Great food and service. The chicken soup was really good and the carne asada burrito was also very good. It was spiced like I have never had before and I thought it was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sandy Trumble
Best chicken tortilla soup, chips and salsa ever! Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. The amount of food you get for the money is unbelievable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ava Thompson
A beloved casual Mexican restaurant known for its authentic, flavorful dishes and generous portions. Locals and visitors rave about the rich tortilla and chicken soups, fish tacos, enchiladas, and vibrant, colorful atmosphere that feels like a lively Mexican kitchen. Friendly service, great value, and classic favorites make it a go‑to spot for hearty comfort food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessica Wilkinson
This place came recommended by my coworker and it did not disappoint! Fantastic food, reasonable prices, and great staff!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mrs Donnette Poole
Chicken soup is the best !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimberly Prather
We go to La Especial Norte for their tortilla soup. It is really good. Tonight we went there to celebrate our son coming home from Europe after a year. As something special, we ordered parillada for the table. It was perhaps the worst dish I have ever had at a restaurant. It was inedible. The chicken and steak had no flavor and the texture of shoe leather. The carmitas were cold tasteless chunks of mostly fat. The overall plate of food looked bad. It was mostly cold and dried out.I feel horrible writing such a review but it was that bad. It was the end of the night so perhaps it had just been sitting out all day. It was lukewarm and terrible. This is the worst review I have ever written. As I said, the tortilla soup was as good as always. Not sure if we will ever return.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Denny Roy
Love this place! Lots of delicious soups on the menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Gillian Jazzar
Authentic Mexican cuisine. Favs are Tortilla Soup and Enchiladas Suizas but they have a pretty extensive menu. We stop here every time we are in town.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Asia Pereira
I do not know why this place is a 4 star. I ordered a cali burrito that taco bell could have wrapped better.
Guy was concerned that I wasn't gonna order when I parked. Mildly annoying, but fair.
I ordered a cali burrito that didn't even have guacamole in it. Literally the whitest burrito I've ever had. Del taco is more Mexican than this joint sadly.
M B
I went to this restaurant because of the reviews, however, the food was not that great and the combo taco and enchilada did not looked like the pictures from the reviews. Also, the waiter was kinda rude and impatient. No one even came to our table to check if we need anything else after he rushingly delivered the food. I will not recommend this place. There’s a lot of nice places in Encinitas that deserve my business.
Their food is wonderful but the prices are a little steep
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hazelton Online
We’ve supported this restaurant for 15 years, but after last Sunday, we will never return.
My wife and I have been loyal customers for over a decade, introducing countless family and friends to this place and always recommending it as our go-to for Mexican food. We’ve built relationships with the staff and genuinely enjoyed coming here—until our last visit.
My wife suffers from chronic migraines and has a fully vetted service dog approved by her neurologist. This dog alerts her before a migraine hits so she can take medication in time. When the owner saw my wife with her service dog outside the restaurant, she was immediately rude and dismissive, saying, “We don’t allow dogs.” We calmly explained that this was a service animal, and pointing to her sign indicating service animals were allowed, but she looked at us with a condescending smirk, laughed and walked away.
I even went inside to show this lady documentation from my wife’s doctor confirming the legitimacy of her service dog. Instead of apologizing or correcting the situation, the owner brushed me off then came back outside and demanding my wife—who was holding the dog in her arms and had not even entered the restaurant—to put the dog on the ground. Her tone was condescending and disrespectful.
This level of ignorance and unprofessionalism is shocking, especially from a business we’ve supported for so long. When I reminded the owner that service animals are protected under federal and California ADA law, her response was, “I don’t care, this is my business.”
That was the last straw. We will never spend another dollar here, and it’s heartbreaking after so many years of loyalty. To the owner: You are not above the law. Educate yourself on ADA requirements before you find yourself facing serious legal consequences.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Sam Shamoon
Very good food and good service nice and cozy place I will sure comeback to try more food
Great food and service. The chicken soup was really good and the carne asada burrito was also very good. It was spiced like I have never had before and I thought it was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best chicken tortilla soup, chips and salsa ever! Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. The amount of food you get for the money is unbelievable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A beloved casual Mexican restaurant known for its authentic, flavorful dishes and generous portions. Locals and visitors rave about the rich tortilla and chicken soups, fish tacos, enchiladas, and vibrant, colorful atmosphere that feels like a lively Mexican kitchen. Friendly service, great value, and classic favorites make it a go‑to spot for hearty comfort food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place came recommended by my coworker and it did not disappoint! Fantastic food, reasonable prices, and great staff!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chicken soup is the best !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We go to La Especial Norte for their tortilla soup. It is really good. Tonight we went there to celebrate our son coming home from Europe after a year. As something special, we ordered parillada for the table. It was perhaps the worst dish I have ever had at a restaurant. It was inedible. The chicken and steak had no flavor and the texture of shoe leather. The carmitas were cold tasteless chunks of mostly fat. The overall plate of food looked bad. It was mostly cold and dried out.I feel horrible writing such a review but it was that bad. It was the end of the night so perhaps it had just been sitting out all day. It was lukewarm and terrible. This is the worst review I have ever written. As I said, the tortilla soup was as good as always. Not sure if we will ever return.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Love this place! Lots of delicious soups on the menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Authentic Mexican cuisine. Favs are Tortilla Soup and Enchiladas Suizas but they have a pretty extensive menu. We stop here every time we are in town.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
I do not know why this place is a 4 star. I ordered a cali burrito that taco bell could have wrapped better.
Guy was concerned that I wasn't gonna order when I parked. Mildly annoying, but fair.
I ordered a cali burrito that didn't even have guacamole in it. Literally the whitest burrito I've ever had. Del taco is more Mexican than this joint sadly.
I went to this restaurant because of the reviews, however, the food was not that great and the combo taco and enchilada did not looked like the pictures from the reviews. Also, the waiter was kinda rude and impatient. No one even came to our table to check if we need anything else after he rushingly delivered the food.
I will not recommend this place. There’s a lot of nice places in Encinitas that deserve my business.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Never fails to impress. Solid comfort food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Soup
Food was very good and very fresh.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Their food is wonderful but the prices are a little steep
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We’ve supported this restaurant for 15 years, but after last Sunday, we will never return.
My wife and I have been loyal customers for over a decade, introducing countless family and friends to this place and always recommending it as our go-to for Mexican food. We’ve built relationships with the staff and genuinely enjoyed coming here—until our last visit.
My wife suffers from chronic migraines and has a fully vetted service dog approved by her neurologist. This dog alerts her before a migraine hits so she can take medication in time. When the owner saw my wife with her service dog outside the restaurant, she was immediately rude and dismissive, saying, “We don’t allow dogs.” We calmly explained that this was a service animal, and pointing to her sign indicating service animals were allowed, but she looked at us with a condescending smirk, laughed and walked away.
I even went inside to show this lady documentation from my wife’s doctor confirming the legitimacy of her service dog. Instead of apologizing or correcting the situation, the owner brushed me off then came back outside and demanding my wife—who was holding the dog in her arms and had not even entered the restaurant—to put the dog on the ground. Her tone was condescending and disrespectful.
This level of ignorance and unprofessionalism is shocking, especially from a business we’ve supported for so long. When I reminded the owner that service animals are protected under federal and California ADA law, her response was, “I don’t care, this is my business.”
That was the last straw. We will never spend another dollar here, and it’s heartbreaking after so many years of loyalty. To the owner: You are not above the law. Educate yourself on ADA requirements before you find yourself facing serious legal consequences.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Very good food and good service nice and cozy place I will sure comeback to try more food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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