Puntamar

One of the best meals I’ve ever had in Encinitas— A must try! This place feels fresh and inspired. You’re immediately transported to a trendy villa in Mexico with an aire of heritage and culture. The owner is from a successful line of restauranteurs in Mexico. It’s clear he knows what he’s doing from the atmosphere to the cuisine. The chips and salsa are delicious, fresh and unique (all made in house). We ordered the Mole Enchiladas and Tuna Tostadas, which were both incredible and would order again on our next visit. Then, of course, couldn’t resist the finale dessert of churros! (Filled with pastry cream with chocolate dunking sauce on the side). The entire experience was an absolute treat and I can’t wait to go back and introduce more people to this local gem.

Very cute place, good vibes, the food is excellent and the drinks are amazing! Corey was super helpful and lovely too. He made all of our delicious drinks but my favorite was the Mezcal Tamarindo. Great service from everyone. Lovely night!

Upscale Mexican cuisine is perfect for those who want the bold flavors and unique spices of Mexico and would like to experience something other than the traditional taco shop menu. The atmosphere is family friendly as well as being a good place to celebrate a special occasion. This was my first time visiting and will happily return.

We really liked Puntamar. Glad we finally tried it and will be back. Highlights were the Pizzabirria and shrimp. Great to have a seafood led Mexican restaurant that’s a little more upscale, but still authentic. Service was super attentive and nice. Our waiter was actually the owner. Walked in. There’s descent noise in the main outdoor area under the roof, but in a good way and if you want quieter there’s a separate patio section.

Authentic Mexican seafood. Originated from Mexico, the owner claimed all seafood were fresh from Mexico. We think it out beats the famous Michelin one-star Mexican seafood restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. Amazing aquachile, ceviche, grill octopus, fish tacos and great cocktails!

We were so pleasantly surprised by how great our experience at Puntamar was. We used to go to this restaurant a decade ago when it was a super delicious traditional Mexican restaurant (enchiladas, chimichangas, etc.). We tried it when it changed to another restaurant in recent years, and that was sadly disappointing. We weren’t expecting anything great when we popped in to give the new Puntamar a try, but it definitely exceeded our expectations and we can’t wait to come back to try more of the menu! Lalo was our server and he was so attentive and nice. The food was incredible, every bite simple but elevated, and just the perfect bite. The food reminded us of the great fresh seafood restaurants we love along the Baja coast, but Lalo said their inspiration is actually Mexico City style cuisine. Many people had the birria pizza and quesabirria on their tables, and we definitely have that on our list for the next time, along with everything else on the menu. I hope this place is very successful and stands the test of time! We’re definitely new regulars.

Puntamar is about as legit as youre going to get and goes toe to toe with spots down in Baja. Great location, service and food. Really glad to have a restaurant like this in the area.

Amazing and delicious! Creative and fun atmosphere, drinks and food. My daughter who is 11 wants to say that the food is always phenomenal! Just remember to bring a sweater or seat near the heater in the winter.

I've been waiting for a place with fresh seafood from Mexico ever since I was a teenager and I learned about Puerto Nuevo lobster! This is the best authentic Mexican seafood in North County, period. Everything we ordered was made fresh. Nothing was frozen, and no short cuts were taken! Darla and Danny welcomed us at the door with huge smiles and gave us a table near the kitchen, in a quiet part of the restaurant, with only one other table near us. Perfect! The service was amazing from start to finish. Great food recommendations. Thank you, Alex. I started with the mango michelada, which I highly recommend. Go for it and get the 32oz, more bang for your buck. You know you're gonna get two anyway. It's made with a very light beer, and the taste is a perfect balance between, so only order it if you like mango. It went down fast. My husband ordered the margarita tropic. Beware because the menu says tequila, but they made with mezcal, and it was deliciously smoky, and luckily, hubby was down with it. The food was absolutely impeccably prepared. The portions are more than enough for dinner and a doggie bag to go. There were four of us, and we started with the hamachi appetizer and the Machu Pichu ceviche. For dinner, we ordered the mole enchiladas, Flama's giant shrimp skillet, the pizza birria, and the beef and cheese crust Sonora tacos. We wrapped up our wonderful dinner experience with an order of churros and chocolate dipping sauce. Why not experience it all?

