the ambiance will depend on where you end up getting seated and the waiter we had was very lovely. i would recommend either getting the one plate that serves two starts with an M but im blanking on it right now or getting five chicken tacos because it was that good and getting a chicken taco right is hard

Housemade fresh tortillas. BOTH corn & flour. This, & the Crispy Carnitas plate is what makes us come back here for time & time again. Consistent solid delicious hit-your-Mexican-food craving spot goodness. The fact that you can actually see tortilla-making artisans knead out that yummy goodness dough is something in your gut/belly that you can surely trust. And the servers & hosts are nice and efficient. The ambiance is super casual too; where they have indoor/outdoor options. I like how this place isn't super touristy where they have mariachis that play for tips and come back to the table and doesn't have photographers trying to take your pics for souvenir mementos you can take home like the other Mexican Restaurant next to this place that's always super busy. You can simply just enjoy your Mexican food in peace.

Where has this restaurant been? We arrived at 8:30 pm, they close at 9:00. We really just wanted to try the homemade tortillas so asked if we could share a plate and order 10 extra flour tortillas. AMAZING! The jamaica was so good, not overly sweet. We took the recommended flan and bunuelos to go and laughed as we moaned while eating in the car. Servers were gracious, helpful and friendly. The venue is lovely and they're remodeling. We told them we'd be back to try more plates and to see the new look.

Authentic Mexican food for dinner is always a sure way to a fine meal. I ordered these shrimp tacos and they were delicious, with some spice. Probably a bit too much spice for my toddler's, but they were yummy. I ordered a couple cocktails, but the presentation was not there. I'm pretty sure they used the same glasses that you'd serve water in, and I don't remember a garnish. The flavor was ok. There are better places for cocktails than here. The service was slow. We had to keep flagging down our waiter. It was a weekend night, so it was busy and crowded. The noise level was LOUD. On top of the loud music, you also hear take out orders over a loud speaker. That just kind of changed the vibe for me a bit. I'd recommend this spot for take out, but that's it. There are much better sit down spots.

This review is well-deserved and long overdue! Their pozole is simply the best. I tried both the red and white pozole recently, and while the red was good, the white pozole is my absolute favorite--rich, comforting, and perfectly seasoned. Be sure to get a side of beans and their fresh flour tortillas. The tortillas are so soft and warm, sometimes even served fresh while you wait--a thoughtful and delicious touch. The service is usually very good, but Kathy was especially great during my most recent visit. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and full of classic Old Town charm. Old Town Mexican Café is a timeless favorite. Highly recommend!

We went to the Mexican Cafe for a wedding rehearsal dinner. They seated all of us in the Gatden room towards the back of the restaurant. They immediately brought out chips, salsa and huge bowls of guacamole! Then the drinks started to arrive. We were having ao much fun and the restaurant staff was incredible. The food was delicious. I ordered pulled pork carnitas. Sorry I didn't take pictures as you can imagine a LOT was going on. Thank you to the restaurant for accommodating us as keeping it classy! The bride and groom were very happy and had huge smiles on their faces.

Tried the Old Town Mexican Cafe since there is always a long line outside. Waited almost an hour to be seated and the service was incredibly slow. I will say the fresh handmade tortillas were delightful and smell divine as you wait. The atmosphere is authentic traditional Mexican with live mariachis music playing. Overall the food was good but I don't think the wait and slow service was worth it compared to all the other amazing Mexican restaurants San Diego has to offer

We were seated pretty quickly. The waitress was so nice and attentive. The kids meal was huge! The vegan nachos were okay . Wish it came with more veggies. The meat they use taste good. The salsa they use for the chips was so good it was a bit spicy but really good. The michelada was made perfectly! Omg so good. I would go back just for the michelada. But they charge for the Clamato. Which was insane to me.

dinner in old town: Awesome fresh fried chips cant eat just one with two kinds of salsa. We came at the right time with no wait. Now they call parties by name when a table is ready. Doc finished her large bowl of pozole with condiments and quartered limes. Hubs ate all his carne asada and huge glass of horchata. I ate half of my chicken suprema tostada. The fried shell was crunchy and tasty. Our server waa pretty and friendly. There was a wait to get the check but only cuz of the incoming crowd of diners.

The mocajete was amazing, as were the fresh tortillas. Came here for lunch and was seated immediately. I had to stop myself from stuffing my face with the chips & salsa to start. Friend and I ordered tacos and a small mocajete to share. This may be an unpopular opinion, but the tacos were fine but not amazing. I've never had a mocajete and was pleasantly surprised. A hot stone bowl with sizzling food (meats, cheese, veggies). I would highly recommend getting this. The tortillas with it were really good, clearly fresh.

