I'm a little late in writing this review, but I wanted to take the time to share my experience at Casa de Reyes on September 16, 2026. After a long day at work, I stopped by Casa de Reyes hoping to relax and enjoy a good meal. It was a very busy evening, with many customers waiting to be seated. While I was waiting, I noticed a young man whose name tag read "Rolfo." What stood out to me immediately was the way he greeted every customer, including those who were frustrated and asking how much longer the wait would be. Even when some customers were rude or impatient, Rolfo remained calm, respectful, and professional. He never lost his composure and continued to reassure everyone that the staff was doing their best to seat guests as quickly as possible. As customers were seated, I noticed that Rolfo continued checking on each table to make sure everyone was comfortable and had everything they needed. When it was finally my turn, he provided me with the same exceptional service. He was courteous, patient, and took the time to explain the menu items and drinks, even though he was clearly very busy. I have dined at many different restaurants, and I can honestly say that Rolfo provided some of the best customer service I have experienced. His attitude, patience, and genuine care for the customers really stood out. I even told him that I would be coming back--not only because the food was amazing, but because of the excellent customer service he provided. He made me feel like more than just a customer; he treated me with the same kindness and respect you would expect from someone who truly cares about making guests feel welcome. Casa de Reyes is lucky to have someone like Rolfo on their team. Thank you, Rolfo, for making my evening special after a long day at work. Your hard work and dedication definitely did not go unnoticed! read more

My sister's and I had lunch here today. I ordered the enchiladas en nowadays which I have always wanted to try. They were great! A light, somewhat nutty taste with pomegranate arils scattered on top. Our server, Erica was friendly, hospitable and helpful. Would definitely come here again when visiting San Diego. read more

We came here to see the Day of the Dead festivities and stopped here to eat. My mode had the Chile Riano with steak and rice. I had the chicken quesadilla. Daughter had the steak salad, and my mother in law had the stuffed shrimp. All were very very good and tasty. Steak was very tasty, quesadilla was really cheesy, and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. Only reason this is not a five star review is that the wait was a little too long. We were there and during the whole time there were several tables that were empty with no customers and we had to continue to wait. Knowing this is busy time, staff she be the same accordingly so you do not have people wait as long. read more

After sight seeing the Mexican Navy Cuauhtemoc Battleship, my family and I were hungry looking for a good Mexican restaurant. Finding the beautiful pictures on their site seemed promising however when seated at our table the waitress continually forgot our service. The food came before the drinks we requested twice to several other staffers, her pace was slow. The food presentation looked very promising but it came cold and flavorless. Just as the appetizers did which were a simple dish of chips and salsa, the chips were stale just as their tortillas and the salsa was never refilled till we bothered another waiter. Food wasn't hot or warm, the atmosphere is beautiful and lively but not worth it. Their servicing isn't reassuring to make up for bad quality food either. Wouldn't come back here again or recommend. read more

Update: I reached out to Casa De Reyes via email as requested by the manager. I spent at least 15-20 mins detailing my experience and did NOT receive any acknowledgment. This place wants you to believe they care by sending a form response but take NO action. Food was absolutely disgusting and overpriced. Rice is old and dry. The shredded beef is definitely frozen. They have no reason to make improvements since it's in a tourist area. There were seven of us in the party. Two of us are vegan and no options.. even though the menu said vegan options. The refried beans had pork and the rice had chicken broth. Oh, there were black beans.. no, thanks. We had a plate come out with hair and they took it back and wiped the hair off. Um, okay. I definitely would not go back if you paid me or recommend to my worse enemy. The only good thing this place has going for itself is the live band but you are charged a 4% service fee for that. Our waiter Rigoberto worked hard so that was appreciated. The hostess didn't add us to the waitlist and after 30 mins we came back to check. She couldn't find us on the list Taco Bell is ten thousand times better, I'm sure. read more

Fun day... we took the train to Old Town... had lunch at Casa De Reyes... The place was packed and still the sever was happy and attentive... food is great... read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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When an absolutely fun experience if you're in old town, San Diego. I had friends in who wanted some authentic Diego Mexican food and they suggested we go to old town from the vibe to the live live music and mariachi outside. Everything was great. Personally I loved my Paloma and the shrimp that is crab, stuffed, and bacon wrapped at life altering. Be patient and enjoy the experience. Servers are busy because it close to October and all the festivities read more

