I want there for a meeting and was quite thankful for what I was eating! I've been twice and was not disappointed. I am a risk taker so when I see unfamiliar items on the menu, I go for it, and this menu has a lot of unfamiliar items! I had a breakfast dish with pork eggs and peppers that popped in my mouth with flavor. The beans are messy and cheesy, just like I like them and the tortillas are just crispy enough. We were promptly seated and served by the attentive and approachable staff. The were not annoyed when we asked for more time to make meal choices which I appreciated. Once done, we were not rushed to leave and lingered doing business for awhile without being pressured. It looks fresh and new, with a very distinct design. Seating inside is an option, but the covered patio is definitely preferred. It's a great vantage point to watch the crowds of guests coming in. The next visit was just as great. It is now a regular spot for me to go weekly! read more

Always nice inside & great service. Our friends were with us and they've liked it ever since we introduced them to this place long ago & go by themselves often. Good salsa & chips. Good Cadillac margaritas. We all shared the Cheese and Guacamole Crisp which is tasty (served with strips of California green chiles and fresh guacamole). Great beef tacos with lots of beef & great cheese enchilada too. read more

Used to love going to Cocina del Charro with the family for happy hour, but apparently a new "POS"change (we all know what POS means in this case) doubled the price of what we had previously gotten the last 8 years. It's especially tough when you're having a craving and then get denied when you try to order. I used to recommend them but it's hard now. Probably won't be going back soon, if ever. read more

My fiancé and I had a lovely spontaneous dinner here. Yes, it was crowded and busy on a Friday night but the staff handled everything with ease! We were seated very quickly and warm chips/salsa found their way to our table. Our server was really on top of things- drink and food orders taken quickly. We ordered chicken flautas and a taco salad with shredded beef. The taco salad was huge- plenty to share. Cocina del Charro is located in a strip mall but it's a stand alone establishment. There's plenty of parking. Indoor seating, outdoor seating, and bar area- not a bad seat in the house. 5 stars! read more

Cocina del Charro - Chicken Flautas Taco Salad - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

The carne asada in the tacos was not dry and cooked to the perfect temperature medium well. I tasted a bit of the car on the meat which added some flavor and texture. The fish was battered and was crispy when it came to the table. Overall a decent dining experience. The only negative was our waiter was not attentive and we had to ask for multiple refills for drinks, water and chips and salsa. read more

Cocina del Charro - Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Monday, 11-10-2025: My husband and I had lunch with my girlfriends and their husbands. I've known one girlfriend since kindergarten and the other since first grade. My friend from kindergarten highly recommended this restaurant. It has an impressive facade and the restaurant was spacious and decorated tastefully. My one friend was already seated at a table with her hubby so there was no waiting. My other friend arrived shortly. The chips and the salsa were very good. Due to my limited appetite I ordered the albondigas (meatball) soup. I believe everybody else had opted for the combo plates. The meals came out quickly and they were huge portions. Everybody enjoyed their meals. My soup was very satisfying with a bit of heat, which enhanced the flavor. I would order it again! This was a nice restaurant and it was the perfect setting to catch up with friends. The service could have been more attentive. Our server rarely made it back to check on us. We would definitely return! read more

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Good stuff! I enjoyed the drinks the most especially the spicy one. The meats tender and everythings tasty . read more

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I continue to be impressed by the food quality, service, and ambience. The Chile Colorado was excellent with tender beef chunks in a well-balanced chile sauce. The Carne Asada tacos were filled with perfectly seasoned and grilled beef and served with a big dollop of real Guacamole, not the cheap runny stuff many places use. read more

Cocina del Charro - Chile Colorado - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Great service, food and drinks. I got the house margarita which was perfectly balanced. For food I ordered the shredded beef enchilada a la carte and added rice and beans. The plate looked great and tasted even better! Lots of seating inside which is perfect for big groups. read more

Cocina del Charro - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

We had the Sunday Buffet. Everything was tasty. Enjoyed having an omelet mage to order. The cheese enchiladas seemed raw in that the tortilla was dry and cold. Otherwise, desserts and other options were very good. read more

Came here for a private event. The servers were friendly and attentive. The food was served buffet style -- I enjoyed the salad, rice, chicken, and enchiladas. The salad dressing and salsa were a bit on the watery side, but overall everything was tasty. read more

Cocina del Charro - Front - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Friendly service, great food & atmosphere. Several friends highly recommended this place! I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!

