Restaurants in El Cajon

“Loved everything we got tonight, the chicken sandwich, pulled pork, amazing! So were the fried Mac and cheese balls!!!!”

“Great spot for a cortado and the occasional pastry! Highly recommend.”

“Food is always on point and the people very friendly. But I wonder how important cleanliness is, it feels that everytime I go, the tables and floor are a mess. I get that a lot are disgusting and don't know how to clean after themselves, but as a restaurant, they should consider cleaning the dinning area. Hope this doesn't come off in a wrong way, but that's an important part in my opinion.”

“Grand Slam of a place ! Been coming since childhood and never disappointed.”

“my husband and I came here with our good friends to celebrate her birthday (and she’s really old) lol and we had Brandy as our server she was fantastic!.”

“banana cream espresso was worth the 7$ so good”

“Fresh and tasty food in a nice environment.”

“Awesome food. It never disappoints. You’ll be glad you came.”

“One of the most delicious Halal restaurants in San Diego. We tried chicken Mandi. It was so good. Amount is good you can share it with someone else.
Prices are average 👍🏼
Dining area and Bathroom are neat and clean.
Staff are nice.

Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

“We have lived in RSD for 10 years and love all the options near us. One of our favorite go to restaurants is Pick Up Stix mainly this location in RSD. The food is delicious and the service is always given with a smile and genuine, personal care for quality and a desire to give the customer what they expect when their order is made. My family and I always enjoy walking in and being greeted with sincerity. This RSD location has always been consistent in taste and quality. Thank you!”

“I heard about Juice Time through social media and had to see what all the hype was about — and it absolutely lived up to it. I stopped by on a Saturday evening, and while the line was out the door, it moved surprisingly fast and was well worth the short wait.

I ordered the Labubu Dubai Chocolate Strawberries and a Lotus Biscoff Milkshake, and both were incredible. The Dubai chocolate strawberries were honestly the best I’ve ever had. The strawberries themselves were super fresh, the pistachio cream had a beautiful, smooth texture, and the rich chocolate paired perfectly with the crunchy kataifi. The Labubu itself was a nice surprise — filled with pistachio cream and kataifi on what seemed to be a chocolate cake base — absolutely delicious.

The Lotus Biscoff milkshake was equally amazing — creamy, perfectly balanced, and full of that signature Biscoff flavor without being overly sweet.

Overall, this place exceeded expectations. Everything was thoughtfully made and packed with flavor. I’m already looking forward to coming back to try more of their menu.”

“nice place and very good and taste”

“Loved Saturday, and Sunday breakfast at Gillespie Field. A great staff of folks, and a must visit if your only on vacation.”

“I love the salad and sandwiches”

“Best corned beef hash ever!!”

“Really good food. Extremely attentive staff. Thank you for a wonderful 40th Anniversary dinner!”

“Service was excellent, with the combination of real good breakfast and atmosphere is comfy.
From Arizona and would visit next time we're visit Cali.”

“My family and I LOVE In-N-Out. As usual, this place was busy. Also as usual, the staff were amazing at handling all the madness. My 4yr old son and I ordered our food, they gave him a set of crayons and a hat, we got our drinks and watched as the amazing staff did their magic. Food was great, as usual 😋”

“Great tasting food wonderful service”

“Me encanto el lugar que es muy familiar♥️”

“I have eaten Vietnamese cuisine throughout California, and Grandpa Tao ranks among the best. In addition to the amazing tastes, the casual restaurant is friendly and comfortable. Ingredients are fresh, the environment clean and relaxing. I particularly recommend the Pho, the Rice Vermicelli (try it!) and the Shaking beef. You'll like it.”

“The food is excellent. Fresh ingredients, well-balanced seasoning, and authentic Mediterranean flavors. I tried the chicken shawarma with pita bread—it was juicy, flavorful, and satisfying. The juices were also fresh and not artificial.”

