Last time my husband gets resto choosing privileges! When in San Diego you have to eat Mexican food. Saw the 4.3 stars and reviews, not all great but it said 4.3! We should've walked out the moment I saw Teriyaki burrito ( I mean it could've been good but really?) but we were hungry and we were already there. I really don't like leaving bad reviews so I'll start with what's good. The lady at the counter was friendly ( I think she's the owner?) and the poblano soup. Reminds me of a potato leek soup but spicier. We didn't like the process of waiting to get a seat, then after you're seated, you go back up to the counter to order your food, and sit back down and wait for your food. Not entirely bad, but just not our style. We got pretty burnt chips in a plastic basket with no liner. Hope they wash those things or... put a liner. We waited quite a while for the food but if it's good, I am willing to wait. Soups came first and the nice lady at the counter who handles the money and the cards, had her thumb in one of the soups when she was bringing it to us and served it. The whole night we called it "thumb soup"! Maybe put it on a tray? I thought my chile relleno burrito had promise but I was so disappointed to find that the chile relleno didn't even have cheese inside and it was a whole burrito of beans, a few really small pieces of carne asada and more beans! Maybe she's trying to tell me I don't need the rice? Hmmm.... She may be right. The rest of the food we ordered was bland, chewy, and again, the thumb soup. Stick with the poblano soup which actually could've been served with some tortillas so maybe ask for some if you still decide to give this place a try.
Leah S.
Came here with some girlfriends for the first time and after years of hearing the rave reviews, I got to experience it myself. The service was amazing, all the gentlemen at the counter were very pleasant and happy to help. I ordered chicken enchiladas with green sauce. They were amazing!!! I haven't found them this good anywhere else locally. The salsas that came out with the chips were both very very good. Will be back very soon.
Simon C.
Expectations were for a nice sit-down Mexican restaurant. I twas not expecting to order at the counter. I expected the burrito plate to come with rice and beans. It did not making it a bit dry. The servers were very nice and helpful. The food was just okay.
Marla E.
Poor quality, cleanliness, no table service, decor is outdated and dark. Unfortunate, because we live nearby but won't go there again. Weird smell
Jory S.
A fabulous neighborhood gem! Everything I have ever tried has been delicoious. I highly recommend the Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad. Portions are huge and the salad is the best in town. Last visit we tried the Chile Relleno Burritos and they did not disappoint. The chile relleno is stuffed with protein of your choice, beans, cheese, sour cream, hominy, etc wrapped in a huge tortilla... it was so good. Can't wait to go back and eat more deliciousness. Great service as well. Thanks Cenote Grill! :)
Annabell C.
Ordered this for the second time and the food was just as amazing and affordable! The cilantro lime salad, shrimp burrito in spicy sauce, and steak tacos were especially good.
Stacey Frisbey
Cold food, dated cheap ambiance, nice staff.My husband lost his restaurant picking privileges. After choosing this place. We wanted to give a new Mexican place a shot and the photos looked pretty okay. We Go, and from the minute we walk into the minute we leave. We are the youngest people there by about 20 years. It was packed with white people and every one of them was over the age of 60. When your Mexican restaurant and not a single Mexican person eats there, there's a problem.The staff was actually very prompt and courteous and got us seated. The booths have impromptu pads being leaned against them like they are waiting for a real shipment of booths to come in. Also some weird mother earth art on the wall is best as I can guess. But nothing that distinctly said a Mexican restaurant. Immediately gave us free chips and two different kinds of salsa. One tasted like watery tomato paste. The other one tasted vaguely like someone had waived tomatillo at it once and it's life.You order up front. I don't have a problem with that. Our food arrived within a solid amount of time. But my meat was cold to the touch. As if they had made it this morning (gosh I hope it was that morning and not the night before). My cheese was also barely melted. I got a burrito fresco and took two bites and didn't want more.My kids got a shrimp burrito and a fish taco. There was no spice other than cumin in the shrimp burrito. But considering the age of most of the patrons, I'm pretty sure that was on purpose. My other child's fish taco had the batter slide right off of it but it was perfectly fine otherwise.My husband and I were glad that we only had a few bites of our food. We felt queasy the rest of the night and kept chugging Gatorade and burping suspiciously. It would have been a lot worse if we would have actually had more than a few bites of our food.At least with Taco Bell I would have gotten some hot meat and some packets of spice along with my indigestion. I get to pick next time, sorry honey.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 5
Bigelow Watts
Good food and nice people. My wife and I will eat there 2 to 3 times every month.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Carne Asada Plate, Poblano Soup
Cindy
First time at Cenote Grill. Very good food. Not too noisy at lunchtime. Will be going there again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grilled Chile Relleno, Chile Relleno Burrito Wet Burrito, Chile Relleno and Fish Taco Combo, Chips and Salsa, Flan, Chili Rellenos, Agave Lime Shrimp Plate
Jessica Castillo
Amazing food and customer service. Not a fan of tiny tables but that is a personal preference and I get it they get busy.Absolutely the best soup. Spinach salad is to die for..
White people mexican food. Meat was chewy and poorly seasoned, chips were from a grocery store, salsa was from a can. Everything was astoundingly mediocre. Like, it wasn’t just that it was inauthentic, it was just a bad meal.Also the soap dispenser in the bathroom was broken… and the implications of that are horrifying.