Amazing cigar lounge for cigar lovers and even for those who don't smoke: Been going back every time I am in Vegas. Cigar selection is good. And the old fashion is amazing.

Encinitas, CA - Delicious food and super friendly service! Also the decor was cozy / romantic and it's a great spot whether it's with friends or your date! I also like how it's so close to the train station, it's convenient for any train riders. The octopus was delicious, and the churros was freshly and crispy. The portions were quite generous too! Loved the tacos, so flavorful.

Wow food is amazing here and authentic! I met Alejandro the owner and he and his entire team is from Mexico City! He moved all his personnel to this us location! He said all the ingredients and interior decor is from Mexico City minus the tvs! Can't get more authentic than that :)

We have finally found 'the real deal' Mexican food in North County! We went there for our 12 year wedding anniversary. We honeymooned in Mexico and try to get back there as often as we can. The food is amazing. I dream about the tuna tostada. Very friendly staff and love the outdoor open air vibes Great margaritas also.

Every dish was delicious very friendly service good location I definitely recommend it

This spot in Encinitas is pretty unassuming from the outside, but once you step in, the inside is charming. We ordered the crispy shrimp flauta (the proper Mexican name for taquito), the trio de tacos, and the mole enchiladas. We had a couple of Mexican natives with us, and they were happy with the food. I personally rarely find a restaurant that does mole well, but this place was good. Service was on the slower side, though that may have been because we were seated in a corner outside and the restaurant was packed with large parties. My husband, who's from Mexico, was especially happy to see they serve clamachela (michelada with clam juice). The only downside is that they serve it with ice, which isn't ideal for a beer-based drink. Hopefully, they'll reconsider that detail. Overall, it's a really cute spot that's worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of mole.

This restaurant is a hidden gem. Decided to try it and it did not disappoint. It's Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. The ambiance is great, lively, with good energy. The food I ordered was top notch. The fish ceviche was perfectly done, with lots of fish, lemon juice and veggies on top of a chicharrón. The service was great, our waiter gave recommendations and was very attentive at al times. Highly recommend and I'd go back to try other dishes.

Came here for appetizers and margaritas with friends. Had the fresh oysters, ceviche, Bloody Mary octopus tostada, shrimp aguachile and guacamole. All dishes were tasty and fresh. Nice atmosphere and ambience, sat inside because it was pretty sunny outside. Service was OK, probably because we were in the bar. will be back to try their menu options.

Service started a little slow but the restaurant owner came out to take our order. He explained the menu and made useful recommendations. The food and ingredients are authentically Mexican which is a joy! We started with the small mango micheladas. I wish I would've gotten a large ones. The chamoy rim was absolutely delicious. My husband got the mole and he said it was everything he was hoping for. I had the ahi tuna tostadas and they were so well balanced. The quality of the seafood was notable. The oysters are HUGE! Couldn't finish the dozen.

This place is authentic. Not like American Mexican but authentic. Fresh and delish. I came specific specifically for the birria both. It didn't disappoint! Staff is so nice!!

Great food, service, and ambience! We will definitely be back. Best churro ever. Very friendly staff.

Had to go out of my way to write a review on this one.. HIDDEN GEM. Ambiance was adorable, felt like I was in Tulum. Customer service was welcome and very warm. Kennedy was wonderful! She added to our experience. The unique options on the menu was the lure, I was almost at a standstill trying to figure out what to get. Luckily we were with a bigger group so we all got something different and shared. Every single item was exceptional. Flavor profiles were on point, and I found myself "mmmm"ing often haha can't wait to come back and try more on the menu! MUST TRY!

Newly opened restaurant in Encinitas. Tried this spot over labor day weekend. I found it on Instagram and was excited to try a few items I saw on their Instagram page. It was not super busy for a Saturday night. I still made reservations just in case. We were sat inside in the dining room. Served some tostada chips and 3 salsas. The salsas were ok. I ordered the michelada barracuda, a michelada with light beer chamoy and sesame seed rim, garnished with an octopus and shrimp skewer. It was missing the shrimp on the skewer. The waitress didn't realize the drink I ordered and thought it was a different one without shrimp. She brought the shrimp skewer after. My hubs ordered a tequila cocktail and he enjoyed it. We ordered: - Verde aguachile - branzino zarendeado - grilled octopus - churros The aguachile came out, but was the wrong one (they brought the black pearl instead of the verde). Once we tried the verde one, it was good. The shrimp was very fresh. The Verde salsa wasn't spicy as traditional Verde salsa would be for aguachile. Branzino was two small fillets. Skin was left on and skin was soggy. Hubs had a bone in his fillet. We saw a whole fried branzino on the restaurants' Instagram, but they said that was a special and they don't have it anymore. Zarendeado sauce was good. Rice was bland and salad looked sad. Overall fish was cooked well. Grilled octopus was tender and flavorful. It was well made and probably best item on the menu. Churros were warm and came with 2 dipping sauces. They were very good. We had higher expectationsfor this spot.

