This place is not a tourist trap like the Coyote or Miguel's Mexican restaurant, We found a hidden gem that had the best ambiance perfect for friends, family and for couples. I've promoted this place to our family to visit because they had live music, no line and no wait. Seating is outside under canopy shading with wooden tables and comfy wooden chairs. We came for the 5th of May and they brought us the most decadent steak! I ordered the Tampiquiena plate, enchilada and steak. Hands down the best. I'm not making stuff up. It's a beautiful place to go with your special someone. read more

Casa de Maria - Front row seats - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food and drinks? Love it! Service, at least this time, not so much at all. We dine out pretty often and go to a number of busy restaurants to know the difference between great and poor, and even okay service. We've been here before and enjoyed the ambience, food, drinks, and live music. Today we barely got served and that's really unfortunate because the lack of service really killed our vibe. All in all, food and drinks--good. Service--good luck. read more

Casa de Maria - Margarita Flight, chips, salsa, and guacamole. 10/10 recommend!!! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Stumbled upon this restaurant on a Friday night while exploring old town with my family. There was live music right in front of the table set up. We were quickly approached and given chips and salsa which were both really good. We ordered drinks and food and enjoyed the live music while things were prepared. The food came piping hot and was so delicious. Before we knew it what were a few tables was now a nearly full restaurant with a crowd gathering for the live music which was really good too by the way. We enjoyed our meal tremendously and left with a big smile on our faces! The staff was very nice and helpful and the restaurant was very nice and it was nice dining under the stars. Would def recommend and return! read more

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Delicious Mexican restaurant!! But what stood out to me the most was the service here. All around good vibes. My husband and I went at a busy time last Saturday afternoon. Our server always asked what we needed and we started with chips and salsa. The chips were so fresh and crisp. The salsa had a kick to it which he let us know prior. He asked us for a refill because we ate that up. For our main dishes we ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos and chicken enchiladas. I usually don't eat much of the rice and refried beans but I couldn't help myself. The refried beans and rice felt light to me which is surprising with queso fresco. I enjoyed the food and the overall experience. I would highly recommend lunch and drinks here in the Old Town area. A must. read more

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Ambiance is good but no AC. Food was ok. Nothing amazing and I've been to 3 others in the area that had better spice and freshness read more

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Unfortunately our server Julian was very forgetful. After repeated attempts to get his attention, ask for additional water and chips, he failed to remember our order. We spent most of the time waiting and walking up to him to get his attention. I asked him his name and instead of introducing himself like a man and shaking my hand he chose to give me a fist. I love this place but his service was truly awful. Furthermore, the hostess at 4pm on 9/13 had an awful facial expression, and a line waiting to be seated. She wasn't any better. I've had bad service but this was the worst service I've experienced in my entire 35 years alive. The older gentleman with a cap was the one that helped us ultimately and we appreciated his service directly. Hire better people. It's your reputation at stake. read more

Horrible service, waited 45 minutes for our food and food wasn't even ready. Got tired of waiting so I ended up paying for two drinks. Customers that paid after us, got their food before us, this place is ridiculous . To have to wait 45 minutes to an hour to get your food, is outrageous. This place was not busy. Avoid this place. This place is horrible in customer service and they make you wait , and don't even provide you with a good customer experience. To future customers, go somewhere else, get better service, and better food. If I could, I will give this place a -0. This message is for the owner, this is the correct place we came too. Will never go to your shitty restaurant ever again. To the owner- THIS IS THE CORRECT BUSINESS. I did not make a mistake. Customer service is no good!!! read more

Food: My cousin and I each ordered tacos and shared so we each got a fish taco and carne asada taco. Both were great and so were the beans and rice! Service: Olivia was our server and she was very nice. Service overall was quick and great. A token per customer is provided for the restrooms across the way. A complimentary photo is taken with option to buy the bigger version for $20. Ambiance: Very nice! Even have a little stage within the restaurant area so it was nice to listen to while eating and just looking around. read more