This use the spot to go to if you're in old town San Diego! The food is always very tasty and service is great and it's always fun! We ordered chille verde, tacos, nachos, pozole and molcajete. Their serving size is always generous and's everything is made fresh, not to mention their fresh tortillas!!! Our server was super attentive and quick. He even brought the mariachi band over to sing happy birthday to my boys! This spot will always be one of my faves!!!

I was hangry and leaving SD for home in a few hours so we stopped by old town for some food. I hadn't had any Mexican this trip so I was drawn in by watching the fresh tortillas being made. We were seated quickly and greeted by a friendly and cheerful server, she quickly took our order and let us know we were ordering quite a bit of food (no problem!). We got what my family calls a table enchilada (just an ala carte cheese enchilada), rolled potato tacos with fideo, a crispy carnutas plate, and shrimp fajitas. I also grabbed a bag of fresh tortillas for the plane. The booth we had was tucked away in a dark corner but felt private and cozy.

Good Mexican food... waitress was friendly and very efficient... We eat here almost every time we come.... Parking gets hectic in the afternoons....

Watching the fresh tortillas being made in the windows is what drew us in. During our visit, it was packed and busy. The waiter was friendly, but it was difficult to get his attention because of how busy it was. Forgot to take pictures of all that was ordered but can't say anything in particular stood out. Kiddos ordered carne asada street tacos and p-ollo asado tacos. They said the tacos were fine but noted they've had better. Hubs ordered the carne asada plate and I ordered the carnitas plate. Went with the recommendation and ordered them crispy. The carnitas come with refried beans and a side plate of onions, tomato and avocado slices, cilantro, and lime wedges. At first, the tortillas arrived hot and we're enjoyable especially when eaten with the hot beans. However, the tortillas cooled quickly and became hard. Hubs noted the steak was ok. As for the crispy carnitas, can't say I cared for them. They were too hard and dry, and didn't really have any flavor.

Good food, great service and good flour homemade tortillas. Will be back. Also wanted say Ty for the clear. Restrooms. Says a lot about the cleanliness of place.

I absolutely love this place and have been coming here since the 90's. Had a half of a roasted chicken, beans, rice, and hand made flour tortillas - I never deviate. It is so good. Would load up my suitcase with tortillas if I could, and it is fun to watch the senoras and senoritas make them in front of the restaurant! I would imagine this is what you'd fine in a restaurnat in Mexico itself! Our server was very nice and very acommodating. I cannot wait until I return for this delicious meal again!

This place was really good! It's been around forever and it's super nostalgic to us san diegans who grew up here. Hubby and I came here and were very impressed! I got the mini carne asada plate Hubby got the fajitas with beef & shrimp and both corn and flour tortillas... he was able to make 3 mini burritos with them. He calls them magica fajitas they were really good! A free chips and salsa were a nice touch. This salsa was really good and the chips were hot. Service was good and fast Dinner for 2 for around $50

Every time I come to CA I love going to Old Town and eating here! The food is authentic fresh filling and delicious ! The chips are great! The shells are homemade. The service is friendly and accommodating! It's an adorable family resturant ! The decor and lamp posts are beautiful !

Came here for an early breakfast and service was amazing! The servers were friendly and kept checking in on us. They also had live music starting around 9:30am, which was very entertaining and fun to have while enjoying your food. We got their famous old town carnitas plate and their street style tacos. Food was pretty average, but definitely an amazing vibe overall. I heard the drinks were good, so definitely check it out!

Always terrific Carnitas with homemade tortillas, and a classic Margarita Must stop while visiting San Diego!

I love this place; it's probably my favorite restaurant. If I didn't live in another county, I would come more often. However, on Saturday during the Day of the Dead celebration, we experienced some bad service. Our server was great, but she looked exhausted and still managed to do her job well. The issue was with a woman in her early thirties, with black hair and medium dark skin, who took my name while we waited for about 45 minutes for our table, which we expected. Unfortunately, this woman was very moody and didn't smile at all. Each time we asked her a question, she gave us the evil eye. To make matters worse, our drink order was incorrect, and the woman(who had no business to interfere) insisted our drinks were correct, even though they weren't. I didn't want to cause a scene, but I regret not catching her name because her attitude made my guests feel very uncomfortable. Overall, though, the food and our server were great.

Handmade tortillas, killer molcajete Hand made tortillas. Great waitstaff. Just plain good Mexican food in an awesome authentic environment. Great place to go!

Food: 3/5 Service: 2/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Price: 4/5 Came in on a Friday night with a group of 3. They sat us down immediately, which was great. Service was unfortunately very, very slow. We would go 25 minutes in between seeing our server, and it took 20 minutes to receive the check. The food was standard Mexican cuisine. The prices were good for the area. I would probably pass on coming back in the future.