It was 4/20, Easter and our 12 year anniversary all at once!! My awesome wife said it's also Marco day so we went to my favorite, Mexican food. Little did I know how good it would be. Our server was the restaurant owner. He let us know this was going to be authentic Mexico City style fare with all imported ingredients down to the chips and salsa. We opened with seared tuna tostadas with fried leeks on top. This is now an always order dish when we visit again. It was so fresh, tender and extremely tasty. The second plate was a cheese encrusted carne asada taco that blew my mind. They were so crispy. The cheese made a crunchy top layer, the meat was juicy and flavorful. The tacos went so well with the three flavors of hot sauce I felt it was truly Marco day.

Very attentive service, excellent food, and nice decor. The owner came by our table twice and owned up to a mistake he made. (My husband ordered the ceviche as his main course, but they brought it before my main was ready. ) Nice presentation of the ceviche and my taco trio. The only taco that needed a little extra salsa was the shrimp one, but all three were very good. Looking forward to going back!

Went here last night for dinner with the family!! All I can say is DELICIOUS.... Everything was so dang good that I forgot to take photos of everything we got. We ordered the enchiladas which were so yummy. We ordered the taco trio, everyone enjoyed these. But...the best would be the beef and cheese tacos they were out of this world good! Also the oysters were some of the best oysters I've ever had. The octopus was our least favorite thing we had. All of our drinks were very tasty. We loved our server/bartender Eileen!

Puntamar is a good spot! This place used to be Piña, which my boyfriend and I loved. I'm Mexican, and my friends and I used to go to Piña all the time. It was one of our go-to spots in Encinitas. So when it changed to Puntamar, we were definitely curious and wanted to support it. We've been to Puntamar multiple times now, and it's definitely cute. The space is nicely done, the staff is always super friendly, and the vibe is great for a chill evening. But the food is okay. Every time we go, we leave not feeling super full. Especially for the price. The happy hour menu is fine, but nothing that really makes me want to come back just for that. I also really miss how Piña stayed open later and had more filling dishes with better drink prices. Puntamar is still worth a visit and we'll probably keep going occasionally, but to be honest, it feels like a step down from what Piña used to be.

More of a 3.5 with potential. There is some parking there which is great. But it's basically outside and on a cold January night with no awnings to close out the outdoor air, the heaters aren't going to do it. This would be less important in August but still it wasn't August when we were there. I'm not sure if this was coming from the restaurant, but think it was. There was an overwhelming weird smell of aerosolized air freshener or scented cleaning solution intermittently. Distracting and off putting. If this was from another nearby business, it should be addressed. If from the restaurant, should stop now. But... very prompt and attentive service! Never thought I'd say this in SD but, too intense. The waiter barely allowed us to start eating a course and he wanted to clear the table when we are obv chatting and still eating. Within a few minutes of the apps coming out, the mains were served. We were there for 40 min with drinks and apps and mains before the check was on the table. This was a Friday night. And maybe 4 tables there at 7 so they weren't trying to clear the house. Bright side! Food was really good. Loved the octopus tostada app although I was almost in an argument with the server who insisted I was ordering the octopus main. It seems he didn't realize there was an octopus app until I pointed it out to him on the menu. Then he said, oh yes that is tasty. Right. He undersold the octopus app which was fresh and delicious! Salsas were interesting but not my usual liking but this is Mexico City style and I've never been. So maybe these are the salsas, but maybe I'm a Baja gal at heart! The fish tacos were amazing and perfect! Perfection. Honestly some of the best fried fish tacos I've had! Win for the kitchen! Menu is basic. No beans and rice accompaniment with your main. The taco trio was delish except meaty taco was way heavy on salt. The rushed service, cold atmosphere and weird smells unfortunately made us leave without desert although I was loving the idea of churros! So... food was great with a different salsa blend. But atmosphere and service made it a no go for dinner. Although it would prob be great for a lunch or happy hour spot.