Great Service from Saul! We had an awesome experience at Cocina del Charro thanks to our waiter, Saul. Drinks came fast and he kept them flowing all night. I had the three-item combo (beef tamal, cheese enchilada, beef taco with rice & beans) for $21.99--delicious and generous portions.authentic Mexican food and quality not commercial processed. True Mexican food at its finest. My husband got a three-item combo too, and Saul went above and beyond by packing his leftover bean & cheese burrito as a wet burrito for lunch the next day. Chips and salsa were free with plenty of refills. Great food and outstanding service--Saul made the whole visit even better! Happy customers Mike & Laura S read more

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8/14/ 2026 had dinner there this evening, the service was really bad ignored us the whole time ordered Sprite and Shirley Temple that wasn't made with the soda. It took the waitress about 10 minutes to even come back and check on us our drink order and it was we had to ask for different drinks that started the chips were stale The food was terrible. It's sad to me Cocina Del Charro when it was on quince was an excellent restaurant. Their food was always on point Cocina Del Charro. I will never step foot again. Food was so bad celery in enchiladas that was weird, but the service was so bad. They just ignored us the whole time I spent more time waiting for the check trying to eat around that terrible food. I didn't want to leave a star, but the post they wouldn't let me post it without leaving a star and it gave it two stars. I wouldn't give it given it a start at all. read more

We came to celebrate a birthday and were a party of 11. Our reservation was placed on the wrong date but they were thankfully able to seat us quickly. Delicious food- the portions were just right- a bit even on the larger side but definitely not too small. We enjoyed their chips and salsa as an appetizer. I ordered the chicken flautas and greatly enjoyed my meal. They unfortunately were not able to give us separate checks for the three families we represented. We were aware that they charged 18% gratuity for our large party at the start of our order. What did surprise me was that they added in the tip before they figured out the tax - I'm used to adding in the tip and then totaling the bill for myself. Not that it was a lot, but it was four dollars more of taxes because they charged us tax on the tip. We were celebrating a birthday which we had mentioned-- even bringing in some gift bags to be opened at the table - it would have been nice to have had a little birthday acknowledgment from the restaurant /or a treat for the guest of honor. Overall: The food was wonderful, but the extra niceties just weren't there. I would recommend this restaurant for smaller parties and not larger parties. (The receipt did offer additional percentage amounts at the bottom where you could include an additional tip to the 18% already charged.) read more

Cocina del Charro - Receipt - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

We were visiting the area. Nice gem! Great service & wonderful food! We had enchilada suiza. I don't usually eat enchiladas but these were amazing probably since I was really hungry anyways. read more

Family owned and still great. Moves out of the area so it has been a while. Still good food and service. Pricing is fair for what you get. The "Chile/Chile" is not on the menu but get it. Amazing. Verde and Colorado. Yummy. read more

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We happened upon Sunday Brunch and wow, what a delight. My husband grew up going to Sunday brunch at his local Mexican restaurant so he was over the moon. My kids - who can be very picky enjoyed a variety of foods and drinks too. I loved the enchiladas and the pozole. This is your quintessential sit down Mexican restaurant. The servers were helpful but not overly pushy. read more

We absolutely LOVE Cocina del Charro! I swear I DREAM about their cochinita pibil; it's out of this WORLD! The service is always great, even when they're busy. Excellent, classic, homestyle Mexican restaurant vibes. read more

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The food is not great. Service is okay. We tend to sit in the bar area. Bartender is really friendly. My favorite food item from this place is the chips and salsa. I've gotten the tostadas. It is usually bombarded with lettuce.-not a lot of meat. read more