I have been to the restaurant multiple times and by far this has been the worst experience. The first thing I ordered a large posole, they brought me back a small. They took the posole back and bought me a large, but it was stone cold. So they took it back when I got it back. It was lukewarm and had the same toppings inside of it thus they did not give me a new posole. They simply warmed it. Then my friend got two beef tacos and one of them was chicken they sent for a correct taco and it took forever. Everyone was done with their meals once they got it back. Then wanted to put some salt on my posole, but there was no salt on the table, but there was two bottles of pepper. In the end, I complained to the manager and her solution to this was to offer me a 10% military discount, which was equivalent of a five dollars this was ridiculous.

I am a very big fan of Old Town Mexican Cafe as I've been enjoying their food for years and years! However, I've moved out of the area and I've not been back for about 2 years and came back with a big group this last Thursday for brunch! I had the red Posole to go and I was planning on having the posole for dinner! I hate to say this but it is the worst posole I've ever had! I do know know how that chef hadn't tasted this prior to packing as OML I think it had way WAY too much cumin! All I tasted was cumin! How could they not taste this? To be fair I tried it again mixed it and again a very very pungent cumin taste! Just very inedible!

I cannot believe this restaurant doesn't have more stars! Here is a positive review to hopefully help boost it up - Old Town Mexican Cafe has always been my favorite restaurant. The food has always been incredible and never disappoints. In my eyes It's the best Mexican restaurant in San Diego and the star of Old Town. The homemade tortillas are incredible and the food is always flavorful and has a pretty presentation when they bring it out. Dining area is nice as well and I like how there is more open outdoorish seating on the other side of the restaurant. Staff has always been kind and was extremely helpful tonight as well when I ordered some food to go. Great service thank you a ton! I will always recommend this restaurant and it's definitely worth eating here if you haven't already. Thank you !

San Diego is one of the best places ever to get Mexican food in my opinion. And Located right in Old Town is the OldTown Mexican Cafe. The place is really big with multiple eating areas, inside, outdoor patio vibe, garden area, and bar tops. The service is fast and friendly and there are a bunch of employees. The food is delicious and they have plenty options. They even have good healthy options for Vegetarians and Vegans. Everything we got was super delicious! More traditional rather than taco shop vibes! Must try!

Food is authentic Love the atmosphere I ordered molcajete. Asada plate tasted so good too Tortillas are authentic

Came for a family dinner while visiting Old Town. Great service! Chicken enchiladas with mole were great.

Menu items to suit all palates, including my selective one. Enjoyed the a-la-cart cheese enchilada w/salsa verde (green sauce). My BFF June was pleased w/crispy (not over crunchy) rolled potato tacos, blanketed with/pico de gallo. Service by Kathy simply unparalleled, often anticipating our needs. Ambiance feels genuine, breezy & comfort forward. Can't recommend this authentic spot enough!

Came to this place because my son had a football game in the area, and a friend recommended it. This place reminds me of a restaurant that would be in Mexico. The food was pretty good, and the customer service was really good. The restaurant is very big with a casual vibe. They were working on their bar closest to the entrance. I'm not sure how this place has 3 stars on Yelp, but it's at least a solid 4.

Update Still our goto here in San Diego, being in old town is a plus you can get hungry walking in old town and walking off that great meal. The ladies are still hand making every tortilas for cafe. This is another flavor touch you dont get else where the fresh handmade do make each dish a little better . Wide variety of dishes, and a great bar for a variety of drinks

Such a nice authentic ambiance, you walk in and on your right hand side a professional old lady is making the fresh tortilla with a huge smile on her face (so cute) and the vibes are truly "old town Mexican". The staff is super nice and friendly. We got the molcajete for two, it came in this stone bowl that kept it warm till the very last bite with the most delicious sauce. The shrimp and octopus appetizer, was not impressive but given that the overall experience was good, I gave them 5 stars. The mangonada was delicious .

Fave spot in Old Town and love the handmade corn and flour tortillas. I did want a lighter breakfast so had one of each tortilla with their #AlbondigasSoup. Soup was tasty with lots of veggies to my liking except for the slice of corn . I didn't feel like eating around the cob. It only had 1 and 1/2 small meatballs I asked for butter with my order then had to flag another server when I finally caught the attention of one quickly walking by. Otherwise the service was Since the meatballs are tiny I think 3 would be perfect and two fully formed better than 1 and 1/2.

This used to be one of my favorite Mexican resteraunts in San Diego. The lunch I just had was one of the worst dining experiences of my life. The environment is dirty and gross. The food is bland. My wife asked for avocado on her quesadilla and they just put a brown avocado on a plate and handed it to her. Sent back my gross Torta after a single bite it was so disgusting. Heartbreaking what's happened to this place. You're better off going to any other restaurant in old town.