Shorted this message: Food was so fresh and amazing! The owner is so intentional from where they source ingredients, to the decor of the restaurant. Good quality food and presentation with a more relaxed ambiance. Corey was also great! My cousin and I yapped for so long we were the only people left in the restaurant and Corey made us feel welcomed and offered us churros! Churros were delicious, the chocolate dip was divine.

The food and drinks here are seriously so good! The menu is creative with tons of options, and everything tastes fresh. You can tell they use really good ingredients. The hamachi is especially delicious and always super fresh. The staff is friendly and checks in to ensure everything is of your liking. I've been here a handful of times and I have never had bad service.

Everything here is amazing, authentic and the service was top notch. Drinks were outstanding- The dishes were awesome and unique with amazing flavors and sauces! Will be back very soon!

Spending a lot of time in the area since it's a favorite surf location for my husband. Yelp is my go to app to find recommendations. Today Puntamar was the location of choice. We were not disappointed the staff was welcoming and very friendly. The restaurant is not very large but it has a great open vibe. To start I tried one of their margaritas made with mezcal, the mint cucumber just sounded refreshing and...it was. Loved it even though I'm really not a tequila girl. They start you off with tostada's and 3 types of salsa, I should have taken a picture of those but trust me it was tasty. Who knew you could put habanero and ginger in soy sauce delicious! My husband ordered the Taco trio he really loved the fish taco although the birria taco he enjoyed as well. I had the shrimp flautas since I've never thought to put shrimp in flautas. They were very yummy I'm not sure if I just liked the flauta or all the stuff on top; guacamole, pico, cheese. Both of us left very full (I probably could have brought a flauta home). Next time I think we'll try one of their yummy looking ceviches dishes and share the fish tacos!

Amazing meal, service was great and team was friendly and knowledgeable. Cannot recommend them enough. Octopus was fork tender, molé was flavorful, savory, and a little sweet. Birria was tender and carne melted in your mouth. A great find in Encinitas.

Came here with a group of friends and we all LOVED it! The owner took care of us. He gave us recommendations and told us about their ingredient sourcing. 10/10 recommend coming here!

We most definitely will be back to this place. A taste of Mexico City, the food here has a lot of love and flavors.

Really cute place with delicious food. The enchilada mole chicken was the best! Salsa dancing on weeknights.

At puntamarsa experience the taste of the sea, one bite at a time. As their website says, "Puntamar is more than just a restaurant; it's an authentic experience celebrating quality in every detail. Here, fun and excellence merge to create unforgettable moments for our customers. Discover the true essence of Mexican cuisine, crafted with authentic ingredients and genuine flavors. Their dedication to quality seafood, delicious pizza birria, and refreshing micheladas sets them apart in a crowded market. At Punta Mar, they combine fun, authenticity, and fair prices to offer a unique gastronomic experience." We tried: * Micheladas * queso fundido * chicken pazole * trio de tacos * parmesan fish milenasa * churros labsolutely loved this spot, the food, the decor and the service were phenomenal!

Saw this spot on TikTok. The vibe & food seemed elite so thought we'd give it a try... I would rather grapple a gator and pay $100 than eat another meal there. All the food seemed to lack flavor. I did give a 2nd star only because the steak taco was pretty solid.

Just ok. The food was good, but not great. Service was ok. Could have been a bit more attentive, but still good. Loud in there, but cool decor. I don't think I need to go back, but a decent spot.

2 star because the drink were good but we asked for the check at 7pm and didn't receive it after asking for 2 more times and we finally got it at 7:24pm. sat at the bar. Place was busy, but all they needed was to print the check to pay with a QR code. As a previous server this was not acceptable.

This place is a gem! It's not your typical heavy SD Mexican food. This is fresh and elevated Mexico City fare. The seafood is insanely delicious. The owner is hospitable. The chef is top notch. If you don't try it, you slate truly missing out. One suggestion: Have a kid menu / some more basic dishes so we can bring the whole family. Some friends have mentioned the same. Lots of kids in this town. Garcias!