Food: 5/5 Portions: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 5/5 Price: $$ Takeout: yes and catering Outdoor seating: yes ADA access: yes Restrooms: yes M/F Dogs: no Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: few Ambiance: casual, great for large parties Pros: delicious food. Complementary chips and salsa Cons: bar area gets busy on weekends read more

Cocina del Charro - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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We hadn't been here for awhile - and didn't have super fond memories of our last visit- but we're still trying to find our go to spot so we gave it another try. I was happy we could be seated in a booth. Our waiter was attentive at first and brought our drinks right away, but after we ordered he forgot to bring our bean dip appetizer and did not come back to check after our meal was delivered. The food was good and I had no complaints. I had the chicken flautas and my husband had a chimichanga (which he said was soggy). The biggest downside of all was the noise level in the restaurant. The acoustics are bad and it's kinda loud. They also sat a family next to us with two young children, one of who cried and screamed throughout the whole meal. Super disappointed that the parents did not address it, and seemed more focused on trying to create a date night. Note to the restaurant- if you are seating families with young children try to seat them away from solo couples or even sit them outside. It honestly ruined the meal for us. We probably won't go back :( read more

Large portions. Food was hot and served quickly despite the crowded restaurant. Service was fast and not overwhelming. Bit noisy. Won't work if you want romance. lol. Good meal. We will probably come back. Chile Rellano was good despite being greasy. But I ordered it with sauce on side and they accommodated that. So they put the Rellano directly from oil onto plate. read more

Cocina del Charro - Chile Colorado - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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This is my second visit. I've ordered the chicken soup both times which is wonderful. I can't speak for the restaurant side but the bar is sticky, the menus are filthy and the tap water both times tasted terrible. The service is okay, could use polishing for sure. The seasonal margarita flight caught my eye with one featuring beets, ginger, carrots and turmeric puree. read more

Cocina del Charro - Seasonal Margarita Flight - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

We came here after massages at a place in the same shopping center. The patio was so nice and our server was really friendly and attentive. Parking is so easy. I ordered the trio fajitas and a margarita flight, both were great! I do wish the fajitas had a touch more seasoning/flavor, but overall it was great. Chips and salsa were a hit! read more

Cocina del Charro - Trio Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Bianca rocks. Brought the staff for a celebration and she was amazing. We appreciate your service.

Ah man I REALLY wanted to like this place..my family & I came by on a Thursday afternoon and we were seated right away. There seems to be quite a large menu so maybe we just got incredibly unlucky this day. Our server was fantastic & on top of the tables (4) request. Nachos supreme with chicken: 1 star. Unfortunately, they look A LOT better than they taste. Each person only had a couple bites. Shredded chicken tasted like it had been marinating in chicken broth and brought no authentic taste to the plate. It was quite flavorless. Quesadilla: my husband ordered this and it was such a large size, which was fantastic! He only had one slice and his stomach was messed up for the last two days. Luckily the leftovers we did take home he didn't eat otherwise I'm sure it would have prolonged the upset stomach. Chile verde: I ordered this. Anytime I don't know what to order at a Mexican restaurant this is my go to. It was just okay, tastes better with some of the white cheese. Unfortunately, I too ended up with an upset stomach and ended up spending most of my Friday in the restroom. Parking: plenty of it as it shares a huge lot with other stores. 2 stars because the server was great. Other than that, will not be returning and will try another place in the area. Really unfortunate because they have some nice sized plates, awesome specials, & by the looks of it some delicious tequila flights. read more

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Cocina del Charro has been a North County San Diego institution for 40 years. With two beautiful locations, they are a second-generation family run Mexican restaurant that prides itself in serving their community. One of my favorite things to order here are their excellent tamales, beautifully presented in a corn husk. I usually get it in a combination plate with either a taco or enchilada. The tamales here are very well balanced with a nice amount of meat filling inside the tender, moist and tasty masa. read more

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Dat in bat with family of 4. Great food, good margaritas and stayed up and checking even when busy. Great support from bussers and other server. Will be back. read more

