Great food and really nice flavors! The only issue was the music — in the smaller room it was super loud, way louder than in the main restaurant. Our server had to get close so that we didn't have to shout. Would definitely come back but would request to sit in a different area.
Terri
Quixote a fun and very unusual atmosphere. I appreciate that the ambience is suppose to be dark, but they could have raised the lighting just a bit so it would be easier to see the menu and the food. We started with some margaritas. They were very small -mostly ice, and were disappointing with no flavor and an undetectable amount of alcohol. The food was delicious. The squash blossom was the highlight. It came crispy and with interesting mix of flavors. The chicken tacos were very tasty and a nice appetizer. We had the Branzino fish, and it was cooked well and flavored nicely. We had flan with the pineapple sorbet for dessert. Both were very bright and delicious. The service was slow. It took close to 30 minutes to get our drinks. The entre fish was delivered before we had finished our appetizers. Overall, it's a fun and special experience to visit Quixote but it's a bit overpriced and expect some minor drawbacks.
Jelena
Place is nice, food was just not up to my standards. Price is off the charts but our waiter was nice
Michael
Truly unique dining experience. The food and service is outstanding. It is very loud but a favorite.
rene
on the onset. Hostess was rude. Set the tone for the experience. Food was underwhelming... not great. Service average. Noise level was ridiculous... I felt like Helen Keller n couldn't hear my guest speak. Ambiance was amazing
Stacy
Love the intimate vibe of it & food was delicious I would come back again drinks were also yummy for a person that doesn't like mezcal they did very well on the cocktails
Stephanie
Absolutely loved everything. Tom, our host and server, was excellent and helped us choose some signature menu items. Food was scrumptious and beautifully presented. The ambiance was like a dream. It transported us to old world Sonora, Mexico.
Julian Pacheco
This place is really nice inside and friendly staff but I cannot stress it enough. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing is worth the price you pay here. 😅
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Rocky Beck
The food was great, but unfortunately, our experience was dampened by the service. Our server disappeared for long stretches of time (10–15 minutes), and it wasn’t clear if they were just overwhelmed with too many tables, feeling unwell, or simply distracted. If you told me they were sneaking out for smoke breaks, I’d believe that too — honestly, if you told me they were stoned, I wouldn’t be shocked.
Meanwhile, the table right next to us had a different server who was incredibly attentive, friendly, and gave them tons of helpful information about the restaurant and menu — which would’ve been great for us as first-time visitors. It was strange and honestly a bit disheartening to watch another table get such great service while we were essentially ignored. Due to the low light (literally the teeniest candle), we couldn't really see the menu so it would have been nice to get a little walkthrough from our server. The place has got some horrific acoustics as well, we were SHOUTING at each other to hold a conversation. It just got weirder and weirder lol.
By the end, it almost felt like we were on a hidden camera show waiting for someone to pop out and let us in on the joke… but no one ever did. We finally managed to flag our server down just to pay and leave, which was a disappointing way to end what could have been a fantastic evening.
In today’s economy, dropping a couple hundred dollars on a meal comes with the expectation of at least decent service. I shouldn’t have to repeatedly ask just for a water refill or practically beg for my bill. At one point, we were so unattended that we could have walked out without paying and I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed.
The steak was phenomenal, but service matters — and unfortunately, this experience left us feeling like we wouldn’t come back despite how good the food was.
I reached out to the restaurant before leaving this review, but got no reply 🫠
Fantastic place. Really cool dark look to it. It’s like an old church inside with beautiful stained glass and really nice decorations. It’s almost medieval-like.
But the food is just delicious. It’s not your average cheap Mexican restaurant; it is a little pricey but the food is amazing. All the appetizers we got were fantastic (huitlacoche tamal and the caviar crab cake ) and the ribs were delicious. Honestly, even the sides of the dish were great.
I’m usually not a fan of paying a lot for Mexican food but I’ll make an exception for this place. It’s such a different cool experience. 100% recommend for a date night and please try some of the weird dishes. If you just want tacos you can go anywhere else.