Finally, some real Mexican food in Encinitas! Such a good place for seafood and their mole was phenomenal! Service in incredible as well!

My husband and I went for lunch (a Friday) and were welcomed immediately when we walked in. The server was so enthusiastic and fun. We ordered drinks -a mojito and a Paloma- and shared three dishes: the tuna tacos, the ceviche verde, and the octopus. All. Were. DELICIOUS! The dishes were great portions- the ceviche had good sized pieces of fish and a it was definitely shareable. The tuna inside the crispy tacos was smoked, and had flavors that really made it unique and again, great sized dish. The octopus was the star of the meal; it was PERFECTLY cooked, charred nicely with sliced potatoes underneath. It was mouthwatering. SO GOOD. The owner came around to check in on us and we feel it really makes the experience at any restaurant when this happens. He is warm and really shows pride in dishes and the restaurant. This place is an absolute gem. Its vibe with musicá Latino is perfectly matched to the tropical atmosphere; you're transported to vacation, instantly. I can't wait to go back. It's vibrant and welcoming and overall such a great experience with incredible flavors.

Pretty good! Plenty of open spacious seating, friendly service. The least-wacky Michelada (and there are many) is the Clamachela, and it was tasty.. with a saucy sesame rim. I liked it! Solid at $9 The Beef and Cheese crust sonora taco street food plate was 4 tasty tacos, very reasonably priced for a sit-down place. If you're not too hungry, it's a full meal.. if you're big-hungry, you'll want more. Fresh, meaty -- loved it. But the salsa game, not so strong, not for San Diego. The servings were really tiny, fresh but unremarkable. Nothing on the table had any heat even on the weakest jalapeño scale. The bottled sauce was extremely salty. I did like the whole corn tortilla chips. I feel like I have to go back and try something seafood at some point, but it should be a day when micheladas will be the theme song. I'll smuggle in some hot salsa.

Absolutely adore this gem, like being transported to Tulum. My sister and I sat at the bar and enjoyed a cocktail and snack. Will absolutely be back for both the margaritas and ambiance

Mexican cuisine, seafood, and San Diego - you can't beat it! Puntamar is a great new Encinitas spot complete with an inviting atmosphere that transports you beachside in Mexico, and I was excited to try it out. They have a lot of fun cocktail options, including a variety of different takes on micheladas. My group ordered cocktails that were delicious while I opted for a mango michelada, also delicious. I ordered a 1/2 version and they came out with a glass the size of my head (which was obviously the full size), and said it was a mistake on their part and only charged for the 1/2 size. I definitely welcomed this as we all ended up sharing sips of my drink during our meal. We ordered aguachile, a whole branzino, and the birria pizza. Everything was quite tasty, except we were a bit disappointed about the low spice level on the aguachile - definitely missing the chile component. I wonder if you can request it to be on the spicier side... As for the service, I will say it was sub-par. I totally understand that this is a new restaurant trying to find its footing, so I'm definitely taking that into consideration knowing I'll be back in the future. Everyone was very friendly, but it was clear that there was a lack of communication going on. Our server who introduced himself as so seemed to forget about us throughout the night even though we saw him frequently passing us, and we had various different staff members coming to take orders before our server remembered us and came to take our order after it was already put in. Despite this, it took a while for both our food and drinks to come out, and we were also a bit disappointed that all of our courses came out together. We were expecting the aguachile before our mains as this was clearly an appetizer and listed as so on the menu. Given the friendliness of the staff, this didn't take away too much from our experience here, and the food of course was worth it as well. As I said before, I'll be back and am looking forward to trying more items on the menu.

First time at puntamar after seeing it multiple times!! Insanely fire and a huge amount of fish with the civeche! Corey was the man and the food a service was incredible!! Definitely coming back with friends and family.

Not your typical Mexican restaurant, which is a good thing. The owner, who was our waiter, and was very nice, said that the recipes come from Mexico City. The drink menu had some twists to the staples you'd expect and were all very good. We stuck to margaritas, but they're known for their Micheladas. The Machu Pichu ceviche was delicious, super fresh, topped with perfectly ripe avocados and served with tostadas chips. Tuna Melody Tlacovos was suggested by the owner and they were very very good. The Birria pizza is dynamite, almost like a large Birria quesadilla, the size of a pizza with the right amount of crispness and 2 fantastic sauces. One was called coffee sauce, which reminded me of a Chipotle style salsa and a really good consume, often served with Birria. I feel like they'd do well with a happy hour. The vibe is cool - will definitely be back. There's so much more I'd like to try.

