Always a family favorite for out of town guests and birthday celebrations. This local spot has served us for many celebrations. A lot of families are either fans of Tony's or Fidel's. I haven't been able to pick just one. However, we tend to go to Fidel's more as a family unless you're craving turkey tacos, and in that case go next-door. The service is always friendly and very helpful. They allowed us to bring in outside desserts to celebrate birthdays, and offered to refrigerate them if we needed it. They also brought out plates, forks, and a knife for us for serving. Favorite dishes here include fajitas, chicken burritos (their chicken is very good, white meat, shredded chicken, and plenty of it), super quesadilla, tostada salad, and chilli rellenos. The chips covered in cheese on top of my beans are always a perfect touch to compliment my meal also not to miss are the house margaritas or skinny margaritas depending on your preference. This family friendly restaurant is consistently busy and if you are there during prime hours, you can expect a wait. read more

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Cute spot, great vibes, but service was a little slow to start. Came in on a Friday around 12:30 PM. You just walk in and wait for the hostess to seat you. I was in a bit of a rush, and after about five minutes without anyone coming over, I ended up grabbing a seat at the bar instead. Jose took care of me there and was great - super friendly and attentive. I ordered the lunch special, where you can pick from a burrito, tostada, enchilada, and one other options. I went with the chicken enchilada, which came with rice and beans, plus your choice of a 12 oz margarita or a beer for ~$20. I chose the margarita, and it was actually really good. The food came out fast, in under 10 minutes. I snacked on chips and salsa beforehand, but the salsa was pretty spicy, not really my thing. The enchilada itself was decent. I'm from the South, so I'm more used to Tex-Mex, and I didn't realize it came with olives, but they were easy enough to pick off. Overall, it's a super cute place with great energy, and the staff are friendly. The food is solid, but Tex-Mex is Tex-Mex...nothing that really stood out as a wow moment. That said, it's a fun spot, very popular, and they have a great happy hour. I'd come back for the vibes alone. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Wow! Ordered two Cadillac Margaritas...and was asked if we wanted the small or large...we of course said let's go for large! Well didn't think LARGE meant LARGE PRICE of $35 EACH...and when you add tax and tip these turn into $44-45 price point for 1 Drink! Also, to add a single shot of Grand Marnier was $15.15! While the margarita tasted excellent....the price point is beyond ridiculous! NEVER GOING BACK...felt like we were mugged! . read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Delicious authentic Mexican food at great prices! Great place to go with a large group of friends / family. A North County staple! read more

Fidel's is a fun Mexican spot on three levels - a lounge on top, a main dining room, and an outdoor patio. Crab Burrito: The flour tortilla is soft and coated with a delicious green tomatilla salsa. The crab is sautéed with tomatoes and onions. The burrito comes with rice and beans, sour cream, and melted cheese topped tortilla chips. Parking: There are some angled parking spots out front. There's also plenty of street parking. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Crab burrito - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We ordered takeout from Fidel's on Christmas Eve. They had our order for 11 people ready in 40 minutes, just as they estimated. Pickup was no problem and the food was yummy, from the chile colorado with beef and the chile verde with shredded pork and the chicken fajitas. We were grateful for their quick service. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Chicken fajitas (does not come with arugula which I added). - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We came to Fidel's for lunch during the week and found it excellent! The service was so friendly and prompt, and the food was delicious. They have a few nice lunch specials which are priced well. Between my husband and I we greatly enjoyed the enchiladas, hard tacos and burritos. And the salsa is spicy and delicious! read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Lunch Special - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

The food, service and drinks are always amazing! Sit outside and enjoy the local beach sun shinning through onto the patio. Just beautiful. Best chips n salsa around this place is more than a little bit of Mexico...Vamos! read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Fidels Solana - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants! The enchilada sauce is amazing. I get the mixed chicken burrito with a side of rice and beans, delicious. There's some parking in the front and a lot to the side. The building has a nice home feel. Food is always warm and fresh. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Mixed chicken burrito, so delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We usually come here when all the family is in town and the majority of us order the crab enchilada which is served with rice & beans. The ambiance is so festive with colorful traditional Mexican decor. We love sitting on their patio when the weather permits. Add a house margarita with a Tajín rim and you've got a party. Service can be hit or miss. However it's a solid spot with good food. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Crab enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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The food was good ,service was friendly and great , and the whole vibe was very nice .Would definitely return for round 2 ! read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Chimichanga dinner was delicious and flavorful . - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

