The Baja Beach Cafe is a popular spot right on the ocean that makes some pretty amazing food and drinks! They specialize in craft margaritas, "don't threaten us with a good time"! It's a great place to watch people travel up and down the beach and during our visit there was a world cup soccer game playing so that added to the festivities! We sat at a table outside and our server took great care of us, thanks! read more

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Came to this café today and took a few photos of my food and drink with my phone. I was approached by the general manager, who told me I'm not allowed to take photos of the food or drinks because I'm not a photographer they hired. Keep in mind, I was literally just taking pictures of my own food and drink with my phone--not setting up a professional shoot or doing anything disruptive. The way I was approached and spoken to was completely unnecessary and left a really bad impression. Definitely won't be coming back here. ‍ read more

the staff is sweet and i feel bad for them. this is a great location and they should be packed all day every day. management NEEDS to figure out their marketing strategy. in my opinion, they should put prices for the margs on the menu but stress the deal that is the "mega" size. the happy hour promotion is purposely misleading. time to ditch it. would be much simpler to do dollar amounts off by category. they should order more of and stick to using one version of cups to eliminate confusion. half the restaurant has the classic margarita glass (see pic below) while the other half have a large plastic cup as seen in other reviews. also don't appreciate the almost 5% upcharge due to "tariffs, business costs, inflation" etc. seems to be a popular choice for businesses in CA- passing the buck onto the guest. how lovely. the nachos are always bomb. nice people watching and ocean view. the manager that was working tonight (a monday) was very friendly. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - muchos nachos with chicken - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Big fan of the Baja Beach Cafe, and big fan of our server KP!! She is literally the best. We enjoyed sitting on the patio for a few hours grabbing drinks with friends. Grab a mega marg! There was some live music down the way, and it was a beautiful summer day, steps from the beach. KP kept the drinks flowing and this crowd happy. Would definitely recommend! read more

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I'm keeping the same 3 stars I originally rated it. My friend and I waited about 10 minutes to be seated on a Saturday night before sunset. We both got a mega marg and then shared chips & salsa. The margs were watered down. Again, the chip to salsa ratio is way off. There were way more chips than salsa. There needs to be more bathrooms. Only one stall for women and one for men. I waited about 20 minutes to use the bathroom. Service could be better. read more

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The food was just okay for us, nothing bad, but it was lacking a little flavor and didn't really stand out. The Cadillac Margarita, though was good! Overall, I'd probably come back for the beach views, a drink, and the atmosphere more than the food. read more

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The location and prices are great. The food and service not so much. It was a hot day and we got some lukewarm water and I asked for more water and was told to get it myself. Being from out of town maybe thats they way the do it here in San Diego, but I seen others with ice water. The food was not very good at all. The drinks were spot on. It was happy hour when we went but not even offered to us. It was almost like the server didnt really care about us. The view from the restaurant are great even if you sit inside. I had a mango margarita and the grilled fish burrito. My husband had a coconut margarita with the baja chicken sandwich and fries. Fries were an extra 3.99 with the meal. The fish burrito was gross. The fish was very fishy tasting. I didnt even get salsa for my chips. The chicken sandwich was inedible. My husband had like 2 bites. The sauce he didnt like and the chicken was rubbery. We also had the trio of salsa on a paper plate. Other had at least a plastic dish. We had cheese sauce that had lumps in it, guacamole that was pretty good, beans were decent, salsa Verde was good. All in all I was pretty disappointed with the food and the service. Plus they have a weird rule to take your credit card before you eat. The server has like 10 cards at a time. I am not sure why they do that and honestly I thought she had only asked us until I asked someone else and then saw all the cards the server had collected. Not a big fan of that or the food. Thanks for the view and the drinks but thats about it. read more

