Ensenada Restaurants

Restaurants in Ensenada

  1. El Taco de Huitzilopochtli

    It's worth planning your visit to Ensenada around this restaurant's opening hours. For 32 years it has been serving its mouthwatering mixiote, a unique Texcoco-style dish of lamb wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked for 16 hours in mesquite-fired ovens. Other dishes include tlacoyos (thick, stuffed tortillas in green chili sauce), romeritos (nopal cactus, potatoes and shrimp in a bowl of chocolaty, spicy mole) and huauzontles (a stuffed and battered broccoli-like vegetable in red sauce).

    reviewed

  2. A

    Manzanilla

    With a wonderful staff, outstanding regional and Italian-influenced cuisine and an atmosphere you'll melt into, Manzanilla is simply tops. The server will start you off with Baja-grown manzanilla olives and house-baked bread and explain each of the dishes, from fresh local oysters to lamb shank and exquisitely prepared fish. The rib-eye steaks, which come from a select ranch in Sonora (the state famous for its beef) are no less than orgasmic.

    reviewed

  3. B

    Cenaduría El Parrian

    If you want to eat well for cheap, blow off the gringo traps along López Mateos and join the locals at El Parrian. The small menu of enchiladas, tacos, tamales and tostadas is outstanding. Try the pozole (a hearty pork and hominy soup) and polish it off with a hot mug of champurrado (a chocolate corn drink).

    reviewed

  4. C

    Birriería La Guadalajara

    Birriería La Guadalajara Birria (stewed goat, beef or lamb) is the specialty here, and you can order it made de borrego (lamb), de res (beef) or de chivo (goat). Big steaming bowls (or tacos, if you wish) will land on your table and keep you energized for hours.

    reviewed

  5. D

    Baja Frut

    At this locally loved diner, 'los hotcakes'come with real syrup, juices are fresh, tea means two teabags, the coffee is bottomless, and portions are huge. The chilaquiles (a breakfast dish made with fried tortillas and red or green sauce) are outstanding, and the service is tops.

    reviewed

  6. E

    Einstein

    The owner didn't intend his restaurant to become downtown's most popular burger pit, but that's what people kept ordering. So the menu grew to include over a dozen types of burgers. Salads and pastas and a couple of seafood plates (his original idea was natural food) are still on the menu.

    reviewed

  7. F

    El Parián

    Great enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, agua de jamaica (hibiscus water) and friendly service make this perfect for anyone watching their pesos. Flat-screen televisions at every corner mean you (or the wait staff) never have to miss a moment of that cheesy Mexican soap.

    reviewed

  8. G

    La Esquina de Bodegas

    La Esquina de Bodegas is worth a look for its décor alone. It metamorphosed from a former brandy distillery, integrating the ancient drums, vats and pipes into a hip industrial environment. The menu is Mediterranean with Mexican inflections and there is a relaxed air to it.

    reviewed

  9. H

    El Rey Sol

    Supposedly Mexico's oldest French restaurant (opened 1947), the award-winning El Rey Sol is elegant but relaxed, despite a guest list that includes several Mexican presidents. Full dinners start around US$35, and the drinks are excellent (the Cadillac margarita is sublime).

    reviewed

  10. I

    Mariscos Bahía

    Since its opening in 1970 Mariscos Bahía has become a venerated classic. The halibut came out overcooked during our last visit, but the camarones al mojo de ajo (garlic shrimp), the sidewalk terrace and the delicious margaritas made up for it.

    reviewed

  11. Advertisement

  12. J

    Bronco's Steak House

    Bronco's Steak House Vaquero (cowboy) culture is as alive in the décor here as it is in the hearty and humongous mesquite-grilled steaks that many claim are the best in town. Prices are high, but so is the quality. Great breakfasts.

    reviewed

  13. K

    Tacos Don Zefe

    Not only does Don Zefe serve what are arguably the best seafood tacos in town, it's also the perfect combination of taco stand and restaurant: outdoor tables, a stainless steel bar mounted between two palm trees and friendly counter service.

    reviewed

  14. L

    Tacos El Fenix

    A local institution, El Fenix serves outstanding fish and shrimp tacos to a throng of regulars who harmoniously navigate the condiments bar as cash and tacos change hands at full tilt. Tacos this good at these prices are a steal.

    reviewed

  15. M

    El Corralito

    This place serves mediocre antojitos but really shines on weekends, when the nighttime crowd arrives for re-fueling sessions between bar visits. It's a great spot for a margarita on the strip.

    reviewed

  16. N

    La Casa Antigua Café

    Vintage photos and clapboards separate this place from the coffee mega-chains. Delicate pastries, good bagels and sandwiches and rich coffee are all worth ducking away from the strip for.

    reviewed

  17. Plaza del Marisco

    Some argue this cluster of seafood taco stands along Blvd Costero has more reliable quality than those adjacent to the market itself. We found the difference negligible. Try 'em and see.

    reviewed

  18. O

    El Tlaquepaque

    Offering similar fare to El Parrian, this is an excellent family-style eatery concerned more with cooking up good, wholesome food than making money off the cruise-ship casualties.

    reviewed

  19. P

    El Charro

    This is the place for marinated Mexican-style chicken, grilled or roasted over an open flame. Freshly made tortillas, salsa and other condiments accompany all orders.

    reviewed

  20. Q

    La Embotelladora Vieja

    This elegant establishment was once a wine-aging warehouse. Beautiful brick arches and an outstanding wine selection make this a spot to seek for that special celebration.

    reviewed

  21. R

    Mariscos El Cheff

    This eclectic, eight-table mom-and-pop joint is revered for its seafood. Fish nets, dangling abalone shells and red tablecloths complete the scene. Great little place.

    reviewed

  22. Advertisement

  23. S

    Casamar

    This family-owned restaurant features elegant seafood dining and a full bar that offers great views of the port. Try the Abalone Casamar with crabmeat. Yum.

    reviewed

  24. T

    Mi Kaza

    Enjoy inexpensive Mexican or American dishes at this not-so-greasy greasy spoon. Princess Diana lovers will enjoy the tribute wall of photos at the back.

    reviewed

  25. U

    Rentería Tortillería

    Tiny little grocery store with freshly made flour tortillas for M$12 per kilogram. Enjoy smells and smiles as you watch them being made.

    reviewed

  26. V

    La Comadre

    Enjoy authentic, cheap antojitos and friendly service in a family atmosphere. Colorful decorations complement the food.

    reviewed