We had a wonderful time at this restaurant! The moment we stepped inside their indoor outdoor space we felt like we had been transported to a little Mexico paradise! The servers were all so friendly and attentive too! We had seen previous review of service issues but we felt welcomed and accommodated! We ordered a round of drinks and of them all, the Michelada Kraken definitely was the stand out drink. As for the entrees, we got the quesabirria, the taco trio, and the Machu Picchu ceviche. The fish taco was light and tasty, and the ceviche had a generous serving of fish. For desert, we got churros, which came out with a sparkler and decorative plate! They were delicious. Overall we had a great time and would come back!

Puntamar was the best! The owner himself took care of us and gave us the best service and even on a rainy night the environment felt very cozy. Food was also tasty and authentic to Mexico City. Definitely coming back on a sunny day to try their Michelada.

One of my favorite things during s recent wine & food festival was tying the ceviche from Puntamar. That was a couple weeks ago at Liberty Station. Yesterday I had the opportunity to try the restaurant in Encinitas and got the same fantastic impression that at that booth in the fair. The service was super friendly and fast, loved chatting with our server. The day was gorgeous and my boyfriend and I felt like we were in Baja...well actually I like Encinitas more:). The restaurant is so cute, very north county coastal vibe. Super clean, so pristine and love the different scenes. We sat at the patio because I wanted some sun rays caressing me, but the bar area and the middle bigger zone are so gorgeous. We got a dozen of super fresh oysters, what a treat to start Thanksgiving week San Diego style and we also shared an also very fresh ceviche. I would like to try many more dishes in the near future! Thanks for the nice welcoming.

The best Mexican food! It feels just like Mexico City!! The food, the service, drinks and cool vibe makes us coming back for more! The owner, Alexandro will make sure that you're always taken good care of while you're in his warm and inviting restaurant! Thank you to all the staff who always make us feel welcome!!

Incredible fresh and tasty seafood! Highlights for us were oysters, fish ceviche, and the al pastor fish tacos. It does seem like every dish you order will be amazing! We had Eric as our server and he had amazing recommendations for us. Will visit again!

Decided to come here for late lunch/early dinner around 4pm. Pretty empty, service speed was fine. Seating is outside, very cute space but a little chilly. The food was okay, not bad but I was not particularly in love with any of the dishes. We tried the aguachile, mole enchilada and the giant shrimp skillet. The aguachile was good, a little slimey for my liking, even though I love raw shrimp sushi and I've had aguachile elsewhere... the shrimp is whole and it's just hard to eat with the slimey texture. I managed to eat 1 serving, my husband liked it enough but suggested for it to be cut into smaller pieces. Mole enchilada is up to par, my favorite out of what we ordered. The giant shrimp skillet is just several bigger shrimps chargrilled. Nothing else came with that dish and it was $27. We thought skillet would mean it comes on a skillet and/or includes something else to make it an entree, but it does not. It's not quite as good as food I've had in Mexico or LA. Their mango michelada was delicious though and would really be the only reason i would come back. Overall, prices are high, food is ok, parking lot is convenient but small. I am not very likely to come back but it might be a fun place for drinks and some bites for a small group in Encinitas.

Came here for date night on a Saturday night and had a great time! Our server Augustine was extremely helpful and attentive. We ordered off all his recommendations and loved everything. The food as incredible! We had a few appetizers and shared some main dishes and were so so full. We ended with churros which were a fun surprise and treat! The food and atmosphere definitely reminded us of Mexico City and I'm glad we found it. We hope to be back soon!

Great food, fantastic atmosphere, we will be back soon! We tried three home made salsas with fresh tortilla chips, great fresh ceviche and quesabirra. Everything was so good, can't wait to try more items from menu!

Just really weird environment and the food is trying to be different but missing the mark

10/10. If you like good seafood and drinks, this is the spot. I was blown away. Every single thing was good, the octopus, the grilled shrimp, tuna tostadas and hamachi. Absolutely amazing food. Cute, casual atmosphere.