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First time trying this restaurant in old town and it was delicious! We did come on the second day of Dia de Los Muertos, so for a party of two we did wait but it was worth it. The chips and salsa were great. Got a second round and wanted to take some home. I ordered a carne asada and Baja fish taco, both tasted great! The green salsa I asked for on the side was perfect!! My partner ordered the rolled chicken tacos, those were tasty too. She also ordered a mangoñada drink and that hit the spot. Over all, great experience. read more

Casa de Maria - Taco Plate - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our dinner. The staff was very friendly! Outside seating was nice! They even sang happy birthday to a guest which was very sweet!! The food was great! We got the following: Irish Coffee - very strong Surf and Turf as a Wet Burrito - 10/10 Tampiquena - 8/10 read more

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Didn't even get a chance to eat there. I was on vacation visiting my elderly parents and thought I'd take them to Old Town San Diego. My mom wanted some Mexican food and this place looked decent enough. They have an indoor dining room and a large patio for outside dining. Maybe they do things different here because I'm from Texas and over there you have the option to sit inside or outside when you go to dine but I was walking with my parents into the inside dining room and this guy from behind the bar rudely told me, in a scolding fashion, that they were closed inside and we had to eat outside only. It was a hot day and my parents cannot be outside but it didn't seem like this guy would care so I loudly told him never mind we'll go somewhere else. We went to a neighboring Mexican restaurant and had a much better experience. If this is the way you treat your patrons your doors won't stay open much longer. read more

First of all, if you're eating at a Mexican restaurant in Old Town, you already know you're in a tourist trap spot and you can expect to pay WAY too much for standard Mexican fare you can get basically anywhere else in the city. That being said, we were still shocked to sit down and find prices were ridiculous. We were still going to eat here despite the gouge, but then we noticed a disclaimer printed on the bottom of the menu that said EVERYTHING ON THE MENU is going to be marked up 4% on the final bill REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR PARTY. This note was not handwritten or added after the menus were already printed, so literally every single price listed on the menu was printed intentionally incorrect. We could not eat here at a place that has such blatant predatory practices, so we up and left. Just a heads up. read more

Fantastic food . Our server was phenomenal. My margarita was huge, enough for two. Enjoyed my steak fajita. Indoor/outdoor seating with live music. Only negative is bathroom situation. Share a common bathroom for area. Given coin to use. Bathrooms were filthy . read more

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It was a an incredible experience. The ambience was homie and felt like I was part of family. Olivia, our server, was an sweet and professional each and every time she checked in on us. The food was delicious. We ordered the molcajete and there was so much food! Fresh and tasty! read more

Gonzalo was the best. He gave great recommendations and provided excellent customer service. Give this man a raise!

Casa de Maria is the perfect place to have lunch outdoors in Old Town. It's located just away from the center where it can get very crowded. The staff is dressed in vintage outfits I loved and serviced was great. The food was yummy and we especially loved the house salsa. Alicia León was the entertainment while we ate, her voice is beautiful she sang classic and modern songs in both english and Spanish. Also she danced twrds the end of her set, it was lovely! And their spicy mango margarita is so good, a must to order there. read more

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Took the family and we had an amazing time. The food was on point. Service was excellent and even though it was busy we were able to snap a few pictures with the awesome hostess, love the old town ambiance with all the festive people, love The Día de los Muertos culture. We will definitely come back. Thank you. read more

One of my favorite lunch/dinner spots in old town. This spot is located in a square with live musicians and other shops around. It's perfectly walkable to or from other parts of old town. There is outdoor seating and some indoor seats too. Service is quick and the servers are super kind. I always get a molcajete which is perfect for two. They have a spicy salsa, and cheese inside with pieces of seasoned, well cooked meats like asada, chicken, and shrimp on the rim. They also have bulbs of green onion and nopal on the rim! The molcajete is served with rice, beans, your choice of corn or flour tortilla, sour cream and pico. Overall a great meal for two! They also have all lot of margarita options and mexican beer on tap. Chips and salsa are complimentary! read more