“We've been ordering sandwiches from this deli for a few yrs now... they're reasonably priced & soooo good!! ♡ u guys! Thank u Danny for always makin sure our take out orders are correct & ready to go when we get there 😁 *Support Small/Family Owned Businesses!* Thank u from all of us at All 4 Pets - Santee #all4petssantee”

“The best family made tacos in all of San Diego County. No exaggeration. The meats are so flavorful, the tacos come with a generous amount of guacamole, cilantro, onion, etc. Try them all, carne asada without all the fat like other famous SD taco stands throw at you, pastor, cabeza, carnitas, etc., worth the trip to El Cajon!”

“Everything on the menu , It’s all good !”

“This place gets pretty busy on weekends! The parking lot may be full but you can still park along the street. It’s pretty large so there’s usually seats. I love the borracho fries, so good! Also the pulled pork and the cheeseburger are tasty too. The service is good as well. My one complaint is they run out of their popular items by 2pm, tri tip and hot links get sold out really fast. I know they can only bbq so much but maybe add some more of the popular meats?”

“Never had a bad experience here. The staff are always super friendly and make you feel welcomed and take good care of us. This is our favorite no-frills, reliably good food, hole in the wall spot. Our son loves the food here too! Highly recommend”

“Been going here for years !!!”

“Great place with great food and great service, will definitely come back!”

“Avocado boba is 💣 - grat service”

“Pasta and pizzas are delicious. Prices are very reasonable.”

“I have been craving good Thai for a few years. I have tried some not good and some okay other places. Thai Time is so good. The aromas of the spices tortured my already empty stomach with the enticement of good food to come. I have fallen in love with the food and customer service. I will be back as my budget allows.”

“great local sports bar atmosphere with variety of food and plenty of options for tv watching and drink options”

“Love the food, worth the waiting time.”

“Super delicioso 😋 super recomendado”

“Excellent service, friendly atmosphere..food very satisfying”

“I have been coming to this location for over a year now and I just had to take the time to write how AMAZING the food and service is at this location. I am always greeted when I come in and the food is consistentantly made with the same amazing taste, portions, hot, and fast service. If your looking for some good Mexican food to eat, this place is a must.”

“Testo Pepesto Italian Restaurant is centrally located on Main Street in downtown El Cajon. It is a great family-owned restaurant with delicious food and friendly service. Best pizza and pasta in El Cajon! They also bake their own tasty bread. Everything is absolutely YUMMY!!!”

“AMAZING FOOD!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!! SO DELICIOUS!!!!”

“We love it here. I'm a displaced New Yorker and I feel like I'm home again when we go here. Your new wine bar looks amazing. Let us know when you're having a wine tasting event. We're all in.”

“Good food, good service, fair prices!”

“This place is so delicious. I’ve been coming here for like 20 years. It still taste all the same if not better. 5 rolled tacos with guacamole and a carne asada burrito no sour cream… lots of salsa cucumbers carrots omg such a great flavor. Unfortunately I moved to Los Angeles with my pops. Pops is the best the unfortunately is there isn’t a La posta arrrr. My mother lives in San Diego so that’s the first stop issssssss LA POSTA. A++++++++++++ Hands down……”

“Good pizza and good people”

“I was going to this place when I was living in El cajon in San Diego for 25yrs. Moved to Oxnard, and everytime me and the kids go to San Diego we eat there, its a must.”

“Heard about this place on Instagram. Had to stop by and try the salt and pepper wings. Delicious. Got some noodles too and they gave us some rice.

Nice people, good food, great customer service. Restaurant is clean. 5 stars.”

“Friendly and food was more then plentiful. Price was as expected. Order was prepared in a very timely manner. Ordered the Cali Breakfast Burrito, very delicous- to say the least”

“Monster Taco's the BEST!”

“Looking for quick and easy food at your favorite casino?

Located on the second floor you can grab your favorite fast food before heading into bingo or the slots. Open 24/7 , you’ll find something good to eat.

My favorites are the chicken wings and grilled cheese sandwich.”

“Went at dinner time to watch Padres game. Seated after 15 min to Great seats to watch on big screen. Ordered the 44 muskgrove burger. Big juicy three patty heart attack! Delicious. Wife had cob salad and couldn't eat all. Great sport viewing and food.”

