Great tortillas and salsa and great, ambiance. We drive an hour and 10 minutes to eat here.

Good food and amazing service by Ana! All the food tasted amazing and Ana was so attentive with us! read more

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Our server Aide was great! She was very attentive and nice. Would recommend Cafe Coyote to everyone!!

Our first time stopping by Old Town and the decor of the restaurant pulled us in. Ana was our server and she was so kind and helpful! The cafe de ola was delicious. read more

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I've been here in the past (2x) and it was fun, I thought the service was slow because both nights were packed so that was fine. I was at big tables and we had delicious margaritas and it was super fun vibe and the decor is also fun. Last night we had mediocre food (if even that), terrible service. It took forever to get water, which they didn't refill unless you could basically beg to grab somebody while they were rushing by which met two out of the four of us had completely empty water glasses for 50% of the time) then to even take our drink order. And longer to take our food order. At that point we were already an hour or so in (just to receive the drinks! We would've ordered another round if it didn't take so long). Then finally ordered food & they whipped the food out. It was super mediocre tasting too. It like they were rushing around but super slow, and there were empty tables everywhere. And the awkward, disappearing workers made it uncomfortable. It was NOT busy. we also had a weird uncomfortable patio seat I had always been upstairs or outside. (To be transparent, I did request indoors b/c of the rain, which stopped by then. I didn't even know that weird little patio existed. I thought it was going to be in the upstairs w/ more warmth and ambience). We are super chill/nice people and hadn't seen the other couple in 15 years so it was more about enjoying the company we were with. But it was totally uncomfortable where we were and everything was awkward and not close to tasting good. I was going to order guacamole and couldn't even find the person so it was all taking so long anyway we were hungry so we just went straight to ordering. Even at the end, both guys pulled out their credit cards and since we hadn't seen them forever we were going to split it and then both guys handed their credit card to her and she asked "what do you wanna?" do and then she said something like "I'll just do this," and immediately started shuffling the credit cards. like she was going to pick one. And she hadn't given the guys a nanosecond to even say "we're splitting it." Super tacky and the whole thing was rushed bad experience not going to be taking people or going back there, unless I'm forced to meet people. Then I'll just have extra margaritas so everything's super fun no matter what haha. read more

Great place to grab drinks, plenty of places to sit down even when busy. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu selection is great with lots of options from pozole to carnitas. They have tacos, burritos, enchiladas, Birria. The drink menu is also expansive they have a big selection. Flour tortillas are homemade. Food is tasty and generous. Ambiance is lovely, they have musicians playing in case you want to listen to music. read more

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First of all, this place is huge. We had a party of 10 and even though there was no reservation we were seated immediately on a Sunday evening at 7:30pm. Chips and salsa were great, and my bowl of posole was HUGE with plenty of toppings. There are some live music players going around if you'd like to hear music for tips. Great spot in old town for groups to enjoy dinner/drinks read more

Cafe Coyote - Posole - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Great Spot as always, haven't been here in 20 plus years and everything is still as good as it was before! Thank you. Service was great and fast, restaurant is always nostalgic, and food tasted as great as it usually does. read more

Cafe Coyote - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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There are several Mexican spots in Old Town, but this is our favorite for the food and atmosphere. I am always amazed this restaurant takes up several buildings yet there is a line. The people know. read more

Cafe Coyote - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I'm still sticking with the 4 star review on this... 10 years and several visits later, I still love this place and choose it every time. Reading over my previous review, I still agree with all of it! I'm still a fan of their crispy carnitas and their Chilaquiles Verdes! The atmosphere here really can't be beat! Such a cute spot and a fun vibe. I love their homemade tortillas and often we order them to go. Service is good but not great, definitely not always as attentive as I'd like, but always friendly. Still my favorite place to eat in Old Town! read more