This used to be a great place and the food is still good but tonight we waited 1 hour and 20 minutes without even someone coming by to ask if we wanted. refills. They didn't even apologize, just claimed they were full but half the restaurant was empty. Very disappointed with the service. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - the "very full" restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We sat at the bar, had evening happy hour. Food was good flautes and a cheese quesadilla. Plus, chips and salsa. We of course had margaritas & a shot of Don Julio with 2 new friends. It was so fun, we are locals & have loved Fidel's for years. read more

Great spot and accommodated the full squad nicely. Can't go wrong with any tacos or fajitas. Well done boys read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Fajitas (choice of beef, chicken, shrimp or mixed) - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Haven't been here in a long time and it was a nice dinner! Our server was friendly and attentive. I ordered the pollo asado burrito, which was good - definitely not a small portion, I think I got at least two meals out of it with leftovers. The burrito was dry on the inside (no salsa/fillings other than chicken), but the toppings on the plate made for a yummy bite when combined. read more

Fidel's seems to have gone majorly downhill. It's unfortunate and I don't like leaving a bad review, but just being honest. We had dinner here recently and we were really disappointed. The guacamole was not fresh. It tasted and looked like a pre-packaged guacamole you'd buy at Costco. The shrimp in our shrimp tacos were also not fresh. They should grill them fresh. They were frozen and flavorless. Fidel's is usually very crowded so it's surprising that they wouldn't serve higher quality and fresh food. Added a star for the service and ambiance. It's decorated cutely. I would not go back again, unfortunately. read more

Fidel's reminds me of Old Town with an intriguing origin story as a barber shop and evolving into much more! Fidel's was a nice place with tons of different dining spaces to indulge in some classic Mexican food. Although they did not have anything on the menu that stood out in particular, they execute their dishes well serving the classics. Complimentary chips and a red salsa are served at the table. While the portions don't sound a whole lot, I was surprised to see what was on the plate. I had their Carne Asada Taco plate which came with rice and beans. It was one hefty taco packed with lots of carne and wrapped securely for no spillage. I had a bite of their chimichanga, and it was hefty as well. The service was a little bit spotty depending on where you are seated, but the staff are all kind and attentive. The restaurant has some nice Christmas decorations up for the holidays too and feels cozy and festive! My overall experience and rating for the food is a 3.5-4 stars. read more

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Our server, Ayala was gracious and accommodating. Carnitas plate was quite large and carnitas were moist. Chile Relleno entree plate was good. House margarita packed and punch. Chips and salsa were good too! read more

love this place for the vibes! the tortilla soup used to be better imo but i still love/crave it!! love their flour tortillas

Horrible mariachi music by drunk morons. Food is average. Two thumbs down... The crowd seems to avoid the rooms with the noise...

It has been years since I have eaten here . Was in the mood for Mexican food. So my partner I decided to eat locally . The restaurant still has that lovely casita ambiance with indoor and outdoor seating . We were seated inside. We both ordered the carne asada platter with rice and beans, salad and guacamole . No alcoholic drinks . Water only . We were there for lunch . Sadly disappointed in the quality of the food, and how tasteless it was . The plates were hot like they just came out of a microwave ; the food cooled quickly and the cheese coagulated . Beef chunks, not shredded, were not seasoned and encased in this immense flour tortilla. There was nothing in our entrees that stood out differently from other Mexican restaurants to want to bring us back here . read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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I love this place, not only for the food, but for the atmosphere. Make sure you take time to explore the different rooms as I believe it once was a barber shop. I went there for my birthday and along with the quick service, for such a large restaurant it has excellent service, I had the chile Colorado as they makes theirs a little bit spicier than some versions. Had a great time with my wife and niece. read more

Chips were not amazing they tasted grainy neither was the salsa. It was ok. Music and environment was nice though. Wait time was very long, but they were busy. They took forever to bring the check. Server was nice but the place seemed understaffed. Food was overall was fine. California burrito was bad. I would just go to Tony's across the street. Tostada suprema is giant and tastes pretty good. The total was $311!! Food was definitely overpriced. Thoroughly disappointed. read more