Truly an experience! My wife and I went for the first time to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary. The vibes of the restaurant are unmatched upon walking in it was so dark couldn't see much but when my eyes adjusted the interior was stunning from the stained glass windows to the old school architecture look was amazing. Not only the but the food was phenomenal we started with the chicken tacos which were a 10/10 some of the best fried chicken tacos I've ever had for our entire we ordered the steak and can I say one of the best deals I've had in a long time another 10/10! After finishing our dinner the waitress did bring out a pineapple sorbet with hibiscus orbs and a rose 🌹 as a anniversary dessert on the house the sorbet was so refreshing and such a nice gesture when we find ourselves back in San Diego would visit again for sure!
Unbelievable restaurant with a moody gothic vibe that is so well curated and an incredible menu - truly nothing on it that I would not get! Amazing service, they were super knowledgable and kind. Cannot wait to come again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert Tassiello
Most overrated and OVERPRICED restaurant I’ve by been to in a long time. Thomas talks up great experience when in fact it wasn’t even mediocre. Save yourself some time and MONEY and find a traditional Mexican restaurant in San Diego. I don’t mind spending money, I just hate wasting it and this was a waste.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
maricella mason
The hotel and restaurant are undeniably beautiful, but unfortunately, my experience with the food here was extremely concerning. After dining at this restaurant, I became severely ill with what began as food poisoning but quickly developed into something far more serious. I am now seeking emergency medical care as a result.
That same night, I experienced severe stomach pain and the classic “egg burp” associated with foodborne illness, and I have been in pain every single day since. It’s disturbing to think food may not have been handled with proper care—especially as my meal was served in under 10 minutes, which raised concerns immediately. As a vegan, i don’t understand how it would be so difficult keep my food safe. I also find it unacceptable, as I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life.
This illness has forced me to cancel important commitments and has significantly disrupted my life. I am deeply disappointed and hope the restaurant takes this matter seriously to ensure no one else has to go through what I have.
Great food and really nice flavors! The only issue was the music — in the smaller room it was super loud, way louder than in the main restaurant. Our server had to get close so that we didn't have to shout. Would definitely come back but would request to sit in a different area.
Quixote a fun and very unusual atmosphere. I appreciate that the ambience is suppose to be dark, but they could have raised the lighting just a bit so it would be easier to see the menu and the food. We started with some margaritas. They were very small -mostly ice, and were disappointing with no flavor and an undetectable amount of alcohol. The food was delicious. The squash blossom was the highlight. It came crispy and with interesting mix of flavors. The chicken tacos were very tasty and a nice appetizer. We had the Branzino fish, and it was cooked well and flavored nicely. We had flan with the pineapple sorbet for dessert. Both were very bright and delicious. The service was slow. It took close to 30 minutes to get our drinks. The entre fish was delivered before we had finished our appetizers. Overall, it's a fun and special experience to visit Quixote but it's a bit overpriced and expect some minor drawbacks.
Place is nice, food was just not up to my standards. Price is off the charts but our waiter was nice
Truly unique dining experience. The food and service is outstanding. It is very loud but a favorite.
on the onset. Hostess was rude. Set the tone for the experience. Food was underwhelming... not great. Service average. Noise level was ridiculous... I felt like Helen Keller n couldn't hear my guest speak. Ambiance was amazing
Love the intimate vibe of it & food was delicious I would come back again drinks were also yummy for a person that doesn't like mezcal they did very well on the cocktails
Absolutely loved everything. Tom, our host and server, was excellent and helped us choose some signature menu items. Food was scrumptious and beautifully presented. The ambiance was like a dream. It transported us to old world Sonora, Mexico.
This place is really nice inside and friendly staff but I cannot stress it enough. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing is worth the price you pay here. 😅
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
The food was great, but unfortunately, our experience was dampened by the service. Our server disappeared for long stretches of time (10–15 minutes), and it wasn’t clear if they were just overwhelmed with too many tables, feeling unwell, or simply distracted. If you told me they were sneaking out for smoke breaks, I’d believe that too — honestly, if you told me they were stoned, I wouldn’t be shocked.