Grabbed a quick dinner here tonight before boarding flight home. The restaurant is huge! Looks like 2-3 bars and 3-4 seating areas. Service was great! I mentioned to our waiter hector I need to catch a flight in 1 hour and our food literaly came out within 5-10 minutes from ordering! Best customer service! My friend and I shared the carne asada plate that came with rice and beans and the most delicious handmade flour tortilla ever! We also shared a crispy taco plate .. chicken, the chicken was a little dry but overall it's good. We ordered the dragon pop mocktail and that was so good and refreshing. I highly recommend coming here if you want some Mexican food and enjoy the vibe. Will definately come back and spend more time enjoying their food and atmosphere next time. read more

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The service was great and friendly. I actually thought it would kind of a touristy place. Don't get me wrong .... It is.... But with delish food. The carne asada was flavorful and delicious. The carnitas juicy and delicious. The drinks hit the spot. The only thing that was a little on the bland side was the chile relleno. But Cafe Coyote is definitely worth a trip to visit. And freshly made tortillas!!! #vidadeunafoodie read more

Tourists Will Be Happy. Locals Already Have Their Spot. I brought family here because they were visiting San Diego and wanted to experience Old Town. We arrived on Sunday, in the summer, around 5 pm and waiting time was five minutes. But ten minutes later, there was a long line. As a local, I knew we weren't eating the best Mexican food in the county-but we were also under time constraints. The fresh tortillas were as expected hotv right off the grill. Flour is best. Chips and salsa disappeared fast too. The entrees? Chicken enchilada combo red sauce, chicken enchilada combo green sauce & Chipotle La Crema camarones. As the local I had two bites. Beans and rice were dry and hard. My family enjoyed theirs and ate the rest for leftovers the following day. I wasn't impressed. On their behalf, nothing was bad; it just never reached the point where I'd think, "I need to come back." The service moved at the same pace as the kitchen, slow, and our server had just enough attitude to be noticeable. Were day outside and the cleanliness of the tables, chairs, gross asf dirty menus and trash under tables was not okay. I shouldn't have needed to ask for a different seating table with the side eye from the server. If you're visiting Old Town, good choice. Non-Mexican food experiencers will stop the blasphemy of saying Taco Bell is Mexican food. If you're a local desiring Mexican food, you probably already know where you're going instead. read more

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I came for a meet and greet with a group of friends traveling far and wide for our annual celebration. I just came from a nearby happy hour and didn't eat, so now I'm hungry. I didn't see any vegan options on the menu, though I'm sure you could order something vegetarian without the cheese; but what's the fun in that?! I ended up getting chips and guacamole. It was tasty, though didn't hit the spot. Restaurant is large, with rooms in the back to accommodate large parties. The service was fair enough considering we were a large party. Not sure if they have wi-fi service. As I was exiting the restaurant, I tried to order a Lyft. No cell phone service. I asked a waiter outside if they had wi-fi, and I received a curt no! I had to walk a few blocks to get service. read more

Cafe Coyote - Cafe Coyote: guacamole with chips - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

One visit to Cafe Coyote and it's so easy to understand why this is a long running success!! The food was truly perfection - everything we ate had us remarking it was the best version we'd ever had at a restaurant. The food was fresh, flavorful, and tasted homemade. The freshly made tortillas were so crazy delicious! The drinks were strong and yummy. What made our visit extra special was our lovely server, Aide. She was so sweet to our boys, made the best recommendations, and felt like a longtime friend. What a wonderful human - we would absolutely request to be seated in her section again. We drove down from a day in Escondido and will definitely be back. read more

