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My absolute favorite dessert! A churro. It's my weakness. And every time we go to old town I have to stop by El Mercadito to get a churro. It's definitely worth it!!
Second time visiting El Mercadito, once in 2025 and once in 2026. They are making churros pretty regularly so have one freshly made. Hector helped me and he nice and friendly. I otherwise don't comment about prices; businesses and the right and they have to make a profit. However, $10 for one churro cut in half and less than a cup of ice team is a bit much.
It's located right at the entrance of the historical shops and restaurants of Old Town, near the root beer shop. Unfortunately we came right when they were closing and there was a language barrier between us and the worker, but he let us know that everything was sold out and that they were closing. Despite this he was nice enough to give us a full cup of their champurrado. He didn't have to, so this was a great act of kindness and hospitality. Rich and chocolatey, you can taste the masa too. Comes out piping hot and perfect for a cold night. Hopefully on our next visit, we can get some churros!
Saw someone walking around with a churro and went on a manhunt for them. You're able to get a regular churro, churro with ice cream, and a churro sundae and I just went with the churro. These were the best churros I've ever had. Piping hot, perfectly sweet. A must try if you are in the Old Town area!
Churros were fresh and soo delicious. I love the doughy taste of these churros, they were also thicker than usual! Each churro is $5.50 and comes with either caramel or chocolate sauce. I honestly didn't even need the sauce as the churro itself was so good already. Service was great. Will definitely stop by for some more churros next time :)
Yummy churro! Tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Chocolate dipping sauce could've been better, but tasted like regular Hershey's chocolate syrup. Would've been great warmed up too.
Cute little churro shop ! Averagely priced for GIANT churros. You can get a plain churro with a dipping sauce or you can get it with a scoop of ice cream or Sundae. The added ice cream or sundae can be a bit much of you're not a sugar person. The churros are fresh and warm and fluffy. The service is always quick and friendly. Just saying these churros much better than the ones you get at any theme park.
Found this place through yelp and it did not disappoint! The place itself can be somewhat hidden, as it is located on the side of a restaurant courtyard. But when we went, it was nice to hear music playing from the restaurant. The shop itself is very small and the workers are not the friendliest. Ordered the churro and ice cream ($10). My daughter raved about the mint ice cream (I believe it was sourced elsewhere), but for me the churro was the highlight! It was super crispy and rather light on the inside. The churro comes in two smaller pieces when you order it with the ice cream, so the ends tasted a tad burnt, but overall it was so good so I'm willing to overlook that. I think it would taste even better if the churro itself wasn't as thick. But one of my top 5 churros for sure!
The kids and I wanted a little treat while visiting Old Town. We stopped into this little courtyard and found this churro spot. We chose to get ice cream with a churro. It was enough for me and my 2 kids to share. One wanted the ice cfrs. And the other had half of the churro while I finished it off. It was a nice thick churro that was made fresh, not a frozen one. It was $10 for the churro and ice cream.
Freshly served up churros. The churro had just been removed from the fryer. This was the perfect churro with a crispy exterior and a oh so soft center. Comes with a choice of caramel or chocolate dip. It Just to my liking. Hands down one of the best churros I have ever had. Located in Old Town SD feeling like I was in Mexico.
El Mercadito in Old Town is a must-visit for churro lovers. The churros are perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and dusted with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar. The staff is friendly and efficient, making it easy to grab a sweet treat while exploring the area. The vibrant, casual atmosphere adds to the charm, and it's a great spot to enjoy a little indulgence while wandering Old Town. Definitely worth stopping by for a classic, flavorful churro experience.
Great little spot for a quick treat! If you love churros and you happen to be walking around checking out old town, come get you a couple of these. I wanted to see what all the hype was about so in I popped! You place your order at the counter and bam, hot fresh churros are handed to you. The lady taking orders was super nice. With each one you can get a little side of chocolate or caramel. We bought two churros so we got one of each. It was $10 for two. Oh man, these are sooooo good!! Hot, & crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The chocolate sauce was too thin and not very tasty, the caramel was good though. I loved the crunchy cinnamon exterior. Really IMO you don't need the dipping sauce. The churro itself is great on its own. These are thick and heartier than say a fair or Disneyland churro. Do yourself a favor and try one the next time you are in Old Town. I'll definitely stop by when I'm back home.
Stopped by for some churros at El Mercadito. It is a cute little shop in Old Town San Diego. We tried the caramel and chocolate dip, so delicious! The staff was very friendly and service was quick. If you're lucky you may be able to enjoy your churro while seeing a show on the stage right across from it.
5 months ago
Business owner information
Ryan R.