Meanwhile, the table right next to us had a different server who was incredibly attentive, friendly, and gave them tons of helpful information about the restaurant and menu — which would’ve been great for us as first-time visitors. It was strange and honestly a bit disheartening to watch another table get such great service while we were essentially ignored. Due to the low light (literally the teeniest candle), we couldn't really see the menu so it would have been nice to get a little walkthrough from our server. The place has got some horrific acoustics as well, we were SHOUTING at each other to hold a conversation. It just got weirder and weirder lol.
By the end, it almost felt like we were on a hidden camera show waiting for someone to pop out and let us in on the joke… but no one ever did. We finally managed to flag our server down just to pay and leave, which was a disappointing way to end what could have been a fantastic evening.
In today’s economy, dropping a couple hundred dollars on a meal comes with the expectation of at least decent service. I shouldn’t have to repeatedly ask just for a water refill or practically beg for my bill. At one point, we were so unattended that we could have walked out without paying and I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed.
The steak was phenomenal, but service matters — and unfortunately, this experience left us feeling like we wouldn’t come back despite how good the food was.
I reached out to the restaurant before leaving this review, but got no reply 🫠
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Absoultely stunning
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Fantastic place. Really cool dark look to it. It’s like an old church inside with beautiful stained glass and really nice decorations. It’s almost medieval-like.
But the food is just delicious. It’s not your average cheap Mexican restaurant; it is a little pricey but the food is amazing. All the appetizers we got were fantastic (huitlacoche tamal and the caviar crab cake ) and the ribs were delicious. Honestly, even the sides of the dish were great.
I’m usually not a fan of paying a lot for Mexican food but I’ll make an exception for this place. It’s such a different cool experience. 100% recommend for a date night and please try some of the weird dishes. If you just want tacos you can go anywhere else.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Corn Doughnut, Crab Doughnut
Truly an experience! My wife and I went for the first time to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary. The vibes of the restaurant are unmatched upon walking in it was so dark couldn't see much but when my eyes adjusted the interior was stunning from the stained glass windows to the old school architecture look was amazing. Not only the but the food was phenomenal we started with the chicken tacos which were a 10/10 some of the best fried chicken tacos I've ever had for our entire we ordered the steak and can I say one of the best deals I've had in a long time another 10/10! After finishing our dinner the waitress did bring out a pineapple sorbet with hibiscus orbs and a rose 🌹 as a anniversary dessert on the house the sorbet was so refreshing and such a nice gesture when we find ourselves back in San Diego would visit again for sure!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Chicken Tacos, Masa Fried Chicken Tacos, Queso Fundido
Unbelievable restaurant with a moody gothic vibe that is so well curated and an incredible menu - truly nothing on it that I would not get! Amazing service, they were super knowledgable and kind. Cannot wait to come again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Most overrated and OVERPRICED restaurant I’ve by been to in a long time. Thomas talks up great experience when in fact it wasn’t even mediocre. Save yourself some time and MONEY and find a traditional Mexican restaurant in San Diego. I don’t mind spending money, I just hate wasting it and this was a waste.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
The hotel and restaurant are undeniably beautiful, but unfortunately, my experience with the food here was extremely concerning. After dining at this restaurant, I became severely ill with what began as food poisoning but quickly developed into something far more serious. I am now seeking emergency medical care as a result.
That same night, I experienced severe stomach pain and the classic “egg burp” associated with foodborne illness, and I have been in pain every single day since. It’s disturbing to think food may not have been handled with proper care—especially as my meal was served in under 10 minutes, which raised concerns immediately. As a vegan, i don’t understand how it would be so difficult keep my food safe. I also find it unacceptable, as I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life.
This illness has forced me to cancel important commitments and has significantly disrupted my life. I am deeply disappointed and hope the restaurant takes this matter seriously to ensure no one else has to go through what I have.
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