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    El Patio

    4.1 (735 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

    El Patio Photos

    Business Info

    EL PATIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Patio

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    Reviews With Photos

    Santiago Z.

    First time, but won't be our last! I didn't get a chance to take many pics. Once food got to our table, we went right into it and enjoyed every bite! I did take one pic of my plate before devouring it! Service was hospitable-thanks to GERARDO! and restaurants decor was very colorful and welcoming! I'll see you guys soon!

    Interior design
    Jerry C.

    Found out this place just recently opened so came with coworker on our lunch break to check it out! It was decorated with lights just in time for the Christmas season, giving a cozy vibe! Very popular with a lot of people. Food was so good!! I got the carne asada fries and fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and big portion too!! Their churros is especially amazing! It's crusty outside with cajeta inside which was so good!

    Mole enchiladas and Pozole

    Pozole with Pata was So Good!!! My wife got chicken enchiladas with mole, dinner and service was excellent. The restaurant is like a realistic Authentic Mexican place. Ambiance was pleasant!

    Dinner 1/10/25
    Marcia R.

    Came here for some crispy tacos I had the chicken tacos it didn't disappoint load with chicken and tomato, lettuce and some cheese and salsa on the table with chips And she had the fish tacos She enjoyed it came 2 warm tortillas on each taco She was happy everything was fresh and came out hot too. Quite busy too but service is top notch here. With a roomy Resturant and A/C kept all comfortable. We even had free Churros for checking in And they had a filling too Prices are good

    Carne Asada and garlic shrimp
    Maria O.

    Food was pretty good. Authentic Mexican food. Simple and not too fancy. Small restaurant, felt cozy and definitely for locals. Service was good. Not very fast but leisurely which seemed to fit the vibe of the place. Want to go back to try the desserts.

    Alvari C.

    All food was delicious. Great service .... Ambiance is amazing. I definitely recommend this place if you are near by.

    Rory G.

    The menudo was great!! My husband had the Cocido and he said it was delicious. Highly recommend!

    Their famous "Flying Saucer" held the refried beans, but added sour cream & guacamole.
    Pat F.

    If a local neighborhood restaurant has had a solid following for over 70 years (est. 1954), it can be assumed that they've really been doing something right, consistently, and have been serving quality food while providing excellent service to stick around this long. We love that they're open for breakfast, that their food is very good; that their dining room, kitchen, and restrooms are clean, and their service has always been good to outstanding. There are a few things we don't like such as the limited private parking, and the fact that they don't accept AMEX cards for payment. But those small things won't prevent us from dining here. It's one of our favorite places to dine at in Chula Vista. We love their flying saucer, fajitas, caldo de res, rolled tacos, guacamole, and chips & salsa. If you haven't tried this place, but you like Mexican food, you're really missing out.

    Chiliquiles and egg.
    Simore M.

    Very good, down home restaurant, serving great traditional Mexican food. Great service and food served hot and fresh. Lots of choices for great food.

    Fish taco & beans . Also cheese enchiladas with onions
    Mary S.

    Enjoyed dinner at el patio today for dinner with my sister! Had the best server Martha! She was very polite & very friendly enjoyed her. Thank you

    Elaine F.

    Every time we visit San Diego we stop by for breakfast and dinner. Food is delicious and staff are always very welcoming and friendly! Food is delicious and prices are reasonable. Decor is tasteful and the inside is quiet and cozy. Definitely recommend if you're looking for authentic Mexican food and great prices.

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    15 days ago

    Been coming to El Patio for 27 years best place in town!!! La mejor comida mexicana.

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    1 month ago

    Best mango margs!! You should come here! Service/ atmosphere is always good. Chips are homemade and crunchy

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    3 months ago

    We really enjoy this place for an all around great Mexican meal when you want something much nicer than a taco shop.

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    Business owner information

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    9 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Wonderful food and wonderful service! Thank you for a delicious meal! The handled our large group with ease and were incredibly helpful.

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    5 months ago

    Very good homemade food! Very nice service. The ambiance is calming. Would come back!

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    Page 1 of 19

    El Patio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Patio

    When do they serve chilaquiles until - noon?

    Hi RJ! We’re happy to say our chilaquiles are available all day. Provecho!

    Can you make a reservation?

    Hi Anna, due to our small and bustling dining room we cannot accept reservations. Our team works hard to make sure that we can quickly serve as many people as possible and though there may be a slight waitlist at times (especially on weekends) we… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    3.9(393 reviews)
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    We went to Kalaveras for Happy Hour and we really enjoyed it! This was the Chula Vista location on…read more3rd Avenue, used to be the old Fudruckers. Parking shouldn't be an issue, they have spots in the front but then there's the big garage right behind it, and it's free. There's also street parking but you might have to pay. The place itself is very spacious and clean. They also have an outdoor patio for dogs. I do know later in the evening it gets louder and more like a club vibe, but it's not bad. Service was perfectly fine. I had no issues at all. Staff greeted us with a smile when we walked in. They were always checking up on us when we needed things. No issues at all. I thought everyone was doing their jobs. Happy hour is so worth it here. $1.99 tacos! I had the carne asada, birria and Chicharonnes tacos! While the meat portions look small, y'all need to realize this is happy hour street tacos! Adding some salsa from the self serve bar, it was so worth the price. We had 11 tacos, cheese nachos, 2 beers and 1 margarita and it was about $50! So worth it! I highly recommend Kalaveras for Mexican food. Great vibes. Great happy hour prices. I think this place is good for large groups also. It may not be kid friendly later into the night but it's very worth it!

