We found Encuentro Cafe as we were walking around Old Town San Diego. Service was amazing, very friendly, and they checked on us to make sure everything was good as we waited for our meal. The meals were very tasty and portions were just right. I can only speak about my dish as I didn't have a taste of the other meal. I had the El Vainero (sweet corn pancake with Mano cheese, shredded beef, black beans and plantains). The flavors were so amazing together. You will just have to try it. I also ordered yuca fries. The three types of "sauces" were mild, medium, and hot. All three were tasty in their own way and I enjoyed all of them with the yuca fries and towards the end of my meal, it added a little kick to my dish. As for beverages, we had water and I ordered the hot chocolate. I know, hot chocolate, but it was so good. I love an authentic cup of hot chocolate with a bit of real whip cream and some cinnamon. In all, our experience at Encuentro Cafe was great from the service to the food. It is very intimate and we ate in the covered patio. It was as it would be eating outside with tropical decor. Not crowded and noise level as it would be eating in an enclosed patio, not too noisy with the sounds of Old Town patrons walking/driving down the street. I will definitely look forward to visiting this restaurant again when I visit San Diego. read more

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The food and atmosphere were amazing!! Unfortunately, the service left a lot to be desired. I normally pride myself on leaving a generous tip, but the service was extremely lacking. Our server took our drink and food order, and everything seemed great up until that point. Then we realized she had forgotten to put in our drink order. When she finally brought my drink, it was the wrong one. When our food arrived, my order was incomplete my extra bacon was missing. So I ended up watching my wife eat her meal while I waited. My food finally came out right before she finished eating. After we finished, our server eventually made her way back to the table. I asked about the military discount, and she nodded and said they offered one. When she brought the check, the discount hadn't been applied, so I had to ask again. Between the mistakes with our order and what I could see and hear happening at some of her other tables, I'm guessing she was either brand new or just having an extremely rough day. We've all been there, so I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. That said, we're definitely excited to come back and give this place another try because it has so much to offer! Hopefully, we catch our server on a better day next time. If the service had matched the food and atmosphere, this would have been a 5 review all day long!! read more

Very tasty Venezuelan recipes. Two of us had the house special which was called El Cruillo. I completely forgot to take photos. I was so busy eating it. :) The waitress was very intentive and really helped us with our choices. There is both an outdoor and indoor eating area and the outdoor area is covered for those wanting to experience, San Diego weather without sun beating in your face. Love the ambience of the place as well. We finished things off with an Aroz con leche, which was the only thing I remembered to take a photo of. Quite tasty. read more

Encuentro Cafe - Arroz con leche - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend recommended this place and it didn't disappoint. We shared an appetizer and entree. It was enough to fill both of us. The food was delicious and the service is also great. It feels like a spot that you need to know it's there to frequent as it's not in the main hub of Old Town. read more

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Food was delicious. Very filling and their coffee was delicious. Their service was also fantastic. A bit on the pricier side from what you'd expect outside looking in. Would still recommend to anyone who's never tried this type of food. read more

I was all amped up to give this place five stars but just couldn't quite get there. It's super cute inside. The menu was different and interesting which I find exciting. I thought the coffee was great and our server was very attentive. Also, those salsas were fantastic. I ordered El Margariteño, which is a fish and eggs breakfast plate. I was starving when I ordered and I was kind of back-and-forth between that and the steak and eggs breakfast plate. I will be honest that I did not read the description well enough, so I missed that they would be scrambling the eggs with tomato and onion. I'm not a huge onion fan unless they are really well cooked. Even if I was a big fan of onions, it was really a lot of them, like an over the top amount. When the plate came out, my eyes went right to those eggs. I took a bite and it was worse than I was imagining, there were so many onions and they weren't even really cooked well so they were still kind of crunchy. No way I was gonna be able to eat that. Everything else for my breakfast was very good, especially the plantains. The fish was also not how I was imagining it, it was kind of chopped up and cooked with onions and spices but it worked. I've gotten feedback from other foodies regarding restaurant reviews I've written at restaurants in the past, and also from management responding to Yelp reviews, that if I don't like something instead of just saying it in my review, I should give them a chance to make it right. It's very uncomfortable for me, but on this day, I decided to do it because I was so excited about my breakfast until I saw the obscene amount of onions in my eggs. So against my better judgment, I told the server that I just really didn't like them and was it possible to get some eggs without all those onions? She seemed a bit taken back but she made it happen. What she did not tell me was that they were going to charge me additionally for those eggs, which I understand it did say on the menu that there were onions in the eggs, but I felt like she should've at least let me know, because to be honest, if she had told me that I was going to be paying for them I would've just not eaten the eggs. There was already a ton of food on my plate, I would've filled up without them, taken it as a loss and probably given them 4 stars. I gave them a chance to make it a five star experience, but nope. When the bill came out, it was an additional $5 dollars on top of the cost of a dish that was already almost $30. Add in the cost of our coffees, my man's food, tax and tip and our bill was $100 for brunch. I was really bummed because my man was so excited about bringing me here and I was so excited about trying it and I left feeling awkward and disappointed. And that taste of onions from that one bite was in my mouth the entire day. read more