Love this. That churro ice cream with caramel on the side is a hard…
3 months ago
Such yummy churros!! This place has a line most times for good reason. The give you fresh, big churros that are soo good! I've been able to try their chocolate and caramel sauces at this point. The chocolate is essentially just hershey syrup and ruins the churro. The caramel has the opposite effect where it compliments the churro nicely and makes it more enjoyable. However, $6 for one churro is insanity. The price doesn't even include dipping sauce! If you want ice cream it's $4 for a small scoop. I cannot with these prices. Good for a treat one in a while. read more
Business owner information
Ryan R.
Fresh, big churros are what we’re going for, so we’re glad you…
26 days ago
6 months ago
My absolute favorite dessert! A churro. It's my weakness. And every time we go to old town I have to stop by El Mercadito to get a churro. It's definitely worth it!! read more
7 months ago
Second time visiting El Mercadito, once in 2025 and once in 2026. They are making churros pretty regularly so have one freshly made. Hector helped me and he nice and friendly. I otherwise don't comment about prices; businesses and the right and they have to make a profit. However, $10 for one churro cut in half and less than a cup of ice team is a bit much. read more
It's located right at the entrance of the historical shops and restaurants of Old Town, near the root beer shop. Unfortunately we came right when they were closing and there was a language barrier between us and the worker, but he let us know that everything was sold out and that they were closing. Despite this he was nice enough to give us a full cup of their champurrado. He didn't have to, so this was a great act of kindness and hospitality. Rich and chocolatey, you can taste the masa too. Comes out piping hot and perfect for a cold night. Hopefully on our next visit, we can get some churros! read more
Saw someone walking around with a churro and went on a manhunt for them. You're able to get a regular churro, churro with ice cream, and a churro sundae and I just went with the churro. These were the best churros I've ever had. Piping hot, perfectly sweet. A must try if you are in the Old Town area! read more
Churros were fresh and soo delicious. I love the doughy taste of these churros, they were also thicker than usual! Each churro is $5.50 and comes with either caramel or chocolate sauce. I honestly didn't even need the sauce as the churro itself was so good already. Service was great. Will definitely stop by for some more churros next time :) read more
9 months ago
Cute little churro shop ! Averagely priced for GIANT churros. You can get a plain churro with a dipping sauce or you can get it with a scoop of ice cream or Sundae. The added ice cream or sundae can be a bit much of you're not a sugar person. The churros are fresh and warm and fluffy. The service is always quick and friendly. Just saying these churros much better than the ones you get at any theme park. read more
Business owner information
Ryan R.
Good Morning Shanice,…
Found this place through yelp and it did not disappoint! The place itself can be somewhat hidden, as it is located on the side of a restaurant courtyard. But when we went, it was nice to hear music playing from the restaurant. The shop itself is very small and the workers are not the friendliest. Ordered the churro and ice cream ($10). My daughter raved about the mint ice cream (I believe it was sourced elsewhere), but for me the churro was the highlight! It was super crispy and rather light on the inside. The churro comes in two smaller pieces when you order it with the ice cream, so the ends tasted a tad burnt, but overall it was so good so I'm willing to overlook that. I think it would taste even better if the churro itself wasn't as thick. But one of my top 5 churros for sure! read more
The kids and I wanted a little treat while visiting Old Town. We stopped into this little courtyard and found this churro spot. We chose to get ice cream with a churro. It was enough for me and my 2 kids to share. One wanted the ice cfrs. And the other had half of the churro while I finished it off. It was a nice thick churro that was made fresh, not a frozen one. It was $10 for the churro and ice cream. read more
Freshly served up churros. The churro had just been removed from the fryer. This was the perfect churro with a crispy exterior and a oh so soft center. Comes with a choice of caramel or chocolate dip. It Just to my liking. Hands down one of the best churros I have ever had. Located in Old Town SD feeling like I was in Mexico. read more
8 months ago
El Mercadito in Old Town is a must-visit for churro lovers. The churros are perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and dusted with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar. The staff is friendly and efficient, making it easy to grab a sweet treat while exploring the area. The vibrant, casual atmosphere adds to the charm, and it's a great spot to enjoy a little indulgence while wandering Old Town. Definitely worth stopping by for a classic, flavorful churro experience. read more
Business owner information
Ryan R.