“I love the taco salad , it’s so good :)”

“Really good flavor!! We got pollo asado burritos and added rice, beans, sour cream and pico. Lots of flavor. Only complaint I have is the fact that the burritos literally only come with the meat and cheese. I don’t understand that. So after I added all the normal burrito ingredients the price was SO high. Paid $37 for 2 burritos and a cheese quesadilla”

“They always hook it up after midnight! Great food .. only improvement would be to hook it up on the sauce and spice up that sauce a bit! Other then that 0 complaints!”

“Best chicken shawarma wrap I’ve ever had in my life, and the nicest people serving too! Definitely should try this food truck if you are downtown!”

“Amazingly consistent…Every bite feels like the result of years of perfecting balance and flavor. You can taste the care and craft that goes into every sandwich — from the fresh ingredients to the thoughtful layering. Whatever you order, it’s always just right. Truly a masterpiece in sandwich form.”

“I'm an old guy so spending nearly $20. for lunch still gets to me, but I'll gladly come back here and do it again & again. The Surf & Turf burrito is excellent, AND BIG. The chips & salsa are just right and the Coke from the fountain drink machine is not watered down like some places. I will try to schedule my jobs in El Cajon around lunch time.”

“Crumbl has always been my favorite. Yes it can be a little pricey sometimes but depending on the lineup THEY HIT and totally worth it!!”

“Its was really good im not going to lie to you. The restaurant was clean and spacious and the bathroom was really clean to. The food was really delicious and flavorful and it was made right there on the spot. All the food that was ordered was made fresh and piping hot so I can tell there was no microwave involved. The two ladies that work there were really nice, polite and provided the most excellent service. Will be returning.”

“Yumm. No cayenne heat in the sauce which I appreciate, just flavorful spices. Idk if there is cayenne or not it’s just not hot. Liked potato salad and loved the beans n fries.”

“I like the bean burritos.”

“Delicious breakfasts 😋 and good service”

“Fool was locked out got me what I wanted”

“We grabbed takeout last night for a party of three, and once again it was a great experience. I ordered the grande tostada—my absolute favorite—and it did not disappoint. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. Even for takeout, the quality was excellent. The staff was, as always, incredibly friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Consistent good food and warm service keep us coming back!”

“Place was great! We ordered the heart pizza and it was really good. The dough is fresh and the flavor was on point! I recommend the heart pizza for your girlfriend if u want to be romantic :)”

“Love it there, the lady and son and workers are really nice 👍”

“I recommend La Cresta especially for Taco Tuesday.”

“We've been patrons for 61 years; spent our 60th. Anniversary dinner here along with all our family mile stones: birthdays, wedding rehearsal dinners, etc. We love the staff, lovely people and family and the food is always great. We love the atmosphere; calm and private booths... they are family as far as we are concerned...”

“Wow, this place rocks really good Hawaiian food at a reasonable price they even have Happy Dad hard seltzer here which makes me super happy! They have a value menu for $12.99 with a drink between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday. You can get a Katsu bowl or a teriyaki bowl or a wrap or a mini plate or a cheeseburger or three Musubis. You can have it to go or eat it here, but it has a little Hawaiian vibe here for sure lots of food good price quality stuff. Definitely pay them a visit and try one of the happy dads they have.”

“First time going here! I was skeptical at first because it’s a bit smaller than i’d like, but it turns out its a lot of fun and not as intimidating as the bigger places and $7 for 1 good sized beer, that’s a good deal! I will be returning soon, so much fun and they play plenty of todays hits and songs I know how to dance to, also no cover charge on Wednesdays!!”

“Good burritos, sufficient size

Sufficient amount of guacamole
They give you generous squirt bottles, so you can dole out the appropriate amount of hot sauce

No complaints”

“I’d come back again. Great customer service..”

“Been going there over 30 years.. Forget those chain pizza places, seriously, this place always feels like home when I go. That guy has heart, and his dough and sauce are on point! Keep it up Sam! Much Love.. I can't believe no one else has posted here till now.”