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We've been coming here for years, and it's always a great spot with reasonable prices. I'm surprised to see some of the negative reviews about the waitstaff. We've had Dupree as our server several times, and he's always been great! read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Carne asada nachos - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great place for the sunset!! Very reasonable price and huge portions :)) loved the watermelon margarita and the nachos. Sit outside!! read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Muchos Nachos - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We went to Baja beach cafe for drinks and had a good time. The mega margaritas are very big and very strong. The service was good and we got seated inside near the windows which was nice on a hot day. I got the spicy margarita and it was not too spicy. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Spicy margarita - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The location is fantastic. We have been going here for years. Happy hour is wonderful. But for the past year the service is slower and slower. The tap beer is not "cold" and the cleanliness is below par. With such a superior location this place should be packed, but it is not. I wonder what the kitchen looks like when the patio and other areas need a good cleaning. Time for me to find a new place. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - By where i was seated. - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Solid place! Got a breakfast burrito, think it was $15? Not terribly priced because it was absolutely ginormous. The food came out super quickly, service was great. The burrito could've used a sauce or something but the ingredients seemed really fresh and the tortilla rocked. Did I mention it's right on the beach? Great vibes, someone was drinking a mega margarita, looked great! I'll be back read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Burrito - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Good casual beach side dining! $23 Mango Mega Marg. Burger exceeded my expectations with a well seasoned patty. Salads were well portioned and yummy as well! Our server was running around busy, but respect the hustle for an affordable sunset view dine and just enjoy! read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Found a seat right away. Disappointed they were out of lobster taquitos. Had a Michelada, not great. Asked for a straw, never received one, couldn't mix it. Carne asada fries were good. Fish sandwich was awful. Wait staff is slow, never receive silverware either, had to search for our own. Will pass on this place next time. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Carne Asada Fries - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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They have huge margaritas for $21-22, and you can even get them to go! If you take one with you, you're supposed to keep it "sealed" with the sticker they place over the straw hole. But of course, you "don't have to" , you can always take a sip and "reseal" it ;) read more

Baja Beach Cafe - 36oz margaritas - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was terrible, the drinks for happy hour deal was misleading, parking is rough, only one bathroom, all the tables were wobbly or broken. Will not be returning. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - cancun - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Ended up at this place after an event that was going on in the morning- we were hungry and this was the first place that we saw- rather we smelled breakfast and couldn't walk away.  Despite there being a lot of people, and with no reservations, we were sat pretty quick.  We are sure they are used to the rush of people as it is on the boardwalk.  We sat outside to enjoy the ocean view and the weather. The waitress got us our coffees and had our order taken right away. I didn't get anything too fancy- just Boardwalk Breakfast which consisted of two eggs, hickory smoked bacon and a side white toast.  I also go a side of the chicken apple sausage- the bacon was the better choice! The food was good and hit the spot- wasn't looking for anything too heavy so this was exactly what it said it was and it was perfect! We would definitely come back. The vibes of this places what you would expect from a local beach spot.  The service was fast and friendly. The weather was great. What else can you ask for? read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Boardwalk Breakfast - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend and I went here and had a good time. We got the extra large watermelon margaritas which were better than I expected...didn't taste like they were from a Slurpee machine at 7-11. Tacos were okay...food is average but you can't beat the right on the beach location. My friend asked the server if he could get tacos ala-carte and she said she didn't know what that meant because it was her first week there...which we both found very amusing. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Watermelon Margarita - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Baja Beach Cafe is an absolute gem in San Diego! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was welcoming, fun, and full of energy. The staff was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made us feel like valued guests throughout our visit. The food was outstanding--fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Every dish we ordered was packed with authentic taste, and the portions were generous. The drinks were equally impressive and paired perfectly with the meal. What really stood out was the combination of great food, excellent service, and the relaxed beachside vibe that makes Baja Beach Cafe such a memorable experience. Whether you're a local or just visiting San Diego, this is a place you don't want to miss. We left already looking forward to our next visit. Highly recommend Baja Beach Cafe to anyone looking for delicious food, great drinks, and a fantastic atmosphere! 5/5 - A true San Diego favorite! read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Beautiful Sunset - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I should preface that I showed up to this restaurant as a semi-functional drunk. I like to think I still have the capacity to critique a place's food and atmosphere, but do what you want with that information. For a hut that's immediately adjacent to the sand, it's notably clean. My group of 3 shared a grilled calamari steak appetizer which tasted decent. I enjoyed the flavor, but no so much the texture -- more rubbery than expected. 4/5. The prime rib platter is served medium well and gets a 3.5/5. It tasted glorious in my incapacitated state but looking back, it should've had more seasoning added to it. Same goes for the fries. Overall, my experience was about what I expected from a high-traffic spot on Mission Beach. It's not high society dining, nor is it meant to be. The view and proximity to the beach make up for the shortcomings. read more

