Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant

Great food & bar. Live music. Been coming here for 40+ years

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went for dancing. I had fun.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 4

We happened to be in the neighborhood looking for a spot to grab dinner, and Tío Leo’s was right there—so we decided to give it a try. When you walk in, there’s a bar area to the left that had live jazz music playing, which looked like a fun time! We were there to eat, so we followed the hostess to the dining room on the right and were seated right away. The staff was friendly, and our food came out quickly, which we appreciated. I ordered the #5 combo plate with a grilled fish taco (you can choose grilled or breaded) and a cheese enchilada. My husband had the chimichanga plate. Both were just okay—nothing bad, but nothing memorable either. The restaurant itself is spacious and seemed popular with locals and families—we saw a few birthday dinners happening around us. It seems like a good neighborhood spot, but we probably wouldn’t go out of our way to come back for the food. That said, the live music side definitely caught our attention, and we’d love to stop back in for a drink and some live jazz if we’re ever in the area again!

Delicious but ... Lunch on a weekday around 1 pm; group of six What we liked: 1. Plenty of free parking 2. Lots of menu choices 3. Perfectly blended margarita 4. Hot tortilla chips, delicious salsa 5. Fabulous food. Everybody raved. 6. Friendly server 7. Nice kids' menu What we didn't like: 1. Waited 30 minutes to be seated--restaurant was half empty and it was a Tuesday afternoon. In fact we sat in the lobby a good while before we ever saw a hostess. 2. Waited again to see a server 3. Finally took our order then we waited a very long time to see our drink orders 4. Ultimately we waited more than an hour from the time we arrived at the restaurant until we saw our meal. The place was obviously understaffed. 5. Dining room is dark, dated, and leaning toward shabby. Needs to be refreshed. 5. Quite a bit of trash in lobby. This was an immediate turnoff.

Wonderful venue for jazz on Sunday evenings. Definitely a local San Diego gem.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

San Diego has the best Mexican food in the country, so this restaurant is an embarrassment.

We ordered fish tacos that resembled fish sticks with tons of lettuce to disguise it. In addition, the beans were watered down and looked like they came right from a can

When we complained, they all said, "This is how it comes."

To top it off, I ordered a double Jack and Coke, and they charged me $26, like they were a five-star restaurant instead of a one-star dive.

Please stay away, and don’t waste your money there are much better selections within 2 mile radius

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 1

My favorite place to.grab some yummy Mexican and dance the night away! They feature local bands, indoor and outdoor, depending upin time of year. Cover is reasonable, staff super friendly, location easy to find and on-site free parking! Woohoo!!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Street Tacos, Chicken Fajitas, Fish Tacos

For date night, we decided to come here since we hadn't eaten here since the Mission Gorge location closed. And it was a GREAT decision! Our waitress Alex took great care of us from the beginning of our meal to the end! The sincerity, attentiveness and all w/a personal touch was a delight! Great food & music from a live band was icing on the cake for our night. Thank you Alex❣️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Salsa, Carne Asada

We used to go to the Tio Leo’s on Mission Gorge and loved the food. Since closing that location we decided to try the one on Napa Street. Unfortunately, I don’t think we will be going back, portions were smaller, they didn’t have any Diet Coke, and the place was so darn dark we saw people asking to be moved because they couldn’t read their menu ( this was lunchtime.). The place just felt depressing…

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 3

I've always enjoyed this Tio Leo's location. Whether with family, friends, or business, they do not disappoint. The staff is so friendly & the food is fresh & delicious!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Carne Asada Burritos, Chips and Salsa, Super Nachos, Quesadilla, Street Tacos, Salsa, Carne Asada, Chicken Fajitas, Tio's Appetizer Sampler, Fish Tacos

We didn't eat. We went to have drinks at their bar. The place is really run down. Smelled like old pinesol. They really need to do some upgrades to the whole place. It used to be a really cool place to go have a bite or just to have drinks.

Atmosphere: 2

Service: 2

Sad their other locations have closed

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I stopped by for a quick lunch and was thoroughly pleased with the service the food was amazing. I'll have leftovers for 2 days. I got the chicken fajitas.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I've been eating at this restaurant for over 30 years and I've never had a bad meal. Prices are still reasonable compared to many other places.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Carne Asada

Not good food at all. Bland and no flavor

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 4