“Always excellent food and service. Great pad Thai and Great Yellow Curry. A favorite.”

“Excellente calidad 💯 tacos Mexicanos 👌”

“Great staff, Great food, this place with new adminstration is adding hard liquor and dining experience so it won't be just your neighborhood breakfast stop as the owner told me today!”

“Great place to have a drink. Shoot pool with the best in town. Leave the BS and have a great night good people good prices waitresses are friendly and beautiful. You can't have a bad night!!”

“Went here with my friends multiple times, and they do have really good food. The corndogs are really good and taste better with sugar, surprisingly!! The service is mediocre. The cashiers do play candy crush on their phones a lot or talk to each other or just seem like they have an attitude most of the time, so beware. The atmosphere?? It's a mall. What do you expect from it??”

“Absolutely love it this place”

“It's so nice to be able to order for delivery without having to use Door Dash or Uber Eats or some other delivery service. I'm a truck driver, so I don't have an address to deliver to. But my pizza was delivered right to the truck. This pizza is fantastic. The crust has the perfect crisp. Plenty of cheese, and they put the perfect amount of each topping that they don't overpower each other. The price is very reasonable. I'll order here anytime I'm in the area.”

“Visiting the area & stopped in because it was close to where we were - glad we did. The best frappes we’ve had, no joke! Cozy little coffee shop. Good service.”

“yummy yummy yummy...my niecy recommended thos restaurant and it didn't disappoint. Large portions and friendly service.”

“This is frequently our pit stop on rides. We love Main Street Donuts & Deli. Great food, great service.”

“I always like great ribs and like coming here but unfortunately today's service wasn't very satisfying no side orders drinks no eating inside I can't give a great review until you fix this easues 🤔”

“The WWJD is really good 😊”

“This is my favorite food to eat at Parkway Plaza. Delicious and nutritious!! For many years this place survived as others came and went. It's clean, fast, and dare I say again? DELICIOUS!!”

“The food was great, service friendly and efficient! A fun place to go!”

“Found Funky Burgers and Fries today. I just wanted a Strawberry Shake. It was awesome! Made with quality ingredients and care. The service was excellent. I’ll be back to try their Burgers & Fries👍”

“I love it. Great food, and they're not stingy . I've seen a lot of restaurants at Food Court where they always try to gige u little but cost a lot. However, not them totally recommend 👌”

“The food was typical Mexican fare rice beans chips etc and is okay. The place is always very crowded and so loud you can’t even hear yourself talk. They also had a guy singing which really added to the noise, with this being a Mexican place the guy was singing Elvis, the Beattles etc which seemed odd. I personally would do away with the music it just didn’t fit in.”

“If you're looking for an authentic, Philly steak sandwich, look no further
These guys make each sandwich to order and everything is fresh and delicious. Don't get me started about the fries. You could order them plain or I understand you can order them Philly style. Going to have to try that next time. Let me know what you think of this. Fabulous local spot”

“Delicious!!! Line was long but well worth the wait. First time but definitely not my last. Great Customer service as well.”

“El cajon trash working at this restaraunt!!!”

“very good food, blue tacos for the win”

“La Casitas Grill and seafood went above and beyond to support a local fundraiser the rice,beans, and fajitas were delicious. We can't thank you enough for not just feeding the community but being part of it. Great food served by wonder people. Thank you again and again.”

“Mikes is a safe go to when your looking for a quality sandwich.
The prices are fair taking into account everything costs more.
The food is very good and you can't beat the service.
That's the true standout
They really have good people.”

“It was very easy to find and parking on the street, right in front. There was parking in the back but we didn’t use it. We found them on google and were able to peruse their menu prior to arriving. We had the large salad that was made by them after filling out a small order form with what you would like. The proteins were extra. I had the large salad and added egg and chicken. The serving was plentiful and the protein addition was hearty (4 ounces my guess). Two large salads (3 proteins total and two soft drink cans—under $40). My husband needed a restroom and they did not have one for public use. That was a drag. He had to go down the street to find one. The place was relatively clean and there were about 5 booths to choose from. The music was a bit annoying. Staff was friendly!”