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My daughter and I stopped by this location, at Cafe Coyote (Old Town San Diego, California), on our first night in the area. We were looking for a fun restaurant that served Mexican food and this looked like the perfect spot. This location is well-illuminated and it has excellent curb appeal, which I'm sure partially contributes to the high volume of customers who stop by here, both from tourists and from locals. So, in we went. Unfortunately, we arrived five minutes before they were closing, and I could see that they were starting to close the place down for the night. The host offered to seat us anyway, but I decided not to eat here because I did not want to feel rushed with the experience. My daughter and I decided to come back another day, earlier in the evening. For our second visit, we were seated almost immediately, even though the place was busy and we did not make a reservation in advance. We were originally seated indoors, but after five minutes of sitting there I could tell that the noise level was just too loud and that it would not have been enjoyable. We quickly decided to relocate and sit outside where the noise level was not quite so loud so that my daughter and I could have a nice conversation. It was also nicer outside because it happened to be a warm summer evening with a comfortable temperature and a slight breeze. After being seated, our waiter stopped by and introduced himself to us. His name was "Tony P." After eating several chips with salsa, which were delicious, we were ready to place our orders. I ordered the "Coyote Tacos," which are two crunchy tacos filled with your choice of shredded chicken or shredded beef. The tacos come topped with lettuce, cotija cheese and salsa fresca. I decided to get my tacos with beef, and my daughter ordered the same thing, but with chicken. The taco plates are served with rice and beans on the side. I ordered a Pepsi to drink with my meal, and my daughter ordered a mock-a-rita. Our waiter, Tony, was attentive, friendly, and professional throughout our experience. My meal was really delicious. If you are in the area and you want to enjoy wonderful Mexican food in a fun atmosphere, you should definitely check this place out. It can be a bit loud due to the high volume of customers, but it will most likely be a pleasant and memorable experience. read more

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Cafe Coyote is a fun and vibrant place in Old Town San Diego. Extensive menu of delicious Mexican food. Large restaurant with outside and inside seating and different floors. There's a lot going on but the servers make you feel like you are their only customer. Great experience with lively atmosphere and good food read more

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The line outside may look daunting but it moved surprisingly quick. I got the lobster and it was delicious! Especially with their handmade flour tortillas! The place is lively with lots of celebrations and the food was great! I would love to return. read more

Cafe Coyote - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is a must! Food was excellent, service was excellent and the ambiance is so fun! They were very busy and our server was on point and food came out quickly. My only complaint was that the margarita flight didn't seem to have much tequila in it. The flavors were there for sure! Would absolutely go again! read more

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I will say the set up, decor and ambiance is what drew me in. Love the colorful flags, love the painted tiles everywhere and love how you see handmade tortillas made in the open. I did get seating right away so that was nice. My server was alright, but it was quite a busy time so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Food unfortunately wasn't as tasty as I'd expected. The table salsa was very bland and tasted more like tomato sauce and the chips were average at best (you'd think if they have folks making handmade tortillas then their tortilla chips would taste authentic...nope). I ordered the birria taco plate and I was disappointed with the meat. Meat was wayyyyy too dry for birria and it didn't come with a side of consume. What?! Anytime, anywhere I've ordered birria tacos it ALWAYS comes with a side of consume. Smh. The saving grace of the food was, it tasted better as reheated leftovers the next morning for breakfast than when I was served them hot and fresh the day before as dinner. Honestly though maybe my expectations were too high. After all it's right in the middle of Old Town San Diego and the place is one of a dozen with Mexican restaurants in a couple blocks and crawling with tourists. ‍ read more

Cafe Coyote - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I called someone and asked where I should eat, she said this location had okay food but I thought trying the highest reviewed item would be good. Rice, beans, and tacos (3) all underseasoned and my plate was $30. Good portion sizes, can't say I recommend the food from here though, I was disappointed. I'm not sure what the hype was in the other reviews. Good host, and I had absolutely wonderful service from Alejandro my waiter who was so attentive and the atmosphere was lovely. Some musicians came up and offered to play us a song while we were eating which added to the great ambiance. read more

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The place is such a cool restaurant and its huge! We walked up to put in our name, there was a line wrapped around the building. Definitely a good sign this place must be popular I thought to myself. We got seated right away which is crazy for a family of 12! Our serve Javier I think was his name was very attentive to us. The chips and salsa were super tastey. I didn't partake in their margaritas but they were huge! We ordered the chorizo and beans to start which was yums! Then I ordered the Puerto Nuevo lobster. It delicious! Especially with those homemade tortillas. I can't wait to go back just for that alone! We also were serenaded for my brothers birthday which was super cool and made the experience even better. I will definitely be returning if we are ever in old town SD again. read more

