Tomatito Mexican Food — Restaurant in San Diego

This is the most underrated place in South San Diego!!(Which may be a good thing for us, don't want it too crowded)The friendly service, the authentic Mexican flavors, the perfect portions!!! This place has it! The only thing missing is the space! Apparently all the locals know to come here so there is a crowd. The constant movement though allowed us to find a table right away. Ordering at the counter and self-seating makes it a bit easier. The flavor of the birria is mind blowing!! It can be compared to some of the best birrerias around! The birria omelette comes seasoned perfectly with cilantro cooked in the egg, it's served over delicious Mexican rice and filled with the perfect portions of birria, cheese and beans. The meat omelette is filled with enough meats and seasonings that give it a great flavor!! What tops off the experience is the cafe de la olla. Perfectly blended! Not too sweet, not too bitter just right. Servers are constantly on standby to clear tables and bring whatever you need! I got the name of the server Miriam who was very kind and extremely helpful! This is definitely a place...

Overall, the food including drinks is good--great even. What is frustrating is the ever-inconsistent service. Even prior to the pandemic, the kitchen and service is unquestionably slow. I am a Latino, I understand what it means to take your time, but here it is as if the entire staff is in a time-warp yet the clock keeps ticking (in real time). I've tried multiple strategies, calling ahead, giving eta's, early morning or afternoon. Regardless, one will inevitably wait too long. Yes, good food takes time; however, I am born and bread in the food industry. At this point, it's a family joke. How much errands we can fit in before arrival and still we wait. It's unfortunate because the service makes it unrealistic to grab a "quick" cafe de la olla or a few takes prior to work. For example today, I requested a few tacos and 2 cafes, called ahead and arrived more than 20 min later. I paid, and waited another 15 minutes. How many customers inside, 3 tables who were eating since my arrival. En serio? Bueno...

I absolutely love Tomatito. For the longest time, I passed by without realizing it was one of the best Mexican food spots in San Diego. My wife has been a loyal customer for years and always had great things to say — and after finally trying it for myself, I’m seriously impressed. Easily one of my top five restaurants in the city.

The food is consistently excellent. Their carne asada fries are some of the best I’ve had — always super crispy, never soggy. The hangover chilaquiles are a must-try, and the birria tacos are packed with rich, authentic flavor. I usually finish it all off with a café de olla — a perfect touch.

My only complaint is that they close at 4 p.m., which makes it hard to swing by for dinner. That said, I’ve never had a bad experience here. I rarely leave reviews, but Tomatito truly...