Not your typical "Mexican" restaurant. Puntamar serves absolutely incredible Mexico City style food with an emphasis on seafood. Everything on the menu is delicious, but the mahi ceviche and tiradito de hamachi are definitely standouts. As well, the octopus is the best I've ever had, cooked perfectly every time. Margaritas are excellent and authentic using only lime juice, agave, and tequila. The tostadas and salsas given upon arrival are also unique and perfectly spicy. The service is excellent, and the ambiance is very unique to the area. Highly recommend! read more

What a hidden gem! This restaurant is so cute. It was perfect for my friend's birthday dinner. Our waiter, Andrew (i think) was awesome! Our food was all good and the drinks. The wine selection was perfect. Definitely recommend for any type of occasion! And, there is a sports bar next door that I would like to check out soon. read more

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Update 2: the owner of this restaurant is a jerk. period. Avoid at all cost. ==== Update 1: With the recent reply by the owner I have to update the rating to 1 star. If you are understaffed, hire more people. If they are underpaid, pay them more. They're trying to give customers moral pressure to not tip high enough, as if it is customers' fault that the employees are not paid what they deserve. ==== The food was innovative - it was not of super good taste nor terrible, but I admire their effort to be creative. The service was honestly not bad, but what made me uncomfortable was that their suggested tips were 20% minimal. With the pressure of being presented the POS machine by the server, most people would not manually enter a lower tip. read more

If you're in the fence about trying Puntamar, just go, you won't regret it! Although all the tables inside were already reserved, they were able to accommodate 11 of us in the patio area. The staff was very nice and helpful with any questions we had. We ended up a variety of dishes like the queso birria tacos, the agua chile, the birria pizza, the angus, queso tacos. If I had to pick, the aguachile was next level. It had plenty of shrimp, with a half of avocado and cucumber, radishes and a lemony marinade that's unlike I've ever tasted! I highly recommend. For dessert we shared a few flans, it creamy but not too sweet, it was delicious. The birria was a hit as well! The queso fundido was another hit. We plan to come back time and try some some other dishes. I could taste the pride that goes into the dishes. The staff was great, helpful and accommodating! I was really impressed and highly recommend. It's been awhile since I've been excited to write a review. I wish I would have taken more pics. read more

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The food and service was great! Ambiance is amazing you actually feel like you are in Mexico ! read more

Puntamar - Bar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Loved the tuna tostada and my husband loved the fish tacos. I asked for a mocktail and bartender made the most delicious drink w tahini rim. So good. read more

Puntamar - Tuna tostada - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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R YOU FR I genuinely cannot stop thinking about how spectacularly this place fumbled what should have been one of the easiest dining experiences imaginable. We arrived excited, ordered margaritas and our meals, and were told chips and salsa would be coming right out. Apparently "right out" translates to somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes later. Fine. Not ideal, but recoverable. Then my friend's food arrived. At the exact moment her plate hit the table, the waiter casually turned to me and said, "We ran out of what you ordered, so you'll have to get something else." I'm sorry... now you checked? Your kitchen didn't discover this until one person's entire entrée had already been cooked, plated, and served? That is an absolutely fascinating inventory management strategy. Before I could even reorder, another waiter appeared to tell me they might actually be able to "figure something out" in the kitchen that was similar. I politely said I'd rather order something completely different. He essentially overruled my decision and insisted the kitchen was already trying to put something together. Reader, they did not. Fifteen minutes later, a busted quesadilla arrived. It bore about as much resemblance to what I'd originally ordered as a canoe does to a Boeing 747. Calling it "similar" required an imagination usually reserved for modern art critics. The waiter then repeatedly asked if I liked it. Of course I said yes, because after waiting nearly an hour and watching my meal go through what can only be described as an identity crisis, I had completely lost the will to fight. At that point I simply wanted to survive the experience. Meanwhile, no one checked on us. No water refills. No follow-up. Nothing. We were dining during a heat wave, and our water glasses sat emptier than whatever system they use to keep track of inventory. Then came the grand finale. We finished eating and wanted to pay. We pulled out our cards and waited. And waited. Every table around us had been taken care of and left, including multiple parties who had been seated after us. We repeatedly made eye contact with two servers who were far more invested in flirting with each other than acknowledging customers who were literally trying to give them money. They looked directly at us... and then looked directly away. It honestly felt like we'd become invisible. Eventually we stood up and walked over ourselves. No host. He had apparently stepped outside for what appeared to be a full-blown editorial photoshoot in a metallic cowboy hat and a white tank top. I truly wish I were making that up. Whoever is running this place has somehow confused "host" with "main character." While customers were waiting to pay and leave, he seemed significantly more committed to curating Instagram content than operating the restaurant. Honestly, the commitment to the aesthetic was stronger than the commitment to customer service. When he finally returned, he casually asked if we wanted to settle the bill. No apology. No acknowledgment that I never actually received the meal I ordered. No explanation. No offer to comp the replacement meal. No discount. No attempt whatsoever to make things right. Nothing. We paid full price for a meal I never ordered, full price for service that disappeared for long stretches, and then, to add insult to injury, the payment screen starts at a 20% tip. The truly haunting part is that every single one of these problems was avoidable. Check inventory before taking orders. If you're out of something, tell the customer before everyone else's food arrives. Let people order what they actually want. Refill water. Help people pay. Apologize when you make mistakes. Instead, every opportunity to recover the experience was met with another baffling decision. And the food? Mediocre. Which somehow became the least memorable part of the evening. This is San Diego. Producing great Mexican food should not require divine intervention. Puntamar feels less like a restaurant and more like a group project where nobody wanted to do the assignment. Every chance they had to fix the experience, they somehow found a brand-new way to make it worse. They didn't just miss the mark. They looked directly at the mark, confidently walked in the opposite direction, ignored us while doing it, took a selfie, and then charged us full price for the journey. read more