Cafe Coyote - PPuerto Nuevo Style Lobster - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is huge ! They also have outdoor / indoor seating. It's open and welcoming. They were so nice from when I entered. The food was not bad. I saw a lady making the tortillas like cooking them outside that's what brought me in. A cool place to go to if you're there read more

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My second time visiting and it was just as good as the first time! A true gem in Old Town SD. The food is always good-- especially the homemade tortillas! They typically sell them to go but ran low for restaurant use and had to stop selling. The service was great for it being a busy Holiday Monday. Definitely recommend when you're in the area! read more

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This is a huge restaurant in Old Town. We decided to go here because it was across the street from the Whaley House and there was no wait. We were a big group of 8 that Saturday evening. The decor is very cute with lots of seating inside and outside on their central patio. We were seated right away and our waiter took all our orders. This is a very busy restaurant with staff bustling around everywhere. They have delicious freshly made flour tortillas so I always try to order a dish with them. The portions are generous so most dishes can be shared if you want to split a meal or take the leftovers home. Everyone was happy with the orders. The shrimps in my dish was so good! Not overcooked and fresh. read more

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I have been waiting so long to eat here, it's been on my yelp list for about 2 years and I finally made it. I have ready many reviews on how good the food is so I was expecting for my foods to be wonderful but to my surprise I was highly disappointed the food was exceptional. The food was just basic it lacked flavor, the food for just basic I had to add salt due to the foods being blane. The only highlights of my meal was the homemade tortillas and my Pepsi. I will not be returning, the food was not nasty but it wasn't great either. I don't understand how the restaurant was full of pratons with the level of food that is being served. read more

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I happened to walk by this place and noticed it was pretty busy with a fun atmosphere, so we decided to stop in and give it a try. Even though it was crowded, we got seated pretty quickly. The staff was friendly and welcoming. There were five of us, and four people in our group ordered the lobster because it looked really good on the menu. Each lobster plate was $69.95 and came with beans and rice on the side. Honestly, other than helping fill us up, the beans and rice weren't anything special. As for the lobster, I thought it was pretty small for the price. It was also a little dry, and I honestly didn't enjoy it very much. For almost $70, I feel like I could go to just about any Chinese seafood restaurant near where I live and get a bigger and better lobster meal than this. One of my friends ordered the Carne Asada Plate, which came with steak, beans, and rice. That plate was $24.95 and seemed decent for the price. I also ordered a cocktail, and that was actually one of the highlights for me. It was well made, tasted good, and felt worth the price. The restaurant is colorful and has a fun vibe that makes you feel like you're somewhere in Mexico. Since it's located right in Old Town San Diego, we chose to sit outside and watch people walk by while we ate. To be honest, I probably enjoyed the Old Town atmosphere more than the lobster. read more

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Celebrating my Birthday week in San Diego from, Oceanside and had lunch here! Food mediocre! Service was good! Ambiance very good! I'll try one of the other choices down here next time! read more

We came into Old Town for Taco Tuesday and this seemed to be the busiest restaurant on the strip. We were able to be seated immediately and the service was great. We ordered the margarita flight and two burrito plates. The food was just average, and the margaritas were pretty overpowered with flavor/sweetness. I think this place is more for the vibes than the food. You can find better mexican food for a fraction of the price at other places, but if you're just here to enjoy old town, then it does the job. read more

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Fantastic lunch. We tend to judge Mexican restaurants based on their chili relleno. This one?? FANTASTIC. We also had their very tasty, crispy, slightly spicy fish taco. Their beans (another dish on which I judge the restaurant) perfect. Tortillas are house made (the flour were exceptional) and wait staff were professional and attentive: did I mention the Negro Modelo on draft? Lunch was everything we wanted it to be!! read more