Casa de Maria - Molcajete - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

The food here is absolutely fantastic and delicious but what puts this place over the top is the incredible service , if you get super lucky and get Gonzalo as your waiter you will be in the best hands ever. Made our outing so special and took such great care of us. Thank you Gonzalo!!!! Also he had the band play happy bday to our daughter read more

This used to be a favorite, visited a couple times each year. So disappointed in our last meal. Poor service, waited over 45 minutes to get our meal. Mediocre food, greasy and fatty carnitas tacos that were way overpriced for two street tacos and beans and rice. read more

It was just...okay. For a mexican restaurant, the food was really underseasoned. It wasn't bad, just not very interesting. The beans, however, were quite good. Service was fine. read more

We had friends visiting from Las Vegas and they wanted to check out Old Town. We explored the shops and museums then went for a drink and lunch at Casa de Maria. Becky and I have visited Old Town on a few occasions, never Casa de Maria. The live music, a solo female singer, in the courtyard was nice. The service was really good, the beer was cold and Becky enjoyed her spicy marg. The food. Meh. If we were to take visitors for authentic Mexican food, Casa de Maria would not be our first choice. It seemed like "touristy" Mexican food. Complimentary chips and salsa were brought to the table. The chips were good. The salsa was lacking. Not at all spicy. Perhaps offer two salsas? Add a spicy version. The bowls for both were tiny and had to be constantly refilled. I ordered the Street Tacos Plate. Three mini tacos (about 3 bites each) served with rice and beans. I chose one of each. Shredded Beef, Carnitas and Pollo Asada. In order, I liked the carnitas the best, then pollo and lastly the beef. The carnitas had good flavor and was juicy. The chicken was good as well and not dry. The beef was a tad salty and dry. Beans were really good while the rice was bland. Crispy Tacos Two crunchy corn tortillas filled with your choice of shredded beef or chicken, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, and cheese. Serve with rice and beans. Becky and my visiting friend both ordered these with shredded beef. Both thought they were okay at best. I had one of Becky's and agreed. My friend said of the shredded beef: "They cooked all the flavor right out of it". Taquitos Shredded beef or chicken rolled tacos topped with melted cheese, lettuce, pico, and avocado sauce (not guacamole). Friend's wife had this. She chose the shredded beef also. Her assessment? See crispy tacos above. Prices were okay if not a tad high, but it's touristy Old Town so that is to be expected $20-ish dollars per plate range for most entrees. $8.69 for a single taco (bit steep). The bathroom situation is less than ideal. No bathrooms at the restaurant. There are two one-at-a-time bathrooms across the courtyard and you need a token to use them (your server will give them to you). The lines get long, plan accordingly. We'd likely return for a drink and the music but dine elsewhere. read more

Had the pleasure of being served by Olivia. Great food, great drinks, great service. Wonderful atmosphere. read more

Great food, especially the salsa and beans. Friendly service. Nice ambiance. We sat outside under one of the big umbrellas on a Thursday afternoon. There was some chill live music. read more

10/10 I'm not one to leave a review but the food was great got the molcajete, the service was amazing, Gonzalo A. Was very friendly and on top of things main reason why I will comeback , the music is what made it even better, live rock en español and guy can play! Will comeback! read more

Casa de Maria - Old town - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

If you're looking for the gold standard of Mexican food and hospitality in Old Town, Casa de Maria is it--no debate. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere strikes that perfect balance of vibrant and welcoming, but what truly elevates the experience is the service--especially Olivia. She's the kind of professional who anticipates your needs before you even ask, keeps everything running seamlessly, and somehow makes every visit feel personal. In a place that's already exceptional, she's the differentiator. The food is consistently outstanding--rich, authentic flavors, beautifully presented, and clearly made with care. Every dish we've tried has been memorable, and it's the kind of menu where you start planning your next visit before you've even finished your meal. This isn't just a place we "like"--it's our go-to. Whenever family comes into town, we bring them here. When business partners visit, this is where we host. It's become our standard for both quality and experience, and frankly, nothing else in Old Town compares. Casa de Maria isn't just one of the best--it is the best. read more