Casa De Reyes - Paloma- sorry it was too good not to take a sip before I took a picture - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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The art was definitely eye catching. I enjoyed the atmosphere as well...perfect outdoor seating. The food and service were also great. read more

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This place is always crowded and I was hoping the reason would be the food. Sadly, it seems that they just have a great location in the middle of a bunch of shops and live music nearby. The food leaves lots to be desired, especially for the high price. They don't have hot salsa, which is extremely sad and the chips weren't hot. We got the Shrimp Ceviche and the Carnitas Platter. The ceviche was pretty good, but the chips were the same tortilla chips that came with the salsa. Why am I being charged for chips that were already provided to the table for free? The carnitas were good, but soaking wet, which made the texture gross. The rice was soo salty, I had to spit it out. Plenty of things they should work on in terms of their quality. Doesn't seem like anyone actually cares though based on the employees' behaviors. Quite sad. Not sure why you wouldn't want to strive to get customers to come back rather than be a one-time thing. 2.5 overall. read more

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Great restaurant! The food was very good. The tacos were cooked perfectly and I didn't feel like the shrimp was overcooked. It gets very busy due to being located in old town so I would arrive early. Parking was around $25 for 3 hours so it's best to take the trolley or arrive early for street parking. The dining area is mostly outside so plan accordingly. However, I enjoy the outdoor seating to have a constant change of scenery. read more

Casa De Reyes - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Came to Case De Reyes for my daughter's 18th Birthday lunch celebration with several of her friends. We were seated within seconds of walking up and greeted immediately by our server with chips and delicious salsa. The unbeatable outside seating, and Mexican ambiance is what did it for me. They had music playing in the background, live greenery, and shops that surrounded the entire area, making it a great spot for weekend drinks or a lively dinner out during the week. I ordered the pozole verde. It was a perfect portion, served with a side of rice and beans. It had the right amount of hominy, chicken, and cabbage. The green chile flavor, along with a fresh squeeze of lime made it flawless. Top notch service, and the perfect atmosphere will definitely have me back to order a different dish. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Unfortunately, I was beyond disappointed. We came to celebrate a birthday of a friend on a Friday night. We watched the live music as we waited and got seated as soon as our reservation started. They were able to accommodate to our reservation party being a lot larger than our reservation, which was appreciated. When we were seated our waiter said he would return to take our drink order. He returned 15 minutes later, took our order, and then was never to be found. We had to ask another server for the waters we had ordered. We then asked for straws 3 different times until we finally received 1 straw and had to ask for 4 more. Overall the ordering process was very stressful. When we ordered food, they returned 15 minutes after giving us our straws to take our food order. At that point half the table decided to not order food. Which we then just ordered two appetizers. They were decent. Wouldn't say the food was fresh as it came out rather cold haha. read more

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The food is pretty authentic and legit!! I went with a few friends and we all got different dishes and they were all good: the Chile Relleno, Mar y Tierra, Chicken Mole, and Chicken Pozole Verde. I highly recommend the guacamole, it was very good. The Michelada was good and the house margarita too! The service was very good and nice to us! We ask to get move from one table to another, and they did with no problem! And the ambiance was great! We could see the stage where the Mariachis were gonna sign for Dia de Los Muertos! read more

Casa De Reyes - Guacamole (a must have)! House Margarita, and Michelada - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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We love this place! Something about it...I think the atmosphere and how it sits right in the middle of the courtyard of Fiesta De Reyes. This has always been our destination after riding 105 miles from Fullerton. We get a beer, something to eat, and then jump on the train to head back home. The service is always the best! No matter who our server has been, they have always been top notch. If you are in the area, this is a neat place to check out and grab a bite to eat. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a Sunday lunch here back in April. Old Town was our last stop before heading home to Las Vegas. It was a really nice time. The food and service were good. I remember the waiter giving the perfect attentiveness to letting us chill service. I don't love dining al fresco usually, but the semi-indoor of Casa de Reyes was working for me that day. Light breeze. Warm. We had a walk around afterward, got some candies and SD trinkets. Old Town was a a sweet end to a great trip. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Atmosphere was great. Right in the middle of a very cute and decorated plaza. Surrounded by a lot of little shops. Waitress was really nice. Food was okay. The food and drinks were a bit overpriced for what it was. Probably won't go back. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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First time visiting Casa De Reyes. We stumbled on this plaza as we were following the live music. I honestly never seen or been to this plaza. It's so cute! So many small shops, from olive oil to chocolate. It was very busy when we visited as the Cinco de mayo festival was happening. We still only waited about 8 minutes for a table. Our waiter came soon and we quickly put our order in. The food came out just as quick! I had the surf and turf. The meat was good, nice and charred. The shrimp were wrapped in bacon and although good I decided to share them. The pico de gallo came with some nopales (cactus) which reminded me how good nopales are! The frijoles puercos were definitely tasty but not needed with this very flavor forward meal. Unfortunately the corn tortillas were a bit of a disappointment, mainly bc they were on the thicker/bigger side and got cold pretty quick. The pork with salsa verde dish was really good. The pork perfectly cooked. Note: definitely order the freshly made flour tortillas when dining here. The have a lot of fun margaritas to choose from. I feel like you can't go wrong. The staff is friendly, the food is good, and the atmosphere is lively. read more