Cafe Coyote - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here with a group of 17 people. We had made a reservation prior to coming and they were able to accommodate large groups. We saw multiple groups here watching FIFA games. They had live singers coming around and serenading tables. They put us in a room that was secluded so we were able to talk and hear each other well, though it did start to get warm. The hostess was sitting another party there but it was too warm for them and they relocated. The thermostat was reading 81 in the room we were in. We all ordered our food and it came quickly and pretty much at the same time. The non-alcoholic drink cups were a lot larger so it helped to not need refills as much. Water cups were a little smaller but they brought a pitcher that was left at the table so we could refill as needed. We ordered 2 pitchers of Cadillac margaritas and shared amongst the table which was great. Parking around the area could be a little tough during crowded times but a nice stroll around the downtown area is always nice. We strolled into a few shops after eating. Overall a good experience for a large party. Would come back here again. read more

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I just had to write to express how excited I am to crush these next two al pastor tostadas after demolishing the first! Thanks to our server, Danny, for both his expertise and limitless patience to ensure our order was exactly what we wanted! My wife enjoyed the margarita-marinated chicken, too. Thanks to the kitchen staff, too, for an amazing culinary experience! Live music for tips enhanced the whole authentic Mexican vibe here. read more

Cafe Coyote - After 1 tostada demolished, I had to write about how much I'm looking forward to crushing these next two. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

It's been a while since I've been here and I would say that it's more rushed service then quality. The service was sub par as our waiter left us without napkins, straws and took a while for him to check on us. They were busy but I think they couldn't have limited the amount of people they were sitting versus how much servers they had. read more

Amazing restaurant and it's huge one with ample seating and such a quick service and it's in old town with having amazing vibes .....and it's very close to airport so I would recommend definatley while going or coming from airport . Food was excellent and out server was very nice and he ensured that I get a vegetarian taco which was really good. read more

Cute spacious Mexican cantina in Old Town San Diego. Outdoor and indoor seating in themed rooms. Very cute decor. Our waitress was friendly and took good care of us. Complimentary chips and salsa are brought to the table. I had the tortilla soup and a cheese enchilada. The soup was very good, albeit slightly heavy broth, but a great smoky chile flavor. The enchilada was a little salty but again the red sauce had a great flavor. Everyone else enjoyed everything they ordered, and most of the items come with freshly made flour tortillas. read more

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Okay guys it's definitely really touristy but sometimes that is what's FUN! We love taking people who come from out of town to walk around Old Town and this is just a great stop with a great vibe. The food may be not as typically authentic as other places in the same area but you get great photos, the bathrooms are easily accessible, and the food and drink is pretty good, and the vibe is just fun with music and ambiance! In terms of what to get, I especially LOVE the carnitas here and could eat them all day. They're super good. I also feel that even when this place is busy it's still pretty easy to get a spot and the service is fast and efficient. This last time we came we had such a sweet waiter named Lucy/Lucia who was so on the ball with us, even though it was a busy Saturday!! It made our experience so positive and I would come back in a heartbeat just to get served by her. We always have fun here and I love taking others here as well! read more

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It's packed and the servers constantly stop to check on you but also feels like they're pushing you to hurry out so they can turn their tables. Food came out WAY TOO FAST and we couldn't relax with the repeated "check-ins." Very touristy and food was just meh. Nothing too flavorful or distinct. read more

I LOVE their homemade tortillas and to be honest all of their foods . Went with Pozole tonight and their XL bowl was more than enough. Fun time with a big party (40+) and a "good time was had by all" read more

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Love coming here when I'm on this side of town. The food is great, atmosphere is lively. It's always busy the times I have been here so I definitely try to have grace for the servers. It's a lot of hard work. That's being said, no -- you won't always have the best service. But life goes on. The pros outweigh the cons. read more

Great ambiance & vibes. Service was friendly & efficient. The bathrooms could use some attention. My flautas were good. Beans & rice were just okay. The blended mango margarita was good but I've had better. My husband said his birria was good but not the best he's had. Overall, great experience. read more

Cafe Coyote - Chicken Chipotle Flautas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California