We decided to visit old town and have dinner we had dinner here over 10year ago this time the customer service the food the waiter had a problem service us maybe because we were Mexican all the other people we're in side meaning white people.well the food all separated i got the steak plate with rice and beans steak came on one plate rice came in little salsa cup for 30$ plate that steak was over cooked tasted like beefjerky me we send a total of 240$ what rip off i high don't recommended this better off going to taco bell. read more

We went down to Old Town for the Dio de los Muertos event and stopped here to eat. while the outside seating was nice and refreshing, with lots of shade which was very nice because it was a sunny day. There was nice live music playing out near our seating which saved the whole eating experience. We were seated right away, but it still took over 20 minutes to take our drink and food order. we ordered the fish and chips, calamari, and two enchiladas. All of the food came a once and was over 30 minutes of waiting. All of the food was warm, nothing was hot. The fish and chips and calamari all looked like it was made out of the frozen food section of a supermarket. No sauce option for the fish and chips, and the calamari was rubbery. The enchiladas (one red, one green) tasted very plain with little to no spice or anything to enjoy. The meal came with beans and rice, which the beans were almost solid and the rice was very dull. Lastly, we had to ask a separate waiter for our check because our waiter disappeared after some time. I'm not one to complain a lot about my reviews, but this place was a huge disappointment. I will not return or recommend this place to anyone. read more

Casa de Maria - Calamari - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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See i'm from Texas so food is very different here, but this place is amazing. 10/10 best Mexican food in cali,service was amazing.it looks beautiful where you eat and really brings a vibe. I don't leave reviews my bad read more

Olivia was our waitress and she was absolutely killer. Food and drinks were amazing! I recommend starting off with the shrimp ceviche! read more

Casa de Maria - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is great. Gonzalo Aguilar was attentive, and give us a great services. We would definitely come back.

Joel was our server and he was great! We had a large party for my mom's birthday and he took really good care of us. He brought out a sweet treat for my mom's birthday and the live performer sang happy birthday! It a calm, comfortable environment and the food was incredible! The live performer was really good and knew a large variety of songs. Definitely would recommend if you're looking for great service and great food! read more

Amazing food and service! Our waiter Olivia was very kind and helpful, she made us feel at home! Would highly recommend. read more

Casa de Maria - Molcajete de Maria (Serves Two) - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Olivia was the best server! Loved the food, beer, and music! I'll be coming back for the tequila tasting! Thank you!

Me and my family have been coming here for years! Dont knock it till you try it! Never any wait and the food is always hot and good! I never had anything bad at this place before. Also the drinks are STRONG! The service is always fast and they are always checking in on you! 10/10 especially for locals like us read more

Casa de Maria - Sope of chicken - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Delicious food and service was great. Our server Gonzalo was very kind and attentive.

Thank you so much Gonzalo for giving our daughter such a special birthday , your service was above and beyond and you made us feel like family. The food here is so delicious. I got fish tacos, my son got shrimp street tacos , my wife got a burrito , my daughter got fish and chips. Every one of us loved our food . The service is gonna stay in our hearts forever. Also they don't use lard in their beans which we really appreciate. Gonzalo is the best read more

Food was lovely, I enjoyed the margarita and enchiladas. Our server Olivia was great, and helped with all our questions. Also live music was playing and this one guy was going off on the flute. Will be back!! read more

The chips were very good. Quick service and great teamwork all around. I was very skeptical and I ended up loving this place. I liked how you grab a menu and just sit anywhere. In America we love our options. read more

Cute rustic ambiance but food is SALTY. They are accommodating to your party's needs, which is a plus for any place. Try to go on cooler days because it's mainly an outdoor venue. All-in-all, a good place to sit back and relax. read more

Casa de Maria - Patio view - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California