This place is a laid back outdoor/indoor restaurant bar located beachside in Pacific Beach. Best thing about this place is the view of the ocean and people watching. The food is what you would expect to get at a bar, not going to knock your socks off, but good enough to eat while sipping on some drinks and soaking up the sun. We got the loaded queso with steak, which was good, but the chips were so STALE!!! We told the waitress and she brought back another basket of chips and they were still stale! The chips were thick and hard to chew and tasted like they were fried in old oil and left sitting out all night. Chips should be the easiest food item to get right, such a shame. read more

This place is an absolute SCAM happy hour doesn't apply to all drinks as advertised. The bartender asked my friend if she wanted the "big one" and she replied sure which she had no idea meant a MEGA marg which was NOT included in happy hour and resulted in an $80 bill. There was an automatic service fee added to the bill as well as a "flavor up" fee for the margs. They were disgusting. The nachos we ordered were half burnt tortillas. Our tacos sucked too, but not as bad as the margs and nachos. This place SUCKS. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Burn Nachos - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This place used to be my go to. We would come here during their happy hour because they have 2 for 1 drinks, like best place in PB to get happy hour drinks. I was so wrong. Even on the tables they have these happy hour 2 for 1 signs from 4-6 pm Monday - Friday and then a late night happy hour every night. We go to pay & the bill is $80!!! We ask the bartender if the happy hour prices were applied and he just said that their manager called and said "not to do happy hour today and didn't give a reason" like okay? Why would you keep the signs out on every single table then? Or not even give us a heads up when we're obviously ordering regular priced drinks and both getting the same type of drink. There was no major game or holiday happening it was 5:15 on a Friday. Maybe he felt like a consolation was not charging us for one beer but you could've at least not charged us for the FIFTEEN DOLLAR MARGARITA. I WOULDVE JUST GOTTEN TWO MEGAS AND CALLED IT A DAY! It was just rude. That's something you give people a heads up about. It was such a bad vibe. It seemed like a cash grab and I was so frustrated. I'm sad to see this place go from my favorites, but I also don't like feeling fooled and my money ripped off. I would've rather have gone out to a nice dinner if I knew there wasn't a happy hour and spent $80 on a better quality meal. The only reason I have an extra star is because the nachos are delicious. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - 2 for 1 happy hour EVERY NIGHT. - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The location here cannot be beat. Come during 4-6 for happy hour and get 2-1 drinks in *to go* cups. Huge selection of margaritas: we tried the watermelon, Baja & coconut. I personally love all things coconut so that one was my favorite, but all were delicious. We did the triple crown dip which had queso, bean dip, salsa & guc. All were super mid. Fish tacos with the creamy spicy sauce were perfect. Husband loved his surf & turf burrito. Kids bean & cheese burritos were devoured. I'm not going to hype this up as the most authentic, best Mexican, but with some killer margs and the people watching: elite. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Coconut margarita - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been coming here for years. I moved out of state and came back to celebrate my sister's graduation, so we decided to spend a day at the beach and stop in for drinks. My husband doesn't drink alcohol. He ordered a Shirley Temple, and I ordered a Jack and Coke. When we went up for a second round, he ordered the exact same thing--and that's when things got ridiculous. A rude, middle-aged woman with glasses behind the bar refused to serve my husband because she claimed he was "drunk." Let me repeat: the man was completely sober and drinking a Shirley Temple. I was genuinely shocked. Her evidence? She said his "leg buckled." Seriously? Meanwhile, I've seen plenty of actually intoxicated patrons in this place over the years, but somehow the sober guy drinking soda was the problem. The bartender who had served us previously earlier witnessed the entire interaction and said absolutely nothing. No clarification, no apology, no attempt to make it right. After years of being a customer, that was enough for me. If this is how loyal customers are treated, they'll be spending their money elsewhere. So will we. PB Shore Club can have our business from now on. read more