We came here to get oysters, only to find out they didn't have them yet, but honestly, it worked out for the better. Our server Andrew insisted we try the birria pizza, and it was 100% worth it. The pizza was more than enough for two people and paired perfectly with the sauce. Andrew was amazing throughout the whole experience. Super attentive and constantly checking in on us without overdoing it. The ambience deserves a special mention too! With the fresh air flowing, indoor and outdoor seating, and plants everywhere, it genuinely felt like being somewhere in the Mediterranean. Came for one thing, left really happy with what we got. read more

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First time visit to this lovely place! I love the indoor/outdoor set up. They started us with a shooter of the shrimp broth, so nice! One of our guests does not drink so this was a lovely way for us all to enjoy a "cheers shot". The food was great and our service was above par! Our server was down to earth and made great recommendations. We were also greeted by the owner who brought us an amazing cheesecake kind of special dessert surprise along with the churros we ordered with a sparkler in the cutest little "Puntamar" boat. We felt the prices were good for the portion sizes...we left STUFFED! It's also nice to have parking in Encinitas...hard to come by for a lot of restaurants. read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I've been waiting for a place with fresh seafood from Mexico ever since I was a teenager and I learned about Puerto Nuevo lobster! This is the best authentic Mexican seafood in North County, period. Everything we ordered was made fresh. Nothing was frozen, and no short cuts were taken! Darla and Danny welcomed us at the door with huge smiles and gave us a table near the kitchen, in a quiet part of the restaurant, with only one other table near us. Perfect! The service was amazing from start to finish. Great food recommendations. Thank you, Alex. I started with the mango michelada, which I highly recommend. Go for it and get the 32oz, more bang for your buck. You know you're gonna get two anyway. It's made with a very light beer, and the taste is a perfect balance between, so only order it if you like mango. It went down fast. My husband ordered the margarita tropic. Beware because the menu says tequila, but they made with mezcal, and it was deliciously smoky, and luckily, hubby was down with it. The food was absolutely impeccably prepared. The portions are more than enough for dinner and a doggie bag to go. There were four of us, and we started with the hamachi appetizer and the Machu Pichu ceviche. For dinner, we ordered the mole enchiladas, Flama's giant shrimp skillet, the pizza birria, and the beef and cheese crust Sonora tacos. We wrapped up our wonderful dinner experience with an order of churros and chocolate dipping sauce. Why not experience it all? read more

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Wow this place has great food! I had the taco trio and my wife had mole enchiladas and were not disappointed! Our server Jagger took good care of us, and the price was reasonable given the great portions! Love the homemade chips too! A great place to stop after a day at the beach! read more

Encinitas, CA - Delicious food and super friendly service! Also the decor was cozy / romantic and it's a great spot whether it's with friends or your date! I also like how it's so close to the train station, it's convenient for any train riders. The octopus was delicious, and the churros was freshly and crispy. The portions were quite generous too! Loved the tacos, so flavorful. read more