“' ' ' ' We Love The House Special Fried Rice. Yum Yum Yum 😋🤤🤤🤤. Great Staff Very Great Nice People. ' ' ' '”

“Love, love, love El Cajon Bistro! It really is the best breakfast in town. Almost as if the North Park brunch scene found its way to east county, and I'm so happy it did. I always get a Benedict, the poached eggs are always perfect and the hollandaise is satisfying. The salsa that came with the breakfast potatoes was SO GOOD. I will be dreaming about it until I can have it again. My grandma and I always come here whenever I am in town. Highly recommend.”

“To Jimmy and the Domino's Pizza team at El Cajon on Broadway, I wanted to send a quick note of encouragement to express how awesome it is that Jimmy always greets everyone with the same smile and provides uplifting customer service, regardless of age. Your non-judgmental demeanor is truly remarkable. Keep up the fantastic work in creating a welcoming atmosphere for all customers! Alexandra”

“my husband and I came here with our good friends to celebrate her birthday (and she’s really old) lol and we had Brandy as our server she was fantastic!.”

“Loved Saturday, and Sunday breakfast at Gillespie Field. A great staff of folks, and a must visit if your only on vacation.”

“This place is so delicious. I’ve been coming here for like 20 years. It still taste all the same if not better. 5 rolled tacos with guacamole and a carne asada burrito no sour cream… lots of salsa cucumbers carrots omg such a great flavor. Unfortunately I moved to Los Angeles with my pops. Pops is the best the unfortunately is there isn’t a La posta arrrr. My mother lives in San Diego so that’s the first stop issssssss LA POSTA. A++++++++++++ Hands down……”

“I'm a big fan of chimmh chungu burritos and they do a fantastic job with the food. Excellent ingredients very good quality and lots of it! Well done!”

“I have been craving good Thai for a few years. I have tried some not good and some okay other places. Thai Time is so good. The aromas of the spices tortured my already empty stomach with the enticement of good food to come. I have fallen in love with the food and customer service. I will be back as my budget allows.”

“I LIKE THE SERVICE AND THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS . THE FRESH MEATS ARE EXCELLANT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MARKET”

“Yumm. No cayenne heat in the sauce which I appreciate, just flavorful spices. Idk if there is cayenne or not it’s just not hot. Liked potato salad and loved the beans n fries.”

“Vaso de fruits very refreshing on a hot day.”

“I have eaten Vietnamese cuisine throughout California, and Grandpa Tao ranks among the best. In addition to the amazing tastes, the casual restaurant is friendly and comfortable. Ingredients are fresh, the environment clean and relaxing. I particularly recommend the Pho, the Rice Vermicelli (try it!) and the Shaking beef. You'll like it.”

“Fool was locked out got me what I wanted”

“The main dishes that are served are usually pretty banging, along with the sides. We will always return.”

“I’d come back again. Great customer service..”

“My family and I LOVE In-N-Out. As usual, this place was busy. Also as usual, the staff were amazing at handling all the madness. My 4yr old son and I ordered our food, they gave him a set of crayons and a hat, we got our drinks and watched as the amazing staff did their magic. Food was great, as usual 😋”

“Crumbl has always been my favorite. Yes it can be a little pricey sometimes but depending on the lineup THEY HIT and totally worth it!!”

“Food is always on point and the people very friendly. But I wonder how important cleanliness is, it feels that everytime I go, the tables and floor are a mess. I get that a lot are disgusting and don't know how to clean after themselves, but as a restaurant, they should consider cleaning the dinning area. Hope this doesn't come off in a wrong way, but that's an important part in my opinion.”

“Grand Slam of a place ! Been coming since childhood and never disappointed.”

“Not all dennys are built same but this one the workers here are the most friendliest and nicest people I have met and it really makes you feel like you’re being taken cared of by family. Whoever is creating this atmosphere please keep it up.”