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Bias review coming in warning, warning this review is incredibly nostalgic and incredibly leaning towards a place I've eaten since my childhood. Any, and all things said here might be seen through rose tinted glasses. First off I'm gonna say that 9 out of 10 orders here I get nothing of food. This place is my FLAN go to. I HAVE BEEN GETTING A BIRTHDAY FLAN HERE, MY ENTIRE LIFE!! So naturally when I moved away, I was not happy about it I have tried so many flans in the years since I've lived in San Diego. I have never found one that even come close. This place has hands-down the best way they create it cannot be described. If you've ever had flan and not liked it, you need to come here and try again. As long as I can remember, this place is always look the same. It is a maze of cute little seating areas that seem like they were built entirely separately. You really don't find restaurants like this anymore. I remember as a kid just getting lost trying to find my table or the bathroom. It has the cutest atmosphere you need to see it to believe it just come in. Try to tell us they're good people. They're doing good things and they need to be around for the long run because when I visit I need my flan. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - OG decor - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Full disclosure I went to high school at Santa Fe Christian down the street and I'm in my 30s now so have been here I don't even remember how many times. I would say since Su Casa in La Jolla closed this is my favorite Mexican restaurant in all of San Diego. It's very authentic and consistently great and always crowded because everyone around knows how good it is. It's in a very sleepy part of Solana Beach set around neighborhood homes so it's extra quiet surrounding the restaurant. They can host many different sized groups and service is always consistently fast and polite. They also have a giant menu filled with tons of classic dishes as well as variances on new dishes. They have plenty of parking attached to the restaurant otherwise it's extremely easy to find spaces on the street. Honestly, everything I have had here has been incredibly great and every single time I come back I am never disappointed. They have some of the best salsa too, I dream about their chips and salsa anytime I think of this place. For this visit I chose the Albondigas but forgot to snap a picture because I was so excited to eat it. They are well known for how great their soups are. For my entrée, I chose the Carne Asada and it too was delicious and had a ton of meat . They are very large sized portions here and the pricing is also fair. I would honestly highly suggest to any fan of Mexican cuisine and even if you are not a fan of Mexican cuisine, this is the sort of place that would change your mind. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Walked in waited 15 minutes for someone to acknowledge/wait on us. They never did so we left.

I had the worst experience at Fidel's on 04/14/2025 -- a place I've loved since I was 8 years old. I've been coming here for decades, sharing it with friends and family as one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego. I even went to elementary school and was friends with the owner's granddaughter. This restaurant has always felt like part of my personal history. Sadly, that legacy was shattered by the way I was treated during my recent visit. The day before, I called ahead and clearly explained my accessibility and health-related accommodation needs. I was assured by a staff member that all my needs could be met -- including being seated outdoors, in a shaded and distanced area, without needing to go inside or be around others due to my medical condition. When I asked about a reservation, I was transferred to the manager, who confirmed and made the reservation for me. When I arrived, the first staff member who greeted me insisted I come inside -- pushing me to do something that was unsafe for my health. I had to disclose my medical condition just to avoid being forced indoors. The manager came outside, but instead of walking ahead of me or waiting a few seconds so I could pass through the covered walkway alone (as we had discussed the day before), he refused to accommodate me. He began arguing with me and repeatedly demanded that I just "go in" -- despite knowing it would compromise my health. He disregarded everything we had agreed to in our call and refused to support even the simplest accommodations. Another staff member -- possibly another manager -- began questioning my health, saying things like: "I've seen sick people, you're not sick. Prove you're sick." He demanded to see my medical documentation, which is not only inappropriate but illegal. When I told him that, he continued to insist, showing no regard for my privacy or dignity. This interaction was steeped in ableism, disbelief, and transphobia. I was misgendered repeatedly, interrupted constantly, called a liar, and denied basic respect at every turn. When I reminded the manager of our phone conversation and the agreement made by the staff member I initially spoke to, he said: "If I didn't say it, then you can't trust it." I asked, "So anything anyone else at your restaurant says is a lie unless it comes from you?" He replied, "Yes." Let that sink in. They refused to wait six seconds to accommodate a very simple, health-related request. They denied me access, questioned the legitimacy of my illness, and treated me with blatant disrespect. I left shaken, deeply hurt, and appalled by the cruelty of the experience -- especially from a place I once called my favorite. Fidel's was a place tied to my childhood memories and family traditions. But today, I was treated as less than human. If you're looking for good food and respectful service, I recommend heading next door to Tony's Jacal, where the staff still treats people with basic decency. read more