Encuentro Cafe - La El Margariteño - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

I'll admit I was hesitant when a colleague from L.A. suggested Encuentro Cafe for lunch. Living here, I've always felt the Old Town food scene is mostly "mid" to bad--catering strictly to out-of-state tourists. However, I was absolutely blown away by this spot. I ordered the Alma Llanera, which came with carnitas, two fried eggs, avocado, fried plantains, Latin crème, and an arepa. The carnitas were perfectly crunchy, the eggs were cooked over medium to perfection, and the sweet plantains provided a beautiful balance to the savory pork. Our waitress was friendly and gave great recommendations, and the owner even stopped by for a friendly chat mid-meal. They have a nice mix of indoor and patio seating and the vibe was chill. I enjoyed it so much that I actually requested to go back for my birthday brunch! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Alma Llanera - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

Sooooo yummy! Everything we got was delicious and had a lot of flavor. We got La Vegana arepa, corn pancake, breakfast plate, and an appetizer. Bloody Mary was also fantastic. Such a good spot to eat in Old Town and we will definitely come back! read more

Visiting Old Town for the weekend and wanted to try something other than the usual American breakfast. This place was hands down the highlight meal of the weekend. The Mexican spiced mocha was amazing -- I loved the mug so much that I ended up buying one to take home from the mini store inside. Ordered the cachapas veggie style. The sweet corn pancakes were delicious with the cheese and black beans. Had no idea it would all taste so good together, but it absolutely did. My little one loved her sunrise croissant and had a side fruit cup. If you're in the area and want to try something new, this is the spot. read more

Encuentro Cafe - The mug! - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

Lovely vibe and food and probably the best restaurant in Old Towne San Diego! Mexican spiced mocha - 12/10 Got this iced coz it was hot out. SO good! It disappeared in no time! Husband and I shared but we could totally have gone for more. El Criollo (Shredded beef, scrambled eggs, rice, black beans, tomato, cheese, arepa) - 10/10 There is a lot of it going on on the plate here but it's all absolutely needed! Caribbean Salad with chicken - 10/10 Got this for some lean veggies and protein - so good and loaded with pecans too! We didn't really use the dressing! Quesillo - 9/10 It's like a venezuelan flan! Lovely texture and flavor; I recommend having the toppings separate and the Quesillon plain! Mini Cachapas - 12/10 This was our favorite item among everything we got. Proper soft cachapas with the mano cheese inside was absolutely lovely! read more

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Encuentro Café is a charming brunch spot in the heart of Old Town San Diego. Our server, Laura, was incredibly sweet, knowledgeable, and attentive. We enjoyed the cachapas, arepas, and the Alma Llanera. Everything was delicious and perfectly executed - the cachapas were so good we came back the next day to order them again! We can't wait to come back and bring our kids. Thanks again, Laura, for a great experience. We'll be back! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Incredible cachapa la de mano! - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was craving an arepa and stumbled upon this place! Its located on the side of old town but they're a separate standalone place. We came on a Sunday around 5 and there were a few groups there but it cleared out pretty quick since they close at 7. They have a small indoor seating area and a larger outdoor patio space. I had to specifically ask for an arepa menu since their standard menu didn't actually have any full size ones. I got the reina pepeada arepa which they described as chicken, avocado and mayo. It was soooo tasty. They really stuffed it with chicken and didnt skimp on the avocado. It also had cilantro and lime in it. Everything tasted fresh. Definitely on the pricey end at $15 and almost $20 with tax and tip. Service was very friendly and food came out quickly. read more