We usually walk from Belmont Park to this place and it is a perfect date spot! I am mexican and let me tell you THESE MARGARITAS ARE TO DIE FOR! The Playa Del Carmen margarita with cucumber?! and the food is always fresh, cooked like a boat from mexico landed in pb !! The service could be a little better, but I am pretty sure its not the best because of the space of kind of chaotic area around it, the space is also kind of hit or miss, if you dont get sat on the patio where the heaters are you might not have the best experience. read more

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Friendly staff, great location for a sunset pic, huge margaritas and the food was tasty. The server recommended a few items to order and they were fantastic. Wish I remembered his name but if your reading this..thank you The only bad thing I would say is that they hold your credit card while sitting on the patio. These days with all the credit card problems we didn't like giving them the card to hold. I guess they have their reasons. So we went along with it. We definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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Baja Beach Cafe is a Pacific Beach staple in San Diego. It's on the beach in the heart of PB where happiness and good livin is the only vibe you see. We had a blast hangin and sipping on some of their margarita specials. The people watching among locals and visitors is the best you can find, but that's anywhere within Pacific or Mission Beach. It's just one of the happiest places we've ever experienced and we always need more of that!! It's not a craft cocktail joint so don't expect anything fancy other than friendly faces, great atmosphere, good food and fun cocktails with a purpose. It's a great casual spot to enjoy the beach and view. I wanted a little pick me up so I tried the Cali Marg that has Silver tequila, Red Bull, Blue Curaçao, Triple Sec, orange and lime juice. It was a tasty and colorful mid day boost for sure. Next time you're in PB, you need to go grab lunch and some fun vacation cocktails on the beach at Baja. Salute . Cali Marg Silver Tequila Triple Sec Red Bull Orange Juice Lime Juice read more

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Manager did call and apologized My main concern was to warn of anyone getting seafood poisoning It's not fun experience This is a great very busy spot to try out read more

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I love this place, giant margs and right next to the beach, but the surcharge is outrageous. I'm always glad to tip but surcharge is always like another added 20%. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Nothing but relaxing beach vibes! This Place is right on the beach so the ailments hit harder on the buildings, so it's not fancy just a cool place to hang out to eat and enjoy some drinks. It was mine and the hubbies first time here and we enjoyed every minute of it. The weather was perfect and It was open seating when we got here at 900am for breakfast only, but it wasn't crowded, so I'm sure that policy may change when it gets a bit busier. Mia, our server was so friendly and sweet. She took our drink and food order quickly and the food along with our adult beverages came out super fast. Food was tasty and our orange crush beverage was pretty strong as well. Super cool place if you are on this side of Pacific Beach boardwalk. And if your are riding your bike there are bike racks around the area and the only downfall is the parking. We will definitely come back! read more

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Some friends brought us here because they enjoy people watching. The drinks were fine, the food wasn't bad. Standard for that level of dining. I brought up an issue with I'm guessing is the GM. Guy in his mid/late 40's. Total fucking knob. Was condescending, acting like I had no idea what I was talking about without wondering why I knew specific things about the industry. I've been an executive chef for over 30 years. I cook for world leaders. This is jackass is seriously explaining to me how the service industry works? Please. You run a dumpy little place on the beach, the last resort I was chef on brought in almost 100 million a year. I just smiled and let it go. He lost our friends as customers that day as well. They apologized, not their fault actually I had to keep pointing out. I'm guessing you are going to keep running into this issue if he is involved in the business. read more

Food was good but waitress had attitude. Customers have to let wait staff hold credit card while dining which we thought was unnecessary & offensive. Waitress told us we were welcome to eat somewhere else which we will do in the future. read more

