1. Puerto La Boca

0

San Diego, CA

Cancel

Open app

Search

Puerto La Boca

4.1 (1.2k reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Order Puerto La Boca Takeout or Delivery

Puerto La Boca Photos

Business Info

PUERTO LA BOCA ATMOSPHERE

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

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Puerto La Boca

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Parrillada "El Conventillo" (For 2 | $75.95) Meatlovers heaven
Joe P.

We had dinner in Little Italy at this Argentinian steakhouse. We decided to share the parillada (short rib, skirt steak, culotte cut, chicken breast, chorizo, blood sausage and sweetbreads inc fries). The red meats were all nicely seasoned, moist & tender. On the other hand, the chicken breast was dry, and could not be rescued by the excellent chimichurri. Lastly, the fries were a nice side to the meats and were GBD. We activated our dessert stomachs and had the milhojas. The layers of walnut, along with the caramel crust contrasted nicely against the rich & savory meats. Rodolfo and his team took good care of us. We had some special requests, and they handled them with ease. The ambiance was quaint, and not too snug. The only downsides were the lack of ventilation made it warm, and parking was $25 for two hours. PLB has been serving great food for 20 years. Its no wonder they have been in business so long.

Randall B.

Sorry no photos. Picked BF up from airport and he had to have PLB. We each had the millense. Me chicken and hilm the beef. With two eggs and an empanada. Soooooo good. And the chimmie churri is Amazing. A great place for a night (or lunch) out.

The lovely atmosphere
Gary B.

My colleague and I visited Puerto La Boca, to explore the idea... who does picanha steak better Argentina or Brazil...comparing what we received steak wise at the local Fogo de Chao (on a previous outing ) vs picanha in the Argentina tradition. Hands down the service was very good. Our server was attentive and insightful. The food arrived in a timely manner...just that alone makes this a restaurant to visit. We orders a number of items including 1) Bread and Chimi 2) Mollejas 3) Chorizo All as starters ! Wonderfully flavored, one can't go wrong with anything we selected. The chorizo was very plain in presentation which was strange to me but still good! The Mollejas(sweet breads) were also well flavored and surprisingly not chewy However we came for the Picanha! In this case we ordered "picaña" for two with garlic fries. I'm not an expert on picaña as a cut of meat but what we received was very tender and cooked just right...they know that they are doing here! For dessert we ordered a lot- a lot because we couldn't decide from there many options and they have many desserts we've never tried, YOLO Panequeques con de leche, Alfajores de maicena and membrillo con queso as well as espressos to chase it down. I enjoyed the Panquequws, and Alfajores more than the membrillo mostly because cheese with dessert isn't something I'm accustomed to.

Paintings
Mitzy M.

This place is a gem! We've been wanting to visit puerto la Boca and what better than for Valentine's Day. 1st the food, we ordered the parillada el conventillo with fries and it was bomb. The ribs, the cuts with the chimichurri were amazing, very juicy for being medium well and not dry like in other places. The ambiance and service was great too. We are definitely coming back.

Do not bother ordering from them online. They cancelled my Grubhub order within 5 minutes? I was looking forward to it, and I find that to be so bizarre and inconsiderate. The reason given on Grubhub was "due to the restaurant pausing orders." It's 6:45 pm?

Churrasco
David H.

ordered the churrasco (med rare), sirloin center cut, and i would say it's pretty good. the steak was seasoned well and the side of garlic fries was pretty yummy. the chimichurri sauce was solid, great with the steak. the onion was good, which they gave more of it with the steak though. service was good, they overcooked my steak at first and made me a new one after i told them. checked up on me and was pretty attentive. overall, pretty nice place and the steak was good, but not the best steak i've ever had. yummy rating: 8/10

Sophia M.

We were so pleasantly surprised by this place - food, wine and service were spot on. There was apprehension at first because the place was really slow at 6pm on a Sunday but we gave it a try anyways. Not too many people venture past Barbusa when in Little Italy but I would absolutely recommend to come one extra block for this place! Every meat selection on the platter was simply amazing - well cooked, seasoned, and went amazing with the chimichuri! Our server, Sebastian gave a 5 star wine recommendation and was so pleasant to chat with. Great scene for date night.

Violet R.