Encuentro Cafe - Reina pepeada arepa (chicken) - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is by far one of the best breakfast/lunch spots in SD!! They have so many gluten and dairy free options and they are DELICIOUS!! Highly recommend. read more

Encuentro Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

Right near where my guy lives and we're both soo glad we checked this place out because it's soo good!! Staff is wonderful and the decor is beautiful. We got passionfruit mimosas to start and they were refreshing and delicious. Foodwise, we got the Arepa Pabellon (good flavor overall, but the arepa dough itself was overcooked so it was a bit hardened) and the El Vainero Cachapas (soo amazing and we would definitely get it again. Really good on its own and with the housemade salsas they provide). Definitely give this place a try because I'm sure you'll love it! read more

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As someone who is gluten-free, this is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. This Venezuelan spot is absolutely amazing, and the service is always outstanding. The atmosphere is fresh and inviting, with beautiful tropical décor that gives the place such a lovely vibe every time I visit. I always order the Mexican spiced mocha--it's so good! And if you're gluten-free, you'll love that the arepas are naturally GF. This time I tried the Margariteño: shredded fish, black beans, scrambled eggs, avocado, fried plantains, and white cheese, all served with an arepa. Definitely a spot I keep coming back to! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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My friend and I decided to grab lunch at Encuentro Cafe after visiting Old Town. Neither of us had dined here before, but decided to try it out since they had a vegan option for me. With no expectations, we were blown away by the flavors. The fried plantains were absolute perfection and tied together the spices of the dish. While service was a little slow, the cafe was very cute and the food was phenomenal. read more

Encuentro Cafe - La Vegana - Arepas - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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love it! hopped off the train and what a delicious surprise! Great food- the owners are the vision of hospitality. food is great! corn arepas, local soup, and the salsas are full of flavor. read more

Service was a 5/5. Food was a 4/5. Drinks were a 1/5. Last time we came here, we ordered hot drinks and they were a 5/5. This time with kids, we ordered cold chocolate milk, I ordered the ponche crema liqueur and my husband ordered an iced vanilla latte. He said his latte was alright. Chocolate milk for the kids tasted old and both of them actually didn't want anything to do with it. I think those were around $5 each sadly. They could have masked it with ice but didn't. So it was luke cold. It's regular milk and chocolate syrup in it. So it's likely the chocolate syrup was dated. My liquor drink was simply poured out of a bottle. Imagine an old rumchata liquor bottle poured over ice. And ice cubes themselves were old as they were stuck together in chunks. If you're charging that $14 for a drink, at least make sure it's presentable! I was hoping for some Venezuelan flavored cocktail. Didn't quite get that unfortunately as all I could imagine was an old crusty twist top type of cream liqueur bottle. Having it listed as a drink under "cocktails" on the menu is beyond me. I should have known it would only be poured out from a bottle and not an actual cocktail, since a glass of wine is also listed under "cocktails." The service was great. Side of eggs and the side of bacon were solid. No need to add salt as the eggs were pre-salted at a good amount. Breakfast burrito was flavorful although the cheese is wrapped to one side only. The house green salsa was tasty. The side of pancakes were ok. Half of one side however was burnt and my kids wanted nothing to do with it after they hit that part. Whoever management is may want to reassess how their menu is built for the drinks and work on simple presentation of the drinks as well. read more

I really enjoy this restaurant. It's definitely tough to find parking in old town. The staff are very friendly. They're very knowledgeable about gluten-free options. They are plantains are fried in a shared fryer and so are the tostones but they were willing to put the tostones in an air fryer so that they could be celiac safe for my husband. The arepa is absolutely delicious. I ate the plantains and they were fantastic. Their ceviche was just okay; it could've used more citrus in my opinion. I really enjoyed the passionfruit mimosa. We went for a Mother's Day lunch. Service was a little bit slow and they may be slightly understaffed, but it was also Mother's Day so they were probably busy. We've been another time for dinner on a weekend and they were very attentive. The aesthetic is very simple and elegant and I love the plates that they use. Both times we sat on the covered patio outside, so I can't comment on the indoor tables. read more