Kathleen Brown
Bring your appetite. The Burrito was big enough for two. Staff are friendly and prompt, small seating area, order, and then you are seated.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa
Michele C
Parking: Small parking lot but there were spots
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Tacos, Chips and Salsa, Poblano Soup
Gary Leeper
One of our favorite places to eatLove the pabalano soup out of this world. I come there for
Last time my husband gets resto choosing privileges! When in San Diego you have to eat Mexican food. Saw the 4.3 stars and reviews, not all great but it said 4.3! We should've walked out the moment I saw Teriyaki burrito ( I mean it could've been good but really?) but we were hungry and we were already there. I really don't like leaving bad reviews so I'll start with what's good. The lady at the counter was friendly ( I think she's the owner?) and the poblano soup. Reminds me of a potato leek soup but spicier. We didn't like the process of waiting to get a seat, then after you're seated, you go back up to the counter to order your food, and sit back down and wait for your food. Not entirely bad, but just not our style. We got pretty burnt chips in a plastic basket with no liner. Hope they wash those things or... put a liner. We waited quite a while for the food but if it's good, I am willing to wait. Soups came first and the nice lady at the counter who handles the money and the cards, had her thumb in one of the soups when she was bringing it to us and served it. The whole night we called it "thumb soup"! Maybe put it on a tray? I thought my chile relleno burrito had promise but I was so disappointed to find that the chile relleno didn't even have cheese inside and it was a whole burrito of beans, a few really small pieces of carne asada and more beans! Maybe she's trying to tell me I don't need the rice? Hmmm.... She may be right. The rest of the food we ordered was bland, chewy, and again, the thumb soup. Stick with the poblano soup which actually could've been served with some tortillas so maybe ask for some if you still decide to give this place a try.
Came here with some girlfriends for the first time and after years of hearing the rave reviews, I got to experience it myself. The service was amazing, all the gentlemen at the counter were very pleasant and happy to help. I ordered chicken enchiladas with green sauce. They were amazing!!! I haven't found them this good anywhere else locally. The salsas that came out with the chips were both very very good. Will be back very soon.
Expectations were for a nice sit-down Mexican restaurant. I twas not expecting to order at the counter. I expected the burrito plate to come with rice and beans. It did not making it a bit dry. The servers were very nice and helpful. The food was just okay.
Poor quality, cleanliness, no table service, decor is outdated and dark. Unfortunate, because we live nearby but won't go there again. Weird smell
A fabulous neighborhood gem! Everything I have ever tried has been delicoious. I highly recommend the Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad. Portions are huge and the salad is the best in town. Last visit we tried the Chile Relleno Burritos and they did not disappoint. The chile relleno is stuffed with protein of your choice, beans, cheese, sour cream, hominy, etc wrapped in a huge tortilla... it was so good. Can't wait to go back and eat more deliciousness. Great service as well. Thanks Cenote Grill! :)
Ordered this for the second time and the food was just as amazing and affordable! The cilantro lime salad, shrimp burrito in spicy sauce, and steak tacos were especially good.
Cold food, dated cheap ambiance, nice staff.My husband lost his restaurant picking privileges. After choosing this place. We wanted to give a new Mexican place a shot and the photos looked pretty okay. We Go, and from the minute we walk into the minute we leave. We are the youngest people there by about 20 years. It was packed with white people and every one of them was over the age of 60. When your Mexican restaurant and not a single Mexican person eats there, there's a problem.The staff was actually very prompt and courteous and got us seated. The booths have impromptu pads being leaned against them like they are waiting for a real shipment of booths to come in. Also some weird mother earth art on the wall is best as I can guess. But nothing that distinctly said a Mexican restaurant. Immediately gave us free chips and two different kinds of salsa. One tasted like watery tomato paste. The other one tasted vaguely like someone had waived tomatillo at it once and it's life.You order up front. I don't have a problem with that. Our food arrived within a solid amount of time. But my meat was cold to the touch. As if they had made it this morning (gosh I hope it was that morning and not the night before). My cheese was also barely melted. I got a burrito fresco and took two bites and didn't want more.My kids got a shrimp burrito and a fish taco. There was no spice other than cumin in the shrimp burrito. But considering the age of most of the patrons, I'm pretty sure that was on purpose. My other child's fish taco had the batter slide right off of it but it was perfectly fine otherwise.My husband and I were glad that we only had a few bites of our food. We felt queasy the rest of the night and kept chugging Gatorade and burping suspiciously. It would have been a lot worse if we would have actually had more than a few bites of our food.At least with Taco Bell I would have gotten some hot meat and some packets of spice along with my indigestion. I get to pick next time, sorry honey.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 5
Good food and nice people. My wife and I will eat there 2 to 3 times every month.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Carne Asada Plate, Poblano Soup
First time at Cenote Grill. Very good food. Not too noisy at lunchtime. Will be going there again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grilled Chile Relleno, Chile Relleno Burrito Wet Burrito, Chile Relleno and Fish Taco Combo, Chips and Salsa, Flan, Chili Rellenos, Agave Lime Shrimp Plate
Amazing food and customer service. Not a fan of tiny tables but that is a personal preference and I get it they get busy.Absolutely the best soup. Spinach salad is to die for..
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Poblano Soup
Restaurantji Recommends
White people mexican food. Meat was chewy and poorly seasoned, chips were from a grocery store, salsa was from a can. Everything was astoundingly mediocre. Like, it wasn’t just that it was inauthentic, it was just a bad meal.Also the soap dispenser in the bathroom was broken… and the implications of that are horrifying.
Bring your appetite. The Burrito was big enough for two. Staff are friendly and prompt, small seating area, order, and then you are seated.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa
Parking: Small parking lot but there were spots
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Tacos, Chips and Salsa, Poblano Soup
One of our favorite places to eatLove the pabalano soup out of this world. I come there for
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grilled Chile Relleno, Poblano Soup
Went there for the first time with my daughter for lunch this week. Nice atmosphere. Food was really good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5