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A variety of seating options, many tables are outdoors, covered, or uncovered. The atmosphere is very festive. I felt like I was in Mexico, which makes it more authentic. We started with the Machu Picchu ceviche and it was excellent. They do provide you with chips and two salsa which are on the spicy side, but not over the top. Main courses was the three fried fish tacos and the three non-fried fish tacos from the appetizer side of the menu. Both were very good. No cocktails this time but I would definitely return and order that ceviche again and maybe a margarita. read more

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This spot in Encinitas is pretty unassuming from the outside, but once you step in, the inside is charming. We ordered the crispy shrimp flauta (the proper Mexican name for taquito), the trio de tacos, and the mole enchiladas. We had a couple of Mexican natives with us, and they were happy with the food. I personally rarely find a restaurant that does mole well, but this place was good. Service was on the slower side, though that may have been because we were seated in a corner outside and the restaurant was packed with large parties. My husband, who's from Mexico, was especially happy to see they serve clamachela (michelada with clam juice). The only downside is that they serve it with ice, which isn't ideal for a beer-based drink. Hopefully, they'll reconsider that detail. Overall, it's a really cute spot that's worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of mole. read more

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Ok so our waiter was nice and everything when we first sat down but barely came to the table, offered us chips & salsa but didn't actually bring them until 2 other tables that sat down after us got their's and some time past. Then one of our friends ordered something that was apparently out of stock and instead of just saying that and telling her right away and asked if she wanted to order something different (which she did), he said "no they're working on something for you". but couldn't explain what it was (which is concerning because what if she had an allergy or dietary restriction). Which by the way was after one person's food already came out and a lot of time passed. Then no one came by to check in, offer more water, nothing. Also that guy never came back. Then we were trying to pay and another waiter looked at our table, made eye contact with us gesturing to pay multiple times and just ignored us. Then we tried walking out and he continued to look at us and continued talking (flirting) with another waiter. Also why does host look and act like he's hosting a fraternity party. Lastly, there's a minimum 20% tip so....be warned. read more

We have finally found 'the real deal' Mexican food in North County! We went there for our 12 year wedding anniversary. We honeymooned in Mexico and try to get back there as often as we can. The food is amazing. I dream about the tuna tostada. Very friendly staff and love the outdoor open air vibes Great margaritas also. read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This restaurant is a hidden gem. Decided to try it and it did not disappoint. It's Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. The ambiance is great, lively, with good energy. The food I ordered was top notch. The fish ceviche was perfectly done, with lots of fish, lemon juice and veggies on top of a chicharrón. The service was great, our waiter gave recommendations and was very attentive at al times. Highly recommend and I'd go back to try other dishes. read more

Puntamar - Fish ceviche and tacos - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Ordered 3 tacos for $30 to go and it was the weakest taco plate I've ever had no rice and beans!! The shrimp was bland and basic!! The chicken was so plain and birria didn't come with cosume. I couldn't believe they were charging $60+ for something so minimal! I'm sorry but rip off. The manager was very friendly!! Very cute atmosphere but the food was wah-wah. Idk man... pass. In response to owner: I would gladly pay that price if the quality of the food was worth it. read more

Service started a little slow but the restaurant owner came out to take our order. He explained the menu and made useful recommendations. The food and ingredients are authentically Mexican which is a joy! We started with the small mango micheladas. I wish I would've gotten a large ones. The chamoy rim was absolutely delicious. My husband got the mole and he said it was everything he was hoping for. I had the ahi tuna tostadas and they were so well balanced. The quality of the seafood was notable. The oysters are HUGE! Couldn't finish the dozen. read more

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Came here for appetizers and margaritas with friends. Had the fresh oysters, ceviche, Bloody Mary octopus tostada, shrimp aguachile and guacamole. All dishes were tasty and fresh. Nice atmosphere and ambience, sat inside because it was pretty sunny outside. Service was OK, probably because we were in the bar. will be back to try their menu options. read more

Puntamar - Appetizer menu - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I haven't written a review in a long while, but I have to say this place is a hidden gem! Thank you yelp for helping me find it. The food was fresh, delivered fast, and the service was fantastic. My kids loved the birrira pizza, as well as my husband and I, and the grilled shrimp skillet was perfectly grilled. We also got the chicken mole, tuna, tacos, Agua chili, and guacamole. Everything was fresh and nicely presented. Service was great as well! There is indoor and outdoor seating, plus a cool bar. Seating for all kinds of groups, and heat lamps for outdoor seating. Parking was easy as it was in a plaza. read more

I love the salads! And great deals for happy hour. Such a cute restaurant to go to and always seems to bring in a nice crowd.