Service as always was amazing very nice people and the food was good. The empanadas are a must every time i come here.

Awning sign
Emmett T.

Instead of gorging ourselves on Brazilian BBQ, we came to Puerto La Boca during a past San Diego Restaurant Week. There were two very large parties already seated so a waitlist was in effect for an inside table. Availability was immediate if we wanted a table outside along the sidewalk which was what we chose. A three-course meal was priced at $50 for Restaurant Week. My friend and I shared the following... * Beef Empanada * Pulpo la Ribera (marinated octopus) * Picanha * Lomo con Hongos (filet mignon) * Panqueque con Dulce de Leche * Tarta de Chocolate While waiting for our food, a complimentary basket of sliced bread was provided along with chimichurri sauce, olives, and butter. Thank goodness we had this to munch on because the kitchen took an inordinate amount of time to prepare the food. In addition, because we were seated outside, our server was not easy to flag down. The empanada was as expected, a fried turnover with beef filling. The octopus came as diced up pieces sauteed in olive oil, garlic, parsley, potatoes, and paprika. The portion size was small, and I wish they had not cut up the tentacles. The picanha was a sirloin cap cooked medium-rare. It was served as four pieces weighing approximately three ounces each. The meat was topped with a Roquefort cream cheese sauce and three tiger shrimp. A serving of mashed potatoes also came with the dish. The cheese sauce did nothing for me as I liked the components without it. The filet was a ten-ounce portion that was grilled and sauteed in Malbec wine and porcini mushroom sauce. A side of noisette potatoes and broccoli accompanied the beef. We asked for it to be cooked with medium doneness. I thought this plate was well executed. The first dessert was a warmed crepe filled with Argentinian caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a ramekin. The caramel tasted so good and decadent. The other dessert was a chocolate mousse pie on a cookie crust. It was rather ordinary. When we got our bill, an automatic 18% gratuity was already added even though it was just a party of two. I didn't like that especially when aspects such as the food taking a long time to come out of the kitchen and the server being AWOL for lengthy stretches were below expectations. I don't remember my past visits being such a choppy experience. For this occasion, I rated the prix fixe dinner with three stars.

Ensalata Mixta la Boca & Empenadas
Natalie P.

I didn't try this place for a long time because I had heard mixed reviews, but finally went for lunch when they had their restaurant week menu and it was great! We went for a late lunch so it was pretty empty. The service was quick and the decor inside is cozy and nice. We had the ensalata mixta la boca, chicken and beef empenadas, and the Entraña steak. Everything was excellent! The chimichurri sauce was delicious. And the restaurant week was a great deal. I'll definitely be back!

Chicken milanesa
Jacob D.

Purchased a groupon and I was rather surprised that they were offering one as this place is located in a high touristy area with lots of other restaurants nearby and it was busy when we arrived (but seated immediately). We started off with the basket of bread with compounded butter and other tapenades, which was very good and fresh. I ordered the chicken milanesa and my friend ordered the steak milanesa. Both were decently sized and came with fries. Mine was good but not excellent. It was a bit confusing for me because it had marinara sauce so it was almost like I was having Italian food. We ended our meal with dessert: flan and chocolate mousse cake. The flan was just ok, not custardy the way I like but the cake was excellent! As for service, although the restaurant was busy, our server was lacking a bit (appeared to be the host as well), but very kind and friendly. I won't be in the area again anytime soon, but I would frequent this restaurant again and try other menu items (perhaps happy hour as well).

Mollejas al Jerez a o la parrilla (Sweetbreads) November 2024
Joanne P.

What a great experience on a Tuesday evening! I called almost a month prior to make early birthday reservations for our son & our visit was definitely worth it! My coworker came here a few years ago and recommended the sweet breads. I've been a fan of watching Andrew Zimmern & Anthony Bourdain for the longest. And I was so excited to finally try some sweet breads. I asked if our server could explain to everyone in our party which part the sweetbreads came from cattle- which he explained is not pan dulce (LOL) but, from the neck area. Everyone in our group LOVED this as a starter! Each bite just feels decadent. Rich in flavor, tender, and crispy on the edges. I enjoyed every bite with sips of Malbec along with chimichurri and bits of warm bread. As our evening continued on- patrons were piling in on that Tuesday evening. The short rib plate (asado de tira) and requested medium on the grill. All plates are made to order and the short ribs are flank cut w/ bone in. Steamed veggies are plentiful (carrots, broccoli, fresh green beans, and asparagus). I love how the "Meant to be Shared" platter options. Hubby and I plan on returning to indulge in this option.

