Four Tunas Fish & Bar — Restaurant in Escondido

We have been here twice, a few weeks apart, and it was like two different restaurants.

My wife and I went the first time on a Sunday around 5pm. We absolutely loved it! Various fantastic tacos - mahi and lobster, plus my wife had an excellent ceviche. Service was great, food came out very quickly. It was so good that it made it easy to forgive having to pay $5 for another chips and salsa, which doesn't go a long way w/even 2 people - and an additional $2.50 for another salsa (+ it's a small bowl!).

We talked the place up to friends. I mean we raved about it!

A few weeks later we went back with another couple (we had raved to) before heading to an event at the Vista Amphitheater. It was a Thursday, arriving at Four Tunas at 5:45. The restaurant inside and patio was about 1/3 full - not particularly busy, but inexplicably, the service was awful. Slow to bring water (ignoring no ice request) and soda. Food didn't arrive until about 6:30, and was the wrong order. Several minutes later the right order arrived. Food was cold, or at least, not hot. Tortillas should be soft and fresh. Mine was withered and rubbery - as in not fresh, or re-heated too many times. Everyone else's was OK, but certainly not the stellar meal we had experienced a few weeks earlier. It was a good thing that we built a time buffer in, or we would have been late to the concert.

Another unfortunate footnote. One bathroom had no toilet paper, which my wife reported to a staff person. The other one was absolutely gross, as someone apparently didn't make it to the toilet.

I tried to call the owner the next day, but had to leave a message w/my name & #. Wanted to give him a courtesy heads-up about our experience prior to writing a review. No response yet.

The net net is, sadly, we're no longer talking...

We just moved nearby and tried this place. The first time we went, we were blown away with how good our tacos were. We went back a second time and it was also really good. However, we went again last night and will never go back. Everything has changed in the last few weeks.

As we sit down we realize there is no music and the lights were basically off. We questioned if they were even open. Then we didn’t get a refill on the chips like they have offered in the past (no biggie). Then we received our tacos and as I’m halfway through the taco I realized that it was missing the shrimp (ordered a surf and turf taco).

When I mentioned the missing shrimp, the waitress offered a new taco. Then another server who served us our previous meals came over to inspect the taco. As I’m holding a different taco in my hands, he takes my plate back to the kitchen leaving me with nothing to put my taco on. Then the original waitress came back and pointed to what looked like a tiny piece of carne asada fat and said that is a shrimp. If it was, they need a new supplier bc that was not a shrimp or anything that you would voluntarily put in your mouth.

They did not refund the taco, I didn’t eat anymore or it and we paid our bill and left.

My wife also saw a sign in the back that said that the servers need to charge for everything including extra salsa, chip refills, and all sorts of little things that are complimentary at restaurants.

It seems like they are struggling financially and are ruining the customer experience. I hope they revert back to their old ways because the tacos were awesome not long ago. Until then, good riddance and please save your money for better restaurants. This place...

During my recent visit to this restaurant, I encountered a mix of positives and concerns that I'd like to share.

I'm a regular customer here, primarily because I love the food they serve. While the prices are not exceptional, they fall within a reasonable range. On this particular visit, I had the option to dine in, get takeout, or have my order delivered.

However, what stood out during this visit was a concerning incident involving the owner/manager and the waitstaff. The owner appeared to be reprimanding the staff, especially the one designated to train a new team member. It wasn't just about the specific training method but rather the way it was communicated.

The incident disrupted the flow of service, as waitstaff had to step away from customers mid-order to address the manager's demands, which included changing the way they used the POS system. This abrupt change visibly frustrated both staff and customers, including myself.

Additionally, there seemed to be confusion regarding the order in which tasks were to be performed by the trainee, adding to the overall disarray.

While this experience won't deter me from returning, as I believe in treating those who work for us with respect, I do hope to see more seamless and respectful communication in the future. We all have our off days, but it's important to maintain a positive atmosphere for both staff and customers.

To show my appreciation for the waitstaff's hard work, I left a generous tip with my bill.

In summary, my recent visit was a mix of positives and concerns, with great food and reasonable prices but room for improvement in staff management and...