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Great food!! Venezuela in San Diego! Who would've thought? The people were nice. The food was nice. The outside area was nice. Venezuela must be nice too! Now I got to visit the country. Just bought a ticket to Venezuela right more because of this restaurant. Thank you Venezuelan boxer Jorge Linares! read more

Encuentro Cafe - El Criollo Breakfast of champions!! - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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I'm so obsessed with this place I'm tempted to drive there one weekend even though I live almost three hours away. Everyone in our group got something different and every one of us was blown away by the pairings/flavor/perfect cooking. Never would I have guessed I wanted my fish paired with cheese and plantains...now I dream about it. Our lovely server was super sweet and helpful when she learned it was our first time there and did not disappoint with the recommendations. The place is beyond cute, if a little small (only because it's so busy/popular) and you can buy the beautiful mugs in the gifts shop (which we did). It's a little pricey, but I feel it's well worth it. Parking is a pain as it's minimal, but we got there close to open, so it wasn't too bad. But by the time we left, people were doing multiple drive-bys for a spot. read more

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Very nice place. I recommend it. The staff is friendly. I feel that it is family owned, but I could be wrong. It gives off that vibe. Sitting outside, if not too hot, is the way to go. The food is very flavorful. They have a great menu. Did I mention it is in old town (or is it called Historical SD)? My daughter cannot eat dairy and the staff made sure that no dairy was on her plate (sorry, cheese, bye!). She didn't mind since she's used to it. I have only been here for breakfast so not really sure if there's a lunch/dinner menu. I'll let you find out and you can write about it. :) ........ v .. ... read more

* outside patio * parking nearby * great service * casual ambiance * tasty food A must-try when in the old town. Definitely will come back. I love the sauces, they were tasty. The arepas were delicious and filling The Venezuelan Board had a variety it is a must-try We loved it and got two of these because It had a bit of everything. I loved the mini cachapas and taquenos. And last but not least the Mexican spiced mocha usually not a big fan of chocolate in my coffee because usually too sweet! But theirs was perfectly balanced. read more

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This meal and restaurant experience was a definite highlight of the year for my dining experiences! Service was *chefs kiss* and we felt like special guests from the moment we asked our server for suggestions. She offered a variety of suggestions, which we took and WOW! What a delightful, delicious meal! We were brought a trio of salsas and we practically drank all 3, even though all of our items tasted so good on their own as well. We had the best time! We usually go to our fave spots in Old Town and we're so thrilled we decided to branch out. This was one of my favorite restaurant experiences in a very long time. read more

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Let me tell you about my Friday night! My friends and I wanted to meet up for dinner and decided to try something new! Why not Arepas!? From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with a huge smile and the place feels like home! Given that it was pur first time we ordered several apps and 2 main dishes all to share between us! Starters: we ordered from the small plates menu: mini empanada, arepa trio and the tequeños. The empanadas were so good and fluffy! It was a good selection and we got to try a little if each. The tequeños, are a cheese lovers dream! They were tasty, and of course full of cheese! The star of the small plates for me were the arepas! Oh my goodness, they were just the right size and full of flavors that they left me wanting more! Out of the three my favorite was the vegana: it has black beans, avocado and plantains... I didn't think i would like the combo but ince I took the first bite and it all came together it was perfection! For the main plates we ordered Asado negro and chino venezolano. Asado negro once again and all my favorite things! Rice, avocado plantains...delicious! The meat was tender and the sauce was so flavorful. The Chino venezolano was also good, the fried rice was cooked good and the pork chop was not dry at all! They dont have a full bar but have just enough drinks to accompany your dinner. We had an aperol spritz, their cab and a mai tai. I am not sure if it's a husband and wife duo, but they were both so sweet! He shared his favorite dishes with us and recommended other items to taste. I am not sure if she is the cook, but she came out and asked how the food was and even asked what our favorites were! I can't forget the salsa! The empanadas came with a salsa trio, my favorite was the spicy one, I did order an arepa to go and they threw in more of the spicy sauce I like! If you are in the area please stop by, you will feel right at home as you are enjoying authentic food with family! read more

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Food is a 10. Super flavorful and filling. We did the surf and turn arepa and ceviche. The ceviche was very filling. Ambiance is a little more cafe-like. Amazing and plentiful gluten free options. read more