Argentinian steak
Josue B.

10/10 - Best Steak I've Ever Had! I had the Argentinian steak (medium rare) at Puerto La Boca, and wow -- it was hands down the best steak I've ever had! Perfectly cooked, incredibly juicy, and so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The garlic fries on the side were the perfect crispy, flavorful complement. You can get the option to get mashed potatoes. If you go, do not skip the Chile Toreados -- trust me! Pour the juice from the chiles over your steak and it takes the flavor to a whole new level. Absolute heaven. I been back 5 times already for this steak and it never missed. It takes amazing every single time. I also had the beef empanada and it tasted phenomenal. The empanada had a golden crunchy shell and the beef had a phenomenal flavor! I recommend to get! Even the bread and butter stood out -- warm, fresh, and addicting. Every bite of this meal was amazing. I highly recommend this spot to anyone who loves a great steak or is just looking for a fantastic dining experience. 10/10

The traditional dish. Get the bread, too.

See all

Photo of Aj L.
155
51
43

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 9
Thanks 4
Love this 13
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of V B.
54
25
13

2 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Roberta C.

Roberta C.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

22 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 39
Thanks 7
Love this 33
Oh no 4

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 1
Love this 5
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Excellent service and food! very pleasant cozy indoor seating area. It was a great dinner experience. We will definitly visit again soon:)

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tom M.
1
20
1

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Risto K.
341
1077
6434

3 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Dulce R.
1268
1025
10691

2 years ago

Helpful 11
Thanks 4
Love this 14
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Love the corn and cheese empanada! All meats are delicious and the dulce the leche crepe is amazing!

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Lisa K.
457
58
95

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

6 months ago

The chimichurri sauce is soo good! I love this place and I've been coming food decades!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Erick S.
216
17
3

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Claudia S.
65
124
146

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 31

Puerto La Boca Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Puerto La Boca

Do they still have live music on Fridays and Saturdays and who/what kind is it? Daniel back in the day was so awesome

Hi, Art! We don't have live music at the moment. Sounds like you have been here before, Daniel was great. I hope you can join us sometime for dinner! Have a wonderful day!

Are you doing happy hour anymore? If so what times?

Not at this time.

Does the restaurant take reservations?

No, we’re working on a first come, first serve basis for the meantime. We would love to see you here! Thank you!

For Valentine's Day, will your happy hour menu be available?

Yes! Best thing about happy hour is it makes people happy, especially on those special occasions but on Friday, Valentines Day it will not be available. There will be other specials to choose from to make it a great dinner and evening. Enjoy!!

Can we order the meats a la carte?

Absolutely yes. The meats will come with a garnish but there is no need to order a set meal.

Is the dinner menu the only menu served on Sundays?

Yes. Lunch Mon-Sat 11a-3p

Is this place actually kid friendly? Specifically younger kids.

I'm sorry we have missed your question but we have to say that we disagree with what someone have answered. We're kid friendly even though we don't carry kids menu. We always arrange at the time with smaller portions and combinations for the kids.… 

View All 11 Questions

You might also consider

Born & Raised - Chicken - great idea but the sauce was way too salty

Born & Raised

4.1(3.5k reviews)
0.1 mi•Little Italy
•$$$$

Our second visit to Born & Raised. We came last year for our anniversary and came back this year…read more Our first visit was at the bar with some apps. This year we made a reservation on the rooftop. The vibe for me was dark deco, think Batman the Animated Series. They say it is hip-hop, rap royalty. The service was amazing. We must have been congratulated 5 times on our anniversary celebration. Friendly attentive server and supporting staff The food and drinks were amazing. We did the wedge (a little small) dirty hash browns (some of the best potatoes I've ever had) and a filet and side of king crab. We got a few cocktails to pair. Dirty martini and tequila sours. Overall a great night from begging to end. Defiantly a great place to go for a special occasion.