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Great for birthday drinks! We only came for the giant margarita. We chose the house margarita on the rocks although they had many other flavors. It was a little pricey at $50. But, it was worth it being that it tasted delicious and was a whopping 88oz! Cheers! Took 1 star off since we weren't allowed to sit at a table. Instead we were shown to the bar which does not have bar height seats. They were very low and you had to stand up every time just to take a sip. Also my friend ripped a hole in her pants since the chair had a nail sticking out of it on the seat part. This could be resolved with new bar stools. read more

Casa De Reyes - House Margarita 88oz - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I rarely give bad reviews and sadly this is one of them. First off - they don't understand the concept of Customer Service. There is 1 guy that was nice to us and accomodated our request which was as simple as literally moving 2 chairs more! Food was not extra ordinary. Their virgin margaritas versus the reg margarita was a lot more and I did not taste the tequilla. Portions were tiny. Overall, I would not recommend and there are far more better places to check out and try out. read more

Today I just felt like being a tourist and hit all the spots you're supposed to visit when you go to san diego! Lol. Ive lived here 30 years and many things have changed or it doesn't have the spark and gatherings it used to have. I remember going to old town and it being more lively and festive. Now its quiet and not as robust as it was before covid. However, I see where all the people went. They are all at the casa de Reyes restaurant where the live band is! I really enjoyed myself here. Ive eaten here a long time ago and had the tortillas made by the women in that little area. Now, it is different. You order through the bar for the food and drinks. It was really nice bc I didn't have to sit down and eat. I went straight to the bar and ordered my long Island iced tea double shot. It was 20$. Im not used to paying for drinks so I was shocked at alcoholic beverage prices! Nonetheless, my drink was tasty and very enjoyable. The bartenders here are very nice and fast at making drinks! The sweet part was I was able to take my drink to the benches in front of the live band. It was a great atmosphere and lovely Latin music. Its just a great time here at casa de reyes. read more

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Casa De Reyes is located in Old Town in San Diego. We were exploring the town a couple times while visiting California, and Casa De Reyes was the perfect spot to grab a drink or two when we wanted a break from walking. We can't speak to the food because we didn't eat (although we totally should've cuz it smelled delicious). Both times we came we were able to snag a seat at the bar quickly and the bartenders were all very warm and inviting. We got simple beverages (coronas and a shot of tequila) but we saw some super impressive margs being made. Definitely would come back for the giant one we saw being crafted! The vibe here is great. I love that it's outdoors and in the open air. It felt lively and everybody was in a great mood. Overall this is a solid spot for a quick drink in town - I just wish we were gonna be back to try the food sometime soon. :) read more

I saw this place many, many times on social media when searching for places in Old Town, so I assumed it would be a great place after a nice long Amtrak ride! Arriving here, though it was pretty hot outside, it didn't feel like it under all the shade and breeze this place offered, so that was lovely. The service was also pretty friendly, so that was another plus during our time here. Since we came before breakfast ended, I contemplated getting the breakfast burrito as it looked yummy, and honestly I probably should've gotten something else as it was a let down. I felt that it was made pretty lackluster with all of the ingredients falling out of the tortilla. We also ordered a blended margarita to share, and that was not done correctly, and the taste wasn't very good, which led us to just order regular mango margaritas, which were fine but absolutely not strong. As we spent more time here, I started to realize this was very much a touristy location, from the higher prices to the presentation of food and taste, and it was definitely overhyped. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