    Was visiting San Diego for the weekend and my friend recommended Kalaveras for Sunday Brunch…read more They opened at 10, and we were one of the first to get there. The brunch buffet is definitely worth the price. The food was excellent, the service was attentive and fast and the music and indoor area was cool. I can't wait to be back in San Diego to have brunch at Kalaveras again. Authentic Mexican food, friendly service and great vibe.

    Photos
    Kalaveras - Kalaveras Chula Vista has the best Sunday Brunch in town from 10am-2:30pm

    Kalaveras Chula Vista has the best Sunday Brunch in town from 10am-2:30pm

    Kalaveras - Ceviche Sunday Brunch at Kalaveras Cantina Urbana in Chula Vista, CA.

    Ceviche Sunday Brunch at Kalaveras Cantina Urbana in Chula Vista, CA.

    Kalaveras - 12/6/2025 - San Diego Water & Sex on the Beach

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    Rise and Dine

    Rise and Dine

    3.9(54 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    One of the best mom and dads restaurants for the many places you can find the many some that are…read moreclosed down and the others have been sold turned into other places. The day trip I wanted to check the many areas of Chula I had been there before for the Chula Vista Village is one that you can say is the quietest for there are many small restaurants some that have the bars others that are bRs single. The many area of Chula Vista Village there was one place that had the sign that the sign that was below the overhang the look of the location was a former party place with the many tables. The one thing that caught my eye was the sign at the front the advertisement for chicken and shrimp specials the food looks good. The time was before the 1200pm brunch sounds good. Seeing the server welcome asking if I needed table or booth telling her a booth. Seeing the many people having brunch with kids enjoying food with their parents. The server gave me a menu the many food dishes it surprised me with the hearty breakfast and lunch dishes with the low prices the presentations they look incredible. One of the best orders I ordered was the waffle supreme with the bacon eggs and sausage the scramble is the best with one of the best waffles nice and golden brown. The many restaurants that I've been to there are those that over cook bacon and sausage the waffle gets overcooked many times the waffles get half cooked. The food at the Rise and Dine gave the great taste of the Mom and Pops for the portions and price they keep you coming back. As a Yelp Reviewer the food and service of the Rise and Dine are one of the best restaurants the service the food with the taste of home cooking. I would highly recommend the restaurant the heart of Chula Vista with parking out front.

    Sharing some steak and eggs w/ sourdough toast with the hubby. Added a side order of scrambled…read moreeggs & avocado. YUMMY!!

    Photos
    Rise and Dine - Clean bathroom

    Clean bathroom

    Rise and Dine - French Toast Deluxe

    French Toast Deluxe

    Rise and Dine - Exterior

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    Exterior

    Family House of Pancakes - Blueberry pancakes came with Senior breakfast as a side.

    Family House of Pancakes

    4.1(814 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    EXCELLENT SERVICE & YUMMY BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES! If you're a breakfast/brunch specialist like myself…read moreyou need to add this place to your Yelp to-do list. I'm a huge fan of trying new pancakes and Family House delivered. The pancakes are fluffy, and the sizes are perfect. My pancakes came with my country scramble which was equally delicious. I just had to upgrade a bit from buttermilk to buckwheat. The meal was very filling, it kept me satisfied all the way to dinner almost. The Family House of Pancakes is very busy and has a lot of patrons. It's a community hub and rightfully so. Staff are attentive and polite, we were checked on regularly despite the sheer amount of visitors. My family took my Grandpa out to eat here and we were still able to hold a conversation, it wasn't overly loud. I felt super comfortable. FHOP has booths and tables across the restaurant. Walking is tight as everything seems close to eachother. A bar/counter is also available for smaller parties. We waited 15 mins to be seated, there's a speaker in front of the restaurant to alert you when you're called. The wait felt like a breeze.

    I've ordered from Family House of Pancakes multiple times over the past several months, and every…read moresingle time there's been an issue. At this point, it's not bad luck, it's a pattern. One visit, they forgot my sausages entirely. Another time, they gave my full order away to someone else with the same name. And this last time, they couldn't even follow simple directions on the order. This isn't just frustrating, it's the kind of repeated carelessness that drives customers away for good. People aren't paying their money to play guessing games with their food or deal with constant mistakes. If this is the level of service they're going to keep providing, they're going to lose more than just one customer. I'm done with this place, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone expecting basic competence.

    Photos
    Family House of Pancakes
    Family House of Pancakes
    Family House of Pancakes - Busy for a reason

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    Busy for a reason

    El Patio - mexican - Updated May 2026

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