What a cute little place! I'm so glad that I chose this restaurant for my first meal after landing in San Diego. The service was impeccable. It felt like visiting someone's home. Everyone was so genuine and caring. They checked in on me often without being overbearing. And I never felt rushed. My drink and food came out very quickly. And everything was soooo good! While I didn't try the spicy salsa, the other two were very good. I think the red one was my favorite. I was concerned about needing to order a side, but the Arepa was very filling! I love that it was gluten free and vegan but didn't substitute the flavor. This is a great neighborhood spot that I hope stays around for a long time! read more

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Yum! Pulled over to take a business call when I realized I was starving and saw this place open. Went in on a whim, had amazing service, a delicious white, chocolate mocha while I waited for my food, and everything was just delicious. read more

Wow this place its fantastic! a truly gem of Venezuelan traditional food. I loved the flavors and presentation, its amazing!!! I finally found what i was craving for so long. True Venezuelan Cachapas with the original cheese called queso de mano Something hard to find!!! The Guanabana juice was great!!! I Highly recommended. So gooood!!!! Yummyyyyy!!! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Cachapa con queso de mano!! - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

Enjoyed brunch on the patio with coffee and OJ. We had huevos rancheras which was so flavorful with homemade salsas and signature breakfast "Criollo". We would definitely order again. Great friendly service. read more

Such a great spot for delicious Venezuelan food!!! Very cute inside- transports you straight to a tropical environment with the foliage and wallpaper. Service was friendly and warm- from the hostess to our server! Great recommendations, friendly smiles, and awesome suggestions. We will definitely be back to fill our cravings!! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great food with great service. Arepas are one of the best north of the equator. Nice outdoor patio

Great food and ambience. Great service and reasonable prices. Venezuelan cuisine is delicious

The service was really good. The server took her time to recommend what to order. The food was really good. The ambiance is very nice and relaxing. It is open air with roof over you. Not hot and able to enjoy the fresh air. read more

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All around exceptional! We came here for brunch since it had great reviews, a vegan option and was a short walk from our hotel. The first thing I noticed was the decor. So pretty and green. Then the staff was next. Very welcoming, checked on us frequently and the manager/owner even came to the tables to chat with us. Now to the most important part...the food! Delicious, fresh, such great combos of flavors. I love that they have vegan options and lots of vegetarian options. This place was packed for good reason. I'm bookmarking it and would highly recommend you try it if you're reading this. read more

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Ambiance of this place was amazing. Loved the plants and overall serene surroundings. Since this is Old Town, vibe from outside is misleading. This is an upscale place with prices reflecting the same. Food, however, could have been better. Quality is good but flavor was lacking. Not taking any stars off because it may have been just my bad expectation based on reading other reviews. We went on a weekday in late morning so were able to find a spot on a street right of the stop sign past the place. read more

Encuentro Cafe - Cafe Latte - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

Everything I had was delicious! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this restaurant. I would definitely come back! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California

We stopped by on a Sunday around 10am and were worried there wouldn't be any open seating options, but we were able to be seated right away. We were craving arepas and enjoyed two of their most popular ones for brunch. Service was quick and helpful - we usually order for pick up but were glad to have enjoyed the arepas fresh and seated. read more

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I've never really had Venezuelan cuisine before and am so glad that Encuentro Cafe was my first experience to set the standard! We ventured out to Old Town in search of arepas and were pointed to this spot. If you're unfamiliar, arepas are grilled cornmeal patties. You can split them open and load them up with various fillings. I got the El Criollo which is dubbed their Signature Venezuelan Breakfast. It comes with shredded seasoned beef, black beans, scrambled eggs, avocado, latin cream and an arepa. It was essentially like an unconstructed build-your-own arepa plate. Everything was so flavorful and freshly made! If you haven't had the luxury of experiencing an arepa yet, you're severely missing out. Note: This spot is quite busy, so be prepared for a wait if you're stopping by during peak hours. read more

10/10 food, service, staff! They were 10 minutes from closing but sat me anyway, and I had the most amazing meal. Gluten free options galore, and the staff was so kind. I will be back! read more

Encuentro Cafe - Alma Llanera - Venezuelan Near Me - San Diego, California