ROACHES. And have the nerve to charge a 4% fee on top of that. I would like to add the menus and tables were u clean despite us coming in the morning. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mold? - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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It's just okay to dinne in here, not a perfect clean place but it's a good spot in the middle of the little shopping stores and we could enjoy with show. (Mexican tradition dance) Came here on Halloween, it's kinda crazy packed up and long line to get the seats. Foods are decent compared to other modern Mexican restaurants. Service is okay, due to holiday season. However, we did enjoy our meals. read more

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What happened to this place? I live in OC but anytime I would visit San Diego this was a must on my list. Been doing so for years. But the last few times the service has gone so downhill that I can't begin to recommend to anyone. Our last visit, getting on the waitlist and getting our table was fine. But then a woman said she was our server and that she'd be back shortly, but then immediately someone else came and took our drink order and said she would be helping us out. No smile, no greeting, just came up, "*I'll* be helping you. What do you want to drink?" Caught us off-guard and super confused especially because she barely made eye-contact with us. Was always just looking off at every other table but ours. But then we had multiple confusing interactions with other team members. While eating the chips and salsa, a worker stopped and asked if we were all right. We requested more chips and salsa. He never came back but kept bussing the tables around us. We didn't flag him down or anything. He initiated contact, but why ask if he wasn't going to do anything? Then later after we ate, my family went to go wash their hands. A different guy locks eyes with me, "Did you need something?" I got confused but did ask for a to-go box. Then I saw him disappear to a different section and he never came back. What kept us coming back was the great ambience of enjoying meal outside and the great food. But the best food is not nearly worth the entirely uncomfortable experience we had. But even the food this time was not great. I got molcajete and the chicken was dry dry dry. The carne was fine. But since we could barely get the attention of our server, I'll just box it up and move on with my life. In fact from my vantage point, I could see the server grabbing a chip and serving herself some salsa more times than she actually visited our table. I'll admit to the experience being so bad that I stipped the tip but she saw that and still made a sad desperate plea before we left to tip her. That was the fastest round between visits our whole experience. This was our most recent experience, but the last few trips have been similar and I've had enough awkward, uncomfortable experiences for a while now. read more

Casa De Reyes - Molcajete de la Casa. $26.99 at the time of this review. The carne is great, but the chicken was horribly dry despite being covered in sauce - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been going here dor quite a while now. Food is always great and very tasty. Staff are very nice especially our waiter Erica. Beautiful and fun place to eat. Amazing ambience as well read more

Casa De Reyes - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

We visited Casa de Reyes with a party of 12, and unfortunately, the food didn't live up to expectations. The servers were very nice, attentive, and provided exceptional service, which was definitely the highlight of our visit. Unfortunately, the food was lacking in flavor overall. The rice didn't have the traditional flavor we were expecting, the salsa tasted watered down, and the ceviche was particularly disappointing. It had very little flavor and almost no lime taste, which is a key part of a good ceviche. We were also surprised that it wasn't served with tostadas. Our party of 12 also had to be separated, which made the experience less enjoyable for a large group. The service was excellent, but unfortunately, the food needs significant improvement in flavor, seasoning, and presentation. I hope the restaurant takes the feedback seriously because the staff clearly works hard to provide good service. read more

Stopped here because I wanted a light lunch but there was nothing light on the menu. A simple taco would have been great. Instead I paid $22 for a two taco meal. Another $18 for a margarita. The food was OK, nothing special. The service started out good but then I sat for a long time waiting for a to-go box and my check. read more

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Came here with a group for networking. Super cute outdoor patio seating with a a lot of cute shops surrounding the area. 3.5/5 Guacamole & chips. Creamy guac with decent flavor and portion. 4.5/5 Chile relleno à la carte - giant serving and good flavor. 3.5/5 quesadilla w/carne asada. Jack and cheddar cheese. Fairly average but nothing special. 4/5 vanilla cream churros - filled with a cream and came with chocolate dipping sauce. Extremely tasty! Came on a Sunday afternoon and they had live folklorico dance performances going on, which was fun to watch. Manager and staff service was excellent as there was a mix up with the event we were attending and they were all eager to help! read more

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Service was friendly and quick. The sample platter was what you expect from a Mexican restaurant with your helping of nachos, quesadilla and taquitos. Nothing that stoodout. read more