I heard a lot of mixed reviews about this place, so I finally went on a Sunday afternoon for my…read moreanniversary. For a party of 2 they sat us quickly. The ambience is amazing. However that was the only nice thing about born n raise. The service was very basic, like ordering food at your local denies. No extra care or explanation of the menu. But not bad either. We ordered the steak sampler for 2, Mac n cheese, mushrooms, hash brown bites, and a total of 4 drinks. The steak sampler was a ripoff. For $169 they provide you with 12 oz of steak and they all taste mediocre. The sides were all good. The drinks nothing fancy. For a total of $400 for 2 people. I had wayyyy better. I'm a SD local and had to scratch this restaurant of my list. But I'm definitely not ever going back. You can do way better in SD

Photos
Born & Raised - View from our table

View from our table

Born & Raised - Potato Puree

Potato Puree

Born & Raised - Dirty hash browns with trout roe, chives and crème fraiche

See all

Dirty hash browns with trout roe, chives and crème fraiche

Moe's - Filet

Moe's

4.4(409 reviews)
6.3 mi

Food here is a real sleeper. Incredible. Not want you'd' expect in mission beach…read more Staff is a ten out of ten. Fast and professional Thank you guys

Moe's is one of our favorites when we visit San Diego. Mission Beach is our happy place and Moe's…read moreis a big part of that beach community. The cocktails, service and food is all really solid but my favorite thing is the old school feel of the design. It's dark, warm and has a nostalgic Rat Pack vibe. We love the black and white photos throughout. Nothing better than meatball Mondays when they serve insanely good meatballs and homemade Bucatini pasta (pic 12). What better to accompany that deliciousness than some signature cocktails. Some of the fam loved the "Fields of Italy." (Pic 3) It's a fresh, crispy champagne cocktail made with vodka, Aperol, St. Germain, strawberry/basil jam, lemon and prosecco. It was perfect for a summer day. I had one of my favs that has been on the menu for a while now called "Party with Elvis." (Pic 5) It starts out like a boss with walnut-infused bourbon, Montenegro (Italian Amaro), tiki bitters, orange bitters and an orange garnish. It's exceptional!!! The last cocktail in the rotation was a traditional Manhattan that always goes perfect with a plate of Italian love (pic 13). It's always classic and the Moe's staff captures it perfectly with Basil Hayden bourbon, Antica sweet vermouth and angostura bitters. If you haven't been to Moe's, you should make the effort because they never disappoint. It's easy to find bright, fancy joints throughout San Diego, but they're an elevated old school gem that's hard to find. Salute @thejohnnycocktail Fields of Italy Vodka Aperol St. Germain Strawberry/basil jam Lemon Prosecco Party with Elvis Walnut-infused Bourbon Montenegro Sweet Vermouth Tiki Bitters Orange Bitters Orange Garnish

Photos
Moe's - Beautiful decor

Beautiful decor

Moe's - Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad

Moe's - Manhattan

See all

Manhattan

Rare Society - Associate board

Rare Society

4.2(706 reviews)
2.3 mi
•$$$$

Amazing food, vibe, ambiance customer service. Before I start I like to mention Abraham our waiter,…read morehe's the main reason my review hit 5. The kid was on point, friendly, helpful, attentive & fast. He helped us order as he was very knowledgeable of the menu, food & drinks. We were never thirsty as he kept the drinks going as we were eating. It was 13 of us & we had a few picky people but he handled our whole party perfectly. He made our evening there & enjoyable. Now for the restaurant & food, they open 5-10pm is best to make reservations especially on Friday's & Saturday's it gets full, best day to go for me is Sunday not as busy & very chill. The ambience inside is really nice but you can attend as nice casual or fancy it's up to you, very clean inside with a good bar. The customer service all the way around was good. Food, amazing, start with the rolls & Cesar Salad & A Lamb Lollipop, it's a perfect way to start. We got the Executive Board which is different slices of meat & bone marrow, pricey BUT worth it, you can feed 4-5 people especially if you get sides. The asparagus were my favorite & the Mac & Cheese was good & filling as was the mash potatoes. Drinks from alcohol & mock drinks were perfectly made. Overall it was a great experience & we loved it, from the adults to kids. We were all first timers & we will be back, my nephews were saying they can't wait to bring their girlfriends. I came with my sister & cousin & their kids & I can't wait to bring my wife here. See you soon Rare Society & Abraham keep up the great work.