Boy! Been going there for 40 years, ate there for lunch today, had a tostada supreme with chicken( not good) small amount of chicken, tostada shell tough as leather and over priced. Weekly customer. Disappointing. Will find new place for lunch. Sorry! read more

There's not a time I am in the area that I do not stop at Fidel's! So delicious every single time! read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Bunuelos - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Awful!! The service and food are so bad here. First we had to wait forever for anyone to take our order. We had to call the servers. As soon as one came, we placed our order and it took over 45mins to come out. We asked multiple times where our food was. Everything is so overpriced on the menu and when the food did come out, it was just really bad tasting, salmon overcooked, dry rice, burrito was really bad. read more

Excellent food, always consistent. Love Fidel's and will go out of my way to visit frequently.

We dined Nextdoor a couple of times and decided to try this place. I wish we hadn't. The food was just average. The service was pretty good. However, he got my wife's order wrong. The atmosphere is rustic and I wish we had sat outside. We ordered the guacamole side 4.5/5, chicken torta 3/5 (massive), asada burrito 3/5. The house margarita was good for a house version 5/5. read more

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It is the first time I have been to Fidel's in over 30 years. I remember going there in the 1980s when I liver locally. i attended with a group of 25 people and the restaurant accomodated us at several tables on one of the outdoor patios during a Sunday brunch. The service was friendly and attentive. The staff was unable to remember who or what table ordered what drink or meal and had to ask for people to identify their order. I cut them a break given the large size of our party. I did not order the Grande Cadillac margarita having been forwarned about the steep price by other Yelpers. I do note that the price is not listed on the menu. The food was fine, and probably similar to what I used to have in the 1980s. Nothing is very spicy, nor daring, nor will it offend gringo's. I had a carne asada burrito which had a decent amount of well seasoned meat and was reasonably priced, given the high prices of restaurants. There isn't much in the way of seafood which I find unusual for a coastal city. No Ceviche, nor campechana or seafood platter which was a disappointment. read more

My next door neighbor's took me to Fidel's for Christmas. They have been eating here since they were kids. I have never been here. When I walked around the entire restaurant I am not shy at stopping at tables and asking the people, "What is you are eating ? What is that that you ordered?" The people were so excited and delighted to tell me how they've been eating at Fidel's since they were kids too, and what is their favorite dish is. Everyone loves the chili relleno so I ordered chili relleno and the chicken enchilada because both the other tables and my neighbors told me how much how wonderful their chicken is. It's white meat and there's something about the chicken that is so tender my neighbors think Fidel's brined it first. The other customer downstairs talked about the chicken too and how delicious it was in the tostada. But she says, I'll tell you a secret it's canned and certain canned chicken tasted really good and has more flavor. I said where did you hear that chicken was canned from? She didn't know. She said when her kids were young they knew people who worked at Fidel's as servers and maybe they heard it from them. I still felt my chicken enchilada was a little dry. Chicken was very soft inside the enchilada, but still dry as white meat chicken is,. Nothing was inside my enchilada but the chicken. I had to ask for more sauce cuz I like sauce on everything but tho the chicken was very tender, it ws tender because the meat was soft, but not tender because it was juicy. I don't like white meat because it doesn't have much taste and the sauce was not inside the enchilada. I had to pour it on the chicken. The chile relleno was different in that the filling seemed fluffy like ricotta cheese, light and fluffy says my neighbor. I thought that was bland too. I poured an entire dish of cold chip salsa on top of my chili relleno. I talk so much and our conversation for so intense about renting a property Airbnb and management myself so that managers don't keep stealing from me and ripping me off. I didn't really get to eat my dinner when it was hot, cos I talked too much, also poured cold salsa over it I like leftovers and I'm going to put it in the microwave for tomorrow or dinner another day or for lunch and put all the sauces I want on it and really enjoy it. I a rating actually 3.5 - 4 stars because before I came here, looking at the menu, I think this is the most expensive Mexican restaurant I ever been to. I wanted to get there earlier before 6:30 to order the early bird dinners, which is the 2 item combos for about $3.50 less money. Like, nachos cost $20 in the appetizer section! Wow, Id rather have that money be applied to an entree. My neighbors said "Don't worry about the price, we are treating you." But I like to save ANYONE'S MONEY, and I try to save my employer's money whom I worked for. Another reason for 3.5 - 4 stars is I found the food a bit bland, and the service was "off" , as my neighbors raved about this server but she seemed preoccupied and "not there" mentally. Like when I asked for more chips, she didn't see that there as not enough salsa to eat the chips with. When I asked for more salsa to go, she only brought me an empty ramekin. Or my take out box wasn't big enough for the food I didn't eat. She kept having to go back, cos "she didn't get it right". Maybe I was making too many requests, which I think had to do with her lack of perception. I had a feeling of still wanting service, such as from the start, I wanted a spoon to spoon my salsa on my chips since many of the chips were too big to dip in the salsa dishes to coat. I never got a chance to get that spoon for the salsa. Here are the pictures I took of Fidel's Christmas decorations when I walked around the restaurant. Move the arrow or scroll bar to the right to see all 9 pictures. read more