Every dish was delicious very friendly service good location I definitely recommend it read more

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Wow food is amazing here and authentic! I met Alejandro the owner and he and his entire team is from Mexico City! He moved all his personnel to this us location! He said all the ingredients and interior decor is from Mexico City minus the tvs! Can't get more authentic than that :) read more

We had the hibachi and ceviche.. so good. The place is quant with upbeat yet relaxing Spanish music in the background.. Mateo was awesome.. shared with his favorite food and drink and we were grateful he did.. it was absolutely perfect. read more

Newly opened restaurant in Encinitas. Tried this spot over labor day weekend. I found it on Instagram and was excited to try a few items I saw on their Instagram page. It was not super busy for a Saturday night. I still made reservations just in case. We were sat inside in the dining room. Served some tostada chips and 3 salsas. The salsas were ok. I ordered the michelada barracuda, a michelada with light beer chamoy and sesame seed rim, garnished with an octopus and shrimp skewer. It was missing the shrimp on the skewer. The waitress didn't realize the drink I ordered and thought it was a different one without shrimp. She brought the shrimp skewer after. My hubs ordered a tequila cocktail and he enjoyed it. We ordered: - Verde aguachile - branzino zarendeado - grilled octopus - churros The aguachile came out, but was the wrong one (they brought the black pearl instead of the verde). Once we tried the verde one, it was good. The shrimp was very fresh. The Verde salsa wasn't spicy as traditional Verde salsa would be for aguachile. Branzino was two small fillets. Skin was left on and skin was soggy. Hubs had a bone in his fillet. We saw a whole fried branzino on the restaurants' Instagram, but they said that was a special and they don't have it anymore. Zarendeado sauce was good. Rice was bland and salad looked sad. Overall fish was cooked well. Grilled octopus was tender and flavorful. It was well made and probably best item on the menu. Churros were warm and came with 2 dipping sauces. They were very good. We had higher expectationsfor this spot. read more

Puntamar - Michelada barracuda - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

It was 4/20, Easter and our 12 year anniversary all at once!! My awesome wife said it's also Marco day so we went to my favorite, Mexican food. Little did I know how good it would be. Our server was the restaurant owner. He let us know this was going to be authentic Mexico City style fare with all imported ingredients down to the chips and salsa. We opened with seared tuna tostadas with fried leeks on top. This is now an always order dish when we visit again. It was so fresh, tender and extremely tasty. The second plate was a cheese encrusted carne asada taco that blew my mind. They were so crispy. The cheese made a crunchy top layer, the meat was juicy and flavorful. The tacos went so well with the three flavors of hot sauce I felt it was truly Marco day. read more

Puntamar - Beef taco w/ crunchy cheese topper! Hello? - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Went here last night for dinner with the family!! All I can say is DELICIOUS.... Everything was so dang good that I forgot to take photos of everything we got. We ordered the enchiladas which were so yummy. We ordered the taco trio, everyone enjoyed these. But...the best would be the beef and cheese tacos they were out of this world good! Also the oysters were some of the best oysters I've ever had. The octopus was our least favorite thing we had. All of our drinks were very tasty. We loved our server/bartender Eileen! read more

Puntamar - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Amazing cigar lounge for cigar lovers and even for those who don't smoke: Been going back every time I am in Vegas. Cigar selection is good. And the old fashion is amazing. read more

More of a 3.5 with potential. There is some parking there which is great. But it's basically outside and on a cold January night with no awnings to close out the outdoor air, the heaters aren't going to do it. This would be less important in August but still it wasn't August when we were there. I'm not sure if this was coming from the restaurant, but think it was. There was an overwhelming weird smell of aerosolized air freshener or scented cleaning solution intermittently. Distracting and off putting. If this was from another nearby business, it should be addressed. If from the restaurant, should stop now. But... very prompt and attentive service! Never thought I'd say this in SD but, too intense. The waiter barely allowed us to start eating a course and he wanted to clear the table when we are obv chatting and still eating. Within a few minutes of the apps coming out, the mains were served. We were there for 40 min with drinks and apps and mains before the check was on the table. This was a Friday night. And maybe 4 tables there at 7 so they weren't trying to clear the house. Bright side! Food was really good. Loved the octopus tostada app although I was almost in an argument with the server who insisted I was ordering the octopus main. It seems he didn't realize there was an octopus app until I pointed it out to him on the menu. Then he said, oh yes that is tasty. Right. He undersold the octopus app which was fresh and delicious! Salsas were interesting but not my usual liking but this is Mexico City style and I've never been. So maybe these are the salsas, but maybe I'm a Baja gal at heart! The fish tacos were amazing and perfect! Perfection. Honestly some of the best fried fish tacos I've had! Win for the kitchen! Menu is basic. No beans and rice accompaniment with your main. The taco trio was delish except meaty taco was way heavy on salt. The rushed service, cold atmosphere and weird smells unfortunately made us leave without desert although I was loving the idea of churros! So... food was great with a different salsa blend. But atmosphere and service made it a no go for dinner. Although it would prob be great for a lunch or happy hour spot. read more