Stopped in from a stroll on the boardwalk. Been here before and the food and service were decent. But this time not so much. We got a little table outside right on the curb. While we were quick to be seated the server was no where to be seen. Maybe that was the sign, I failed to see. 30 minutes later and no server insight. We had to flag down one of hostess to get the server. The server was a young blonde girl named Payton. When she arrived at the table no apology was given for making us wait nearly 40 minutes for service. She quickly took our order and dashed off. She wasn't seen again until the appetizer arrived. We had to flag her down twice again to get water. We waited other 5 minutes or so for the drinks to arrive. We only ordered two single shot margaritas Oh plus the ceviche. The appetizer was seemingly quick to arrive but the drinks took a 5 minutes since the bartender was slammed. Here's where things got interesting ‼ Our server even explained the margarita pricing and tried to upsell us on a mega margarita We agreed that we didn't need nor want the "mega" margarita which is 22 dollars per person. We told the waitress NO THANK YOU on that it's just a watered down version anyway It comes in the typical large mouth margarita glass. (pictured below) We agreed the small single shot margarita @ 17 dollars was just fine. Which comes in a 16oz cup. This was passed on to the waitress not once but twice. Well I guess to increase their tequila sales or possibly get a bigger tip not actually sure. Our receipt was charged for a double shot margarita. Which is 22 dollars per person. The bill was nearly 90 dollars which set off an alarm Two margaritas and an appetizer Wait a minute!! Thankfully I caught the price and got it refunded. This may not be the case for other visitors though since most are tipsy when they leave. I'm thankful that the GM was nice enough to help. That an I saw it immediately. ‼Word to the wise check your receipt and ask for a print out if you must. ‼ Who's to say how many people they scammed / ripped off without them knowing. P.S . I'm staying away from tourists traps like this from now on Sorry this just lost you a customer and my word of mouth goes to lots of locals as well. If you read this I suggest you do the same. HINT: to the owner / GM you might need to better train your staff and have them repeat the order to the customer This is not a good look on your part and since reading reviews here Not the first time it's happened it's a cute bar and great vibe since it's right off the boardwalk But if service is lacking and people are being over charged for drinks Bonus the food is lacking for the price you pay They will surely go elsewhere read more

come here for sunset drinks!! food is decent! drinks are great! i enjoyed the casual laid back atmosphere. female server was great! read more

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From all appearances, this place seemed really cool--until I asked to take my drink to go. I ordered my drink to enjoy there, but when I wanted to leave, I was told I couldn't get a to-go cup and had to either finish it or leave it behind. Yet, if I had ordered the exact same drink "to go" from the beginning, they would have happily put it in a to-go cup. That policy makes absolutely no sense. It's disappointing because the atmosphere was nice, but inconsistent rules like that leave a bad impression. I will also say the male bartender started out as a nice guy, but was very rude about the no to go cups policy. read more

Baja Beach Cafe - Back door - Sports Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We got a table right next to the beach and were able to people watch while enjoying our meal. I would skip the steak fajitas next time as they were too heavily salted! read more

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The owner and his husband are so rude! The way they speak to you when you bring up a problem is ridiculous! They honestly seemed drunk or high. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE This place. We found our perfect little hotel about half mile down the beach, and this is the perfect little stop for snacks and GIANT margaritas, that they let you take with you!!!! Probably be in PB again in few months, can't wait to stop by read more

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Went for fish tacos and they were out of fish. Settled for the shrimp tacos. They were ok but definitely had better in AZ, a land locked state. Service was lousy at best, missing our side dishes. Had to ask then they finally came out when we were almost done eating. Server came by once. The guys from the kitchen bringing out our food were more attentive. Margaritas were awful. $21 for watered down huge plastic cups that reminded me of crappy frat party drinks. Bill was $100 after "dinner plate" and "inflation charge" for 4 tacos, 1 bowl of mixed rice and beans and 2 plastic "tubs" of margarita flavored colored water. Needless to say we won't be back. One star for being right on the beach. read more