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update, just realized I was charged for multiple sides of beans and rice I never got even after telling them they had forgotten them. Just assumed they left it off, nope charged $3.65 for each one. NEVER AGAIN. We did go in at 8pm, they're open till 9:30 but guessing they don't want to be. We sat for 30 min until I asked for a server. We immediately ordered, 1/2hr later food came. We still didn't have silverware. I ordered shrimp burrito with beans and rice, they forgot the burrito and clearly threw it together, no rice or beans even when I mention it never came. Burrito was shrimp and veggies, nothing else inside. For $20 it should have had something else. Failed experiment, Tony's Jacal next door has never disapointed. read more

We had a whole group on Taco Tuesday in the bar and Jesse was our waitress, in fact she was the only waitress in the bar and it got slammed but yet she stayed so friendly and didn't miss a Beat. She checked on everyone even the new additions had our food sent out hot and was just a pleasure. They said the taco bar was closed for happy hour but we all got tacos I think they might have just been a little bit more expensive than normal you'll have to ask. The food was great and the happy hour drinks are about $9 so they're not bad. read more

There was ample seating around the restaurant which is very convenient for big parties! I ordered the calabacitas. The shredded chicken was very juicy and putting everything provided into a tortilla was delicious. Service was quite helpful especially with how busy it was that night. read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Calabacitas - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

I'm a Tony's girl, so let's get that out of the way. Phew. Ok. Now that the cat's out of the bag... Fidel's is too! No really, it's incredible to me that vintage staples Fidel's and Tony's--arguably the two best Mexican restaurants in the world--are next door to each other. I grew up going to Tony's. My family's been going there for 80 years(?!). My grandpa was Tony's accountant. So I'm clearly biased. But Fidel's has the goods. The wet burritos and rice and beans are all compelling and warm, especially with that signature dollop of cheese and those two or three chips. The skinny margarita is one of the best in town. More sugary than than the one at Tony's, but probably more satiable to the masses. I even go to "Del Norte" in Carlsbad sometimes, but it's no comparison. They got the short end of the stick in this family war--ocean proximity aside. Fidel's is also really exciting just for its setup. The architecture is something like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. Chutes and ladders. Who was the architect? A true genius. But really, I've never seen a restaurant with so many vibe shifts. Indoor and outdoor feel like two separate domains. Inside feels family friendly, like staying in an old Stucco Mexican lodge. Outside pits you right in the center of Old Town with its flashing colors, narrow but bellowing passageways between bench tables, and the misplaced impression there should be a canal somewhere. This place has some thing(s) to talk about: 5-star food and drinks, 5-star ambiance, and staff that knows when you're more of the "skinny" persuasion. Even if you don't order food--come see the place for its design alone. This couldn't be replicated today. read more

It's taken me quite some time to make it to Fidel's, but I finally did as Patty recommended we stop there after attending a celebratory event celebrating my second cousin's achievement of being bestowed as Carlsbad's Citizen of the Year. I was expecting standard Mexican fare...you know, a cheese enchilada and chilie relleno combo with rice and beans. Boy, was I wrong! There's much to choose from Fidel's extensive menu. I wanted something different so I ordered the nopakes. These were the best nopales to ever roam the earth. They weren't slimy, too salty, or too chewy. Much like the delightful baby bear's porridge, the nopales were "just right." The service was fast, friendly, and efficient! Plus, he tolerated, and dare I say encouraged, my attempt to order in Spanish! read more

Fidel's Little Mexico - Patty and me out front of Fidel's! - Mexican Near Me - Solana Beach, California

The nachos were delicious and we SO appreciated Facundo ‼ He was nice, took great care of us and very helpful. Our first time there We will be back read more