I have been a visitor to Escondido CA, for over 40 years. During that time, I have eaten in many a restaurant, including Cocina del Charro. It has been considered one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in town for a good 20 years. Today, I must register my disappointment. Cocina chefs, your shrimp taco (for over $6) a la carte, is the sorriest excuse for a shrimp taco I have eaten in a long time. One tiny taco, 4 shrimp (the ones you buy frozen) a little shredded lettuce, hardly any sauce: I can think of several nondescript places that serve astounding shrimp tacos for the same price, including a delicious mayonnaise sauce, some shredded cabbage, an extra sprinkling of fresh cilantro, and a few chips on the side (Here EXTRA guacamole comes for a fee on request with a little container of chips). Needless to say, I will not return, and shame on you for being so stingy. read more

This is a chain however the food has been delicious every visit. Lots of parking and rarely has a wait.

Small Albondigas soup was a little salty and the price was increased from 2 weeks ago. The entire menu was higher priced and all the bargains are gone. Service was great as always. The price increases will hurt business here-at least for me. Sad to see that some of the great single items are gone from the menu. read more

Staff is absolutely amazing! Bianca is awesome and bartender Juanito youre incredible! Do not sleep on the brand new skinny strawberry margarita! It is insanely good! Chips and salsa are good the salsa is nice there isn't much fluctuation unless you like really spicy. Rice and beans are delicious I always pay attention to the rice the beans and the salsa. The flan is going to be the deciding factor on if I come back again. I'm getting it to eat here and I'm getting taquitos to go. Reason being is that I ordered the Carne Asada tacos and I was impressed with the very small plate especially for the price! It was like a child size portion but in adult size pricing. I would say you're going to do the carne asada tacos you wanna have a larger plate a little bit more flavor to the steak on the Carne Asada. Has a lot of potential special with the rice and beans but the pricing point is just not where it needs to be. The best part about the location are the staff drinks the mild salsa the chips are good and it's conveniently located. Flan is good and homemade. I would come back but it would be more like a drinks and maybe I'll try a burrito kind of a thing. staff was ridiculously awesome so that is a huge push for me. Would not recommend the Carne Asada so we shall see about the rest next time! read more

Cocina del Charro - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

This place is definitely worth going to especially if you're in the area.. my wife & I take the 30 minute drive here food is delicious tonight we had great service the manager Jen was on point making sure that we were comfortable eating on the patio & made sure that the food came out fresh hot and in a timely manner Thanks Jen appreciate your professionalism it didn't go unnoticed read more

Come for the Cochinita Pibi, and stay a bit longer for the best Micheladas in town! You'll enjoy the covered patio any time of year, or lean into chips and salsa at the long bar while watching your team. Family friendly or welcoming for just one, you'll feel at home (and well-fed!) here. read more

This restaurant has become just like every other Mexican restaurant. It's always busy. The staff is always nice and helpful and it always appears to be clean. But the truth is there was only one dish that I always enjoyed coming to this restaurant for and went out of my way to come to this restaurant for And that was a dessert deep fried cheesecake bits with ice cream But now they no longer sell that and because their food taste just like all the other Mexican restaurants I am no longer going out of my way to eat here read more

Cocina del Charro - The most delicious dessert this restaurant ever served and is no longer available - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Food and the service were very good. Ambience is good. There was a party on the upstairs but it did not affect the service downstairs

Hector was our waiter and is phenomenal. Thanks Hector for the service. Much appreciated.

Check your bill! The most recent two times we've eaten here we have been overcharged. The first time we caught it before paying because there were extra items on the bill. Then the next time wew were charged for a combo when the order was a la carte. We do like the food. read more

Went there this afternoon at 3:15, ordered a carnitas toasta . They charge more for verses pork? Isn't it the same? Plus there's nothing on the menu saying it's extra by 3.00, plus I ordered a side of guacamole which was literally a teaspoon in a tiny cup that they charged 3.50 for. I will never go back because that was a 7.50 extra charge or rip off. Beware of what you're paying for. read more