El Prieto Cantina y Restaurant — Restaurant in Chula Vista

For two people ranges 38 dollars to 100 depending on what you guys get. Do not be discouraged by the location in Chula Vista. Upon pulling up you are greeted by friendly service and and extremely clean and warm, comfy environment. I am used to taco shops, but have now been twice to this location in 3 weeks. Upon entering you feel transported to Mexico (I've been to Tecate and Tijuana) This is more of a Tecate feel. The interior decor is so nice its worthy of a date. Everything, I mean everything even the shells are homemade. I'm tired of powdered horchata, but this place literally had such quality Horchata that alone almost has me going back. The entire meal is authentic to Mexico in how you dress it with all the sides, of Cilantro, onion, oregano and spice sauces. They bring a free appetizer of homemade chips and salsa before hand. My friend from Mexico was with me on the second occasion and was super impressed and happy. However, the birria does seem slightlyyyyy cooked too fast...Birria restaurants are hard because it takes time to let the flavor soak in. The quality was still splendid however you still taste the meat through the jucies its soaked in and it was a bit thin as if it didn't have the full time to soak up the juices, BUT, this was still a worthy experience and worth taking home the leftovers. Flavors when dressed are rich, juciy, complimentary, herbal and of Good quality. Staff is superb, music and decor are quality and of native Mexico origin. You walk inside from what appears to be an industrial area on Mainstreet and are transported to Mexico lol. They do speak english as well, but if you prefer Spanish they speak Spanish. Totally worth checking out. Will totally have this on my preferred 1st date options and backpocket selections. Worth the cost as its an experience not just...

I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately our experience was disappointing. The host was very kind and seated us after about a 10-minute wait, which was fine. The restaurant is quite loud though, so it was hard to have a conversation without raising our voices. I ordered the chilaquiles norteños, and right away I noticed a sour, spoiled taste that completely threw me off. I tried a few bites, but it honestly made me feel nauseous, so I couldn’t continue eating. My mom had the menudo (½ order) — the flavor wasn’t bad, but some of the meat was very dark, almost like it had been overcooked or recooked, which made her lose her appetite too. For my 2-year-old, I asked for just a side of hominy from the menudo but was told I’d need to order the full $15 plate. According to the server there was no kids menu, so based off of his suggestion I ordered the hot cakes with fruit, which turned out to be a full adult portion at $13.99. It arrived about ten minutes after our food, and while the pancakes themselves were good, there was no syrup provided. When the waiter checked in, I mentioned that my chilaquiles tasted spoiled. His only response was, “Oh man, you should’ve mentioned it when you first got it.” That was it. No offer to replace the dish or make it right In any way. We paid about $70 for breakfast for two adults and a toddler, which would have been fair if we had enjoyed our meal. Sadly, we left disappointed, and I won’t be recommending or returning to this place...

I love trying new places, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover this gem is owned by the famous seafood restaurant just down the street that we adore! We visited after my eldest's soccer win, and the experience was fantastic. The food was delicious, and even though there was a considerable wait, we were seated quickly as a party of four.

Our waitress was friendly and brought our drinks promptly, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The music was enjoyable, and it was a nice bonus to witness another guest celebrating their birthday, it added to the festive vibe! Finding good cafe de olla can be a challenge around here, but this one was exceptionally delicious. My husband and daughter were thrilled with the agua frescas served in giant glass mugs. I ordered the carne en salsa verde, and I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture before diving in—so here’s a shot halfway through my meal! It was served with warm tortillas, while my toddler enjoyed sausage and eggs with a side of beans and potatoes. My daughter chose the chicken green enchiladas, and my husband opted for the shrimp omelette.

Overall, the service was excellent, and the food was outstanding. We will...