Puntamar - Octopus tostadas were just great! Refreshing blend of veg and spice! - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Had to go out of my way to write a review on this one.. HIDDEN GEM. Ambiance was adorable, felt like I was in Tulum. Customer service was welcome and very warm. Kennedy was wonderful! She added to our experience. The unique options on the menu was the lure, I was almost at a standstill trying to figure out what to get. Luckily we were with a bigger group so we all got something different and shared. Every single item was exceptional. Flavor profiles were on point, and I found myself "mmmm"ing often haha can't wait to come back and try more on the menu! MUST TRY! read more

This place is authentic. Not like American Mexican but authentic. Fresh and delish. I came specific specifically for the birria both. It didn't disappoint! Staff is so nice!! read more

Puntamar - Birria Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Spending a lot of time in the area since it's a favorite surf location for my husband. Yelp is my go to app to find recommendations. Today Puntamar was the location of choice. We were not disappointed the staff was welcoming and very friendly. The restaurant is not very large but it has a great open vibe. To start I tried one of their margaritas made with mezcal, the mint cucumber just sounded refreshing and...it was. Loved it even though I'm really not a tequila girl. They start you off with tostada's and 3 types of salsa, I should have taken a picture of those but trust me it was tasty. Who knew you could put habanero and ginger in soy sauce delicious! My husband ordered the Taco trio he really loved the fish taco although the birria taco he enjoyed as well. I had the shrimp flautas since I've never thought to put shrimp in flautas. They were very yummy I'm not sure if I just liked the flauta or all the stuff on top; guacamole, pico, cheese. Both of us left very full (I probably could have brought a flauta home). Next time I think we'll try one of their yummy looking ceviches dishes and share the fish tacos! read more

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This place is top tier! Vibe is incredible and intimate yet fun, service is so friendly, and of course fresh and delicious, vibrant and flavorful food with great portion size. Everything I've tried on the menu has been fantastic. Definitely a regular spot to come back to that stands out in the area for amazing quality and experience :). read more

Best elevated Mexican food I've had in San Diego! We got the shrimp ceviche, the grilled octopus, and the chicken mole. Perfect portion sizes and the tostada chips and salsa were addicting. That was the best mole I've had, but that octopus is really something else. Definitely coming back for that and we want to try more on the menu! SD, put this place on! read more

Amazing meal, service was great and team was friendly and knowledgeable. Cannot recommend them enough. Octopus was fork tender, molé was flavorful, savory, and a little sweet. Birria was tender and carne melted in your mouth. A great find in Encinitas. read more

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This was a really cute place and the food was 10/10 amazing !! The service was excellent as well . We are definitely going back and bringing family with us ! read more

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The food itself was good, but the service made the experience extremely uncomfortable. We ordered two raw fish dishes, which still took a long time to come out despite the restaurant being nearly empty. Our server also forgot my husband's wine order. What was most concerning was the server's behavior. He hovered over our table while we were paying, made a loud, irritated sound that was unnecessary given he had no way of knowing we intended to tip in cash, and then followed us outside and stood at the front of the restaurant staring at us while we went to our car to get the cash. This felt inappropriate and intimidating. Tipping should reflect service, and while we did intend to tip, the behavior crossed a line and completely overshadowed what could have been a pleasant meal. Management should seriously address this. Our visit was around 2-3pm on 2/1. read more

Great food, service, and ambience! We will definitely be back. Best churro ever. Very friendly staff.

Our favorite place to get amazing tacos, Mexican seafood and drinks. The service, the atmosphere, and music is terrific. The closest to being in Mexico City that we can get near San Diego! Highly recommend!!! read more

Puntamar - They served churros on this "boat" - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California