Sooo! Much! Good food! Okay we were a large party of 12 and were seated in about 20 minutes. The restaurant is a pretty decent size and great at accommodating larger parties. All the food was amazing! And so were the alcoholic beverages. For appetizers we tried the queso fundido, and Spicy tequila ribs(super tender and meaty). Personally I liked the spicy ribs more than the Mexican style ribs. For my entree I ordered a combination plate with chicken and pork enchiladas, along with a strawberry margarita. Everything I tried I was a fan of, and everyone in my party's plate was empty. Service was amazing, our server Julio was great and was able to promptly take our order and make sure we were taken care of. Parking is in the back of restaurant in close walking distance.

It was okay! I saw all the hype around this restaurant online but the food was okay. I did love seeing the women making the tortillas from scratch - this was a super authentic experience. However the food itself lacked a bit of flavor. We got the fish tacos, veggie fajitas and chicken / beef tacos. The service was great - everyone was extremely nice and the decorations and vibe were pretty.

Came by with some family to try this place out. It's very large and bigger than we expected! All in all everything was good. It's not the best Mexican you'll ever have but it's a definite solid choice. Also their salsas slapped! Cool fact is they make their tortillas homemade and you can tell! Very flavorful and light. Service was phenomenal and fast. They have their own parking lot which is great. We went on a Saturday and with just a bit of patience you'll get a spot.

This is an excellent Mexican restaurant that deserves all of the high ratings it has earned on Yelp. The handmade flour tortillas are hands down the best I have ever had. I had the Mexican style rotisserie ribs with rice and beans. All 3 were great - very flavorful. My server Eduardo was amazing. We had a brief conversation about why I was in the area visiting for Christmas. He was genuinely caring and kind to me. I hope the management appreciates what a nice guy they have working for them. 4 stars because the chips tasted slightly burnt and the salsa didn't have anything going for it. Considering how well they executed everything else, I was surprised they would slack on the chips and salsa - the very first taste impression anyone gets here when they sit down.

With the many flavors that when you travel to Old Town and to walk out of the State Park you find many of the other restaurants to where you can go local bars and taco shops that are located on Taylors r and Twigs street. Outside the state park you find more of the smaller and retail shops that you find in the Tijuana. For the many restaurants that you find in the state park are run by the private companies that oversee the operations and the food that is served. For the many foods that you find is more to the ethnic feel of the park what is outside the park is run by the city of San Diego with feq of the restaurants of the Rockn Baja Lobster restaurant. Old Town Mexican Cafe is one that is located at the middle of the city with the cemetery that is located close by you can walk amongst the many shops and breakfast restaurants. Old Town Mexican Cafe you can find the red roofed restaurant that has dark windows . The smell of the great food where you can have a whole or that of half chicken with rice and beans with the side of freshly made tortillas. For the restaurant is one where you find many people coming in groups for a restaurant cafe that is low light . At the front door they do have a person that helps with seating the times I've seen people seating outside waiting to be seen . One of the other restaurants that make fresh tortillas is EL Coyote where they make fresh tortillas you can buy for two and get butter or salsa..

I find myself in San Diego quite often for work. I have a few, must visit places when I'm in town. This is definitely one of them. I have yet to find a dish that I don't like. The food is authentic and delicious! Full disclosure, I'm usually traveling alone or with one other co-worker and as a result, I find it's easier to eat on the bar side. The service I have received every time is fantastic. They pay attention to your drinks and make sure you have everything you need. From outside the building to the inside the ambiance truly portrays the old town feel.

Not so good this time. Food quantity seems to have dropped. Sharing a meal is more difficult and prices are high. Still excellent chops and salsa. Great service. I would still visit here when in old town.

Solid choice in an area with an abundance of similar options. Enjoyed chips, salsa (spicy) and watermelon margarita drinks. Service was good, fast. Music was fun, booths were comfy. Cannot a-test much on food

I really wanted to like this place! But it was epically underwhelming. The chips were very stale, the food didn't have a ton of flavor, and the service was pretty bad. I asked for hot sauce and ordered a margarita and neither one even arrived to the table. And the restaurant was so loud that we felt like we were yelling at each other all night. Ha! The one saving grace was the fresh tortillas!! Those made all the difference. Without those soft, pillowy tortillas this probably would've been a one star review.

This is an old gem in the heart of Old Town. My husband and I have been going here for 20 years now. Omg! It's not fancy Mexican cuisine or a high end restaurant. But it's good. I don't think it gets enough recognition . San Diego has so many great eating spots. But I encourage you to stop by. I always judge Mexican food by the refried beans. And these are sooo good. Im sure it has lard in them and I really don't care. lol. Their salsa is always delish and freshly made... and the vibe is relaxed and comfortable. But don't forget about their homemade tortillas.. those are worth stopping by for, if anything else.

Great food and service. Came here from airport on free Flyer shuttle. Fresh tortillas being made by hand in the window. Ordered the asada plate after finding out beef fajitas didn't include guacamole. Nice size, hot plate and everything is just delicious. Server recommended flour tortillas and they came with butter. Tasty on their own.