Good Afternoon Ace,…
2 years ago
1 year ago
Great little spot for a quick treat! If you love churros and you happen to be walking around checking out old town, come get you a couple of these. I wanted to see what all the hype was about so in I popped! You place your order at the counter and bam, hot fresh churros are handed to you. The lady taking orders was super nice. With each one you can get a little side of chocolate or caramel. We bought two churros so we got one of each. It was $10 for two. Oh man, these are sooooo good!! Hot, & crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The chocolate sauce was too thin and not very tasty, the caramel was good though. I loved the crunchy cinnamon exterior. Really IMO you don't need the dipping sauce. The churro itself is great on its own. These are thick and heartier than say a fair or Disneyland churro. Do yourself a favor and try one the next time you are in Old Town. I'll definitely stop by when I'm back home. read more
Stopped by for some churros at El Mercadito. It is a cute little shop in Old Town San Diego. We tried the caramel and chocolate dip, so delicious! The staff was very friendly and service was quick. If you're lucky you may be able to enjoy your churro while seeing a show on the stage right across from it. read more
LONG, CURVED, AND BUMPY CHURRO (4.5 stars) - CHURRO: so good - PRICE: fair - SERVICE: quick - AMBIANCE: tiny store The best tasting churro I've had so far in San Diego. In a place you expect to have one but in a place you didn't expect. I have walked by this place a bunch of times and not notice it. You know it's going to be good when every person infront of you who walks in orders a Churro or two. Located in the plaza/square where the Casa de Reyes restaurant is but tucked in a corner kind of hidden is this tiny store you wouldn't think anything more or less of. It's a tiny shop, maybe 4 people max. No place to sit, except outside back in the plaza/square. If you ever get lost... just know if you hear the live band playing in the square infront of you - you are there! CHURRO ($4.50) - long, curved, and bumpy. The length of it was long and slightly curved where as I'm use to churros that are stick straight. My churro wasn't perfect looking and it had some bumps around the edges. The outside crunch was crunchy and coated in a good amount of sugar and cinnamon. The inside was nice and dense. I usually like mine airy with a little bit of dough but this was dense in the middle and I liked it - reminded me of a donut. Yes you can get full of one churro. HIGHLY RECOMMEND I'll def be back. JABA APPROVED. Until the next bite... read more
1 year ago
The churros were a little bit fluffy and bumpy. But they also had 2 things that we could dip in which was chocolate and caramel. Personally the caramel was my favorite sauce.The service was one guy at the desk ready to serve us churros. The ambiance was a little Mexican style shop. read more
SO fresh! What a great little gem to stumble upon in Old Town San Diego. The churros are fresh, service is quick, and ice cream is totally homemade. There are a couple tables outside the shop to enjoy your churro and ice cream or you can easily find a cute place to relax and enjoy around the courtyard. read more
2 years ago
6 months ago
2 years ago
Who doesn't love a fresh churro!! This was $5.30-something after tax & tip $6 rounded up. It went by too fast but was a fun little stop along the way. It located in a cute center with other nut shops and places to see. Churro was a classic traditional fresh churro. Perfectly crispy! Enjoy! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Delicious churros!! Fresh, hot, crunchy and soft. Credit card payments only. Small menu of other items, but we came to try the churros. read more
1 year ago
Delicious churros! Only $4.50 for a decent size churro and a side of sauce, we had the chocolate sauce. Service was great, it took about 5-10 minutes from the time we ordered because we came in between batches. It's worth the weight knowing you are getting the freshest churro possible. They've also got a small selection of ice creams that I'll try next time I'm in the area. *credit cards only, no cash read more
2 years ago
Churros were madefresh to order, but the worker there wasn't very friendly. Maybe he had a bad day. read more
2 years ago
The churros were freshly made and ambiance was amazing. The service was great, they are helpful if you had questions but the menu is pretty simple and self explanatory on what you are wanting read more
2 years ago
I was searching for a good panaderia when I was in San Diego and ran into this place. I read the reviews so decided to give it a try.... Well....... let's just say that these ARE THE BEST Churros I have ever had in my life!!!! We arrived and I could smell the aroma in the air and let me right to El Mercadito. Small intimate place and located in a cozy plaza in Old Town. I took my first bite on these "made to order" churros and I was in total bliss!!!! They give you chocolate and caramel dipping sauce, but you honestly don't need it. After I was done I had to go and let the attendant know I thoughts on these homemade churros and thanked her for letting me have a taste of heaven. If you go here make sure you sit down and eat them on the spot while they are still hot fresh out of the cooking oil. Your welcome!!!! I will be back and letting everyone know about this place!!! 10+ stars!!!!!!!!! read more
I made a stop here in Old Town in search of authentic churros. The churros here were hot, fresh, crispy, and had the perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar. The exterior of the churro had a crunchy texture while the inside was super fluffy. Although this place offers caramel and chocolate dipping sauces, I found the churros on their own to be more than satisfactory. I recommend giving this place a try if you're in the area, you won't regret it. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
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More info about El Mercadito
2754 Calhoun St
San Diego, CA 92110
Old Town
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(619) 297-3100
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https://www.fiestadereyes.com
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