“Best chicken shawarma wrap I’ve ever had in my life, and the nicest people serving too! Definitely should try this food truck if you are downtown!”

“I love Dennies. Lol 1000x better then ihop”

“I heard about Juice Time through social media and had to see what all the hype was about — and it absolutely lived up to it. I stopped by on a Saturday evening, and while the line was out the door, it moved surprisingly fast and was well worth the short wait.

I ordered the Labubu Dubai Chocolate Strawberries and a Lotus Biscoff Milkshake, and both were incredible. The Dubai chocolate strawberries were honestly the best I’ve ever had. The strawberries themselves were super fresh, the pistachio cream had a beautiful, smooth texture, and the rich chocolate paired perfectly with the crunchy kataifi. The Labubu itself was a nice surprise — filled with pistachio cream and kataifi on what seemed to be a chocolate cake base — absolutely delicious.

The Lotus Biscoff milkshake was equally amazing — creamy, perfectly balanced, and full of that signature Biscoff flavor without being overly sweet.

Overall, this place exceeded expectations. Everything was thoughtfully made and packed with flavor. I’m already looking forward to coming back to try more of their menu.”

“If you’re craving fast, flavorful Mediterranean food in Las Vegas, Greek Chicken Café should be on your radar. You can grab it as a plate, a pita, or piled into a rice bowl—with sides like golden roasted potatoes, fluffy rice, and cool, creamy tzatziki that’ll have you licking the fork. Everything’s made fresh, and most meals won’t break the $15 mark. The star of the menu? Rotisserie chicken that’s marinated in lemon, garlic, and herbs, then slow-roasted until it practically falls apart. And if you’re short on time, their takeout game is strong. Cravings satisfied!”

“Fabulous Carne, Asada burritos, excellent rolled tacos. The service is great. The prices are reasonable, and the place is clean.. it’s just what I expect each time.”

“We grabbed takeout last night for a party of three, and once again it was a great experience. I ordered the grande tostada—my absolute favorite—and it did not disappoint. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. Even for takeout, the quality was excellent. The staff was, as always, incredibly friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Consistent good food and warm service keep us coming back!”

“I love the salad and sandwiches”

“We had the greatest server, Taylor in your Rancho San Diego restaurant, Jamacha Road,. She was so personable, efficient, friendly and extremely attentive. The food arrived hot and it was delicious. It was a party of 3, and we all agreed the meals were the best we’ve had out in a long time. We thoroughly enjoyed it and Taylor made our experience delightful!!! We’ll definitely return to this establishment.

Parking: Disabled parking is conveniently positioned.”

“This is my first time visiting this family owned and operated family restaurant and it was an amazing experience. We were greeted by Pierre and he was professional, kind, and very informative of all the items on the menu. Everything on the menu looked great and hard to decide what to dive into. The restaurant is very clean open and very bright. I ordered the liver skewers with biryani rice. The skewers very flavorful, tender, and grilled to perfection, paired well with the onion, pickled beets, and pickles. The biryani was delicious. My wife had the beef shawarma sandwich on Arabic bread, which was tender and tasty. The potions are larger than expected which was great! We finished with a cup of hot tea. If you’re looking for some authentic Iraqi food, I highly recommend Al Awael, you will not be disappointed 😋”

“Delicious food. Wonderful service. The best part that didn't charge extra for sauce. Enough parking. Enough varieties for Vegetarians also. Staff was very friendly. We would definitely recommend to give them a visit”

“Got recommended to go to this place by a friend, couldn’t have been happier with my decision of going! The portions were great and tasted great, the service was also outstanding and I felt super welcomed! Can’t wait to come back for the dolma next time!”

“The pumpkin latte is to DIE for. I’ve been here way too many times in the past month. But I cannot stop. She makes it amazing. Her hours are decent and she has happy hour! Support local business not corporate 🥰”

“food is amazing 😋 highly recommend”

“Went in there today at 6pm and food was pretty good I ordered a honey chipotle bowl and loved it. Both the server and cashier were very friendly. Will be eating there again”