A delicious special occasion dinner! The associate board is a great deal, featuring 3 full size…read moresteaks (filet, Denver, and tri-tip) and served with bone marrow, bearnaise, steak sauce, salsa, and truffle butter. We enjoyed making different flavor combinations with the many provided accoutrements. The board was also placed on a lazy susan and so every part could easily be accessed by all guests. The shell mac is a must-try. We loved the rich sauce that had a great cheese flavor saucily covering the large shell pasta. The staff were also very friendly and kind while we celebrated a birthday. This would have been a 5 star experience but only the tri-tip was served medium as requested. The Denver and filet mignon were close to rare. This was fine but not ideal, and it was not even medium rare, which would have at least only been one level away from our requested steak doneness. We could have brought this to the staff's attention but didn't find it worthwhile. The wooden board also does not conduct heat well, so the steaks were cold by the time we finished dinner. Perhaps a cast iron tray or ceramic tray would have better kept our food warm throughout the meal.

Photos
Rare Society - Restroom

Restroom

Rare Society - Parker house rolls

Parker house rolls

Rare Society - View of the inside dining from the entrance.

See all

View of the inside dining from the entrance.

Cowboy Star - C - Star Signature Steak Tartare

Cowboy Star

4.3(2.4k reviews)
1.3 mi•East Village
•$$$$

This is THE spot! I love Cowboy Star, this place is so great that I've never thought to write…read more review. Amazing service from Victor! The vibes are immaculate. I feel like there are so many tourists traps downtown and this is not one of them. Not only is their steak amazing, their rolls are divine and their whiskey sour is my favorite in the city. Don't forget the banana dessert. This is an amazing place for a special occasion and there appears to be a private room in the back for gatherings. Great happy hour if you're around during the week!

Expertly cooked steak - perfect seasoning and searing…read more steak tartare 9/10. was able to get the shallots on the side. Decadent, velvetly chopped beef with cracked pepper, parsley and the egg yolk started the night off well. Gave me the confidence that they knew what they were doing with their meats! parker house rolls 6/10 - i love bread and want to try it esp if they are charging for it! Sadly, it wasnt something that distinguishes cowboy star. The bread tasted average. I would have expected it to be fresh steaming roll with a warm and pillowy interior. Instead, it seemed like a reheated premade item. There was only a slight yeast aroma and the salt was lacking. 14oz ribeye 10/10 - cooked to perfection, a medium rare, with delicious compound butter. It was juicy and seasoned well. 18oz dry aged ribeye 10/10 - this was the only steakhouse where i was able to taste the dry aged flavor. It gave a deep savory funky nutty flavor to the beef. Its less juicy than the wet aged and provides a different type of experience. The crust was insane, you could feel the entire surface was crackly and made for a great mouth feel. I paired it with a creamy horseradish and I couldnt stop eating it. Im pretty particular about steaks because i think most of the time, I can make it just as good at home with my grill but cowboy star does it better. bone marrow 8/10 - decadent, buttery, rich. If you love bone marrow, youll love this. Too rich for me to eat a lot of. mac and cheese 7/10 - I probably wouldnt order this again. It tasted good but dont think this is 100% cooked to order. It felt a bit grainy and dry. Bacon was also hit or miss in there, some pieces were melt in your melt, other pieces dry and tough. Coffee french press 8/10 - great end with a dessert Chocolate chip bread pudding 6/10 - was disappointed after being so intrigued by their descriptions. The butterscrotch sauce is completely overshadowed by everything else. The ice cream tasted like a frozen hot chocolate, rather than something luxiously creamy. The bread pudding itself was a bit dry, the edges were too firm and i felt like i needed a knife to cut through. The interior should have been moist, soft and cake/pudding like but it wasnt. Service 7/10 - service is a bit cold, didnt seem like they wanted to be there and serving people. They still did their job though and drinks were refilled and food brought out reasonably. The bussers were friendly though. Ambiance 9/10 - intimate, small, and comfortable. They have different areas based on what you like. We got a more isolated area, which suit us fine.

Photos
Cowboy Star - Chef's Counter

Chef's Counter

Cowboy Star - Potato Skins

Potato Skins

Cowboy Star - Inside

See all

Inside

Puerto La Boca - steak - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...