Casa De Reyes - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

LOCAL REVIEW: LOVE! I love coming here. The hosts show me to the bar where I personally feel comfortable with Servin and Geronimo. Mayra appears with chips and salsa immediately and a welcome to make me not to feel alone. Drinks, enchiladas, and flan are amazing! The light show for this month is an added bonus! I have been coming here for years and last night reminded me to be excited for what is to come for the holidays. read more

Casa De Reyes - Day of the Dead Old Town - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was ok, ambiance was fabulous! We loved the dancing and marketplace surrounding the restaurant. Caveat on food--maybe we ordered the wrong things but we weren't too impressed. Enchilada plate, and the kids had chicken strips and quesadillas read more

First time here while visiting the Midway Museum with family, and we were looking for a good Mexican restaurant. We found this place on Yelp because of the great reviews, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We ordered a combination of different dishes, and everyone in our party loved everything. Great food, great experience, and we would definitely come back next time we're in the area. read more

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Great food and service in the heart of Old Town.. chips and salsa provided the moment we sat down read more

Casa De Reyes - The view - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Taking a walk through Old Town one night I got a little swept up in the festivity of the Dia de Muertos celebration. The atmosphere is so much fun. Decorations everywhere, live music. And it's all set in the middle of the courtyard of Casa de Reyes. So my fiancé, and I decided to come back and actually eat at Casa de Reyes, which I have avoided for several years. It's definitely a tourist trap, great atmosphere. With that being said, you know that the food is going to be heavily Americanized. We went for the sampler platter, consisting of nachos, quesadilla, chicken, rolled tacos, and guacamole. We did add a little Carne Asada onto the tacos just to give us a bit more protein. The food came out and looked pretty good, but had almost no flavor. Except for grease. Even the little strips of Carne Asada were completely bland and chewy in such a sad way. I felt bad for the cow that gave its life to end up like that. At one point we were sitting next to the Fire Pit and someone else had ordered fajitas and they brought it out and the smell was so strange and unpleasant that I thought possibly my hair caught on fire. Thankfully, it had not. The chips were quite nice and the salsa that they brought out did actually have a nice flavor, although it was not even remotely spicy. I was initially thinking I would order something else to take to work the next day for lunch, but I was so disappointed that I decided not to. I do have to give props for the service, our server was excellent. She was friendly and attentive. So the long story short here is that I will not be ordering food at this place again, but I would also not be above going in for a cocktail and chips and salsa, just to enjoy the vibe. The margaritas and Palomas looked really good. I didn't get one because I was working the next day and didn't want to actually have any alcohol that night. We went for nonalcoholic coronas. After tax and tip, our bill for the appetizer and two nonalcoholic beers came to $55. That's an awful lot of money to spend on the indigestion and bloat that I had for the following two days. read more

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I've been enjoying meals at this restaurant for decades whenever I'm in the city of San Diego and near old town. The Hostesses and the Server were friendly, and never rushed us through our meal. Our server also checked on us often to see if we needed anything. The food was good and the atmosphere was wonderful. This restaurant is all outside and an excellent way to enjoy all the good weather San Diego has to offer. read more

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This place is pretty cool. Live music is a lot of fun. Didn't have any food but we had the churros....... Holy cow, so good!! Very nice server for our margaritas. Hadn't been here before but we'll be back. read more

Casa De Reyes - House margarita, chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Festive atmosphere enhanced by live music from nearby stage. The bartenders are kept busy churning out margaritas and goblets of yummy looking concoctions. Hub's fajitas looked great and he at it ALL. Doc ate all her pozole. The description of my entree sounded good but was overcooked so the bacon wrapped crab stuffed shrimp was hard and dry. I ate only one of several on my plate. I liked the white peasant styled tops and flowing colorful skirts of the female servers. Next time I'll read more carefully that my dish comes with Spanish rice and refried beans instead of black beans and corn. Extremely busy restaurant with lines continuously waiting. read more

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Dined here while walking around the lovely old town area. We were seated quickly to an outdoor table. The live music was enjoyed as were the tasty bites. I ordered Bacon stuffed shrimp and my husband ordered a molcajete meal. Both were equally delicious! Highly recommend when in the area. Muy sabroso! read more

Casa De Reyes - Marigold Molcajete - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was beyond amazing! I got the chicken fajitas and man o man were these the best! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. Ambiance was just perfect. read more

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